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Things fall apart - Chinua Achebe

Things fall apart is a novel by Chinua Achebe. It reflects Igbo culture and British colonisation and it's effects on the native culture.

Okonkwo is the protagonist of the novel. He is a respected warrior of the Umuofia clan, made by nine villages. His father was lazy and wasteful. Okonkwo not wanted to be like him. He has twelve year old son named Nwoye. Okonkwo afraids he will end up like his grandfather. Umuofia wins a virgin and a fifteen year old biIkemefuna. Okonkwo takes care of Ikemefuna and Ikemefuna calls okonkwo father. Nwoye also treats him like his older brother. Okonkwo is always conscious about not looking coward and so often beats his wives and son. During the weak of peace he beats his youngest wife.

One village elder Ogbuefi Ezeudu informs Okonkwo about message of oracle that Ikemefuna must be killed and Okonkwo should not take part in it. Okonkwo tells Ikemefuna that they will return him to his family. In way to home Okonkwo's clansmen attack the boy. He runs to Okonkwo for help but Okonkwo kills him.

Ezeudu dies. At the funeral while firing, Okonkwo's gun explodes and kills Ezeudu's sixteen year old son. It was grave sun and he is exiled for seven years. He with his family goes to his mother's native village Mbanta. His uncle Uchendu helps him to settle them down.

Okonkwo's friend Obierika visits Okonkwo and terms him about Abame, another village which is destroyed by white men. Soon six missionaries travel to Mbanta. Their leader Mr. Brown was not very strict in converting native people into Christian but when he got ill and replaced by Reverend James Smith, things go worst. He was intolerant and strict.

When Okonkwo returns to his village he finds it unrecognised. Prison was built, court and school was built. People were impressed by it but Okonkwo did not like it. One day Reverend Smith's church is burned down and district commissioner calls leaders of Umuofia for meeting and throw them into jail. They are released when fine paid by villagers. After their release clansmen hold a meeting. Five court members arrive there to stop. Okonkwo kills leaded of them expecting that others will joinhom but nobody did anything. He realises that they will never fight against white people and so be hangs himself.


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