Introduction
Background
 Often thought of as the first African Novel
 First published in 1958 (while Nigeria was still a British
colony)
 Nigeria obtained independence in 1960
 Set around nine fictional villages on the Niger delta
(now modern day Nigeria) during the 1890s
What do you know about Nigeria?
 Geography
 History/culture
 Society
 Literature
 Most populous country in Africa
 Rich history of human habitation and indigenous
culture, but colonised by the British at the end of
the 19th Century
 Modern Nigeria comprises of many different
people-borders drawn up by Britain took no
account of local alliances and rivalries.
 Famous writers- in English- Chinua Achebe and
Wole Soyinka
Key point
 Things Fall Apart portrays a stable and highly
ritualised society at the time that it comes into contact
with the imperial power of Britain.
 Think about the title and discuss whether you think
this will be a constructive or destructive meeting.
First Impressions
 The lines of verse at the beginning are from a famous
poem called The Second Coming by W.B. Yeats. This is
known as an epigraph.
 He believed that history moves in 2000 year cycles and
the poem was written at the end of the horrors of WW
1 where, Yeats felt, that the end of 2000 years of
Christianity was coming to a close.
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.
The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out
When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi
Troubles my sight: a waste of desert sand;
A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,
Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it
Wind shadows of the indignant desert birds.
The darkness drops again but now I know
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?
 What do you think Yeats was trying to say-what feeling
do you get from the poem?
 Why do you think Achebe included this as the
epigraph for his novel?
 Yeats wrote a bleak poem which showed his
concern and worries about the future of
civilisation
 Achebe used it as a way of foreshadowing the
fragmentation and collapse of indigenous culture
and civilisation
 It also serves to show that he is an educated and
intelligent man. He wrote the book in 1958 when
racism, paternalism and patronising attitudes to
African people, by Europeans, were very common.
Chapter 1
 Read chapter 1 and make notes on characters, setting,
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possible theme, narrative viewpoint, source of
conflict and language.
What impression do you get of Okonkwo?
What impression do you get of his father, Unokwa?
How do we know what they are like?
How would you describe the society?
What is the setting like?
Identify suitable quotations and analyse them
From whose viewpoint is the story told?
 Okonkwo- the protagonist- strong, powerful, proud,
aggressive, inarticulate- a man of action not words:
“whenever he was angry and could not get the words
out quickly enough, he would use his fists.” (p 4) “he
was already one of the greatest men of his time.” (p 7)
Unoka
 Lazy, weak, drunkard, talented musician- seeks
pleasure: “Unoka, the grown-up, was a failure.”
Conflict
 Conflict seems to be between Okonkwo and his
father, Unoka, however they are symbols of two
different aspects of the society. Okonkwo can be
said to represent action and the physical world,
while Unoka can be said to represent thought music and art etc.
 Other types of conflict becomes more developed
as the novel progresses. The “ill-fated lad was
called Ikemefuna” introduced at the end of the
chapter.
Society
 Close knit, ritualistic, stories- use of parables frequent
throughout the novel, democratic “Age was respected among his people, but
achievement was revered. As the elders said, if a child
washed his hands he could eat with kings.” (p 7)
Setting
 Rural, ‘primitive’, elemental- a people in touch with
their physical surroundings “ Some years the hartmattan was very severe and a
dense haze hung on the atmosphere.” (p 4)
 NPOV- Third person omniscient narrator -
author/story teller has access to all characters’
thoughts and emotional states. There is also a strong
oral element to the narration where the narrator
digresses with small parables and moves back and
forth in time- it is not a linear narrative
Chapters 2-4
Read through these chapters and
make notes on:
Language; character
development; setting; plot
Chapters 2-4
 Simple language- sentence construction ‘And this
was the message’ (p 8) reinforces the strong oral,
matter-of-fact, narration style- use of the
conjunction at start of statement reinforces this
Character development
 Okonkwo- famous/heroic – ‘the greatest wrestler
in the land’ (p25): shows society values physical
prowess- protagonist is a ‘wealthy man’
 Village is strong and wealthy
 Complexity of character- ‘They dared not
complain’ shows he is an intimidating charactersees women as being weak: society is structured as
a very tight hierarchy with the man at the top
Okonkwo
 The fatal flaw- fear of failure- “His whole life was
dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of weakness”
(P 12) shows contradictory nature of his character: his
strength is built on fear and weakness- paradox.
