Things Fall Apart

1. Things Fall Apart PREMISES Customs and traditions are undone, partly b/c of the Ibo’s cavalier attitude about the white Christians and also due to the limited views of the whites. Choices, both direct and indirect play a significant role for Okonkwo as well as the tribe. Alienation—How does this evergreen fit in?

2. Things Fall Apart • Okonkwo feels betrayed by his clan that he views as weak and “womanly.” His son, Nwoye, also betrays him by being weak and converting to European Christianity. • Umoufia undergoes a transformation during Okonkwo’s exile from war-like to “woman-like” • The African and European cultures clash • With the arrival of the whites comes evil

3. Chapter 1 • How is Okonkwo characterized and what does this suggest at this point in the novel? • What does the contrast b/w Okonkwo and his father suggest? • P7—Keep an eye on proverbs and draw conclusions about what they mean and the role they play in the MOPAW

4. Chapter 2 • How is Okonkwo depicted within the dynamic of his family? • What is his primary motivation for working as hard as he does? • (Fear of becoming the failure his father was)

5. Chapter 2 • 9—Culturally superstitious • Simple or sophisticated? • 12—Umuofia is feared and powerful w/in its regional culture • 13—The private okonkwo and the roots of his behavior • 14-15—Women and kids as property suggests the simplistic nature of dominationprimitive

6. PROVERBS • 1. A short popular saying, usually of unknown and ancient origin, that expresses effectively some commonplace truth or useful thought; adage; saw. • 2. A wise saying or precept; a didactic sentence. • 3. A person or thing that is commonly regarded as an embodiment or representation of some quality; byword.

7. Example and further explanation: • A proverb is such a saying popularly known and repeated, usually expressing simply and concretely, though often metaphorically, a truth based on common sense or the practical experience of humankind: • “A stitch in time saves nine.” • “It is wise to risk no more than one can afford to lose.”

8. Chapter 3 • Oknokwo meets with Nwakibe and some other men. • Several spoken lines are proverbs • Identify a few of these proverbs and draw conclusions about what they suggest

9. Chapter 3 • Religious faith is very elaborate in Ibo life. • Is it treated as superstition or is it treated like a profound foundation? • How ought we view it: As primitive nonsense or a sophisticated definition of the world beyond the superficial?

10. Chapter 4 • Okonkwo beats his wife during the Week of Peace • Does this suggest that he disregards tradition, that he is violent and impulsive, or that he is self-absorbed? • Please defend a response

11. Chapter 4 • 31—Okonkwo’s pride undermines him in Umuofia • How so? • 32-33—Scolds the boys—this is an outward show of male domination • This obscures his real thoughts

12. Chapter 5+6 • The New Yam Fest • This appears to subvert attention from focus on Okonkwo’s story. • What role does this fest play in the MOPAW • What is a story within a story, a play within a play, a tale within a tale?

13. Chapter 7 • Ikemefuna settles in with Okonkwo • P53-54—How is Nwoye different from Okonkwo? • P57—Ikemefuna must be killed • P61—Okonkwo fears appearing weak

14. Chapter 8 • P63—How is Okonkwo affected internally? • P65—How is Okonkwo being transformed? • Does he understand that he is undergoing a transformation? • P69-74—Obierika arranges son’s marriage

15. Chapter 9 • Ekwefi’s dead spawn • P77—Again we see some sophisticated religious beliefs • How might we view these beliefs—as superstitions, as sophisticated beliefs, or primitive fantasies created by an unrefined culture?

16. Chapter 10 • This chapter introduces the egwugwu • These are tribal elders who wear masks and dress like dead ancestors • They function as a judicial system • What are they judging and what does this suggest about the MOPAW?

17. Chapter 11 • 95-100—Ekwefi’s story of the Tortoise • This is a tale within a tale • This is a folktale or a fable—a story that suggests a lesson or a subject beyond its surface meaning—like an allegory. • What lesson does this tale that appears independent of the novel suggest and how might it tie in with the novel’s themes???

