This document summarizes the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. It discusses that the novel was published in 1958 and chronicles pre-colonial Igbo society in Nigeria and the introduction of British colonialism. It describes the traditional Igbo social structure, gender roles, and religious beliefs centered around natural phenomena. It also analyzes how characters like Okonkwo are driven by fears and how the notion of free will is challenged by events outside of their control.