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3. Things Fall Apart

4. WHAT DOES THE PHRASE
“FALL APART” MEANS
• “Collapse, break down, either physically
or mentally and emotionally”
• “come apart at the seams; go to pieces.”

5. THINGS FALL APART – CHINUA ACHEBE
Nigeria
HANDFUL OF TAKE AWAYS

8. CHINUA ACHEBE [1930 (NOW, AGED 80)]

9. PUBLISHER: HEINEMANN, 148 (1958 )

10. CHARACTERS MENTIONED IN THESE
QUESTIONS

12. QUESTION 1

13. OKONKWO’S DESIRE to be strong,
wealthy and respected comes
from both his CULTURAL
experience and his feelings about
his FATHER. WHICH AFFECTS HIM
MORE? (Choose, and explain why
one affects more)

14. HE IS OKONKWO

15. WHAT IS DESIRE?
• “Noun: A strong feeling of wanting
• Verb: Strongly wish for something”
Google
• “The feeling that accompanies an
unsatisfied state” The Free Dictionary
• “Synonyms: ambition, aspiration,
dream” TFD

16. OKONKWO’S DESIRE TO BE STRONG
• Both - It comes from both feelings, cultural and
feelings about father
• Cultural experience
–BEING STRONG
• More honours for his village for bravery
• TRAGIC FLAW: “My father, they have
killed me!... He was afraid of being
thought weak” (Achebe 43)
• More valued and respected

17. Crowning Ceremony

18. OKONKWO’S DESIRE TO BE RESPECTED COMES
FROM CULTURE ALSO
• The desire comes from his standing among
his people will positively transformed.
Unlike his father with no titles.
• “who had risen so suddenly from great
poverty and misfortune to be one of the
lords of the clan. The old man bore no ill-will
towards Okonkwo. INDEED HE RESPECTED
HIM FOR HIS INDUSTRY AND SUCCESS”
(Achebe 19).

19. MORE SHEEPS

20. MORE TITLES
• MORE SHEEP/ANIMALS + MORE TITLES +
MORE MONEY = MORE RESPECT, MORE
WIVES

21. •Being strong meant being a
warrior, a defender, a protector
and a leader – Ibo people
respected warriors.
•He desires to be somebody
instead of being nobody like this
father.
OKONKWO’S DESIRE

22. OKONKWO AND UNOKA (HIS FATHER
ARGUING)

23. – Being Wealthy
• Warrior awards
• The more the animals the more the respect
• The important question of what affects him more?
– His feelings about his father affects him more
• Feelings about his father changed his life
• Father’s GUILT ‘of being nobody’ made him
struggle
• The guilt of suicide committed by his father
OKONKWO’S DESIRE

24. WHAT AFFECTS HIM MORE?
• “whenever he was angry and could not get
his words out quickly enough, he would use
his fists. He had NO PATIENCE WITH
UNSUCCESSFUL MEN. He had had no
patience with his father” (Achebe 3).
• At least at the end (BEING A WARRIOR) he
realizes its TIME TO SACRIFICE his own
body/self. Okonkwo was all the time
running away from this embarrassment of
dying like this father. And now being like his
father meant his salvation lied in
committing suicide for his people.

25. Therefore Okonkwo
sacrifices himself like
this father

28. QUESTION 2

29. 2
• What is IRONIC about Okonkwo’s
feelings for Ikemefuna when
compared to his feelings for
Nwoye? (Find Irony)

31. DEFINITION OF IRONY
•INCONGRUITY between
the expected thing, and
what actually takes
place.

32. • Okonkwo is selected to be guardian of
Ikemefuna but ironically he appreciates
and likes Ikemefuna more than Nwoye.
He finds a reflection of himself in him and
reflection of father in Nwoye.
• Ikemefuna
–Given authority
–Responsibility
–… continues
IRONY: FEELINGS FOR IKEMEFUNA AND
NWOYE

33. IRONY: FEELINGS FOR IKEMEFUNA AND
NWOYE
• “He allowed Ikemefuna to accompany him,
like a son, carrying his stool and his goatskin
bag. And, indeed, Ikemefuna called him
father.” (Achebe 21)
–Feeling of belonging to a family
• “Ikemefuna had become to feel a member of
Okonkwo’s family”(Achebe 25)

34. • Nwoye
• “a flaming fire could have begotten a son like
Nwoye, degenerate and effeminate” (Achebe
108)
– Neglected
– Treated by Father (Okonkwo) harsly
– Okonkwo constantly disappointed by him
– Okonkwo finds him weak
– Okonkwo wants him to be like Ikemefuna
• Nwoye is associated with Okonkwo’s father
because of effeminate attitude by Okonkwo.
OKONKWO’S IRONIC FEELINGS

35. • “He called his son, Nwoye, to sit with him in
his obi. But the boy was afraid of him and
slipped out of the hut as soon as he noticed
him dozing”. Irony here lies with Okonkwo’s
feeling for Nwoye because Okonkwo tries to
fill the gap of dead Ikemefuna with Nwoye.
But now Nwoye is too afriad.
OKONKWO’S IRONIC FEELINGS

37. QUESTION 3

38. 3
• What can you tell about
Okonkwo’s character from his
participation in the death of
Ikemefuna?

