Through his use of language and choice of words, Achebe enables us to experience life in Ibo society before it was changed by the coming of the white men. By inspecting Achebe's incorporation of Ibo words throughout the novel, examining his selection of Ibo character names, and exploring his integration of proverbs and folktales, we can understand Achebe's attempts to educate us about Ibo life and at the same time unraveling the story of Okonkwo's tragedy. Examining the author's use of language throughout any novel is an important step to understanding that novel. The use of language is especially important in Achebe's novel Things Fall Apart because as we read about Okonkwo's tragedy, it is vital to see him in the world in which he lives in to understand his actions and overall, the underlying message of the story.

In the duration of the novel, Achebe used certain...