Chapter 1

Introduction

1.1 Background of Study

Though colonization is a merciless process, it let so many nations to be enslaved and

voiceless. Nigeria and South Africa had their own way of livings with no worries and sighs. They

were to perform their religious activities, though old-practices, and had the cultural, traditional, ethic

and indigenous positions in their lands. But the coming of outsiders made all their activities back

down as, with the advent of eavesdroppers, their afore-practices slowed down particularly their

identity in the globe. Thus, this became matter of concern among the philanthropists and reformists

who could not bear the burden of torments given by the colonists. Therefore, indigeneity and

colonization turned to be global-melee as it impacted lives in every region weak in resistance. So,

this made the colonized masses raise voice for themselves. Consequently, there got birth

revolutionary leaders around the world in shape of Nelson Mandela and others who stood firm

against Apartheid and such like racist attitudes. And, in this way, the globe became free of color-

differences to larger extent.

Colonialism is “the policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another

country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically”. Post-colonialism is “a body of

literary and cultural theory which studies the cultural impact of imperialism especially on African,

Asian, and South American nations” Cry, the Beloved Country is pathetic, mournful, and dejected, in

short, inhuman history in the human-history

Hence the colonization or the colonial study deals with the study of the experiences of the colonized

or subalterns during and after the colonial period. This period pushed so many writers to take their
pens and penned downed the destructed society. Among these writers, the current study has analyzed

two postcolonial writers i.e; ALAN PATON and CHINUA ACHEBE. Their selected novels have

been critically analyzed under postcolonial theory. As these both writers have a great influence on

literary field mostly in postcolonial literature.They both have perfectly analyzed the situation of the

subalterns under the colonial government. They also highlighted the impact of colonization on the

colonized world after their independence. They also appreciated the sense of patriotism and fighting

for the sole purpose of freedom.

In terms of postcolonial literature, the African continent has significant importance. The

unique style of these writers beautify the English literature, and most importantly postcolonial

literature. Through these literature they carried the theme of otherness, hybridity, cultural changes

and appreciated all those who were conscientious to their homeland.

Africa is a sizable continent with many different languages and communities that produce

both oral and written literature. The range of this literature includes both the writings of African

migrants as well as those of Africans who live on the continent. comparable to other African

literature has undergone several stages over time. It first began as an Pre-colonial, colonial, and

postcolonial literature were followed by oral literature respectively (TIKUMAH, 2013 p.4-5)

Among all these African literature,Alan Paton has a permanent place in the literary field.

Alan Paton was a social and political person who always believedin reformation and amendments.As

hewas the headmaster of the Diepkloof, a time prison that was then converted to a Reformatory

School. In this position, he visited different prisons in United States, Norway and Britain. He served

13 years in this field and worked for the improvement of prisons and for the facilitation of the

people there.
According to Gamze Turan,

Throughout Paton's 13 years of tenure, fewer prisoners attempted to escape Diepkloof,

indicating that his attempts to enhance the prison's conditions were effective. In this place he also

discovered inspiration. Sometimes the characteristics of persons he encountered while doing time in

a reformatory appeared in his literary characters. This period and these occasions marked the start of

a fruitful literary career (Turan, 2019 p,38-39).

In this initiation process, he started writing one of the noteworthy and applauded novel, Cry, the

Country, which was published in 1948.The novel owned the best position in the African literature. In

a very short time, the book reached to the highest position of prominence, in just three months got

printed six times and then translated into nine different languages. Regarding novel Eleanor Gregory-

Guider states,

The novel captures the extremes of human emotion, and Alan Paton’s faith in human

dignity in the worst of circumstances is both poignant and uplifting. The novel shows

the brutality of apartheid, but despite its unflinching portrayal of darkness and despair

in South Africa, it still offers hope for a better future. The novel itself is a cry for South

Africa, which we learn is beloved in spite of everything; a cry for its people, its land,

and the tentative hope for its freedom from hatred, poverty and fear. (Guider, 2017)

Brief Biographical Notes of Alan Paton:

For readers of Cry, the Beloved Country to properly comprehend the author's liberal, yet

Eurocentric, authorial perspective, some familiarity with the author's biography is necessary. As the

devoutly Christian son of a modest government servant, Paton's life, like that of his character Arthur

Jarvis, was significantly separated from that of black Africans by economic and cultural finalisms.
He really completed his education at the University of Natal as a young adult, furthering his isolation

from the "other" of black South Africa via learning and advanced reading, particularly when he

accepted a job teaching white high school students in Ixopo and Pietermaritzburg.

The readers should be aware of Paton's reality before reading about the racial issues in his

birthplace, even if we cannot hold Paton responsible for his upbringing. The beginning of Paton's

liberal guilt may have been sparked by his employment at Diepkloof Reformatory, which appears to

have been his first significant interaction with the realities of black South Africa. It becomes clear

that Paton, like Arthur Jarvis, may harbour feelings for black South Africans because of

intellectualised guilt for being raised ignorant of or unconcerned about their plight. Paton became

well-known for the progressive laws he passed at the reformatory. His writing might be more

authentic if the reader had the impression that Paton was familiar with or inspired to embrace local

African culture for its own purpose, as Arthur Jarvis's son did in the book, even if these conditions

are neither especially his fault nor within his control. This might be a combination of Paton's hope

for the future and his regrets (Liukkonen, 2008). His purely liberal Christian terminology and

worldview really form the basis of the whole novel, as seen by the murdered Arthur Jarvis's lament

that "Our culture is not Christian," which establishes a narrow focus on resolving racial conflicts and

eventually weakens the text itself (Paton et al., 1964).

Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe's second choice, was released in 1958. A few of the prolific

authors from this region who have helped Chinua Achebe succeed include Ama Ata Aidoo, Buchi

Emecheta, Tsitsi Dangaremba, Nadine Gordimer, Tabar Ben Jelloun, Bessie Head, Doris Lessing,

Gabriel Okara, Peter Nazareth, Femi Osofisan, and Efua Theodora Sutherland. According to

Agatucci, Cora, Achebe makes an effort to represent Africa in a way that respects local customs

while also taking into account the demands of the worldwide readership that "Things Fall Apart," in
part, is written for. Achebe is one of a large number of "postcolonial" writers from Africa, India, and

other formerly colonised nations. Achebe wants to recover his past and create fresh opportunities for

growth. Achebe is well aware of the dangers of fervent nationalism and the requirement for ultimate

control, which have stifled development and given dictators unchecked authority in Nigeria and

elsewhere. At a time when countries are preparing for a global economy and buckling under pressure

to adapt and cooperate internationally (Agatucci, 2010).

“The Things Fall Apart” is essentially a representation of life prior to European

colonisation in the southeast of Nigeria around the late 19th century. The book has gotten

positive reviews,

“Things Fall Apart” has made a greathistorical and cultural significance in the field of

literature. Though the events of the novel were purely fictitious, they resembled the real-

life events which occurred all throughout Africa during a time when the British were

colonizing across the globe. This novel gave many readers, such as myself, an accessible

means by which to learn about the infringement of these African cultures and the

assimilation which took place thereafter by the British. Beforehand, I was not too

knowledgeable on African affairs in the early 20th century, nor was I fully aware of the

intentions of the Europeans as they colonized new lands. (Patel, 2020)

Brief Biographical Notes of Chinua Achebe

Chinua Achebe, a Nigerian novelist, a son of a missionary religious person has always been

remembered as a voice of Africans. He set himself apart from other literary authors with his peculiar

writing style, which included idioms and proverbs from the African diaspora. According to Lyn

Innes, many writers throughout the African continent were influenced by Achebe's hybrid works,

which combined oral and literary genres, and his reworking of the English language to communicate

Igbo voices and ideas (Innes, 2006).

Achebe played the role of a social reformer in the literary field. He believed that “art is, and always

was, at the service of man” according to him our social leaders and local scholars createmyth and

beliefs and these myths are transformed to the new generation in form of stories for the human

purpose. As he was born in the era of the f Adolf Hitler-led Nazism when the Allied forces were the

conqueror during world war second. Hence, he was not a part of that black army that fought for

freedom but he was the one who always motivated and appreciated these Africans through short

stories and novels.

Achebe completed his novel Things Fall Apart in mid twentieth century when Eastern Nigeria was

colonized by the white colonizers. He observed the downfall of local culture, religion, language, local myths,

and most importantly the self-esteem of the locals. That was the inspiring stone for the writer to pen down a

novel concerning all these social, political, and cultural issues. He introduced the character of “Okonkwo”

who resisted the imperial power and fought for the local norms. According to V. Swarnalatha,

This was the book that catapulted him into cosmic literary space and time through

which he entered the celestial Hall of Fame of world literary giants. From then on he

became restless in spirit and penned novels, stories and essays to rewrite and reclaim
 the history and the lost glory of his race, country and people. He was a moral and

literary model that provided moral compass for countless Africans marooned in island

of self-inflicted ignorance and superstitions that would have otherwise been completely

lost as a waste product of Nature. (Swarnalatha, 2013)

1.4 Statement of Problem

Both during and after colonialism, the principal subjects of writing were the problems

colonists and their people faced. Additionally, both literature produced by colonial powers and that

produced by individuals who have been or are currently colonised piques the interest of post-colonial

critics. Post-colonial theory investigates topics of power, economy, politics, religion, and culture in

relation to colonial hegemony (Western colonizers controlling the colonized).

To come as guest and then stay as owner of the house has been the over-practice carried out

by the Europeans. Colonialism has been the matter of debate and discussion since long. The very

purpose of this paper is to find out how the indigenous masses of Nigeria and South Africa come

under the legacy of colonialism. Nonetheless, it would gauge out the measures taken for the

inferiority of the common muggers of the common societies. To analyze, this study would as well

stress on the resistance of colonized masses to attempt for their sublimity and indigeneity.
1.5 Significance of the Research

Following is the significance of research:

 The analysis of this research will open new avenues of thought for further investigation on

the wars for the existence between the host and the guest in the two selected pieces of

literature.

 The comparative analysis of both pieces of literature will shed light on the political impacts

created soon after the arrival of foreign yokes.

 Through this research, it would be easily gauged out that how easily the natives were made

busy in their own problems with no solutions.

1.6 Objectives of the Study

Objective is the way that mainly concerns while attempting the research. To add, it is the

foremost factor that makes the research probe on something. Thus, the objectives of this study are as

follows;

 To compare and contrast the ways that howthe foreigners used to settle down in natives’

home in Paton’s masterpiece and Achebe’s landmark achievement.

 To identify the declining identities of the natives soon after the coming of settlers in both

selected-texts.

 To delineate the natives’ response towards colonial rule hurting their borne-identities.
1.7 Research Questions

The following questions comprise this research;

i. How are different facets of colonial oppression portrayed in both literary texts, either

overtly or allegorically?

ii. Why is it so that Political identities went on decline in both pieces of literature with

the arrival of guests?

iii. In what ways, the Africans resisted to cope with the foreign yokes damaging their

identity?

1.8 Limitation of the Study

This study is limited to the comparative studies of the “Cry the beloved Country” and ‘Things Fall

Apart” in terms of indigeneity and colonization.

 Chapter 2

2.1. Theoritical Framework

Literature penned down in different societies, cultures, political and religious environments

highlight themes, philosophy or theories of that situation. In case of African literature, the writers

could not stoptheir pens to highlight the colonial, postcolonial and Imperial issues in their literature.

The writers not only focused on the issues of the masses when they were a colony of Britain but also

highlighted all the impacts of colonialization on African lives. These kind of literary writing led the

emergence of a new term in literature, postcolonial literature. Yet to examine the relationships

between colonizers and colonized became a main goal of the theory of post-colonialism. According

to ANNA POPPEN,

“The term African postcolonial literature refers to writings produced after the political

independence of various African states which were formerly subject to European

colonial rule. Most of this literature written by African authors in their home countries

or in diaspora deals with issues of colonial experience or decolonization”. (POPPEN,

2012 )

Hence the term postcolonial not only focused on patriotism, nationhood, nationalism, or

geography rather the field of postcolonial studies introduced so many other fields like, culture,

politics, imperialism, psychological colonization, language and power and many others. This chain

helped to rejoin the broken chains of social studies. In all these fields, the writers played their role to

educate their nation.

According to geography, the phrase "postcolonial" refers to Malaysia, Central and South

America, Africa, the Caribbean, and the South Pacific islands. Ireland, India, the
Philippines, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland are all equally affected.

Following their independence, these nations have continued to be at odds with the colonial

powers of Great Britain, France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Germany, and the United States,

which formerly controlled these nations. By shedding all colonial bonds, they fought to

reclaim their cultural, political, religious, and humanist rights via their inventive works.

The turbulent continent of Africa gave birth to a significant number of post-colonial

literary giants. authors such Arna Ata Aidoo, Chinua Achebe, and Killjoy by J.M. Coetzee.

Nawal El Saadawi, TsitsiDangarembga, and BuchiEmecheta. Postcolonial writing was

greatly influenced by Theodora Sutherland, Gordimer, Nadine Oris Lessing, Peter

Nazareth, Gabriel Okara, Femi Osofisan, and Efua Ngugi waThiong'o.. This rich literature

takes the interest of many researchers, scholars and theorists of the colonized world.

Beside these literary writer, this colonial world also gives birth to some great critics and

theorist like Edward W. Said,  Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak and Homi K. Bhabha. These

theorists give a chance to the readers and researcher to analyses any literary text with

different perspective. They tickled the issues of identity, hybridity, superiority and

inferiority, multiculturalism and the created Otherness of the colonized world. Hence, there

are a lot of researches conducted on African postcolonial novels and this study will also add

some new information in the existing knowledge. Both novels, “Cry, the Beloved” and

“Things Fall Apart” have been studied from different perspectives and constructed their

view regarding the selected novels.

2.2 Defining Colonial and Postcolonial

People have wanted to acquire or take possession of other people's property since the beginning of

time. To do this, both governments and ordinary people have utilised force in all of its

manifestations. Pacts have been made, treaties have been signed and violated, battles have been

fought, people have been exploited, and nations have been torn apart in an effort to dominate over

others. In contemporary history, colonialism has been one of the most explicit means for one nation

to acquire such blatant control over the territory, wealth, and destiny of another nation. The

colonisation of new lands or the establishment of colonies has been a magnificent occurrence of the

past 500 years, but it has also led to a drastic, occasionally permanent shift in but it has also resulted

in a deep, occasionally irreversible modification of both the colonizers and the colonised. There are

many ways to describe and define the term "colonialism."

Colonialism is defined as "the exercise of political and economic authority by a government on a

country or region outside its borders" by the Encyclopedia Britannica (Kister & Kenneth, 1994). It is

described as "a system of control by a government over a dependent territory or population beyond

its borders" in The Macmillan Family Encyclopedia (1991). It also emphasises "commercial reasons"

and "the economic practises of Mercantilism" in its analysis of European colonialism. These

definitions draw attention to the fundamental component of colonialism—the human attitude and

behaviour that has tried to trespass into another person's territory in order to look into and take

advantage of that person's goods. Overall, it may be argued that colonialism is the reason for a

variety of actions and reactions. It establishes a cause and effect link, to put it another way. It's a

challenging process, and it costs both the colonisers and the colonised since, in addition to exploiting

the colonised, it frequently dehumanizes the colonisers as well. These colonization-related

experiences apply to both the colonisers and the colonised since both sides endure a range of changes

that are frequently permanent.

