Full title Things Fall Apart

Author Chinua Achebe

Type of work Novel
Genre Postcolonial critique; tragedy
Language English
Time and place written 1959, Nigeria
Date of first publication 1959
Publisher Heinemann Educational Books
Narrator The narrator is anonymous but shows sympathy for the various residents of Umuofia.
Point of View The narration is in the third person, by an omniscient figure who focuses on Okonkwo but switches
from character to character to detail the thoughts and motives of various individuals.
Tone Ironic, tragic, satirical, fable-like
Setting (time) 1890s
Setting (place) Lower Nigerian villages, Iguedo and Mbanta in particular
Protagonist Okonkwo
Major conflict
On one level, the conflict is between the traditional society of Umuofia and the new customs brought by the
whites, which are in turn adopted by many of the villagers. Okonkwo also struggles to be as different from
his deceased father as possible. He believes his father to have been weak, effeminate, lazy, ignominious, and
poor. Consequently, Okonkwo strives to be strong, masculine, industrious, respected, and wealthy.

Rising action
Enoch’s unmasking of an egwugwu, the egwugwu’s burning of the church, and the District Commissioner’s
sneaky arrest of Umuofian leaders force the tension between Umuofia and the colonizers to a breaking point.

Climax
Okonkwo’s murder, or uchu, of a court messenger

Falling action
The villagers allow the white government’s messengers to
escape and Okonkwo, realizing the weakness of his clan, commits suicide.

Themes
The struggle between tradition and change; varying interpretations of masculinity; language as a sign of
cultural difference

Motifs
Chi, animal imagery

Symbols
The novel is highly symbolic, and it asks to be read in symbolic terms. Two of the main symbols are the
locusts and fire. The locusts symbolize the white colonists descending upon the Africans, seeming to augur
good but actually portending troublesome encounters. Fire epitomizes Okonkwo’s nature—he is fierce and
destructive. A third symbol, the drums, represents the physical connection of the community of clansmen in
Umuofia, and acts as a metaphorical heartbeat that beats in unison, uniting all the village members.

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Foreshadowing
The author’s initial description of Ikemefuna as an “ill-fated boy,” which presages his eventual murder by
Okonkwo; the arrival of the locusts, which symbolizes the eventual arrival of the colonizers; Obierika’s
suggestion that Okonkwo kill himself, which foretells Okonkwo’s eventual suicide

Plot Overview
Okonkwo is a wealthy and respected warrior of the Umuofia clan, a lower Nigerian tribe that is part of a
consortium of nine connected villages. He is haunted by the actions of Unoka, his cowardly and spendthrift
father, who died in disrepute, leaving many village debts unsettled. In response, Okonkwo becomes a clansman,
warrior, farmer, and family provider extraordinaire. He has a twelve-year-old son named Nwoye
whom he finds lazy; Okonkwo worries that Nwoye will end up a failure like Unoka.

In a settlement with a neighboring tribe, Okonkwo wins a virgin and a fifteen-year-old boy for the tribe.
Okonkwo takes charge of the boy, Ikemefuna, and finds an ideal son in him. Nwoye likewise forms a strong
attachment to the newcomer. Despite his fondness for Ikemefuna and despite the fact that the boy begins to
call him “father,” Okonkwo does not let himself show any affection for him.

During the Week of Peace, Okonkwo accuses his youngest wife, Ojiugo, of negligence. He severely beats
her, breaking the peace of the sacred week. He makes some sacrifices to show his repentance, but he has
shocked his community irreparably.

Ikemefuna stays with Okonkwo’s family for three years. Nwoye looks up to him as an older brother and,
much to Okonkwo’s pleasure, develops a more masculine attitude. One day, the locusts come to Umuofia—
they will come every year for seven years before disappearing for another generation. The village excitedly
collects them because they are good to eat when cooked.

Ogbuefi Ezeudu, a respected village elder, informs Okonkwo in private that the Oracle has said that Ikemefuna
must be killed. He tells Okonkwo that because Ikemefuna calls him “father,” Okonkwo should not
take part in the boy’s death. Okonkwo lies to Ikemefuna, telling him that they must return him to his home
village. Nwoye bursts into tears.

As he walks with the men of Umuofia, Ikemefuna thinks about seeing his mother. After several hours of
walking, some of Okonkwo’s clansmen attack the boy with machetes. Ikemefuna runs to Okonkwo for help.
But Okonkwo, who doesn’t wish to look weak in front of his fellow tribesmen, cuts the boy down despite the
Oracle’s admonishment. When Okonkwo returns home, Nwoye deduces that his friend is dead.

Okonkwo sinks into a depression, able neither to sleep nor eat. He visits his friend Obierika and begins to
feel revived a bit. Okonkwo’s daughter Ezinma falls ill, but she recovers after Okonkwo gathers leaves for
her medicine.

The death of Ogbuefi Ezeudu is announced to the surrounding villages by means of the ekwe, a musical
instrument. Okonkwo feels guilty because the last time Ezeudu visited him was to warn him against taking
part in Ikemefuna’s death. At Ogbuefi Ezeudu’s large and elaborate funeral, the men beat drums and fire
their guns. Tragedy compounds upon itself when Okonkwo’s gun explodes and kills Ogbuefi Ezeudu’s sixteen-
year-old son.

Because killing a clansman is a crime against the earth goddess, Okonkwo must take his family into exile
for seven years in order to atone. He gathers his most valuable belongings and takes his family to his mother’s
natal village, Mbanta. The men from Ogbuefi Ezeudu’s quarter burn Okonkwo’s buildings and kill his animals
to cleanse the village of his sin.

Okonkwo’s kinsmen, especially his uncle, Uchendu, receive him warmly. They help him build a new
compound of huts and lend him yam seeds to start a farm. Although he is bitterly disappointed at his misfortune,
Okonkwo reconciles himself to life in his motherland.

During the second year of Okonkwo’s exile, Obierika brings several bags of cowries (shells used as currency)
that he has made by selling Okonkwo’s yams. Obierika plans to continue to do so until Okonkwo
returns to the village. Obierika also brings the bad news that Abame, another village, has been destroyed by
the white man.

Soon afterward, six missionaries travel to Mbanta. Through an interpreter named Mr. Kiaga, the missionaries’
leader, Mr. Brown, speaks to the villagers. He tells them that their gods are false and that worshipping

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more than one God is idolatrous. But the villagers do not understand how the Holy Trinity can be accepted as
one God. Although his aim is to convert the residents of Umuofia to Christianity, Mr. Brown does not allow
his followers to antagonize the clan.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The Ibo in the late nineteenth century
Our knowledge of the world of the Ibo at this point in history gradually increases as the story unfolds. This understanding enables
us to appreciate the main theme: the impact on the lives of the Ibo caused by the arrival of Christian missionaries and the
subsequent establishment of British authority in Nigeria.
The tribe consists of a group of nine villages that are each inhabited by a clan and linked by ties of blood. Village life is governed
by the rituals and traditions developed over many generations, with slight variations from clan to clan. The Ibo regard people from
other parts of Nigeria as foreigners, and sometimes go to war against these tribes.
This is a patriarchal society, where men practise polygamy (many more than one wife), and women have little status. Okonkwo,
for example, regularly beats his wives, sometimes for the most trivial reasons. Men live with their families in compounds called
obis. Crops are stored in barns within the walls of the compounds. Women are responsible for domestic chores, such as cooking
and taking care of the young children.
Time is measure by the Ibo in periods of four days, known as market weeks, and it follows the rhythms of the seasons. The people
live a simple life as subsistence farmers, growing yams, coco-yams, beans and cassava, and drinking palm-wine. Their currency is
the cowrie shell. They use utensils from the earth, such as gourds for storing and drinking palm-wine, and pottery vessels for
fetching and storing water.

