Chapter 14-19 Things Fall Apart

Okonkwo was exiled from Umofia for 7 years and he moved to his mother’s land, Mbanta. He is well received there by his Uncle Uchendu who lends him some seeds to start farming. Okonkwo works on his farm but with less enthusiasm and he is in depression because of the exile. Okonkwo participates on Uchendu’s son wedding.

Uchendu is a really wise man, he talks to Okonkwo and makes him see that his has to honor women, his motherland and specially his mother, he also told Okonkwo that he has lived worst things and he didn’t hang himself. He somehow makes him realize that it is not the end of the world. 

Oberika visits Okonkwo in his second year on exile. He brought cowries from the sell of Okonkwo’s yams and promised him to bring money each year. Oberika will also care Okonkwo´s farm until he comes back. Oberika tells the men about the arrival of the “white men” to Abame. First a white man arrived in his bicycle and they decided to kill him, then the other men went to Abame and killed almost everyone. Uchendu tells Mother Kite story and says that is fool to kill a man that doesn’t says anything.

Oberika visits Okonkwo again in his third year of exile. He told him that he saw Nwoye with some white men. Okonkwo prefers not to talk about it.

The missionaries arrived to Mbanta and they are asking for a piece of land. The villagers give them the Evil Forest hoping that they will all die in no more than 28 days but nothing happens.

Nwoye arrives home and Okonkwo nearly kills him. Oknokwo realized that Nwoye is just as his father and he feels kind of ashamed to have a son like him.

The outcast members of the clan are now converts but the efulefu refuse them. Mr. Kiaga talks to the other converts and convinces them to stay with the church even thought the outcasts are now part of their religion.

A convert kills the sacred royal python, a great crime in Igbo culture. The men take the decision to ostracize them. Okonkwo does not agree with the decision and thinks that Mbanta is a weak clan. The conflict is eased by the death of the one that killed the python.

Okonkwo’s seven years of exile are ending and he is grateful with Mbanta people for receiving him so well. He decides to make a feast for them before returning to Umofia. The elders give a speech and thanked Okonkwo for his attitude, they also say that they are worried about young generations because they don’t act as one anymore.  

 Achebe, C. (1994) Things Fall Apart . New York: Anchor Books , p. 149-150

Mother Kite Folktale, Things Fall Apart

Storytelling plays a very important role in the Igbo culture.  Through the book “Things Fall Apart”, the author tells some stories that usually are used to leave a lesson to the listener.

Uchendu told a story to Okonkwo and Oberika when they were discussing about the arrival of the white men to Abame. The story is about Mother Kite and her daughter. Mother Kite sent her daughter for food; she brought her a young duck. Mother Kite asked her what did the duck’s mother do when she took the baby away, she said that the mom didn’t do anything. Mother Kite told her child to leave the duck again with his mom and bring something else to eat. After a while, the daughter returned with a chick, Mother Kite asked her what did the mother do, she answered that the mother shouted and coursed her. Mother Kite decided that they could now eat it.

The lesson that Uchendu wanted to give the men is that there is something ominous behind the silence and that there is nothing to fear from someone that shouts. Uchendu relates this folktale because people in Abame killed the white man without him saying anything. “Never kill a man who says nothing, those men of Abame were fools” –Uchendu.

Achebe, C. (1994) Things Fall Apart . New York: Anchor Books , p. 149-150