Characters
The main character and strong Igbo warrior.
Okonkwo
The village where Okonkwo lives.
Umuofia
A theme about male strength and fear of weakness.
masculinity
The Igbo word for a masked spirit.
an egwugwu
The group that brings Christianity to Umuofia.
missionaries
Okonkwo's lazy father who brought shame to the family.
Unoka
The village where Okonkwo lives.
He accidentally killed a boy
A theme about the loss of culture and change.
colonization or tradition vs. change
The crop that shows a man's success.
yam
The man who leads the missionaries in Mbanta.
Mr.brown
The boy from another village raised by Okonkwo's family.
Ikemefuna
What Okonkwo hopes Nwoye will become.
Traditional man like him
The role of storytelling and oral tradition shows this theme.
power of language or culture
What the Week of Peace honors.
respect for the gods before planting
The more strict and harsh missionary that replaces Mr. Brown.
Reverend Smith
Okonkwo's close friend who often gives advice.
Obierika
What happens when the missionaries arrive.
they build a church and convert some villagers?)
This theme shows how family and community affect identity.
family and society
What chi means in Igbo belief.
personal god or destiny
The British government's court messengers are also called this.
kotma
Okonkwo's son who turns to Christianity.
Nwoye
The way Okonkwo dies.
he hangs himself
The title "Things Fall Apart" suggests this theme.
destruction or breakdown of a way of life
What happens at the Feast of the New Yam
people celebrate the harvest and thank the gods
What Okonkwo does when the village refuses to fight the white men.
He kill’s himself