CULTURAL HYBRIDITY AND IDENTITY CRISIS IN ACHEBE’S THINGS FALL APART

Abstract

 This paper studies the dynamics of cultural hybridity and identity crisis in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. It explores the complex ways in which colonial encounters dislocate native African identities. While this novel has been extensively evaluated for its portrayal of Igbo society’s disintegration and its critique of colonialism, this study examines a less explored aspect: hybridity not simply as a result of colonial control but also as an indirect approach for adaptation and survival. Drawing on frameworks of postcolonial theories, particularly those of Homi Bhabha (1994) the research analyses how the novel depicts the cultural conflict, the shattering of self and selfhood, and the adoption of colonial ideologies. Through close reading of the text supported by secondary literature and scholarly criticism, the paper depicts that Achebe perceives the duality of hybridity as both a source of existential tension and a site of resistance. The findings suggest that characters like Okonkwo and Nwoye experience identity crisis not only due to the foreign values imposed by the colonial power but also due to heavy psychological collapse brought about by cultural ambiguity. This study contributes to postcolonial discourse by highlighting the novel’s significance to modern-day discussions on neo-colonialism and globalization, inspiring further investigation of its permanent thematic concerns.