how things fall apart summary

What are main points of the Things Fall Apart?

What is main points of The Things Fall Apart? Help? The novel is the story of Okonkwo's tragedy, but it is also a record of Igbo life before the coming of the white man. The novel documents what the white man destroyed. The reader learns much about Igbo customs and traditions; depicting this world is a central part of the novel.

What happens in Chapter 12 of Things Fall Apart?

Summary: Chapter 12. At dawn, Chielo exits the shrine with Ezinma on her back. Without saying a word, she takes Ezinma to Ekwefi ’s hut and puts her to bed. It turns out that Okonkwo was extremely worried the night before, although he did not show it. He forced himself to wait a while before walking to the Oracle’s shrine.

Who are the characters in Things Fall Apart?

• Ikemefuna. Ikemefuna is the ill-fated boy the Mbaino sacrifice to Umuofia in order to prevent war.
• Ogbuefi Ezeudo. Ezeudo is oldest man in the village and a great orator. ...
• Mr. Brown. ...
• Reverend James Smith. Reverend Smith replaces Mr. ...
• District Commissioner. ...

Why did Chinua Achebe write Things Fall Apart?

While Achebe was growing up in such a village, his parents converted to Christianity but his other relatives continued to practice traditional Igbo faith. This childhood experience is a large part of Achebe’s inspiration for writing Things Fall Apart. He, himself, experienced the “cultural crossroads” which he describes in the novel. For this reason, Achebe spends more than half of the novel explaining the lives of people in these tribes, showing not only the good but also the reason ...

What is the short summary of Things Fall Apart?

The novel chronicles the life of Okonkwo, the leader of an Igbo community, from the events leading up to his banishment from the community for accidentally killing a clansman, through the seven years of his exile, to his return, and it addresses a particular problem of emergent Africa—the intrusion in the 1890s of ...

What is the main story of Things Fall Apart?

The Struggle Between Change and Tradition As a story about a culture on the verge of change, Things Fall Apart deals with how the prospect and reality of change affect various characters. The tension about whether change should be privileged over tradition often involves questions of personal status.

What is the moral lesson of the story Things Fall Apart?

The best thing to do, is to learn from these leaders, take the good and ignore the bad. It is important to make each leadership experience an opportunity to learn so as to become a better leader. In his obsession with being different from his father, Okonkwo led his family with an iron fist.

Who killed Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart?

Caught between his rage that the nine villages would succumb to European rule and the futility of fighting the Europeans alone, Okonkwo retreats to his compound and hangs himself. With this act, Okonkwo lives up to his role as a tragic hero whose struggles with society ultimately lead to death.

Who was killed in Things Fall Apart?

During the large funeral, Okonkwo's gun goes off, and Ezeudu's sixteen-year-old son is killed accidentally. Because the accidental killing of a clansman is a crime against the earth goddess, Okonkwo and his family must be exiled from Umuofia for seven years.

What's the climax of Things Fall Apart?

Climax. The climactic point in the novel arises when, Okonkwo, without his realizing it, shoots a young member of his community and kills him. Though this was an accident, Okonkwo has to abide with the law that deems he should be banished from his village for seven years.

What is the symbolic purpose of Okonkwo's death?

Okonkwo's death symbolized the “falling apart” of the village, not widespread peace, a form of pacification. “Pacification” is what the man did the exact opposite of when he arrived with the missionaries.

What is the purpose of Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart?

The protagonist of Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo is also considered a tragic hero. A tragic hero holds a position of power and prestige, chooses his course of action, possesses a tragic flaw, and gains awareness of circumstances that lead to his fall. Okonkwo's tragic flaw is his fear of weakness and failure.

Why did Okonkwo beat his wife?

During the Week of Peace, Okonkwo notices that his youngest wife, Ojiugo, has left her hut to have her hair braided without having cooked dinner. He beats her for her negligence, shamefully breaking the peace of the sacred week in a transgression known as nso-ani.

Who betrayed Okonkwo?

In Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo feels betrayed by his personal god, or chi, which has allowed him to produce a son who is effeminate. Nwoye continually disappoints Okonkwo. As a child, Nwoye prefers his mother's stories to masculine pursuits. As an adult, Nwoye joins the white missionaries.

Who did Okonkwo beat his wife?

One day during this week, Okonkwo's youngest wife, Ojiugo, goes to a friend's house to braid her hair, and she forgets to prepare Okonkwo's afternoon meal and feed her children. When Ojiugo returns, Okonkwo beats her severely. Even when he is reminded of the ban on violence, he doesn't stop the beating.

What is the purpose of Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart?

The protagonist of Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo is also considered a tragic hero. A tragic hero holds a position of power and prestige, chooses his course of action, possesses a tragic flaw, and gains awareness of circumstances that lead to his fall. Okonkwo's tragic flaw is his fear of weakness and failure.

Is Things Fall Apart based on a true story?

Answer and Explanation: "Things Fall Apart" is not a literally true story; it may be considered allegorical or perhaps closer to historical fiction.

What is the story of Things Fall Apart?

Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe ’s 1958 novel, the first of three in the author's "Africa Trilogy," tells the story of Okonkwo, a warrior of great renown in the fictional village of Umuofia, a community in the lower Niger region of Africa. The novel is divided into three parts: the first section covers Okonkwo’s rise and fall within the village , the second focuses on his exile and the arrival of European missionaries in the region , and the final section deals with his return to Umuofia and the conflict with the Europeans.

Who tells Okonkwo not to bear a hand in his death?

This decision is communicated to Okonkwo by Ogbuefi Ezeudu, one of the village’s most respected elders, who tells him not to “bear a hand in his death.”. When the time comes and the men are marching Ikemefuna away from the town, Okonkwo, fearing being thought weak, decides to step up and hack the boy down.

What is the story of Okonkwo?

Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe ’s 1958 novel, the first of three in the author's "Africa Trilogy," tells the story of Okonkwo, a warrior of great renown in the fictional village of Umuofia, a community in the lower Niger region of Africa. The novel is divided into three parts: ...

Who is Okonkwo's closest friend?

In the second year, Obierika, Okonkwo’s closest friend from Umuofia, comes to visit him, bringing with him bags of cowries, the local currency, which he made from selling Okonkwo’s yams. He also tells Okonkwo that the village of Abame has been wiped out in a confrontation with white settlers.

What is Okonkwo's attitude?

Fittingly for someone of his particular skill set, Okonkwo believes very adamantly in strength, self-sufficiency, and action —in short, masculinity in its most basic forms. This attitude formed partly as a response to his father, Unoka, who, though he was considered very lively and generous, also maintained many debts around the village and was seen as unable to provide for himself. Additionally, Unoka was scared of blood and died of swelling from an insufficient diet—both of which are looked down upon in the village and considered feminine. Okonkwo, therefore, desires to assert himself as a man of good standing in the village, which he is able to do after a generous gift (which he receives when his father’s death leaves him with nothing) of 1,200 yam seeds from two different elders in the village. From this he is able to start his farm, feed his family, and then, combined with his physical prowess, begin to earn respect in the community.

What is the story of Things Fall Apart?

Things Fall Apart Summary. As a young man, Okonkwo becomes one of the greatest wrestlers in the clan. Okonkwo values strength and aggression, traits he believes are masculine, and his worst fear is to be thought of as feminine or weak, like his father, Unoka. Okonkwo's wealth and status within the tribe grow, and he becomes one ...

What happens to Okonkwo after his release?

The morning after their release, the clan leaders speak of war before they are interrupted by the arrival of court messengers. Full of hate, Okonkwo confronts the leader, who says that the white man commands the meeting to stop. In a flash, Okonkwo strikes down the messenger with his machete. Seeing that none of his clansmen support him in his violent action, Okonkwo walks away and hangs himself.

Why did Okonkwo flee the clan?

Having killed a fellow clansman, Okonkwo has no choice but to flee the clan with his family. Because the crime is a “female,” or accidental, crime, they may return in seven years. During their time in exile, Okonkwo and his family work hard to start a new farm in Okonkwo's motherland, Mbanta.

