Things Fall Apart, Chapters Two and Three

As the British begin to colonize Africa, they assume the tribes are a primitive, underdeveloped society. As you continue reading, you will find this to be a misconception since the Ibo tribe communicates with proverbs and figurative language. The British do not realize the Ibo language is rich and sophisticated due to the language barrier. Can you think of any times when a language barrier made communication harder for you?

Figurative Language

 

 

 

As you continue reading, note how the figurative language creates connections and imagery. In this interactivity, use the previous and next buttons or click each marker to explore examples of figurative language used in Things Fall Apart. Click the player button to get started.

View a printable version of this interactivity.

Analysis

In these first few chapters, you have taken a peek inside the culture of the Ibo. You saw customs that exist between a host and his guest such as the use of palm wine, alligator pepper, and chalk. You also witnessed the custom of a town crier calling together all the men of the village to discuss war. Through exploring the Ibo's connection to the Oracle of the Hills and Caves as well as their earth goddess, you started to deepen your understanding of polytheism (worship of many gods). Just as the rituals and traditions of your own culture define who you are, Okonkwo also defines himself by the ways of his culture and takes great pains to safeguard them. Demonstrating a deep respect for his culture helps him to escape the embarrassing legacy left by his father, Unoka.

Okonkwo labors hard to escape the heritage of his lazy and improvident father, who was insulted when referred to as agbala (woman) in a ridiculing fashion by a villager.  Okonkwo, by his own determination, rose to the noble class and established himself as a highly respected elder in his society. Authors often create a character called a foil to provide a stark contrast with the protagonist.  This draws attention to specific, often negative characteristics of the tragic hero. Okonkwo’s father, Unoka, and his son Nwoye are Okonkwo’s foils.  When Nwoye, shows any of Unoka’s tendencies, it strikes Okonkwo deep within his soul and he in turn strikes back.

 

Things Fall Apart, Chapters Two and Three Review

Are you ready to test your knowledge about the language and events in Things Fall Apart, Chapters Two and Three? In this non-graded interactivity, read each question, then drag and drop the correct term into the blank space provided and click SUBMIT. Click the player button to get started.

 

 

Figurative Language Practice - Proverbs and Similes

After you read Chapters Two and Three, review the information on proverbs and similes found in the content on this page. In your journal, create an entry where you list and explain four proverbs and two similes used in Chapters Two and Three of Things Fall Apart. If you need assistance on writing a journal entry, please visit the Developmental Module for more information.

Once you have completed your journal entry, please save it with a file name of mod6top2_figurative and submit it to the dropbox.