Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Things Fall Apart by Chinua AchebeSlide2

Chinua Achebe - GoodreadsChinua Achebe was a novelist, poet, professor at Brown University and critic. He is best known for his first novel, Things Fall Apart (1958), which is the most widely read book in modern African literature

.

Raised by Christian parents in the Igbo town of

Ogidi

in southeastern Nigeria, Achebe excelled at school and won a scholarship for undergraduate studies. He became fascinated with world religions and traditional African cultures, and began writing stories as a university student. After graduation, he worked for the Nigerian Broadcasting Service and soon moved to the metropolis of Lagos. He gained worldwide attention for Things Fall Apart in the late 1950s; his later novels include No Longer at Ease (1960), Arrow of God (1964), A Man of the People (1966), and Anthills of the Savannah (1987). Achebe writes his novels in English and has defended the use of English, a "language of colonizers", in African literature. In 1975, his lecture An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad's "Heart of Darkness" became the focus of controversy, for its criticism of Joseph Conrad as "a bloody racist

"Slide3

When the region of Biafra broke away from Nigeria in 1967, Achebe became a devoted supporter of

Biafran

independence and served as ambassador for the people of the new nation. The war ravaged the populace, and as starvation and violence took its toll, he appealed to the people of Europe and the Americas for aid. When the Nigerian government retook the region in 1970, he involved himself in political parties but soon resigned due to frustration over the corruption and elitism he witnessed. He lived in the United States for several years in the 1970s, and returned to the U.S. in 1990 after a car accident left him partially disabled.

Achebe's novels focus on the traditions of Igbo society, the effect of Christian influences, and the clash of values during and after the colonial era. His style relied heavily on the Igbo oral tradition, and combines straightforward narration with representations of folk stories, proverbs, and oratory. He also published a number of short stories, children's books, and essay collections. He became the David and Marianna Fisher University Professor and Professor of Africana Studies at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, United States.

Achebe died in 2013 at age 82 following a brief illness.Slide4

Introduction by: Lame Maatla Kenalemang

From her essay “Things

Fall Apart: An Analysis of Pre and Post-Colonial Igbo

Society” Slide5

Chinua

Achebe (1930- 2013) published his first novel

Things Fall Apart

(TFA) in 1958. Achebe wrote

TFA

in response to European novels that depicted Africans as savages

who

needed to be enlightened by the Europeans.

Achebe

presents to the reader his people’s history with both strengths and imperfections by describing for example, Igbo festivals, the worship of their gods and the practices in their ritual ceremonies, their rich culture and other social practices, the colonial era that was both stopping Igbo culture and also brought in some benefits to their culture.

TFA

therefore directs the misleading of European novels that depict Africans as savages into a whole new light with its portrayal of Igbo society, and examines the effects of European colonialism on Igbo society from an African perspective

. Slide6

The

setting of the novel is in the outskirts of Nigeria in a small fictional village,

Umuofia,

just before the arrival of white missionaries into their land. Due to the unexpected arrival of white missionaries in Umuofia, the villagers do not know how to react to the sudden cultural changes that the missionaries threaten to change with their new political structure and institutions.

Towards the end of the nineteenth century most European states migrated to Africa and other parts of the world where they established colonies. Nigeria was amongst other African nations that received visitors who were on a

colonising

mission; introducing their religion and culture that is later imposed on Igbo.

The

culture of the people of Umuofia (Igbo culture) is immensely threatened by this change. Slide7

Achebe’s primary purpose

for

writing the novel is

to

educate his readers about

the value of his culture as an African

.

Things Fall Apart

provides readers

with

insight

into

Igbo society right before the white missionaries’ invasion on their land. The invasion of the

colonising

force threatens to change almost every aspect of Igbo society; from religion, traditional gender roles and relations, family structure to trade.

