0
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 major events happen in things fall apart?
The major events of Things Fall Apart are quite subjective and may include:
- Mbaino kills a clanswoman of Umuofia and offers Ikemefuna and a virgin in compensation. Ikemefuna comes to live with Okonkwo.
- Okonkwo is punished for beating his wife during the week of peace, when nobody is allowed to display violence.
- Ikemefuna, the boy he has taken care of, Okonkwo's ideal son, is sentenced to die.
- Okonkwo ends up delivering the killing blow to Ikemefuna.
- Okonkwo kills a clansman accidentally at the funeral from a gun misfunction.
- Okonkwo goes to Mbanta.
- Abame is slaughtered.
- The church arrives in Mbanta.
- Nwoye abandons the Ibo faith to join Christianity.
- Ekoli kills the giant python and dies in divine retribution.
- Okonkwo returns to Umuofia.
- Enoch kills an egwugwu.
- The villagers burn Umuofia's church.
- Okonkwo kills a colonialist messenger.
- Okonkwo kills himself.
What is ironic about Okonkwo's feelings for Ikemefuna compared to his feelings for Nwoye?
Okonkwo treats Ikemefuna almost as if he were his eldest son. He wishes that Nwoye would become like Ikemefuna, even though Nwoye is his true eldest son.
Whom did Okonkwo beat in his legendary wrestling match?
Okonkwo beat the legendary Amalinze the Cat, who had been undefeated in 5 years of wrestling.
What happened to Ekwefi's children?
Except for Ezinma, most die in early childhood, generally before the age of 3.
What two advantages did the first wife have in the book things fall apart?
She is the first to present her food to the husband.
Only the first wife could wear the anklet of her husband's titles.
None of the other wives are allowed to drink before she does.
She was the first wife of Okonkwo, and was treated as such. Further, she had the good sense to know her place.
How does Okonkwo know that the villagers will not fight the white men in the book things fall apart?
When Okonkwo kills the first messenger trying to stop the meeting, none of his fellow villagers stop the other messengers from escaping. None of them are driven to the same conclusion that he is, that the white men must be fought. Some of them even ask 'Why did he do that?'
Okonkwo realizes that the Igbo are no longer who they used to be; they are no longer the great warriors. Thus they will not fight.
Okonkwo is ordered to perform a sacrifice for beating his wife during the sacred week of peace.
Later, Okonkwo and other men are other to pay a fine for burning down the church.
Who says We have a court of law where you judge cases and administer justice in Things Fall Apart?
The District Commissioner.
What assumptions underpinned the policy of the bible and the plough?
trying to do the comprehension ay
What chapter does Ikemefuna get killed?
Ikemefuna is led by the tribe on a long march outside of its lands. One tribeman cuts him with a machete. As Ikemefuna runs to Okonkwo for safety, Okonkwo chops Ikemefuna down with his machete.
In Things Fall Apart who is Okoye?
Okoye is a man who is getting married at the very beginning of the book. He is gathering funds for his wedding so he seeks to ask Unoka back for the money he has lent him. He serves to highlight the indebtedness of Unoka, as well as Unoka's attitude towards his debt. Unoka told him that someone else gets paid their money before OKoye.
What was the importance of the silk cotton tree to young women in Things Fall Apart?
The silk-cotton tree was believe to hold the spirits of good children waiting to be born. By being around the tree, fertile women believed that they had a higher chance of being filled with a good-spirit who would become their child.
What are the problems in things fall apart?
There are many problems in Things Fall Apart, including
- drought
- torrential rains
- laziness
- debt
- people who won't pay back their debts
- excessive anger
- needless traditions
- excessive pride
- lack of a central command structure for all the villages to follow
- wife-beating
- illness and death
- the need for justice, which leads to Ikemefuna's death and the exile of Okonkwo
- personality conflicts, the most notable being that of Okonkwo and his son Nwoye.
- white courts which are corrupt and bribable
- lack of understanding between different cultures, and a high-handedness to accompany it
- locusts
- revenge killings, including the slaughter of Abame
- lack of yam splitting skills
- Ojuigo's negligence
- The need to negotiate bride price and tribute, with the worry that one side or another will behave unfairly.
- Having to bury a man who has desecrated himself
- lack of freedom due to an imposed system
- there can be only one champion wrestler
What does umunna mean in things fall apart?
Umunna is another word for long range family. Umunna included kinsmen from many generations apart.
What does As a man dances so the drums are beaten for him mean?
It means that the drums will follow the rhythm of the man dancing, to accentuate his dance. It can also mean that as a man follows a path, things occur along the way which helps or leads the man further along the path.
Who is Oduche in Things Fall Apart?
Oduche is a man who had a land dispute with his neighbour, and as a result of his bribing the white officials, the whites' court awarded the land to him. If taken to a tribal council, they would have ruled against him. Oduche ends up being killed by Aneto, the neighbour he had a dispute with.
What does the white missionary tell the Igbo people about their own gods in things fall apart?
The missionary calls the Igbo gods false gods that have no real power. He is soundly laughed off by most of the people there as mad.
What rituals and customs are involved in Ezeudu's funeral?
A village announcement is made about his death. A cannon explodes many times to signify the information about the death. First the clan Umuofia is named, then Iguedo the village, then finally Ezeudu, the man.
A great funeral is held with all of the clan attending. Ancient drums, guns and cannons marked the ceremony. Men dashed about in frenzies, clothing themselves in raffia skirts and painting themselves with chalk and charcoal. Egwugwu appear, completely covered in raffia, doing various spirit things. Some are violent. Men danced funeral dances. People make speeches honouring Ezeudu, and salute him.
Ezeudu is buried after dark, a right as a titled man.
What foods were eaten in Things Fall Apart?
- Yam
- Locusts
- Palm wine
- Cassava tubers
- Salt
- Goats
- Fowls
- Yam Foo-foo
- Yam pottage
- Egusi soup
- Bitter-leaf soup
- Kola Nut
- Green vegetable
- Oranges
- Alligator pepper
- Maize
- Melons
- Beans
- Corn
- Bananas
- Bean cakes
What is Okonkwo's view on the missionaries?
In Things Fall Apart: Okonkwo appears to be initially curious like everyone else. Upon meeting them for the first time, he comes to the conclusion that the missionaries are crazy. Not only do they consider the powerful Igbo gods harmless, but they also go on about man who has a mother but no father.
Later he believes that they are a disgrace, breeding abominations of the villagers, and should be forcibly removed. He is disappointed when the village of Abama declines to remove the missionaries by force.
In No Longer At Ease:
Obi Okonkwo views many of the missionaries as wanting to bring civilization to those who have already been civilized.
What are the negative aspects of tradition in Things Fall Apart?
Some of the negative aspects of the Nigerian villages' traditions could include:
Killing twins.
Mutilating dead babies if their mother had multiple children who died quickly.
Looking down on a lower class and creating a class of outcasts (osu).
Needless forcing of exile for accidental killing of tribesmen.
Allowing men to beat their misbehaving wives.
Killing men for their gods. (Ikemefuna)
Nigerian author Chinua Achebe has said that he wrote the novel Things Fall Apart to show his people their own culture from the perspective of someone who belonged to that culture. What might Achebe's intention be a reaction to?
