World

Literature Fall 2014 Final Exam

Things Fall Apart (Achebe)

Recommended Resources
1. Your novel
2. Your notes from class
3. SparkNotes.com but do NOT solely rely on this

Basics of the novel
Achebes parents were Nigerian and gave him inspiration for his novel
Umuofia has taken over four villages and proven its strength
The novels title is inspired by a poem by William Butler Yeats

Characters you must know
Know what gave Okonkwo his rise to power and fame in Umuofia
Know the order of Okonkwos wives (note the first one is never directly named)
Know what an ogbanje is and how it affected Ekwefi
Know the differences between Mr. Brown (the first missionary) and Reverend Smith (the one who
replaces Brown)
Know Enoch and what kind of convert he is
Know what kind of daughter Enzinma is and why she is loved so much by her mother and father
Know that Okonkwo only thought Nwoye was lazy, when in reality he was just a thoughtful and
reflective young man

Part I (Chapters 1-13) Key Facts
The ENTIRE clan must gather to decide how they will enter war or even enter at all this is an
important ritual of the Ibo
Understand the importance of the Oracle of the Hills and Caves
Okonkwo rules his home with a stern hand, but he is a generous father who takes care of his wives and
children
His three wives support one another (reference the scenes of abuse)
Find in chapter 7 how twins are treated in Umuofia

Part II (Chapters 14-19) Key Facts
Okonkwo takes his family to live with his mothers family
Uchendu is Okonkwos uncle and is not only a man of power, he is wise and helps Okonkwo grow
Surviving living on the land that was the Evil Forest is attributed to the missionaries glasses
Converts had to first shave their heads before joining the church
Understand Chapter 18 and the killing of the python how do people react to this crime?

Part III (Chapters 20-25) Key Facts
Enoch is an intense convert that is determined to rage a holy war against his clan; he even unmasks one
of the spirits to prove his point
The missionaries have built a church, for the converts; created a government, that negates the customs
of the Ibo; and set up trading posts, which have helped bring money and structure to Umuofia