Existence of colonialism is still there despite changing of form and name. It is not only a

historical event; there are also a mentality and a process that just might change how it seems to

outsiders. However, the underlying core of power politics is still fed by this "metamorphosis."

Although there have been numerous instances of one nation invading another throughout human

history, the globe has not before experienced the magnitude of invasion of other nations and

possession of their land as seen during the period from the sixteenth to twentieth century. European

powers, particularly England, France, Portugal, Spain, and a few other nations, had amassed sizable

territories around the world by the end of the 19th century. By 1900, virtually every country or

territory had had some type of European colonisation, according to Encyclopedia. Britannica (2010).

These new colonial powers included Belgium, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, and the United States. .

(Nemade, 2005) The colonised countries of the 18th century were not very advanced in

terms of knowledge or culture, which is significant in this context. Finally, a few culturally

undeveloped countries were able to conquer and govern a few more developed countries for a period

before enjoying the fruits of their labour 150–200 years later. European colonialism and/or

imperialism have made attempts to conquer or subjugate the colonised world (Rodrigues & Lucio,

2010).

Colonialism and Imperialism:

Because of this, the current discussion cannot be restricted to only colonialism or post-

colonialism (Fiction, 1997). New examples of similar appropriation and control that fall into broad

categories like Neocolonialism, Double Colonialism, etc. must be taken into consideration. The terms
"colonialism" and "imperialism" are frequently used to describe the same phenomena. However,

there is a distinction between the two. Both of these phrases essentially refer to the conquered

nation's economic and political power over the invading nation. As was previously said, colonialism

is the practise of one nation occupying and governing the territory of another. It refers to utilising the

wealth of the conquered country for one's personal advantage. Colonialism has the ability to change a

region's social, physical, and economic structure. As a result, whether intentionally or accidentally,

the conquered tribe or nation adopts the sociocultural qualities of the conquerors (Culture and

Imperialism, 1994).

Countries like Brazil, Algeria and India still are the places to experience these. Colonialism may also

involve moving or relocating people in order to permanently install them. Another definition of

economic imperialism reads, "The influence capital businesses wield on less developed portions of

the world".  However, the debate of colonisation started when European civilizations established

themselves as colonies all over the world. It could be essential to discuss the many colony kinds now

in order to comprehend colonies in the future.

2.3 Types of Colonies

Around the world, colonisation did not develop in the same way as colonies did. A few of the several

sorts of colonies that have been recognized are trading posts, settler colonies, dependencies, and

plantation colonies.

Settler Colonies:

Migration from the home country to the newly colonised land gave rise to the settler colonies. This

may be seen in countries like Argentina, Australia, the United States, Canada, and South American

ones as well. The permanent migration of individuals to the new colony led to conflict between the
colonising groups and the natives. There were considerable relocation-related problems as well as

difficulties with colonists acclimating to the new environment.

Dependencies:

In the context of reliance, the colonizers did not create colonies; instead, they utilized force or other

means of control, such as social division, religious conversion, etc., to maintain their hold on the

original population. This was controlled in regions with significant local populations and controllable

government structures. The British Raj in India is one example of this.

Plantation of Colonies:

With the colonization of vast tracts of land and the difficulty in finding workers for agriculture, the

necessity for plantation colonies increased. This involves the transportation of workers in the form of

slaves or bonded labor from one region of the world to another to work as farm laborers. Slave

transportation causes a quick growth in their population, which led to issues between the colonists

and the locals. Barbados, Jamaica, and other places are among the plantation colonies.

2.4 Exploration and Exploitation as twin planks of Colonization:

Exploration was the precursor to colonisation, but exploitation was the result of exploration.

In an effort to learn more and discover other areas, exploration was undertaken. It was first driven by

a sense of exploration and adventure into the unknown, but later it evolved into both a trading

endeavour and a proselytism effort. The technical advancement in the navigational sector was crucial

for achieving these goals. Early in the 15th century, shipbuilding and navigational technology

underwent considerable development. For use by mariners, the compass that was brought over from

the East was enhanced (Collison et al, 2016). The astrolabe, a device for measuring latitude using the

height of stars, underwent further development. As early as 1300, portolan charts, or harbour finding
maps, were effectively used throughout the Mediterranean. The colonisers eventually had the upper

hand in dealing with anti-colonialism opposition, nevertheless, thanks to the deployment of weapons.

Although China has been using gunpowder for fireworks for thousands of years, European nations

developed the substance for their rifles, which eventually served as vital instruments for enslaving

conquered populations.

It is obvious that both exploration and exploitation were being tried at the same time. Vasco

da Gama and Christopher Columbus were advancing their own vested interests—or, to put it another

way, investigating the commercial opportunities of their own nations—when they set off to locate a

passage to India. In the end, enterprise went beyond trade and religion and led to the conquest of

enormous swaths of country, the enslavement of numerous local populations, and the establishment

of their own governments, civilizations, and legal systems. Portugal and Spain, two of the European

states, led the way in early explorations of other continents because they were more equipped than

other European countries. The Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) was established to lessen the possibility

of a political clash between Spain and Portugal because of their competition, which had caused

tension between the two countries. Portugal was able to explore, exploit, and conquer all of the

eastern territories, whilst Spain was only able to do the same with the nations in the west of the

world. It's important to keep in mind that the Portuguese, who solely governed the area for more than

a century, were helpless to prevent the Arabs from engaging in trade, particularly with the Indian

subcontinent. Spain attacked various countries in Latin America during this time, most notably

Mexico, which was a significant importer of gold and silver. The Spanish conquests, among other

things, resulted in the creation of new countries like Colombia, Argentina. The Spanish founded the

Council of the Indies (Consejo de Indias) and the House of Trade to regulate trade and uphold law

and order in the colonies (Casa de Contraction). The native American Indians, often referred to as
"First Nations" or "Red Indians" in jest, were viewed as inferior people who were destined to be

tamed, used as natural slaves, and forcibly converted to Christianity. The colonists generally agreed

on this. The Spanish colonies in Latin America may be used as an example in this situation. They

contributed to the continued decline of the native aboriginal population, either as a result of old

world diseases or as a result of massacres. The Spanish founded the Council of the Indies (Consejo

de Indias) and the House of Trade to regulate trade and uphold law and order in the colonies (Casa de

Contraction). The native American Indians, often referred to as "First Nations" or "Red Indians" in

jest, were viewed as inferior people who were destined to be tamed, used as natural slaves, and

forcibly converted to Christianity. The colonists generally agreed on this. The Spanish colonies in

Latin America may be used as an example in this situation. They contributed to the continued decline

of the native aboriginal population, either as a result of old world diseases or as a result of massacres.

Understanding the difference between colonial and postcolonial literature is crucial for

comprehending the Cry, the Beloved Country's place in the canon of literature, especially given that

this work presents itself as a critique of colonial oppression while really repeating its basic ideas.

Additionally, we'll discuss how to distinguish between colonial, postcolonial, and postcolonial

reading. According to Janet Burroway, the concept of "two worlds colliding" is a fundamental motif

in both colonial and postcolonial literature. The self and the other, a vague entity or collection of

entities that stands in for everything outside of the self, are considered to represent the two

civilizations. This fundamental relationship is further developed by Jacques Lacan's concept of the

other, which emphasises that even though the self and other may be at odds, the self still utilises the

other and "becomes aware of itself as a separate being," an autonomy that is necessary for the other

to serve as "the basis of the ego" (Ashcroft, 1999). Gayatri Spivak used the term "othering" to refer
to "the process by which imperial language develops its 'others,'" which is essentially a human tactic

for asserting one's own identity and “confirm its own reality” (Ashcroft, 1999)

African colonial and post-colonial literature with reference to Alan Paton’s Cry the Beloved

Country Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart:

White Britain has a long history of colonising Africa as a result. The majority of the literature

in that topic examines how colonisers and subalterns interacted. Colonial and postcolonial literature

differs from other genres because to the awareness of imperialism's pervasiveness and the

discrepancy between how each writer views itself and others. Postcolonial literature exposes the false

distinction between the self and the other and undermines the 16 assumptions underlying coloniser

and colonised interactions.

The terms "colonialism" and "post colonialism," according to Gamze Turan, refer to the

alteration or imposition of ideological, economic, social, and cultural components. Not just the

coloniser and colonised societies are affected by these changes; nations all around the world are as

well (TURAN, 2019). Colonialism is a tactic used to strengthen imperial control that seeks to

conquer an area, rule its populace, and use the natural resources that are already present there

(Boehmer, 1995,P2).

While colonial literature gives in to imperialist ideology, postcolonial writers make an effort

to question racial and cultural barriers. By attempting to explore the complex interactions between

people of different races and cultural backgrounds without imposing cultural value judgments or

oversimplified good/evil dichotomies, postcolonial authors like J.M. Coetzee, Chinua Achebe, and

Nadine Gordimer challenge the central tenet of the colonial narrative. In contrast to this, colonial
literature succeeds in revealing the binary differences that form the basis of imperialist rhetoric by

heavily relying on the cultural biases and moral standards of the author. The basic mechanism of

colonial literature is manicheanism, a phrase made popular by Abdul R. Jan Mohammed. This

attitude of moral superiority is closely related to Paton's portrayal of native people and his insistence

on the westernisation of black people. Ayobami Kehinde believes that by using binary oppositions

like "us" and "them," "first world" and "third world," "white" and "Black," coloniser and "colonised,"

etc., postcolonial African novels become effective tools for eradicating hegemonic restraints and

components that support unequal power relations. The criticism of colonial representations of the

African continent and its inhabitants was greatly influenced by African literature. It has been

dismantling previous obstacles and enhancing the reputation of the continent whose objectives it has

been working for. I look at how post-colonial African writers have used their works to encourage

crossing borders and challenging hegemonic rigidities that have been previously discussed in earlier

literary canonical books on Africa based on the aforementioned context (Kehinde, 2006).

African land has been scratched part of the earth since bygones. At first, the natural

calamities made African lives worsen and on the other, the intervention of the foreign yokes in their

land with tyrannical attitudes sparked their already burning lives. From socio-economic to religio-

political and psychological setbacks, the continent suffered from. For the same sake, the writers did

their best in portraying the wrinkled faces, rough skins, deep-eyes, tortured-brains and hopeless

woman and hapless children. Among all, Alan Paton and Chinua Achebe stand mountainous in

drawing inhuman sketches. There seems Achebe’s writing got birth for the only purpose of defining

the undefined and overlooked Africans. While his book ‘Things Fall Apart’ is gorgeous in scanning

the less-seen names and societies of Africa, the meek continent. He had mastery in wording the

foreigners and their sets of moves for puncturing the wheels of African’s cart.
Cry the beloved is considered as one of the most important novel of the history of postcolonial

literature. The writer Alan Paton handsomely penned the story of colonizer and colonized, the white

and black, the so-called civilized and uncivilized, and the masters and slaves. James stern, a

criticreviewed the novel in such words that “Alan Paton’s Cry the beloved country was one of the

best novel of the time. Another critic, Yale comments, that “Paton’s novel was the great novel of

black people tragedy among the domination of white people”

Alan Paton is also known as a social realist as he mirrored the African society during the colonial

period was a realistic approach to emulate any society. Paton tries to draw the attention of the reader

towered the corrosive and unhygienic society shaped by the colonizer in Africa. He witnessed the

white man as corrupt and shady character whopromoted moral, political and economic corruption in

African society.

Abdullah whoinvestigated“Cry the beloved country” he states that,

“Cry the beloved country mirrored the social reality proclaiming the corruption of

the White Masters in Africa during the colonial era. Alan Paton’s characters and

symbols proved that the white mastered were found corrupt. Paton proved that these

white masters weremorally, politically and economically corrupt and they promote the

corrupt environment in African.” (Mohammed Abdallah, 2021)

Alan Paton is also known as social reformer as he was a political leader who raised his voice for

equality and impartiality. Gamze Turan reviews the selected novel in his thesis according to him,

South Africa's political climate was difficult during Paton's time. Legislation that

would treat different races differently was passed by nationalists. In opposition to them,

the Liberal Party was established, and Paton was its vice president. Paton advocated for
 racial equality and fought against injustices. Paton carried on with his literary

exploration. He wrote plays, poems, and short stories. (Turan, 2019)

He carried the same theme, themes of binary division in his novel Cry the beloved country. The

locals were Othered on the basis of their color, language, culture and religion beside these

constructed otherness. They created the superiority and inferiority complexities in human psyche.

According to Iman Metouri,

The reader mostly witnessed different class differences in“Cry the beloved country”.

In comparing between the social class of the two races we could determine the citizens'

social classes by reference to different levels, employment, education, transportation,

housing, health care, and childhood. Taking in our consideration only the black and

white race, because they are the only mentioned races in Cry, the Beloved Country.

(Metouri, 2013)

The Africans were assigned the job of the labour class, labouring in mines and mining gold

for the white master; the blacks were viewed as the working class in their cherished

nation. .In term of religion in Church, they were given the lower position and, in term of

education, the Africans children were not having good educational institutes nor their

children were mentally and physically fit. On other hand, the white children were having

the dream ofchildhood, living in beautiful houses, having medical facilities in hospital and

education from good schools. In term of food, they were having healthy food which permits

them to belong to the upper class.According to Iman Metouri,

We find that in Alan Paton ꞌs novel the race determines the social class; if you are

black you belong to the working class because they work in the unskilled works of the
 mines. They are very poor because of their little payment. This is why, they do not look

after their children and their education. The health care is the last thing the black

citizens and government think of, because of their low social class. The dirtiest places

are owned by the black. The whites play a big role in that bad situation and that because

they oppressed the blacks in all those fields. (Metouri, 2013)

“Cry the beloved country” has been telescoped from different slant of postcolonialism.

Some scholars critically analyzed the novel while other mentioned scholars find the

postcolonial themes in the select literary work. Hence the novel has been written in a

condition where African society was under the inflation of racism, discrimination and

injustices or inequality to meet all these mentioned themes. Living in hybrid Africans

society where Africans were facing political, racial and social clashes Paton captured the

situation in his novel cry the beloved country.

Things Fall Apart

Chinua Achebe is considered as the father of African literature because of his countless

contribution African literature. Since the publication of his first novel Things Fall Apart in

1958 Achebe caught the attention of the local as well foreign readers which made the novel

as one of the most important novel of the modern literature. As mentioned after the

publication of Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe got the titled“the father of African

literature”. After this publication, he has been credited with the key progenitor of an

African literary tradition. In his writings, one of his passions is that “African peoples did

not hear of culture for the first time from Europeans; … their societies were not mindless

but frequently had a philosophy of great depth and value and beauty… they had poetry and,

above all, they had dignity”(Tanure, 2013)

Things Fall Apart received such a boost that in just six decades, twenty million copies of

the book have been sold and have been translated into almost sixty different languages. The

novel draw the attention of the reader, critics, philosophers, and social theorists. The

Nigerian novelist Achebe wrote this great novel ,Vaishnavi Pal reviews the book in such

way,

A Nigerian-born author's work was significantly influenced by his immersion in

Igbo culture. They employed folktales and proverbs as sources of inspiration as they

questioned Western perceptions of Africa. He had a strong belief in the power of

narrative, thus he wrote his first novel, “Things Fall Apart”, as a critique of Heart of

Darkness by Joseph Conrad and other works of a similar caliber by other European

authors. He claims that Conrad promoted the "dominant vision of Africa in the Western

consciousness" rather than portraying the continent in its most realistic form (Pal,

2021).

