Things Fall Apart
Author: Chinua Achebe
Stars: Okonkwo
 Gains fame and respect, won wrestling match
 Wealthy, marries 3 wives, has 10 children in Umuofia
 His successes contrast the failures of his father, a gentle
musician and debt to entire community
 Ashamed of his father (Unoka), Onkowor is driven to be
opposite
 He becomes guardian of iKemefuna (slave boy) payment from
neighboring clan
 IKemefuna sees Okonkwo as his father
 Nwoye Okonkwo, grows fond of iKemefuna
 Oracle orders the killing of iKemefuna, Okonkwo is ordered to
stay out of it
 Be he doesn’t, in fear of losing his fame
 Nwoye is divested, Ezinma gets sick, 2nd Daughter Ekwefi
thinks the child will die
 Ezeyudu dies, in gunning ceremony, Okonkwo accidentaly kills
Ezeyudu’s son
 Punishment is 7 years of exile
 Family goes to his mother; the white men invade the village like
devouring locusts
 Missionaries build a church, and villagers, Nwoye Join
 Okonkwo “Living fire begets cold, impotent ash”
 He returns after 7 years, much has changed
 He wants to fight them, but oberika warns him
 Enoch unmasks a Gugu leader, Okonkwo and friends attack
him
 The District Commissioner jails 6 leaders, Okonkwo included
 They are humiliated and tortured in jail
 Okonkwo kills Court Messenger for trying to stop a clan
meeting
 Okonkwo hangs himself