39. TWO FEATURES ARE QUITE CLEAR
ABOUT HIS CHARACTER
• Either he can taken as a HEARTLESS
MUDERER who is not worthy of being
called a father.
• Or a brave man of principle upholding
traditions even in cruelest situations.

40. MACHETE

42. • "Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete
and cut him down. He was afraid of being
thought weak“ (Achebe 43).
• One can tell that Okonkwo
–Pretends to be strong
–He is indeed weak (because of Ikemefuna)
–He is afraid (of being ) called weak because
“He had no patience with unsuccessful men.
He had had no patience with his father”
(Achebe 3)

44. QUESTION 4

45. 4
What Feature of Okonkwo’s
character persuades Nwakibie
to give him the seeds of yam?

46. Definition of Feature
• “a prominent attribute or aspect of
something” The Free Dictionary
• Synonym: aspect, quality, characteristic,
attribute, point, mark, property, factor,
trait, hallmark, facet

47. COMMITMENT
TO
WORK HARD

48. • Okonkwo’s hard work by ploughing the
almost barren land proved to Nwakibie
that Okonkwo is steadfast and serious
individual.
• This made Nwakibie quite clear that he
is not gifting away his valued land.

49. (CONVINCING) FEATURES OF
OKONKWO
• A sincere (genuinely interested) youngster
“It pleases me to see a young man like you
these days when our youth have gone so soft”
(Achebe 16)
• Sincerity to work (comes in with hard work
dedication)

50. • Respect for Nwakibie – “Nwakibie
and he had taken the highest but
one title which a man could take in
the clan”
• His respect towards Nwakibie for
the right reasons

51. • Nwakibie is convinced by Okonkwo's
SINCERITY which is marked with action
(plowing the fields) before asking Nwakibie
for the yams.
• His seriousness towards making his life a
SUCCESS.
(CONVINCING) FEATURES OF
OKONKWO

52. • Therefore considering Okonkwo’s qualities
Nwakibie gave yam seeds to make the field
grow with healthy crop.

55. QUESTION 5

56. 5
•Explain the most
influential role that a
woman holds in Umuofian
village?

57. Synonyms of Influential
• instrumental, important,
significant, controlling,
guiding, effective, crucial,
persuasive, forcible

58. CHIELO, HIGH PRIESTESS

59. MOST INFLUENTIAL ROLE WOMAN HOLD
• “THE ONLY WOMEN RESPECTED IN UMUOFIA
ARE THOSE LIKE CHIELO, THE PRIESTESS OF
THE ORACLE OF THE HILLS AND CAVES, who
is removed from the pale of normalcy.
Clothed in the mystic mantle of the divinity
she serves, Chielo transforms from the
ordinary; … (Mezu, “WOMEN IN ACHEBE'S
WORLD”).

60. MOST INFLUENTIAL ROLE
• She can reprimand Okonkwo and even scream
curses at him: "BEWARE OF EXCHANGING
WORDS WITH AGBALA [THE NAME OF THE
ORACLE OF THE HILLS AND CAVES]. DOES A MAN
SPEAK WHEN A GOD SPEAKS? BEWARE!" (95)
(MEZU, “WOMEN IN ACHEBE'S WORLD”).
• Born in Lagos, Rose Ure Mezu, Ph.D., teaches
francophone and anglophone feminist literature
and theory at Baltimore's Morgan State
University. She also has written a poetry book,
“Songs of the Hearth”.

61. MOST INFLUENTIAL ROLE
• “Only the chief priestess ever looked
upon the face of the oracle” (Achebe 33)
• “No one had ever beheld Agbala, except
the chief priestess”

63. QUESTION 6

64. 6
• When a man says, yes, his Chi says
yes also. Explain the concept of Chi.
What is the meaning of this
traditional proverb? Do you think
this proverb continues to offer
wisdom or represent truth? Why?

