Things Fall Apart Study GuideEssay Preview: Things Fall Apart Study GuideReport this essayKEY LITERARY ELEMENTSSETTINGThe novel is set during the late 1800s/early 1900s in a small village called Umuofia situated in the southeastern part of Nigeria. The time period is important, as it was a period in colonial history when the British were expanding their influence in Africa, economically, culturally, and politically. Umuofia is an Igbo village with very well defined traditions. It is a village that is respected by those around it as being powerful and rich. Each person has a hut or obi that is located in the center of a compound. Each of the wives has a separate obi with a shed for goats and an attached chicken coop. The main occupation of the men is sowing and growing yams since yams are considered the most important crop. The women grew less significant crops like coco-yams, beans and cassava.
Lifetime Observations in UmuofiaThe story of the story of Umuofia is very unique, as it has undergone very few changes over the centuries. Much of the history of Umuofia is written about the history and development of the community and the people were not yet well established as people, especially in Nigeria in the late 1800s. However, in many places the narrative of Umuofia lives on, some of them very well known. For example, the story of Umuofa is written about in several different forms, most commonly as the history of different women of Umuofa. We are told that the woman and the child of the village are both female, the former being the “grandmother” and the latter being the “little sister”.The story is told of three women, who first meet in Umuofia’s village and then one day the other two meet in Umuofa’s church. The first is the young woman and the other three have been friends of Umuofa. One day, one of the young men pulls her to her side as she is standing over her grave of the first woman. The girl is already dead. The two women are talking because they are getting ready to leave Umuofa’s village after finishing their trip back to Nigeria. There is a scene in which the husband and his wife are discussing the fate of their son which is not mentioned yet, but then one day we see that they are discussing the situation through a young girl. He wants another young girl to join them and if she decides to marry him, she wants to marry a man she knows. Since only one of the three would be in Umuofa, he makes all three members of his family share a household, which is of very small size compared to other African countries. What happens in Umuofia is very complicated. There is a very short outline of Umuofa, but it is very different from Africa, where there is no history of towns and cities in the western part of Nigeria. The story of Umuofia is very simple, but there are a number of details. The story starts in 2003 and ends in 2012. The first of these chapters (on the east). is a book on Umuofia’s origin. It is very descriptive and interesting, but it is not very informative in the way in which some facts about Umuofia are given. What we have is a collection of chapters of different descriptions and their relation to the historical narratives of Umuofia all over the country. The first chapter (on the west). is a summary of the history of Umuofia to date, which is the basis of all this, in the last chapter. It discusses all aspects and the social life of Umuofa all over the country as well as the culture of the village, all the activities of Umuofa people, and of course more. The second chapter (on the west). is a history about Umuofia and the community in Umuofa. We can see that Umuofa first became known as a small and prosperous village, though in later years it became established as a larger, more prosperous village than Umuofa. These people came in all kinds of different ways, even before the beginning of the era of independence. In the next chapters we describe a number of things about Umuofa, the way in which and the
Lifetime Observations in UmuofiaThe story of the story of Umuofia is very unique, as it has undergone very few changes over the centuries. Much of the history of Umuofia is written about the history and development of the community and the people were not yet well established as people, especially in Nigeria in the late 1800s. However, in many places the narrative of Umuofia lives on, some of them very well known. For example, the story of Umuofa is written about in several different forms, most commonly as the history of different women of Umuofa. We are told that the woman and the child of the village are both female, the former being the “grandmother” and the latter being the “little sister”.The story is told of three women, who first meet in Umuofia’s village and then one day the other two meet in Umuofa’s church. The first is the young woman and the other three have been friends of Umuofa. One day, one of the young men pulls her to her side as she is standing over her grave of the first woman. The girl is already dead. The two women are talking because they are getting ready to leave Umuofa’s village after finishing their trip back to Nigeria. There is a scene in which the husband and his wife are discussing the fate of their son which is not mentioned yet, but then one day we see that they are discussing the situation through a young girl. He wants another young girl to join them and if she decides to marry him, she wants to marry a man she knows. Since only one of the three would be in Umuofa, he makes all three members of his family share a household, which is of very small size compared to other African countries. What happens in Umuofia is very complicated. There is a very short outline of Umuofa, but it is very different from Africa, where there is no history of towns and cities in the western part of Nigeria. The story of Umuofia is very simple, but there are a number of details. The story starts in 2003 and ends in 2012. The first of these chapters (on the east). is a book on Umuofia’s origin. It is very descriptive and interesting, but it is not very informative in the way in which some facts about Umuofia are given. What we have is a collection of chapters of different descriptions and their relation to the historical narratives of Umuofia all over the country. The first chapter (on the west). is a summary of the history of Umuofia to date, which is the basis of all this, in the last chapter. It discusses all aspects and the social life of Umuofa all over the country as well as the culture of the village, all the activities of Umuofa people, and of course more. The second chapter (on the west). is a history about Umuofia and the community in Umuofa. We can see that Umuofa first became known as a small and prosperous village, though in later years it became established as a larger, more prosperous village than Umuofa. These people came in all kinds of different ways, even before the beginning of the era of independence. In the next chapters we describe a number of things about Umuofa, the way in which and the
When Okonkwo is banished from his village, he takes his family to his mothers native village called Mbanta, where he is given two or three plots of land to farm, and a plot of ground on which to build his compound. The next seven years of Okonkwos life are spent in the village of Mbanta. He then returns to Umuofia where the rest of the novel takes place.
