Chapter 1
"He was a guy of action, a man of warfare. . . On great events like the funeral of the village star he drank his palm-wine from his first individual head. " (Webpage 10)
This quote presents us of to Okonkwo's custom to drink his palm-wine from a individual skull. This shows us the difference between Okonkwo and Ibo. This also demonstrates Okonkwo admires men who are hard fighters as well. He declined his father, a man who was afraid of the view of blood, partially because he never became a fighter.
Chapter 2
"Perhaps down in his heart and soul Okonkwo had not been a cruel man. But his very existence was dominated by dread, worries of inability and of weakness. "(Web page 13)
The quote emphasizes that Okonkwo noticed that his dad was a failure. According to Okonkwo, his dad possessed unsuitable feminine qualities. This is one of the fundamental causes which cause him to commit some ridiculous acts. His activities also brings about his eldest boy in becoming a "failure" (in Okonkwo's impression) as well. His boy possesses none of the attributes that Okonkwo admires.
Chapter 3
"A vintage woman is definitely uneasy when dry bones are stated in a proverb. Okonkwo kept in mind his own dad. "(Page 21)
This Ibo proverb shows how much Okonkwo hates his daddy. He felt that he was a failure and he fundamentally rejects everything that his dad stood for. He is ashamed of his daddy, generally because of his coward-like characteristics, his failure to rise up in modern culture, and his failure to become warrior.
Chapter 4
"But he had not been the person to go about telling his friends and neighbors that he was in mistake. Therefore people said he previously no respect for the gods of the clan. His enemies said that his good fortune had opted to his mind. " (Page 33)
In this quote, Achebe portrays Okonkwo's figure. Okonkwo plainly shows too little thought topped by his pretentiousness. He was not an extremely likable person. Thus, people hated him and his accomplishments and was well known by hardly any. Later on in the book, we also see another characteristic develop in Okonkwo - hypocrisy. In those later chapters, he'll reject everything he and his tribesman are a symbol of.
Chapter 5
"The Feast of the brand new Yam was held every year prior to the harvest started, to honor the earth goddess and the ancestral spirits of the clan. New yams could not be ingested until some experienced first been offered to these powers. Women and men, young and old, looked forward to the brand new Yam Festival because it began the growing season of plenty--the new 12 months. " (Webpage 36)
When we were reading Great Goals, we were asked to carefully evaluate the food within the novel. The food within Things Fall Apart is as significant. Yams was the key way to obtain food. In fact, the yams were so respectable in the population that they were often called the "the ruler of the plants. " Further, people utilised the yams for all traditional activities. This food can be associated with the religious and ancestral societal spirits. Certain festivities like the New Yam Festival took place to honor foods. Chinua Achebe used agriculture to express certain characteristics of every festival and party of the Igbo world.
Chapter 6
"The wrestlers were now almost stillin each other's hold. The muscles on their biceps and triceps and their thighs and on their backs stood away and twitched It appeared as if an equal match. " (Web page 50)
Although this chapter may seem significant it actually has a very significant common idea - the wrestling match. Although wrestling may seem to be such as a brutal sport, it was a fundamental element of the local culture and population. Tribal customs outline what every member is meant to do. Without traditions, a culture does not exist. Furthermore, wrestling matches for the Ibo town signified a youngster becoming a man. The only path to verify himself worthy to be a man is to wrestle. This shows the value of physical durability in the tribe.
Chapter 7
"No matter how prosperous a guy was, if he was unable to rule his women and his children (and especially his women) he was not a really man. " (Site 53)
Okonkwo, the protagonist of the novel, is a very gender-role focused man. When women gained the energy to trade, we are created aware that their position in modern culture is progressing up-wards. Trade altered basic family relations and the ideas upon which Igbo culture was set up. It seems the concept that a man should "rule his women and children" will not perhaps come from Okonkwo himself, but rather from the Igbo culture itself. Overall, however, this quote symbolizes that ladies were looked after as being inferior compared to men at that time.
Chapter 8
"When did you become a shivering old woman, ' Okonkwo asked himself, 'you, who are known in all the nine villages for your valor in warfare? How can a man who has wiped out five men in challenge fall to portions because he has added a youngster to their number? Okonkwo, you have grown to be a female indeed. " (Site 65)
The Ibo culture is completely different from modern culture as shown by the book. One clear difference between most modern societies and the Ibo modern culture was that warfare between different clans or tribes does not appear. The Ibo culture praises manliness and parades fighters. Today, world teaches us to honor warriors who fight other countries, somewhat than with regional clans. This quote shows that great difference between your two schedules.