As the concern of postcolonial literature is to visualize and analyze the relationship of

colonizers and colonized. Achebe also penned down the relationship of British colonizer

and African subalterns. At the end of nineteenth century, European colonizers spread their

colonization among African continents. Among all these states, Nigeria also faced the harsh

attitude of colonizers, their settlement brought a complete change and hybridity in African

culture, social structure, religious beliefs and human psyche. Lame MaatlaKenalemang

(2013) conducted a research on pre and post-colonial Igbo society according to him,

“Nigeria was amongst other African nations that received visitors who were on a colonising

mission; introducing their religion and culture that is later imposed on Igbo. The culture of
the people of Umuofia (Igbo culture) is immensely threatened by this change.”

(Kenalemang, 2013)

Achebe observed that the created division of Igbo people, the arrival of white missionaries

divided the people of the Igbo society into two different groups. The first and motivated

group was that group who followed their white masters while the second group was

nationalists who never allow the colonizer to colonize the culture, society, religion, and

human psyche of the people. This division pushed the society toward the discrimination,

distantnessand aloofness. The effect of this new missionaries and colonial sitting in Igbo

society in Thing Falls Apart was researched byAminur Rashid according to him.

Achebe has noted that a vibrant indigenous culture is destroyed as a result of a post-

colonial relationship between the white missionaries and an imperial government. At

the end, Okonkewo commits suicide as a result of the mounting pressure and his sense

of shame. The English-language book so illustrates the tension between the African

experience and the contemporary culture that is affecting the younger generation. While

the elder generation of Africans avoids this new culture, the younger generation appears

to be more receptive of it. As a result, a social conflict breaks out inside African

civilization (Rashid, 2018).

As a result, on arrival of this new colonial sitting, Achebe observed hybridity in term of

culture, language and religion. Nasser Maleki and Maryam Navidi (2011) reviewed Things

Fall Apart in term of postcolonialism regarding Hybridity they state that “the arrival of

white missioners made local culture, identity, religion and language hybrid. They find

themselves in cultural, racial and historical hybridity, which makes them oscillate between

present and past.”(Maleki & Navidi, 2011)

 No doubt, both selected novels are considered as a noble piece in postcolonial literature. the

prophecy of Alan Paton as well sums up the whole discussion when the slave is black and white

master. He solely argues upon the miserably tailored policies of the outsiders in tearing apart the

African culture, tradition, politics, religion, and themselves. With the dawn of foreign footsteps, the

indigenous crisis set off a new journey of fluctuation that just dusked in black-mourns. Not to speak

of culture and tradition, the political profile of the Africans went into crisis. As the well-established

and maturely-built policies of the foreigners doomed the weak and less-updated political setup of the

continent. So, the afore-writers were keen on telecasting the traumatic events that engendered the

breakdown of the indigeneity. Hence, both selected-texts are the crystal-evidences to the political

suppressions of the black. They unclip the reviews of the huts and the fields that cropped up sighs of

pains and sorrows for the ignored ones at all. For ‘Things fall apart’, it actually explicates the

defensive power of the writer for the Africans who have been misinterpreted by the so-called

civilized Europeans. He represents the true Africans who have been dark covered under the legacy of

the foreigners by considering them weak and fragile just to invade their indigenous position. This

piece of literature comes up with a view to competing all gone imperfections that lied within and led

the Africans into political inexistence as well as the Britishers missteps that stepped and things fell

apart.

In the similar vein, ‘Cry, the beloved country is the only cry ever seen by the writer for its

people and their gone identity. It is a cry, for the tarnished tribes and cultures, a cry, for

eavesdropping of the foreigners that caused severe damages to the native customs and traditions,

feelings and emotions, hopes and aspirations, living and livelihoods. To sum up, it is Paton’s cry for

the beloved country. For colonialism, it has been noticing debate among the critics, but African

colonialism captures minds of all when slave is black and white master. For that, Chinua Achebe and
Alan Paton, both are the renowned names from African home who stood against Masters with the

help of their pens to write down about the miseries of their people.

Alan Paton’s and Chinua Achebe’s gigantic texts are the upper-most pieces where indigeneity

and colonization overwhelm. In this context, different writers, critics and research-makers from

International horizon evinced that the tie between the colonizer and the colonized populace is the

knotty chapter of all other found relationships. (Singh B. N, 1999) In 1975, South African author and

social activist Nadine Gordimer examined Cry, the Beloved Country and demonstrated "how Paton's

work put south Africa on the 20th century literary map." In a similar vein, reviewer James Sterne

wrote in the magazine The New Republic in 1948, called, ‘Cry, the beloved country’ as ‘profound,

compassionate, dramatic, and important… the best of the time.' Sterne identified Paton's novel as an

indispensable achievement of African literature with the perspective of colonialism.’ Moreover, the

writer Ezekiel Mphahlele from South Africa noted Paton’s novel ‘as the foremost novel in the

African globe where the blacks are doomed in large.’

Hogan and Duignan concluded that imperialism system stands to be as one of the most powerful set

for cultural setbacks in the history of Africa; [with] its credit balance far overweighs it debit account.

(Hogan, 1997)

Historically, from the Vienna Congress (1815) to the Berlin conference (1884-85), the African land

was divided and mesmerized by the allied powers irrespective of their cultural, traditional, lingual,

political, and religious boundaries which devastated the situation all along. Boahen (1987) notes

that the drawing and demarcation of the boundaries, leading into the making of newly-borne states

was done without the recognition of the ethno-cultural, geographical and ecological realties of

Africa.
Boahen (1987) notes that one of the most serious negative [social] impacts of colonialism (Boahen,

1987)psychological. This has created the colonial mentality, which manifests itself in the

condemnation of anything traditional with preference to the manufactured imported goods, love for

flamboyant life styles and in depth feeling of inferiority. This is what is called cultural imperialism.

Rodney (1972) contends that Africa is underdeveloped because there is Europe, and he suggests that

if Africa is to realize any meaningful development, then she has to do away with anything

Eurocentric (Rodney, 1972). This tie between Europe and Africa is made to help Europeans evolve

and other doom.

In a 1949 article for African Affairs, J. Grenfell Williams dubbed Cry, the Beloved Country

"a miracle... the author makes you believe in it as much by his own faith as by his talent." Williams

praises Paton's portrayal of indigenous and states, "His Africans speak in short, sharp, even brittle

sentences... they shy away from the nuanced thought which has to be put into words," concluding

that "Mr. Paton is at comfortable with his Africans." In The Journal of Negro Education, Gertrude B.

Rivers praised Paton's depiction of Kumalo's "pacifist manner of confronting the issue of the South

African native," even going so far as to refer to the book as "a guide book," reaffirming Paton's

didactic tendencies. This gives a hint as to the exotic appeal South African literature had on western

readers, as stated by Rivers, "many of the terms and phrases are so foreign to the ordinary American

reader that the author includes at the conclusion of the book a four page list of such words with

pronunciation and explanations." Nolan Miller of the Antioch Review claims that the book features

"knotty and complicated vocabulary," which is unexpected given Paton's typically lucid prose. These

generally favourable reviews highlight the stark contrast between Cry, the Beloved Country's too

enthusiastic welcome in the west and its swift rejection in Paton's own nation.
 These reviews also hint at a worldview that explains Cry, the Beloved Country’s success as

an exotic export for the west or as grief-as-commodity for a white, liberal audience. Most

importantly, these reviews reflect the westernized bias that informs Paton’s own writing, and provide

a segue into the body of critical work that provided a backlash to Paton’s initial success.

All these reviews of both novels allowed to locate the research gap and research the both novels from

different perspective. Keeping in mind, all these reviews the scholar has analyzed both selected

novels under the terms of postcolonialism. The relationship between colonizers and colonized or

subalterns have been analyzed with the help of theories of Edward Said, Gayatri Spivak and Homi K

Bhabha which made this adequate to fill the research gap.

 Chapter 3: Research Methodology

3.0 Background of study:

The most significant chapter, Research Methods, covers the research design and methods utilised to

gather the data for the study and reach the proper findings on its problems and open-ended questions.

This chapter also covers the study design, methodology, research strategy, data collection, data

analysis, and instrumentation used to evaluate the two selected books “CRY THE BELOVED

COUNTRY” and “THINGS FALL APART” so that to highlight the issues of subalterns during and

after colonial period

3.1 Research Philosophy:

A research philosophy is a strategy or method or for gathering, analysing, and using evidence that

influences the conclusions about a certain subject (Mkansi& Acheampong, 2012). According to “A

research philosophy is a framework that guides how research should be conducted based on ideas

about reality and the nature of knowledge” (Jill & Hussey, 2013)Positive and interpretivist research

perspectives are present. In essence, these two ideologies represent two distinct approaches to

carrying out new research. Positivism focuses on natural sciences and scientific methods and

numerical proofs while in interpretivism the reality becomes subjective and shaped according to our

perceptions. Both have been defined by Collis, Jill, and Roger Hussey in his book in such way ,

The objective of positivism, which began mostly in natural sciences, is to test hypotheses in a

scientific manner and, as a result of statistical analysis, to obtain logical or mathematical evidence.

Interpretivism contends that reality is highly individualised and contingent It strives to develop an

empathetic understanding of how the study participants view the outside environment in order to

examine the intricacies of social processes (Jill & Hussey, 2013).

Thus, the researcher has adopted the interpretivism, research philosophy for current research. By

using the research philosophy, this study has explored the experiences of the colonized and

subalterns in colonial period. Both writers has highlighted the issues of the local masses under the

colonial rules. Additionally, the writings of both authors were accessible and researched utilising the

interpretivism research philosophy in order to comprehend the superior role of the superiors and the

inferiority complex of the so-called inferiors. Additionally, the interpretivism research philosophy's

analysis of the social constructions theory of binary opposition has allowed the researcher to offer

fresh viewpoints on colonialism, post-colonialism, and orientalism.

3.2 Research Design:

A thorough analysis of any study effort is done using the research design. In order to accomplish the

goals and research questions of the study, Creswell claims that a well-designed research includes

viewpoints, a broad perspective, logic, and a variety of sources (Creswell & Creswell, 2017). The

researcher can examine any collective data with the use of qualitative and quantitative design. The

results from the current research were analyzed using a qualitative design. According to Taylor and

his colleagues, the qualitative technique is a way of using the gathered data and thorough insights

into the issue of a specific research to produce new ideas for achieving that research's goals (Taylor,

Bogdan, &DeVault, 2015).

Therefore, the effects of post colonialism have been fully researched and evaluated using this study

approach, which is expressed in the phrase "cry the beloved land" and things break apart." The

qualitative research approach has helped the scholar develop key theories that are relevant to the

study's subject. The new study will also benefit from this research approach since it will provide

guidance and recommendations to aid colonised societies in resisting and escaping psychological,

economic, cultural, and religious colonialism. Additionally, it will assist the colonial country in

overcoming its superiority and inferiority mindset. The specifics of the qualitative research design's

implementation in this study are described under the below provided section of the chapter.

3.3 Research Approach:

A research approach is essentially a plan and a procedure that includes broad hypotheses, techniques

of data gathering, analysis, and interpretation. It may be planned in to three different ways like

deductive inductive and adductive. For the collection of data there to ways to adopt Qualitative and

Quantitative and for the analysis of the data detective and indicative approach may be used.

According to Creswell and John W “Qualitative data requires an inductive approach to analysis. On

the other hand, quantitative data uses the deductive approach. In a mixed type of data, both inductive

and deductive approaches of analysis are utilized.” (Creswell, 2017) 

The present study aims to explore social phenomena, advance our understanding, delve deeply into

literary works, and analyse them from a variety of angles. Thus, interpretivism, the intrinsic

techniques of qualitative research, and the inductive analysis method are the best strategies for

fulfilling the study's goals.

The reason of selecting inductive research approach for the current study is that it has helped

the researcher in outcome and exploring the postcolonial elements in the both selected novel of

postcolonial writers. Moreover this approach also helped the scholar to find the impact of
colonialism on the colonized society. The approach was efficacious in terms of data collection and

data analysis regarding the social, cultural, religious and psychological problems of the subalterns.

The inductive research approach has also helped in providing appropriate explanations the harsh

attitude and long term policy of colonizers whom colonized the land, resources, economy, culture

and mind the people.

3.4 Data Collection Method and Variables of the Study:

In order to achieve appropriate result and finding secondary data has been utilized for the current

qualitative study. The secondary data has been collected from different sources like research articles,

newspapers, journal articles, and books (Merriam &Tisdell, 2015). For the current study the data has

been collected from both selected novels “Cry the beloved country” and “Things fall apart”.

However, for authentic data and implementation in the investigation different journal articles, books

and online sources has been reviewed. For instance the theory of Franz Fanon, Edward Said,

GayatriSpivak and Homi K Bhabha has been applied by different scholars in literary field so that

helped the scholar in analyzing the current study.

3.5 Research Strategy:

Both phenomenology and narrative research strategies have been used in this study to understand the

mistreatment and discrimination against women in the Victorian era generally, as well as against

Maggie Tulliver in particular, the fictional character used by George Eliot in the novel "The Mill on

the Floss." A qualitative research method known as phenomenology tends to concentrate on and

examine the similarities among the lived experiences of a given group (Paley, 2016). To put it

another way, the main goal of this study technique or approach is often to arrive at a description of

the nature that defined a certain phenomenon (Higgins, Trehan, McGowan, & Berglund, 2015).
To conduct the current research, the strategy that has been used to understand the experiences of

oppressors, colonized or subalterns with the white colonizers. The analysis of the both novels in the

light of postcolonialism, the characters and represented society, culture has been analyzed with the

help of mentioned theories.

Thus, with the help of research strategy the text of the both selected novels have been analyzed to

identify the postcolonial issues of the natives. Yet to gain appropriate result or to avhive the reseachs

question and objectives the narrative strategy has been used. By using this tactic, the researcher has

identified the experiences of the postcolonial writers, who themselves underwent these experiences

and then narrated them through their character in the novel, according to the definition of narrative

research, which has been defined as a mode of inquiry under given qualitative research that typically

focuses on studying the experiences, stories, and behaviors of individuals

(Clandinin,Cave&Berendonk, 2017).

3.6 Research Analysis Tools:

As the current study is qualitative and secondary analysis, for assessing data the data analysis is the

most important element in research methodology. The data analysis for the current research is textual

analysis. The textual analysis has been defined as “a methodology that typically involves the task

related to studying and comprehending the pictures, symbols, and language that are present in the

text” (Loughran& McDonald, 2015). Inn this way it helps the scholar to analyze the text to attained

the relevant information.