Consequently, Achebe blames the white missionaries’ colonial rule and/or invasion for the post-colonial oppressed Igbo culture; this oppression can be seen in terms of the oppressed social coherence between the individual and their society. Furthermore, Achebe educates readers extensively about Igbo society’s myths and proverbs. Slide8

Before Achebe wrote

Things Fall Apart

, all the novels that had been written about Africa and Africans were written by Europeans. Mostly, the European writings described Africans as

uncivilised

and uneducated persons. The Europeans, seeing that they thought of themselves as more advanced than Africans, were determined to

“help”

Africans shift from the old era into the modern era of

civilisation

and education.

Heart of Darkness

, for instance, by Joseph Conrad was one of the most read novels around the time of its publication in 1899. Conrad described Africa as a “wild, ‘dark’, and

uncivilised

continent” (

Sickels

1). Following Conrad’s novel in 1952 was

Mister Johnson

, a novel by Joyce Cary. Like

Heart of Darkness

,

Mister Johnson

was also quite a popular read;

its

reviews suggest it was a more popular read than Heart of Darkness. According to

Sickels

,

Mister Johnson

, describes the novel’s protagonist

Mr

Johnson generally as a “childish, semi- educated African who reinforces colonialist stereotypes about Africa” (1). Slide9

Based on the descriptions of Africa and its people by both Conrad and Cary, it comes as no surprise that Achebe and other African writers began to emerge and tell their story of Africa and its people. Not only were Conrad and Cary’s novels a misrepresentation of Africa, they were also humiliating to its people. It is through the insights of

Things Fall Apart

that the world became more appreciative of Africa and its people and at the same time the truth surrounding the stereotypical ideas that once existed about Africa began to appear in a much clearer light. Slide10

Colonialism and Post Colonialism

Colonialism

as defined by OED refers to “the policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically”. Therefore, post-colonialism is sometimes assumed to refer to “after colonialism” or “after-independence” (Ashcroft et al. 12) describing the wide range of social, cultural and political events arising specifically from the decline and fall of European colonialism that took place after World War II (McEwan 18).

Post-colonialism expresses the opposite idea of colonialism. Hence, post-colonialism literature is a consequence of colonialism. Through literature we understand the primary focus of Achebe’s

Things Fall Apart

: a novel written by an individual who grew up under colonial rule in response to the effects of colonialism on his culture, Achebe writes back at the writings of European writers and the misrepresentation of Africa in their

writings.Slide11

One scholar has suggested that although most countries have gained independence from their

colonisers

, they are still indirectly subjected in one way or another to the forms of neo- colonial domination (Ashcroft et al. 2).

[

The essence of neo-colonialism is that the State which is subject to it is, in theory, independent and has all the outward trappings of international sovereignty. In reality its economic system and thus its political policy is directed from

outside].

Post-colonialism

continues to be a process of hostility and reform.

Post-colonial

literature does not show the

colonised

as victims of colonialism, but

rather it shows that they are confused about their sense of belonging

.

Most

colonised

individuals do not know whether to follow their own culture or the culture of the

coloniser

.

Because of this they find themselves combining some of the elements of the two different cultures which make them move back and forth in between their present and past lives, hence their confused sense of belonging. This back and forth movement in most instances leads to a miscommunication that can be meaningful. Slide12

SettingSlide13

Igboland

The

Igbo people

, are an indigenous linguistic and cultural people of southern Nigeria. The Igbo homeland is divided into two sections by the Niger River (East and West).

Umuofia and

Mbanta

are 2 of the 9 fictional Villages made up of the Igbo people in

Things Fall Apart

Nigeria

is located

on

the west coast of

Africa.

More than two hundred ethnic groups — each with its own language, beliefs, and culture — live in present-day Nigeria. The largest ethnic groups are the mostly Protestant Yoruba in the west, the Catholic Igbo in the east, and the predominantly Muslim Hausa-Fulani in the north. This diversity of peoples is the result of thousands of years of history; as traders, nomads, and refugees from invaders and climatic changes came to settle with the indigenous population, and as foreign nations became aware of the area's resources.

The events in

Things Fall Apart

take place at the end of the nineteenth century and in the early part of the twentieth century. Although the British did not occupy most of Nigeria until 1904, they had a strong presence in West Africa since the early nineteenth century. The British were a major buyer of African slaves in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.Slide14

Things Fall Apart: QuestionsSlide15

Chapter 1

How does 18 year old Okonkwo bring

honour

to his village?

