Discussing the interpretation of Igbo traditions in the book Things fall apart by Chinua Achebe, it may be concluded that they are both similar and different from Western traditions. First of all, it should be mentioned that the book describes the period of great changes in the lives, traditions, and culture of the Igbo people. Religion is crucial for them. They believe in one supreme god, Chukwu, who is the creator of all. Comparing with Western religious beliefs, it may be noticed that the ideas are similar. Western people also have their Gog who is the creator of all and people’s belief is infinite.
Moreover, Igbo’s religion presupposes the belief in life after death; the same happens in the Western religion when people’s life on the earth is the preparation period to the other, perpetual life. There is also the equivalent of Satan, the Ekwensu. All bad actions are provoked by the Ekwensu and are considered as the punishment for people’s actions in the past. Still, there are some other gods who people praise. The marriage values are also similar in Igbo and Western cultures, as there is a common belief that men and women should marry and give birth to children. There are still some exceptions when women in Western culture desire a career and can give birth to a child without a man.
Turning to the differences in Igbo and Western cultures, it should be noticed that they are not so numerous, especially in the question of religion. Dwelling upon the equality of men and women in the modern world, there is still a tendency that men are dominant. Igbo tradition is the same. Women exercise more influence both in politics and at home. Moreover, they control local trade which is considered not as a sale-buy business, but as a ritual, both political and social. Still, men are the heads of the family and have to control women and their children. The religious peculiarity which makes Igbo different from Western people is that Igbo do not have the symbol of their god, Chukwu. They just do not know how Chukwu could look.