You will need to have an overview of Colonialism in Africa before we begin, so please read through the pages listed under "Class Resources" for Things Fall Apart (under the Part 3 tab). You can, of course, do additional research with other sources.
When completing the background reading, make sure you take notes on and answer the following questions. Do not just summarize - make sure you THINK about the information and understand what you have read.
1) What is colonization? Why have (and do) countries colonize others?
2) What were the social and historical factors that led to the colonization of Africa?
3) What were the reasons for colonizing Africa?
4) What were the viewpoints of the colonizers?
5) What were the viewpoints of the colonized?
6) What are the effects of colonization - immediate and long-lasting? How do things tend to change in a country post-colonization?
7) What are modern examples of colonization or globalization (find specific information - THINK)? What are the effects?
You need to have a thorough understanding of the text and their CONTEXTS for this part of the course - so read carefully!
Feel free to read more about Nigeria, in particular, and Chinua Achebe, for more contextual background for Things Fall Apart.