Arrow of God

Chinua Achebe's novel "Arrow of God" centers on the main character's battles with colonialism and Christian influences. Ezeulu is the chief priest of multiple Nigerian villages. During the 1920s, his country experiences political and social changes when the British uses colonialism to civilize the people. The Igbo people of Nigeria are the main characters of the story as they worship Ezeulu. The novel begins with a battle that Ezeulu and Umuaro causes with the Okperi people. A British overseer, T.K. Winterbottom, intervenes and resolves the battle. With this context in mind, Achebe structures the work to highlight the relationships between the Nigerians, the British, and Christian missionaries. A significant theme of the work is the Nigerians abandoning their traditional customs for Christianity, which stirs up much resentment between the villagers. Achebe injects conflict into the work when Ezeulu refuses to be a "white man's chief." Ezeulu's beliefs affect how the rest of the characters interact. By the end of "Arrow of God," the villagers lose their faith in Ezeulu.