Title: Things Fall Apart
Author: Chinua Achebe
Teen Reviewer: Darlin Samson
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Things
Fall Apart is about the tragic fall of the protagonist, Okonkwo, and the Igbo
culture. Okonkwo is a respected and influential leader within the Igbo
community of Umuofia in eastern Nigeria. He first earns personal fame and
distinction, and brings honor to his village, when he defeats Amalinze the Cat
in a wrestling contest. Okonkwo determines to gain titles for himself and
become a powerful and wealthy man in spite of his father's weaknesses.
Okonkwo's
father, Unoka, was a lazy and wasteful man. He often borrowed money and then
squandered it on palm-wine and merrymaking with friends. Consequently, his wife
and children often went hungry. Within the community, Unoka was considered a
failure and a laughingstock. He was referred to as agbala, one who resembles
the weakness of a woman and has no property. Unoka died a shameful death and
left numerous debts.
Okonkwo
despises and resents his father's gentle and idle ways. He resolves to overcome
the shame that he feels as a result of his father's weaknesses by being what he
considers to be "manly"; therefore, he dominates his wives and
children by being insensitive and controlling.
Okonkwo
is a leader of his community, he is asked to care for a young boy named
Ikemefuna, who is given to the village as a peace offering by neighboring
Mbaino to avoid war with Umuofia. Ikemefuna befriends Okonkwo's son, Nwoye, and
Okonkwo becomes inwardly fond of the boy.
Over
the years, Okonkwo becomes an extremely volatile man; he is apt to explode at
the slightest provocation. He violates the Week of Peace when he beats his
youngest wife, Ojiugo, because she went to braid her hair at a friend's house
and forgot to prepare the afternoon meal and feed her children. Later, he
severely beats and shoots a gun at his second wife, Ekwefi, because she took
leaves from his banana plant to wrap food for the Feast of the New Yam.
After
the coming of the locusts, Ogbuefi Ezeudu, the oldest man in the village,
relays to Okonkwo a message from the Oracle. The Oracle says that Ikemefuna must
be killed as part of the retribution for the Umuofian woman killed three years
earlier in Mbaino. He tells Okonkwo not to partake in the murder, but Okonkwo
doesn't listen. He feels that not participating would be a sign of weakness.
Consequently, Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna with his machete. Nwoye realizes that his
father has murdered Ikemefuna and begins to distance himself from his father
and the clansmen.
Okonkwo
becomes depressed after killing Ikemefuna, so he visits his best friend,
Obierika, who disapproves of his role in Ikemefuna's killing. Obierika says
that Okonkwo's act will upset the Earth and the earth goddess will seek
revenge. After discussing Ikemefuna's death with Obierika, Okonkwo is finally
able to sleep restfully, but he is awakened by his wife Ekwefi. Their daughter
Ezinma, whom Okonkwo is fond of, is dying. Okonkwo gathers grasses, barks, and
leaves to prepare medicine for Ezinma.
A
public trial is held on the village commons. Nine clan leaders, including
Okonkwo, represent the spirits of their ancestors. The nine clan leaders, or
egwugwu, also represent the nine villages of Umuofia. Okonkwo does not sit
among the other eight leaders, or elders, while they listen to a dispute
between an estranged husband and wife. The wife, Mgbafo, had been severely
beaten by her husband. Her brother took her back to their family's village, but
her husband wanted her back home. The egwugwu tell the husband to take wine to
his in-laws and beg his wife to come home. One elder wonders why such a trivial
dispute would come before the egwugwu.
In her
role as priestess, Chielo tells Ekwefi (Okonkwo's second wife) that Agbala (the
Oracle of the Hills and Caves) needs to see Ezinma. Although Okonkwo and Ekwefi
protest, Chielo takes a terrified Ezinma on her back and forbids anyone to
follow. Chielo carries Ezinma to all nine villages and then enters the Oracle's
cave. Ekwefi follows secretly, in spite of Chielo's admonitions, and waits at
the entrance of the Oracle. Okonkwo surprises Ekwefi by arriving at the cave,
and he also waits with her. The next morning, Chielo takes Ezinma to Ekwefi's
hut and puts her to bed.
When
Ogbuefi Ezeudu dies, Okonkwo worries because the last time that Ezeudu visited
him was when he warned Okonkwo against participating in the killing of
Ikemefuna. Ezeudu was an important leader in the village and achieved three
titles of the clan's four, a rare accomplishment. During the large funeral,
Okonkwo's gun goes off, and Ezeudu's sixteen-year-old son is killed
accidentally.
