Things Fall Apart

Revision set for end of year exams

Nwoye

Opposite of his father considerate not violent. Not a good relationship with his dad. Good relationship with Ikemefuna but because Okonkwo kills him he becomes estranged with his dad. Adopts Christianity changing his name to Isaac

Setting

Umuofia is the main setting consisten of 9 villages with Umuofia being the “greatest in war and medicine”

Context

Set in Nigeria, before colonization first published in 1958. about Okonkwo and how because of colonization his life starts to fall apart. About the Igbo community. Set in 1890s around when the scramble for Africa happened.

Yams

“Yam, the king of crops," associated with masculine status. Calendar is divided on the different seasons of Yams.

Locusts

Symbolize the destructive arrival of colonialism

Okonkwo

He comes from a poor family due to his dad laziness. Because of this he becomes the opposite of him hard working and masculine this leads him to fame and wealth. But it also makes him brash and impatient leading to his eventual downfall.

Ikemefuna

Ill fated boy came from Mbaino sent to Umuofia, because his dad killed one of the daughters of Umuofia. Settles into the household becoming good friends with Nwoye and sees Okonkwo like his father. But then the Agbala priestess says that she must be killed and Okonkwo kills himself with his eldest son Nwoye

Ezinma

“She should have been a boy”. Okonkwo’s oldest daughter and the only child of Ekwefi to survive infancy from. She understands Okonkwo well and because of that Okonkwo wishes that she was boy.

Mr. Brown

First white villager to travel to Umuofia, instituting a policy of respect and comprise with Umuofia. Has deep conversations with Akunna to understand the Igbo community.

Reverend James Smith

Replaces Mr. Brown, he is impatient and strict unlike him. Shows no respect to Umuofia criticizing the patient way that Mr. Brown handled Umuofia.

Ekwefi

Okonkwo’s second wife, she ran away from her husband to be with Okonkwo. Share a close relationship with Ezinma her only surviving child but because she lost the first nine children already in child birth she thinks that she will lose Ezinma.

Mr. Kiaga

The native-turned-Christian missionary who arrives in Mbanta and converts Nwoye and many others.