Moreover, in term of this research the analytical tool has analyzed the written massages, visual,

symbols, and spoken materials. The text's chosen qualitative information was gathered with the use

of books, journal articles, and research papers, among other sources. In order to completely assess

the provided qualitative data for detecting common themes, which include concepts, subjects, as well
as patterns of meaning that tend to show up again in the transcript, textual analysis and thematic

analysis are often undertaken, according to Clarke. (2015) Clarke, Braun, and Hayfield The selected

books “CRY THE BELOVED COUNTRY” and "THINGS FALL APART" have been interpreted

for the current study using the textual analysis approach. Additionally, the theme analysis approach

has been applied to solve the study's issues and attain the research's goals.

Theoretical Framework;

Theoretical Framework makes it easy for the researcher as well as the reader while coping with

thesis. As a result, the theoretical framework for the current study examines the Indigenous peoples

of Africa and colonisation in relation to two novels that mark important periods in the history of

African literature: “Cry, the Beloved Country” and “Things Fall Apart”, which are viewed through

the prisms of Orientalism and Postcolonialism, respectively. Through a critical analysis of numerous

postcolonial novels telescoped with the spectrum of Orientalism, Cultural Resistance, Identity

Politics, Nationalism, and Racism under the general term Post-colonialism, these well-known

theories overwhelmingly contribute to an awareness of those oppressive forces behind violence in the

third world states. “Cry, the Beloved Country” and “Things Fall Apart” are the prescribed texts

speaking to the intersection of politics and violence in the domain of specific texts during colonial

and post-colonial periods. There is striking contrast found between the cultures of both natives and

settlers. The literature and cultural texts here offers powerful critiques of the Western hegemonic

representation of violence which typically operates to debase, de-historicize and fix the identites of

natives, thus igniting social deformation causing social injustices. The mentioned-texts reveal that

violence and the attitude of indifference are the only factors behind social, religious, and

geographical divisions that were aggrandized by colonial, or post-colonial torments.

Edward Said's Orientalism may be used to understand the interaction between colonisers and

colonised. Another influential theorist was Frantz Fanon, whose works in this area include L'An V de

la révolution algerienne, A Dying Colonialism or Year Five of the Algerian Revolution, Les Damnes

de la terre, The Wretched of the Earth, Pour la révolutionafricaine, Political Essays, and Peau Noire,

Masques Blancs (Black Skin, White Masks). The subaltern ideas put forward by G. C. Spivak in her

book "Can the Subaltern Speak" can be used to examine the supremacy of the East over the West. In

order to study colonial literature, postcolonial critics used these theories.

Postcolonial theory

a critique of the Third World nations in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean Islands, and South America's

history, culture, literature, and styles of speech. Studying colonisation, which dates back to the

Renaissance, decolonization, which entails imposing authority on and reestablishing original

cultures, and neo colonisation are all related to post colonialism when multinational businesses rule

the globe as a result of late capitalism and postmodernism. Post colonialism examines the

metaphysical, ethical, and political issues surrounding power, gender, nationality, race, and ethnicity

as well as cultural identity.

By rewriting history and referencing cultural identities through tactics like separatism, nativism,

cultural syncretism, hybridity, mimicry, active participation, and assimilation, postcolonial literary

criticism, which is influenced by the poststructuralist and postmodern idea of decentering,

undermines the universalist claims of literature, identifies colonial sympathies in the canon, and

replaces the colonial metanarratives with counter-narratives of resistance. It criticises cultural

hierarchy and the Eurocentrism of modernity, both of which are supported by an anti-essentialist

conception of identity and culture. In Other Worlds (1987) by Gayatri Spivak, Orientalism (1978) by

Edward Said, and The Wretched of the Earth (1961) by Franz Fanon. The Empire Writes Back
(1989) by Bill Ashcroft et al, Nation and Narrative (1990) by Homi K. Bhabha, and Culture and

Imperialism (1993) by Edward are some of the key theoretical works in postcolonial theory. Native

Americans from formerly colonised and underdeveloped nations have mainly found their voices

through literature. They have put a lot of effort into forging their own identities, narrating their own

stories, and reclaiming their past.

Post-colonial criticism aims to expose literary characters, themes, and representatives that have

upheld imperial ideology, colonial subjection, and ongoing Western hegemony with the sole goal of

identifying the faces of representation where Europeans drew indigenous in politically biased ways.

It aims to go further into the obvious and seemingly universal, aesthetic, and humanist themes in

order to expose its racial, gendered, and colonial presumptions. By focusing on the conditions in

which literary works were created and exposing the colonial ideas that are concealed therein,

postcolonial critics revise and assess the value of literary works. Chinua Achebe's rereading of

Conrad's Heart of Darkness, Edward Said's rereading of Jane Austen's Mansfield Park, Sara Suleri's

rereading of Kipling's Kim, and Homi K. Bhabha's rereading of E. M. Forster's A Passage to India

are just a few examples of this type of approach. They made an effort to identify the discourse's flaws

that provide natives with avenues for subversion and resistance and dissenting colonists with ways to

express disapproval.

The concept of Otherness

They are the other there, and we are the self there. The "Exotic Other" and the "Demonic Other" are

two notions related to othering. The Demonic Other is portrayed as inferior, unvoiced negative,

barbaric, and malevolent in books like Heart of Darkness and A Passage to India, whereas the Exotic

Other is a representation of the primitive/underdeveloped other, as defined in Yeats' Byzantium

poetry.
The concept of Hybridity / Syncretism

The term "Hybridity" refers to the state of mind that a migrant experiences as they attempt to

integrate their own culture with that of their host nation without renunciating either. The negotiation

of two identities—the divided awareness of holding both, but not entirely—is a recurring motif in

postcolonial literature. The process of creating new identities through hybridity involves partially or

totally fusing parts of the host culture with those of the native identity, historical characteristics, and

experiences. "Things Fall Apart" is an excellent illustration of how hybridity threatens native

identity.

Theoretical concept of Double Consciousness:

Double consciousness is a key idea developed by W.E.B. Du Bois that parallels Frantz Fanon's idea

of the split self in Black Skin, White Masks, where the black depends on what the white sees and

discovers himself via the white's eyes. According to Meena Alexander, double consciousness is

"many souls, many thoughts... in one dark body," but Du Bois described it as "two souls, two ideas...

in one dark body." Both texts, “Cry, the Beloved Country” and “Things Fall Apart” include similar

notices.

The concept of Subaltern:

In his essay "Can the Subaltern Speak?," The downtrodden class was referred to by Antonio Gramsci

as "subaltern". Gayatri Spivak popularised it in the postcolonial setting. The legitimacy of the voice

of the subaltern, whether she or he speaks or is spoken for, is discussed by Spivak in this article

along with the voices of the oppressed class speaking out against the coloniser. “Things Fall Apart”

and “Cry, the Beloved Country” both make extensive use of the idea of "Can the subaltern speak?"
The concept of Mimicry:

Mimicry illustrates the ambivalence of the colonizer-colonized relationship. The colonised subject

imitates the coloniser by taking on cultural customs, language, clothes, values, and so on. He mocks

and parodies the coloniser by doing so. Mimicry therefore identifies a fissure in the assurance of

colonial rule, a shakiness in its ability to govern the actions of the colonised. Important illustrations

can be found in "Things Fall Apart" and "Cry, the Beloved Country," where the many characters

work hard to illustrate the colonial legacies or the habits established.

History in Postcolonial lens:

The writers of the third world countries are incredibly perceptive and interested in writing about their

native myths, mysteries, and histories as well as colonization-related issues in the wake of

decolonization. They have produced case studies of cultural colonisation, native recognition, and

anti-colonial resistance. Thus, the culturalist nationalist dynamics seen in groups like Negritude,

Africanite, and African Aesthetic are reflected in the first anti-colonial texts. These efforts were

aimed at emancipating themselves from colonial thoughts and behaviours at both the individual and

the colonial level. The post-colonial dependence on history, which is closely related to the expansive

goal of decolonization, deals with issues such as examining the effects of colonisation, especially in

terms of cultural otherness, the anti-colonial resistance and the birth of nationalism, the creation of

mimic characters trending colonial legacy, the misappropriation of history by colonial rulers, finding

ways of rewriting their own histories, and so on.

Theory of Nation:

The postcolonial authors are mindful of their contribution to the improvement of the country. In

postcolonial literature, the nation-rising project seeks to erase the colonial past by rejecting and
defying Western stereotypes of the "other" as barbaric, uncivilised, and evil, among other things, and

by attempting to rewrite a pre-colonial past that would help them define a nation and set a future. The

local discovers that the postcolonial fortune is not as wonderful as had been earlier dreamed of since

postcolonial processes are virtually always governed and fashioned by Western ones. According to

Gyanendra Pandey, "minorities. are constituted along with the country," and postcolonialism also

brings a new type of exclusion, marginalisation, and "subalternization" through the establishment of

elites. The modalities of creating, conceiving, and expressing the country, the importance of locality,

place, community, religion, spirituality, cultural identity, and the politics of nativism in the formation

of a national identity are all highlighted in postcolonial literature that comprises nationhood.

The concept of Race:

According to Michael Banton, the idea of race has served as the basis for inequality and

disempowerment. Sociopolitical and cultural theory have its roots in racial theory. While Critically

Analyzing Race Studies, which includes research on race in literature and culture, ethnicity, minority

literature, and a particular ethos in literature and philosophy, overtly insinuates issues with race and

racial differentiation. The conflict over race and ethnicity has wider political, societal, and family

connection ramifications. Cultural studies, Black British studies, Asian American studies, and other

fields have all suffered greatly as a result of the political interpretation and critical practise of racial

studies. The race chapter has marvelled at the development of cultural movements like the Black

Arts and Harlem Renaissance throughout human history. In works like The Souls of Black Folk,

W.E.B. Du Bois makes the case that Nazism, social Darwinism, and eugenics are examples of

scientific racism that lead to "biological prejudice." He also considered the idea that racism was

socially produced, that it was fostered by social practises and language, and that it lacked any

supporting scientific data.

The concept of Gender:

Discussions about gender in postcolonialism centre on how patriarchy and imperialism both

colonised women twice. In the latter half of the 20th century, gender and sexuality emerged as

permanent elements in postcolonial writing. The writings of Anita Desai, Ama Ata Aidoo, Suniti

Namjoshi, Buchi Emecheta, and Nawal El Saasdawi have focused on the importance of gender,

particularly women, in postcolonial literature. Numerous African-American and aboriginal Canadian

women have written autobiographical works about the interplay between gender and racial identities,

including Gloria Anzaldua and Maria Campbell. In postcolonial gender circles, it is assessed to what

extent caste, class, the economy, political emancipation, and education have improved the lot of

women in Third World nations. The influence of "First World Feminism" on Third World authors as

well as the likelihood of Third World Feminism are two additional significant aspects of the research.

Neo-colonialism

Neocolonialism is the term used to describe how European imperialists gradually exploited the

"politically-emancipated" Third World nations economically. Neocolonialism is mostly obtained

through a network of statesmen, businessmen, lieutenants, and chief executive officers rather than

only through governmental control by Euro-American powers. Globally speaking, Third World

economies are frequently distorted by economic policies that are tied to foreign assistance, welfare,

and development projects. Consequently, Colonialism's most perilous form, Neocolonialism,

emerges.

Theory of orientalism:

It is the idea that establishes a division between the West and the rest in Orientalism. When defining

the word "Orientalism," Edward Said sums it up as follows: "His concern was that Orientalism is in
reality a politically-built theory on the Orient, and the Orient was frail than the Occident, which

produced the Orients' variance with fragility. In addition, Said's radical argument is established:

colonialism and orientalism may be easily and logically opposed; orientalism is a deliberate attempt

to subjugate the weak. Patrick Cohn, for example, specifies that Paton's South African-set novel

"deals with the predicament of blacks" and "the connection between the white minority and black

majority". Fanon also propagates beliefs about orientalism since he used the word "negrophobia,"

which is actually a phobia that affected white males and was the root of their hatred of black people.

In order to understand the issue of natives and settlers, Fanon stated in the introduction to The

Wretched of the Earth that "Not so long ago, the Earth had two billion inhabitants, with five hundred

million males and the remainder "natives." The latter borrowed the Word, which belonged to the

farmer. It correctly presents the idea that a tiny group use deception to keep the bigger population at

the bottom.

Actually, post colonialism deals with the lingering effects of colonisation over the heads of the

civilizations and communities. However, since the late 1970s, the phrase has been used to refer to the

varied effects of colonialism. Historically, the term was used to describe postcolonial methods or

post-partition times. This insightful examination of postcolonialism is replete with fanaticism. The

Wretched of the Earth shows how colonialism affects colonised people, who go back to their hard

times. In the colonies, the economic arrangement is also an important, as Fanon contends in his

massive book about how the colonisation process impacts native peoples' lives. You are wealthy

because you are white, and you are white because you are wealthy, according to the causal chain.

(Fanon, 1985) Why were Orientalism and Postcolonialism chosen for this thesis? Because the

crystal-clear proof for the aforementioned arguments can be clearly seen in both of the texts, The

Beloved Country is Alan Paton's lament about the impact of colonialism on his homeland and its
inhabitants. In a same vein, Chinua Achebe's shrill voice may be heard in "Things Fall Apart," where

he once more reveals the germs of colonialism that lead to collapsed civilizations and communities.

Patrick Hogan, for instance, claims that Paton's literary work is "a literature pushing conditions of the

black and genuinely is the situation between the black majority and white minority." (Hogan, 1997).

In her gigantic composition "Can the Subaltern Speak?",GayatriSpivak tries to find out

with the problem of "how the third world chapter is pictured within Western discourse." When John

Kumalo helps Stephen Kumalo uncover the truth about some of the white man's actions, colonialism

and its effects as a Postcolonial feature are clearly visible via the characters. Once Stephen kumalo

urges on not being in Ndotsheni, for that, John Kumalodefensively says: “Down in Ndotsheni I am

nobody, even as you are nobody, my brother. I am subject to the chief, who is an ignorant man. He is

a trick, a trick to hold together something that the white man desires to hold together.” (Paton, 2003).

Meanwhile, the Blacks labour in extreme weather just for the limited amount as John Kumalo sighs

with pathetic voice. Moreover, Gareth Griffiths ,Bill Ashcroft, critically argue that ‘the white

minority got for them the larger lands, all of the financially viable boundary including the agrarian

rich areas. Similarly, Fanonism, the postcolonial theory, is as well mainstream in the selected texts.

As Fanon’s colonial structure over-emphasizes on the anticolonial measures to be taken to get back

the taken history from the foreigners. For Fanon, ‘Colonialism only vanishes at the time of the knife

crossing its throats.’.

All these mentioned terms of Post-colonial theory of well known theorists, Chinua

Achebe, HomiBhabha, Edward Said, BuchiEmecheta, Frantz Fanon, Jamaica Kincaid, Salman

Rushdie, Wole Soyinka, and GayatriChakravortySpivak have been taken in consideration.

Hence, Edward Said, foucalt, HomiBhaba, Althusser and Lacan, GayatriSpivak and Jacques Derrida,

all have mainly done their works on the given theories; Post colonialism and Orientalism and have

shown how bitter the colonization has been for the natives.

