1. Achebe begins the novel with an luxuriant description of the cardinal character Okonkwo. What do we larn about the values of Umuofians through this word picture? 2. Discuss Okonkwo as an Igbo heroic character: how does he work to accomplish illustriousness as defined by his civilization? How does he differ from Western heroes? What are Okonkwo’s strengths and failings? 3. Describe Unoka. Okonkwo’s male parent. What are Okonkwo’s feelings toward Unoka. and why? How does the illustration of his male parent form Okonkwo’s character and actions? Would Unoka be viewed otherwise in a different civilization? 4. What do the early descriptions of Okonkwo’s success and Unoka’s failure state us about Igbo society? How does one win in this cultural context? In the system of the pickings of rubrics who seems to be excluded from chances to derive such success?

5. Describe the scene ( clip. topographic point. civilization ) of the novel. Discuss Achebe’s presentation of the inside informations of mundane village life in Umuofia. the values and beliefs of the Igbo people. and the importance of ritual. ceremonial. societal hierarchy. and personal accomplishment in Igbo civilization. How is societal life organized? What are the of import jubilations? What is the function of war. of faith. and of the humanistic disciplines? What is the function of the person in relation to the community of Umuofia? Compare /contrast Igbo ways of life. imposts. positions. beliefs. and values to those of your ain civilization. 6. What is the importance of membranophones in the novel?

7. What consequence does dark hold on the people in Ch. 2? What do they fear? How do they cover with their fright of serpents at dark? 8. What is the cause and nature of the struggle with Mbaino? 9. See the double functions in the human and religious universes played by the egwugwu and Chielo. the priestess of Agbala. 10. Chielo. the priestess of Agbala is introduced in Ch. 3. What does her power and position in Umuofia suggest about women’s functions in Igbo civilization and spiritual beliefs? Subsequently in the novel. note Chielo’s roles in the small town. What are those functions? What does the Ch. 11 incident affecting the priestess of Agbala tell us about the values of the civilization? What side of Okonkwo is revealed by his behaviour during that long dark?

11. The qi or personal spirit is a repeating subject in the novel. a religious belief of import to understanding the chief character Okonkwo. Trace farther mentions in the novel to the qi. What function does Okonkwo’s chi drama in determining his fate? 12. Compare Obierika—a adult male “who thinks about things”–to Okonkwo. Is Obierika a sort of foil to Okonkwo? 13. Discuss household life and populating agreements in Okonkwo’s place. Describe Okonkwo’s relationships to his married womans and kids. particularly to Ekwefi. Ezinma. and Nwoye. 14. What differing functions and maps do work forces and adult females have in Igbo society? 15. What is Okonkwo’s attitude toward adult females?

16. In this polygamous civilization. work forces may take more than one married woman and each family is enclosed in a compound. Each married woman lives in a hut with her kids. and the hubby visits each married woman in bend. though he has his ain hut every bit good. Children are frequently cared for communally— an African adage provinces. “It takes a small town to raise a kid. ” Compare/contrast the advantages and disadvantages of this societal construction to our ain household agreements in the U. S. 17. Discourse the function of Ikemefuna: What is Okonkwo’s relationship with Ikemefuna? Compare Okonkwo’s feelings to Nwoye’s fondness for Ikemefuna. Why does Okonkwo act as he does. despite the advice of others non to take part in the violent death of Ikemefuna? 18. Why is Okonkwo defeated with his boy Nwoye? What values does Okonkwo tie in with manfulness? How does Nwoye associate to these values? Compare Okonkwo’s attitude toward Nwoye to Okonkwo’s attitude toward his girl Ezinma ( presented in Ch. 8 ) .

19. How are white work forces foremost introduced into the narrative? Why might Africans say that they have no toes? What sorts of attitudes do the Africans express about white work forces? 20. The egwugwu ceremonial of the Igbo is dramatized in Ch. 10. Who are the egwugwu and what are the maps of the ceremonial? Compare the Igbo system of judgement in domestic personal businesss with that of the U. S. 21. What are these internal struggles that erode the integrity and unity of the small town? What portion does Okonkwo play in the discord? How does Okonkwo endanger his ain authorization within his community? 22. Part I presents Igbo life and civilization before the coming of the white adult male and colonialism. In what manner ( s ) can Things Fall Apart be considered a “response” to word pictures of Africans in Western literature–or other images of Africa as portrayed in the Western media. movie. books. etc. . that you are familiar with? How does Achebe’s novel “correct” such European word pictures of Africa and Africans. and offer you an Afrocentric ( Africa-centered ) . instead than a Eurocentric ( or Western-centered ) . position?

23. Even as Achebe works to educate his readers about African civilization and to battle take downing stereotypes. he does non present Igbo society as ideal or perfect. The portrayal of this civilization on the Eve of its “falling apart” in Part I of Things Fall Apart is complex. sometimes contradictory and critical. What aspects of pre-colonial Igbo civilization does Achebe look to inquiry or knock? How does Achebe usage characters like Obierika. Okonkwo. and Nwoye to offer such societal unfavorable judgment of Igbo society? How make the people of Umuofia react to alter? 24. Discourse the subject of destiny versus personal control over fate. For illustration. Okonkwo’s male parent is sometimes held responsible for his ain actions. while at other times he is referred to as doomed and a victim of evil-fortune. Which do you believe Okonkwo believes is true? What do you believe Achebe believes is true? 25. It is remarked on the dorsum of the novel: “…Achebe’s acute consciousness of the human qualities common to work forces of all times and topographic points. ” What are those qualities?

26. The villagers believe–or pretend to believe–that the “Supreme Court” of the nine egwugwu are hereditary liquors. In fact. they are work forces of the small town in camouflage. What does this state about the nature of justness in general. and in this small town in peculiar? 27. Make you believe Achebe’s novel as being chiefly concerned with black versus white tensenesss? If non. what else is traveling on here? 28. Certain facets of the clan’s spiritual pattern. such as the mutilation of a dead kid to forestall its spirit from returning. might affect us as being barbarian. Projecting an honest oculus on our ain spiritual patterns. which 1s might look barbarian or eccentric to an foreigner? 29. In an essay Achebe provinces: “Here so is an equal revolution for me to espouse–to assist my society regain belief in itself and set away the composites of the old ages of belittling and penance. ” In what ways do you experience that this fresh topographic points Achebe closer to the fulfilment of this end?

30. Discourse the forfeit of Ikemefuma as being a analogue to the crucifixion of Jesus. 31. Of one of the goddesses. it is said: “It was non the same Chielo who sat with her in the market…Chielo was non a adult female that dark. ” What do you do of this civilization where people can be both themselves and besides presume other characters? Can you believe of any analogues in your ain universe? 32. There are many Proverbss related during the class of the narrative. Remembering specific 1s. what map do you comprehend these Proverbss as fulfilling in the life of the Ibo? What do you surmise Achebe’s aim to be in the inclusion of them here?

33. While the traditional figure of Okonkwo can in no uncertainty be seen as the cardinal figure in the narrative. Achebe chooses to associate his narrative in the 3rd individual instead than the first individual narrative manner. What benefits does he harvest by following this attack? 34. The District Commissioner is traveling to title his work The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Niger. What do you construe from this to be his perceptual experience of Okonkwo and the people of Umuofia? 35. What function does religion play in the ruin of Umuofia? Discuss Mr. Brown and Mr. Smith’s methods of evangelization. 36. Critics have suggested that Things Fall Apart has a cosmopolitan entreaty. Make you hold? Explain your reply with illustrations from the text.