Title: Things Fall Apart
Author: Chinua Achebe
Publisher: Penguin Books
Genre: Literary Fiction, African Literature
Year of Publication: First published in 1959; reprinted by Penguin Books in 1994
Date of Publication: September 1, 1994
Pages: 209
ISBN-10: 0385474547
ISBN-13: 978-0385474542
Summary of Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
Things Fall Apart is a novel that follows the life of a man named Okonkwo. The story takes place in a village in Nigeria before colonization. At the start of the book, Okonkwo is viewed as a man that should be respected because of all he has achieved at a very young age. His village is called Umuofia and is located in the Igbo speaking part of Nigeria.
Okonkwo always wanted to do better than his father, Unoka. When Unoka died, he did not have any chieftaincy title and was also heavily in debt, which is something that Okonkwo found rather embarrassing. Okonkwo viewed Unoka as lazy and wasteful with resources because he chose to buy drinks for everyone the minute he came into some money. Luckily for Okonkwo, most people in his village were more focused on what each individual achieves rather than what their fathers had acquired.
“He had no patience with unsuccessful men. He had no patience with his father” – Narrator
The first time Okonkwo became famous was because he had defeated a wrestler nicknamed “Amalinze the Cat.” Amalinze was the raining wrestling champion for seven years and his nickname came from the fact that it was difficult to wrestle him and for his back to touch the floor. He was undefeated until his fight with 18 year old Okonkwo. After that Okonkwo continued to position himself in ways that soon made him one of the most well-known people and a successfully farmer throughout the nine villages near where he lived, no one judged him by his fathers achievements. He acquired two chieftaincy titles.
“Age was respected among his people, but achievement was revered. As the elders said, if a child washed his hands he could eat with kings.”— Narrator
When a woman from Okonkwo’s village is killed by the neighboring village of Mbaino, it sets the pace for a series of events that would forever change Okonkwo’s life. The woman was the wife of a man named Ogbuefi Udo and was killed when she went to purchase items from a neighboring village called Mbaino. As compensation for her wrongful death, Okonkwo’s village demanded that the people of Mbaino chose between war or they offer a young man and a young woman as atonement.
Okonkwo’s village at the time was one of the most powerful in the area although they never outrightly sort for war first. Okonkwo was the emissary who went to Mbaino on behalf of his village and he returned with a15 year old boy and a young woman. The woman was given to Ogbuefi Udo to replace his murdered wife and the boy’s named Ikemefuna was deemed to belong to the whole community until they decide his faith.
One of the central stories in this novel is Okonkwo’s relationship with Ikemefuna. Ikemefuna lived with Okonkwo’s family for three years and formed a very close bond with Okonkwo’s son, Nwoye. Ikemefuna had a very fun personality and quickly became popular. He was very knowledgeable about many things including how to make bows, flutes and knew the names of all the birds. Even Okonkwo became fond of him although he never showed this outrightly.
“Okonkwo never showed any emotion openly, unless it be the emotion of anger. To show affection was a sign of weakness; the only thing worth demonstrating was strengths….And, Indeed, Ikemefuna called him father.”— Narrator
The rest of story centers on Okonkwo’s rigid values in dealing with his personal and familial conflicts, his struggle with his ever raging temper, and the challenges he faces with reconciling his beliefs with the changing world around him.
“His wives, especially the youngest, lived in perpetual fear of his fiery temper, and so did his little children. Perhaps down in his heart Okonkwo was not a cruel man. But his whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of weakness.”— Narrator
Main Plot & Characters
- Okonkwo: A strong and ambitious leader, determined to avoid his father’s perceived weakness. He has three wives and eight children.
- Ikemefuna: A young boy who was given to Okonkwo’s village by their neighbors to avoid war and conflict. He left behind his father, mother and a three-year old sister.
- Nwoye: He is Okonkwo’s first son. He becomes very close to Ikemefuna even though there is a two-year age gap between the two of them. He later changed his name to Isaac.
“For three years Ikemefuna lived in Okonkwo’s household and the elders of Umuofia seemed to have forgotten about him….He had become wholly absorbed into his new family. He was like an elder brother to Nwoye, and from the very first seemed to have kindled a new fire in the younger boy.”— Narrator
- Unoka: He was Okonkwo’s father. He died ten years before this story is told. He was not a successful man, owed a lot of debt and many viewed him as somewhat lazy. He loved to play the flute and was actually very good at it. He disliked wars and any kind of conflict and was viewed as a coward for this reason.
