Things Fall Apart, Chapter Fourteen, Fifteen, and Sixteen

Metonymy

You have seen Achebe use figurative language such as similes, metaphors, and personification regularly throughout Part One of the novel. In Chapter Sixteen, you will be introduced to a new type of figurative language called metonymy. A metonymy is a figure or speech used when something is not called by its name but rather called by something associated with it. For instance, the word “crown” is used for monarch or monarchy. The crown refers to the decorative headpiece a king or queen wears. Another common example is “Hollywood,” used as a metonym for the U.S. film industry. The area of Hollywood, a district in Los Angeles, California, is a center of film studios and film stars. Hover your mouse over the images below to view other examples of metonymy.

View a printable version of this interactivity.

 

If you think about how to define Okonkwo as an Ibo tribal man, you might use words like self-made, hard worker, or even influential. As you read Chapters Fourteen, Fifteen, and Sixteen, look for proof that his world is falling apart, proof that perhaps this driven, successful man is facing the unavoidable consequences of taking part in a death that he had been warned to avoid.

Analysis

The locusts have returned. Only this time they are not a cause for celebration. The metaphorical locusts of Chapter Fifteen are the predators and not the prey. This is your introduction to the beginning of the British colonization of the Ibo. When the Ibo react out of fear, they are destroyed as if they are savage. By the time they reach Mbanta, there is less fear, more curiosity, and in Okonkwo’s eyes more danger. Metonymy is best witnessed in Chapter Fifteen with the term “iron horse.” This term is used to represent a bicycle. The Ibo view a bicycle, that is ridden in a similar style to a horse, and named it "iron horse."

 

Figurative Language Review

Chinua Achebe uses figuartive language throughout Things Fall Apart. In this non-graded interactivity, you will get the opportunity to test your knowledge by identifying examples of figurative language used throughout the novel. Once you have identified each statement, enter the appropriate answer into the blank and click SUBMIT. Click the player button to get started.