Things Fall Apart
by Chinua Achebe
- Lexile
- 890L
- Grade range
- Grades 9–12
- Age range
- Ages 14–18
- Pages
- 209
- First published
- 1958
- Genre
- Postcolonial Fiction
- ISBN-13
- 9780385474542
About this book
Okonkwo, a respected Igbo leader in pre-colonial Nigeria, sees his community upended by British colonizers and Christian missionaries. Achebe's novel — widely considered the foundational work of modern African literature — appears on AP Literature, IB English, and many state DOE world-literature reading lists.
Themes
- colonialism
- tradition vs change
- masculinity
- cultural disruption
- identity
Content notes
- violence
- suicide
- infant death
- colonial violence
Common Sense Media recommends age 14+.
Where this book is assigned
AP English Literature & Composition
- recommended· 12th gradesource: AP Lit summer-reading expectation — rising AP Lit senior
- required· 12th gradesource: AP Lit — frequently cited FRQ3 text
Common Core State Standards (ELA)
- recommended· 10th gradesource: CCSS ELA Appendix B, grades 9-10 exemplar
IB Diploma Programme — English A: Literature
- recommended· 12th gradesource: IB DP English A Literature Prescribed Reading List
Similar grade-level books
Common questions
- What grade level is Things Fall Apart?
- Things Fall Apart is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 9–12, with a Lexile measure of 890L. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
- What is the Lexile level of Things Fall Apart?
- Things Fall Apart has a Lexile measure of 890L according to MetaMetrics. Lexile measures text complexity, not content maturity — check the grade range and content notes separately for age-appropriateness.
- What curricula assign Things Fall Apart?
- Things Fall Apart appears on reading lists for AP English Literature & Composition, Common Core State Standards (ELA), IB Diploma Programme — English A: Literature. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- Is Things Fall Apart banned in schools?
- Things Fall Apart does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.
- What themes does Things Fall Apart explore?
- Central themes in Things Fall Apart include colonialism, tradition vs change, masculinity, cultural disruption, identity. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.