Characters
He is the novel’s protagonist, known for his strength, temper, and fear of appearing weak like his father.
Who is Okonkwo?
The crop Okonkwo farms which is central to his status and success.
What is “the yam” (or: What is the king of crops / man’s crop / yam as a symbol of masculinity)?
The personal tragedy in Okonkwo’s youth that contributed to his hatred of weakness.
What is his father’s failure/unreliability?
This personal spiritual guardian, similar to a guardian angel, follows an individual throughout life and can be benevolent or malignant.
What is chi?
This recurring theme explores Okonkwo’s fear of appearing weak and drives many of his aggressive choices.
What is fear of weakness (or What is the fear of resembling one’s father)?
Okonkwo’s father, remembered for his improvidence, musical skill, and love of storytelling.
Who is Unoka?
The ceremony that marks the harvest and honors the earth goddess Ani.
What is the New Yam Festival?
The competition Okonkwo won repeatedly in his youth that earned him fame and pride.
What is Okonkwo’s wrestling victory over Amalinze the Cat?
This ritual action—performed with libation, kola, or animal sacrifice—seeks to appease spirits or ancestors and restore harmony after misfortune.
What is a sacrifice (or libation/propitiation)?
This theme examines the tension between long‑standing customs and new influences that challenge social order.
What is tradition versus change?
The wealthy man who lent Okonkwo yams early in his career, enabling Okonkwo to become a successful farmer.
Who is Nwakibie?
A ritual performed at gatherings, marriage negotiations, and to honor guests
What is the kola nut ceremony?
The reason Okonkwo is exiled from Umuofia for seven years.
What is accidental manslaughter (the killing of a clansman) leading to exile? (or: What is the killing at the funeral—Okonkwo kills a clansman and is exiled?
This earth goddess, guardian of fertility and morality, had shrines in every lineage and whose priestesses presided over matters of birth, death, and crimes against the earth.
Who is Ani?
This idea—expressed through proverbs, rituals, and kinship—shows how communal responsibility and reputation shape individual behavior.
What is collective/community identity (or What is social obligation and reputation)?
Okonkwo’s second wife, formerly the village beauty who followed him after leaving another marriage; mother of Ezinma.
Who is Ekwefi?
The title for the masked ancestral spirits who adjudicate and perform in ceremonies.
What are the egwugwu?
The sign from Chielo (the priestess) that frightens Ekwefi and shows the power of the oracle.
What is Chielo taking Ezinma to the oracle (showing the priestess’s power)?
This supreme being, believed to live far away in the sky and to be the origin of all things, is central to Igbo faith though rarely represented with a shrine.
Who is Chukwu?
Demonstrated by Ikemefuna’s fate and other events, this theme highlights unintended consequences and moral complexity of decisions made by leaders.
What is tragedy / unintended consequences of authority?
The priestess of Agbala who is also a close friend of Ekwefi and who carries Ezinma to the oracle.
Who is Chielo?
The type of money exchanged during bride and yam negotiations
The place where Okonkwo was exiled
What is Mbanta?
This spirit figure, described as an adversary who tempts people to do evil and can cause strange misfortune, functions as a moral and supernatural antagonist.
Who is Ekwensu?
Illustrated by titles, yam wealth, and public ceremonies, this theme concerns how masculinity and success are measured in Umuofia.
What is cultural definitions of masculinity and status (or What is honor and social prestige)?