Name:
Mrs. Wiley 1 & 2 p.3-15
Chapter(s) & Pages Discussion Leader:
Summary of Events :
Chapter 1 – Meet Okonkwo and hear story of wrestling fame with Amalinze the Cat; Okonkwo is huge warrior who has 2 barns of yams, three wives and is an important figure in the village. Is in charge of Ikemefuna who will be killed later; meet Unoka who is Okonkwo’s father who is a failure by village standards.
Chapter 2 – town meeting regarding murder of Umuofian woman in marketplace by neighboring clansmen; ultimatum of settlement or war with Umuofia to rectify situation; Ikemefuna comes to live with Okonkwo
Okonkwo’s Character Development
Quick to anger
Uses fists when he can’t speak fast enough
Celebrated warrior with 5 human heads from victories
Ok has great fear of failure
Has made a success of himself without any help from his failure father whom he despises.
Man of action & war
Wives and children fear him
Hate everything his father is
____Unoka_______________ Character
Development
Lazy, doesn’t plan for future
Popular flute player among villages
Owes everyone money
Won’t back Okoye until he has paid big debts first
Uses money to have parties and drink wine
Does not provide well for family
Religious Beliefs
Superstitious of evil in darkness
Umuofia has potent war medicine: old woman with one leg agadi-nwayi
Oracle of Hills and Caves – advisor to Umuofia
Medicine house with personal gods of OK and his ancestral spirits
___ Ikemefuna________________ Character
Development
Given as a sacrifice to Umuofia because his father was involved with murder of Umuofian woman at marketplace
Lives with Okonkwo;’s family for now
Is punished because of something his father did – part of legal system
Lives with Okonkwo 3 years
Cultural/Social Beliefs
Man can be successful even if his father is not – no class system
Achievement is revered
Justice system- replace what has been take/lost from your own tribe ex-
Ikemefuna and a virgin replace murdered woman. Virgin becomes man’snew wife; Ikemefuna is sacrifice – we would send men to jail

Myth/Legend/Proverb – Copy or Summarize
Analyze Meaning & Purpose
Proverb - “He who brings kola brings life”p. 6 –
Kola nuts are a symbol of hospitality and are sacred to the Ibo. They are broken and eaten at all ceremonies and gatherings. The kola nuts symbolize the necessity for the tribe to stay together to survive.
Evidence of Masculine/Feminine Values
Agbala – name for a man who has no titles & also the name for woman
1 st wife is most important
Virgin replacement for murdered wife
Warriors, farmers, wrestlers, orators are community leaders
Myth/Legend/Proverb – Copy or Summarize
Analyze Meaning & Purpose
Legend- p. 3 ‘…in a fight which the old men agreed was one the fiercest since the founder of their town engaged a spirit of the wild for seven days and seven nights.”
Comparison to the fight between Amalinze and
Okonkwo to show how violent the wrestling match was
New Characters and Their Purposes
Nwoye – 12 year old son of OK by 1 st wife; tends to be lazy like Unoka; frequently beaten by Ok for laziness
Nwoye’s mother – Ok’s 1 st wife, most important position
Myth/Legend/Proverb – Copy or Summarize
Analyze Meaning & Purpose
Proverb – “…proverbs are the palm oil with which words are eaten.” P. 7
The Ibo value speaking very highly and use proverbs as sophisticated methods of communication – few words which contain a great deal of wisdom. A proverb in this case makes it easier for a person to say something difficult or awkward like when Okoye asks for his money back.
Evidence of Outside Influence or Change
Vocab Word with Definition & Sketch
Improvident – p. 4
Vocab Word with Definition & Sketch
Plaintive – p. 6
Vocab Word with Definition & Sketch
Incipient – p13
In the beginning stages Sounding Sad and mournful
Having no foresight or planning
Additional Notes:
How would our world be different if we had a justice system similar to the Ibo?
What does failure look like to you?