The Digital Book Club: Create. Learn. Inspire. discussion

Happy April, everyone!
This month's book discussion will be led by Reven :)

Hopefully everyone has received their book by now and can join in on the opening discussion this week by our moderator.
Things Fall Apart
Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions, comments or concerns!

- Courtney

Hi everyone, Welcome to April

I hope you all are enjoying Chinua Achebe’s ‘Things Fall Apart’ as much as I am reading for a second time.

Since the chapters are fairly shorter, I hope that everyone has had a chance to read up to the third or fourth chapter this week.

Okonkwo: Early on, we learn a lot about Okonkwo’s character, status, interests, title and reputation within the Clan (Umuofia). He has three wives and roughly two children by each wife, some of which we will get to know by name. Okonkwo takes pride in hard work and providing for his family. Okonkwo initially has a great reputation as a strong fighter and wrestler. He has a tarnished relationship with his father Unoka , even after his father’s passing. Unoka was known to be lazy and carry a lot of debt which he rarely paid, which caused their family to suffer. Because of this hatred Okonkwo carries for his father, he finds it hard to show emotion or compassion to his family and is said to run his family with a “heavy hand” and short temper.

What connections have you all made about Okonkwo’s character and perspective based on his relationship with his father? How do you feel about Unoka’s influence on Okonkwo? Do you agree with the way Okonkwo supports his family based on his father influence? What kind of first impression does Okonko make on readers?

I love the unity and respect that the people of Umuofia have for their land, customs, ancestors, elders and deities. I feel that this unity and respect is the reason why Umuofia has such a unmatched reputation. “Neighboring clans who naturally new of these things fear Umuofia and would not goto war against it without first trying a peaceful settlement”. Page 12

What kind of first impression does Things Fall Apart have on everyone?

Thanks Reven! This is my first time reading the book, although I heard about it first in high school.

As far as connections to Okonkwo's character, personally, I do not find myself relating to him, but I do understand how he would want to detach himself from his father's name. Being that his father was lazy and dishonest, Okonkwo seems to be completely the opposite from his father. My first impressions of him are that he is probably feared and as well as respected by many, being looked at as the town hero.

I do not necessarily agree with the way he treats his family, but I can see why any close relationships he has with anyway could be strained because of the one he had with his father. I would also argue that because he had such a strenuous relationship with his father, then why wouldn't that make him want to treat any current or future intimate relationships he has with others as treasured and not with a short temper? With that being said, I know these types of things can go one way or the other because everyone reacts to stressful things in their lives differently.

Overall, I look forward to seeing what is up next in Things Fall Apart.

I believe Okonkwo carries a lot of resentment and hatred in his heart that started with his dad which we can see pours out into his relationship with his family. I definitely don't agree with how he leads his family, but I can see why he does based off of that relationship. Even with his son and the young boy that is currently in his care, Nwoye and Ikemefuna, he holds back being a nurturing dad and role model and chooses to be more demanding and making sure his family isn't weak or lazy (like how he views his dad).

Could we say that Okonkwo has carried over "agreements" or influence from the relationship between him and has dad?

I agree, the reputation and influence Umuofia has is definitely one that is strong and rich. Down to the power they have over neighboring clans to inflect war, but instead take a virgin woman and young boy was interesting to me.

I feel like Okonkwo let’s the hate control him way too much, however, it did build him into someone who is respected/ broke the cycle of his father. I feel like he is afraid of embarrassment so much it makes him a control freak. Him always wanting to control the outcomes/ situation makes him narrow minded and shows lack of respect for others feelings/ diversity. The lake of intimacy with his family is disheartening because it may effect his children the day way his father affected him creating a new cycle to break. I see him as selfish the way he is raising his family, there are different “titles” for people throughout the village but he doesn’t want his children to find their own title.
He is a great man in certain areas but if he let the hurt go he would be a well rounded man. I see him functioning within the villages rules and beliefs but i don’t feel as through he carries it the same as everyone else due to the selfishness of his own feelings. Ex, when he beat his wife during the week of silence(correct me if I’m wrong), he was scolded for that.


I’m very interested in how his life will play out for him, i admire the village of Ibo.

Also , the only time I felt a different emotion from Okonkwo was when they had to kill the boy they took in from another tribe. I found that interesting

Effect his children the same way *****

Naomie: I agree that it would make sense for Okonkwo to build a more loving and compassionate relationship with his family since he never had that relationship with his father, however, he thinks that showing compassion is weak and far from masculine.

“Okonkwo was not a man of thought but of action.” Pg 69

This quote best describes Okonkwo’s character to me. He doesn’t think deeply about how others may feel, not even his family. This does not mean that he does not love his family, I don’t think he knows how to be a better husband or father.

Courtney: Okonkwo has made an agreement to disown any beliefs or behaviors that reminded him of his father. He has also mentioned that he sees much of his father within his son Nwoye’s personality and demeanor which is why he is so hard on him. What do you think Nwoye thinks of this father? How will his fathers actions change Nwoye’s beliefs in the future?

Brittany: You are absolutely right, Okonkwo does value his own emotions and beliefs more than anyone else. His temper drove him to beat his youngest wife during the week of peace and he was reprimanded for it. “The evil you have done can ruin the whole clan. The earth goddess whom you have insulted may refuse to give us her increase, and we shall all perish.” Pg 29
The week of peace is for everyone in the clan to relax, avoid work, and give thanks to the spirits. Okonkwo new the law of the land during the week of peace and he still chose to be disobedient.

Did anyone else notice that Okonkwo had not beat his wives in the story until After he killed Ikemefuna?

