TFA
Ch. 1 (Part One)
1. For what is Okonkwo best known?
2. Describe Okonkwo’s personality. Does he seem like a pleasant or an
unpleasant person to be around?
3. How is Okonkwo different from his father, Unoka?
4. Even though Okoye is a musician, like Okonkwo’s father, what is it about him
that Okonkwo thinks makes him successful?
5. How many wives does Okonkwo have?
6. The author says that to the Ibo people, “proverbs are the palm oil with which
words are eaten.” What does this mean?
Ch. 2
1. What are some of the superstitions and traditions that have been introduced in
the first two chapters?
2. What trophies were often brought home from war to indicate the soldier’s
prowess?
3. What wrong has been done to the Ibo people of Umuofia?
4. What is the ultimatum that they intend to deliver to the people of Mbaino?
5. What is a fight of blame?
6. What was Ikemefuna’s purpose? (Why was he brought to the village?)
7. What is the fear that dominates Okonkwo’s life?
8. Because of his father, what two things did Okonkwo come to hate?
Ch. 3
1. When Unoka went to the Oracle, what was the reason that she gave for
Unoka’s crops failing?
2. Where is Unoka buried?
3. What customs are observed in this chapter?
4. What are the dregs of the palm wine supposedly good for?
5. What is the older generation’s opinion of the younger?
6. What did Okonkwo need from Nwakibie?
7. What did the Ibo consider to be The King of Crops?
Ch. 4
1. How does Okonkwo treat those with no titles? Why is this behavior so ironic?
2. What is chi to the Ibo?
3. What emotion is the only one that Okonkwo openly shows? Why is this the
only one that he displays?
4. Why does Okonkwo get in trouble for beating his wife, Ojiugo?
5. Who has become Ikemefuna’s best friend?
6. Who does Ikemefuna call Father?
Ch. 5
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5.
Who is Ani?
What about feasts made Okonkwo nervous?
What incident occurred at Okonkwo’s compound before the feast?
With the Ibo people, who pays to get married, the bride or the husband?
Why do the Ibo never answer, “Yes,” when someone called their name from
outside?
6. To what is Okonkwo’s love of wrestling compared?
7. What is the emotion that Okonkwo keeps secret?
Ch 6.
1. What event has everyone so excited in the village?
Ch. 7
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6.
Why did Okonkwo like to hear his son complaining about women?
How long has Ikemefuna lived with the Ibo people?
How has Nwoye changed?
What kind of stories does Nwoye prefer?
What appears in Umuofia that has not been seen in a generation?
How do the people react to the arrival of the swarm? Why is this reaction
ironic?
7. What has the village decided to do with Ikemefuna?
8. What does Ezeudu tell Okonkwo when he comes to visit?
9. Why doesn’t Okonkwo take Ezeudu’s advice?
10. How did the Ibo treat twins when they were born?
Ch. 8
1. What evidence is there that Okonkwo feels something other than anger
finally?
2. What does Okonkwo think that his daughter Ezinma should have been?
3. Why did Obierka stay behind the day that Ikemefuna was killed?
4. What does Obierka think of Okonkwo’s behavior the day of Ikemefuna’s
death?
5. How does the story of Ndulue and his wife strike Okonkwo?
6. How do negotiations work among the Ibo?
7. What is “The White Skin”?
Ch. 9
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4.
Who becomes ill in this chapter?
What is an ogbanje?
What is an iyi-uwa?
What does Okonkwo’s behavior tell you about his feelings toward Ezinma?
Ch. 10
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4.
What is an egwugwu?
Why does one of the egwugwu walk like Okonkwo?
What is the purpose of the egwugwu?
Is there anything in our modern culture that reminds you of the egwugwu?
Ch. 11
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4.
What aspect of the world is explained in the story of Tortoise and the feast?
Who comes to the compound in the night?
What does this visitor come for?