When Okonkwo is angry and cannot speak because of his stutter, how does he get his point across?

Who is Okonkwo’s father? Describe him.

Explain why Okonkwo does not have any patience with his father.

Why does

Unoka’s

neighbour

, Okoye, visit him? How does

Unoka

react?

Unoka

changes the topic to music when Okoye is talking to him about war. Why might this be?

The Ibo people consider conversation to be very important. What form of conversation do they regard most highly? Explain.

Why is Okonkwo considered one of the greatest men of his time?Slide16

Worth mentioningPalm Oil:

“Among

the Ibo the art of conversation is regarded very highly, and proverbs are the palm-oil with which words are

eaten” (7).

Language is very important in Igbo culture and taking one’s time with it demonstrates respect. Instead of Okoye just demanding that

Unoka

give him his money, he takes his time using proverbs to get to his point. On the other hand, once Okoye asks for his money,

Unoka

laughs at him which is disrespectful. Think about what this says about

Unoka’s

character.

is a type of edible vegetable oil that is derived from the palm fruit, grown on the African oil palm tree. Oil palms are originally from Western Africa, but can flourish wherever heat and rainfall are abundant. Today, palm oil is grown throughout Africa, Asia, North America, and South

America.Slide17

Palm OilSlide18

Proverbs

A proverb is defined as a “condensed but memorable saying embodying some important fact of experience that is taken as true by many people” (“Proverb,” Advanced English Dictionary and Thesaurus). According to “

Akporobaro

,

a proverb is a brief common statement that is usually adopted by cultures to teach its people about the principles of right and wrong using as few words as possible. He goes further to describe it as a means by which ideas can be vividly expressed and illustrated” (

Alimi

124).

Most of the text in Achebe’s

Things Fall Apart

chiefly features in the use and explanations of the complicated Igbo myths and proverbs that the Europeans fail to acknowledge. Throughout the novel Achebe craftily uses his characters to speak in proverbs when they address one another. The use of proverbs is very important in conversations as the Igbo believe them to be a fountain of wisdom and of respect.

From the onset of the novel Achebe makes readers aware of the importance of proverbs in conversation. When Okoye pays

Unoka

a visit to ask him to settle his debt, and although

Unoka

is late with the payment, Okoye does not lash out at

Unoka

about his overdue debt. Rather, the

neighbours

share a kola nut, give thanks unto the ancestors and then go on to discuss the debt by speaking in proverbs (3). This maintains good relations between the two

neighbours

even though they are discussing such an issue that usually causes conflicts between people.

-

KenalemangSlide19

Kola NutThe kola nut is the fruit of the kola tree, a genus of trees that are native to the tropical rainforests of Africa. The caffeine-containing fruit of the tree is used as a flavoring ingredient in

beverages – WikipediaSlide20

When a host invites someone into their home the kola nut is broken and eaten. It is a symbol of hospitality and respect:

“I have kola,” he announced when he sat down, and passed the disc over to his guest.

“Thank you. He who brings kola brings life” (6).Slide21

Chapter 2What is used to inform all the men of the Umuofia to meet in the market place the following morning?

What do the people of Umuofia fear in the night? Why?

What souvenir from war did Okonkwo drink palm-wine from?

What exactly is the emergency that the great orator announces at the market place? What ultimatum is dispatched to

Mbaino

as a consequence for what occurred?

Explain why Umuofia is feared by all its

neighbours

.

Okonkwo of Umuofia is the emissary of war to

Mbaino

. What does

Mbaino

give him as an offering?Slide22

Chapter 2 continuedWhat are the things that Okonkwo fears most?

What is the one passion that rules Okonkwo’s life?

Why is Okonkwo’s son,

Nwoye

, causing him great anxiety?

How does

Ikemefuna

react to living with Okonkwo?Slide23

Chapter 3

Under what circumstances will the people of Umuofia consult

Agbala

, the Oracle of the Hills and Caves? Where does

Agbala

live?

What reply did

Agbala

give when

Unoka

consulted him about why “he always had a miserable harvest”(16)?