Religion and ritual among the Ibo

Attitude towards the gods
Chukwu is the creator of the world and the most powerful god, but the tribe also worships many lesser gods. The gods are feared
and they are described in the novel as evil and capricious. They inhabit the natural and supernatural worlds, and must be appeased.
They sometimes demand acts of violence, such as the death of Ikemefuna.

The chi
This is the concept of one’s personal god. Okonkwo worships his personal god with offerings of kola nut, food and palm-wine.
Although the clan acknowledges that a good chi is helpful, they still believe that a person is responsible for creating his or her own
success. Humility is valued, but a successful person is respected for his or her achievements. For example, even though Okonkwo
is arrogant, the clan still respects him for his achievements. By contrast, the Oracle tells Unoka that his misfortunes are due to
laziness and not to a bad chi.

The importance of the ancestors

The religious festivals and the rituals practised by the Ibo have their origins deep in the past and reflect the continuity of life over
many generations. The ancestors of the clan are revered, as they provide this close link between past and present. They are called
upon to administer justice during disputes between tribe members. During sacred ceremonies, masked tribesmen, known as
egwugwu, represent the spirits of the nine sons of the clan’s father.

The Oracle
In Umuofia, the Oracle of the Hills and the Caves (also called Agbala), interprets messages from the ancestors. These are
communicated to the tribe through the priestess Chielo. The Oracle and the egwugwu take the place of a chief, but men within the
clan can earn various clan titles to enhance their status. This is Okonkwo’s aim, which is destroyed by his exile and the subsequent
changes that take place in Umuofia while he is away.

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Gods and festivals linked to nature
The gods of the Ibo are linked to the natural world. Events, such as birth, marriage, death, planting and the harvest, are celebrated
through complex rituals.
 The feast of Ani: Ani is the earth goddess who must not be offended, or she may blight the harvest. The week between
harvesting and planting is sacred to her and is known as the Peace of Ani. Ezeani is the priest of Ani.
 The Feast of the New Yam: This is a celebration of plenty and is also sacred to Ani. Wealthy clansmen invite their
relatives to celebrate this important occasion with them. The great wrestling match is traditionally held on the second day
of the feast.
 The sacred python: This is the physical manifestation of the god of water, and so a python may not be harmed or killed.
Taboos
 Things such and people who are seen as unnatural, such as twins, the bodies of suicides, or those suffering from the
swelling disease, are cast out of the tribe into the Evil Forest.
 The killing of a clan member is forbidden and is punishable by death. However, an accidental killing – called a female
crime (a lesser crime) – leads to the exile of the perpetrator for a certain number of years.
 Association with the outcasts (those dedicated to a certain god) is taboo

The impact of the Scramble for Africa on the Ibo

During the nineteenth century, Africa was made more accessible to non-Africans by travelling explorers, traders and missionaries.
Britain, Belgium, Italy, France, Germany and Portugal then embarked on a race to build colonial empires in Africa, often with
disastrous effects on the indigenous trives. Europeans believed their values to be superior to those of Africans. The considered the
values of the indigenous cultures of Africa to be savage and irrelevant, and attempted to be superimpose their own European
values on these cultures.

SUMMARY OF THE PLOT

Each chapter consists of a series of episodes, which are frequently related in flashbacks. Dialogue intersperses these episodes,
along with proverbs and fables that enshrine the lore of the clan.
PART Important plot development
ONE This deals with Okonkwo’s life in Umuofia during the three years when Ikemefuna stays with
Okonkwo’s family. The rituals and rhythms of the life of the clan are established. Part One
ends with the exile of Okonkwo and his family
TWO During Okonkwo’s seven years of exile in his mother’s village of Mbanta, much of the focus
remains on Umuofia. Obierika, Okonkwo’s best frien who visits him from time to time,
becomes the narrator of what is happening in Umuofia. He describes the arrival of the
missionaries, an event that brings about many changes withing the clan, including the
conversion of Nwoye to Christianity. Part Two ends on an ominous note, as the clan elders see
the new religion as a threat to the future of the clan
THREE Okonkwo returns to Umuofia, wher he finnaly understands that this way of life has
disappeared forever. Matters between white authority and the traditional clansmen come to a
head, leading to the destruction of the church and the arrest, imprisonment and assault of the
clan leaders. The novel reaches its tragic climax when Okonkwo takes a stand and kills one of
the court messengers. He is not supported by the clan and, in despair, he hangs himself. The
novel ends with a cynical insight into the narrow mindset of the District Commissioner. He
symbolises the ignorance and arrogance of so many of the colonialists who destroyed the

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 indigenous cultures of Africa.

PART ONE: CHAPTER 1 – 13

Chapter 1
Okonkwo, the major character, is in the prime of life. He has three wives and eleven children, and has won fame as a great
wrestler, warrior and wealthy farmer throughout the nine villages of his region. Okonkwo is bitterly ashamed of his father, Unoka
(a lazy, thriftless man who had died ten years earlier, deeply in debt), and has always been determined to prove himself as a man.
He achieves this, as he is later chosen by the tribe to look after Ikemefuna, a hostage from a neighbouring village.

Chapter 2
A woman form Umuofia, Ezeugo, has been murdered by villagers from Mbaino. Okonkwo leads a deputation to the village with
an ultimatum: there will be war unless a young man and a virgin are sent to Umuofia as compensation. The virgin is given to
Ogbuefi Udo in place of his murdered wife, and the bewildered young man, Ikemefuna is given to Okonkwo to look after while
his fate is decided.
Okonkwo is a harsh, inflexible man, respected and feared by his wives and children. He is very disappointed in his first son,
Nwoye, believing him to be too much like Okonkwo’s despised father. Nwoye’s mother, Kkwefi, is told to look after Ikemefuna.

Chapter 3
Okonwo is a self-made man who was given help by his father. Some time before his death, Unoka had consulted Agbala, the
Oracle of the Hills and the Caves, about his poor harvest. He was told that his laziness was the cause of his misfortune. GHe later
contracted a swelling disease and was left to die in the Evil Forest. By contrast, Okonkwo, in order to improve his situation, had
become a sharecropper for a wealthy neighbour. Okonkwo’s indomitable will is his driving force and it has enabled him to survive
great hardships.
Chapter 4
Despite Okonkwo’s harsh nature, he becomes fond of the hostage boy, Ikemefuna. He is pleased when Nwoye becomes close to
Ikemefuna, hoping that his son will improve. Okonkwo breaks the Peace of Ani, the earth goddess, by beating his youngest wife,
Ojiugo. As an act of repentance, he is commanded by the priest to take a she-goat, a hen, a length of cloth and a hundred cowries
to the shrine of Ani.
Chapter 5
During the Feast of the New Yam to celebrate the harvest, Okonkwo is frustrated by the lengthy preparations and picks a quarrel
with Ekwefi. When she defends herself, he becomes enraged and bets her. His irrational decision to go hunting with a rusty, old
rifle almost ends in tragedy when he fires the weapon at Ekwefi. Fortunately, she is unharmed. This incident foreshadows the
tragedy with the rifle in Chapter 13. There is a great deal of preparation and excitement for the great wrestling match to be held
between the neighbouring villages. As the drums build up during the afternoon, we meet other member of Okonkwo’s family:
Nwoye’s sister, Obiageli, who has broken her waterpot, and Nkechi, daughter of his third wife.
Chapter 6
A great crowd has gathered to watch the wrestling match. Ekwefi and Chielo, priestess of Agbala, discuss Ezinma, Ekwefi’s
daughter. At first, the crowd is enetertained by the drums, and then by a contest between young boys of fifteen or sixteen. In the
main event, the two young men are evenly matched, but eventually, Okafo defeats Ikezue to become the hero of the crowd.
Chapter 7
After three years, Ikemefuna has become closely integrated into Okonkwo’s family. It is thus a shock when the Oracle decrees
that Ikemefuna should be killed. Ogbuefi Ezeudu, the oldest and most respected man of the clan, advises Okonkwo to have
nothing to do with the killing as the boy regards a Okonkwo as a father. Ikemefuna is told that he will be returning home, but is
taken beyond the village by a group of men from Umuofia. When the first blow is struk, Ikemefuna cries out to Okonkwo for help

