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Things Fall Apart

Things Fall Apart is the novel by Chinua Achebe. The novel, the protagonist Okonkwo, and the various plot lines are discussed in this category.

500 Questions

Why did the villagers of Abame kill the white man?

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Asked by Wiki User

The villagers of Abame killed the white man because they believed he was an "evil spirit" who had brought disaster to other villages he had visited. They were acting out of fear and a desire to protect their community.

Why is language important in the book Things fall apart?

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Asked by Wiki User

Language is important in the book Things Fall Apart because it serves as a means of communication and shaping the understanding of the characters' cultural identity. It reflects the power dynamics and social hierarchy in the community, as well as the clash between the Igbo language and the English language brought by the colonizers. The book explores how language can be used as a tool of oppression and colonization, as well as a means of cultural preservation and resistance.

Why is the process of digging the iyi uwa always successful?

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Asked by Wiki User

The process of digging the iyi uwa, or the sacred stone, is considered successful because it is believed to harness the power of divine forces. The rituals performed during the digging process are believed to appease the deities and ancestors, allowing them to intervene and grant success. It is a deeply spiritual and cultural practice that carries a strong belief in the efficacy of the ritual.

Why does the meatloaf you make fall apart?

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Asked by Wiki User

Depending on how it is, you might throw it away or still cook/eat it.

Why was Okonkwo isolated?

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Okonkwo was isolated because he was such a great man, and could not relate to others very well. His manliness outshone all others. He demanded extremely high standards, particularly when it came to his sons manhood, such that they would not be able to ever meet them. He was inflexible, stubborn, and discompassionate. He threatened those close to him when they displeased him, the most notorious incident being that of beating his wife, then discharging his gun at her all because he was annoyed at not being able to work.

What way is the Reverend James Smith similar to his predecessor Mr Brown in things fall apart?

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Asked by Wiki User

Reverend Smith leads his congregation to be more aggressive with their beliefs. Since they are now established, they are bolder in their attempts to disprove the old religions. This leads them into greater conflicts with the other tribesman.

Eventually Enoch kills an egwugwu, Enoch's compound and the church is burnt down, presumably with him in it.

In the story Things Fall Apart what was the real purpose of Okoye's visit?

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Asked by Wiki User

According to the tribes, it was to obey their gods, as the Oracle of the Hills and Caves had pronounced Ikemefuna's death.

Plotwise, it helped establish a major fault with Okonkwo's philosophy, and helped to drive him and his son Nwoye apart.

How many Igbo villages were there in things fall apart?

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Asked by Wiki User

There were 9 Igbo villages in Things Fall Apart. The main ones were:

Umuofia: Okonkwo's home.

Mbanta: Okonkwo's motherland.

Abame: The slaughtered village.

Mbaino: The village who killed an Umuofian clanswoman.

Also:

Ire: Home of Ogbuefi Ndulue.

How did Okonkwo feel about Ikemefuna's influence on Nwoye?

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Okonkwo was pleased that Ikemefuna was helping Nwoye become more manly and less effeminate. Nwoye complained less, outwardly shunned feminine stories (although he secretly still liked them), and seemed to work harder.

Do the men in Things Fall Apart beat their wives?

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Asked by Wiki User

There are many solutions.

It can be restrained on either the man or the woman's part.

The woman could try to avoid doing things that make the man mad, as well as distance herself from the man when he is angry.

The man could attempt to restrain himself from beating the wife. If he beat his wife excessively, he could be shamed by tribes members into changing his behaviour. The tribe looks down on excessive beatings. One such instance is given the court case, when a man is shamed by the other tribesmen and the elders to not beat his wife.

What are the answers to Uchendu's questions in things fall apart?

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Asked by Wiki User

If I have to come with another title, I would probably borrow a couple words from French writer Jean Jacques Baudelaire and say: African Colonization, "The Flower of the Evil". I read a couple comments on the book, and found out that no one really captured the message that novelist-Chinua Achebe - tried to vehicle. " Things Fall Apart" sounds so nostalgic for those who believe that Africa civilization and traditional culture were beautifully unique and that colonialism was 100% evil; of course, some African civilization traits before the "white men" were really great. Remember the yearly wrestling event where all 9 villages gathered to celebrate the yam festival? Remember the main character of the novel Okonkwo beating Amalinze the Cat? Remember the famous African drums and young girls singing at the moonlight? Remember all those great African proverbs in the book? All those nostalgic cultural elements felt apart when colonization was introduced in Africa.

But, to effectively interpret "Things fall apart" Time and Space are two crucial variables that we need to consider. We are in 1959 in Africa. During those days all literature (oral or written) were "engaged literatures," geared toward fighting Colonialism. Shenghor wrote: the" Negitude". Oyono wrote: the old Nega and the Medal. Camara Laye wrote the Black Kid. All those literatures were written to celebrate the beauty of the Africa traditional culture as if everything was perfect. Chinua Achebe had no choice but to follow "the engaged model" of the African Literature of that time. At the end of "Things Fall Apart" Achebe seemed to regret why he did not choose a better title for his novel.