What is the shameful death

Unoka

endures?

Who is the first man Okonkwo works for as a share-cropper?

What does Okonkwo bring with him to share with the wealthy

Nwakibie

and his family before asking for yam seeds and share cropping privileges?

Anasi

is

Nwakibie’s

first wife, which makes her the ruler over his other wives and the only one who can wear his titles. What are the titles worn by

Anasi

?Slide24

Chapter 3 continuedWhy does

Nwakibie

trust Okonkwo to farm his yam seeds?

What is the only way a young man can build a barn of his own if his father has no yams?

How is the weather during Okonkwo’s first share-cropping season growing for

Nwakibie

?

Which crops are considered women’s crops by the people of Umuofia?

How does Okonkwo react to the disastrous growing season that destroys all his yams and the yams of his people?Slide25

Chapter 4 Why did an old man say: “Looking at a king’s mouth, one would think he never sucked at his mother’s breast” (26) when referring to Okonkwo?

“Okonkwo knew how to kill a man’s spirit” (26) – Why does Okonkwo insult

Osugo

at a meeting by calling him a woman?

Achebe writes that “when a man says yes, his chi says yes also” (27). Explain the concept of a “

chi”

.

How long is

Ikemefuna

in Okonkwo’s care? Did

Ikemefuna

adjust quickly? How does Okonkwo treat him? His wife? Explain.

How does

Ikemefuna

feel after 3 weeks of illness? How does Okonkwo feel about

Ikemefuna

after his

i

llness?Slide26

Chapter 4 continued

Why does Okonkwo beat his second wife,

Ojiugo

, during the Week of Peace? Why do the people of Umuofia observe the Week of Peace?

What was Okonkwo’s punishment for committing a “nso-ani” during the week of peace? The punishment for breaking the sacred peace changes through the years. What happened to a man that broke the Week of Peace in the past?

What is the custom in the village of

Obodoani

if a man dies during the Week of Peace?

What does every man and his family do after the Week of Peace?

What are the women’s duties after the yams are planted?

During the rainy season, how do the people of the village pass the time?Slide27

Chapter 5

Explain the Feast of the New Yam. Why do men and women look forward to the Feast of the New Yam?

How do men and women prepare for it? Children?

What drives Okonkwo into a fit of rage on the first day of the festival? How does he expel his rage?

What kind of influence does

Ikemefuna

now have on his siblings?

What is the significance of the beating of drums in the village playground, the

ilo

, where all the great ceremonies and dances of the village take place?

Ezinma

offers to bring

Okonkowo’s

chair to the wrestling match for him. Why does he say no?Slide28

Chapter 6Why is the big, ancient, silk-cotton tree in the playground considered sacred?

Who is Chielo and why is she important?

Speaking to

Ekwefi

, Chielo says of

Ezinma

, “I think she will stay. They usually stay if they do not die before the age of six” (48). What might they be talking about?Slide29

Chapter 7

What hopes does Okonkwo have for his son,

Nwoye

?

Achebe describes the arrival of locusts as, “They settled on every tree and on every blade of grass; they settled on the roofs and covered the bare ground. Mighty tree branches broke away under them

… (56). What could the locusts be foreshadowing

?

Okonkwo is sitting in his

obi

with

Ikemefuna

and

Nwoye

, eating dried locusts, when

Ogbuefi

Ezeudu

come with a message. What is the message?

After speaking with the elders of the nine villages, what does Okonkwo tell

Ikemefuna

about what is going to happen to him?

Okonkwo and the men of Umuofia take

Ikemefuna

deep into the forest and kill him with machetes. Who gives the final blow and why?

What happens to twins born in Umuofia?Slide30

LocustsSlide31

Locusts in the bible Exodus 10:3 - 15So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, “This is what the

Lord

, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, so that they may worship me.

4 

If you refuse to let them go, I will bring locusts into your country tomorrow.

5 

They will cover the face of the ground so that it cannot be seen. They will devour what little you have left after the hail, including every tree that is growing in your fields.