65. Question to audience?
• Any guess on what is Chi?
Please make a guess. You’ve
read TFA.

67. • ORIGIN - “literally “steam” in its earliest
incarnation, a mixture of fire and
vapors”
• DEFINITION - “the circulating life energy
that in Chinese philosophy is thought to
be inherent in all things”

68. TFA ‘CHI’ CONCEPT EXPLANATION
• “Chi was SIMILAR to the Christian concept of
a GUARDIAN ANGEL.
• A person's chi followed him or her
THROUGHOUT LIFE, and could be either
benevolent or malignant.
• A person with a GOOD CHI was ALWAYS
SUCCESSFUL in his or her endeavors” (Achebe
35)

69. EXPLANATION OF CHI
• “while a person with a bad chi was an
unfortunate person, who would labor
without reaping. The Igbo people did
not believe that a man's chi controlled
his entire” (Achebe 35)

70. EXPLANATION OF CHI
• “The Igbo people did not believe
that a man's chi controlled his entire
destiny. No matter how 'good' his
chi was, a person would achieve
success ONLY IF HE WORKED
HARD and led an upright life.

71. CHI… CONTINUED…
• “They emphasized the importance
of hard work in the saying “If a
person says ‘yes’, that person's chi
says ‘yes’.”

72. MEANING OF THIS PROVERB
• If a man is by NATURE GOOD,
GOOD WILL COME OUT of his
efforts and will reap him great fortunes.
• And if a man is born evil he will cause
destruction for himself and others. He
has the power to go either direction.

73. • It is through his will power or
through traditional
medicine/doctors, he can turn
around the power of his chi.
• How, let’s see in the next slide.

74. HARD WORK AND CHI
• “No matter how 'good' his chi was, a
person would achieve success only if he
worked hard and led an upright life.
They emphasized the importance of
hard work” (Achebe 19)

75. CHI…CONTINUED…
• “In addition, the Igbo believed that
diviners and other medicine men and
women could intervene on behalf of an
unfortunate person to change his or her
malignant chi into a benevolent one.”
(Achebe 35)

76. Do you think this proverb
continues to offer wisdom or
represent truth? Why?

77. YES, PROVERB CONTINUES TO OFFER
WISDOM OR REPRESENT TRUTH

78. THOMAS CARLYLE QUOTE TO SHOW
HOW OLD PROVERBS OFFER WISDOM
• 1795 – 1881
• Occupation: Essayist, satirist, historian
• Literary movement: Victorian literature,
Romanticism
• Notable works:
• (1837) The French Revolution: A History
• (1831) Sartor Resartus

79. CHI - WISDOM
• If a person says “yes”, that person's chi says
“yes”.
• “Permanence, perseverance and persistence
in spite of all obstacles, discouragement, and
impossibilities: It is this, that in all things
distinguishes the strong soul from the
weak” Thomas Carlyle quotes

80. PROVERB CONTINUES TO OFFER
WISDOM
• Yes, I think it continues to offer wisdom.
• “Permanence, perseverance and persistence
in spite of all obstacles, discouragement, and
impossibilities: It is this, that in all things
distinguishes the strong soul from the
weak” Thomas Carlyle

81. PROVERB CONTINUES TO OFFER TRUTH
• It is (a sort of) truth that patience bears
fruitful results. Edison (famous light bulb
inventor) said about trying patiently, “I
have not failed. I've just found 10,000
WAYS that won't work.”
• "No one will be granted such goodness
except those who exercise patience and
self-restraint, none but persons of the
greatest good fortune." (41:35)

82. PROVERB CONTINUES TO OFFER
TRUTH
• "Oh you who believe! Persevere in
patience and constancy. Vie in such
perseverance, strengthen each other,
and be pious, that you may prosper."
(3:200)

84. QUESTION 7

85. 7
• The exposition of the novel provides the
reader with important background
information about the characters, their
setting and their problems. How is the
scene in which Okonkwo visits his
friends Obierika a vital part of the
exposition?

86. • “The exposition is the part of a book
that sets the stage for the drama to
follow: it introduces the theme, setting,
characters, and circumstances at the
story’s beginnings”

87. HOW IS THE SCENE VITAL PART?
• It is for the very first time it is
revealed that white men will
build their own solid
structure, and that an
inevitable horrific change is
coming .

88. HOW IS THE SCENE VITAL PART?
• Igbo tribe as well as other African tribe
know they have to face the outsider.
• The exposition foreshadows the future
including Okonkwo's death due to
tragic flaw.

89. HOW IS THE SCENE VITAL PART?
• This exposition makes it clear for
African people suffering, to think before
they attack. They come to know that
English are far superior and they’ve to
come up with a more effective strategy
in order to counter them.