 Hamartia( fatal flaw)in literature the flaw in a
character which leads to the downfall of the
protagonist in a tragedy.
Character development
 Okonkwo can be seen as a tragic hero.
 The tragic hero is a man of noble stature. He is not an
ordinary man, but a man with outstanding quality and
greatness about him. His own destruction is for a
greater cause or principle.
 What evidence do we have of his greatness? As you
read this novel bare this in mind- he is an inversion of
a Shakespearean tragic hero: he is an ordinary man
(not royal) with outstanding qualities, and his fatal
flaw will bring about his downfall.
 Setting- elemental feel and sense that the people
respect the world around them (also fearful of it
they are in awe)- ‘darkness held a vague terror for
these people’
 ‘a vibrant silence made more intense by the
universal trill of a million million forest insects’
poetic/lyrical image. Silence as an entity
something with a physical presence, oxymoron‘vibrant silence’ and repetition to emphasise how
rich the landscape is- evokes the sounds well
Okonkwo
 Heroic qualities- ‘He was a man of action, a man of
war. Unlike his father he could stand the look of blood’
–key quotation reader told directly by narrator what
his character is like. We are also told how he is not like
his father- implied that fear of perceived weakness,
like his father, is his motivation
 “You have a manly and proud heart”- male qualities are
emphasised again and again
 Unoka- “His love of talk had grown with age and
sickness” end chapter 3- Okonkwo rejects everything
his father is.
 Contrast between father and son
Chapter 5
 Man of action Village as collective entity with its own spirit- simile :
“It was like the pulsation of its heart”
 marcus.roskilly@jamesgillespies.edin.sch.uk
Chapter 6
 Animism- The belief in the existence of individual
spirits that inhabit natural objects and phenomena.
For example, trees, rocks, rivers and other inanimate
objects.
 Can you find a quotation at the start of chapter 6
which shows that Okonkwo’s society is an animistic
one?
Symbolism
 Symbolism- where a physical object represents
something else(often an idea)
 The drums- symbolic of the spirit of the society. They
represent the beating heart of the community and are
a recurring motif throughout the novel.
 “In the distance the drums continued to beat” (33)
 “They were possessed by the spirits of the drums”
 The drums can also be seen as an extended
metaphor
 “Spirits of good children lived in that tree waiting to be
born.”
 In this society there is a powerful belief that people,
animals, the land all possess souls which are
connected and there is movement of souls (spirits)
between these
 Identities change depending on the context. People are
not always the same-p 43
Chpt 6
 Can you find an extended metaphor which
communicates the mood of the crowd?- metaphor of
the drum communicates tension and excitement.
 “The air, which had been stretched taut with
excitement, relaxed again” (35)
Chapter 7- key chapter
 Evidence of the prominent role of men in this society?
 But also evidence that women play a highly significant
role?
 For Tuesday 23rd September
 marcus.roskilly@jamesgillespies.edin.sch.uk
Prominent role of men
 Nwoye- “nothing pleased Nwoye more...to do one of
those difficult and masculine tasks in the home” he
would “feign annoyance and grumble aloud about
women and their troubles.” (38). This shows that
Nwoye has moved up the patriarchal hierarchy but
pretends (feigns) to be irritated by their minor
demands.
 Okonkwo was very happy as he wanted a “tough young
man” who was “able to control his women-folk” (30).
Women portrayed as possessions through use of
possessive pronoun.
 Use of the simile, in the form of a small parable: “He
was like the man...his foo-foo.” Reinforces traditions
and strong oral story telling tone of the novel and the
society it depicts.
 “Nwoye knew that it was right to be masculine and to
be violent.” (39) Tone of this sentence shows that there
is no argument: this is best way to be!
 Wives serve Okonkwo
Women
 However, women have the power and wisdom of the
home. Series of parables with intelligent messages on
how to be wise and knowledgeable (39)
 These are juxtaposed with Okonkwo’s macho stories
Symbolism
 What is symbolism?- a physical object which
represents something else (often an abstract idea)
 Can you identify a feature in this chapter which may
be read as a symbol?