Chinua Achebe realized that "the African traditional culture that every African writer tends to celebrate, had serious unrevealed dark spots. For example, in Thinks Fall Apart, twins were considered by the Ibo tradition as evil creatures and were consequently killed in the secret forest. Okonkwo killed Ikemefuna with a machete. Those are some examples of the dark sides of the Africa traditional civilization. Again, lf I have to find another title to replace "Things Fall Apart", I would write: African Colonization, the flower of Evil" . I have no doubt in my mind that colonization was evil because of its negative aspects and the division (balkanization) that colonization has created among black African countries. But, let's acknowledge that, colonization had its advantages. Chritianism was introduced to pacify the "savage and primitive side" of the Ibo traditions - (killing twins, and children, beating women etc…)

Given the above analysis of the African traditional culture, do we still believe that "things really fell apart"? To answer this question, I invite everyone to review the very last sentence of the Book. After much thought, the real title of the book should have been "the pacification of the primitive tribes of the lower Niger"

Why is Okonkwo s first wife always called Nwoye mother?

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Asked by Pzitha

Nwoye and Obiageli are children of Okonkwo's first wife. She is not named throughout the whole novel.

She is always referred to either as Okonkwo's first wife or Nwoye's mother.
Her name is never mentioned in the book. She is only known as the mother of her child. This is significant because it shows that the first wife was not respected and it is important in relation to the Ibo people because conveys the idea that having children was all the first wife was good for.

Who appears in front of Ekwefi as she waits tearfully outside Agbala's cave?

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Asked by Wiki User

Okonkwo appears suddenly before dawn. He decides to wait with Ekwefi outside the Oracle's cave.

Subtly, Okonkwo could be considered to be waiting for both Ekwefi and Ezinma, as he might consider it unmanly to wait for Ezinma, but would consider it manly to support Ekwefi as she waited for their daughter.

Eventually both the priestess and Ezinma appear.

What are some examples of consequence in things fall apart?

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Asked by Wiki User

Obierika knew that Okonkwo hung himself because he leads the commissioner to Okonkwo in return for some help. That help was getting Okonkwo down from the tree so the "strangers" can bury him.

Why did Nwoye convert to Christianity in Things Fall Apart?

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Asked by Wiki User

Well the most important person in the story who is converted to Christianity from Ibo, is Nwoye. Many other members of the Ibo culture are also converted, however, they do not play a significant role in the story. These people only help symbolize that the Ibo culture is falling apart, along with Okonkwo's life.

Why does Nwoye and Ekwefi's mother claim that Ojiugo has asked her to feed her children?

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Asked by Wiki User

She tries to minimize Ojiugo's thoughtlessness. While not entirely clear, her reasons are possibly a sister spirit with the other wife, and a generalized fear of Okonkwo's anger. She is never seen to enjoy the suffering of others in the book.

What was the relationship between Ekwefi and Ezinma in Things Fall Apart?

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Asked by Wiki User

Ezinma is Okonkwo's favorite daughter, born to his favorite wife, Ekwefi. Ezinma can be brash and aggressive, but especially after Nwoye's defection to Christianity, Okonkwo appreciates her presence. Okonkwo wishes she had been born a boy, as she is a very practical person in terms of the Igbo ways, knowing to marry in Umuofia as opposed to Mbanta as one example.

What causes Okonkwo?

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Asked by Wiki User

His mother must have had great spirit for he did not inherit his strength and manliness from his father Unoka.

What prompts the conflict with Mbaino in Things Fall Apart?

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Asked by Wiki User

Mbaino is the neighboring village of Umuofia.

What are cowries in things fall apart?

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'Cowries' are basically money. They are a form of shell money that tribesmen used.

What aspects of pre-colonial Igbo culture does Achebe seem to question or criticize?

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Asked by Wiki User

Achebe seems to criticize the blind adherence to traditions without proper judgement as to why they were set up and if they still work to nurture their society as a whole. He makes many of these charges through Obierika, who wonders why twins must be killed and why Okonkwo must be punished so severely for an accident.

How does Okonkwo handle his exile in things fall apart?

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Asked by Wiki User

When Ezinma has her fever, Okonkwo goes into the bushes with his machete and collects leaves, grasses and barks for making medicine. He boils them in a pot, and does not let it boil over. Okonkwo then forces Ezinma to be steamed in the medicine, under a tent formed by a large mat. Okonkwo holds her down even while she chokes and struggles to escape.

Why does okonkwo act as he does?

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Okonkwo was generally unsympathetic to people because he had worked hard and believed that anyone who was not succeeding was doing so due to lack of trying. He did not believe those people were worth much. Okonkwo is occasionally sympathetic, but his need to be seen as a man leads him to behave impassively and with hard emotions like anger, but without soft emotions which would show weakness.

How does Okonkwo feel when he hears Nwoye grumbling about women?

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Asked by Wiki User

Okonkwo is inwardly pleased at this, and outwardly stops beating and berating Nwoye.