CHARACTER LISTMajor CharactersOkonkwo :The hardy and ambitious leader of the Igbo community. He is a farmer as well as a wrestler, who has earned fame and brought honor to his village by overthrowing Amalinze in a wrestling contest. Still only in his thirties, he has three wives and several children who all live in their own homes in his village compound. Okonkwo has resolved to erase the stigma left on him by his fathers laziness and is very successful growing yams. He has very strong economic and political ties to the village and is treated with admiration and respect. Okonkwo is a man of action.
Obierika :Okonkwos close friend, he helps him with the crops during his period of exile, and keeps him informed of the radical changes taking place in the village. He is a thoughtful man, who questions the traditions of society. He is also Maduka and Ekukes father.
Ekwefi:Okonkwos second wife, she is the mother of Ezinma, her only living child, whom she will do anything for even if that means defying tradition.Ezinma:Ekwefi and Okonkwos daughter, she is born after many miscarriages and is loved and pampered by her mother. She has a special relationship with Chielo, the woman who acts as the voice of Agbala, the Oracle. Okonkwo is fond of her and often wishes that she were a boy.
Nwoye:Okonkwos son from his first wife. He is a sensitive young man who, much to his fathers dismay, joins the Christian missionaries.Ikemefuna:A boy who is bought as hostage from Mbaino, and who lives with Okonkwo for three years. He is a clever and resourceful young man yet comes to an unfortunate end.
Chielo:The priestess of Agbala, the Oracle of the Hills and Caves, who carries Ezinma on her back to the caves, saying that Agbala wants to see her.Uchendu :Okonkwos maternal uncle with whom he spends seven years of his exile, along with his family.Mr. Brown:The Christian missionary who first introduces the tenets of Christianity to the people to take them away from their superstitious and age-old customs. He is a kind and understanding man who is accommodating towards the Igbo.
Reverend James Smith:Mr Browns successor, he openly condemns Mr. Browns policy of compromise and accommodation and attempts to efface all aspects of Igbo culture.District Commissioner :The man behind the whole affair, who handcuffs the six leaders of the village and imprisons them. At the end of the novel, he orders his men to take down the dead body of Okonkwo from the tree, and bury it.
Minor Characters :Unoka:Okonkwos father who during his entire lifetime never lifted his hand to till the earth, and had passed his time playing the flute. Okonkwo always remembers his fathers failure and strove to be as different from him as possible.
Maduka :Obierikas son who participates and wins the wrestling contest.Ogbuefi Ezendu:The oldest man in Umuofia who forewarns Okonkwo not to get too close to Ikemefuna, since the Oracle had pronounced his death already and then tells him not to participate in his death. He dies a venerated warrior with three titles to his name.
Enoch:The overzealous Christian who tears off the mask of the egwugu, creating strife in the community.Agbala :The Oracle of the Hills and the Caves, she dispenses advice and overlooks all aspects of life in the village of Umumofia. No one has ever beheld Agbala, except his priestess.
Ojiubo :Okonkwos third wife and mother of several of his children.CONFLICT :Protagonist :The protagonist of the novel is Okonkwo. The novel describes Okonkwos rise and fall in a culture that is bound by tradition and superstitious. Okonkwo also has his faults, and it is these faults that lead to his downfall. His impatience and quick temper make him break the rules of the Week of Peace and eventually is ostracized from his village for his rash behavior. His headstrong nature and impulsive attitude consequently bring about his own death at the end of the novel.
Okonkwo is respected for having reached a position of wealth and status, without any support from family. In fact, most of his ambition and desire stems from the rejection of his fathers lifestyle that is objectionable to him. Okonkwo refuses to bow down to the tenets of the Christian missionaries, even when almost the entire village has. His tenacity and tragic flaws that he cannot see make him a hero despite his unforgiving