 What is it and what do you think it may mean?
 Why may this be seen as a key scene/turning point?
Think about the closing action in the chapter.
 Locusts- seen as something to be celebrated at first.
 Introduced by a short dramatic sentence: “And then
the locusts came.” (39)This gives it prominence in the
narrative and marks this motif as a significant
development.
 but signs that they are a harbinger of disaster
(foreshadowing)“a shadow fell on the world, and the
sun was hidden behind a thick cloud” (40). Obvious
connotations of shadows- something to be feared is
hidden. White man- missionaries “At first a fairly small
swarm came”(40)
 Why do you think this is a key chapter?
 What is the crucial development (turning point) and
why is it significant for Okonkwo as a ‘tragic hero’
 Betrayal of Ikemefuna (more of a son to him than his
real son) because of his fatal flaw. Fear of being seen as
feeble.
 Identify key quotations (41- 44)
 “Do not bear a hand in his death”(41)-given advice
from respected elder.
 “he was not afraid now. Okonkwo walked behind him”
(43)Ikemefuna has complete faith and trust in
Okonkwo
 “Okonkwo drew his matchet and cut him down. He
was afraid of being thought weak.” (44)
 This is the ultimate betrayal, to kill your surrogate
son, brought about by his fatal flaw. It is an
important turning point as he has gone against the
moral code of his society and has now lost the
trust of his real son.
Character analysis
 Read the start of chapter eight. How does Okonkwo
feel and give a quotation with an explanation to back
this up.
Chapters eight and nine
 Read and make a note on plot and character
development
 What do we learn about Ezinma?
 What is she like as a character?
 What do we learn about Okonkwo?
 How does Obierika contrast with Okonkwo?
 What are the main developments in plot?
 Complete for Tuesday 30th September
 Obierika is a much more measured and thoughtful
character; in many ways he is the antithesis of
Okonkwo (49)foreshadowing and allegory
 Okonkwo is again characterised as “not a man of
thought but action” (50), however he is also shown to
be considerate and sensitive to the merit of others,
especially Ezinima. He uses an effective metaphor to
describe her that compares her, favourably, with his
sons: “Where are the young suckers that will grow
when the old banana tree dies? If Ezinima had been a
boy I would have been happier.” (48)
Important
 The first mention of the white man- treated as a joke
by the villagers and almost mythical creatures. Nobody
has really seen them or had much to do with them.
They are compared to lepers who obviously have
significant connotations of unpleasantness as leprosy
is a disease. (54)
 Egwugwu- a village elder who impersonates
ancestral spirits: shows that identity is dictated by
particular contexts.
 At the top of the social structure- “No woman ever
asked questions about the most powerful and the
most secret cult in the clan”(65)
 We can infer that Okwonkwo is one of the Egwugwu
 Play the role of judges- their word is final- shows us
that this is a complex society
Chapter 11
 Main developments- relationship between
characters: their willingness to go against tradition
and ritual show the power of the bonds of love
 Setting- very powerful evocation of the primordial
and rural nature of the setting
 Exemplary use of language to create a dark and
forbidding tone- ‘trudged along between two
fears’ (78)dilemma she is torn between fear of
the surroundings and the priestess (multiple
roles and identities)
Chapters 9, 10, 11
 Compare the notes you have made with a partner.
 Did you pick up on anything that they did not find?
 Add to your own notes and discuss main developments
in terms of character, plot, setting and theme
Chapters 12 and 13
 Read chapter 12
 What evidence is there that Okonkwo has deeper
feelings than he reveals?
 Evidence that the men are ‘gossipy’ ?
 Evidence that this is a comlex and ritualised society?
Chapter 12 quotations
 “He had felt very anxious but did not show it” - hides
his emotions and empathy with his wife/daughter as to
reveal it would be a sign of weakness
 “village that is known for being close-fisted” (p102)
 Dialogue on p 86 is highly stylised-it follows a well
established pattern (like the endless ‘toasts’ at Western
weddings).
