THE EMERGENCE OF A TRAGIC HERO: A Narrative Analysis of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart.

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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

This study is entitled the emergence of a tragic hero: a narrative analysis of

Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. This chapter presents the background of the

study, the reasons for choosing the topic, the question raised in the study, the aim of

the study, research method, research procedures, significance of the study,

clarification of the key terms, and finally the organization of the paper.

1.1 Background

Tragedy is oftentimes associated with something terrifying or death. Related to

this, Adrian Poole (2005: 1) states that the word ‘tragedy’ is used to cover dignity and

value on violence, catastrophe, agony, and bereavement. Originally played in

classical Greek dramas, tragedy becomes the main topic to entertain the audience. At

that time, tragedy expresses the truth about the fall of a great man who looks good in

the beginning but end up badly (Poole, 2005: 5). For instance, the story of Oedipus

the King who falls into a tragedy after realizing that he has killed his biological father

and married his biological mother. He then gouges his eyes out and begging for an

exile from Thebes at the end of the story.

In such plays Poole (2005: 21) states that there is a room for magic or

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also supported by Aristotle (as translated by Butcher, 2000: 10) who believes that

tragedy involves action of a renowned and of superior attainments figure.

Poole (2005: 6) further notifies that in the last couple of hundred years tragedy is

conveyed in various ways though it has not lost its meaning. He (2005: 15 - 17) states

that since eighteenth century tragedy had provided a familiar way of reading history,

such as those which tell the rise and fall of political leaders or the fate of ambitious

political movements, especially those aimed at radical or revolutionary change. In this

context tragedy thoroughly realistic in which tells about the things that actually

happened.

The idea of tragedy in historical context is also reflected in fiction. Among other

is Chinua Achebe’s Things Falls Apart which portrays the life of native Nigerian

tribes that struggle to defend their cultural values and beliefs upon the arrival of

Missionaries. Tragedy lies on the main character’s life as he committed suicide at the

end of the story.

However, Aristotle (as translated by Butcher, 2000: 10) states that the structure

of tragedy might be differed from that of short stories which have a historical

composition because it presents not a single action but a single period of time.

Further, Aristotle (as cited by Poole, 2005: 16) states that history simply tells what

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Because of the different structure, the present study discusses tragedy in fiction

which specifically aims at analyzing the emergence of a tragic hero in Chinua

Achebe’s Things Fall Apart.

In order to achieve fuller understanding of the concept of hero’s figure in

historical fiction, it is paramount to refer to the work of Bakthin (2004) whose

theorization of hero focuses more on the one appears in historical realism.

Bakhtin (2004: 10) draws a concept of time – space and the image of man in a

novel of historical emergence. According to Bakhtin (2004: 24) the hero emerges

along with the world and he reflects the historical emergence of the world. Thus, the

depictions of the image of man and the depictions of time and place become

explicitly coordinated to the historical context.

In addition, Bakhtin (2004: 25) proposes that to see the connection of the man’s

emergence and the historical time, a specified method that is completed once and for

all is the event. Rimmon – Kenan (1983: 2-3) defines events as something that

happens and can be summed up by a verb or a name of action. Metz (1974: 17 as

cited by Chandler, 2002: 90) argues that there are no ‘events’ in the world. It is

narrative form which creates events. The basic form of event is a chain that

corresponds to the beginning, middle and ending of the story. Thereby, to find the

emergence of tragic hero in a historical context, the structure of events provides a

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Choosing Achebe’s novel entitled Things Falls Apart as the context of the

research and utilizing Bakhtin (2004) theorization of historical hero’s emergence, this

present study discusses tragedy in fiction which specifically aims at analyzing the

way a tragic hero is emerged in the novel.

1.2 Reason for choosing the topic

Tragedy is a common theme in literary works and mostly appeared in drama. As

stated by Poole (2005: 15 - 17) that tragedy had provided a familiar way of reading

history, such as those which tell the rise and fall of political leaders or the fate of

ambitious political movements. Such topic is discussed by Dov Waxman (2001) on

his journal which portrayed the tragic fate happened to Israel’s former Prime

Minister, Ehud Barak. He has suffered from a string of humiliating rejections, first

from Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, then from Israeli’s electorate and finally from

his own political party. Chinua Achebe’s novel entitled Things Fall Apart (1958)

presents tragedy in a fiction which set in a historical setting.

Many scholars have conducted studies on Things Fall Apart regarding on the

issues raised in the novel. Among others is Jerica Linn Watts (2010) whose article

discussed about the critical discourse surrounding narrative and linguistic strategies in

Achebe’s text. She read Achebe’s novel as a work that repeatedly hints at modern

society as one disrupted and transformed by contact with the Europian colonizer.

