English 202: Things Fall Apart Study Guide

Note that the study guide is keyed to the pdf of the text found at
https://d3jc3ahdjad7x7.cloudfront.net/K6VMedMRtwYZgIkkMchdXL4L1NPrA9UgqYAgYZtF
vNWU9Scc.pdf
Page numbers come from my print out of the pdf of that text, which should be standard

Part One,

Characters: Briefly identify each of the following characters. It might help to relate their
relationship to Okonkwo, if applicable:

1. Unoka (2) Okonkwo’s father who died ten years ago. Was lazy and drank a lot of wine.a
debtor and owed everyone money.

2. Ikemefuna (6, 22) Ill-fated who sacrificed the village of Umuofia by their neighbors to avoid
war and bloodshed.

3. Agbala (9) Not a character, a term A man with no title. Or a woman.

4. Nwoye (9-10) Okonkwo’s first son.

5. Ekwefi (29-30, ) Okonkwo’s second wife.

6. Ezinma (30, 35) Ekwefi’s only daughter. Calls her mother by her name.

7. Chielo (38) Priestess of Agbala, the Oracle of the Hills and the Caves. A friendly widow with
two children.

8. Ezeudu (44) The oldest man in that quarter of Umuofia. He was a fearless warrior at one time
and had great respect from the clan.

9. Obierka (50-51) A friend of Okonkwo.

Chapter 1
10. Why was Okonkwo well known? He had many personal achievements like throwing
Amalinze the Cat.

11. Why did Okonkwo have no patience for his father?

a. He had no patience with unsuccessful men.
b. The way he walked, talked, and fought.

12. What were Unoka's "happiest moments"? He was good at the flute. When everyone hung
their instruments over the fireplace.

13. What is the significance of the kola nut? “He who brings kola brings life.”
14. What made Unoka “unhappy”? War.

15. Why did this make Unoka unhappy? He couldn’t bear the sight of blood.

16. What do the marks on Unoka’s wall signify? Each chalk group was a debt that he owed
someone, while each line was one hundred cowries.

17. Why was Okonkwo “clearly cut out for great things”? (at least 3 reasons)
a. “He was still young but he had won fame as the greatest wrestler in the nine villages.”
b. “He was a wealthy farmer and had two barns full of yams and had just married his
third wife.
c. “He was respected and washed his hands so that he could eat with kings.

Chapter 2
18. Why was Okonkwo not afraid of war? He was a man of action and war unlike his father.

19. Why were the citizens of Umuofia angry at the people of Mbaino? Because they murdered a
daughter of Umuofia.

20. What ultimatum did the men of Umuofia offer? To choose between war or a young man and
a virgin.

21. Who is the “Oracle” of Umuofia? The Oracle of the Hills and the Caves.

22. Who did Okonkwo bring back from Mbaino? A 15-year-old boy and a young virgin.

23. What was Okonkwo afraid of? Failure and weakness.

24. Why was Nwoye “developing into a sad-faced youth”? His father constantly nagged and beat
him.

25. Where does Ikemefuna live while in Umuofia? Okonkwo’s house.

26. Who does Ikemefuna “belong” to? The clan.

Chapter 3
27. What is the name of the Oracle of the Hills and the Caves? Agbala.

28. Who is the only person to have ever seen the Oracle? His priestess.

29. Who was the priestess in Unoka’s day? Chika.

30. Unoka is known for “the weakness of his machete” (a handheld cutting tool, line a long knife
or short sword). What does this metaphor mean, in plain terms? This means that he doesn’t
commit to anything and takes the lazy way out. He never follows through.

31. How does the weakness of Unoka’s machete relate to his “ill-fate”? Because he wasn’t
allowed to stay at his house and he had to go to the evil forest.

32. What is chi? Personal god.

33. What sort of chi does Unoka have? A bad chi and evil fortune.

34. What favor does Okonkwo ask of Nwakibie (related to yams)? He asks for some yam seeds.

35. Who else does Okonkwo have to support besides his wives and children? His father.

36. Why was the "year that Okonkwo took eight hundred seed-yams" considered "the worst year
in living memory"? Nothing happened at the right time. Everything flooded and was killed. The
weather was not good at all.

Chapter 4
37. An Ibo states that “when a man says yes his chi says yes also.” What exactly does this mean
in Okonkwo’s case? (19-20) It means that since Okonkwo says his chi is bad, that makes it bad.

38. How did Okonkwo feel about Ikemefuna? At first, he tried to scare him but then Ikemefuna
started to befriend Okonkwo’s son. He started to like him.

39. What is significant about the time period when Okonkwo beat his wife Ojiugo? It was the
sacred week.

40. Why was Okonkwo's wife-beating considered a "great evil"? How might it “ruin the whole
clan”? Because it would ruin the whole clan. Because he insulted the earth goddess and they
might be punished for that.

41. What happens after the Week of Peace? Every man cleared the bush to make new farms.

42. How does Ikemefuna begin to feel about living with Okonkwo? He felt like a member of
their family.

Chapter 5
43. Why was Okonkwo not enthusiastic about feasts? He didn’t like sitting and waiting for a
feast or getting over the feast.