 Festive and happy atmosphere which contrasts with
following chapter.
Chapter 13
 What sign-from the start of the chapter- is there that
something dreadful is going to happen in this chapter?
 What do the drums add to the mood?
 Identify a quotation which shows that Obierika is
different from Okonkwo in the way he relates to his
world.
 What literary term would you use to describe this
chapter?
 Death of Ezeudu who warned Okonkwo- ‘bear no
hand in his death’ (88)foreshadowing
 Drums build up atmosphere/mood – ‘The
drums…reached fever heat’ (90)the drums appear
to have agency they are driving events symbolise
the collective heart of the clan build up to a frenzy
and cataclysmic climax- Okonkwo’s killing of the
boy. Explosion then ‘All was silent’-bold sentence
 “Obierika was a man who thought about things.” (91)
Shows he is not ruled by passion, like Okonkwo, but
considers law and society in a more measured way.
 It is the climax to part one and also the another
turning point as the fate of Okonkwo and the whole
society changes.
Key chapter
 The death of the respected elder creates a tense mood,
further developed by the drums. Okonkwo’s killing of
the boy leads to his exile (for seven years) from his
village. This is significant as it occurs at the end of part
one so represents the end of an era. Structure is really
important here.
Review of part 1
 Make a spider gram of main events from part 1
 This should record characterisation, setting,
themes, symbols, plot, language, key
terms(reference to structure, key chapter(s),
turning point(s) etc
 Note down key quotations with context and basic
analysis
 Okonkwo’s fatal flaw is fear of failure, but also
ambition- key quotation- “His life had been ruled by a
great passion- to become one of the lords of the clan”
(p115)
Key chapters(turning points)
 Chapter 7- where Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna because of
his fatal flaw (fear of being perceived as weak).
“Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He
was afraid of being thought weak.” This leads to a
change in his fate and to his tragic downfall.
 Locusts(symbol) use of foreshadowing the plague of
the white colonisers
 Chapter 13- where Okonkwo accidently kills the son of
Ezeudu which leads to his exile. It is the climax of part
one and brings the relatively happy and prosperous
period of Okonkwo and the village to a close.
Critical Essay
 You will have one and a half hours to write two Critical
Essays based upon two different texts that you have
studied over the year. These must be from two
different genres
Key aspects that you should
cover
 The relevance of your essays to the
questions you have chosen, and the extent
to which you sustain an appropriate line of
thought
 Your knowledge and understanding of
key elements, central concerns and
significant details of the chosen texts,
supported by detailed and relevant
evidence
 Your understanding, as appropriate to the questions
chosen, of how relevant aspects of
structure/style/language contribute to the
meaning/effect/impact of the chosen texts, supported
by detailed and relevant evidence
 Your evaluation, as appropriate to the questions
chosen, of the effectiveness of the chosen texts,
supported by detailed and relevant evidence
 The quality of your written expression and the
technical accuracy of your writing
Practice question
Look at the selection of questions from the past
paper and select a question that is appropriate for
‘Things Fall Apart’
2. Identify the key words and phrases in the question
3. Make a plan of your critical response(this should
include quotations, techniques and sections of the
novel you want to write about)
4. Write an introductory paragraph. Use the words of
the question to help you with this.
1.
Introductions need…?
 Title and author
 Reference to question
 Brief personal response
 (Synopsis of text although this should go in a separate
second paragraph)
Main Body
 The bulk of your essay will show an ability to
understand , analyse and evaluate the text (novel,
poem, play) that you are writing about. Remember
that this needs to be shaped by the demands of the
actual question that you are responding to.
 Do you remember the acronym that help you to do
this?
SQUAT
 Statement- topic sentence indicating what the
paragraph will be about. You should identify the key
technique(s) that you will be exploring.
 Quotation- evidence. Introduce your quotation
properly.
 Understanding- explain the meaning(context)
 Analysis- explain the effect of the technique and
quotation. This is the bulk of your paragraph.
 Task- refer back to the question
 Try to give two quotes and two
substantive pieces of analysis in each
Main Body paragraph.
 S(QUA)x2T
Worked example
 S: Achebe uses direct characterisation and sentence
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structure to exemplify Okonkwo’s fatal flaw.
