Things Fall Apart

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Chapters One Three
Active Reading Guide
Directions: Use this page to record notes as you read Things Fall Apart. If you
need more room, copy the chart onto a separate piece of paper and attach it to this
worksheet.
Chapter(s)
Key Plot Points Vocabulary Proverbs
Character Development
Reflections
2012 Secondary Solutions - 38 - Things Fall Apart Literature Guide

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Chapters One Three
Comprehension Check
Directions: In order to demonstrate your understanding of the chapters you read,

answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper. Use complete
sentences. You may refer to your Active Reading Guide for assistance.
Chapter One
1. How did Okonkwo gain his fame throughout the nine villages?
2. Why does Okonkwo have no patience with his father?
3. What two things make Unoka happy?
4. How do the people of the village view Unoka?
5. Why did Okoye come to visit Unoka?
6. Why did Unoka change the subject when the conversation turned to talk of the
impending war?
7. Why is it ironic that Unoka responded to Okoye's request by saying, "The sun will
shine on those who stand before it shines on those who kneel under them"?
8. Why is it significant that among the Ibo, "if a child washed his hands he could eat
with kings"?
9. How does his relationship with his father set Okonkwo up to experience conflict
in the future?
10. The final two sentences in this chapter foreshadow a coming conflict saying,
"And that was how [Okonkwo] came to look after the doomed lad who was
sacrificed to the village of Umuofia by their neighbors to avoid war and blood-
shed. The ill-fated lad was called Ikemefuna." What do you suppose this means?
Make a prediction, based on your knowledge from the first chapter, about the
coming conflict.
Chapter Two
1. How was the town called together to meet?
2. Why is a snake called a string at night?
3. Why were the townspeople called together? What decision did they make?
4. What is the "active principle" of the clan's potent war-medicine?
5. What does Okonkwo fear more than anything? How is this fear reflected in the
choices he makes?
6. Why did a playmate call Okonkwo's father agbala?
7. Why is Nwoye, Okonkwo's eldest son, developing into a "sad-faced youth"?

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8. The book tells us that the agadi-nwayi of Umuofia forbids the clan to fight "a fight
of blame," but also tells us that the conflict with Mbaino was just a war. What do
you think "a fight of blame" is? How is "a fight of blame" different from what is
happening between Umuofia and Mbaino?
9. Based on what you know of Okonkwo's household, how will the young man fair in
this new environment? How would you feel if it had been you?
10. Was the sacrifice that Mbaino had to make in order to avoid war a fair and just
one? Explain your answer.
Chapter Three
1. According to Chika, the priestess of Agbala, why does Unoka always have a
miserable harvest?
2. How and where did Unoka die?
3. Why did Okonkwo go to Nwakibie?
4. What was Nwakibie's response to the request Okonkwo brought him?
5. What makes sharecropping such a difficult way of "building a barn"? Why did
Okonkwo use this method?
6. What troubles did Okonkwo face in his first year of sharecropping?
7. Okonkwo believes that hard work will always earn prosperity and laziness will
earn failure. How do the events of his first year of sharecropping contradict this
belief?
8. Early in the chapter, the priestess of Agbala tells Unoka, "when a man is at
peace with his gods and his ancestors, his harvest will be good or bad according
to the strength of his arm." Considering the events of the chapter, what does this
tell us about Okonkwo? Explain your answer.
9. According to his father, why was Okonkwo able to survive his terrible first year of
farming?
10. What do you think Unoka means when he says, "It is more difficult and more
bitter when a man fails alone"? What does this foreshadow for the tragic hero?

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Chapters One Three
Standards Focus: Tragedy
Tragedy is a form of literature that originated in the ancient Greek world 2,500 years
ago. It is a form of storytelling based on human suffering. Although the modern idea
of tragedy can be summarized as "When bad things happen to good people," a
tragedy in the Greek sense has very specific and unique elements. Chinua Achebe
used the elements and structure of Greek tragedy in fashioning his novel Things Fall
Apart.
Tragic hero The protagonist of a tragedy, the tragic hero is a "great man" in the
sense that he represents the values and morals of his culture. According to
Aristotle, the tragic hero is not a perfect man. In fact, his very human flaws are
exactly what make him so appealing to the audience. The misfortunes of the
tragic hero are brought about "not by vice or depravity, but by some error or
frailty.
Hamartia The hero's tragic flaw, known as hamartia, is the element of the hero's
character which will ultimately lead to his downfall. Often, we think of this in
relation to Achilles' heel, which many people believe was the Greek hero's tragic
flaw, when in fact it was Achilles' pride in confronting his own army's leader,
Agamemnon, that actually undid him.
Hubris The extreme pride, or arrogance, that causes the hero to vastly
overestimate his own importance or position is hubris. In classical Greek
tragedies, hubris might lead a hero to challenge the gods or the laws of his own
society out of a mistaken notion that he cannot be wrong.
Peripeteia (peripety) The reversal of fortune that occurs in a tragedy is known as
peripeteia, or peripety. This reversal does not come as a result of the hero's
actions or choices, rather it is entirely external and out of the hero's control.
Anagnorisis Following the reversal of fortune, the tragic hero will undergo
anagnorisis, or recognition, about human fates and destinies. It is this
recognition, this moment when everything becomes clear, in combination with
the hero's hamartia, or tragic flaw, that creates the pathos, or downfall.
Downfall Every tragic hero experiences a downfall at the end of his story. The
downfall is a result of the combination of the hero's own tragic flaw and
circumstances beyond his control. The goal of the downfall is to bring about
feelings of pity and fear in the audience, because we see in the events the
possibility of our own downfalls.
Catharsis The goal of Greek tragedies was not to entertain, but to provide
emotional cleansing, or catharsis, for the audience. The downfall of the hero
allows the audience a safe and controlled outlet for otherwise pent-up emotions
of pity and fear.

