Things Fall Apart, a novel, follows the life of African man Okonkwo, who lives in the village of Umuofia. As a young man, Okonkwo seeks to distinguish himself, and through hard work becomes a leader in his village. When white men invade his village, Okonkwo wants to fight and drive them out. He soon realizes that the old values and customs he has lived by are disappearing, driving him to despair in this classic exploration of masculinity and the conflict between tradition and change.
The white man's church gains more and more converts; they even accept the osu, or rejects of the clan. Because their brothers have joined the church, the villagers cannot kill them, for fear of being kicked out of the village. Tensions rise between the church and the village, until one day a Christian kills the sacred python. Okonkwo suggests the use of violence on the men, but the clansmen decide instead to ostrasize them. In the end, the man accused of killing the python dies.
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