Q- The author states:
“ He was afraid of being thought weak.”
U- This is written after Okonkwo murders his surrogate son,
Ikemefuna, despite Ikemefuna trusting him.
A- A short sentence is used to increase the impact, and
emphasise the importance ,of Okonkwo’s actions.
Ikemefuna ran to Okonkwo as he is attacked by the men of
the village and Okonkwo’s brutal actions are dictated by his
fatal flaw, fear of being perceived an unmanly man.
 This is important as it marks a significant turning
point in the novel: from this point Okonkwo’s fate is
fixed and he is doomed to follow a disastrous course of
action that will lead to his tragic downfall, and the
downfall of the entire society that he personifies.
Furthermore, Achebe uses direct characterisation to
inform the reader that this is the case as we are told in
a strong 3rd person narrative voice.
 T- something about betrayal...
Conclusion
 What makes a good conclusion?
 Summarise your main points(brief)
 Reference to the question
 A developed personal response
Preparation for timed Critical
Essay
 Look over your notes and start refining
them. You should be thinking about key
quotations and techniques that would be
useful for any possible question.
 For this essay, you can have a page of notes.
Obviously this will not be the case in the
exam!
Choose a novel in which a character makes a decision
which you consider unexpected or unwise or unworthy.
Explain the circumstances surrounding the decision and
discuss its importance to your understanding of
character and theme in the novel as a whole.
Model introduction
 ‘Things Fall Apart’ by Chinua Achebe is a novel where the
protagonist, Okonkwo, makes a decision that is both
unwise and unworthy of his status. He decides to murder
his surrogate son, Ikemefuna, because the village council
has declared that he must die; despite the fact that he is
told by wise men of the village not to be involved in the
killing of him. This act changes his fate. His foolish and
brutal act of betrayal is driven by Okonkwo’s fatal flaw: the
fear of being perceived as weak and is crucial in our
understanding of his character. It is also central to the
central themes of ambition and fear of being perceived as
weak. This essay will explore how the fate of the tragic
hero, Okonkwo
 hero, Okonkwo, mirrors the decline and fall of the
wider society he lives in.
Feedback on Critical Essay
 Be specific about technique used in each paragraph of
main body. For example, The author uses a strong
omniscient 3rd person narrative point of view to give
insight to Okonkwo’s character.
 Brief synopsis
 Develop analysis
 Watch expression
 Avoid the word quote
 Make sure you strike a formal tone (avoid “I”,
contractions etc.) assertions

Textual Analysis preparation
Go over answers to ‘The Railway Man’. This will help
you to develop fuller answers for your Textual
Analysis NAB
2. Getting inside the minds of an SQA examiner!
Formulating TA questions based on ‘Things Fall
Apart’
3. Practice NAB. One hour, under exam conditions, to
complete an official TA NAB
1.
Deeper analysis
 Write three Textual Analysis questions, based
upon chapter 14 with answers, for your partner to
answer
 Use the terminology that you would expect to see
in an actual NAB
 For example: “Read page 95. How does the writer
use imagery to develop setting?”
1. Read the last paragraph on page 95– “At Last the
rain came” -- Comment and explain how the
writer’s word choice contributes to the tone of
this section
2. Read page 96– from “Okonkwo and his family
worked very hard”: How does the writer use
sentence structure to show Okonkwo’s feelings?
3. Comment on the impact of the final sentence.
“Sand felt like live coals”. Tone- hard, bleak and barren
contrasts with joyous release of the rains. The setting is
awe inspiring and sublime. The feeling of the ground is
compared to the feeling of burning items. The author
uses strong imagery (simile) to emphasise how barren,
dry and parched the ground was, underlining how hot
the touch of it was to their feet.
2. “Then everything had been broken.” A short blunt
sentence, shows that Okonkwo’s world had fallen apart
and he feels bereft, depressed etc. Possible hyperbole.
3. Short sentence contained within a single paragraph
emphasises the finality of the message. Connotations of a
judge passing sentence on Okonkwo’s foolishness.
1.