6 

They will fill your houses and those of all your officials and all the Egyptians—something neither your parents nor your ancestors have ever seen from the day they settled in this land till now.’” Then Moses turned and left Pharaoh.Slide32

So Moses stretched out his staff over Egypt, and the

Lord

made an east wind blow across the land all that day and all that night. By morning the wind had brought the locusts;

14 

they invaded all Egypt and settled down in every area of the country in great numbers. Never before had there been such a plague of locusts, nor will there ever be again.

15 

They covered all the ground until it was black. They devoured all that was left after the hail—everything growing in the fields and the fruit on the trees. Nothing green remained on tree or plant in all the land of Egypt.Slide33

Locusts – Kimberley MeyersLocusts are large, flying grasshoppers. They are usually found on their own, but periodically, population explosions cause locusts to migrate in swarms. These swarms can cause severe damage to crops as the

locusts

land and eat the

vegetation.

Depending on your familiarity with the Bible, you might know that swarming locusts are described as one of the twelve plagues the Bible says were set against Egypt when Pharaoh refused to let the Hebrew slaves go free. In the Bible and other texts, locusts are often associated with destruction and

famine.Slide34

Literal Locusts

In

Things Fall Apart

, Achebe uses a swarm of locusts on both literal and allegorical levels. On the literal level, an actual swarm of locusts descends on

Umuofia

. The villagers are just living life as usual when it happens. 'In this way the moons and the seasons passed. And then the locusts came.'

The insects give no warning, they just arrive suddenly, from where exactly, no one knows. This phenomenon is met with delight. Most of the villagers have never seen a locust swarm; they've only heard stories from the elders. Locust swarms tend to arrive suddenly and then disappear for years upon end.

Even though locusts' eating abilities are well known by the villagers, there isn't alarm. The harvest is over, and there is enough for the people to eat. The locusts eat up the wild grasses, and the villagers actually eat the locusts! Because of their rarity, the locusts are quite the delicacy.

So, that's the literal level--what about the allegorical one? Despite the seemingly harmless nature of this event, it

foreshadows

, or warns, of a future event that doesn't turn out to be so harmless. This foreshadowing helps move the plot forward and create anticipation in the reader's mindSlide35

Allegorical LocustsAn allegory

is a literary device that conveys meaning through symbolic figures, objects, imagery, or events. In other words, allegory figuratively treats one subject through the inclusion of another subject. In

Things Fall Apart

, the locusts are an allegorical representation of the white missionaries that are about to descend on the village.

The locust swarm seems to come out of nowhere. The village is basked in a 'hazy feeling of sleep,' but then 'suddenly a shadow fell on the world...'At first, a fairly small swarm came. They were the harbingers sent to survey the land. And then appeared on the horizon a slowly-moving mass like a boundless sheet of black cloud drifting towards

Umuofia

.Slide36

Allegorical Locusts continuedSimilarly, the white missionaries appear out of nowhere, and they too show up in small numbers. A solitary white man is the first 'locust' to arrive and survey the land. No one in the tribe had ever seen a white man like this, and they consult their oracle. It tells them 'that the strange man would break their clan and spread destruction among them.' This doom and gloom prophecy sounds a lot like the destruction that is often associated with swarming locusts themselves.

The oracle actually uses the word 'locusts' to describe the arriving white men. 'They were locusts, it said, and that first man was their harbinger sent to explore the terrain. And so they killed him.' Notice the repetition of the word 'harbinger', too. Achebe doesn't want the reader to miss the allegorical connection that he's creating between the locusts and the missionariesSlide37

Chapter 8

How does Okonkwo act for two days after

Ikemefuna’s

death?

What did Okonkwo tell himself about his part in

Ikemefuna’s

death.

Why did

Obierika

say that Okonkwo should not have had a part in

Ikemefuna’s

death?

How does Okonkwo speak highly of

Ezinma

in this chapter?

Describe the meeting to determine

Obierika’s

daughter’s bride price.

Explain the significance of the conversation the men had about foreign customs.

How do they describe men, who they say are “white like this piece of chalk” (74)?Slide38

Chapter 9

Ekwefi

wakes Okonkwo early in the morning pounding on his door. What is she anxious to tell him?

