Context of Assignment
Chinua Achebe is one of Africa's most well-known and influential contemporary writers. His first novel, Things Fall Apart, is an early narrative about the European colonization of Africa told from the point of view of the colonized people. Published in 1958, the novel recounts the life of the warrior and village hero Okonkwo, and describes the arrival of white missionaries to his Igbo village and their impact on African life and society at the end of the nineteenth century. Through his writing, Achebe counters images of African societies and peoples as they are represented within the Western literary tradition and reclaims his own and his people's history.
This quest is designed to provide you with more information on the novel Things Fall Apart, as well as its author Chinua Achebe and the historical circumstances of the time, that might have influenced his writing of the novel.
You will become an expert in your assigned field of study, and use this information to gain insight and understanding where there is currently little known.
As a group, you will utilize the resources provided for you to discover as much as possible about the Ibo (Igbo) culture, religious beliefs, and how colonization affected their culture. You will also uncover information concerning the life and writings of Chinua Achebe
Each Group of around 4-5 will research a particular subject and identify how it relates specifically to the novel. The group will divide the work in an effective manner in an endeavor to construct a 12-15 min presentation on their research with a power point presentation as a visual aid. Day 1 will be designated for research and organization, Day 2 for power point construction, speech preparation, and presentation finalization. Day 3 will be the presentations.
Presentation:
You will be presenting your topic in a 12 - 15 minute presentation. You will need to present your information in an organized, easy to follow format. Since there is no formal written report, your grade will be based on the information you present and how well it is understood. Explain any terms with which your audience would be unfamiliar. Your voices must be loud and clear. There should be no distractions from other members of your group when each member is speaking. Remember, it is up to each of you to make sure your audience understands what you are reporting. You may use index cards for reference, but may not read from them.
Visual Aid:
Each group must provide some visual support for their presentation in the form of a power point slide show (minimum of 20 slides with introduction, transition, and conclusion slides). You could also use pictures off the Internet, books with pictures, drawings, or copies of those, a poster with sketches or pictures, or replicas of things like musical instruments or tools.
Group topics:
Group #1 Nigeria: A Modern & Ancient struggle
Group #2 The Evils of Colonialism & its effects on Things Fall Apart
Group #3 The Many Masks of Religion – Tribal culture vs Western Religion
Group #4 Shadows in the Forest: Who are the Igbo
Group #5 Igbo: An insight into Tribal Culture
Group #6 The Voice of Africa: Chinua Achebe