Chapter 5, 17 Questions

‘Things Fall Apart’

Chapter 5:

1.       How does the author position you to view the Ibo Tribe?

·         Environmental friendly

·         Strong belief towards the Earth / goddess of Earth Ani

·         Strict in their own laws/ rules

·         Communication between all the members in the tribe

·         Good team work/ tight relationships between all the members

·         No civilisation/ primitive tribe

·         Men are superior in the tribe

2.       How does the author position you to view the individual characters?

Okonkwo: 

·         Violent (beating his wife)

·         Not able to control his temper/ anger  (beating his wife)

·         Doesn’t care about feasts as he thinks that it is wasting time

·         Doesn’t enjoy socialising with people

·         Hard- Worker

·         Cares for the environment

·         Good eater and a drinker

Ekewfi (Second Wife):

·         Innocent/ naïve

·         House wife

·         Lives under the pressure of Okonkwo

·         Powerless

·         Ignored by her husband

Ezinma (Daughter of Ekewfi):

·         Boyish, tom-boy girl

·         Different from other kids (daughter) in her thoughts and actions

·         Playful and energetic

·         Beauty (from her mother)

·         Well-mannered

·         Wants to be recognised by her father

3.       How does the author position you to view the men?

·         Superior, dominant

·         The most important in the tribe

·         Men does all the hard work in order to support the family

4.       How does the author position you to view the women?

·         Powerless

·         All housework is done by women

·         Always behind men (in power)

·         Doesn’t have the right to stand up for herself

·         Men represents the women

·         Stereotypical women

5.       How does the author position you to view the Europeans?

·         N/A

Chapter 17:

1.       How does the author position you to view the Ibo Tribe?

·         Believes in myth, fear of evil spirits

·         Fear of foreigners/ Europeans

·         Believes that the white people are powerful

·         It is a sin to change their religion/ abandon the tribe’s belief

2.       How does the author position you to view the individual characters?

Okonkwo: 

·         Very violent

·         Problems with anger management

·         Scared of losing his son

·         Pride in his son

Nwoye (Son of Okonkwo):

·         Fear of his father

·         Wants to be educated

·         Doesn’t want to become like his father

·         Takes action of his thoughts and beliefs

·         Attracted to new faith, Christianity

3.       How does the author position you to view the men?

·         The ones who make the decisions

·         Strict and shows masculinity

4.       How does the author position you to view the women?

·         N/A

5.       How does the author position you to view the Europeans?

·         Different, rather strange

·         Strong belief in God

·         Wants to make the Ibo tribe civilised