Chapter 4

4.1 Introduction

The direct and indirect effects of the colonial encounter on the society at the time are occasionally

explored in writings by authors from formerly colonial civilizations. The fictional work may be set

in the colonial era or the post-colonial era, depending on the requirements of the plot. However,

these authors have envisioned and thermalized the issues that emerged throughout the pertinent era

of colonial control. They express concerns about the negative impacts of colonialism and draw

attention to the cultural alienation that gave rise to "mimetic men," or people who are "almost the

same, but not quite," and who are trapped in an unstable position between the native and the

colonisers.

If history is believed to be mostly supplied from the standpoint of the west or coloniser and does

not provide a judgement of historical events in light of native colonial experience, it makes sense

that these authors typically end up rewriting and revising history. These publications also place a

strong focus on the wars that gave rise to nationalism in each of the numerous civilizations, with

the goal of halting colonial abuses and, if at all possible, ending colonial authority. It is exciting to

understand and analyses such literary masterpieces.

 During the age of 1970s, literary pieces focused on issues of colonial time period and soon

the different fields of the social sciences such as history, politics, culture and international relation

became one of the major topics of Post-colonial studies. Thus, the new critical study of

decolonization keep the foundations of postcolonial theory. Postcolonial studies focus on hybrid

identities, multiracial identities, and multiethnic identities, which are primarily effects of

colonisation. In the Postmodernist age, where the idea of "Race" has been abandoned, ethnicity

and nationalism are seen as the new, more tightly defined conceptions of post-colonialism.

(Bolecki, 2014).

The majority of the formerly colonised nations, particularly those in Africa, Asia, and the

Pacific, achieving their independence from imperial authority is one of the most notable historical

occurrences of the 20th century, according to Christine Doran. However, it may come as a shock

to learn that many of the top proponents of postcolonial theory, such as Edward Said, Gayatri

Spivak, Homi Bhabha, and others, tend to downplay the importance of national independence and

have a negative opinion of the nationalist movements, figures, and ideologies who fought for it

( Doran, 2019).

These theorists contributed through their respective philosophies, for instance, Spivak, in

her critical essay Can Subaltern Speak? (1988) discussed the critical issues of marginalized

subjects and these people are the subalterns of East. Generally, the concept of subalternity derived

from this theory. She claimed that the dominant notions of Western world have pushed the

inhabitants of East towards an invisible edge. In a dark world, they cannot raise their voices. They

are considered as voiceless entities. They are living a pathetic life under specific limitations on the

part of their listeners. The term 'subaltern' is borrowed by Spivak from Marxist Antonio Gramsci

to indicate and signify the oppressed class. She explains in her essay about the exploited position
of colonized people, especially women who are voiceless and cannot raise their voice. Spivak

(1988) argues, “If, in the context of colonial production, the subaltern has no history and cannot

speak, the subaltern as female is ever more deeply in shadow” (p. 287). Thus, intellectuals like

Spivak gave innumerous contribution in flourishing the ideas of colonial era. Another remarkable

figure is H. K. Bhabha. The philosopher under-penned unique ideas about certain topics in various

fields.

Milostivaya and Nazarenko (2017) highlighted his uniqueness in the following words,

“H.K. Bhabha affects a wide range of topics: nationalism, postcolonial literature, the problem of

the city in the global era, writing practice, translation studies, postmodernism, hermeneutics,

phenomenology in exploring the history, culture and philosophy of third world countries.

However, the keyword to characterize his research activity is still "post colonialism" (p.181). On

the other hand, Edward Said is the most famous and influential theorist who shed light on the

destructive consequences of colonialism. Said (1994) claimed that colonized people are still facing

resistance due to their strong hegemonic connection between colonizers and colonized. His

postcolonial theory unveils about false image of the orient that westerns created. The domination

of the superior and civilized west is described over inferior primitive East. Hamadi (2014)

explains, this idea is partly founded on what Said perceives to be the inaccurate perception of the

Orient as the barbaric "other" in contrast to the Western-developed civilization created by Western

intellectuals. He contends that several former colonies are still suffering with the unfavorable

effects of colonialism, such as anarchy, coups, corruption, civil conflicts, and mass killings. While

neglecting or distorting the languages and customs of the Oriental peoples, the dominating

colonisers imposed his own civilization.

 Identity crisis, disintegration, rage, poverty, segregation, quiet, and "fear" in the lives of

South African black people will all be discussed in Alan Paton’s Cry, The Beloved Country which

was published in 1948 and Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart” which was published in 1958.

According to Hafudh F. Alsalim, SazulianaSanif “The crisis of identity floated on the surface as a

result of the conditions of the postcolonial period and the difficult circumstances that the newly

freed nations and countries faced in their seeking and formation of self-identity.” (F &Sanif, 2020)

These publications might be seen as case studies of indigenous identity, cultural colonialism, and

anticolonial resistance. The imaginary African nations subjugated by western powers and

experiencing similar circumstances as those in “Things Fall Apart” are represented by the

Nigerian book (Mukhopadhyay , 1997) While Paton tells the story of a father seeking finding his

son by travelling from rural South Africa through the city of Johannesburg, Achebe talks about the

Nigerian Igbo people. These works do not specifically explore indigenous communal culture,

indigenous religious beliefs, or the land that has supported them. Whether these books accurately

depict the histories of their individual countries is the crucial topic at hand. For instance, the two

books Cry the Beloved Country and Things Fall Apart are unavoidably patriotic fiction that also

expresses an anti-colonialist ethos. Although they describe the Igbo and Goan societies,

respectively, they also depict the colonial systems in Nigeria and Africa. The stories may focus on

the seemingly benign beginning of colonisation and the profound changes that a small portion of

that local culture experienced. Despite this, these experiences, even on a very small scale, are

typical of both the country and the society. The political history of these nations, which attained

political independence after a protracted fight, will thus be briefly discussed.

From the perspective of European colonial power, the "Berlin Scramble" of 1884–1885 resulted in

the division of the majority of the African continent into states. What this meant for the continent

as a whole, or even for colonial Nigeria.

In these situations, the nation appears to be less significant in the context of Africa and is

substituted with a more inclusive view of "Black" and "White." The main character in Things Fall

Apart, Okonkwo, represents more than just Umuofia, the Igbo, or Nigeria; he also speaks for the

Black colonised person who is fighting valiantly against the 'White' colonial powers. The conflict

is between the colonial forces of change, eager to usurp and overturn them or toss them apart into

chaos, and the trust in the ancient indigenous forces grounded in traditions and customs.

The social structure and state boundaries were broken down during the brief colonial occupation

of the majority of African countries, which lasted no more than 100 years. These effects may still

be seen today in unstable circumstances across the continent.

Things Fall Apart's plot initially centres on the harsh and ambitious protagonist Okonkwo's

existence in Umuofia and the hardship he endures as a result of the transgression against the

Earth Mother. This issue has become significantly more challenging as a result of the flood of

"white" males. "White" is the term used to describe the European invaders. There have been a

variety of responses to these nuanced depictions, depending on the critic in issue.

Much like In the Novel, In Cry The Beloved Country, the people and the resident of South Africa

and the Zulu inhabitants of that land-living, often called ‘the tribe’ depend on each other, and

support and help each other. They completely depend on each other in every sphere of life,

without one, the other is incomplete, broken, weakened, and dying. Many characters suffer the

most due to leaving their place and moving toward Johannesburg, characters including Gertrude
and Absalom Kumalo. And the place where they live brings nothing for them but death,

corruption, and poverty. They, the inhabitants, are run over by buses and got shot during crimes,

and they die slowly of poverty and chronic diseases. And, Stephen’s brother John who seeks

power and money, wants to make himself powerful to gain all comforts and became liquor-runners

and pimps and politicians, and became cruel to bring harm to others. It is believed that in their

quest for power, money, and luxuries, they lost many things, including their land, birthplace, faith,

and families, and that by remaining connected to the soil, they lost themselves.

Both works present the local culture as having evolved using their respective unique approaches.

Since the ancient way of life was centred on nature, like other African civilizations, harvesting,

planting, and ploughing are all major components of daily existence. After the farmer has worked

hard to produce an abundant crop, celebrations are held. As a result, there is time for both work

and relaxation. Every aspect of life follows a predetermined cycle that never stops. The "white

guy" renders the established processes useless, generating a flurry and chaos. Africans or

Subalterns feel uncertainty, social isolation, pessimism, acute loss, and confusion as a result,

according to the supporting research.

The main topics covered in this chapter include the denationalization of native communities

brought on by colonialism, the question of conversion and its implications for native societies that

are predominately religious, the voices of anti-colonialism, the advantages and disadvantages of

pre-colonized society, and the author's social responsibility. These assessments are based on the

fictional representations in the selected original texts.

4.1 Africa, Before and After Colonial Encounter:

The Portuguese explorer Bartolemeu Dias first traveled along the coast of South Africa in

1488, finally arriving in the north of the continent. By the end of the seventeenth century, the

white population of South Africa had risen significantly due to the murdering, driving away, or

enslavement of indigenous peoples, as well as the slave trade Started.In Alan Paton's "Cry, The

Beloved Country" and "Things Fall Apart," we will explore the previous white colonists'

colonialism, as well as identity crisis, fragmentation, rage, poverty, segregation, silence, and "fear"

in the lives of South African black people.

According to Fanon, "the dichotomy (colonizer/colonized) is the outcome of a

"Manichaeism Delirium," the state of which leads to a radical separation into paired oppositions

like good-evil, true-false, and white-black." (Kehinde, Ayobami)

These techniques may be seen in post-colonial South Africa in Cry, The Beloved Country.

In their own country, the black people of South Africa are subjected to segregation. For example,

Johannesburg is essentially divided into two areas: a slum region for black people and a European

area for white people, complete with separate transportation and beaches. The tribal leaders treat

the indigenous people in such a way that they are not free, but rather controlled and crippled in

their psyche and feelings; they do not feel significant in their life, but rather inferior. To hide his

actions in South Africa, the white man constructs dams to irrigate the dry grass and distributes

milk to children who are starving. Stephen Kumalo, for example, pays a visit to his brother, John,

a former carpenter who has risen to prominence as a political leader in Johannesburg, owing not

only to his charisma and speaking abilities, but also to his outrage at the injustice and exploitation

inflicted on indigenous people by the white minority. John Kumalo values independence and
freedom, thus he rejects chieftains who are dominated by the white man. In fact, it is John Kumalo

who helps Stephen Kumalo comprehend the reality behind some of the white man's applications.

When Stephen Kumalo wonders why he did not return to Ndotsheni, John Kumalo responds:

“Ndotsheni is a small town in South Africa. I am nobody, just like you, my brother. I am

under the command of the chief, who is a bumbling fool. I had to salute and bow to him, although

he is illiterate. I am a significant figure in Johannesburg... I don't mean to imply that we are

unrestricted here. I don't think we're as free as men ought to be. But at the very least, I'm no

longer under the command of the chief. At the very least, I am no longer enslaved by an elderly

and illiterate man who is nothing more than a white man's dog. He's a ruse, a ruse to keep

something together that the white guy wants to keep together.” (Paton, pg.34)

According to the depiction of Paton the black man as being purposefully classified and

barred from society by the white man, who, like in the past, yearns for a different method to

satisfy his colonial and imperial desires. The dread depicted in Okonkwo's character in "Things

Fall Apart" represents the fear felt by many male characters in Umuofia.These masculine

characters are afraid to deviate from the norm and live in constant dread of losing their way of life,

which was amplified when Umuofia was approached by a white man. The locals felt the white

people were inferior since they did not share their customs and way of life.

“However his entire life was dominated by worry, the worry of failure and weakness. It

was much deeper and more intimate than the fear of wicked and capricious gods and of magic,

the worry of the forest, and of nature, malevolent, red in tooth and claw. Okonkwo’s fear was

greater than these”. (Achebe, P. 12)

 The disintegration of tribal bonds and loss of human identity in the large metropolis, which

is, in reality, a product of European capitalism and greediness, is much more disruptive and

devastating to individual identity and existence in "Cry the beloved Country." Even though South

Africa gained freedom from British colonial authority in the 1930s, the old colonial heritage of

white colonizers. Power connections of superiority and inferiority of exploiter and exploited as in

the past still exist.

As depicted in "Things Fall Apart," a few tribal members are optimistic about the life and

religious beliefs that white males bring, and see the white male's way of life as a source of hope.

Nwoye, Okonkwo's son, was the main character who was influenced by his interest in Christianity.

Nwoye is drawn to Christianity because he feels accepted and is not mocked for being "soft," as

his father felt he was. Okonkwo believes that his son is undermining his people and the traditions

of the state. He said,

“you have actually all seen the excellent abomination of your sibling. Now he is no

longer my child or your sibling. I will only have a child who is a male, who will hold

up his head among my individuals.”

(Achebe, Pg. 172)

The conflict between Christianity and the traditional animism religion practiced by the people of

Umuofia is highlighted in Chinua Achebe's novel "Things Fall Apart." The Igbo people practiced

their traditional culture, which was considered as primitive since it included symbolism that

frequently clashed with that of the missionaries, when European missionaries arrived, paving the

door for colonialism. Nwoye feels welcomed into the white man's religious views, despite his
mother tribe's disappointment. For example, Okonkwo opposes new political and religious orders

because he believes they are unmanly, and he believes he would be unmanly if he joins or even

tolerates them.

It's possible that Okonkwo's aversion to cultural change stems from his anxiety for his social

standing. His perception of his own value is dependent on the recognised criteria used by society

to assess him. Many of the tribe's misfits are persuaded to become Christians by employing this

method of self-evaluation.

The need of constantly acting with a sense of compassion is a significant topic that Paton

emphasizes throughout Cry, the Beloved Country. This virtue has a distinct Christian meaning, as

seen by the characters' strong Christian influences, particularly the pastors Stephen Kumalo and

Theophilus Msimangu. Dread is represented by Okonkwo's persona, and it represents the fear felt

by many masculine characters in Umuofia. These male figures are afraid to deviate from the norm

and live in constant fear of losing their way of life, which was amplified when Umuofia was

approached by a white man. The locals felt the white people were inferior since they did not share

their customs and way of life.

“None of his converts was a male whose word was hearkened in the assembly of the

people. None of them was a guy of title. They were mainly the kind of individuals

that were called efulefu, useless, empty men .The images of an efulefuin the

language of the clan was a male who sold his machete and wore the sheath to fight.

Chielo, the priestess of Agbala, called the converts the excrement of the clan, and

the brand-new faith was a mad pet dog that had pertained to eat it up.” (Paton, Pg.

144)
 “Cry, the Beloved Country” for example, criminal activity is one of the worries that

residents of Johannesburg have. When the protagonist, Kumalo, arrives in Johannesburg, he is

welcomed by a young guy who recognizes his bewilderment at being in a new area and offers to

assist him. 'You must stand in line, umfundisi,' the guy adds (priest). 'Have you paid for your

ticket?' Kumalo appreciates the assistance since he is befuddled and scared, but he should have

been more cautious because he ends up handing over his ticket money to a smooth-talking crook.

