Things Fall Apart

Ikemefuna is taken as part of restitution made by the man who killed a tribeswoman of Umuofia.

The iyi-uwa is supposedly a magical cursed stone that is linked with Ezinma whom is said to be an ogbanje, or wicked child that dies only to be reborn in her mother's womb. By purifying the iyi-uwa, Ezinma is able to stay in this world and not torment her mother.

No one really fulfills a peasant - lord like role in Things Fall Apart. However, most of the characters are farmers in an agriculturally based society.

One man provides the seeds for a man who will take the seeds and plant them in oder to produce crops. In return, the man who provided the seeds gets two thirds of the crop harvest. The one who did all the work gets only one third of the harvest to keep.

This really depends on the reader. It may leave no mark at all, or it may inspire a curiousity of Nigerian culture.

Uchendu speaks of the newer clansmembers not knowing of the community spirit. They can be individuals who curse the ways of their fathers. They do not know what it is to speak with one voice. The community is not united and thus has allowed the Christians to settle among them; this will ultimately causes rifts between them and their clansmen.

Okonkwo is prideful and not the type to be outwardly repentant, making a show of it.

one of the strange beliefs, is that white people are bad and trying to take over the land and kill them.

The Stressa Front fell apart because Mussolini of Italy invaded the African nation of Abyssinia in 1935. The Stressa Front was between Britain and France (major nations in the league of nations at the time) but when Mussolini invaded Abyssinia, its prince Haile Selassi appealed to the league and it was clear Italy was the aggressor nation. So the league of nations applied limited economic sanctions on Italy (oil was not included) and Mussolini felt offended and instead joined forces with Hitler.

Okonkwo says that the people of Abame were fools, who had been warned of danger, and that they shoudl have brought guns and machetes with them to the market. This is after Uchendu already has repeatedly called them fools for killing the white man.

Obierika justifies destroying Okonkwo's living quarters animals and barn by claiming that the animals disturbed him. This resulted him in destroying the area they resided in.

Even though his crop fails twice, Okonkwo goes on planting. He learns he has an inflexible will and can endure such hardship.

Unoka breaks the nut while okoye draws lines with chalk and paints his big toe. Unoka prays for good health and protection as he breaks the nut open. Then they both share the nut and eat.

The Igbo are a courteous tribe, and have a custom of bringing food or wine to a person's house when they call upon them. People share their food equally with guests.

In general, it shows how the Igbo people have an elegant culture which may not be immediately visible to the careless observer.

In 1972, Chinua Achebe became Professor of English at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

It's not about being praised by others for your achievements or good deeds, it's more important to priase yourself

Okonkwo hosts a farewell feast in his mother's village, slaughtering 3 goats.

From Okonkwo's attitude, you learn what the mentality of the warrior is, and what tribesman might consider being a man. You learn what would be considered effeminate, and learn what type of convictions someone resisting the European colonization might hold.

Okoye wanted Unoka to pay back his debt of 200 cowries that had been borrowed the year before. He was trying to gather resources to pay for the expensive ceremony where he would be awarded the Idemili title, the third highest in the land.

A search of this surname is so vague that 'Spanish' is not indicated. However, it's inclusion in compound surnames with Spanish ones indicates a Spanish satellite, possibly Basque, from 'Likoa,' or Mexican, from 'Likona.'