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Apart which investigated the way in which the Igbo people are oppressed and types

of resistance that come from the oppressed.

Different from Waxman’s journal (2001) which portrayed tragic hero in reality,

the present study investigates the way the main character as a tragic hero in fiction.

While Watts (2010) discussed narrative and linguistic strategies used by the author to

deliver the story, the present study analyzes the structure of events that happened to

the tragic hero in order to identify the way he is emerged. Guided by Bakhtin’s

theorization and utilizing textual analysis method, the study focus on the emergence

of a tragic hero in a historical novel.

1.3 Research Question

Based on the background of the study, the research is conducted to answer:

1. How does tragic hero emerge in the novel as seen from Bakhtin’s theorization

of hero emergence in a historical novel?

1.4 The Aim of the Study

Based on the research questions above, the aims of the research is:

1. To investigate the way the main character as a tragic hero is emerged in the

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1.5 Research Method

1.5.1 Design

This study observed and analyzed a novel. It focuses on analyzing the way a

tragic hero in Things Fall Apart is emerged as seen from Bakhtin’s theorization of

man emergence in a historical novel. The research method followed the qualitative

approach in collecting, classifying, discussing and interpreting the subject.

Qualitative approach is the analysis of research that tends to use the forms of words

rather than numbers (Miles and Huberman, 1984: 21). In addition, Berg (2001: 3)

mentions that textual analysis as one of the popular methods of observation in

qualitative research. Related to this, Lockyer (as cited in Sage Encyclopedia of

Qualitative Research Method, 2008: 865) states that textual analysis is a method of

data analysis that closely examines either the content and meaning of texts or the

structure and discourse. Research on textual structure and discourse employs different

methodologies; among others is the narrative analysis.

In addition, narrative analysis refers to a family of analytic methods for

interpreting text that have in common a storied form (Riessman, as cited in Sage

Encyclopedia of Qualitative Research Method, 2008: 539). Further Riessman (2008:

539) states that the term narrative is illusive, it carries many meanings and used in a

variety of ways by different scholars, often used synonymously with story. In the

familiar everyday form, speaker/narrator connects events to a sequence that is

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away from the story. Events are perceived as important, selected, organized,

connected, and evaluated as meaningful for a particular listener/reader. Since novel

has a storied form, a narrative analysis can be applied to the research.

1.5.2 Data Collection

The present study analyzes a novel entitled Things Fall Apart written by Chinua

Achebe. It becomes the primary data of the research. The original version of the

novel written in African language, later it is translated into English. The novel is

published by Pinguin Group first in 1958. It contains of three parts and 197 pages.

Taking place in Nigeria, this story portrays the life of native Nigerian tribes that

struggle to defend their cultural values and beliefs upon the arrival of Missionaries.

Okonkwo is the main character of the story that is presented as a wealthy, respected,

and stands out as a great leader of the tribe. Unfortunately things began to change as

Missionaries came to the village, creating conflicts and tensions among the people in

the tribe. Okonkwo was drawn in despair as he could not protect his tribe from losing

their cultural values and beliefs. Tragedy appears at the end of the story where

Okonkwo committed suicide.

Achebe's Things Fall Apart introduced serious social and psychological analysis

into Nigerian literature. It is set in the early days of colonization and tells the tragedy

of a warrior hero who rigidly identifies with the values of traditional Ibo society. This

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Biyi Bandele. The production was put together in 1997 by the Performance Studio

Workshop of Nigeria and was presented as part of the Kennedy Center's African

Odyssey series in 1999.

Over the years, Achebe has received dozens of honorary doctorates and several

international literary awards. He is an honorary member of the American Academy

and Institute of Arts and Letters, and his work has been translated into more than 40

languages. In 1994, he fled to Europe from the repressive Nigerian regime, which

threatened to jail him. However, he later returned to Nigeria to serve as president of

the town union of his native village of Ogidi, honored as such because of his

dedication to his ancestors' myths and legends. In early 1999, he was appointed as a

goodwill ambassador for the U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA), which works for

family planning and reproductive health around the world. (cited from:

www.bookRags.com)

1.6 Research Procedures

In this study, the data are collected from the novel Things Fall Apart written by

Chinua Achebe. The study is conducted through the following steps. The research is

started by observing the source text; it is Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart that is,

reading it thoroughly. The events that show the main character’s emergence in the

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between historical time and space and the hero’s emergence. Every speeches,

activities, or utterances of the character will be taken for a further analysis.