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but Okonkwo, fearing that he will be thought weak, strikes him down with his machete. Nwoye is devastated by the death of his
great friend.
Chapter 8
Okonkwo is ashamed of his grief over Ikemefun’as death. He is disappointed in Nwoye and wishes that his daughter, Ezinma, had
been a boy. Later, Onkonkwa attends to negotiations of the bride-price for Obierika’s daughter, Akueke.
Chapter 9
Okonkwo’s favourite daughter, Ezinma, almost dies from a violent fever (probably malaria). Ekwefi is devastated by Ezinma’s
illness, as he previous nine children had died. Ezinma is believed to be an ogbanje, or a child who dies and then re-enters the
mother’s womb, only to die once again in a continuing cycle. However, Ezinma has broken the cycle by destroying her iyi-uwa,
the stone that bound her to the spirit world. Okonkwo treats Ezinma with traditional medicine and she recovers.
Chapter 10
A trial is held in the village to determine the fate of Mgbafo who has left her abusive husband, Uzowulu, and returned to the home
of her brothers. The egwugwu (tribesmen representing the ancestral sprits), hear the case and settle the dispute by ordering the
man to beg his wife to return to him, and to agree not to beat her in the future.
Chapter 11
One night, while Ekwefi and Ezinma are telling stories, Chielo, in her role as priestess of Agbala, rushes in and takes Ezinma
away, carrying her on her back. Ekwefi follows Chielo on a long journey through the darkness and eventually, she sees them enter
the caves of the Oracle. Okonkwo is also at the cave mouth and he and Ekwefi, his favourite wife, wait together.
Chapter 12
The community gathers at Obierika’s compound to celebrate his daughter’s uri, when her suitor’s family brings fifty pots of palm-
wine to his home. Okonkwo is exhausted as he had made four trips to the shrine the previous night searching for Ezinma. The
praise-singer pays tribute to the great men of the community and Okonkwo is acknowledged as the greatest wrestler and warrior
alive. The bride then leaves to spend seven market weeks (twenty-eight days) with her suitor’s family.
Chapter 13
During the funeral of Ezeudu, a great man in the community, Okonkwo’s gun accidentally explodes, killing the dead man’s
sixteen-year-old-son. This is regarded as a ‘female’ crime because it was an accident, but tribal laws require Okonkwo to leave
Umuofia with his family and to return to his mother’s clan at Mbanta for seven years. The men of Umuofia then destroy his
compound, his animals and his stores of food. Obierika is troubled by Okonkwa’s suffering, but can find no answer to his
question.

PART TWO: CHAPTERS 14-19

Chapter 14
Although Okonkwo and his family are welcomed to Mbanta, and he is given land for an obi and for farming, he is in despair.
Uchendu chastises him, reminding him that his motherland is his refuge and that many people suffer more greatly than he does,

Chapter 15
Obierika visits Okonkwo in the second year of his exile and describes the arrival of a white man on an iron horse (a bicycle) in the
region. The Oracle ordered the white man’s death and also prophesied the arrival of more white men who would bring trouble to
the Ibo people. In retaliation for the murder, the village of Abame is destroyed. Obierika also brings Okonkwo two bags of cowrie
shells from the sale of Okonkwo’s yams and seed-yams.

Chapter 16

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During Obierika’s second visit to Okonkwo, the events of the past two years are told. The missionaries have arrived in the village
of Umuofia and Mbanta. They have made many converts to Christianity, including Nwoye, who has been disowned by his father.
Chapter 17
The missionaries build their church in the Evil Forest at Mbanta. They do not die as expected, but begin to win converts. Nwoye
eventually finds the courage to join the church, but his secret is revealed when Okonkwo’s cousin, Amikwu, sees him among the
Christians and tells Okonkwo. After a bitter confrontation with his father, Nwoye leaves Mbanta and returns to Umuofia to join
the mission school.
Chapter 18
Conflict develops between the clan and the Christian priest Kiaga when he admits outcasts to the Christian church. The matter
comes to a head when it is rumoured that Okoli, one of the outcasts, has killed a python (pythons are sacred to water-god).
Okonkwo wants to use violence to expel the Christians, but the clan ostracises the converts instead. However, when Okoli dies,
the clansmen believe that their gods are still powerful.
Chapter 19
Okonkwo’s exile is drawing to an end. He asks Obierika to build two huts in which he and his family can live while Okonkwo
builds a new compound. Ekwefi prepares a lavish feast for Okonkwo’s mother’s kinsmen. Part Two ends on an ominous note
when one of the elders, in his farewell speech to Okonkwo, expresses his concern for the younger generation and for the future of
the clan. He says that they have embraced an abominable religion, which is destroying the traditions of the clan

PART THREE: CHAPTERS 20 – 25

Chapter 20
On his return home, Okonkwo hopes to redeem his former status by marrying his daughters to important men and by initiating two
of his sons into the ozo society for men of rank. However, Umuofia is much changed, with many prominent converts to
Christianity. The village is now under the authority of a district commissioner, assisted by court messengers (called kotma), who
are strangers to Umuofia. The people are now imprisoned for following their ancient customs and some, such as Aneto, have been
hanged. Okonkwo cannot understand why the white men have not been expelled. Obierika explains that so many of the clansmen
have converted to the new religion and support the government, that the clan is now divided and is powerless to resist.
Chapter 21
Okonkwo’s return is barely noticed under the new circumstances. The people of Umuofia are adjusting to the new dispensation
and enjoying their increased wealth from trade in palm-wine and kernels. This is largely due to the influence of the missionary,
Mr Brown. He is a moderate man who tries to clash with the clan, preferring to persuade them to send their children to his school
and to build a hospital. Under him, religion and education [go] hand in hand. Many clansmen become educated and take up jobs
as clerks and teachers, such as Nwoye, and some go into neighbouring villages to spread the new faith. Shortly after Okonkwo’s
return, Mr Brown is forced by ill health to leave Umuofia.
Chapter 22
Mr Brown is succeeded by Reverend James Smith, a narrow-minded man determined to eradicate the traditions of the tribe. The
convert Enoch, son of the snake-priest, causes open conflict when he unmasks an egwugwu and head of the nine ancestors of the
clan, pacifies the other egwugwu . Reverend Smith is left unharmed, but the church is destroyed.
Chapter 23
Okonkwo believes that the clan has taken a stand and he is reassured. However, Reverend Smith complains to the District
Commissioner, who requests a meeting with six of the leaders of Umuofia. By a clever ruse, he has them overpowered and
handcuffed. He imposes a fine of 200 bags of cowries, but insists that the leaders of Umuofia are treated with respect during their
captivity. His orders are disregarded by the head messenger who shaves the heads of prisoners, and starves and assaults them.
Messegers arrive in Umuofia and demand immediate payment of 250 bags of cowries, or the prisoners will be hanged. The men of
Umuofia agree to this, unaware that fifty bags will go into the pockets of the corrupt court messengers.