Later, in the Mission House, the other priests explain how white Johannesburg was terrified of

black criminality', which was fueled in part by the weakening of morality that occurs when young

people come to work in Johannesburg. However, white folks aren't the only ones that live in

dread. '... According to the allegation, a bunch of these youngsters attacked one of our own

African females, stole her wallet and money, and threatened to do more to her if other people

didn't scream from their homes.

Cry the Beloved Country, a book by Alan Paton, has been recognized as one of the

greatest depictions of societal collapse and racial injustice in South African society. Paton has

offered a balanced picture of the surrounding components of the societal injustices and encouraged

healing and understanding inside this strong piece of writing, whereas most literatures on racial

divide in South Africa are built around sentiments of wrath, tensions, bitterness, and indignation.

This essay will look at how the author utilizes characterization, settings, tone, topic, and storyline

to tell the tale of racial injustice in South Africa, as well as how the author uses characterization,

settings, tone, theme, and plot to tell the story.

“Things Fall Apart” is a book about European conquerors' ignorance and bigotry. The work was

created in reply to Joseph Conrad's “Heart of Darkness|, which showed Africans as illiterate
barbarians lacking civilization. Achebe dares characteristic European views of Africans

throughout “Things Fall Apart” by presenting the rich culture of Igbo civilization.

Since 1945 to 1960 number of states in Asia and Africa got independence from the

colonial rulers since the post-imperial period, new administrations in newly independent nations or

white minority governments, such as in South Africa until 1994, have attempted to maintain the

legacy of former colonizers in various ways. Furthermore, Krishnan Srinivasan claims that “the

transfer of sovereignty during the decolonization process did not end the ambitions of former

colonizing powers for a continuing role in their former colonies” because the old powers have not

been willing to abandon their legacy of what George Masselman calls “exploitation” and

“subjugation,” as well as what Madan Sarup refers to as “census” Although there is no actual

occupation or enslavement this time, the former colonised and newly independent countries are

caught in a new sort of colonialism called as post-colonialism.

In such kind of colonization, they focusthe cultural, social, religious, psychological, and

language imposition. They disrupt the original or pure culture by inferiority and superiority

complex. In term of social changes firstly they broke cultural chains among the people. In “Thing

Fall Apart” the people of Iqbo society have been divided in to two groups. The followers or

admirers of whites and the decriers.

According to Lame Maatla Kenalemang:

The theme of “Things Fall Apart” is the traditional Igbo culture's failure, shattering into

pieces, turmoil, and confusion (Alimi 121) as a result of the entrance of the white man

and his religion in Umuofia. The white men's perspectives on life are completely unlike

from those of the Igbo (Kenalemang , 2013).

4.1.1 Cultural and Social changes

“Things Fall Apart” and “Cry the Beloved Country” gives readers with a glimpse of African

civilization immediately before the white missionaries’ assault on their nation. The assault of

colonial authority threatens to alter every element of African life. From family structure to

business, religion, traditional roles and sex relationships are all discussed.

The Igbo people of Africa had their own legal system prior to the entrance of white preachers in

Umuofia, which was based on the cultural knowledge that had been passed down to them by their

ancestors. The Igbo people's history is told by Achebe.

He accomplishes this by spotlighting both the positive and negative aspects of their traditions and

culture that distinguish them from Western societies. They could have views on things like the

function of the ancestral gods, the sacrifice of young boys, the slaughter of twins, or how women

are treated differently. The reader is educated throughout the story about the entrance of white

missionaries in Amophia as well as how it affected the Igbo people. While the missionaries

offered the Igbo certain advantages, they also presented the Igbo with a number of new difficulties

for the future.

The novel progresses by depicting Igbo society's culture and festivals prior to the arrival of the

white man. It creates a festival scenario.

“The new Yam Festival was thus an occasion for joy throughout Umuofia. And every man

whose arm was strong, as the Igbo people say, was expected to invite large numbers of

guest from far and wide. Okonkwo always asked his wives, relations, and since he now

had three wives his guests would make a fairly big crowd.” (Achebe, p.2)
A "real" Igbo man is obligated to wed two or more ladies, in accordance with traditional Igbo

customs. The female tribal members are aware of this and adhere to the custom. Rarely did the

first wife ever broach the subject of her husband being married to a younger woman. Respect for

the first wife must also be shown by younger wives. By dividing home duties like child care, these

women help one another while coexisting peacefully with their husbands. On the other side, white

missionaries are against polygamy and cite New Testament passages that ban Christians from

engaging in it. For example, Okonkwo is seen as affluent in comparison to his father, and not

simply because his family raised a lot of yams or had multiple wives. But thanks to his power, he

was able to defeat the best wrestler.

For Okonkwo, wrestling was highly significant.

The second day of the new year was the day of the great wrestling between Okonkwo,s village and

their neighbors… there was no festival in all the season of the year which gave her as much

pleasure as wrestling match….

On the other side, Yunka, Okonkwo’s father, was an alcoholic with just one wife, few yams, and

no title in his name until his death. The community had given him the moniker agbala, which is an

Igbo phrase for "women and men who have not accepted a title." In other words, they regard him

as a person who does not deserve any respect from society since he is not "wealthy."

In the novel Igbo is a compassionate society. They are the followers of their culture and traditions.

They follow the rules and regulations what their ancestral set for them. They care for each other

and give so much importance to their festivals. They decorate their houses the writer picturizes the

festivals of igbo society as:

“They scrubbed the walls and the huts with red earth until they reflected light. They had

patterns on them in white, yellow and dark green. They then set about painting themselves
 with cam wood and growing beautiful black pattern on their pattern on their stomachs

and their backs. The children were also decorated, especially their hair, which was

shaved in beautiful pattern.”(paton, p.2)

Igbo civilization is sympathetic but brutal. The character of Okonkwo, who is generally the tribe's

spokesperson, exemplifies this. However, O'Connor's acts demonstrate that Igbo only gets

aggressive when compelled by particular conditions. Culture of the Igbo people Massacres of

children or persons are widespread, as long as the reasons for the killings are religiously

motivated. According to the Igbo faith, twins should be murdered as a symbol of Satan's activities,

and little boys should be offered to the gods as a token of the peace promise. The fifth

commandment, on the other hand, tells Christians that only God has the ability and authority to

decide when a person's life will come to an end.

4.1.2 After arrival

The focus of the book Things Fall Apart is on the lead character, Okonkwo. Later in the narrative,

Okonkwo accidentally kills a man; as a result, he and his family are banished from Umuofia.

White missionaries arrived in Umuofia during his banishment and transformed the community.

When Okonkwo returns to his town, he notices that Umofia has changed dramatically during his

banishment. Okonkwo was aware of these details and knew he had lost the trust of the clan's nine

cloaked sprits who carried out justice. Ha had been given the opportunity to lead his warlike tribe

against the religion, which in his perspective had become increasingly potent. Umuofia had

undoubtedly changed in the seven years Okonkwo had been exiled. All of this, however,

unexpectedly changed as a strong wind from the west swept all of these ancient shelters away.
During the last planting season a white man had appeared in their clan………. And he was riding

an iron horse… the elders consulted their Oracle and it told them that the strange man would

break their clan and spread destruction among them.

He replied the Question of Okonkwo as “does the white man understand our custom about land”?

The Obierika said that

How can he does not even speak our even tongue? But he says that our customs are bad;

and our brothers who have taken up his religion also say that our custom are bad. How

do you think we fight when our own brothers have turned against us? The white man is

very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion… and we have fallen apart”

While in Cry the beloved country has also doctored the same themes. The society traditional,

cultural and social norms have been challenged by the white men.

“The white man has broken the tribe. And it is my belief and again I ask your pardon that

it cannot be mended again. But the house that is broken, and the man that falls apart

when the house is broken, these are the tragic things. That is why children break the law,

and old white people are robbed and beaten.” (Paton, p.28)

There is a society in "tear, the dear land" that is similarly wary of change. They object to enrolling

their kids in English-language schools where they can read and write. Igbo practice their language

to set themselves separate from other civilizations. Additionally, they use language to describe

their place in society.

“It was OK to leave native education to those who wished to further develop it. It was

fair to be sceptical about its advantages. However, in light of what we now know, it is no

longer appropriate. The towns currently have a sizable indigenous population. Society
 must educate its youngsters so that they grow up to obey society's rules and understand

the society's goals and objectives. There is no other method to accomplish this.”(Paton,

P.63)

According to Encyclopedic Dictionary of Semiotics :

“Culture is the totality of the signifying systems by means of which ... a particular group

maintains its cohesiveness the various social activities and behavior patterns prevalent in

the given community (including gesture, dress, manners, ritual, etc.), but also the

established methods by which the community preserves its memory and its sense of

identity” (Ulrych, p.71)

In Things Fall Apart, the author has realistically highlighted the impact of colonialism on the

African society. Igbo society before the arrival of white colonizers have been shown as happy,

unified, dynamic and socially connected with each other’s. After colonization the first break down

was the breakdown of social chains.

Before arrival, these African were having their own business (agriculture) for survival and for

entertainment they were having different cultural music, dance, and painting competition. For their

physical fitness, they were having different games like wrestling, Donkey Racing, Dambe boxing

and Ta kurt om elmahag, Writer mirrors the situation before arrival in such way. “The new Yam

Festival was consider as a foundation for celebration across Umuofia. And every man with a

strong arm, as the Ibo say, was assessed to offer a large number of guests from all over the world.
Okonkwo would usually invite his wives and relatives, and since he now had three wives, his party

would be quite large.” (Achebe, p.2)

The writers has constructed a beautiful image of his own culture through these words. He has

analyzed his own culture before colonial encounter. According to him, they were having festivals,

a special occasions for enjoyment. These movements always spread happiness, pleasure and unity

among these locals. The children of that soul of like in the novel has confronted society's

conventional, cultural, and social conventions.

“So they all talked of the sickness of the land, of the broken tribe and the broken house, of

young men and young girls that went away and forgot their customs, and lived loose and

idle lives. They talked of young criminal children, and older and more dangerous

criminals, and how white Johannesburg was afraid of black crime.” (Paton, P.20)

With arrival of white man, the native tribes were totally broken in different parts like insurgents,

adherents and hybrids. Regarding this division, the author in Cry, the Beloved Country pens in

such way, they perceive white guy as the one who has broken the tribe's unity. And said once

again, I beg your forgiveness, it is my judgement that it cannot be rectified.’ The sad elements, on

the other hand, are the ruined house and the man who falls apart as the house falls apartChildren

breach the law, which leads to the robbery and violence of elderly white folks.

After welcome Kumalo to Johannesburg and debating Gertrude and Absalom's concerns,

Msimangu says this. Msimangu explains to Kumalo what he sees as the problem in their country.

Tribal connections have been destroyed, leaving young men and women with little incentive to

stay in their communities. These young people then travel to Johannesburg, where they will see

certainly get disoriented.

This is not the time to wax lyrical about hedges and meadows, or any country's natural marvels.

Cry out for the tribe that has disintegrated, for the rules and customs that have disappeared. Yes,

and mourn openly for the man who has died, for the wife and children who have been left behind.

These things haven't yet come to an end, beautiful country.

These sentences contrast with the novel's early focus on the beautiful South African scenery,

instead promoting sadness. By breaking out of this pattern and addressing us with such intensity,

the author underlines how terrible and profound South Africa's issues are. Though I disagree, the

quote's horrible last phrase is a prophetic foretell of Absalom's demise.

Despite the fact that religion is the most important aspect of society, the introduction of new faiths

has disturbed society's cultural framework. In this way, the novel's author seizes the situation. Our

society is not Christian; it is a horrible mix of lofty aspirations and frightening behavior, of

confident confidence and frantic worry, of loving charity and scared clinging of worldly

possessions. Please be patient while I complete my thinking.

The author of these lines is Arthur Jarvis, and his father reads them aloud. Contrasted with a true

Christianity that rejects white superiority is one that defends white domination over black people.

According to Arthur, some Christians believe it is God's plan for black South Africans to remain

unskilled workers. To try to educate them would be wicked and un-Christian. Arthur, on the other

hand, believes that everyone has the right to cultivate the skills that God has given them. Arthur

thinks South Africa is not a really Christian nation since it deviates from this ideal. Arthur's

speech ends abruptly with a sentence that his father finds particularly upsetting. The same colonial

administrative structure that described itself in nineteenth-century liberal jargon as a "guardian"

and a "trustee" for native populations could and did also serve as an occupying army, a structure
whose normalized exceptions to the rule of law - pass laws, above all - resembled nothing so much

as perpetual "martial law."

4.1.3 Changes in the economy and psychological changes

Human psychology is inextricably linked to their financial situation. Human culture, society, and

modernity civilization are all founded on financial circumstances. As a result, Africans' terrible

financial situation forces them to adhere to social and cultural standards. Every element of life

altered when white missionaries arrived. The Marxist mission was introduced to our nation by

these white masses. Africans became materialists, bourgeois, selfish, and self-centered as a result

of European industrialization. They had to leave their home, family, community, and village to

work under colonial shackles in order to improve their economic situation.

Through a variety of causes, European colonization of Africa resulted in significant

economic change in Africa. The development of the Industrial Revolution, which brought about

tremendous social and economic transformation, was one of these reasons. Rapid growth in this

business was fueled by advancements in the production of raw materials for diverse goods.

Africans were finding it more difficult to fulfil the demand for industrial raw resources. There was

a need for raw gold to meet the needs of industry, as recounted in the poem "cry, the dear nation."

“We come from all around South Africa, from various tribes. We have to leave our spouses

and families behind since we live in the compounds. And when the new gold is discovered, it will

not be us who will be rewarded for our efforts. The white man will be the one to get wealthy.

When new gold is discovered, they go insane. They bring more to us so that we can live in the

coumpounds and dig for three shillings a day.They do not believe that this is an opportunity to

pay more for our labour; rather, they believe that this is an opportunity to construct a bigger
house and buy a bigger automobile. They claim that finding gold is crucial since South Africa's

whole economy is based on mining”(Achebe, P.24)

As a result, European powers were required; for example, the British had to look for more raw

resources outside of Europe. Furthermore, when farm productivity declined, there was a difficulty

in preparing the correct or proper food to serve the fast growing urban population. In other words,

rural Britain's rising urban population was, for example, is progressively encouraging various

sects to grow enough food to sustain themselves. Similarly, a rising population need not just raw

material production but also food production. New goods were produced at a rate that the people

could manage as a result of fast technological development. Because of Africa's vast population,

there is a ready market for such goods. Furthermore, as a result of the low salaries provided to

employees, industrialists collected profits from which they might invest.

Furthermore, as a result of the low salaries provided to employees, industrialists collected profits

from which they might invest. Capital was scarce in Europe at the time, so companies needed to

migrate and engage in new product development. Imperialism arose as a result of this practise of

investing surplus wealth. As expressed in the song "Cry the beloved Country":

“His voice got low, as if thunder was rumbling, but he explained that it wasn't

constructed on the mines, but rather on our backs, on our hard labour.”

( Patons, p.24)

We created every factory, every theatre, and every magnificent house in the world. What does a

commander know about it? However, in Johannesburg, they are well-versed.

