Part 2 Things Fall Apart

Roaring flame

Symbolization of Okonkwo

• A roaring flame; furious

• Hurts/burns people around him

• Disastrous

osu

Outcasts

umunna

A man’s extended family or clan, made up of all his male relatives and their families, connected by a common ancestor; providing support and making decisions together.

sacred python

A holy (representation of earth goddess) snake in Igbo culture, and killing it is seen as a terrible crime that brings serious consequences.

Symbolization of clash between the two religions

the church/evil forest

The church symbolizes Christianity because it introduces a new religion that opposes Igbo beliefs and attracts converts, challenging the traditional way of life.

The Evil Forest symbolizes fear and superstition because the Igbo believe it is cursed and full of spirits, but when nothing happens to the missionaries for building there, it undermines these beliefs and shows the weakening of Igbo traditions.

uchendu

• Wisdom and Compassion: Uchendu represents wisdom, as he advises Okonkwo to accept his exile and reflect on the importance of a mother’s nurturing role.

• Tradition: He symbolizes the Igbo values of family support and respect for elders.

• Contrast to Okonkwo: Unlike Okonkwo, Uchendu is calm, thoughtful, and values peace over pride.

nwoye conversion

Nwoye’s conversion to Christianity in Things Fall Apart symbolizes his rejection of his father Okonkwo’s strict, traditional Igbo values and the appeal of a new belief system that offers him peace, understanding, and freedom from his father’s harshness.

symbols

• hail

• fire

• motherland

harbingers

预兆

harbingers are people or things that signal the arrival of something.

• Locustus

• Sacred Python’s Death

• Missionaries’ arrival

imagery

• the fish without water

mr. kiaga

A Christian convert who speaks the Igbo language and helps spread Christianity to the Igbo people.

Shows kindness and how Christianity welcomes outsiders, making more people join.

He symbolizes how Christianity offers a new identity and belonging to people marginalized by Igbo society.

mbanta

Okonkwo’s mother’s homeland, where he goes after being banished from Umuofia.

Representation of the refugee, maternal support

Symbolizes a place of peace and healing but also serves as the setting for the rise of Christianity, which begins to challenge traditional Igbo beliefs.

nneka

Mother is Supreme
Nneka is also the name of the first woman to convert to Christianity in Mbanta. She converts because she has had many twins who died as they are thrown in the evil forest, and Christianity offers her hope.

okoli

Zealous christian

An osu (outcast) who joins the Christian church in Mbanta. He is accused of killing the sacred python, which is a grave offense in Igbo tradition.

Okoli dies shortly after the accusation, and the Igbo believe it is punishment from the gods.

abame / imperialists

The people of Abame kill a white man who appears in their village, fearing he is a threat. Later, white men return with soldiers and massacre the entire village.

Uchendu uses this event to teach that rash actions, like killing someone without understanding the full situation, can lead to disaster.

twins

• Twins are considered an abomination and are believed to bring misfortune or evil to the community.

• As a result, they are traditionally abandoned in the Evil Forest shortly after birth, where they are left to die.

generational differences

In the past, clans communicated more through meetings, festivals, and shared traditions.

They worked together to solve problems, settle disputes, and maintain peace.

However, for Okonkwo’s generation, clans do not interchange and communicate with each other, that leads to the issue that do not know whats happening to the other clans, leaving each and every clan all by itself.

okonkwo's decisions vs. clan's decisions

isa-ifi ceremony

• What it is: A ceremony to confirm a bride’s faithfulness before marriage.

• Purpose: It ensures the bride has not been unfaithful to her fiancé during their time apart.

• How it’s done: The bride is questioned in front of her family and the groom’s family. She must swear she has been loyal.

Eulelefu

Worthless and empty man