The
accidental killing of a clansman is a crime against the earth goddess, Okonkwo
and his family must be exiled from Umuofia for seven years. The family moves to
Okonkwo's mother's native village, Mbanta. After they depart Umuofia, a group
of village men destroy Okonkwo's compound and kill his animals to cleanse the
village of Okonkwo's sin. Obierika stores Okonkwo's yams in his barn and
wonders about the old traditions of the Igbo culture.
Okonkwo
is welcomed to Mbanta by his maternal uncle, Uchendu, a village elder. He gives
Okonkwo a plot of land on which to farm and build a compound for his family.
But Okonkwo is depressed, and he blames his chi (or personal spirit) for his
failure to achieve lasting greatness.
During
Okonkwo's second year in exile, he receives a visit from his best friend,
Obierika, who recounts sad news about the village of Abame: After a white man
rode into the village on a bicycle, the elders of Abame consulted their Oracle,
which told them that the white man would destroy their clan and other clans.
Consequently, the villagers killed the white man. But weeks later, a large
group of men slaughtered the villagers in retribution. The village of Abame is
now deserted.
Okonkwo
and Uchendu agree that the villagers were foolish to kill a man whom they knew
nothing about. Later, Obierika gives Okonkwo money that he received from
selling Okonkwo's yams and seed-yams, and he promises to do so until Okonkwo
returns to Umuofia.
Six
missionaries, including one white man, arrived in Mbanta. The white man speaks
to the people about Christianity. Okonkwo believes that the man speaks
nonsense, but his son, Nwoye, is captivated and becomes a convert of
Christianity.
The
Christian missionaries build a church on land given to them by the village
leaders. However, the land is a part of the Evil Forest, and according to
tradition, the villagers believe that the missionaries will die because they
built their church on cursed land. But when nothing happens to the
missionaries, the people of Mbanta conclude that the missionaries possess
extraordinary power and magic. The first recruits of the missionaries are
efulefu, the weak and worthless men of the village. Other villagers, including
a woman, soon convert to Christianity. The missionaries then go to Umuofia and
start a school. Nwoye leaves his father's hut and moves to Umuofia so he can
attend the school.
Okonkwo's
exile is over, so his family arranges to return to Umuofia. Before leaving
Mbanta, they prepare a huge feast for Okonkwo's mother's kinsmen in
appreciation of their gratitude during Okonkwo's seven years of exile.
When
Okonkwo returns to Umuofia, he discovers that the village has changed during
his absence. Many men have renounced their titles and have converted to
Christianity. The white men have built a prison; they have established a
government court of law, where people are tried for breaking the white man's
laws; and they also employ natives of Umuofia. Okonkwo wonders why the
Umuofians have not incited violence to rid the village of the white man's
church and oppressive government.
Some
members of the Igbo clan like the changes in Umuofia. Mr. Brown, the white
missionary, respects the Igbo traditions. He makes an effort to learn about the
Igbo culture and becomes friendly with some of the clan leaders. He also
encourages Igbo people of all ages to get an education. Mr. Brown tells Okonkwo
that Nwoye, who has taken the name Isaac, is attending a teaching college.
Nevertheless, Okonkwo is unhappy about the changes in Umuofia.
After
Mr. Brown becomes ill and is forced to return to his homeland, Reverend James
Smith becomes the new head of the Christian church. But Reverend Smith is
nothing like Mr. Brown; he is intolerant of clan customs and is very strict.
Violence
arises after Enoch, an overzealous convert to Christianity, unmasks an egwugwu.
In retaliation, the egwugwu burn Enoch's compound and then destroy the
Christian church because the missionaries have caused the Igbo people many
problems.
When
the District Commissioner returns to Umuofia, he learns about the destruction
of the church and asks six leaders of the village, including Okonkwo, to meet
with him. The men are jailed until they pay a fine of two hundred and fifty
bags of cowries. The people of Umuofia collect the money and pay the fine, and
the men are set free.
The
next day at a meeting for clansmen, five court messengers who intend to stop
the gathering approach the group. Suddenly, Okonkwo jumps forward and beheads
the man in charge of the messengers with his machete. When none of the other
clansmen attempt to stop the messengers who escape, Okonkwo realizes that they
will never go to war and that Umuofia will surrender. Everything has fallen
apart for Okonkwo; he commits suicide by hanging himself.