The production of basic commodities and agricultural goods is the function of the African

economy and nations in the global market or international commerce. The manufacturing of

manufactured products was under the authority of Europe's industrialised countries. As we are all

aware, one of the causes of the colonisation of Africa was the absence of an adequate market

where many things produced in Europe could be easily sold for a profit. Because the majority of

the African economy was based on a barter system, it required financial growth to be competitive

on the European market and in global commerce. The colonies had to directly take over control of

the management of the African colonies in order to adopt this currency, which was established as

the only officially recognised medium of trade. Additionally, colonialism wanted to fully

dominate the African government and economy in order to turn Africa into a market for European

manufactured products.

In “Things Fall Apart” the revenue of the of people of Igbo society was based on agriculture and

farming. The white entry opened so many new gates for the survival. In the town for cities in

search of financial needs was perhaps the first step toward materialism. He observes enormous

skyscrapers. The train stops beneath a large roof, and hundreds of people descend into the ground

to reveal a hidden corridor. The Igbo place a high emphasis on conversation, and proverbs are the

palm-oil with which they chew their words.

This term originates from the narrator's description of Unoka quietly engaging with

someone to whom he owed money, and it refers to the Igbo's very superior rhetorical talent. The

formality of the speech underlines the distinctions between Igbo and Europeans. The Igbo value

devotion to their cultural traditions, which include certain speech patterns that are inefficient by

Western standards, more than the latter, who priorities efficiency and directness in their

relationships. Given that Igbo society is essentially entirely agrarian, the analogy of language as
food is particularly suitable. They value things equally with regard to eating.In addition to his

religion and governance, the white man has brought forth certain economic benefits. Since the

trade business opened, there has been a lot of palm-oil and palm-nut kernel exporting. Money is

readily traded in Umuofia. This attracts a large number of Igbo, and their opposition to European

influence is quelled.

Mr. Brown, a white preacher, is the only one who makes an attempt to understand Igbo worship.

He encourages members of the Church not to disparage those who choose to remain in their old

habits, despite his efforts to convince them to send their children to his school. His institution

eventually attracts students of all ages.

One of them is the son of Akunna, one of the village's famous men. Mr. Brown and Akunna meet

frequently to discuss their ideas. Mr. Brown's health gradually deteriorates as a result of his hard

labour, and he is compelled to return home. He visits to Okonkwo's house before departing to

inform him that his son Nwoye, now Issac, has enrolled in a teaching programme in a nearby

town. On the other side, Okonkwo gets enraged and evicts him from his house.

Because so many things have changed in Okonkwo's village, his return is not as memorable as he

had hoped. Okonkwo laments the breakup and disintegration of his clan, which he witnessed. This

sentence is another allusion to the book's title. Under the influence of Europeans, the community

has begun to prosper economically. Money is flooding in, and Western education has become

deeply embedded in their society. Although trading with the outside world may initially help the

community monetarily, it will erode Igbo self-sufficiency and destroy their local economic system

in the long run. By highlighting these incidents, Achebe is aiming to show readers how the British
were able to persuade the local people to accept them despite their disturbance of life and customs,

as well as demonstrating that colonialism was not totally destructive.

Education and health care were offered as part of the colonization effort. However, it is

questionable if these claimed benefits are genuinely superior to prior methods or merely

recompense for the Igbo's cultural breakdown and bloodshed.

Okonkwo, on the other hand, is adamant about not giving in. He had hoped that his community

would stay unaltered and that he would be welcomed warmly. As a result of the changes in the

community, Okonkwo feels himself ignored and powerless. Okonkwo's presence is scarcely

noticed since there are just too many other issues to discuss. Okonkwo laments, "For the warlike

warriors of Umuofia, who had so strangely turned soft like ladies.He had anticipated Umuofia to

have a different attitude toward white guys than Mbanta, but now he sees that they are the same.

This is a cause of sadness and alienation.

In Cry the beloved Country, the wrirter has witnessed this situation in such way.

“Gold has been discovered, more gold, rich gold, in a little place called Odendaalsrust”.

Yesterday… the gold is as rich as any gold that has discovered in South Africa…gold is

gold. The country is going to be rich again. Shares are up from twenty shilling to

hundred shilling … some of these people are saying it would be nice if these share could

have been stayed at twenty shillings, and other eighty shilling have been used to save the

soil of the country, to build boys, club and girls, club, and to have more hospitals, and

pay more to miners. P67

South Africa is a mineral rich continent hence they must have a rich economic system but they

were kept financially dependent for the maintenance of white supremacy. This system was not

acceptable for African masses the white colonizers not only colonized their lands, minds but also

colonizesd their property and resources.

“We come from out tribes, from all over the South Africa. We live in the compounds, we

must leave our wives and family behind. And when the new gold is found, it is not we who

will get more will get more for our labour. It is the white man who will become rich.

They go mad when new gold is found. They bring more to us to live in the compounds, to

dig under the ground for three shilling a day”.

“They do not think, here is a chance to pay more for our labor they think only, here is a

chance to build a bigger house and buy a bigger car.it is important to find gold, they say,

for all South Africa is built on the mine”.

According to these Africans, the white has found more and more digs of gold but these will only

enrich the white and the African whom are owners of this land will only work as labourfor them.

These lines showthe financial colonization of the locals. Though they were having a rich menial

land but they lived there as a servant, slaves and labors. They have to leave their families, houses

and villages in search of basic needs and then there was only one way to that lead them to the

slavery of whites. According to Peter Wickins in his article “An Economic History of Africa” he

states that,

“To the British, French, and Germans, the primary colonizing nations, the individual

needs of their colonial subjects were not important. Instead the desire to "vertically
 integrate" the colonies of Europe by controlling production from start to finish became

the overriding goal of colonial agents” (Wickins, 1981).

In selected novel Kumalo who is far away from his own family depicted the situation in letter to

his wife in such way.

“His voice grew deep, it was like thunder was like thunder that was rolling, but it is not

built on the mines, he said, it is built on our backs, on our hard work. Every factory,

every theater, every beautiful house, they are all built by us. And what does a chief know

about that? But here is Johannesburg they know”. ( P24).

Kumalo, who also worked for the white man as in his letter, he televised the whole scenario to the

audience. He says that all these white building of whites are made by Africans. These natives

whom are powerless to builttheir own shelters they have been used as a labors to build a residence

for the colonizers. They were not only there to build a house to live but they also built religious

places church and a place for their entertainment theaters and also parks for them. So the

Africanswho were deprived of their basic needs were always there to fulfil the desire and wants of

the colonizers. It was just they were economically colonized and dependent on their own

homeland.

After all these suffering, the writers tried to civilize and instruct their masses and in this selected

novel the author states that,

“It was acceptable to develop our great resources with aid of water labor we could find.

It was acceptable to use unskilled men for unskilled work. But it was not acceptable to

keep men unskilled for the sake of unskilled work”.

 It was acceptable to discover gold to bring labor to mine. It was acceptable to build

compounds and keep women and children away from towns. But in the light what we

know now, it is no longer acceptable. It is not acceptable for us to go on destroying

family life when we know we are destroying it.

It is not acceptable to develop any recourses if they can be developed only by a policy of

keeping labor poor. It is not acceptable to add one’s possessions if this can only be done

at the cost of other men.

According to Alan Paton that the Africans are happy that these whites are discovering the gold and

working on the development projects. In this process they are improving economy, and

infrastructure of the homeland. But in all this mission, the Africans are kept unskilled which are

not acceptable for them. On one hand, the Africans are moving to city life which is a positive

movement but this will also break the families which are not acceptable for them. The daily wages

helped the poor to run their families but to keep them poor and needy were not acceptable for

these African. All these implausible grievances lead them to revolutionary movement of

decolonization.

4.1.4 Religious conversion.

Western education has become ingrained profoundly in their society, and money is pouring in.

Religion had a significant component in all prehistoric cultures, whether they were in Africa,

where it had a long history of influencing people's lives, or in Europe, where it had a long history

of influencing people's lives. It follows that it is evident that man is more than his physical body

and mind. He actually has a spiritual component to his personality, which is gifted. Simply said,
religion is a means to help a person transcend everything that is relative and limited within himself

and establish a connection with the infinite or Supreme Being.

In Things Fall Apart, the white man began to talk once everyone had assembled... As

his colour and language indicated, he was one of them... They were warned that they were

worshipping false gods, wood and stone gods. This was followed by a deep murmur among the

crowd. He informed them that the actual God was up in the sky, and that when people died, they

went before him to be judged. They were cast into a fire that burnt like palm oil because bad men,

all heathens, who fell to wood and stone, were blind. But good men who worshipped the true God

lived forever in his happy kingdom. “We have been sent by the God to ask you to leave your

wicked ways and false gods and turn to him so that you may be saved when you die”.

When the first five days were spend in the market place by the missioners and then they thought

they should have a permanent place and shelter to live. So asked to a village king that “we need a

plot of land to build a church.” In the beginning these natives were not agreed but then they

thought they have the place, Evil Forest where they buried all those who died from evil diseases.

The missionaries agreed and went there to build their holy place Church. Let us share some of the

Evil Forest with them. The brag about defeating death. Allow them to demonstrate their triumph

on a real battlefield. By doing so, these white missionaries achieved their first victory over their

created notion of the demonic Forest, which inspired a large number of people. Everyone seemed

perplexed. Then it was discovered that the white man's fetish had incredible power. He was

supposed to wear glasses on his eyes so he could see and converse with bad spirits. He earned his

first three converts not long after that.

MrKiaga explained, "We have now erected a church, and we want you all to come in every

seventh day to worship the genuine God."

Not only had the white guy brought a religion, but he had also introduced a

government. They were supposed to have erected a seat of judgement in Umuofia to safeguard

their religion's adherents. It was even said that one man was hanged for killing a missionary.

It's interesting to note that the conversion of colonised African nations involved more than just a

shift in religious beliefs and practises; it also required acculturation to Western culture and

Europeanization, as well as proficiency in the colonisers' native tongues—whether that was

English, Portuguese, or another, depending on the situation.

They said that does the young white man comprehend our land customs? How can he when he

doesn't even understand our language?” However, he claims that our customs are wrong, and our

own brothers who have converted to his religion agree. How do you think we'll fight when our

own brothers are on our side? The white guy is a brilliant mind. With his religion, he came calmly

and peacefully. We were amused by his antics and decided to let him stay. We are unable to

continue to operate as a clan now that he has gained our brothers. We have crumbled because he

cut the bonds that kept us together.

This discussion takes place during Obierika and Okonkwo's conversation. In the discussion,

Obierika appears to be voicing Achebe's own views on colonialism, which focuses on a number of

occurrences that have occurred since the colonialists arrived. Obierika, furious that the white men

have arrived and have completely disregarded the Igbo sense of justice, points out that the

colonialists will be unable to understand the Umuofians until they speak their language. He makes

the argument that criticizing foreign traditions is foolish.

 Obierika, on the other side, does not hold the white man totally responsible. He also claims

that Umuofians who have converted to Christianity have purposefully and wickedly turned their

backs on their own "brothers." Because Achebe forbids us from viewing things in black-and-white

terms, this assessment confounds our comprehension of the story (white). Indeed, Achebe seeks to

establish the truth of numerous claims made elsewhere about Igbo culture and tradition. If religion

and tradition are the links that keep the clan together, and if the religion is flawed and the tradition

is shaky, pinpointing who is to blame for the resulting disintegration becomes difficult.

. The villagers are not held accountable by Achebe. In this statement, he criticizes some clan

members' responses to the colonial presence, while condemning the colonialists for their disregard

for Igbo standards. Cry the Beloved Country, on the other hand, deals extensively with religion.

Africans have been pushed to follow the religion of the colonizers, both deliberately and

unintentionally. The author has written the work in such a way.

My buddy, I am a Christian. It is not in my nature to dislike someone who is white. A white guy

rescued my father from the darkness. Despite the inequities imposed by white people in South

Africa, Msimangu says that his faith prevents him from feeling anger toward others. In the story,

religion is presented as a vital force that helps black people cope with what is going on in their

nation. Msimangu says these remarks to Kumalo after telling him that his brother, John, no longer

believes in religion. Readers hear about John's wrath ,later on, indicating that religion might be

able to help him relax.

"I do not intend to upset you guys, but the Church, like the chief, is also like the chief," he

said after a little pause. This and that must be done. You are unable to participate in an experience.
A man must be faithful, gentle, and obedient, and he must obey all rules, no matter how little they

may appear. John informs Kumalo that he prefers living in Johannesburg over Ndotsheni because

he is not subject to the authority of any tribal leader. He then compares religion to a chief, arguing

that religion imposes arbitrary regulations and inhibits the freedom of its followers.

While Kumalo and Msimangu find comfort in their religious beliefs and rituals, John sees religion

as another instrument used to subjugate black men. Our Christian culture, in fact, is riddled with

inconsistencies on every level. Human brotherhood is something we believe in, but it is not

something we want in South Africa. We believe that God bestows many gifts on mankind and that

their use and pleasure are essential to human life, but we are cautious to go too deeply into this

notion..

James Jarvis reads a bit from his son Arthur's work. While Kumalo and Msimangu are religious,

and John is adamantly opposed to it, Arthur is the only character in the story who has to deal with

it. Despite the fact that South African laws are purportedly based on Christian doctrine, Arthur

claims that they do not treat all people equally, especially black males. Arthur understands the

importance of religion and Christianity, but he does not feel these ideals are being applied in South

Africa.

Religious conversion.

They were superstitious before then, but as the new religion swamped the population, their

blasphemy and belief in the numerous gods they formerly believed in began to fade. Many

familial relationships were also severed when many people converted to the new Christian faith.

The family was an essential element of life prior to colonization. It was not unusual for a parent to
abandon their son for any cause, but the coming of the British and the preaching of a new faith

forced many families, including some males, to abandon their sons and girls. His wife was also

compelled to leave.

“We have now built a church said MrKiaga ‘and we want you all to come in every seventh day to

worship the true God.”

The new religion also affected Igbo society's rituals and traditions, as seen in the film Things Fall

Apart. One of the nine Christians, for example, once killed a very haughty snake. The manner

their deceased and infants were treated, in my opinion, was the most significant influence of

colonialism on Igbo society. Those who murdered themselves in traditional culture were sent into

the Evil Forest, where twins and teens died.

Things begin to disintegrate. The white man spoke out after everyone had arrived. His

nationality and language made it clear that he belonged to them. They informed them that they

worshipped fabricated deities made of wood and stone. The crowd then let out a loud groan when

this was spoken. He informed them that the true God existed in heaven and that everyone was

transported there for judgement after death. They were cast into a fire that burnt like palm oil

together with all the evil men and the heathens who, out of ignorance, had bowed to wood and

stone. However, righteous people who loved the true God dwelt in his glorious kingdom eternally.

God has sent them to plead with you to turn from your sinful ways and cease adoring idols in

order to be rescued when you pass away.

Each one was perplexed. The incredible strength of the white man's fetish was subsequently

discovered. He allegedly wore eyeglasses so he could see and communicate with bad spirits. Soon

after, he converted his first three people.

Convert took the twins and sent them to the Base Forest and home as Christianity grew.

