Chinua Achebe's well-known novel contains the following major themes:
1. Complexity of the Igbo culture - A. Isa-Ifi ceremony - It is a traditional, final pre-marriage ceremony where the future wife shows her loyalty to her future husband through the promise that she has never been with other men.
2. Masculinity versus femininity - C. Mother is supreme - The novel discusses the theme of masculinity in varying degrees. We can observe that it mainly in Okonkwo's character. He is masculine and he has his own view of masculinity which includes violence, as well. However, the traditions of his maternal ancestors completely differs from his views.
3. Tradition versus Change - B. Colonialism - In the lights Colonialism it is obvious to find the dilemma between evolution and revolution. People hesitate to accept religious and political changes and the leaders worry about more than that, beyond those measures.
4. Language as a sign of cultural differences - D. the missionary speaking through an interpreter - Language is a central theme in the novel. It is handled as a beauty of complexity in the example of translation from Igbo to English. The language is a culture and in the translation process the culture loses its true identity. However, the author chose English over the Igbo. It might be the paradoxical metaphor to present the true identity in this kind of style. Regarding the choice, in the novel the people make fun of the translator because of his language and this option is correct for the theme of language.