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Chapter 24
Okonkwo and the other leaders are deeply humiliated by their treatmen and return home in silence. The next morning, at a
meeting to decide on a course of action, Okika urges the clan to root out [the] evil of the white man, even if this causes the deaths
of some of their own clansmen. Before a decision can be taken, messengers from the court arrive to stop the meeting and
Okonkwo beheads one of the messengers. Instead of falling on the other men, the people of Umuofia allow them to escape.
Okonkwo finally understands that he is on his own and that Umofia will never go to war against the white colonialists
Chapter 25
The District Commissioner arrives to arrest Okonkwo. Obierika and a small group of men take the District Commissioner to a tree
from which Okonkwo has hanged himself even though, under trival lore, it is an abomination for a man to take his own life. For
this reason, Okonkwo’s body cannot be touched by men of his own clan, but must be buried by strangers. In the final lines of the
novel, the complete lack of understanding that the District Commissioner has for the people he has subdued is made clear: he will
include the story of Okonkwo was a paragraph in I book he is writing, called The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower
Niger.

LOOKING AT CHARACTER
Okonkwo’s family
NAME Description
Okonkwo  The main character; an heroic figure in the tribe
 Deeply ashamed of his father and therefore determined to succeed
 Fiercely traditional; is one of the egwugwu
 Aims to achieve all the titles as a senior man in his clan
 A man of action; proud and often arrogant; harsh, inflexible and impatient
 Uncompromising, unforgiving and intolerant of others; hot-tempered and
often irrational
 Bitterly opposed to the missionaries and the British officials
 Respected and feared b his wives and children; loves Ezinma deeply;
surprisingly, he grows to love Ikemefuna
Unoka  Okonkwo’s father
 Charming, sociable, lazy and hedonistic (or pleasure-loving)
 Prefers music and drinking to working in his fields
 Has no titles
 Extravagant and therefore, in debt
 Contracts the swelling sickness and dies a shameful death in the Evil Forest
Nwoye’s mother  Okonkwo’s first and senior wife, who has many children
 Obiageli is her daughter
 Looks after Ikemefuna
Ekwefi  Okonkwo’s second wife and his favourite
 Marriage to Okonkwo is a love match, as she left her first husband for him
 Mother of Ezinma, Okonkwo’s favourite child
 Has lost nine children and is terrified that Ezinma, too, will die
 A feisty woman who occasionally stands up to Okonwo
Ojiugo  Okonkwo’s third wife
Nwoye  Okonkwo’s eldest son
 Sensitive and thoughtful

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  Afraid of his father
 Loves Ikemefuna as a brother
 Becomes a Christian
Ezinma  Okonkwo and Ekwefi’s daughter
 Okonkwo’s favourite child – he wishes she were a boy
 Close to and deeply loved by her mother
 Devoted to her father
 An ogbanje who finds her iyi-uwa, thus breaking the cycle of recurring
birth and death
 A favourite of Chielo
 Grows into a beautiful, intelligent woman

Other Characters
Ikemefuna  Like a son to Okonkwo
 A good friend of Nwoye
 More manly than Nwoye
 Trust Okonkwo, but is killed by him
Obierika  Okonkwo’s close friend, who sometimes disagrees with his action
 He is a thinker who also criticises some of the traditions of the clan
 When Okonkwo goes into exile, he give Okonkwo’s yams to the
sharecroppers to preserve some of his friend’s wealth for his return
Chielo  Ekwefi’s friend
 Loves Ezinma as a daughter
 Is also the priestess of Agbala (the Oracle of the Hills and the Caves)
 Takes on a completely different persona when functioning as the priestess
of the Oracle
The clan of Umuofia  In Part One, the clan is sometimes treated as a single character to
emphasise its unity

THEMES
The traditional way of life of the Ibo
Theme Description
Community life  The daily life of the clan, including features such as living arrangements,
food and drink, currency and farming
 Traditions that show social status and respect, such as the breaking of the
kola nut and the relative status of men and women
 The art of conversation and the use of proverbs
 Important community events, such as the wrestling competition
The importance of nature  The close links between the Ibo and the natural world are reflected in the
proverbs and the imagery
 The passage of time is measured according to market weeks and the cycle
of the seasons
Social rituals  Weddings and funerals

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  The celebration of the harvest
 Tribal law

The spirit world

Theme Description
The importance of the  The Oracle of the Hills and the Caves
ancestors  The chi, which links people to the spirit world and thus to their ancestors
 The egwugwu (ancestral spirits of the clan)
Magic and ritual  Religious ceremonies
 Superstition and taboos, such as the Evil Forest and the treatment of
outcasts

Pride and fear

Theme Description
The concept of courage  For Okonkwo, courage and manliness lie in his prowess as a warrior and
and manliness a wrestler, and in his indomitable will
Okonkwo’s pride and  He is deeply ashamed of his father, who died a poor outcast. From when
arrogance arising from his he was a young man, he was determined to become rich and revered in
fear of failure the tribe. This makes him inflexible in his attitudes and unwilling to show
affection or to compromise, which he believes would be signs of
weakness

Change
Theme Description
The clash of cultures  Traditional beliefs versus Christian principles. The traditions of the Ibo
include the belief in many gods and spirits, and in the power of the
ancestors. This is in conflict with the principles of Christianity, with the
belief in one deity.
 Colonial versus traditional authority. The British have imposed colonial
rule over the Ibo under the authority of the District Commissioner. The
Ibo have lost their land and their autonomy without any consultation
The traditional authority of the Ibo is based on customs dating back centuries and centres around the Oracle and the ancestors in
the form of the egwugwu
CHAPTER 1
Wily Cunning
Gourd Container made from the hollowed-out skin of a fruit
Palm-wine Intoxicating drink made from the fermented sap of the palm tree
Improvident Thriftless, wasteful; does not provide for the future
Haggard Drawn, tired or anxious
Kola nut Indigenous nut used in the ceremony of greeting guests
Yam Edible, starchy tuber, something like sweet potato; a staple food in West Africa
Prowess Strength and skill
Revered Greatly respected

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 Egwugwu A masked man representing one of the nine ancestors of the clan
Ekwe, udu, ogene Musical instruments

Setting and plot

Setting and plot are closely connected, as the setting of the novel creates the context, or cultural landscape, in which the story
unfolds. The novel opens in Umuofia, one of the nine villages of the Ibo. We are introduces to Okonkwo, the main character. He
is famous throughout the nine villages as a wrestler, warrior and successful farmer. His relationship with his improvident father is
outlined. We are introduces to the culture of the clan.

Style and character

Achebe establishes an important aspect of style at the start of the novel: the use of the flashback. In the first paragraph, we move
back in time to when Okonkwo was eighteen years old and he beat Amalinze the Cat in a wrestling match.

1. Find examples of diction (or word choice) from paragraphs one and three that establish Okonkwo’s character to the reader.
2. Achebe uses figurative language in a specific way in the novel.
2.1 Comment of the effect of the simile telling us that Okonkwo was as slippery as a fish in water.
2.2 The simile like a bush-fire in the harmattan is another comparison drawn from nature. The harmattan is the dry wind that
blows in West Africa from December to February. IT is easy to imagine the wind sweeping a bush-fire across the country side.
The simile suggests that Okonkwo is as fierce as both the wind and the fire, which are both relentless (or without mercy). Why has
Achebe used this type of comparison?
3. What is the effect of the many simple and compound sentences used?
4. Unoka uses a proverb to justify his behaviour when he explains why he spends money on palm-wine.
4.1 Quote the proverb and explain it in your own words.
4.2 What does this proverb reveal about Unoka’s character?
4.3 How did Unoka’s clan regard this attitude when he was young, in contrast to when he was an older man?
5. Quote from the novel to show how Okonkwo felt about his father.
6. What is the only consolation that Okonkwo feels ass Unoka’s son?
7. Which themes are illustrated in Unoka’s song to the kite (a bird that is similar to a hawk)?
8. Read from, One day a neighbour, to Okoye rolled his goatskin and departed.
9. How does Achebe introduce a feeling of foreboding at the end of the chapter and what is the purpose of this technique?