18. Chapter 12 • 110—Obierika’ daughter’s betrothal ceremony • 113—Obierika prepares for the feast

19. Chapter 13 • 121—Ezeudu is dead—Funeral • 124—Okonkwo accidentally shoots a boy • Tradition dictates that he must go into exile for 7 years • This is an action w/o malice that occurs as a matter of course

20. Chapter 13 • Ceremonies in literature are usually incidental scenes and they can represent broader themes of the work beyond what occurs in that scene • As a result of the shooting, Okonkwo must go away • During his exile, missionaries arrive and essentially facilitate destruction of his culture

21. Chapter 13 • When Okonkwo returns and finds Umuofia transformed into a “woman-like” culture he says that would never have happened if he had been there. • Can we view the random shooting as a pivotal event that set the stage for the destruction of his tribe, or not? • Define positions for both perspectives

22. Chapter 14 • This chapter begins Part II • Okonkwo’s Exile with his maternal kinsmen • 133-35—What does Uchendu’s lesson suggest or teach?? • Does Okonkwo internalize this lesson?

23. Chapter 15 • Obierika comes to visit Okonkwo in Mbanta • He tells of white encroachment and the murder of a white colonialist

24. Chapter 16 • Two years have passed and Obierika visits again • He reveals that missionaries have set up churches, conversion, etc. • 143—the nature and extent of conversion • 145—How do the Igbo treat the converts and the missionaries?? • Is it a mistake for them to approach this new element with jest??

25. Chapter 16 • 147—The Igbo interpret the outsiders as though they are mad • Europeans think the natives are lost • Igbo are overtaken not b/c of error or weakness

26. Chapter 16 • They are overtaken b/c imperious self-perception of Europeans who think they are right b/c they don’t understand they are imperious, thus they don’t see the absurdity of their behavior. • How is their behavior absurd???

27. Chapter 17 • 149—Gift of the Evil Forest for the missionaries • Clueless on both sides • 152—Okonkwo beats Nwoye’s ass • He leaves to join the Christians

28. Chapter 17 • 152—Okonkwo doesn’t understand what has happened • b/c of cultural and situational myopia • What does that mean??? • 153—Tragedy of cultural annihilation

29. Chapter 18 • 155—tradition of ostracization perhaps no longer a deterrent • 157—Kiaga raises doubt about Igbo ideas • 158-159—How does Okonkwo continue to see things?? • 161—faith in their own traditions causes the Igbo to respond how??

30. Chapter 18 • 161—How does their faith in their own traditions cause the Igbo to respond?? • What effect does this have?? • What does it prevent??

31. Chapter 19 • 162—What continues to frustrate Okonkwo? • What do you think Achebe is suggesting with the dichotomy of the feminine motherland and Okonkwo’s idea of the manly Umuofia??? • 167—fragmentation and devolvment

32. Chapter 20 • Part III deals with Okonkwo’s return to his fatherland that has in his view become weak • 174—The influence of the colonialists • What is the nature of the District Commissioner??? • 176—Black denizes of Umuofia are helping to overturn their own traditions

33. Chapter 20 • What allowed the colonialists to convert the natives and destroy the cohesion of the clan???

34. Chapter 21 • 178—What other than religion did the colonialists bring to Umuofia??? • What impact did this have on the natives?? • 181—Mr. Brown Strategizes • What does he resolve to do?? • 182—How has Umuofia transformed itself during Okonkwo’s absence??

35. Chapter 22 • 184—Rev. Smith is Mr. B+W • 188-91—The revolt against the colonialists • 191, second to last para—What wisdom does this suggest???

36. Chapter 23 • 6 Umuofia men go to the Commission • 194—How is the Commission’s view limited?? • 197—What does the treatment of the 6 men suggest about the intentions of the colonialists???

37. Chapter 24 • 198—How are the 6 men treated upon the payment of their fine??? • 200—Full nature of change • Viewed simplistically through masculinity • 203—What is the nature of the cultural tragedy?? • 204-05—Why don’t the Umuofians kill all the messengers as they would have done in the past??

38. Chapter 25 • 207—Okonkwo is found dead. • 208—Why did Okonkwo do what he did?? • “The Commissioner went away…” • Brutal Irony

39. “If you didn’t have those ideas then we would not have these problems.” • A line paraphrased from the German film The Tunnel • A line spoken by a Stasi agent to a man leading an escape from East Germany

40. What does the agent not understand? • What is the inherent problem with the agent’s thought? • How does this apply to Things Fall Apart?