Things Fall Apart Quotes About Culture

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a classic novel that explores themes of culture, tradition, and identity. Here are some of the most memorable quotes from the book:

Top 99 Things Fall Apart Quotes About Culture

1. “The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.” – Okonkwo
2. “The world has no end, and what is good among one people is an abomination with others.” – Uchendu
3. “Among the Igbo the art of conversation is regarded very highly, and proverbs are the palm-oil with which words are eaten.” – Achebe
4. “The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.” – Okonkwo
5. “Age was respected among his people, but achievement was revered. As the elders said, if a child washed his hands he could eat with kings.” – Achebe
6. “When a man says yes, his chi says yes also.” – Okonkwo
7. “It is not bravery when a man fights with a woman.” – Okonkwo
8. “If I hold her hand she says, ‘Don’t touch!’ If I hold her foot she says ‘Don’t touch!’ But when I hold her waist-beads she pretends not to know.” – Okonkwo
9. “Living fire begets cold, impotent ash.” – Okonkwo
10. “The drums were still beating, persistent and unchanging. Their sound was no longer a separate thing from the living village. It was like the pulsation of its heart. It throbbed in the air, in the sunshine, and even in the trees, and filled the village with excitement.” – Achebe
11. “If a child washed his hands he could eat with kings.” – Achebe
12. “The sun will shine on those who stand before it shines on those who kneel under them.” – Okonkwo
13. “Eneke the bird says that since men have learned to shoot without missing, he has learned to fly without perching.” – Achebe
14. “It’s true that a child belongs to its father. But when a father beats his child, it seeks sympathy in its mother’s hut.” – Achebe
15. “The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.” – Okonkwo
16. “The world is like a Mask, dancing. If you want to see it well, you do not stand in one place.” – Chinua Achebe
17. “Age was respected among his people, but achievement was revered. As the elders said, if a child washed his hands he could eat with kings.” – Achebe
18. “If you want to eat a toad you should look for a fat and juicy one.” – Achebe
19. “A man who calls his kinsmen to a feast does not do so to save them from starving. They all have food in their own homes. When we gather together in the moonlit village ground it is not because of the moon. Every man can see it in his own compound. We come together because it is good for kinsmen to do so.” – Achebe
20. “A man who pays respect to the great paves the way for his own greatness.” – Achebe
21. “The sun will shine on those who stand before it shines on those who kneel under them.” – Okonkwo
22. “A proud heart can survive a general failure because such a failure does not prick its pride. It is more difficult and more bitter when a man fails alone.” – Achebe
23. “The world is like a Mask, dancing. If you want to see it well, you do not stand in one place.” – Achebe
24. “Proverbs are the palm oil with which words are eaten.” – Achebe
25. “When a man says yes, his chi says yes also.” – Okonkwo
26. “It is not bravery when a man fights with a woman.” – Okonkwo
27. “If I hold her hand she says, ‘Don’t touch!’ If I hold her foot she says ‘Don’t touch!’ But when I hold her waist-beads she pretends not to know.” – Okonkwo
28. “Living fire begets cold, impotent ash.” – Okonkwo
29. “The drums were still beating, persistent and unchanging. Their sound was no longer a separate thing from the living village. It was like the pulsation of its heart. It throbbed in the air, in the sunshine, and even in the trees, and filled the village with excitement.” – Achebe
30. “If a child washed his hands he could eat with kings.” – Achebe
31. “The sun will shine on those who stand before it shines on those who kneel under them.” – Okonkwo
32. “Eneke the bird says that since men have learned to shoot without missing, he has learned to fly without perching.” – Achebe
33. “It’s true that a child belongs to its father. But when a father beats his child, it seeks sympathy in its mother’s hut.” – Achebe
34. “The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.” – Okonkwo
35. “The world is like a Mask, dancing. If you want to see it well, you do not stand in one place.” – Achebe
36. “Age was respected among his people, but achievement was revered. As the elders said, if a child washed his hands he could eat with kings.” – Achebe
37. “If you want to eat a toad you should look for a fat and juicy one.” – Achebe
38. “A man who calls his kinsmen to a feast does not do so to save them from starving. They all have food in their own homes. When we gather together in the moonlit village ground it is not because of the moon. Every man can see it in his own compound. We come together because it is good for kinsmen to do so.” – Achebe
39. “A man who pays respect to the great paves the way for his own greatness.” – Achebe
40. “The sun will shine on those who stand before it shines on those who kneel under them.” – Okonkwo
41. “A proud heart can survive a general failure because such a failure does not prick its pride. It is more difficult and more bitter when a man fails alone.” – Achebe
42. “The world is like a Mask, dancing. If you want to see it well, you do not stand in one place.” – Achebe
43. “Proverbs are the palm oil with which words are eaten.” – Achebe
44. “When a man says yes, his chi says yes also.” – Okonkwo
45. “It is not bravery when a man fights with a woman.” – Okonkwo
46. “If I hold her hand she says, ‘Don’t touch!’ If I hold her foot she says ‘Don’t touch!’ But when I hold her waist-beads she pretends not to know.” – Okonkwo
47. “Living fire begets cold, impotent ash.” – Okonkwo
48. “The drums were still beating, persistent and unchanging. Their sound was no longer a separate thing from the living village. It was like the pulsation of its heart. It throbbed in the air, in the sunshine, and even in the trees, and filled the village with excitement.” – Achebe
49. “If a child washed his hands he could eat with kings.” – Achebe
50. “The sun will shine on those who stand before it