TFA - Thesis statement & Topic Sentences

Prompt: The personal history of an author can have a significant influence on the way meaning is constructed in his/her writing.

In the novel, Things Fall Apart, published in 1958 but written in the context of Nigeria's pre-colonized time of 1890 - Chinua Achebe's background influences the portrayal of characters to achieve his goal of creating a balance of stories.

(topic sentences)
1. Achebe sets the novel during Africa's pre-colonization period to highlight the complexities of African society and its people, which lacked in traditional English literary canons, such as 'The Heart of Darkness' by Joseph Conrad, in order to achieve a balance of stories.

2. As the novel is set during a time before colonization, it also allows Achebe to emphasize the flaws of Igbo society that resulted in its downfall.

3. Chinua Achebe's Igbo and Christian upbringing allowed him to portray the two belief systems evenly through the various characters of 'Things Fall Apart,' which subjects them to fair assessment during the colonization period.