The only reason Okonkwo chose to play a part in Ikemefuns’s death was because he was “afraid of being though weak” pg 69. Okonkwo clearly does not know how to love. He could not eat or sleep for days after Ikemefuna’s death because he loved him and could not figure out why he kept thinking of him. Even Ezeudu an elder within the clan specifically told Okonkwo “ That boy calls you father. Do not bear a hand in his death.” Pg 57.

I think there will be spiritual and physical consequences for Okonkwo's decision to kill his adopted son Ikemefuna.

Hi Everyone,

I hope everyone has had a chance to read up to part 2 of this months read.

Achebe gives a great description of the spiritual connections the people of Umoufia have within their daily lives; from weddings and clan meetings, to funerals and other ceremonies.

Lets reflect on the night that the priestess Chielo took Ezinma to the caves. Why do you think she was taken? The priestess Chielo was said to have been possessed by the spirit Agbala, do you think she has any memory of what happened that night?

Before Ezinma was born, Ekwefi was very bitter. She would name her children death defying names and all of them died very early in life.

“The birth of her children, which should be a woman’s crowning glory, became for Ekwefi mere physical agony.” Pg 77

“Her deepening despair found expression in the names she gave her children.”pg77

“Ekwefi’s bitterness did not flow outwards to others but inwards into her own soul; she did not blame others for their good fortune but her own evil chi who denied her any.”

“This man told him that the child was an ogbanje, one of those wicked children who, when they died, entered their mother womb to be born again.”

Evil children or ogbanje are said to have an iyi-uwa, a smooth pebble wrapped in cloth which allows them to torment their mother by continuously dying early in life just to be reborn and continue the same cycle. Ezinma’s cycle should’ve been broken when the medicine man retrieved and destroyed her iyi-uwa.

Why does the priests call Ezinma “my daughter” ? Since Ekwefi had issues with her children, could it be that Ezinma was a gifted child given to Ekwefi from the Agbala Oracle?

Okonkwo and his family have been exiled from Umoufia and return to Okonkowo’s motherland in Mbaino. Since Okonkwo accidentally shot and killed a clansmen, he was forced into exhile for seven years and his home was burned to “cleanse the land” of Okonkwo’s crime. Do you feel this could’ve happened to Okonkwo for karmetic reasons?

Hey Reven (Part 1 Response)

To your first point - I definitely think Nwoye loves his dad, but as he is getting older I think the resentment is setting in to their relationship between each other. Specifically, after he killed Ikemefuna. You could sense he was starting to see his father for who he was. His father's actions could be the beginning of a cycle, mentally. Nwoye could grow up resenting or hating things about his son that could tarnish their relationship the way it is for them.

I didn't notice at first, but you're right... I think the guilt of killing a child that he began to love and care for really took a toll on him which made him take out that anger on his wives. It's sad that he saw killing his adopted son as weak because some would argue that it is weak to not go against things you believe is wrong, but the psychological pain he has from the relationship with his father won't allow him but to rebel against everything he was. And seeing that Ezeudu stated that he shouldn't have a role in his death brings me to believe that it was certainly possible for him to go.

Hey everyone,

Please post any final thoughts or reviews on this read today if you can. You can post after as well :)

Thanks!

Final thoughts

I love the explanation Okonkwo’s uncle gave of the importance of the motherland on page 134. The story explained in great detail the importance of mans role in the clan, I was waiting to read the importance of the women and mother in their custom. “A man belongs to his fatherland when life is good and things are sweet. But when there is sorrow and bitterness he finds refuse in his motherland. Your mother is there to protect you.”

“She Is buried here. And that is why we say mother is supreme.”

Quotes that stood out:

“Never kill a man who says nothing…. There is something Ominous behind the silence pg 140

“There is nothing to fear from someone who shouts.”pg 140

Okonkwo’s son Nwoye joins the missionaries and converts to the white mans god to defy his father. The apple does not fall far from the tree. As Okonkwo has done everything in his power to be nothing like his own father, his first born son has followed the same cycle.

The rulers of Mbanta gave the evil forest land to the missionaries to build their church. I do not think they should’ve given this land away without a plan to attack them. They should’ve consulted with the oracle before making such decision. I wish the priests and priestess had more of a voice in the last few chapters to give direction to the clan.

“As for the converts, no one could kill them without having to flee the clan, for in spite of their worthiness they still belonged to the clan. P 155. It was interesting that the converted clansmen still had respect for their native customs.

“The heathen speak nothing but falsehood, only the word of god is true.” p 157
It was interesting for the colonizers and newly converted christians to call the clansmen “Heathens” simply because they did not understand or agree with their way of life.

Mr. Brown, Reverend Smith and the other colonizers learned a great deal from the clansmen in Umuofia. Many of the customs seem to be very similar to christian beliefs and stories.


pg157 “The royal python was the most revered animal in Mbanta and all the surrounding clans, it was addressed as Our Father and allowed to go wherever it chose..”

Pg 167 “I fear for you young people because you do not understand how strong is the bond of kinship. You do not know what it is to speak with one voice and what is the result? An abominable religion has settled among you.”

“A man can now leave his father and his brothers. He can curse the gods of his father and his ancestors, like a hunter’s dog that suddenly goes mad and turns on his master.” Pg 157

My favorite part was when the spirits came and destroyed the church. This revealed to the colonizers that the spirits were in fact real.

Lastly for Okonkwo, his own personal god or chi was so damaged that he took his own life and perhaps inspired the colonizers with another “primitive custom” that would later be used to punish people of color.

Pg 176 “He has put a knife on the things that have held us together and we have fallen apart.”