1.7 Significance of the study

The study aims to investigate the way the main character as a tragic hero is

emerged in Things Fall Apart. The study utilizes Bakhtin’s concept of hero and

narrative theory to answer the research question. It is highly expected to enrich

literary studies on narrative analysis of historical fiction especially for students of

English Education Department of Indonesia University of Education.

1.8 Clarification of the Main Terms

Tragedy: An imitation of an action that excites the emotion of pity and fear. The

action is constructed in plot presenting reversal of fortune and recognition that

happened to the character (Aristotle as translated by Butcher, 2000: 10). Tragedy

expresses the truth about the fall of great men who look good in the beginning but

end up badly (Poole, 2005: 5).

Tragic Hero: A protagonist character who presents a good quality, that particular

character presents as the one who is not ordinary but possesses an outstanding quality

and greatness. Further, a tragic hero has generic conventions, in which the greatness

is usually a kind of manly valor, imitate a real person, and be consistent. (Aristotle as

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Narrative Theory: A study of how narratives make meaning (Barry, 2002: 222),

the term ‘narration’ suggests a communication process in which the narrative as

message is transmitted by addresser to addressee and the verbal nature of the medium

used to transmit the message (Rimmon – Kenan, 1983: 2).

Narrative Analysis: An analytical method for interpreting text which has in

common a storied form. Narrative analysts interrogate intention and language—how

and why events are storied, not simply the content to which language refers.

(Riessman as cited in Sage Encyclopedia of Qualitative Research Method, 2008:

539).

1.9 Organization of the Study

The paper of the research will be organized into five chapters as follows:

1. Chapter I: Introduction

This chapter contains the background of the study, research questions, aims of

the study, significance of the study, scope of the study, the object of the study,

research methodology, clarification of the key terms, and also the organization of the

paper.

2. Chapter II: Theoretical Framework

This chapter contains literature review which provides information to investigate

research problems.

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This chapter contains the research method of the research, including the data

collection and data presentation.

4. Chapter IV: Findings and Discussion

This chapter provides the analysis of the data using theoretical framework.

5. Chapter V: Conclusions and Suggestions

This chapter contains the researcher interpretation of the research finding in a

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CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The previous chapter described the theoretical framework of the study. To find

the way a tragic hero is emerged in the novel Things Fall Apart, the analysis uses

Bakhtin’s concepts of formulating hero figure in historical novel of emergence

through applying narrative analysis focusing on events. This chapter presents

information relating to the research methodology, the research procedure in collecting

the data and also a sample of data presentation.

3.1 Research Method

This study observed and analyzed a novel. It focuses on analyzing the way a

tragic hero Things Fall Apart is emerged. The research followed the qualitative

approach and textual analysis method in collecting, classifying, discussing and

interpreting the data. Qualitative approach is the analysis of research that tends to use

the forms of words rather than numbers (Miles and Huberman, 1994: 8).

In addition, Berg (2001: 3) mentions that textual analysis as one of the popular

methods of observation in qualitative research. According to Lockyer (as cited in

Sage Encyclopedia of Qualitative Research Method, 2008: 865) textual analysis is a

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or the structure and discourse. Research on textual structure and discourse employs

different methodologies; among others is the narrative analysis.

Narrative analysis itself, refer to a family of analytic methods for interpreting text

that have in common a storied form (Riessman, as cited in Sage Encyclopedia of

Qualitative Research Method, 2008: 539). Further Riessman (2008: 539) states that

the term narrative is illusive, it carries many meanings and used in a variety of ways

by different scholars, often used synonymously with story. In the familiar everyday

form, speaker/narrator connects events to a sequence that is consequential for later

action and for the meanings listener/reader is supposed to take away from the story.

Events are perceived as important, selected, organized, connected, and evaluated as

meaningful for a particular listener/reader. Since novel has a storied form, a narrative

analysis can be applied to the research.

To sum up, utilizing a qualitative approach and textual analysis method, the study

is expected to uncover the way a tragic hero in Things Fall Apart is emerged.

3.2 Data Collection

The present study examines a novel entitled Things Fall Apart written by Chinua

Achebe. It becomes the primary data of the research. The original version of the

novel written in African language, later it is translated into English. The novel was

firstly published in 1958 by William Heinemann Ltd, but for this study the writer

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The novel is written in English and consists of 3 main parts, 25 chapters and 179

pages. Things Fall Apart is a story about life of primitive Nigerian people that

struggle to defend their cultural values and believes from the coming of the

missionaries.