More about character

The final paragraph of the chapter reinforces Okonkwo’s differences from his father and clearly establishes his status as a hero
and as a man of action within his clan
 He prefers physical sports to gentler pursuits, such as music, and has excelled as a wrestler.
 He is wealthy, with two barns full of yams.
 He has three wives
 Unoka dies without a single title, but Okonkwo already has two titles
 Unlike the cowardly Unoka, he has shown great prowess in two inter-tribal wars

CHAPTER 2
Town-crier Man appointed to announce news to the clan
Imperious Commanding
Emissary Someone sent with an official message

11
 Ultimatum Final proposal of terms, which, is not met, will have serious consequences, such as
war
Perpetual Continuous
Capricious Unpredictable
Incipient In the early stages of; beginning
Oracle Sacred shrine where a god prophesies to a priestess, who then communicates with
the clan
Kwenu Shout or greeting
Agbala A woman, or a man without a title (not to be confused with the Oracle
Obit Hut of the man within his compound (the family group of huts)

Plot
A woman from Umuofia has been murdered. Okonkwo heads a delegation to Mbaino to declare that unless two hostages are sent
to Umuofia as compensation, there will be war. We see Okonkwo as a husband and father, and realise how deeply ashamed he
feels of his father. Ikemefuna is placed in Okonkwo’s household with Nwoye’s mother.
1. Explain in detail why the members of the clan fear the dark.
2. In your own words, explain the proverb When the moon is shining the cripple become hungry for a walk.
3. What do the details of Okonkwo’s exploits in battle tell us about the value system of the tribe? Give examples support your
point of view.
4. Why do the people of Mbaino choose to give up two hostages, instead of going to war with Umuofia?
5. Explain the role of the Oracle in war.
6. What does the adjective imperious tell us about Okonkwo’s character?
7. Write a paragraph in which you discuss how the theme of fear is revealed in Okonkwo’s character.
8. What is the effect of Okonkwo’s harshness on the character of Nwoye?

The influence of the spirit world on Ibo society

The people of Umuofia are proud of their reputation as warriors are not naturally compassionate. They take their values from the
spirits and gods, which they believe are all around them. These spirits are spiteful and capricious, instilling fear in the clan. They
must be placated (or pacified) and obeyed, or the people will be punished harshly. The spirits are described as evil and capricious
gods. The clan also fears magic [and] the forces of nature, malevolent, red in tooth and claw. Thus, it is no surprise that in the
physically strong and brave are revered.

CHAPTER 3
Dregs Sediment at the bottom of a jar of liquid
Meagre Small; insufficient
Iroko Large, hardwood tree in West Africa
Sharecropping Farming another man’s land in return for a share of the harvest
Market week Period of four days between markets
Chi Personal god

Plot and character

In a flashback to Okonkwo’s youth, we see how he deals with his father’s improvidence.
1. Complete the table below to show the differences between the two men.

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 Unoka Okonkwo
Has no barn Has two barns full of yams and seed-yams
Is lazy and cannot feed his family Works hard as a sharecropper for Nkwakibie,
getting a third of the harvest for his work. Takes
responsibility for supporting his family and starts
to build wealth for himself.
Has a bad chi (or personal god), which he blames for Has a good chi, but he has achieved through his
his misfortune own labours and has not waited for fate to bring
him success
Has no titles Has two titles, even as a young man
Has no young wives to leave to his son Has a number of wives – three in Part One
Tries to encourage his son during the year of the Can accept nothing from his father, not even words
terrible harvest of encouragement

2. Okonkwo’s first year as a sharecopper does not go well as the weather is the worst … in living memory. How does this help to
build his character?
3. What do Unoka’s words of encouragement reveal about his character.
4. Why is Okonkwo unable to accept his father’s words of love?
CHAPTER 4
Brusque Blunt or harsh way of speaking
Arduous Difficult
Exacting Demanding
Nso-ani Religious sin
Eze-agadi-nwayl Corn-cob with a few grains, like the teeth of an old woman

Plot
We see Ikemefuna’s growing closeness to Okonkwo’s family, and the importance of rituals and taboos in the life of the Ibo. When
Okonkwo beats Ojiugo for not preparing the meal in time, he breaks the Peace of Ani and is punished for this deed.
Character and theme
Although Okonkwo is greatly suspected, the other clan members are wary of him for his less positive attributes. Let’s take a look
at the complexities within his character.
Okonkwo’s positive traits Okonkwo’s negative traits
Hard-working and industrious Arrogant about his success
A good chi, but he is credited with having created his A blunt and judgmental way of dealing with others
own good fortune
Growing affection for Ikemefuna Inability to show affection openly
Regrets having broken the Peace of Ani Treats Nwoye harshly for failing to perform difficult
tasks
Pride will not allow him openly to admit a fault

1. Explain why the priest of Ani is so upset that Okonkwo has broken the peace off the sacred week between the harvest and the
planting of the new crops.
2. Why does Achebe include examples of some of the more extreme punishments for Okonkwo’s crime?

13
3. The rain-maker’s limited power are mentioned when the rains come in torrents. When is the ironic intention of this comment?
4. What does Nwoye enjoy most about his relationship with Ikemefuna?

CHAPTER 5
Foo-foo Boiled yam, pounded into a paste
Cam wood Red dye made from wood, used to decorate a body
Frenzy Wildly agitated state
Ilo Village square

Plot
During the preparations for the Feast of the New Yam, Okonkwo becomes unreasonably angry with his family and beats Ekwefi.
When she insults his hunting ability, Okonkwo fires his rusty, old rifle at her, but fortunately she is unharmed. There is a feeling
of excitement in the air as the people can hear the drums for the wrestling match to be held at sunset that evening. The match is
the main focus of Chapter 6.
Refer to Chapter 5. Read from, The Feast of the New Yam, to began to leave for their homes, and then answer the questions that
follow:
1. Comment on the significance of the lavish preparation of food for the Feast of the New Yam.
2. Why is Okonkwo unenthusiastic about the feast? Explain in your own words.
3. How, besides cooking, do the women make the feast a special occasion?
4. Why does Achebe mention that Ikemefuna finds the memories of his home becoming remote and vague?
5. Discuss Okonkwo’s behaviour over the incident of the banana tree.
6. Even though she was beaten, Ekwefi still comments disparagingly about Okonkwo as a hunter. What does this reveal about her
character?
7. The firing of the rusty gun reveals an aspect of Okonkwo’s character that we have seen earlier when he breaks the Peace of Ani.
What does it tell us about him?
8. The firing of the gun foreshadows another important event later in the novel. What is it and how does it affect Okonkwo’s life?