44. Why does Okonkwo try to shoot his wife, Ekwefi? Because she killed a banana tree and then
after being beaten she whispered something about the guns not shooting.
45. How does Okonkwo feel about his daughter, Ezinma? He was fond of her because she looked
beautiful like her mother. He rarely showed his fondness.

Chapter 6
46. What is the “ilo”? The village green. Where sports take place.

47. According to her friend at the wrestling matches (Chielo), how did Ekwefi survive
Okonkwo’s attempts to shoot her? Her chi.

48. Who is Chielo particularly fond of? Ekwefi’s only daughter, Ezinma.

49. What is Chielo's special function in the community? She prophesies.

Chapter 7
50. How long did Ikemefuna live with Okonkwo? Three years.

51. What was Ikemefuna's effect on Nwoye? He was like an older brother to him. He made him
feel grown-up.

52. What sort of stories does Okonkwo tell his sons? He tells them stories of the land and war.
Stories for “grown-ups”.

53. Why does Nwoye prefer the stories his mother used to tell? Because they made him feel
young and he liked the voice of his mother.

54. Why is everyone excited about the appearance of the locusts? They haven’t seen the locusts
in many years. The locusts would eat the wild grass from the fields.

55. What news does Ezeudu bring to Okonkwo? That they were going to kill Ikemefuna.

56. What advice does Ezeudu offer to Okonkwo, and what is his reasoning for giving this
particular advice? He wants Okonkwo to have nothing to do with it.

57. As the men begin the journey to "take Ikemefuna home," what do they laugh and joke about?
The locusts, their women, and the men who refused to go with them.

58. How does Ikemefuna feel about Okonkwo? He still saw him as a father.

59. What are Ikemefuna's final words? “My father, they have killed me!”

60. Why does Okonkwo kill Ikemefuna? He didn’t want to be seen as weak.

61. What does Nwoye remember about the last harvest season? He felt that “snapping” inside
him.
Chapter 8
62. How did Okonkwo act immediately following Ikemefuna's death? He didn’t taste the food he
ate and he heavily drank wine. He didn’t sleep.

63. What does Okonkwo think (or wish) about his daughter Ezinma? She should have been a
boy.

64. What is Okonkwo’s criticism of Nwoye? He has too much of his mother in him.

65. What does Obierko predict will be the effect of Okonkwo's actions? It will wipe out families
because he angered the goddess.

66. What is the object of the negotiations between Ukegbu and Obierika? Broomsticks.

Chapter 9
67. What news does Ekwefi present to Okonkwo? Ezinma is dying.

68. Describe Ekwefi's experience with childbirth. 9/10 of her children died at a young age.

69. What is an ogbanje? A wicked child who died and then entered the mother’s womb again.

70. Describe how the body of the child Onwumbiko is treated after he dies. HE mutilated the
child and brought dragged him to the Evil Forest.

71. What does Ekwefi blame for her children dying? Her chi.

72. Why did people think that Ezinma migh be an ogbanje? Because her health would fluctuate
often.

73. What is Ezinma’s iyi-uwa? A smooth pebble wrapped in a dirty rag.

74. What is the significance of digging it up? (What happens after it is dug up?) After it is dug up
Ezinma got sick.

Chapter 10
75. What is an egwugwu? “A masquerader who impersonates one of the ancestral spirits of the
village.”

76. How many villages comprised Umuofia? Nine.

77. How do the egwugwu function in chapter 10? (What is their purpose in the community?)
There is one egwugwu from each village (nine total) and they come together and work sort of
like a counsel. They declare sentences after consulting in private.
Chapter 11
78. Who betrays tortoise when he jumps from the sky? Parrot.

79. What does Chielo say to Okonkwo? That Agbala wanted to see his daughter Ezinma.

80. After Chielo takes Ezinma, what does Ekwefi do? She goes outside to follow Chielo.

81. What are the three names that Chielo addresses the Oracle by? (2112)
a. The priestess of Agbala.
b. The Oracle of the Hills and Caves.
c. Agbala.
82. What convinces Ekwefi that Ezinma is safe? Because Okonkwa was watching after her too.

Chapter 12
83. What is the reason for the festivity? They were celebrateing Obierika’s daughter’s uri.

84. How many times did Okonkwo go to the cave to wait for Chielo and Ezinma? Four times.

85. How long must the bride spend with her suitor’s family? Seven market weeks.

Chapter 13
86. What is the occasion for the ceremony at the beginning of the chapter? Ezeudu was killed.

87. How many titles had Ezeudu taken? Three.

88. How does Ezeudu's 16 year old son die? Okonkwo’s gun exploded and hit him in the heart.

89. What was Okonkwo's only option? To flee from the clan.

90. What are the two types of crime? Male and female.

91. What type was Okonkwo's? Why? Female because it had been inadvertent. He was exiled for
seven years.

92. How long did Okonkwo have to stay away from the clan? Seven years.

93. What is the purpose for burning Okonkwo's compound? Justice of the earth goddess.

94. Where does Okonkwo go? Mbanta.