Achebe's Things Fall Apart introduced serious social and psychological analysis

into Nigerian literature. It is set in the early days of colonization and tells the tragedy

of a warrior hero who rigidly identifies with the values of traditional Ibo society. This

novel won immediate international recognition. It also became the basis for a play by

Biyi Bandele. The production was put together in 1997 by the Performance Studio

Workshop of Nigeria and was presented as part of the Kennedy Center's African

Odyssey series in 1999.

3.3 Research procedures

In this study, the data are collected from the novel Things Fall Apart in a form of

words, phrases and sentences. The focus in gathering the data is on finding the textual

evidence related to the main character’s changes and development in his life. In

gathering the data, the study follows several steps. First step is to conduct a close

reading in order to get more comprehension to the issue presented in the novel. The

close reading process is also used to highlight events that show the main character’s

changes and development in the story. The data is presented in a form of table. After

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on the theoretical framework stated on the previous chapter in order to answer the

research question. Finally, the study is ended by drawing conclusion of the study and

suggestion for further research.

3.4 Sample of Data Presentation

To accomplish data analysis, the presentation of the data is formulated in a form

of table, it is made as follow:

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CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

This chapter collects the results of the research and interprets them in the form of

conclusion. This chapter also provides suggestions for further analysis.

1.1 Conclusion

This study attempts to investigate the way tragic hero is emerged in the novel

Things Fall Apart. After conducting the study and analyzing the data, the answer of

the research question is found. It is revealed through the structure of events that

construct the process of tragedy happened to the hero’s life in which reflects the

historical time and place. Based on the data analysis result, some points can be

concluded.

First, the analysis of events has showed the chronological sequences of the tragic

hero from the beginning to the end of the story. The structure of events suggests two

processes of deterioration happen to the hero in which the hero is failed against some

challenges. The hero is a black, male, Nigerian and role as a leader of Igbo tribes, and

lives under the cultural values. He faces challenges in his life, and his goal is to

preserve the people way of life. The hero encounters difficulties to reach his goal and

is threaten by his opponent. The Missionaries or the white men would be his

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is more powerful and the people show a reaction that they do not willing to war.

Because he was failed to fight the opponent, the hero decides to commit suicide.

The journey of the tragic hero is not emerged as his personal matter. It is more

likely in line with Bakhtin’s (2004: 23) description of historical novel of emergence,

where the hero is emerged not only within an epoch, but on the border between two

epochs (Bakhtin, 2004: 24). The first epoch would be the hero’s personal test. The

second epoch related to the time before and after the Missionaries arrival that has

changed the life of the Igbo people.

Therefore, the tragic hero is emerged by following Bakhtin’s concept of the

historical novel of emergence where the hero’s life changes are connected to the

historical time. Thus, it can be concluded that the tragic hero’s emergence in Things

Fall Apart suggests Bakhtin’s (2004: 24) ideas of novel of historical emergence.

Second, from the analysis of the tragic hero’s emergence, the hero’s tragic life is

influenced by many factors and the coming of the Missionaries seems to have a

greater impact to the hero’s tragic fate. Within this context, the tragic hero’s

emergence in the novel leads the discussion to the concept of binary opposition and

dualism lies in the story. It is showed through the relationship of the tragic hero as

opposed to his opponent that is the White man.

The tragic hero is presented as the primitive tribes of a Nigerian as oppose to his

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enemies try to civilize the tribes. Thus, the concept of dualism may lies on the

western civilization as oppose to the wilderness of the tribes (Hourihan, 1997: 21).

Since the hero is primitive Nigerian tribes and the enemies are modern western

people, the concept of dualism also lies on reason and irrationality (Hourihan, 1997:

28). The hero is depicted as primitive tribes who still believe in ancestral spirit, he

worshipped wooden symbols of ancestral spirit and celebrating certain occasion to

honor the goddess in which it refers to superstitious. It is opposed to the white men

who have a rational understanding of reality.

Thus, the investigation leads to a conclusion that the emergence a tragic hero in a

historical time that is Things Fall Apart, has brought a meaning of tragedy to a

concept of dualism that lies between the primitive Nigerian tribes as oppose to the

western civilization.

1.2 Suggestion

Realizing that this research needs more elaboration, the writer suggests the

further research could elaborate more interesting topic on narrative analysis. Since all

texts that have a storied form is a narrative both in a form of written or oral text, this

theory could be used to analyze for instance; newspaper reports, history books,

novels, films, comic strips, pantomime, even for dance and gossip. This would be

interesting because the subject of the research may be varied. It is not only reverted

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The writer may suggest that the further research could elaborate the topic about

narrative of historical fiction. It could be the work of deconstructive mode of reading

tragic hero stories, specifically looking at the ideological assumption hidden in the

text. For example, the study is questioned about the ideological assumption can be

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