Chapter 9
"For the very first time in three evenings, Okonkwo slept. He woke up oncein the middle of thenightand his head went back to the pastthreedays without making him feel uneasy. He started to question why he previously felt uneasy by any means. " (Webpage 75)
In this price, we see that Okonkwo is noticing something amiss. He seems that something is merely not right, yet he cannot determine what it quite is. Later on in the book, we will learn that "things fall apart. " This quote is an indicator that something amiss will happen. This shows Achebe using foreshadowing to provide understanding into what might happen next.
Chapter 10
"Okonkwo's wives, as well as perhaps other women as well, might have pointed out that the secondegwugwuhad the springy walk of Okonkwo. Plus they may also have noticed that Okonkwo had not been among the entitled men and elders who sat behind the row ofegwugwu. But if they thought these exact things they kept them to themselves. " (Pages 89-90)
This quotation portrays a arena in much aspect while also using humor. The "thoughtful silence" of the women is extremely ironic. The price reveals the attitude of women on this issue of vitality. Here, the ladies also show you that they posses more understanding of reality when compared with what they would like to reveal. Therefore, Achebe seems to recognize the importance and equality of women, something which had not been usually regarded in a male prominent society.
Chapter 11
"'Go home and rest, ' said Okonkwo. 'I shall wait around here. '" (Page 108)
Okonkwo seems to honestly love his family. He also seems to have genuine concern in the welfare and wellbeing of his children. With this quote, Okonkwo demonstrates his concern in the protection of his family. Although some would argue that Okonkwo's "iron fisted" rule obviously shows no love for his family, I'd vary. Perhaps, these beatings, instead, displayed the way people acted in the world in those days. Physical punishment was very common in the era. Therefore, it is possible that Okonkwo was only using the beatings as a method to show his children discipline. Basically, Okonwo enjoys his family, however, he's afraid to show this quality since her worries that it might portray him to be feminine.
Chapter 12
"Okonkwo was also being exhausted, and sleepy, for although no one else knew it, he previously not slept by any means yesterday evening. " (Webpage 112)
Chapter 12 marks the very first time that Okonkwo appears to be tired. This was a quality that he detested. Achebe shows Okonkwo's tiredness to conflict along with his earlier values. This shows Okonkwo's hypocritical dynamics. The actual fact that Okonkwo broke his vow is crucial given that they were the building blocks of his life. This will cause problems for him further on in the novel.
Chapter 13
"The sole course open to Okonkwo was to flee from the clan. " (Web page 124)
In the second area of the novel, Achebe uses several happenings that restrain Okonkwo from the commendation of his tribesman, building asimilarity towards his own daddy. This was surprising considering his own hatred for his dad. In this offer Okonkwo accidently eliminates the tribesman's kid and then escapes from the town to cover up from any abuse. This shows his cowardness, a quality possessed by his daddy. This also shows Okonkwo's hypocrisy. After all, he, himself, viewed down upon cowards.
Chapter 14
"It was like starting life anew without the vigor and eagerness of youth, like understanding how to become left-handed in later years. "(Site 131)
Okonkwo, after realizing change in his population, felt difficult to go on with his life. He had to start out a news chapter in his life. This quotation illustrates Okonkwo as someone who seems to have lost his will to live life. Okonkwo's quality's and his goal in becoming a fighter, unlike his dad, fade and he becomes a different man.
Chapter 15
"Those were good times when a man experienced friends in distant clans. Your era will not know that. You stay at home, frightened of your next-door neighbor. Even a man's motherland is bizarre to him nowadays. " (Site 137)
In this quotation, Unchendu is informing Okwondo about the past. Although, the price refers to men interacting within their classes, over a deeper level, it shows the change that has occurred within the population. Folks are changing and tradations are changing as well. The traditions that the people of the modern culture want to stay the same are changing as well. This will likely eventually be the "things" that break apart. Yet, all this was expected. In the end, the title of the book is "Things BREAK APART. " Since everything was going so properly, something was bound to happen.
Chapter 16
"The missionaries had come to Umuofia. That they had built their church there, won a small number of changes and were already mailing evangelists to the encompassing areas and villages. " (Web page 143)
The invasion of the Europeans of Africa was expected. Achebe mentions that the missionaries were moving there. Although, I do not endorse the Europeans coming into Africa, the Europeans coming into the community illustrated a very interesting idea - the clashing of ethnicities. Their invasion of the villages illustrated how the traditional prices of the Umuofia culture could be so easily evolved by this modern theology. This gives everyone an opportunity to think for themselves, rather than simply following what was typically considered to be right. It gave the people a decision. This choice was used by Nwoye who made his own path in life.