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Part A
Directions: Think of a well-known book or movie that can be classified as a tragedy,
according to the Greek confines. Answer the questions below referring to this book
or movie.
1. Who is the tragic hero? In what ways would he or she be considered a "great"
person within his or her own culture?
2. What is the hero's tragic flaw, or hamartia? How does this flaw influence his or
her choices when faced with a conflict?
3. Does your tragic hero exhibit hubris, or arrogance? Give an example.
4. What peripety, or reversal of fortune, does the hero experience? How is this
reversal outside the hero's control?
5. What realization, or recognition, causes the hero to fall?
6. What downfall does the hero experience? In what ways does this downfall cause
the audience to feel pity and/or fear?
7. How did the hero's downfall cause you to experience a catharsis, or emotional
release?
Part B
Directions: In the boxes below, draw a picture or write an original definition or
explanation that will help you remember the meanings of each of the key terms.
Essential elements of Greek Tragedies
Tragic Hero Tragic Flaw Peripety
Anagnorisis Downfall Catharsis

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Chapters One Three
Assessment Preparation: Recognizing How Words Are Related
Recognizing how words are related and the subtle differences between them can be
a very handy skill when it comes time to unlock those tricky multiple-choice
questions you often find on standardized tests.
Directions: Look at the word groups below. For each, circle the word that does NOT
belong with the other three. On the lines provided, explain why you chose the word
you did.
1. haggard / fatigued / gaunt / affluent
Explanation:
2. wistful / sorrowful / plaintive / sober
Explanation:
3. malice / mirth / spite / nastiness
Explanation:
4. ineptitude / aptitude / prowess / talent
Explanation:
5. amiss / ideal / spot-on / accurate
Explanation:

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6. inevitable / capricious / changeable / fickle
Explanation:
7. idleness / apathy / boredom / concern
Explanation:
8. wicked / incipient / criminal / immoral
Explanation:
9. dishonor / mystery / scandal / abomination
Explanation:
10. threadlike / meager / gauzy / fine
Explanation:
Extension: Using all of the words you circled, write a brief description of one of the
characters in the first three chapters.

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Chapters Four Six
worksheet.
Chapter(s)
Reflections

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Chapters Four Six
Comprehension Check
Chapter Four
1. What did Okonkwo call Osugo at the kindred meeting?
2. How does Okonkwo display his affection for Ikemefuna?
3. What talents does Ikemefuna have that charm Nwoye?
4. What had his youngest wife gone to do that angered Okonkwo?
5. Why was Okonkwo forbidden to beat his wife?
6. According to Ezeani, who has Okonkwo insulted by his actions?
7. Why did people say that Okonkwo had no respect for the gods of the clan?
8. At the beginning of the chapter an elder suggests that Okonkwo's "palm kernels
were cracked for him by a benevolent spirit," yet the author immediately tells us
"it was not really true." What do you think? Has Okonkwo's fortune been the
result of luck in some portion, or is it all because of his hard work? Be sure to
support your answer with examples.
9. How does Ikemefuna act as a buffer between Okonkwo and his true son,
Nwoye? What would happen between the father and son if Ikemefuna were not
there?
10. Does Okonkwo respect the rules and structure of the clan? Explain and provide
examples to support your answer.
Chapter Five
1. For which deity is the Feast of the New Yam given?
2. Why is it that Okonkwo does not enjoy feasts?
3. What did Okonkwo find to be angry about?
4. What did his second wife say to anger Okonkwo? What was his response?

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5. Do you think Okonkwo intended to shoot at his wife? Give evidence in support of
your answer.
6. What great event is held on the second day of the New Yam festival?
7. How had Okonkwo won the heart of his second wife?
8. Why did Ekwefi answer Is that me? to the person calling outside her hut?
9. How did Obiageli break her water pot? What does Ikemefuna's response to the
incident with the broken water pot reveal about his character?
10. How does Ezinma's relationship with her father differ from other family members'
relationships with Okonkwo?
Chapter Six
1. What kind of spirits live in the ancient silk-cotton tree?
2. How is order kept before the wrestling match begins?
3. How is the power structure of the village reflected in the seating arrangements at
the wrestling matches?
4. Who won the third wrestling match of the day? How did he do it?
5. Who did Ekwefi find she was shoulder-to-shoulder with at the wrestling match?
6. Why did the woman call Ezinma my daughter?
7. What do the women mean when they say Ezinma will stay?
8. What made the final match exciting even before it began?
9. Who won the final wrestling match? How did he win?
10. We know that Okonkwo won fame through all the villages when he threw "the
Cat" as a young man. Why do you think the author has the villagers sing that
Okafo "has thrown four hundred cats"?
11. In this chapter and the previous one, the author focuses more on the women of
Okonkwo's family. What roles do the women and young girls fulfill in the village
and in the family? How do these roles compare to roles of women and girls in
your own culture?