Theme
Many details of daily life are given in this chapter, all of which stress that the Ibo live close to nature and are self-sufficient.
Making foo-foo, looking after ‘female’ corps, cooking, and fetching water from the river occupy the women and children for
most of the time. The men cultivate the fields of yams
CHAPTER 6
Foo-foo Boiled yam, pounded into a paste
Cam wood Red dye made from wood, used to decorate a body
Frenzy Wildly agitated state
Ilo Village square

Plot and theme

The build-up to the great wrestling match has created rising excitement throughout Chapter 5. The whole of Chapter 6 deals with
this important social event, which unites the entire clan. We are reminded of Okonkwo’s prowess as a wrestler, first mentioned in
Chapter 1, when he threw The Cat to become the champion. The same excitement is evident in the style of the writing that
describes this match.
The spirit world
The drummers are good examples of the belief that people can take on spiritual manifestations.

14
  The earlier part of the day belongs to the drum and the musicians are possessed by the spirit of the drums, which have an
intoxicating rhythm.
 When the drummers stop for a rest between matches, they become ordinary human beings again
 During the final wrestling match, they become the very heartbeat of people.

Child morality
The harsh reality of life in the Ibo community is emphasised in the conversation about Ezinma that takes place between Ekwefi
and Chielo. As Ezinma has reached about ten years of age, it seems safe to believe that she has come to stay, as children who do
not survive into adulthood usually die before that age.

CHAPTER 7 & 8
Machete Broad, heavy knife
Coiffure Hairstyle
Bride-price Sum paid by a suitor to the family of the girl he wants to marry
Exacting Demanding
Ozo Clan title
Uli Dye used to decorate the body
Jigida Decorative waist beads

Plot
These chapters deal with the killing of Ikemefuna and the aftermath of this tragic event for Okonkwo and Nwoye. Okonkwe’s
visit to his friend Obierika continues the debate regarding some of the laws and customs of the tribe. Chapter 8 ends with the
negotiations of the bride-price for Obierika’s daughter, Akueke.

Read from the start of Chapter 7 to the paragraph ending, He calls you his father, and then answer the following questions:
1. Identify and comment on the use of figurative language in this image: He grew rapidly like a yam-tendril in the rainy season,
and was full of the sap of life.
2. Explain in your own words how Okonkwo defines manhood.
3. Why does Nwoye prefer his mother’s stories to the violent tales told by his father?
4. Nwoye is frightened of disappointing his father, and so he pretends to share his views. How does this make us feel about their
future relationship?
5. What role does Ikemefuna play in the relationship between father and son?
6. Discuss the response of the tribe to the coming of the locusts, and comment on the themes illustrated in this episode.
7. How does Achebe give added impact to the shock of the news of Ikemefuna’s impending death?
Although we might feel that the decision to kill Ikemefuna is arbitrary and cruel, we need to look at it from the perspective of the
tribe.
 He is a hostage, and so his life has always hung in the balance.
 The tribe knows that Okonkwo is fond of the boy, and so Ezeudu advises Okonkwo not to bear a hand in his death.
 The word of the Oracle is law and cannot be disobeyed. In Chapter 8, even Obierika, a moderate man, says that he would
not dispute it if the Oracle decreed that his son should die. But, he adds, neither would he take a hand in it. He feels that
Okonkwo was wrong to have killed Ikemefuna himself, and that such an act will not please the earth.
 Ikemefuna is shown some mercy in that he is not told of his death in advance. However, he is also given no reason why
he is being sent home, and so he still suffers on the journey away from the village

15
The aftermath of the murder
 When Nwoye realises that his father has killed Ikemefuna, something seemed to give way inside him, like the snapping of
a tightened bow. This is similar to his reaction when he hears the cries of twins left to die in the Evil Forest. Nwoye thus
has difficulty in accepting some of the customs of the clan.
 This ends the improved relationship between father and son, and is probably a major cause of Nwoye’s rejection of his
father’s way of life and his conversion to Christianity.
 Okonkwo is deeply affected by the murder, but he cannot find a natural outlet for his grief because he is ashamed of
being like a shivering old woman.
 Because Okonkwo cannot acknowledge the wrongness of what he has done, he tries to justify his actions to Obierika, but
his friend rejects his explanation. In Chapter 8, Achebe uses this conversation between Okonkwo and Obierika to
question other customs of the clan.

Theme
Take note of the details of the negotiation of Akueke’s bride-price. You will be able to use them in an essay dealing with the
social rituals of the clan.

CHAPTERS 9, 10 & 11
Approbation Approval
Ogbanje Child who is born, dies, and then re-enters the mother’s womb in a cycle of birth
and death
Iyi-uwa The stone linking an ogbanje to the spirit world
Iba Fever, probably malaria

Plot and theme

In Chapter 8, Okonkwo tells Obierika that his children do not resemble him and that only Ezinma has the right spirit. He wishes
that she had been a boy, instead of the disappointing Nwoye. In Chapter 9, Ezinma falls desperately ill. We learn of Ekwefi’s
pessimism and despair regarding her nine dead children, and undertand her deep love for Ezinma. Chapter 10 deals with the
themes of tribal law and the importance of the ancestors in dispensing justice. The origin of the nine villages is explained and the
power of the egwugwu is demonstrated. The case of Uzowulu, the violent husband, and Mgbafo, the wife who has fled back to her
mother’s clan, is tried. The egwugwu solve the dispute by suggesting a compromise. Chapter 11 continues the story of Ezinma
and tells how she is taken one night by the priestess of Agbala to the Oracle’s cave. Both Ekwefi and Okonkwo reveal their
devotion to Ezinma by following her to the cave and waiting outside for her. Okonkwo makes four trips to and from the cave
looking for Ezinma.

1. In Chapter 9, Okonkwo knows that the wife banging on his door must be Ekwefi because of her audacity. What does this word
mean and what does it tell us about their relationships?
2. What was the effect on Ekwefi of the loss of her children?
3. Why was the body of Onwumbiko so brutally mutilated and denied burial?
4. In your own words, explain the concept of the iyi-uwa.
5. Ezinma leads the crowd on a long and unnecessary journey to find her iyi-uwa, when all the time it is buried within Okonkwo’s
compound. What does this tell us about her character?
6. In Chapter 10, how do the egwugwu convince the clan that they are indeed the spirits of the nine ancestors?
7. What is the aim of tribal justice, as seen in the case of the runaway wife?
Tribal justice aims to keep the clan together and promotes harmony

16
8. In Chapter 11, what characteristics of the tortoise are illustrated in the story of Tortoise and the birds that Ekwefi tells Ezinma?
9. Contrasts the behaviour of Chielo, Ekwefi’s friend, with Chielo, priestess of Agbala.
10. What is the impact of the image of Okonkwo and Ekwefi waiting together at the end of the chapter?

CHAPTER 12
Notorious Infamous; well known for bad or dubious reasons
Umunna Circle of distant relations
Uri Marriage feast, or part of the engagement ceremony, when the bride-price is paid
Esoteric Known only to a few
Inadvertent Accidental

Plot and Theme

This short chapter stresses the importance of rituals, such as those surrounding a wedding, in community life,. Achebe
demonstrates this in the description of Akueke’s suitor’s family bringing palm-wine for Obierika’s more remote kinsmen. Most
of the rituals described in the novel have to do with the menfolk, but we are told that this one is a woman’s ceremony, focusing on
the bride and her mother. Thus, we can also see the importance of women in the clan.

1. How do the women of the clan cement their relationships on this special day?
2. How does Okonwko confirm his superior status in his family as the women prepare to leave?
3. Explain Obierika’s ambivalent attitude to the great market of Umuike.
4. Obierika’s compound is compared to an ant-hill. What is the impact of this simile?
5. Why does Achebe include mention of the cow that has escaped into the fields?
6. Comment on the rules of expected conduct that bind the women in the clan.
7. How does Obierika honour Okonkwo in his speech to the in-laws?

