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Characters

• Okonkwo is the protagonist, a well-respected tragic hero in Umuofia.

• Nwoye is Okonkwo's eldest son, disliked by Okonkwo for his perceived soft personality.

• Ezinma is Okonkwo's favorite daughter, admired for her brave and manly traits despite being female; she also survives a near-fatal illness.

• Ikemefuna is Okonkwo's adopted son, whom Okonkwo later murders.

• Nwoye's Mother is Okonkwo's first wife, holding seniority among his wives for bearing his eldest son.

• Ekwefi is Okonkwo's favorite second wife, known for her beauty and having left her first husband to marry Okonkwo.

• Ojiubo is Okonkwo's youngest wife, who experiences his violence during the Week of Peace.

• Unoka is Okonkwo's wasteful father, despised by Okonkwo, establishing a complex relationship due to contrasting personalities.

• Uchendu is Okonkwo's uncle, who warmly welcomes him to Mbanta during his exile.

• Obierika is Okonkwo's best friend, offering advice and acting as a foil to highlight Okonkwo's flaws.

• Ezeudu is the oldest, most feared man in the village, also the one that warns Okonkwo not to participate in Ikemefuna's death.

• Chielo is a priestess dedicated to the oracle Agbala.

• Agbala represents the Oracle of the Hills and the Caves.

• Egwugwu embodies the nine village leaders, symbolizing Umuofia's most important ancestors.

• Mr. Brown is a kind, respectful first missionary in Umuofia.

• Reverend James Smith is a later, racist, zealous replacement for Mr. Brown.

• The District Commissioner represents colonial authority, misunderstanding and disrespecting Igbo culture.

Vocabularies

• Umuofia is the village central to the novel, where Okonkwo lives.

• Chi refers to personal gods believed to guide individuals.

• Patriarchal describes a society controlled by men.

• Polygamy is the practice of having multiple spouses.

• Colonialism is the practice of a country taking control of another.

• Ibo is the term "Igbo" spelled in the novel.

• Mbanta is the village of Okonkwo's exile.

• Abame is a village where the first white man was spotted and killed.

• Iyi-uwa is an object linked to an Ogbanje child.

• Ogbanje is a term for a child believed to be possessed.

• Isa-ifi is a pre-marriage ceremony.

• Obi is a hut.

• Cassava is a less valued root vegetable.

• Yams symbolize wealth and prosperity in Igbo culture.

• Ozo is a prestige title for Igbo men.

Storyline Summary

Chapter 1

• Introduces Okonkwo, a wrestling champion and respected figure in Umuofia.
• Okonkwo is driven to build himself into a stereotypical masculine figure, seeing the opposite of masculinity in his father.

Chapter 2

• Okonkwo is sent to negotiate peace with another village after a clans woman is killed.

Chapter 3

• Okonkwo seeks seed yams from Nwakibie to start his farm, highlighting his determination to succeed and avoid his father's fate.

Chapter 4

• Okonkwo insults an untitled tribesman, showing his impatience and lack of respect for those he considers weak.
• He violates the Week of Peace by beating his youngest wife, Ojiubo.
• Ikemefuna becomes a positive influence on Nwoye.

Chapter 5

• Features the New Yam Festival and further displays Okonkwo's temper and his strained relationship with his wives.

Chapter 6

• Villagers gather for a wrestling match, which calms Okonkwo, reinforcing his built reputation.
• A detail is uncovered about why Ekwefi ran away from her other home to marry Okonkwo.

Chapter 7

• Three years pass, during which Ikemefuna greatly influences Nwoye, pleasing Okonkwo due to the change of ways he displays.

Chapter 8

• Okonkwo participates in Ikemefuna's death, driven by his fear of being seen as weak, despite Ezeudu's warning.

Chapter 9

• Ekwefi panics when Ezinma falls ill, highlighting their close bond.
• Discussion of white men is overheard, but not yet seen as any real threat.

Chapter 10

• Concerns a traditional Igbo legal ceremony with egwugwu as judges, showing the complexities of their justice system.

Chapter 11

• Agbala wants to see Ezinma, a rare emotional side of Okonkwo is relieved.

Chapter 12

• Describes the uri ceremony.

Chapter 13

• Okonkwo accidentally kills Ezeudu's son, resulting in his exile to Mbanta.

Chapter 14

• Okonkwo and his family settle in Mbanta, where his uncle Uchendu helps them.

Chapter 15

• Obierika visits and shares the story of Abame's destruction by white men.

Chapter 16

• Missionaries arrive in Umuofia, converting villagers.
• Nwoye is among those drawn to their message of peace and love.

Chapter 17

• The missionaries are given land in the evil forest, surprisingly building a church and attracting more converts, challenging Igbo beliefs.

Chapter 18

• The church in Mbanta faces challenges as they allow outcasts into the church. (The Christians are the missionaries)
• Okonkwo pushes for the deportation of the Chritians in Mbanta.

Chapter 19

• Okonkwo returns to Umuofia after his exile, finding it changed by colonial influence and throwing a magnificent feast for his kinsmen as the rainy season draws to a close.

Chapter 20

• Okonkwo observes drastic changes in Umuofia due to colonialism.

Chapter 21

• Okonkwo and Obierika talk about colonialism, asking why the villagers won't fight back against the missionaries.

Chapter 22

• Reverend James Smith replaces Mr. Brown and is less tollerant of Igbo tradition.

Chapter 23

• Okonkwo is happy as he convinces some villagers to arm themselves, and the Okonkwo and the villagers are invited to British camp and attacked.

Chapter 24

• Okonkwo and the other prisoners are released but no one welcomes the back.
• Okonkwo kills a messenger.

Chapter 25

• Okonkwo commits suicide, a great abomination in Igbo culture.
• The District Commissioner plans to write about Okonkwo's death in his book.

Main Character Analysis

Okonkwo

• Demonstrates his determination to be strong, his fierce personality, and his tendency to avoid weakness.

Nwoye

• Seen as weak in Okonkwo's eyes due to his lack of masculine traits but is comforted with Ikemefuna around.

Ikemefuna

• Is intimidated by Okonkwo's family but soon becomes very close to them and becomes good friends with Okonkwo's family.

Ezinma

• Okonkwo's favorite child due to her independence and bold personality.

Okonkwo's Relationships

Okonkwo and Nwoye

• Strained as Okonkwo considers Nwoye weak and effeminate, contrasting with Nwoye's shift towards modernity.

Okonkwo and Ikemefuna

• Ikemefuna assumes the role of the brave and hardworking son Okonkwo always wanted and Okonkwo grows fond.

Okonkwo and Ezinma

• Okonkwo favoring her for traits he values in a son.

Okonkwo and his wives

• Relationship is the expression of the patriarchal nature of Igbo society, where one sign of wealth is the amount of wives one has.

Okonkwo and Unoka

• Haunted by Okonkwo's fear of inheriting his father's weakness.

Novel's Themes and contexts

Colonialism and Its Impact

Introduces what colonialism is, the features, and the effects in Things fall Apart.

Tradition vs Changes

Details of the traditional Igbo cultures compared to the changes that colonisers brought.

Masculinity and Gender Roles

• Masculinity is associated with power, control, and ability to take charge of anyone to fight for wars to earn titles.
• Gender roles depict men as providers and decision makers.
• While women were seen as caretakers and emotional supporters.

Fate and free Will

Okonkwo works hard to dissociate himself from being like his father, a man cursed by his chi.