90. LETS GET A GLIMPSE OF WHAT WE
HAVE LEARNED
• Q1) OKONKWO’S DESIRE TO BE STRONG…
FEELING THAT AFFECTS HIM MORE - Comes
from both his cultural and feelings about his
father.
• Q2) Okonkwo’s IRONIC feelings for Ikemefuna
compared to his feelings for Nwoye – Ikemefuna
was more of a son than Nwoye
• Q3) OKONKWO’S CHARACTER … PARTICIPATION
IN THE DEATH OF IKEMEFUNA? – heartless ONLY
for principles

91. COUP D'OEIL
CONTINUES…
• Q4) Feature of Okonkwo’s character
persuades Nwakibie to give him the seed of
yams? – Hardwork (actually shown) +
Sincerity
• Q5) MOST INFLUENTIAL ROLE THAT A
WOMAN HOLDS IN UMUOFIAN VILLAGE? –
Chielo (Priestess of Agbala)

92. • Q6) CHI PROVERB, MEANING – Concept
similar to GUARDIAN ANGEL in Christianity
• OFFER WISDOM – Yes, it continues to offer
wisdom by telling us that --- through
perseverance the evil can be converted into
good.
• TRUTH – Thomas Carlye and Quran again
tells us that through hard work and
commitment everything is possible.

93. CONTINUES… I’M TIRED OF EVERYTHING! BECAUSE I KNOW
YOU ARE TIRED AND PROBABLY HATE ME! SORRY! FOR THIS
LONG PRESENTATION
• Q7 OKONKWO’S VISIT TO OBIERIKA – VITAL
PART OF EXPOSITION – First time marriage
custom shown + Foreshadows of White man
coming + Okonkwo revises why he was
focused towards killing Ikemefuna

94. •End if you want to
continue then just let
me know :}

96. Ogidi
Location in Nigeria
.
n Nigerian Nigeria

97. Notable works
• The African Trilogy – Things Fall Apart, No
Longer at Ease and Arrow of God – Source:
Wikipedia

98. Interesting Facts
• Translated into over twenty major world
languages. (Mezu, “WOMEN IN ACHEBE'S
WORLD”)

99. Woman Are Treated as Weak Citizens
• [ Only in certain cases like being a Priestess
(High Priestess Oracle they become
important)]
• Yet if Okonkwo is powerless before a
goddess's priestess, he can, at least, control
his own women. So, when Nwoye's mother
asks if Ikemefuna will be staying long with
them, Okonkwo bellows to her: "Do what
you are told woman. When did you become
one of the ndichie [clan elders]?" (18).

100. • Story is about Igbo tribe/culture
• Story is about vanishing customs
• Setting is Nigeria
• Story is about Okonkwo
• Story is about Realization of
culture/tribe/values (the tribe
stands for) at risk
Story is about

101. • Story is about Africa losing her culture
• Story is about a father, a mother and her
children
• Story is about losing faith and gaining again
• Story is about a tragic flaw
• Story is about a quest to tune one’s inner chi

102. THOMAS CARLYLE TWO WORKS
• Sartor Resartus meaning 'The tailor
re-tailored ‘purported (profess) to
be a commentary on the thought
and early life of a German
philosopher called Diogenes
Teufelsdröckh The work is, in part,
a parody of Hegel, and of German
Idealism more generally

103. THOMAS CARLYLE SECOND WORK
• The French Revolution: A History - It is a
historical account of French Revolution.
Carlyle unfolds his history by often writing in
present-tense first-person plural: as though
he and the reader were observers,

104. Stats/Figures/Numbers
• 9 villages in Nigeria
• 3 Wives
• 2 Children + 1 Adopted

105. TITLE OF THINGS FALL APART
• "The Second Coming" is a poem composed
by Irish poet William Butler Yeats.
• “The poem uses Christian imagery regarding
the Apocalypse and second coming as
allegory to describe the atmosphere in post-
war Europe.” Source: Wikipedia

106. • Okonkwo sinks into a depression, neither
able to sleep nor eat
• Okonkwo’s gun explodes and kills Ogbuefi
Ezeudu’s sixteen-year-old son
• family to his mother’s natal village, Mbanta
• The egwugwu are seen as ancestral gods,
though in actuality they are masked Umuofia
elders.

107. • agrarian society
• The phrase "Arrow of God" is drawn from an
Igbo proverb in which a person, or
sometimes an event, is said to represent the
will of God.[3]
Arrow of God also concerns
itself basically with the Acquiescence of
Traditional African forms to Western
Influence.