Challenging Literary Universality: A Pluralistic Reading of Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart”

Abstract

Charles R. Larson, in his essay “Heroic Ethnocentrism: The Idea of Universality in Literature,” critically examines the widespread assumption of universality in literary discourse. This paper explores Chinua Achebe’s novel *Things Fall Apart* through the lens of Larson’s critique, arguing that Achebe challenges Eurocentric notions of literary standards. By presenting an African protagonist and cultural setting distinct from Western traditions, Achebe subverts prevailing expectations and asserts the validity of African experience and expression. The novel foregrounds the unique social structures, beliefs, and moral codes of Igbo society, rejecting the imposition of Western literary ideals. This analysis highlights how *Things Fall Apart* resists ethnocentric biases by emphasizing culturally specific perspectives.