Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe

1. Things Fall ApartBy Chinua Achebe

3. The Continent of Africa

4. Things Fall Apartby Chinua Achebe Why is it such an important book? • Things Fall Apart is considered to be the first truly African novel written in English – other novels in English about Africa up until this point were from a white, colonial perspective

5. Colonialism: • The exploitation by a stronger nation of a weaker one and the use of a weaker country’s resources to strengthen and enrich the stronger country. • Until only recently, Great Britain (England) was one of the most dominant colonial powers in the world.

6. “The Sun Never Sets on the British Empire”

7. Former British Colonies: • The United States • Africa (multiple nations) • India • Hong Kong • Australia

8. British Colonial Power

9. Other Colonial Powers • France • Spain • Portugal • The Netherlands

10. Allusion: • An allusion is a reference to a person, place, event or work of literature. • Allusions are usually made to well-known subjects – the Bible, mythology, history, etc.

11. Examples of Allusions: • A Herculean task (a difficult task) is an allusion to Hercules from Greek myth. • The brand Nike is an allusion to the Greek goddess of victory. • The title Things Fall Apart is an allusion to the poem The Second Coming by WB Yeats

12. Things Fall Apartby Chinua Achebe • The novel is published in 1959, but takes place during the 1890s • The novel paints a picture of pre-colonial Nigeria and the effects of British colonial power on a particular tribe: the Ibo • The story centers around Okonkwo, a strong village leader of the Ibo tribe, and his family.

13. Nigeria

15. Wrestling in Nigeria

16. Proverbs • A proverb is a short saying that expresses a cultural wisdom or a truth • It is better to give than to receive • Don’t judge a book by its cover • Truth is stranger than fiction • Blood is thicker than water • “Proverbs are the palm oil with which words are eaten”

17. Foreshadowing • Foreshadowing in literature is a hint of something that is to come in the future • At the end of Chapter 1, it is foreshadowed that a boy will come to live with Okonkwo and that the boy, Ikemefuna is doomed

19. Chapter One • Okonkwo becomes famous by beating an undefeated wrestler when he is only 18 • He is a huge, impatient man with a short temper • Unoka was Okonkwo’s father • He was a lazy man who owed a lot of money and could not provide for his family

20. The Raffia Palm

21. Chapter 2 Vocabulary • Ultimatum - A statement, especially in diplomatic negotiations, that expresses or implies the threat of serious penalties if the terms are not accepted. • Emissary - a representative sent on a mission or errand • Orator - An eloquent and skilled public speaker

22. Societal Organization

23. Chapter Two • A woman from Umuofia has been killed in the neighboring village of Mbaino • Since Mbaino does not want to go to war with Umuofia, they instead sacrifice to Umuofia 2 people: a young girl to take the place of the murdered woman and a young boy • The young boy, Ikemefuna, goes to live with Okonkwo’s family although he belongs to the village

24. Ch. 2 Key Points: • Okonkwo is deeply afraid of being thought of as like his father. He therefore hates anything connected with Unoka • Okonkwo fears that his son Nwoye might be becoming like Unoka • Okonkwo is very strict and rules his household with an iron fist

26. A Modern Yam Barn

27. Yam Barn and Small Field

28. Building the Red Earth Walls

29. An Ibo Hut (1)

30. An Ibo Hut (2)

31. An Ibo Hut (3)

32. Okonkwo’s Compound

33. Chapter 3 Vocabulary • Oracle - A shrine considered to be the source of wisdom or prophetic opinions. • Prophesy - to declare or foretell by or as if by divine (godly) inspiration. • Share-Cropping - A system of dividing a crop into shares — in this case 3 -two for the landowner and one for the worker.

34. Chapter Three • Chapter 3 goes back in time to when Okonkwo was a young boy and then jumps to Okonkwo beginning his first farm • Unoka was a lazy farmer and left Okonkwo no barn, title or wife when he died • Unoka died a shameful death and was not buried like the others • Okonkwo was very ashamed of his father’s life and death

35. Chapter Three cont. • Okonkwo begins as a share-cropper for Nwakibie, a very wealthy man who trusts Okonkwo’s work ethic • The year Okonkwo began his farm was terrible – first a drought, then a flood • He believes that since he survived that year, he can survive anything

36. Writing About Literature • When we write about literature in English class, it is necessary to use examples from the reading in the form of quotations. • Quotations are used to prove that what we say in our own writing is true.

37. Example of using a Quotation: Okonkwo’s father Unoka was a very lazy man who didn’t like to work. When Unoka asked the Oracle why he always had a bad harvest, the Oracle told him to “go home and work like a man.”

39. Chapter Four • Okonkwo becomes a lord of the clan through hard work, not luck, but he is mean to unsuccessful men • Ikemefuna was very homesick when he first came to Okonkwo’s compound • Ikemefuna becomes very popular in the household and all the other children look up to him • Okonkwo is fond of Ikemefuna (inwardly)

40. Chapter Four cont. • Okonkwo breaks the Week of Peace by beating his wife, Ojiugo and is forced by the priest to make sacrifices • Okonkwo is tough on Nwoye, but (inwardly) knows that he is only a boy • Nwoye and Ikemefuna become very close – like brothers

41. Chapter Five • The NewYamFestival is the celebration of a new year for the people of Umuofia and a major holiday • Ikemefuna is respected by all Okonkwo’s children • Ekwefi’s daughter Ezinma is a beautiful, outgoing and hard working child whom Okonkwo is very fond of

42. Chapter Six • The people of Umuofia take the wrestling match of the festival very seriously • The match begins with the youngest wrestlers and progresses to the strongest men • Ekwefi meets Chielo, her friend and the priestess of the AgbalaOracle • Chielo asks about Ezinma’shealth, suggesting that she had been very ill

43. Locusts • Locusts in Africa

44. Chapter Seven • Ikemefuna’s example makes Nwoye want to work hard to please Okonkwo, and it does please him, but Nwoye inwardly misses his “old self” • The locusts come to Umuofia and provide a rare and exciting snack • Ogbuefi Ezeudu comes to tell Okonkwo that it is time for Ikemefuna to be killed, but that Okonkwo should have “no hand in his death”

45. Chapter Seven, cont. • Okonkwo ignores Ezeudu’s advice, goes along on the sacrifice and kills Ikemefuna because he was afraid of being thought weak • Nwoye senses that something is fundamentally wrong with the killing of the innocent, like Ikemefuna and twins

46. What is your reaction to Okonkwo as a person? Why?

47. Chapter Eight • Although he says nothing, Okonkwo is clearly very upset about the death of Ikemefuna: he can’t sleep or eat and he drinks heavily • In order to deal with the sadness, he convinces himself that it was a manly thing to do – he denies that he did anything wrong • We learn that Okonkwo wishes his daughter, Ezinma were a boy

48. Chapter Eight, cont. • Okonkwo’s friend Obierika tells him that he should not have gone along on the sacrifice • The deaths of Ndulue and Ozoemena: Okonkwo should learn from the story that a man can be a proud warrior AND a gentle, loving person. He doesn’t learn this important lesson. • Settling a bride-price is an organized and meaningful practice

49. Chapter Nine • Chapter nine goes back in time to explain Ekwefi’s difficulty bearing children • We learn Ibo superstitions regarding infant mortality (death) • We see how clever Ezinma is

50. Chapter Nine • Ezinma develops a fever and Okonkwo rushes to help her – we see his love for her • We learn that Ekwefi has had 10 children and Ezinma is the only survivor • Ekwefi and Ezinma have a very close relationship • They tried various solutions from medicine men – like the digging up of Ezinma’s iyi-uwa