How did one achieve upward or downward mobility in the group in the book Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe?

Answer 1

Generally, hard work.

Men achieved higher status through a variety of methods. The most notable was that of title where men would achieve titles in their society, the maximum being 4 titles. Men were judged by prowess physically and financially, including their results as warriors and farmers. They were judged by the size of their obi, and their farms, the number of wives they had and the number of children, particularly sons. Each member of the family could add or detract from the status of the family which was centered around the man. The friends the man kept and attracted was also a sign of status. If he was honored enough, the man might be sent on missions for the village, particularly peace missions. Even rarer, a man might represent egwugwu, particularly in tribal courts.

Women were not very upward or downward mobile. The best they could hope for would be to marry a successful man as their first wife. The first wife also has some dominion over the other wives and the children. If her husband died, they would move downward classwise, as a widow was generally worth less than a virgin to society. In order to do this, the woman had to be part of a respected family and also individually beautiful and desirable. By helping her family gain respect, she could in turn improve her own lot.

The osu were stuck as untouchables, and could not move up or down castes. This changed for them with the coming of the Christians, as they could then occupy ranks of power in the white man's government, and thus project their power into the society which had previously rejected them.

In general, the coming of the Christians made those who could conform to the white man's values and system faster place higher in society, letting them occupy positions of power after being educated in the new systems.