Note the importance of ceremony and ritual in this episode:

 The day proceeds at an orderly pace and everyone has a specific part to play.
 The bringing of the wine is publicly assessed by the men of the clan. It is a matter of honour for the in-laws to provide
lavishly, even though they have a reputation for being close-fisted (or mean)
 The men and women participate separately at certain times, and jointly at others.
 Ceremonial fits are exchanged, such as the giant goat that Obierika has bought for the in-laws
 The occasion is used to pay homage to important men in the two clans

CHAPTER 13
Notorious Infamous; well known for bad or dubious reasons
Umunna Circle of distant relations
Uri Marriage feast, or part of the engagement ceremony, when the bride-price is paid
Esoteric Known only to a few
Inadvertent Accidental

Plot
This chapter brings Part One to a climax and leads us into the next phase of the novel, Okonkwo’s exile. The clan is summoned to
the funeral of Ezeudu, the village elder. Just before the burial, Okonkwo’s rusty, old rifle explodes, and the son of the dead man is
killed. As this is a female crime, or inadvertent, crime, Okonkwo is forced to go into exile for seven years.

17
As this is the climax of Part One, it is obviously a very important chapter. Read it carefully, and then answer the following
contextual questions:
1. The peace of the early morning is shattered by the ekwe, or drums.
1.1 Why are the ekwe described as talking?
1.2 What is the symbolic impact of this violent noise?
1.3 How else does Achebe create a feeling of rising tension as the drums beat out their message?
1.4 Why does Okonkwo feel a sense of personal dread when the dead man is named?
2. In your own words, explain the implied threat in the words of the one-handed egwugwu over the corpse.
3. Read the paragraph beginning The drums and the dancing began again.
3.1 What is the impact of the simple sentence All was silent?
3.2 How may the accidental killing of this young man be seen as a kind of poetic justice for Okonkwo?
4. Comment on the penalty Okonkwo has to pay for this crime as an aspect of tribal justice, and contrast it with twenty-first-
century views of justice.
5. Explain why this crime is regarded so seriously by the clan.
6. Comment on the way in which Okonkwo’s compound is destroyed.
7. Explain how Obierika’s thoughts about some of the customs of the clan that he does not understand form a link between Part
One and Part Two.

Style and theme

Let’s look at the value system of the clan, which is communicated through the direction in the passage from, Ezeudu was a great
man, to and the tumult subsided. There is a stress on the connection between the worlds of the living and of the dead.
 The drums are the ancient drums of death, and stretch back deep into the past. This reminds us of a way of life that has
gone unchanged for generations.
 It is a warrior’s funeral, stressing the importance for the clan of bravery and skill in battle.
 The egwugwu represent the ancestral spirit with an unearthly voice, which link the people to their ancestors
 The egwugwu are very violent and are dreaded by the people, reminding them of the awful mystery of death.
 The egwugwu live in the underworld with the dead, among the ancestors, and emerge from time to time.
 The elderly are venerated (or greatly respected), and the younger men gave way and the tumult subsided when one of the
elders of the clan got up to dance

CHAPTER 14
Ochu Murder
Isa-ifi Ceremony of confession of faithfulness during the betrothal as the final stage in a
marriage negotiation

Okonkwo’s years of exile begin. Although Part TWO is set in Mbanta, we are always acutely aware of the changes that are
happening in Umuofia. This is where the action of this part of the novel takes place. Through the device of Obierika’s visits to
Okonkwo, both he and the reader are kept abreast of events in Umuofia.

Setting and plot

Although Okonkwo’s mothe has been dead for thirty years, Okonkwo is still remembere in Mbanta, and he and his family are
welcomed by his uncle, Uchendu. Okonkwo is given land for a compound, fields to farm, and 300 seed-yams to plant. Okonkwo
has great difficulty accepting the loss of his hopes and becoming one of the lords of his clan. Uchendu chides him, reminding him

18
that in times of sorrow, a man finds refuge in his motherland. He also reminds Okonkwo that he is not alone in suffering, as this is
part of what is to be human.

CHAPTER 15
Harbinger Messenger
Albino Person whose skin lacks pigment and is thus very white in colour
Abomination Something extremely offensive or unacceptable

Plot
Obierika has proved himself a good friend by selling Okonkwo’s yams, and giving his seed-yams to sharecroppers. He brings two
bags filled with cowries from the proceeds of these activities.
Obierika tells Okonkwo about the arrival in Abame of the white man who was riding an iron horse. The Oracle prophesied that
this man would break their clan and spread destruction among them, and so he was killed and his bicycle tied to a tree. This
provides the evidence of his death for the three whites who come to look for him. The consequence of this is the massacre of the
Abame villagers by three white men and a band of ordinary men like us. Obierika is greatly afraid for the future.

The arrival of the white man in the village provokes different reactions.
 The Oracle perceives a danger to the tribe. The traditional manner of dealing with a threatening person is to kill him or
her. However, when this is done, it provokes retribution in the form of the massacre of the people of Abame.
 Uchendu cannot comprehend the reality of this change and persists in his belief that the white men must be albinos.
 Obierika now begins to believe the story of the white men who enslaved African people, and he is afraid that this is the
start of something catastrophic.
 Okonkwo believes that the men of Abame have allowed this to happen. He implies that if they had been armed, they
would have defeated the white men and their helpers, and that this would have resolved the problem.

Character
Obierika’s attitude to this episode is typical of his character. He is a thinker, who does not immediately respond with aggression.
He, alone, seems to have grasped the far-reaching implications of these events.
CHAPTER 16, 17 & 18
Efulefu Insignificant men; cowards
Evangelist Missionary; one who tries to persuade people to become Christians
Callow Young and inexperienced
Miscreant Depraved; person guilty of heresy (going against the faith)
Fetish Object believed to have powerful magic
Osu Slaves and outcasts who are ostracised by the tribe as they are believed to be sacred to
a certain god
Ostracise Exclude from a group

Plot and theme

The arrival of the missionaries reflects a historical reality during the colonisation of Africa. First came explorers and traders, and
then came missionaries. Finally, armies and a foreign government followed. This is also the pattern we are looking at in the novel.
These three chapters focus on the coming of missionaries, the establishment of churches and the process by which convers are
gained. We also see the conversion of Nwoye and the consequences of this, and the clash between the new faith and the traditional
way of life of the Ibo.

19
We see how Okonkwo’s inflexible will is now working against him. It is the characteristic that enabled him to survive his father
his father’s disgrace, and win both self-respect and respect of the clan. But now, because he has turned his face against anything
that conflicts with his view of what is manly, he loses his son. He cannot appreciate Nwoye as an individual. All he sees is a son
who is unlike himself, and is therefore a disappointment. We see once again the damage done to Okonkwo by Unoka.
By the end of Chapter 18, we see members of the clan ranged against one another. Actions that have never previously been
contemplated, such as barring of the women converts from the stream, are now taking place.

UNDERSTANDING A RELIGIOUS ALLUSION

Christians believe in one God who mystically enshrines three concepts of godhead called the Trinity, which is alluded to in
Chapter 16. If you are not familiar with Christianity, you may not know what this concept means

THE TRINITY

God the father, creator The Holy Spirit – which is

God the son, made human
of the universe and the spiritual conception
in the person of Jesus Christ
everything in it of God

Questions on Chapter 16
1. During the two years between Obierika’s visits to Okonkwo, there have been great changes. What are they?
2. Why are the traditional leaders of the clans, such as the priestess of Agbala and the men who hold titles, sceptical of the new
faith?
3. Nwoye’s sudden arrival in Umuofia follows his conversion.
3.1 What is that captivated Nwoye and drew him to Christianity?
3.2 Give evidence from Part One of the novel that demonstrates this predisposition in Nwoye.
3.3 What are the immediate consequences of Nwoye’s conversion?
4. How does Okonkwo react to his first encounters with the missionaries who come to Mbanta?
5. Contrast the way the Ibo respond to the words of the missionaries with the way they respond to the singing of the gay and
rollicking tunes of evangelism.
6. What is the impact of the extended metaphor describing how Nwoye responds to the singing? He felt a relief within as the
hymn poured into his parched soul. The words of the hymn were like drops of frozen rain melting on the dry plate of the panting
earth.

