Things Fall Apart, Chapters Twenty-Three, Twenty-Four, and Twenty-Five
Armed with machetes and guns, Okonkwo and the tribe are frustrated with the Christians. Okonkwo is also angry with his clansman for not being stronger and driving away the white men. How will the story of the tragic hero, Okonkwo, come to an end? Will his clansmen show their strength and rise up against the Christians with him? Will more blood be shed as the Christian influence is spread? In the final chapters of Things Fall Apart, you will learn how Okonkwo’s suffering comes to a tragic end.
Read the final three chapters of Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. As you read, annotate the text for figurative language, specifically looking for examples of proverbs.
Analysis
Proverbs, those pithy sayings that teach practical lessons, return again in this final installment of Things Fall Apart. For example, the proverb “Eneke the bird has learned to fly without perching since men have learned to shoot without missing” is a reflection of the drastic measures that must be taken due to the great division within their culture. And “A toad does not jump in the daylight for nothing” points out that the signs of danger in their tribe, such as the gathering of all the men in the village, must certainly signal the struggle for their lives. You have seen proverbs used anecdotally throughout the novel to give greater insight and detail to everyday occurrences. These stories help you understand more thoroughly the culture of the Ibo people. In these last chapters, Achebe's use of proverbs is very different: he utilizes deeply-felt imagery of the danger to not only the Ibo tribe's way of life but their mortal lives as well. The British not only use religion to drive a wedge between two factions of the Ibo tribe, they also put men to death in the name of British law.
What evidence is there that Okonkwo is truly a tragic hero? Review the archetypal standards:
- Okonkwo is a well-respected leader, farmer, and egwugwu; he has a tragic flaw.
- Okonkwo is ruled by his fear of being like his father; he makes an error in judgment based on his tragic flaw.
- Okonkwo chooses to take part in Ikemefuna’s death just to avoid looking weak; he experiences a downfall due to his tragic flaw and error in judgment.
- Okonkwo loses everything he had including his titles and is exiled from his village; he suffers until his death.
Okonkwo’s suffering ranges from the minor to the severe as he realizes that his village is not a village of mighty warriors willing to stand up to the British. Thus, he kills himself and becomes an abomination.
Okonkwo Review
What did you learn about the tragic hero, Okonkwo? Check your knowledge by completing this non-graded activity. In this interactivity, read each question. Then, select the appropriate answer and click SUBMIT. Click the player button to get started.