Chapter 17
"Living hearth begets frigid, impotent ash. "(Page 153)
This quotation is metaphor for an essential idea. This comes after Nwoye'srejection of traditional Igbo principles and alteration to Christianity. Nwoye, the oldest kid of Okonkwo, is sluggish and weak (matching to Okonkwo). This price stresses the realization of Okonkwo that his behavior leaves powerlessness in others, especially his child. Okonkwo believes the Nwoye and his dad posses the same weakness.
Chapter 18
"In the land of his fathers where men were vibrant and warlike. In these seven years he would have climbed to the utmost heights. Therefore regretted everyday of his exile" (p. 163).
This excerpt also emphasizes Okonkwo's desire to have power and status. During his exile, Okonkwo received touching the feminine aspect inside him. Okonkwo is a man who adores courage and Umuofia was filled with men who fit that information. It seems that Okonkwo will get back to Umuodia and everything will have transformed. After all, the name of the novel is "Things Fall Apart. " Nothing has "fallen apart, " yet so something will happen. This notion shows that Achebe, like Charles Dickens, too, uses the idea of foreshadowing.
Chapter 19
"I fear for you young people because you don't know how strong is the bond of kinship. You don't know very well what it is to speak with one words. " (Site 167)
This estimate is told by an elder to Okwondo. Kinship and relationships, which have been crucial parts of the Ibo culture, appear to "fall apart" as the novel progresses. This offer sparks questions in my brain. Was there any fragmentation amongst the Ibo people from colonization? The Ibo people gathered for wrestling matches and other festivities. Okonkwo clashes with his culture very often.
Chapter 20
"The white man is very ingenious. He came silently and peaceably along with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can't act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us along and we've fallen aside. " (Site 176)
Obierika mourns above the white man coming to Africa. However, at the same time, he believes that it's the Africans' problem for permitting the white man come. Mr. Brown, the first white missionary, is convinced that it's necessary to respond peacefully in order to convert people. When Reverend Smith replaces him, he runs contrary to the indigenous tribes and snacks them badly.
Chapter 21
"He mourned for the clan, which he observed splitting up and falling aside and he mourned for the warlike men of Umuofia, who had so unaccountably become gentle like women" (Web page 183)
Okonkwo sought that the ideology of his clan should survive. The society to get several violent features. By giving in to the Christians, Umuofia broke up and fell aside and converted as "soft as women. " I thought that Okonkwo did not pay the consequences because he killed the messenger. Okonkwo got killed others before. Okonkwo perished because he achieved it for himself and the beliefs of the clan. The price above not only shows Okonkwo's dismay at the fall of the clan, but also his hatred of womanly qualities, a controversial theme in the book.
Chapter 22
He observed things as black and white. And black was bad. He saw the globe as a battlefield in whichthe children of light were locked in mortal issue with the sons of darkness. (Page 184)
Mr. Smith speaks contrary to the god Baal. Many battles against Baal have been described in the Bible. This shows Achebe's criticism of racism. Achebe criticizes the "black colored and white" idea. Most racism is based on stories somewhat than any sensible incidents. Therefore, this view has customized reality, something Achebe appears to be very against.
Chapter 23
"For the very first time in a long time Okonkwohad a sense that was akin to happiness. The times which had altered so unaccountably during his exile seemed to be coming round again. The clan which experienced turned wrong on him appeared to be making amends. " (Webpage 192)
This estimate symbolizes an alteration, something which has took place very seldom in the book. The status of the clan remains somewhat the same in a variety of portions of the novel. However, at the moment, the tribe is profitable which is unlike typical. However, this enjoyment will not go on for long. In the end, the novel must live up to its expectations which are clearly discovered in the book - something must break apart. This indicates that perhaps the tribe will disintegrate in the last few chapters. This might lead to a radical turn in the novel.
Chapter 24
"He recognized that that Umuofia wouldn't normally go to war. He realized because that they had let the other messengers evade" (Page 205).
Okonkwo's suicide meant more than his own tragedy. It symbolized the final of his world and all the beliefs that prevailed. I think he wiped out himself because he noticed there was no more hope in thinking that his tribe would survive and defend itself. Okonkwo tried out to symbolize that everything his tribe wished. In the event the tribe wasn't heading to endure with the way people were growing up, then he wished to die too. When the society's life was going to be taken, his was going to be studied too.
Chapter 25
"He had already chosen the title of the publication, after much thought:The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the low Niger. " (Page 209)
This quote signifies the racist frame of mind that the District Commissioner has towards the local tribes. He's a pompous man who thinks he understands the indigenous culture and tribes, while he clearly does not. While he seems that he is bringing peacefulness to the spot, he is evidently doing nothing of the sort. He also seems to be very shallow. He makes remarks on "love of superfluous words" of the villagers. With this, he mocks the dialect of the villagers.