Feedback on TA (novel)
 Check formula for ‘Link Questions’
 Expression/phrase is main part of a sentence, not the
whole sentence
 Read the question properly
 “specific examples with comments”– give a quotation
and explain its effectiveness
Homework
 Read and make notes on chapters 14, 15
and 16 for Tuesday 11th November
 Article work for Wednesday 12th
Part 2
 Chapter 14
 How does the author use pathetic fallacy to set the
scene?
 Find a good quotation which emphasises Okonkwo’s
fatal flaw?
 What does chi mean?
 Evidence that this is a patriarchal society, but the
female is also revered?
 “At last the rain came” symbolises renewal, rebirth and
hope
 “His life had been ruled by a great passion.” – shows
that he is driven by one goal (ambition) and never
thinks of consequences.
 Chi - personal god ( a bit like Karma)
 Patriarchal- “a child belongs to the father” “We are
only his mother’s kinsmen” put themselves in a lower
position
 Strength of female- “mother is supreme”
Chapter 15
 Make notes on Okonkwo’s characterisation-paying particular
attention to ‘fatal flaw’
 Plot development
 Thematic concerns
 Introduction of the white man- indicates disaster.
The Oracle states, “the strange man would break
their clan and spread destruction among them”
(101) links to title. “They were locusts” (102) direct
link to previous symbol
 Story (importance of oral culture) of massacre at
Abame.-”Their clan is now completely empty”
(102) “There is no story that is not true” (103)
 Okonkwo- is in exile a position of weakness, all he can
do is watch. He is frustrated –the man of action“They were fools” ( 103)
Chpt 16
 Plot developments missionaries spreading new religion
 Dismissed by the high ranking- attracts only misfits:
efulefu
 Oknonkwo’s son, Nwoye, joins them –why?
Task
 Read to the end of section 2 and make notes on plot,
tone, characterisation, language, setting.
 Pay particular attention to the end of this section.
What do you think is going to happen?
 Extension task – Why do you think Nwoye joined the
Christians and why do you think that Okonkwo would
never do this? Refer to specific evidence in the text to
back up your evaluation.
Quotations
 “ converts the excrement of the clan, and the new
faith was a mad dog that had come to eat it up”(105) compelling image: metaphor and example of
use of parables
 “He is not my father”(105) Nwoye: a crucial
denouncement of Okonkwo and his power. They
represent (personify) the shift of power in society
 “my buttocks” use of humour to emphasise how
new faith and its adherents seen as a joke, not a
threat.
 “hymn…like the drops of frozen rain…” (107) lyrical
use of language shows how the new religion speaks
to the sensitive Nwoye
Chapter 17
 Plot developments Characterisation Theme- the old ways are beginning to ‘fall apart’ and the
new religion is gaining converts this is symbolised by the
conflict between Okonkwo and Nwoye “ Answer
me…before I kill you”
 “The centre cannot hold” (Yeats) Okonkwo, in many ways
is at the centre of the community
 Symbolism – Okonkwo as all consuming force- “Roaring
Flame”
 Loss of his son, Nwoye, foreshadows loss of the old ways
“like the prospect of annihilation”
Chapter 18
 Plot- church growing stronger (despite expectations).
Tension between old and new- admission of osu (outcasts)
too much for some- “we are all children of God” Osu are
zealots “killing the sacred python”
 Characterisation-Okonkwo continues to demand action- “I
take a stick and break his head” feels anger at inaction of
the community- “ground his teeth in disgust”(140)
 “The clan saw no reason then for molesting the Christians”
after death of Okoli clan feels, wrongly, that Gods are
enacting revenge/retribution
Section 2: notes
 Sense of urgency- pace of the narrative picks up.
 Symbolism- Nwoye rejects father (youth rejects old
ways/religion)-loss of son a personal tragedy: family is at
the heart of the clan and Okonkwo’s life.
