20th Annual Student Research Conference
Language & Literature
The Devastating Swarm: The Impact of Colonization in Achebe's Things Fall Apart
Martin L. Galloway
Dr. Hena Ahmad, Faculty Mentor
Locusts are commonly thought of as a plague. They enter an ecosystem and strip it clean until there is nothing left for them to consume. Locusts are less concerned with coexisting with their surroundings and more concerned with consuming and moving on to a new place to feed. Achebe's use of locusts as a demonstration of colonization speaks volumes about the very core cultural differences between the white colonizers and the Igbo society. This paper will explore Achebe's depiction of the locust swarm and how it can be read as a metaphor for colonialism.
Keywords: Achebe, colonization, Things Fall Apart, locusts
Topic(s):English
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 6-3
Location: OP 2115
Time: 8:45 am