Michael Price
Jack Sheehy
5/22/15
History 10A
In chapter five of Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, the people of Umuofia are
celebrating the beginning of the new harvest, and as a result feel a lot of pressure. This is
especially true for Okonkwo, the novel’s main character who is warrior opposed to anything
remotely close to weakness. In the chapter, Okonkwo is not “enthusiastic” for the feast that
precedes the harvest, as he finds it boring and unproductive. This feast celebrates the Earth,
which is the cornerstone of religion and life in Umuofia, and it is also a way of honoring their
Earth goddess and ancestral spirits.
Okonkwo then, for no real reason, decides to beat his wife and then tries to shoot her
with his gun but misses after she made a rude remark about his hunting ability. It is clear that
Okonkwo was restless and anxious about something. The fact that this culture lives and dies by
the Earth and therefore has to believe in it too causes anxiety for Okonkwo and puts him under
immense pressure at the beginning of the harvest, because, after all, this was make or break time
for him. Achebe’s 1959 novel, set in Igbo region of what is now Nigeria, presents an African view
of a people who live close to the earth and who are entirely dependent on natural forces around
them.
Prompt writing group 7 Henry, Lincoln, Max
In chapter 7 of things fall apart by Chinua Achebe we see the negative and brutal side of premodern culture with the gruesome execution of a young boy. The decision to kill young Ikemefuna
was made by a higher ranking religious figure, the Oracle of The Hills and Caves. No one balked at
the thought of meaningless execution, not even his surrogate father Okonkwo. Okonkwo’s
relationship with Ikemefuna is detailed in the book and Ikemefuna even calls him father and has a
very close relationship with his son Nwoye. People just shook their heads and watched Ikemefuna
left to die an undeserved death. When Okonkwo decided to join the execution group, we really
witness the severity of his insecurity about being seen as weak and effeminate. In the next chapter we
see the emotional effects on Okonkwo and that even though he builds up an emotional wall he is
deeply sad and regretful.
Achebe’s 1959 African novel, set in Igbo region of what is now Nigeria, we both negative
and positive sides to this pre-modern world.
Hannah, Mikayla, Ben
In chapter 9 of Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo finds out that Ezinma is very sick and
possibly dying. We then find out that Ezinma and her mother had a special relationship, and
that Ezinma called her mother by her first name, Ekwefi. This is followed by a description of
Ekwefi’s struggles, and how 9 out of the 10 children died. She went to the oracle to find out
that her child was an Ogbanje. The oracle proposes a solution to not stay alone but to stay
with other people. When Ekwefi gets pregnant again, she goes to stay with her mother.
Although she followed the oracle's advice, her child still dies prematurely. This story, set
around 1900 in what is now Nigeria, tells the 21st C. reader about child birth and the
hardships in a traditional agricultural world in Africa on the cusp of colonial contact.
The main character of the Achebe novel, Okonkwo, calls another oracle named
Okagbue Uyanwa, who recommends that they refrain from mourning the child, amongst
Michael Price
Jack Sheehy
5/22/15
History 10A
other brutal things. Okagbue Uyanwa then proceeds to desecrate the baby's corpse. Ekwefi
grows increasingly bitter, despite the birth of yet another new baby. This resignation about
the baby stems from her belief that the baby wasn’t going to live. However, as the baby
continues to live, her bitterness starts to fade. We then learn about Ezinma’s burial of her
iyi-uwa, which binds the spirit of the dead child to the world. Even though she buried it, she
still gets sick very often. Near the end of the chapter, the oracle finds the iyi-uwa and
Ezinma is punished by Okonkwo.
Margot, Jeremy
In Chapter 11 of Things Fall Apart (1959) by Chinua Achebe, we get another glimpse
into the religion and mysticism that surrounds the village of Umuofia. The Oracle of Agbala
was a feared and supernatural figure to the people of Umuofia, and his priestess was feared
as his vessel. So when she came to the house of Okonkwo asking for Ekwefi’s beloved
daughter Ezinma, all of the household was very much afraid. The priestess of Agbala,
despite several objections from Ezinma’s parents, took Ezinma off into the starless night.
Ekwefi, distraught, followed them into the dark. Showing the power that religion had to this
people, the priestess of Agbala ran all the way round the nearby villages with Ezinma on
her back. Ekwefi followed, exhausted, as they returned back to the sacred cave of the Oracle
called Agbala. Ekwefi, despite her love for her daughter, was too afraid to enter that
supernatural space, and instead waited at the mouth. Okonkwo, having guessed that the
priestess would return to the cave, came soon after and stayed with Ekwefi to guard the
mouth throughout the night. At the end of the chapter we get a glimpse of how Ekwefi ran
from her first husband to become Okonkwo’s second wife.
This chapter shows both the power of religion and the power of family in Umuofia,
as well as tangentially demonstrating the dynamics and quirks of marriage in this part of
Africa prior to British colonization.
Max Kwass-Mason and Andrew Schwartz
Rather than being a shameful punishment, Okonkwo’s exile is simply a direct
consequence of his accidental killing of Ezeudu’s son. This, like many of the other actions in
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, is performed deliberately and without being influenced by
emotion. It is done to appease the earth goddess who is both feared and revered by those in the
village. The goddess has immense power for both universal good and universal evil, so by
appeasing the goddess the people are acting for the greater good. Achebe’s novel shows how
society in this region of Africa around 1900 possessed a value system which would be partially
at odds with the values of the Europeans, especially Christian ideology regarding personal
salvation. [who do you think the Christians will attract most easily to their religion??]
Michael Price
Jack Sheehy
5/22/15
History 10A
While Okonkwo feels distraught by having to leave the village, he does it for the greater
good. While his close friend Obierika is sympathetic to Okonkwo’s plight, he destroys
Okonkwo’s property for the greater good. Each villager places the good of the society above
their own personal desires.