Things Fall Apart

Okonkwo

A respected warrior who fears weakness.

Nwoye

Okonkwo’s eldest son who rejects his father’s ways.

Ikemefuna

A young boy given to Umuofia as a peace settlement.

Ekwefi

Okonkwo’s second wife and the mother of Ezinma.

Ezinma

Okonkwo’s favorite daughter, whom he wishes were a son.

Unoka

Okonkwo’s father; known for his debts and love of music.

Obierika

Okonkwo’s close friend who questions some Igbo traditions.

Mr. Brown

A soft-spoken missionary who respects Igbo culture.

Reverend James Smith

A white missionary who is strict and uncompromising.

Enoch

A radical Christian convert who sparks conflict.

District Commissioner

A British official who believes he understands African customs.

Ogbuefi Ezeudu

A wise elder who warns Okonkwo about killing Ikemefuna.

Chielo

A respected priestess of Agbala, the Oracle.

Uchendu

Okonkwo’s maternal uncle who offers him refuge in Mbanta.

Ikemefuna's role in Umuofia

He is given as part of a peace settlement after a murder.

What does Okonkwo do during the Week of Peace?

He violates it by beating his wife.

Why is Okonkwo exiled?

He accidentally kills a clansman during a funeral.

How does Nwoye's relationship with Christianity evolve?

He finds comfort in it and eventually converts.

Conflict caused by Enoch

He unmasked an egwugwu, committing a great offense.

How does Okonkwo's story end?

He realizes the clan will not fight and hangs himself.

Chi

A person’s personal god or fate.

Egwugwu

The ancestral spirits represented by masked men.

Obi

The first wife’s hut or home.

Osu

An outcast in Igbo society.

Ilo

The central village meeting place.

Ogbanje

A spirit child who repeatedly dies and returns.

Umuada

A gathering of daughters returning to their father’s village.

Ani

The earth goddess.

Ozo

A title of honor among men.

Nso-ani

A serious religious offense.

Umuofia

Okonkwo’s home village, known for its strength and warriors.

Mbanta

Okonkwo’s motherland where he spends seven years in exile.

Abame

The village wiped out by the white men after they killed a messenger.

Evil Forest

A cursed place where twins are abandoned and taboo acts occur.

The District Commissioner’s Office

The setting where Okonkwo’s tragic fate is sealed.