Furthermore, many parents of twins or children who have perished have always had a unique

perspective on the issue. Overall, Igbo society's colonies affected them in a variety of ways. The

English religious system devoured every part of his life and culture. White views and organized

lives have absorbed traditional systems and beliefs in a variety of areas, including religion, family

life, children, and the dead. The white man had not only brought a religion but also a government.

It was said that they had built a place of judgment in Umuofia to protect the followers of their

religion. It was even said that they had hanged one man who killed a missionary.

From Colonial Crisis to Post-Colonial Predicaments: Question of Leadership (“Cry, the

Beloved Country” , “Things Fall Apart”)

4. 2. Introduction

The topic of undesirable or even harmful changes that colonised nations have undergone as a

result of their colonial and post-colonial histories is examined in this chapter. The two books

chosen for this study are Thing Falls Apart and The Beloved Country, both by Alan Paton and

released in 1948. (Rao, R.; 1978; Liukkonen & Petri);

In relation to issues of transition, this chapter focuses on the terms "crisis" and "predicament." In

contrast to the term "crisis," which conjures up images of "disaster," "calamity," or "catastrophe,"

"predicament" suggests a "difficult tangle or conundrum." It's common knowledge that a particular

colonial experience results in irrevocable societal deterioration. Numerous countries throughout

the world have been impacted by colonisation. It's common knowledge that a particular colonial

experience results in irrevocable societal deterioration. Numerous countries throughout the world
have been impacted by colonisation. Even if colonialism was a failure, the circumstances that

prevailed both during and after colonialism were nevertheless quite "harsh."

4.2.1 “Cry the Beloved Country” and the case of South Africa

“Cry, the Beloved Country” was released a few months before Daniel Francois, who officially

started apartheid as South Africa's prime minister (Pandurang & Mala, 2007), was elected. The

stark social difference between whites, people of color, and people of color and the suffering of

the black community are both mentioned by Alan Paton. While well aware of the potential for

Apartheid as a result of white domination, the author provides possible solutions to the societal

problems. Thus, this story foreshadows the settlement of societal issues rather than adding to their

complexity. It's noteworthy to note that white civilization, which took pleasure in spreading the

light of civilization, ultimately adopted a Janus-faced policy that supported Apartheid, denying the

indigenous population of their legal claim to their own ancestral country.

The Dutch, also known as Afrikaans, who colonised South Africa by forcefully displacing its

indigenous people and encroaching on their territory were followed by the English, who joined the

Dutch in doing so.

4.2.2 The novels as mirrors of revolution and social change

The books “Things Fall Apart” and “Cry, the Beloved Country” serve as mirrors for the

Revolution that emerged and altered the way that civilizations function. While it is true that

change is necessary, revolution occurs when that change is politically hastened. Revolution

includes changes to a society's basic organizational principles, essential beliefs, and personal

conduct (Tally & Robert T, 2011).

Understanding revolutions as opposed to coups d'état or rebellions requires examining three

aspects of the revolutionary process: the goals of the revolutionaries, the methods by which they

carry them out, and the outcomes of their reign. Generally speaking, a rebellion is an unexpected,

hasty outburst against what is seen to be an unjust or unethical rule, system, or government. The

removal of the present government and the acquisition of power, particularly for the leadership,

are the main political goals of a coup d'état. The long-term objectives of revolutions, however,

often include social and economic change, as well as governmental subversion or reformation. It

desires comprehensive reform. Both stories' gradual and deliberate assaults on injustices pique

readers' desire for change—change of lives, change of myths, change of everything.

4..2.3 Nature of Leadership: Objective and Inspiration

To help its population achieve a common goal or realize the objectives of a specific group, the

globe needs leaders. Therefore, leaders are individuals who give their followers a sense of

purpose, provide them with guidance, and raise their self-confidence when necessary in order to

accomplish shared goals.

Precolonial, anti-colonial, neo-colonial, and pro-reform are the four subcategories of leadership

that may be distinguished in the framework of the current research, according to the motivations

of the many characters that represent or even assume leadership.

4.2.4 Challenge for Leadership: The Broken Tribe

Words like tribe and the fractured tribe are frequently mentioned in the book Cry, the Beloved

Country. Additionally, it alludes to a person's tribal affiliations, in this example, the Zulu tribe.

Before the idea of nation states became popular in the pre-colonial socio-economic system, the

tribe served as a unifying force, with its leaders at the forefront. The tribes were self-sufficient
since they relied on their land for a living. As a result, there is now a strong sense of connection

between the tribe's members and the land that sustains them.

Zulu people make up Stephen Kumalo, Msimangu, and other black characters. The whites label

the ethnic group as "barbaric" or "plunderer." Msimangu's captivating remarks captivate the

audience. But in response to this, the white people are astounded and comment on the words

spoken by the son of a savage tribe who had recently massacred and pillaged tens of thousands of

people under the leadership of their most dreadful chief.

4.2.5 Cry the Beloved Country and the fiction of reciprocity

The usage of the word "reciprocity" Reciprocal reinforcement is the term used in social

psychology to describe the act of responding to a positive action with another positive action. In a

manner, it honours and rewards the good deeds.

The "missionary technique" was when the missionaries pretended that the indigenous population

needed to be redeemed from their heathenism and barbarism in order to be assisted become "clean

and civilised." Therefore, it is often believed that this assistance from the missionaries or colonists

should be returned in like by providing their priceless lands, riches, civilizations, and even other

secrets about their long-standing traditions.

4.2.6 Solutions to the problems

The two novels discuss many societal issues that a country encounters and provide answers.

Situations and personalities in Cry, the Beloved Country might be examined in a completely

different perspective. Through the characters of Arthur Jarvis, Msimangu, Stephen Kumalo, James

Jarvis, and to some extent the Chief of the clan as well, the former issues can be resolved.
Msimangu has the capacity to alter individuals on the inside by connecting with their heartsHe

moves people's hearts, sending them marching to heaven rather than Pretoria (Akca, 2011). He is a

man who values actions over words. He is the first black guy to leave the world and all of his

belongings in order to create a commune. He gives Stephen Kumalo all of his funds in order to

cover the costs of the obligations he has taken on.

4.2.7 Conclusion

In conclusion, the studied books give voice to the millions of exploited, persecuted, and other

marginalized people who are voiceless and unheard. These people's sorrows are made public,

coupled with a message of redemption. As responsible authors, they work to raise urgent

awareness of the degrading societal ills that affect everyone on the planet.

In the novels being studied, both violent and nonviolent forms of resistance are used in the

freedom struggles that are depicted. Things Fall Apartand Cry and The Beloved Country both

share the same spirit of bringing about change in the entire landscape of the authors' nation and

people, but Things Fall Apartand Cry and The Beloved Country particularly stick to nonviolent

means.

African resistance to restore community equilibrium

4.3 introduction

Africans disregarded colonial rules and used weapons to defend themselves against European

invaders across the whole continent. Africans resisted the increased demands for colonial labour.

Second, when the African conflict started, religious movements had an impact on how native

Africans saw the events in their community. Last but not least, several African countries saw the

conflict as a chance to mend their political connections with European rulers.

In order to fight against colonial tyranny, all Africans picked up guns. Numerous resistance

movements around the nation were founded as a result of this aim. Reclaiming their social,

religious, and cultural dignity was the goal of the resistance.

Things fall apart

Igbos seem to be a conservative group of people. They won't enrol their kids in school so they can

learn to read and write in English. The villagers refuse to instruct their children in English despite

Mr. Brown's efforts to persuade them that learning the language is crucial because the District

Commissioner and other white missionaries now have influence over them and only speak English

(Achebe 128). When the monarchs of Mbanta chose to grant missionaries territory, the Igbo

committed the worst error of their existence (Achebe 105). It gave the missionaries the idea that

the Igbo people were a weak people who could be readily influenced by their culture. However, it

might be claimed that the Igbo's decision to preserve the area of land where the wicked forest

formerly stood demonstrates their continued respect and commitment to their own culture (Achebe

105). However, because the Igbo neglect to inform the white missionaries about the forest's evil

character, any regret for the new society and religion is lost. As a result, the white missionaries

continue to rule Umuofia and its inhabitants without opposition.

4.3.1 Resistance against the language changes.

Europeans held a Eurocentric worldview, believing that European culture was superior to that of

other cultures. Eurocentrism sees Europe as the hub of civilisation and mankind as a result. Non-

whites were seen as second-class citizens under Eurocentrism, which had racial overtones. Things

Fall Apart was written by Achebe to help his people regain their pride. The language of the Igbo
people defines their culture as well. It gives them a sense of belonging while also allowing them to

maintain their culture and customs. And, while language is important to the Igbo, it eventually

leads to the collapse of their civilization. Igbos appear to be a people that are resistive to change.

They refuse to send their children to school to learn how to read and write in English. Despite Mr.

Brown's efforts to persuade the villagers that studying English is important because they are now

ruled by the District Commissioner and other white missionaries who only speak English, the

villagers remain wary of educating their children. (Achebe, p. 128)

The Igbo use their language to set themselves apart from other civilizations. They also utilize

language to establish their social standing.

4.3.2 Resistance against the religious division.

When white missionaries arrive in Umuofia, the people are expected to instantly submit to their

rule. The missionaries, on the other side, provide people who are marginalised by Igbo religion a

ray of hope. Twins are murdered, boys are sacrificed, and deceased newborns are mutilated, to

name a few examples of Igbo culture's common and accepted customs.Some villagers are prepared

to support the white men's proposal since it is the only option for them to escape their own faith.

Nwoye Okonkwo, Okonkwo's son, was among the first to convert to Christianity. Some villagers

are ready to accept the proposal of the white guys since it is their only way out of their own

religion. Okonkwo's son, Nwoye Okonkwo, was one of the earliest Christians (Achebe, p.107).

Following the sacrifice of Ikemefuna, Nwoye's almost brother, this decision was made. Nwoye

was vehemently opposed to Igbo's decision to murder his brother, and he demonstrated his

displeasure by joining the church and refusing to go to school. On the other side, Nwoye's father is

dissatisfied with his son's decision to become a

Christian. Okonkwo is unhappy with his son's decision, but he does nothing to change it. Since

Okonkwo always thought of Nwoye as "weak and woman-like," it's supposed that he predicted

similar behavior in his son.

Okonkwo, on the other hand, disowns his son, Nwoye, after quitting the Igbo faith. Okonkwo's

decision to forsake his only son in order to practice a foreign religion demonstrates the Igbo

people's inability to deal with change, particularly change that occurs outside of the Igbo language.

Nwoye disobeys his father in the most heinous way conceivable by rejecting his own faith.

Some Igbo people's decision to follow Christ was influenced by the suffering that they had gone

through as a result of their own culture. Since they want to get away from the pain and suffering

that the Igbo religion has brought them, they are oblivious of the long-term consequences of

embracing the white missionaries. When Mr. Brown visited Umuofia, they would converse for

hours in his obi about religion through an interpreter. Although none of them was able to convince

the other to agree with their viewpoints, they each gained a deeper understanding of their own

religions.

4.3.3 Resistance against Political and government laws.

The Igbo had their own legal systems even before the European missionaries arrived in

Umuofia, which were based on cultural knowledge passed down from their forefathers. Their

tribunals are presided over by the village's oldest men, who trust in the might of their ancient gods

to assist them in rendering fair and impartial judgements. When the white missionaries arrive in

the hamlet, one of the first things they do is replace the Igbo courts with their own. Because of the

white missionaries' lack of knowledge of Igbo history, culture, and legal system, the natives suffer.
Igbo have no idea what is acceptable in the courts of white males in this regard. Because of this,

the local leaders are shocked when the suspects are found after setting the missionary church on

fire. The missionaries' violent takeover demonstrated their contempt for Igbo customs and

regulations as well as their lack of interest in Igbo history and culture. They seem to be so

determined to impose their culture on the Igbo, however, that they are blind to the fact that they

are killing and destroying Igbo culture.

The neglect of the Igbo by the Europeans for their welfare worsens the drift between the two

cultures, pushing them further away from their ancestors. It also raises the issue of the IQ of the

white missionaries. If they don't take the time to learn about Igbo culture, how can a bunch of

civilised and educated people label Igbos as uneducated and uncivilised? Even though they claim

to be educated and civilised, they appear to be both. Their claims to be the community's

enlighteners in Umuofia are directly at odds with this.

The missionaries don't seem to have as much sophistication as the Igbo people. In contrast to

British courts, their traditional courts provide both sides the chance to submit their cases before a

judgement is reached when two parties are at odds. Villagers who commit crimes of any kind are

placed in jail without being interrogated, while Igbo courts interview parties to a disagreement

before passing judgement. In spite of the fact that wife-bashing is common in Igbo society,

Okonkwo beats up his youngest wife during the Week of Peace (Achebe 124), but she is given the

opportunity to go to court. Okonkwo was found not guilty of physically beating his wife, but

rather of doing it during the Week of Peace, when violence is forbidden.

Both compassionate and vicious people belong to the Igbo civilisation. This is demonstrated by

the persona of Okonkwo, who is commonly regarded as a tribe spokesperson. On the other hand,

Okonkwo's acts demonstrate that Igbo only resort to violence when forced to by external factors.

Okonkwo assassinates one of the missionaries' messengers in an effort to disrupt the conference.

4.3.4 Resistance against economic black marketing

I'll tell you one thing, Msimangu said. We desire power because it is held by the white guy.

However, I believe there is only one chance for the country, and that is when white and black men

who desire nothing more than the best for their country join forces to work for it. And I'm afraid

that when the white men have converted their hearts to love, he'll realize that we've turned to

hatred, since this isn't the way to Doorfontein.

4.3.5 Resistance of the Freedom

Quotes Freedom

I no longer report to the chief, at the very least. I am no more enslaved, at the very least, by a dog

of a white man, an elderly, illiterate man. Although a black man in South Africa may never

completely be free, John claims to feel more liberated in Johannesburg since there isn't a chief to

control his behavior there. Because black people live in a culture that is deeply rooted in racism,

they will seize whatever freedoms they can, despite the fact that their freedom pales in contrast to

that of a white person. Between two hills on the summits, a little and lovely valley is sheltered by

two hills. They’ll tell you it's one of the nicest farms in the region since it has a house and flat

ploughed fields. High Place is the farm and residence of James Jarvis, Esquire, and it's perched

high above Ndotsheni and the Umzimkulu's vast valley. When the narrator describes James Jarvis'
mansion, readers get a sense of not only wealth and affluence in comparison to Kumalo and others

in Ndotsheni, but also freedom, as

Jarvis and his family sat above and far away from the oppressed black people. As a white man,

James Jarvis enjoys far more freedom in South Africa than any black person, as evidenced not

only by his lifestyle but also by his residence. It was acceptable to use any available water labor to

develop our vast resources. It was acceptable to use untrained people for unskilled labor.

However, keeping individuals untrained for the sake of unskilled work was intolerable. It was

permitted to locate gold in order to entice miners. Building compounds and excluding women and

children from communities were commonplace. But given what we now understand, that is no

longer true. It is inappropriate for us to continue doing something when we are aware that it is

hurting family life. It is unacceptable to develop country places as a guest place for others. And

then all these implausible grievances lead colonized nation to movement of freedom and

decolonization.