Nine out of ten of

Ekwefi’s

children die in infancy. After the second death, Okonkwo goes to the medicine man to find out why this is happening. What explanation does the diviner give?

Describe the burial of

Ekwefi’s

third child and the reason for it.

Explain the concept of an

ogbanje

.

What does the medicine man dig up from under the orange tree that makes people believe that

Ezinma

will live to adulthood?

How does Okonkwo cure

Ezinma’s

iba

?Slide39

Chapter 10Describe the communal ceremony.

What appears out of the 

egwugwu

house? What IS an 

egwugwu

?

What does the law state in

Umuofia

if a woman runs away from her husband

?

What

is

the decision of the 

egwugwu

after hearing the case for

Mgbafo's

family against

Uzowulu

?Slide40

Chapter 11What is the significance of the story of the birds and the turtle?

What did

Chielo

want

?

What did

Ekwefi

do? Okonkwo?Slide41

Chapter 12Okonkwo's

friend,

Obierika

, is celebrating his daughter's

uri

. What is the purpose of a

uri

ceremony

?

What is the significance in the amount of wine the family brought?Slide42

Chapter 13Describe Ezeudu's

funeral

.

How did the author describe

the

man's life

?

What happened during the frenzy

?

What was the result of Okonkwo's action

?

What was the reason for the

clan's

actions against Okonkwo

?

What did

Obierika

think about after this calamity and what was the conclusion?Slide43

Part 1 ReviewIn your groups, review your assigned questions.

Break your questions down to be sure you address each part.

As you begin to answer your questions, be sure to support your opinion by referring back to the text.

Create a PowerPoint or Prezi presentation as you will be going through your questions and answers with the class (about 15 minutes).

Send the presentation to me at

melanie.riley@peelsb.com

so that I can post it to the

Weebly

.Slide44

Things Fall Apart Part 2 QuestionsSlide45

Chapter 14Where does Okonkwo take his family to live?

How does Okonkwo feel about his circumstances?

Why does

Uchendu

feel pressed to speak with Okonkwo about the concept of “

Nneka

”. Explain the significance of “Mother is Supreme”.Slide46

Chapter 15Who comes to visit Okonkwo two years later?

Briefly retell the story of destruction of

Abame

.

What was

Obierika’s

reaction to the story?Slide47

Story of Abame

“A real-life

tragedy at the community of

Ahiara

serves as the historical model for the massacre of the village of

Abame

in Chapter 15 of

Things Fall Apart

.

On November 16, 1905, a white man rode his bicycle into

Ahiara

and was killed by the natives. A month later, an expedition of British forces searched the villages in the area and killed many natives in reprisal.

The

Ahiara

incident led to the

Bende

-Onitsha Hinterland Expedition, a force created to eliminate Igbo opposition. The British destroyed the powerful

Awka

Oracle and killed all opposing Igbo groups. In 1912, the British instituted the Collective Punishment Ordinance, which stipulated punishment against an entire village or community for crimes committed by one or more persons against the white colonialists

.”Slide48

Foreshadowing “That not will be enough,” said Okonkwo.

“Then kill yourself,” said

Obierika

.Slide49

Chapter 16What event does Obierika

describe two years later on his next visit?

Who does

Obierika

find among the among the missionaries?

What was the iron horse?Slide50

NwoyeThe poetry of new religion

The “hymn about brothers” –

Ikemefuna

, twins

“He felt a relief within as the hymn poured into his parched soul. The words of the hymn were like

drops of frozen rain melting

on the dry palate of the panting earth” (147).

Contrast between Okonkwo and his sonSlide51

Things are named in this chapterMissionaries

Black men

White men

Not as many proverbs and stories – the tone changes as does the mood. Slide52

Chapter 17Where did the missionaries in Mbanta

build their church? Why were they given that particular piece of land? What happened to them?

What was it about

Nwoye’s

actions that disturbed Okonkwo so much?Slide53

Okonkwo, the “Roaring Flame”

“As Okonkwo sat in his hut that night, gazing into a log fire, he thought over the matter. A sudden fury rose within him… but on further thought he told himself that

Nwoye

was not worth fightin

g for” (152).

