Things Fall Apart Study Guide
Part 3: Chapters 20-25
Vocabulary:
Irreparable (171)—impossible to repair or fix
Dispensation (178)—a certain system, management, or arrangement
Sullen (194)—gloomy, showing irritation by a gloomy silence
Suppressed (199)—kept or held in
Chapter20
1) Due to their absence, what opportunities did Okonkwo miss out on? How does this make him
feel?
He couldn’t take the highest titles in land because he wasn’t there. He lost his place as an
egwugwu. He also wasn’t there to fight the Christians. He thinks his farming would have been
more productive in Umuofia than it was in Mbanta.
2) How has Umuofia changed in the last seven years?
The church had lots of new converts. The white man had also brought a government. One of the
recent converts was a man w/two titles, and he gave up his titles to be a Christian, which shows
that higher level people are converting.
3) Okonkwo wants to fight and kick out the white man, but what does Obierika explain that makes
this impossible?
It’s too late because their own people have joined the side of the missionaries and white men.
There are only two white men in Umuofia, so kicking them out would be easy. BUT many
villagers have joined the church and government. The clan is now DIVIDED, not united. The nonconverted cannot kill the converted because that’s against tribal customs.
Chapter 21
4) What does Mr. Brown learn from Akunna about the tribal religion? How does Mr. Brown use
this information?
He learns that the Ibo people have a supreme god who is in charge of all the gods. His name is
Chukwu. The Ibo people fear their god Chukwu, and Mr. Brown says that the Christian God is a
loving god. Mr. Brown realizes that he cannot directly challenge the Ibo religion and tell them to
convert. So he decides to open a school and a hospital.
5) Why is Mr. Brown’s school successful?
He will teach them how to read and write, and if people do that, they will earn jobs in the
government.
6) How has Okonkwo’s homecoming turned out?
Okonkwo was very disappointed about his homecoming because the tribe has changed so much,
and because of the changes, no one seems to notice that he’s come back.
Chapter 22
7) How does Mr. Smith’s approach differ from Mr. Brown’s? What does this mean for Umuofia?
Mr. Smith saw things as black and white (which means that things are just right or wrong, there
is no middle ground).
For Umuofia, this is going to make them want to fight. They don’t want to be controlled by
anyone else. This will cause conflict.
8) What “crime” does Enoch commit? How does this affect the village?
He tore off a mask of an Egwugwu, killing it. The village was “thrown into confusion” and they
decided to retaliate.
9) What happens to the church?
The Egwugwu attacked the church and burned it to the ground. They tell the missionaries that
they can stay but they can no longer force their laws or religion on them.
Chapter 23
10) What happens to the six Umuofian men who visit the District Commissioner?
They were taken to prison. Okonkwo was with them. The DC asked them to come and tell their
side of the story, and while they were there, they were ambushed.
11) What do the villagers decide at the end of the chapter?
The collect 250 bags of cowries to pay for the release of the prisoner. The court messengers
added 50 for their own pockets above the original 200.
12) How does this chapter characterize the white man?
Very cruel and uncaring towards the village
Controlling
Pushy
Greedy
Abusive of their power
Unworthy (as viewed by the Ibo people)
Chapter 24
13) Who prepared Okonkwo’s first meal after his release? Why is it appropriate that she made the
meal instead of his wives?
Ezinma did. It is appropriate because she is his daughter, and she also is his favorite child. He
wouldn’t have eaten for everyone else but her.
14) What does Okonkwo think of the past? How has the village changed?
Before, his village was war-like and strong, but now they no longer want to fight.
15) Who does Okonkwo kill at the end of the chapter? What does the crowd’s reaction prove to
Okonkwo?
He killed the messenger. The crowd does not stick to their plan to fight the white men.
Okonkwo realizes that Umuofia is going to fall apart and die because they will not fight the
white men. They will just let them take over.
Chapter 25
16) What happens to Okonkwo and why does this happen?
He hangs himself because he knows Umuofia has given up. Also, the white men are going to kill
him, and he doesn’t want to allow them to have the power over him. There is more shame to
him if the white men would kill him rather than if he killed himself. He also thinks this will make
him look strong, not weak.
17) How has the point of view changed at the end of the novel?
It goes from the view of the Umuofians to the view of the District Commissioner. The District
Commissioner says that he is going to write a book about his experiences, and he is going to
include Okonkwo (first a chapter, then a paragraph, then just a sentence).
(Shows that the power has shifted from Nigerians to the white men)