Questions on Chapter 17
1. Discuss how the Ibo giving land to the missionaries in the Evil Forest to build a church illustrates the theme of the clash of
cultures.
2. How does the clan explain that the missionaries do not immediately die in the Evil Forest?
3. Discuss Okonkwo’s feelings about the conversion of Nwoye and comment on what this reveals about his character. Quote to
support your answer.

Questions on Chapter 18

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1. What is the attitude of the missionaries to the religion of the Ibo?
2. What prevented the clan from killing those among them who converted to the new faith?
3. Explain in your own words why the issue of the admission of outcasts to the church is a good example of the theme of the clash
of cultures.
4. Why would the killing of the sacred python be a logical consequence of the admission of the outcasts into the church?
5. How does the clan interpret the death of Okoli?

CHAPTER 19
Pottage Soup
Cassava A West African root vegetable
Kotma Nigerian court messengers from other parts of the country

Plot and theme

Okonkwo is glad that the seven wasted years are almost over, and prepares for his return to Umuofia by sending money to
Obierika to build him a new compound. However, he has idealised Umuofia during his absence, and mistakenly believes that his
own clan is strong enough to withstand the changes that have happened in Mbanta.
Ekwefi prepares a farewell feast. The chapter ends on an ominous note, as Uchendu speaks of his fear for the younger generation.
Things are starting to fall apart as a result of the clash of cultures, which is eroding the various clans’ sense of identity.

CHAPTER 20
Pottage Soup
Cassava A West African root vegetable
Kotma Nigerian court messengers from other parts of the country

Plot
Okonkwo returns to Umuofia.

1. Explain the following simile in the first paragraph of the chapter: The clan was like a lizard … grew another.
2. Explain how Okonkwo planned to resurrect himself as a leader in Umuofia.
3. What is the main difference between the church in Mbanta and the church in Umuofia.
4. Who are the kotma?
5. Why is it impossible for the clan to rid themselves of both the church and the government of white people?
6. Examine the effectiveness of the following metaphor: He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen
apart.
CHAPTER 21 & 22
Zeal Enthusiasm’ fanaticism – especially religious or political
Ikenga Household carving of a god; idol
Baal False god
Ogwu Magic
Plot, character and theme
As Achebe is building up to the tragic climax of the novel, the themes of change and the clash of cultures are foregrounded in
these chapters. Obierika and the clash of cultures are foregrounded in these chapters. Obierika and Okonkwo may regard the
changes as overwhelming madness, but many members of the clan appreciate the benefits brought by the missionaries, such as the
school, the hospital and the trading store, which brings wealth into the community.

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Mr Brown, a moderate missionary who is against excess of zeal, wins the respect of Akunna, one of the grat men in the village,
who even sends his son to Mr Brown’s school. Under Mr Brown, religion and education went hand in hand. However, when Mr
Brown is forced to leave the mission through ill-health, he is replaced by the austere and judgemental Reverend Smith, and
matters take a turn for the worse.

Character and theme

Mr Brown is a moderate and humble man, and so his mission steadily gains ground. However, the arrival of Reverend Smith tips
the balance and loses anarchy upon the world of Okonkwo.
Differences in character between Mr Brown and Reverend Smith
Mr Brown Reverend Smith
Is a restrained man who understands that the Ibo need Is arrogant and rejects the possibility of compromise.
to be led towards the new faith He is a religious zealot
Prevents his converts from flagrantly offending the Encourages zealots, such as Enoch, who commits the
traditional members of the clan. Understands that unforgivable crime of unmasking one of the egwugwu.
acceptance and understanding are a gradual process. This leads to the burning of the church and nearly
costs Reverend Smith his life
Is a humble man who is not racist in his attitudes, but Is racist in his attitude towards the tribes: sees things
treats the Ibo with respect. Gets to know important as black and white. And black was evil. Sees the Ibo as
men, such as Akunna, and engages in debate with him the sons of darkness and wages war against their
to try to understand his point of view. Akunna respects customs.
him and presents him with a carved elephant tusk.
Is patient and bases his mission work on his growing Is impatient and takes strong measures against those
understanding of the people among whom he works converts who do not measure up to his standard of
faith.
Encourages his flock to become educated and to work Reinforces the worst aspects of the administration and
as teachers, or in the new administration. This helps to calls on the District Commissioner to avenge the loss
reconcile the tribe to the white administration. Deals of the church. This leads to the arrest of Okonkwo and
with his difficulties with the tribe in his own way, other important men, and through this, to the tragic
without calling the District Commissioner. climax of the novel – the suicide of Okonkwo.
CHAPTER 23 & 24
Dominion Land ruled by a colonial power
Superfluous More than is needed or wanted

Plot and theme

This chapter deals with Okonkwo’s imprisonment and its consequences

1. What is ironic about the scene of happiness that Okonkwo feels?

2. What is implied in the use of the word sweet-tongued to describe the messenger sent to Umuofia by the District Commissioner?
3. Contrast the behaviour of the leaders of Umuofia with the actions of the District Commissioner and his twelve men.
4. What is the thematic impact of the word the dominion of our queen, which the District Commissioner uses to describe the land
of the Ibo?
5. The District Commissioner instructs the messengers to treat the leaders of Umuofia with respect, but they are humiliated and
mistreated. What comment does this make on the theme of colonial authority?
6. Comment on the issue of the fine levied of Umuofia.

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7. Discuss the impact of the following simile: Umuofia was like a startled animal with ears erect, sniffing the silent, ominous air
and not knowing which way to run.
8. In Chapter 24, how does Okonkwo’s attitude to the situation contrast with that of Egonwanne?
9. What drastic course of action does Okika urge in his speech?
CHAPTER 25
Dominion Land ruled by a colonial power
Superfluous More than is needed or wanted

Plot
The final chapter of the novel is pervaded with a feeling of tragic inevitability as the District Commissioner’s men arrive to arrest
Okonkwo, but instead are taken to his hanging body. The last paragraph rings the death knell for the life of the tribe, and by
extension, for all indigenous people in colonial Africa. We can imagine the type of book that the District Commissioner in his
arrogance and ignorance will write.

Read the whole chapter carefully, and then answer the following contextual questions:
1. Obierika’s response that Okonkwo is not here is what we would expect of a member of the clan.
1.1 Discuss his words in the context of the culture and traditions of the tribe.
1.2 Explain how the response of the District Commissioner reflects the theme of the clash of cultures. Quote to support your
answer.
2. Discuss the tone and the implied attitude expressed by the following words: The resolute administrator in him gave way to the
student of primitive customs.
3. Comment on the impact of the following examples of diction in the passage from, It is against our custom, to cleanse the
desecrated land:
3.1 offence
3.2 desecrated
4. Obierika expresses the injustice of what has happened when he accuses the District Commissioner of driving Okonkwo to kill
himself. Explain what he means in a short paragraph.
5. The District Commissioner believes that the story of Okonkwo’s end will make interesting reading. What does this observation
tell us about the District Commissioner’s character?

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