Okonkwo was popularly called the “Roaring Flame”. As he looked into the log fire he recalled the name. He was a flaming fire. How then could he have begotten a son like

Nwoye

, degenerate and effeminate…

Nwoye

resembled his grandfather” (153).

He sighed heavily, and as if in sympathy the smoldering log also sighed. And immediately Okonkwo’s eyes were opened and he saw the whole matter clearly. Living fire begets cold, impotent ash” (153).Slide54

Chapter 18What group wanted to be admitted to the Christian church? What happened?

Describe the incident with the sacred python.Slide55

Python: Change vs TraditionOkonkwo doesn’t want to lose his status and his resistance to change represents that

For the undesirables, the church is a safe house, a place of refuge and renewal. A chance to start over – their status changes, is elevated.

The “new way”

extinguishes

Igbo culture, harvesting and building for example, these traditions that were essential for the survival of the community. It also extinguishes the fire that is Okonkwo.Slide56

PythonA python symbolizes fertility or a creative life force. Snakes shedding their skin symbolizes rebirth and transformation.

This is true for outcasts, as well as many people in the Igbo society who are unhappy with tradition, like

Nwoye

Enoch killing the python represents a new religious order – it disrespects the Igbo’s reverence of the snake and demonstrates a clash of cultures.Slide57

Chapter 19What did Okonkwo do before he left

Mbanta

when his exile ended?

What was the one elder’s message to those at the forest?Slide58

Harvesting“The harvesting was easy, as

Ekwefi

has said.

Ezinma

shook every tree violently with a long stick before she bent down to cut the stem and dig out the tuber. Sometimes it was not necessary to dig. They just pulled the stump, and earth rose, roots snapped below, and the tuber was pulled out… It is a poor soil and that is why the tubers are small” (164-165).Slide59

Things Fall Apart Part 3 QuestionsSlide60

Chapter 20

How did Okonkwo feel about his return to the clan?

What message did Okonkwo give to his sons and daughters after

Nwoye

left the family?

Describe the changes that had come to Umuofia in the seven year that Okonkwo was in exile.

Okonkwo asked

Obierika

why the people had lost their power to fight. What was

Obierika’s

reply?

How did many of the other villagers feel about these changes?

Explain the following quotation: “The white man was very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart” (176).Slide61

savageryIgbo culture considered savage in many ways however, it is important to note the hanging of

Umuru

(177) and the cruel treatment of prisoners in general under the colonialists rule.

What does it mean to be civil? According to whom?Slide62

Chapter 21What was Mr. Brown’s conclusion about the religion of the clan? How did he act to gain converts?

Explain the following quotation: “In this way Mr. Brown learned a good deal about the religion of the clan and he came to the conclusion that a frontal attack would not succeed” (181).

Explain some of the similarities between the religion in Umuofia (

Chukwu

) and Catholicism.

Nwoye’s

name was changed to Isaac. What does Isaac mean?

What is the significance of a name change?

About what was Okonkwo grieving?Slide63

Chapter 22Where did Mr. Brown go and who is his replacement? What does his replacement think of the job of his predecessor?

What is Baal?

Explain the concept of pouring new wine into old wine skins (185). See Matthew 9:17 in the Hebrew Bible. How does it relate?

Describe the conflict started by Enoch. What is the significance of the name Enoch? Is it a

Umuofian

name or a Christian one? Explain.

What was the result of the action taken by the

egwugwu

?

What is Slide64

Chapter 23How did Okonkwo end up in prison?

How did Okonkwo feel upon his return from prison?Slide65

Chapter 24What is a “War of blame” (200)?

Why did the men meet in the marketplace?

Explain the foreshadowing: “There was an immediate silence as though a cold water had been poured on a roaring flame” (202).

What happened in the marketplace? Slide66

Chapter 25What happened to Okonkwo?

What did

Obierika

tell the Commissioner?

What was the Commissioner’s reaction to the incident?

Explain the significance of the title of

the Commissioner’s novel:

The Pacification of the Primitive

Tribes of the Lower Niger