Again we see that Okonkwo has more than just anger within him. How does
he show his concern in chapter eleven?
5. What moment is Ekwefi reminded of at the end of the chapter?
Ch. 12
1. How many times did Okonkwo return to the shrine?
2. What do the Igbo people credit with the success of the market at Umuika?
3. What important job to the women perform in this chapter?
Ch. 13
1. Who from the village has died?
2. What was the purpose of the “transition rites” that are mentioned in this
chapter?
3. What crime has Okonkwo committed?
4. What is the difference between a “male” and “female” crime?
5. What is Okonkwo’s punishment?
6. How are the roles of the men who burn Okonkwo’s compound like the
Egwugwu?
Ch. 14 (Part Two)
1. Where does Okonkwo take his family to live?
2. What makes starting over difficult for Okonkwo?
3. What does Nneka mean?
4. What is the main point of Uchendu’s speech to Okonkwo?
Ch. 15
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6.
Who comes to visit Okonkwo?
What is the news that this visitor brings?
What is an “iron horse”?
What did the Oracle foretell about the white man?
What happened to the white man in Abame?
What is meant by the statement, “There is no story that is not true. The world
has no end, and what is good among one people is an abomination with
others.”?
7. What favor is Obierka doing for Okonkwo in his absence?
Ch 16.
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4.
What group has now come to Umuofia?
What is an efulefu?
Who has now become a convert to the new religion?
What is the statement that the interpreter always messes up when he is
speaking?
5. What does the missionary tell the people that confuses them and makes them
think he must be crazy?
Ch. 17
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How are the villagers more democratic than the British?
What do the missionaries ask for?
What trick do the elders play on the missionaries?
What does Nwoye find attractive about this new religion?
What kind of people is initially attracted to the new religion?
How does Okonkwo greet the news that Nwoye was seen with the Christians?
How does Okonkwo finally come to terms with his situation with Nwoye?
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6.
How do the Christians first “cross the line?”
Why does the white man bring his government with him?
Why were the Christian converts safe from attack by the villagers?
How does Mr. Kiaga deal with the osu?
What act forces the villagers to cut the Christians off from the well?
Why do the villagers finally decide to leave the Christians alone?
Ch. 18
Ch. 19
1. How does Okonkwo say goodbye to his motherland?
2. What is the main point of the elder’s final speech?
3. How does the author use this speech as foreshadowing? (In other words, what
do you think will happen next, given this speech?)
Ch. 20 (Part Three)
1. What is Okonkwo’s plan for regaining his former status?
2. How does Okonkwo intend to console himself over the loss of Nwoye to the
Christians?
3. Who is the District Commissioner?
4. What is the nickname given to the messengers of the court?
5. How are the whites destroying the Ibo’s customs? Give two examples.
Ch. 21
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4.
What benefits have the British brought to Umuofia?
What is Mr. Brown’s relationship with the tribes?
What is Nwoye’s new name?
In 20 and 21 there have been references to the title of the book. How is the
title of the book related to these two chapters?
5. Why is Okonkwo so disappointed in his clan?
6. What happens to Mr. Brown?
Ch. 22
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4.
How is Reverend Smith different than Mr. Brown?
What did Smith feel that Brown’s focus had been?
What crime does Enoch commit?
How do the Egwugwu punish the Christians?
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What lesson has Umuofia learned from Abame?
Why do the elders agree to go to see the D.C?
What happens at the meeting?
How has corruption crept into the new government? Give one example.
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4.
What has Okonkwo decided to do about the white men?
Who interrupts the meeting with their arrival?
What does Okonkwo do to the newcomer?
How does Okonkwo know that Umuofia will not go to war?
Ch. 23
Ch. 24
Ch. 25
1. What has happened to Okonkwo by the end of the story?
2. Why will Obierka not touch him?
3. How does the author demonstrate the inability of the British to understand
their colonized people?
4. How does the D.C. reduce the importance of Okonkwo’s struggle?