Proverbs in Things Fall Apart - 2025 Words

Proverbs are wise sayings that address the heart of the discourse in any given context, truthfully and objectively. In Africa and in Nigerian cultures especially, they are considered the reliable horses, which convey meanings to their destinations or hearts of the listeners. This study investigates aspects of the meaning of proverbs in the work of a Nigerian author, Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. It is contended that meanings of Nigerian proverbs can be worked out within the semantic, referential, ideational, stimulus-response, realist and contextual theories. Types of meaning and proverbs are addressed and situated within the two works. It is advanced that proverbs play significant roles in clarifying, exemplifying, underscoring and†¦show more content†¦Theory: Stimulus-Response Types: Denotative, Affective. Analysis: There is a tact advice almost coinciding with the English proverb, â€Å"one good turn deserves another† here. If a person accords honor or reveren ce to the successful ones, it is likely that he is also going to be successful. In other words, the sense of the proverb is that a person who helps another man helps himself indirectly as he gets familiar with what that man engages in – and this will ultimately lead him also to greatness, directly or indirectly. 5 A toad does not run in the daytime for nothing.15 Theory: Ideational Types: Denotative/Stylistic Analysis: The proverb tasks our mental conception or general knowledge of the toad as a nocturnal animal. If such an animal therefore does â€Å"run† (a lexical item preferred by the author for metaphorical or stylistic effect, against the normal collocative word, â€Å"jump†) in the day, there must be something amiss. The sense of the proverb is that there is a cause for anything strange that happens; there must be a reason, at least â€Å"no smoke without fire†. A toad running in daytime is probably pursuing something or certainly something is purs uing it. It has to do with the â€Å"cause-effect† relationship. An old woman is always uneasy when dry bones are mentioned in a proverb.p.15 Theory: Stimulus – Response Types: Denotative/Thematic Analysis: This proverb also exhibits â€Å"causes-effect†Show MoreRelatedThings Fall Apart Proverbs Essay1125 Words   |  5 PagesThings Fall Apart Proverbs Proverbs are phrases use to explain certain solutions. Proverbs can explain specific situations within certain words to get the point across. The function for proverbs is to describe something without having to be forward with what is being said. There were five proverbs from things fall apart that stuck out to me. These proverbs are â€Å"when a man says yes chi also says yes†, what is good in one place is bad in another†, â€Å"If I fall down for you and you fall down forRead MoreAn Exploration of Proverbs in Things Fall Apart by Achebe Essay974 Words   |  4 PagesProverbs A proverb is a brief, memorable saying that expresses a truth or belief (Proverb). â€Å"Proverbs are the palm oil with which words are eaten (Achebe 7), and they enhance the meaning of all the conversations. â€Å"A proverb is [basically] a short sentence based on long experience† (. In Things Fall Apart, proverbs are mainly used in the development of the important characters. Through proverbs used in character development, Achebe shows the distinct similarities and differences between theRead MoreEssay about Proverbs in Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe519 Words   |  3 PagesIn the novel, â€Å"Things Fall Apart’, by Chinua Achebe, proverbs have an important impact on the storyline. 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