THEMES
When the British arrive, they slowly replace Igbo law and customs with their own. What is the theme being explored
Colonialism — the destruction of Igbo culture.
How would you describe Okonkwo’s relationship with his father, Unoka?
defined entirely by resentment and shame
Who is the author of our book?
Chinua Achebe
This character is described as having "the fire in the eyes" and is haunted by the agbala (womanish) nature of his father, leading him to hide any emotion other than anger.
Okonkwo
"I will not have a son who cannot hold up his head in the gathering of the clan. I would rather strangle him with my own hands."
Okonkwo
Okonkwo refuses to show love, cry or express emotion because he believes these are signs of?
weakness, being feminine
This literary device is used when the narrator refers to the "locusts" descending on the village, subtly hinting at the later arrival of white colonizers.
foreshadowing
What ethnic group is represented?
Igbo
This elder and great warrior warns Okonkwo, "That boy calls you father. Do not bear a hand in his death," a warning that later takes on a prophetic, ghostly significance.
Ogbeuefi
"I shall pay you, but not today."
Unoka
Nwoye converting to Christianity represents this theme the idea that the new world offers something the old world couldn't.
change vs tradition
Achebe doesn’t just use these "wise sayings" for flavor; he uses them to show that the Igbo language is capable of complex, logical thought.
proverbs
The title Things Fall Apart is a literary allusion to "The Second Coming," a famous poem by which Irish writer.
W.B. Yeats
Though he is the "white man’s" representative, this character is respected by the clan for his policy of compromise and his attempts to learn about Igbo culture before his departure.
Mr Brown
"My father, they have killed me!"
Okonkwo beats his wife during the Week of Peace — a sacred time when no violence is allowed. This shows how his personal flaws conflict with this.
Respect for tradition and community values
Is Okonkwo’s greatest enemy the white man, or is it his own "chi"?
while the arrival of the white man is the external catalyst for the story's end, Okonkwo’s greatest enemy is actually his own internal conflict
What is the title of the story the District Commissioner intended to write about the region. Reducing Okonkwo's life to a mere paragraph.
The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger?
This priestess of Agbala is a dual-natured figure; she is a common widow and mother in daily life, but possesses terrifying divine authority when "the spirit" is upon her.
Chielo
"Beware, Okonkwo! Beware of exchanging words with Agbala. Does a man speak when a god speaks?"
Chielo, The Priestess
Fate, personal will, and individual responsibility are captured in this Igbo concept, central to Okonkwo's worldview.
Chi / personal god / fate
Does Okonkwo fit the definition of a "Tragic Hero"? Does he have a moment of realization before he dies, or does he die in denial?
classic example of a Tragic Hero, but with a specifically African context. According to the traditions of tragedy, a hero must be a person of high status who falls because of a specific flaw
Achebe famously defended his choice to write in English against this fellow African author and critic, who argued that African literature should only be written in indigenous languages.
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o
As the "foil" to Mr. Brown, this uncompromising missionary sees the world in black and white and instigates the final conflict by encouraging zealots like Enoch.
Reverend James Smith
"The white man is very clever... He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart."
Obierika