Chapter Review
Chapter 14
Tradition of burying mother with
her people--in this case, Okonkwo's mother is buried in Mbanta
Cooperation--each of Uchendu's
five sons help Okonkwo begin a new life by giving him yams to plant
Mother is supreme--we go to our
motherland in times of sorrow.
Uchendu puts Okonkwo's loss in
perspective, as he has buried 22 children and many wives.
Chapter 15
Second year of exile for Okonkwo
Traditions are changing--younger
generation is losing its awareness and dedication to customs
Story of the whites coming and
the iron horse 139
Rumors of slaves being sold and
taken across the sea 141
Conflict in Abame--site of first
conflict between Ibo and Christians
Chapter 16
Fourth year of Okonkwo's exile
6 missionaries come to Umuofia--1
white, 5 black
Issue of false gods versus the
Christian "true" god 145
Nwoye joins the Christians, comforted
by the promises of the new religion 147
Chapter 17
Ibo give some of their land from
the Evil Forest to the Christians
Nneka, mother of twins, seeks refuge
in the new settlement
Okonkwo imagines the prospect of
his own annihilation 153
Chapter 18
The Osu, or outcasts, join the
Christians and find a sense of belonging, although not without much debate
Reverend Brown asks them to shave
off their hair--the sign of their heathen beliefs 157
Okoli kills the sacred python,
and the clan decides not to fight for its gods
Instead, the Clan in Mbanta decides
to ostracize the Christians
Okoli dies mysteriously on his
own and the shunning of the Christians ends
Chapter 19
7 years of exile draw to a close--two
children, Nneka and Nwofia, are born to Okonkwo
Okonkwo prepares a feast for his
mother's family and the umunna (extended kinsmen)
Elder in Mbanta lectures on the importance of the bonds of kinship
Part Three: Chapter 20
Okonkwo asks Ezinma and Obiageli
to marry when they return to Umuofia and the daughters agree
Achebe introduces the colonial infrastructure--the
prison, church, and office of the district commissioner
Obierika has noted that things
have fallen apart because the white man has turned the Ibo against themselves
Chapter 21
Akunna and Mr. Brown engage in
a theological discussion over the Christian and Ibo gods
Chukwu "made all the world and
the other gods." 179
Attention to setting--mention of
England's queen--this is the famous reign of Queen Victoria (1830-1901)
Okonkwo had imagined great fanfare
when he returns, but the timing is off
Chapter 22
Mr. Smith replaces Mr. Brown
Enoch unmasks an egwugwu--this
kills the spirit
The clan burns the church and Enoch's
compound
Chapter 23
The district commissioner (nameless,
because he represents a type) interrogates and imprisons 6 men of Umuofia
including Okonkwo
The guards harass the warriors
and shave their heads
A fine is assessed
Chapter 24
Okonkwo seeks revenge as an individual,
and will defy the will of the clan 201
When 5 messengers come to break
up the clan's meeting, Okonkwo strikes out and kills one of them. 205
Chapter 25
the district commissioner looks
for Okonkwo, but is met with ambiguity and indirection
Obierika finally tells the d.c.
where Okonkwo is--hanged on one of his own trees
The d.c. refuses to cut Okonkwo down himself, seeing that as a lesser duty. He is, in any case, fascinated by the failed heroics of Okonkwo's death.
Additional notes:
The killing of Ikemefuna in Part
One, in addition to the conflicts of Part Two, signal the point at which
things begin to fall apart.
Characters
Nneka--goes to live with
Christians, bearer of twins
Okoli-Kills sacred python
and later dies
Mr. Brown--Christian missionary,
accepted by Ibo people for his accommodation of their culture and ways.
He avoids the frontal approach--engaged in conversation about religion
(Akunna)
He worked from a small scale to
a larger scale. He invites the children to go to school (these individuals
are going to be impressionable and potentially more devoted--represent
a whole generation).
Mr. Smith--Brown's successor.
Sees things in black and white, unaccommodating.
Mr. Kiaga--Brown's interpreter,
helps to build a church