“He was a man of action, a man of war. Unlike his father he could stand the look of blood.”— Okonkwo’s reflections.
- Obierika: He is Okonkwo’s closest friend.
- Ogbuefi Udo: Udo’s wife was killed by a neighboring village.
- Ogbuefi Ezeugo: He is blessed with the gift of gap and was always chosen to make speeches on big occasions.
- Ogbuefi Ezeudu: He was the oldest man in Okonkwo’s village and always provided wise council to Okonkwo.
- Okoye: One of Okonkwo’s father’s neighbors. He was also a musician. Okonkwo’s father owed him money.
- Chielo: The priestess of Agbala, the Oracle of the Hills and Caves. A woman named Chika was the former priestess.
- Ezeani: The priest of the earth goddess Ani.
- Maduka: He is a talented young wrestler and the son of Obierika.
- Ekwefi: She is Okonkwo’s second wife and the mother of Ezinma. Ekwefi suffered a whole lot of losses in her life especially when it comes to her children.
- Ezinma: She is Okonkwo’s daughter and the daughter of Ekwefi.
- Ojiugo: She is Okonkwo’s youngest wife and the mother of Nkechi.
- Nkechi: The daughter of Okonkwo’s third wife, Ojuigo.
- Obiageli: Okonkwo’s daughter from his first wife, Nwoye’s mother.
- Nwakibie: He was a wealthy man in Okonkwo’s village. He was the first person to invest yams in Okonkwo’s first farmland. He saw something in Okonkwo and knew he was a hard worker that would succeed.
- Uchendu: Okonkwo’s mother’s younger brother and the eldest surviving member of that family.
- Mr. Brown: He was the first white missionary.
- Reverend James Smith: He was Mr. Brown’s successor but he was not as tolerant or willing to learn anything new about Okonkwo’s village and their way of life.
- Enoch: He was the son a snake-priest and was suspected of eating the sacred python after converting to Christianity.
Yam, the king of crops, was a very exacting king. For three or four moons it demanded hard work and constant attention from cock-crow till the chickens went back to roost.”— Narrator
Writing Style
Chinua Achebe tells the story in a way that truly shows why he is considered the father of modern African Literature. His voice in the book is very clear and the story is told in such a direct manner that you are forced to see and question what motivates Okonkwo’s choices.
“And so Okonkwo was ruled by one passion—to hate everything that his father Unoka had loved. One of those things was gentleness and another was idleness.”— Okonkwo’s reflections.
Achebe uses a lot of Igbo proverbs and expressions that add to the authenticity of the story but even more importantly, every aspect of the story brings the setting to live. His descriptions of the Igbo culture including how the elders meet and great, and some of the traditions that are observed in the novel allows you as a reader to visualize the setting in the book.
Among the Ibo the art of conversation is regarded very highly, and proverbs are the palm-oil with which words are eaten.
Memorable Quotes
- “He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.”— Obierika (Chapter 20)
- “The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one.”— Obierika (Chapter 20)
- “A man who makes trouble for others is also making it for himself.”— The story about the Tortoise (Chapter 11)
- “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.”— Uchendu (Chapter 15)
- “He who brings Kola brings life.”— Popular greeting/blessing in Igboland but in this book it is said by Okoye
- “When shall I go home?— Ikemefuna (Chapter 4)
- “Who killed the banana tree?”— Okonkwo (Chapter 5)
- “That boy calls you father. Do not bear a hand in his death?”— Ogbuefi Ezeudu (Chapter 7)
- “Never kill a man who says nothing.”— Uchendu (Chapter 15)
- “There is nothing to fear from someone who shouts.”— Uchendu (Chapter 15)
- “Never make an early morning appointment with a man who has just married a new wife.”— Obierika (Chapter 15)
- “From the very beginning, religion and education went hand in hand.”— Narrator (Chapter 21)
Final Thoughts on Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
Things Fall Apart is one the most celebrated books for its portrayal of African culture and storytelling. The book draws attention to some of the legacy’s of colonialism. It also places emphasis on the importance of cultural preservation.
In 1987, the book was adapted into a TV miniseries by Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). The NTA adaptation starred legendary Nigerian actor Pete Edochie as Okonkwo. Till today, Edochie’s portrayal of Okonkwo is one of the most memorable performances in Nigerian television.
A TV series adaptation is currently in development at A24 that will star Idris Elba as Okonkwo and bring this story to a wider audience.
What are your thoughts on this book? Have you had a chance to read it? Let us know in the comments!
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