Things Fall Apart, Chapters Six, Seven, and Eight

Every tragic hero, due to his tragic flaw, falls prey to an error in judgment that leads to the ultimate downfall: the point of no return. For Oedipus in Oedipus the King/Oedipus Rex, his error was his unrelenting questioning about the truth of his past and ignoring what should have been obvious warnings that uncovering the truth would bring his downfall. For Macbeth in the Shakespearean tragedy Macbeth, his error was his ambition-driven murder of King Duncan followed by more murders to cover his tracks. For Okonkwo? Well, you will find out as you read the next few chapters.

Chapters Six, Seven, and Eight of Things Fall Apart will leave you feeling like how the British felt about the Ibo: that they are savage creatures. However, when learning about people of a culture so seemingly different from your own, you have to remember that they live by a different code of ethics. Different does not always mean wrong or savage. When you come across cultural tidbits that bother your sense of right and wrong, ask yourself why the two cultures might be so very different and is there anything in your own culture that others might also find ethically or morally unacceptable.

Essential Question

• What does it mean to be "civilized" or "barbaric," and who should decide?