Who is Okonkwo worried about?

Okonkwo is particularly worried about his eldest son, Nwoye, in whom he sees signs of laziness reminiscent of Unoka. Get the entire Things Fall Apart LitChart as a printable PDF. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof.". -Graham S. Download.

Who informs Okonkwo that Ikemefuna must be killed?

After three years, when the oldest man of the tribe, Ezeudu, informs Okonkwo that Ikemefuna must be killed, he advises him not to participate in the killing, since “the boy calls you father.” Okonkwo ignores this advice, fearing that others will find him weak or effeminate, and he proceeds to strike the killing blow when they take Ikemefuna out to be killed the next day.

What is the study guide for "Things Fall Apart"?

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics.

When was Things Fall Apart published?

Things Fall Apart, published in 1958, is Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe’s first novel. Simultaneously portraying the traditions and beliefs of Nigerian Ibo culture and engaging with the narrative of European colonialism in Africa, Things Fall Apart uses one man’s story to speak for many.

What happens to Okonkwo when messengers arrive?

Disappointed with his fellow villagers’ cowardice, Okonkwo flees the scene and commits suicide. When messengers return to Umuofia, asking for Okonkwo, his friend, Obierika, leads them to his hanged body and asks that they remove it: his body is unclean, for suicide is a great evil, and his fellow villagers cannot bury him with their own hands.

What happens to Okonkwo before the villager decides how to solve their conflict?

Before the villagers can decide how to solve their conflict, messengers arrive to dissolve their meeting. Rather than engage in conversation, as leaders have so far, Okonkwo responds directly: he decapitates a messenger. Disappointed with his fellow villagers’ cowardice, Okonkwo flees the scene and commits suicide.

What is Okonkwo's first trouble?

Quickly, he is on track to earn titles within the community, markers of power and influence. Okonkwo’s first troubles come with Ikemefuna’s arrival. The product of an exchange intended to avoid war between two villages, Umuofia and Mbiano, Ikemefuna ends up in Okonkwo’s household.

What is the plot of Achebe?

Achebe’s plot centers on Okonkwo, a passionate man focused on reaching the apex of masculine virtue in his home village, Umuofia. As a child, Okonkwo notices his father’s “feminine” and dishonorable behaviors: Unoka is lazy, pleasure-seeking, and debt-ridden.

Who demands Ikemefuna's death?

But when Umuofia’s Oracle, Agbala, demands Ikemefuna’s death, Okonkwo releases him and participates in his murder. Agbala also demands Okonkwo’s daughter, Ezinma, and Okonkwo tries to protect his favorite biological child.

Summary

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Characters

See a complete list of the characters in Things Fall Apart and in-depth analyses of Okonkwo, Nwoye, Ezinma, Mr. Brown, Ikemefuna, and Unoka.

Literary Devices

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What is the story of Things Fall Apart about?

Things Fall Apart is about the tragic fall of the protagonist, Okonkwo, and the Igbo culture. Okonkwo is a respected and influential leader within the Igbo community of Umuofia in eastern Nigeria. He first earns personal fame and distinction, and brings honor to his village, when he defeats Amalinze the Cat in a wrestling contest.

Where does Okonkwo's mother move to?

The family moves to Okonkwo's mother's native village, Mbanta. After they depart Umuofia, a group of village men destroy Okonkwo's compound and kill his animals to cleanse the village of Okonkwo's sin. Obierika stores Okonkwo's yams in his barn and wonders about the old traditions of the Igbo culture.

Why did Okonkwo beat his wife?

He violates the Week of Peace when he beats his youngest wife, Ojiugo, because she went to braid her hair at a friend's house and forgot to prepare the afternoon meal and feed her children.

How do Obierika and the suitors work out their daughter's bride price?

After the pot is emptied, the suitor's family and Obierika work out his daughter's bride-price by passing broomsticks back and forth. After they settle on a bride-price of 20 bags of cowries, they criticize the bride-pricing customs of other clans.

Why does Okonkwo call himself a woman?

