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Things Fall Apart
Things Fall Apart is the novel by Chinua Achebe. The novel, the protagonist Okonkwo, and the various plot lines are discussed in this category.
1,374 Questions
What are the symbols in Things Fall Apart?
Sticks are used a bargaining symbol to represent a bag of cowries.
Okonkwo is called the 'Roaring Flame' as he is hot-tempered and violent, but leaves only ash in his wake (his children).
The white men are like locusts in that they initially bring new joy and curiousness, but they end up being the harbingers of doom.
What did Okonkwo think when he heard the ogene?
Okonkwo thought about the impending meeting or event that the sound of the ogene was calling. He associated the sound with gatherings of the community, decision-making, and important announcements. It evoked a sense of duty, responsibility, and the need to be prepared for what was to come.
How does the captive Ikemefuna fit into Okonkwo's household?
Ikemefuna fits quite well into Okonkwo's household once he becomes accustomed to it. Ikemefuna bore no good will to his original father, although he does miss his mother. Okonkwo represents a strong father to Ikemefuna whom becomes a strong eldest son, and mentor to Nwoye. Ikemefuna is treated much like the eldest son, and assigned privileges, duties, and rights as such.
What was the most influential role of women in things fall apart?
The most influential role of women in "Things Fall Apart" is as caretakers and preservers of the Igbo culture. They maintain the traditions, pass down stories and knowledge, and uphold the community's customs. Women also have a powerful influence in shaping the actions and decisions of the male characters in the novel.
What is Strength and weakness as defined in things fall apart culture?
Strength and weakness are mostly defined through the Igbo sport of wrestling, the wars between villages, and the exacting job of farming. Strong people succeed in these three endeavours, whereas weak men do not.
Another part of strength and weakness (which is not universal in the Igbo culture) is that of manliness. This Okonkwo holds in spades, while his son Nwoye lacks this greatly.
What are the egwugwu In Things fall apart?
The egwugwu are ancestral spirits that take on physical form and serve as the judges of the community in "Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe. They embody the laws and traditions of the tribe, and their identities are kept secret to maintain their authority. The egwugwu play a significant role in maintaining order and enforcing justice within the village.
Why did Unoka go to visit the Oracle of Agbala?
Unoka consulted Agbala to see why he was having such poor harvests. The oracle told him it was the fault of his laziness, not any offense to the gods or ancestors.
Why did the men meet in the marketplace in things fall apart?
The men meet in the market place to sell things to each other in standard trade. There are many instances where the men meet up. One of the first instances, where the men meet up, is started so they can discuss the murder of a clanswoman in the markets of Mbaino.
What does Okonkwo say to his sons and daughters after Nwoye leaves the family for Christianity?
Okonkwo disowns Nwoye after he joins the Christians, claiming Nwoye is no longer his son, no longer his children's brother. Okonkwo tells his children, "You have all seen the abomination of your brother." He also tells them that if they wish to convert, they should do it while he is alive so that he can curse them. If they convert after he is dead, his dead spirit will rise up to kill them.
How does Obierika feel about female crimes and twins?
Obierika does not understand why someone should be punished for an accidental crime. He further does not understand why twins should be mutilated and thrown away.
However, he believes that if one finger brought oil, it soiled the others. For example, if Okonkwo, was not punished for this accident, it might encourage other more malicious people to commit crimes and exclaim that it was an accident. He could not ignore the laws of the gods when it did not suit him, and then expect everyone else to obey the laws of the gods and Igbo society.
What role do women play in Okonkwo's life?
Many. For one, women are a means to the end, the ends being:
- Tribal respect
- children, particularly boys
- labour, including farming and child rearing
Okonkwo appears to love Ekwefi. He desires relations with his wives.
He also wishes to have his daughters take honourable and respected husbands, thus increasing the family's respect within the tribe.
What do they do in the week of peace in Things Fall Apart?
During the week of peace, no work is to be done. People are to be at peace with each other, inflicting no violence at all. People generally talk with each other in their huts during this week.
What happened when Enoch unmasked an egwugwu?
When Enoch unmasks the egwugwu, he desecrates and kills it. The other egwugwu attempt to hide the face of the egwugwu from the public.
For the rest of the week, the wailing of the mother egwugwu is heard throughout the villages, a somber song for her mourned son.
Eventually all of the tribes gather. They end up burning down Enoch's compound, and the church where Enoch hides.
How are egwugwu distiguished from others in the village?
They have large tribal masks over their face.
They represent the spirits of ancient ancestors.
They are the final judges of all upon earth.
Why had the men of Umuofia called a meeting?
Because they were talking about going out into battle and they wanted to make sure that every man was okay with there design
How did the tribes feel about Umuofia?
They knew that Umuofia would not fight a war of blame, but would fight just wars. They also knew that they were fierce warriors.
Why was Okonkwo chosen to represent Umuofia on the mission to go to Mbaino?
Okonkwo was chosen as Umuofia's emissary of war because he was a mighty respected warrior, who had already killed 5 men. He would be an intimidating messenger who would be treated with respect.
He was a respected person in Umoufia. Made famous by his wrestling prowess, he had taken titles and was successful in Igbo society, having a large farm and 3 wives.
What is Obierika's reaction to Okonkwo's death?
Obierika despairs for Okonkwo and blames the colonists for Okonkwo's death. His best friend, a man who took two titles, has been driven to dishonourable suicide and must be buried like a dog.
In what ways is Okonkwo a respected leader in the village?
Okonkwo is a mighty warrior who has killed five men during wars. Okonkwo is also a champion wrestler, who threw the legendary Amalinze the Cat for the first time. Okonkwo is a proficient farmer who works a large farm despite having inherited nothing. Finally, Okonkwo represents one of the Egwugwu on the tribal council.
Who does Okonkwo beat during the week of peace?
Okonkwo beat his third wife, Ojiugo, during the week of peace for her negligence in failing to prepare meals for either himself or her children.
How do Okonkwo's wives relate in Things Fall Apart?
None of Okonkwo's wives are said to relate to each other lineage-wise. They appear to be respectful to each other and cover for each other.
Their relationship is not really expounded upon save for the time when the first wife covers for Ojiugo's negligence as she gets her hair plaited during the week of Peace. The first wife also sees Ekwefi's unhappiness at the birth of the first wife's third son as malevolence, thought it was inward bitterness.
Fears and superstitions in Things Fall Apart?
1. Okonkwo commits a great sin when he beats his wife during Peace Week (Chap.4); it is believed that evil will fall upon the whole clan, so he must repent. 2. If a child is stillborn, it is an ogbanje, a wicked child who when it died, would enter the mother's womb again to be reborn (Chap.9). 3. Since Ezinma is thought to be obanje, even though she has lived, she is always sick, so another superstition is to dig up her iya-wa, the stone which is the link between Ezinma and the spirit world. 4. They also believe in Ogbu-agali-odu, an evil essence loosed upon the world through secret medicines (Chap.11).
5. The tribe believed in evil spirits. "Their clan is full of evil spirits of these unburied dead, hungry to do harm to the living." 6. Members of the tribe that suffered from infirmities were seen as unclean. These people would not be buried, but be cast into the Evil Forest.
That's what things do in gravitational fields. All objects that have mass have an associated gravity. Einstein's work suggests that gravity causes a bending of space, and objects move because of the bending of the space they occupy. Some current theories suggest that gravity (unlike the 3 other basic forces) is able to extend its effect across several dimensions (several more than the 3 common dimensions of our everyday experience of space).
Unoka became poor by being lazy, a drunkard, and constantly borrowing money from neighbours and friends.
