Things Fall Apart Chapters 1-6

Main Characters:

• Okonkwo
  • disliked his father
  • has anger problems
  • strong physically
  • Lacks mental strength
  • fear of himself, being like his father
  • has 3 wives
  • became a man early than most people
  • he was an abuser
  • never showed emotion openly
• Ikemefuna
  • was taken from his family
  • became apart of Okonkwo's family
• Nwoye
  • son of Okonkwo
  • two year younger than Ikemefuna
• Ojiugo
• Ekwefi
• Wife of Okonkwo
• Ezinma
• Daughter of Ekwefi
• Obageli
• Nkechi

Symbols/Traditions/Rituals:

• Week of Peace, a week that id dedicated to peace. During this week they don't work or fight.  (Tradition)
• The Feast of the New Yam, it's similar to our new year(Tradition)
• Yams are a mans crop, it represents power and wealth.(Symbol)
• Kola Nut, is something important, but don't really know how yet(hard to explain) "Take away your kola nut. I shall not eat in the house of a man who has no respect for our gods and ancestors" (Chapter 4) (Symbol)
• Darkness "Darkness held a vague terror for these people, even the bravest among them"(Chapter 2) (Symbol)

Words or Phrases with special meaning:

• Chi, something that everyone has either good or bad
• Ezigbo- the good one
• Ifejoku- the god of yams
• Ani-owner of all the land

How the characters respond to their community and/or change in their environment. What are the main characters flaws?

• Ikemefuna, responded to his change in his environment pretty good, at first however he was down and depressed about getting removed from his family but as time goes on he adapts.
• Okonkwo responds to his community in a way that has caused him great problems within himself while showing great things on the outside for instance his land and reputation.
  • Some flaws that Okonkwo shows are:
    • he is very one sided
    • he lacks humbleness
    • he also has anger problems
    • he doesn't like to show his other side, the nice side of him

Identify the setting:

• Nigeria
  • Mbano
  • Umufia

Question:

Does the main character seem similar to his father in anyway although he tries hard not to be?