The Times They Are A-Changin -Bob Dylan
This is a great song and I feel like it’s pretty relevant to what we’ve been reading in Things Fall Apart. I think the song is mainly talking about the changes going on in society in the sixties. That whole atmosphere of change -and acceptance (or lack thereof) of ‘the new’- is prominent in Things Fall Apart. We have begun reading about the effects of the white imperialists invading the Ibo tribes and the different reactions to it amongst the natives. There are the people like Nwoye and the efulefu (outcasts) who embrace these new ideals. However, those who want to maintain the traditional lifestyle of their tribe -like Okonkwo- are vehemently opposed to theses changes.
While Dylan offers the sense that these new ‘changes’ are actually beneficial to the bigger picture (but to the readers of Things Fall Apart, the invasion of the entitled white people seems like something that should not be accepted), we see that attitudes differ in the eye of the beholder.
Also, the line “And don’t criticize what you can’t understand” is a fitting lesson that can be learned from this book. Things Fall Apart (and Heart of Darkness) is filled with beliefs being forced on others and a lack of understanding of different cultures. This rings true with the line “what is good among one people is an abomination with others” (pg 141). People believe there must be a “right” and “wrong” culture and religion, when in reality, people should accept change while holding onto their own values in order to exist harmoniously.
Thoughts :)?
-Annsley