 New church seen as conquering death- triumph over the
evil forest-(significant as Christians claim to have
conquered death) in retrospect a mistake to give them
opportunity to ‘prove’ this
 Killing of the snake- murder of the old gods- feeds into
Christian imagery: snake as temptation and the apple of
knwoledge
 Prophecy/foreshadowing at the end sets up the tragedy
(private and public)
Symbolism
 SYMBOLS · The novel is highly symbolic. Two of the main
symbols are the locusts and fire. The locusts symbolize
the white colonists descending upon the Africans, seeming
to augur good but actually portending troublesome
encounters. Fire epitomises Okonkwo’s nature—he is fierce
and destructive. A third symbol, the drums, represents the
physical connection of the community of clansmen in
Umuofia, and acts as a metaphorical heartbeat that beats
in unison, uniting all the village members.
 MAJOR CONFLICT · On one level, the conflict is
between the traditional society of Umuofia and
the new customs brought by the whites, which are
in turn adopted by many of the villagers. Okonkwo
also struggles to be as different from his deceased
father as possible. He believes his father to have
been weak, effeminate, lazy, and poor.
Consequently, Okonkwo strives to be strong,
masculine, industrious, respected, and wealthy.
 Okonkwo and Nwoye too
Tragic hero
 Okonkwo- the protagonist- is an inversion of the
classic Shakespearean hero. He is not of noble
birth (as Shakespearean tragic heroes are) he is of
low birth,(as is Eddie in View) but he does have
heroic qualities- generous, honourable,
physically/mentally strong.
 He does have fatal flow- ambition and fear of
appearing weak- which will lead to his downfall.
 Useful to compare him with Hamlet who was
noble but his fatal flow was inaction and
indecision, again an inversion of Okonkwo
Review of part 2
 Make a mind map detailing the main developments of part
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2. You should show how:
characters develop and change
Detail plot developments
Link these to themes (fatal flaw, ambition,
colonialism)
Colonialism: the policy or practice of acquiring full or
partial political control over another country, occupying it
with settlers, and exploiting it economically.
Give key quotations and techniques: explain
significance
Part 3
 Discuss and make notes on the main
developments in this section. Think about Tragedy
 Ambition
 Difference between Mr Brown and Mr Smith (why
these names?)
 Colonisation/conflict
 Theme
Chapter 20
 What technique is used in the opening to show how
Okonkwo’s life (society too) has changed?
 What allegory (simile) is used in the 1st paragraph?
Quote and explain its significance.
 What is the tragedy of his first son? (125)
 Do you think he is exploiting his daughters for his own
ambition? Explain.
 Find a key quotation to show that colonialism is
growing stronger.
 How does Okonkwo show his dismay (technique)?
Part 3 – key quotations
 Colonisation- “But apart from the church, the white men
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had also brought a government” (127) classic pattern of
colonisation where religion softens the people up which is
followed by a colonial government. The native people lose
control of their own country/destiny
“He has put a knife on the things that held us together and
we have fallen apart”- mournful metaphor with clear
reference to the title
Mr Brown personifies soft power “he trod softly on its faith”
(aware of cultural sensitivities)
Mr Smith is more brutal: does not care about native
sensibilities- “black was evil” (metaphor)
Arguably, two sides of the same coin.
25
 Tragedy underlined by Oknokwo’s mode of death:
hanging. He knows it is a “abomination” and “offence
against the Earth” (151), yet he commits suicide. He
had no choice because things have fallen apart.
 He is driven to this by his fatal flaw.
 In the final chapter Achebe uses a deeply ironic tone to
represent the commissioner's thoughts- Okonkwo’s
life has been reduced to nothing more than a footnote
in the colonist’s history books “a reasonable
paragraph”. The whole novel poetically told the story of
a complex and noble society. Leading to this tragic end
that was inevitable for Okonkwo and the wider
community. People’s lives have ‘fallen apart’.
 Shift in emphasis evident in final chapter: the “natives”
have become bystanders in their own story. The
Commissioner's view is given prominence in the final
chapter.
Structure
 Really important in the novel:
 Part 1: life before colonisation –magical and majestic
tone full of allegories (long)
 Part 2: Exile – growth of colonisers’ power (short),
faster pace
 Part 3: the final act– death and demise (short) tragic.
Critical Essay practice
 You are going to be given different questions from past
papers and work on developing a critical response to
an appropriate question
 You should:
 Identify key words in the question
 Write an introduction
 Plan the rest of the essay: three Topic Sentences with
appropriate evidence and notes on analysis
 Conclusion