He calls himself a woman for his reaction to killing Ikemefuna and decides to visit his friend Obierika. Okonkwo shakes hands with Obierika's son and then talks with Obierika talk about Okonkwo's worries for his children.

What does Okonkwo see as weakness?

They discuss how close Ndulue and his wife were in their youth, and Okonkwo regards this as a sign of weakness, even as Obierika and Ofoedu discuss how strong Ndulue was, leading Umuofia to war as a young man. Okonkwo's vision of masculinity is not one that's shared by everyone in the clan.

Does Okonkwo defend the law of the land?

Okonkwo defends this as the law of the land, however, and says it is good that their clan holds the ozo title in high esteem. Okonkwo acknowledges that it's a shame to kill palms, but the value of titles are very important to him, and he's willing to defend the law in order to maintain his status.

What is the theme of Part One of Things Fall Apart?

Part One of Things Fall Apart emphasizes Okonkwo’s coming-of-age and his attempts to distance himself from the disreputable legacy of his father, Unoka. Okonkwo’s tireless efforts and singular drive, along with his local fame as a wrestling champion, go a long way in securing him a place among the titled men of Umuofia.

What is the narrative structure of Things Fall Apart?

The narrative structure of Things Fall Apart follows a cyclical pattern that chronicles Okonkwo’s youth in Umuofia, his seven-year exile in Mbanta, and his eventual return home. Each of the novel’s three parts covers one of these periods of Okonkwo’s life. The novel’s three parts also map onto a gendered narrative structure that follows Okonkwo from fatherland to motherland back to fatherland. This gendered narrative structure functions in counterpoint with Okonkwo’s ongoing obsession with his own masculinity. Despite every attempt to gain status and become an exemplar of traditional Igbo masculinity, Okonkwo suffers from a feeling of relentless emasculation. Okonkwo’s struggle to achieve recognition repeatedly draws him into conflict with his community, eventually leading both to his own downfall and to that of Umuofia and the nine villages.

What is the final act of Okonkwo?

Following another emasculating incident where colonial officers throw Okonkwo and others in jail and set a steep bail, Okonkwo takes an uncompromising position in favor of tradition. His final acts of violence—murder and suicide—cement the novel’s tragedy. This tragedy is, once again, deeply gendered. In the law of Umuofia, an intentional killing constitutes a “masculine” crime. Although Igbo tradition does not explicitly code suicide as a “feminine” crime, killing himself is an unspeakable act that strips Okonkwo of all honor. Thus, his suicide brings a final instance of emasculation, as he will be denied the honor of a proper burial.

Why did Okonkwo bring his machete down?

Despite this warning, a moment of panic ultimately drives Okonkwo to bring his machete down on his surrogate son: “He was afraid of being weak.” At other points in Part One, Okonkwo shows himself quick to anger with his wives and short in patience with his children. His obsession with upward mobility and traditional masculinity tends to alienate others, leaving him in a precarious social position.

Why did Okonkwo retreat?

Exiled for committing a “feminine” (i.e., accidental) crime, Okonkwo retreats from his fatherland to the land of his mother’s kin, a retreat that Okonkwo finds deeply emasculating. This personal sense of emasculation parallels larger cultural and historical changes, as white Christian missionaries begin to infiltrate the lower Niger region, including both Umuofia and Okonkwo’s site of exile, Mbanta. The personal and historical senses of emasculation come to a head when an old friend from Umuofia visits Okonkwo in Mbanta to inform him that his eldest son, Nwoye, has abandoned traditional Igbo beliefs and joined the Christian faith. Realizing that this event constitutes a major rupture in his patrilineal line, Okonkwo disowns Nwoye.

Okonkwo's Rise in Umuofia

The Loss of Children

• Okonkwo’s stewardship of Ikemefuna was always only a temporary arrangement until the village could determine a more suitable role for the boy, but they ultimately decide to have him killed. This decision is communicated to Okonkwo by Ogbuefi Ezeudu, one of the village’s most respected elders, who tells him not to “bear a hand in his death.” When th...

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Exile and Arrival of The Europeans

Return to Umuofia and Undoing