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Chapters Four Six
Standards Focus: Direct vs. Indirect Characterization
Authors of great literature employ a number of methods to reveal characters within
their works. Two very important techniques are direct and indirect characterization.
Direct characterization occurs when an author directly reveals information about a

character's personality or motivations.
Indirect characterization is more complex in that it asks the reader to draw a

conclusion about the character's personality or motivations based on the character's
social status, thoughts, actions, presence, language, and/or effect on others. These
can be remembered using the acronym "STAPLE" outlined below.
Social status (or roles): whether or not a character has attained status
within his or her society and to what level he or she has risen or fallen
Thoughts: the character's own internal dialogue or thoughts revealed to us
by the narrator
Actions: what the character does or how he or she behaves in response to
the external pressures placed upon him or her
Presence: the character's appearance relevant to his or her desires or
motivations (Note: This does not include facets of appearance that are purely
a result of biology or environment.)
Language: includes characteristics of speech as well as what he or she
actually says
Effect on others: the response evoked in other characters that insinuates
some additional knowledge of the character beyond what the narrator has
presented
Directions: Draw a T-chart like the one given below, and then list examples of direct
and indirect characterization from Chapters Four through Six of the novel Things
Fall Apart. Be sure to provide the page number for each example. When your chart
is complete, discuss your findings in a small group or with your class.
Direct Characterization Indirect Characterization
Example: "He had no patience with Example: "Okonkwo was well known
unsuccessful men," p. 4 throughout the nine villages and even
beyond," p. 3

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Chapters Four Six
Assessment Preparation: Analogies
Analogies test your ability to recognize relationships between words. Being able to
recognize relationships between words can help you to decode metaphors and
define a word from context. As we will see, the Igbos themselves in Things Fall
Apart can also be understood in terms of analogies.
The key to unlocking an analogy is to first determine the relationship between the
words in the given pair.
Example: deity : divine :: human : _________

a. saintly c. earthly
b. empirical d. adrift
In the completed pair, "divine" is an attribute, or essential characteristic, of a deity.

Of the options given, which describes an essential characteristic of a human?
Directions: In order to decode the analogies below, first try to determine the
relationship between the completed pair. You may use a dictionary or a thesaurus to
help with unfamiliar words. Using that same relationship, find the word that best
completes the other side.
1. __________ : guilt :: apologize : mistake

a. remorse c. mirth
b. compensate d. atone
2. ________ : provoked :: sad : plaintive

a. thrilled c. apathy
b. angry d. regret
3. repentant : shameless :: __________ : feeble

a. weak c. potent
b. culpable d. haggard
4. master : deftly :: apprentice : ___________

a. nimbly c. cautiously
b. clumsily d. capriciously

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5. arduous : __________ :: exacting : precision
a. ambiguity c. amiss
b. sloth d. hard work
6. poignant : __________ :: capricious : whimsy

a. touching c. prowess
b. discretion d. composure
7. ____________ : tentative :: desperation : hopeless

a. caution c. hope
b. fickleness d. skill
8. subdue : __________ :: arrest : crime

a. bait c. rebellion
b. ally d. concord
9. __________: ethereal :: taut : inflexible

a. rigid c. earthly
b. disembodied d. plastic
10. miscalculation : catastrophe :: ____________ : triumph

a. accident c. failure
b. combat d. success
Extension: Now that you understand how analogies work, consider the proverbs
you have found thus far in Things Fall Apart. Can you see the analogy at work?
Example: Proverbs are the palm oil with which words are eaten.
Analogy: proverbs : words :: palm oil : food
Now, create four of your own analogies using the proverbs from the first six
chapters.

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Chapters Seven Eight
worksheet.
Chapter(s)
Reflections

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Comprehension Check
Chapter Seven
1. How many years have passed since Ikemefuna first arrived in Okonkwo's
household?
2. What is Okonkwo happy to hear Nwoye grumbling about?
3. Who was the emissary between Earth and Sky?
4. What kinds of stories does Nwoye prefer to hear? Why has he given them up?
5. What descended on the village in a thick cloud? How did the villagers view this?
6. What news does Ezeudu bring Okonkwo and what advice does Ezeudu offer?
7. How did Nwoye's mother respond when he told her Ikemefuna was going home?
Why did she respond this way?
8. Why did Ikemefuna sing as he walked?
9. Why did Okonkwo use is machete? Why did he feel this was necessary?
10. How did Nwoye feel toward his father when he returned? What other event does
he recall that caused him to feel this way?
Chapter Eight
1. Why did Nwoye leave his fathers hut when his father fell asleep?
2. How has the killing of Ikemefuna affected Okonkwo?
3. What was Okonkwo thinking about his daughter, Ezinma?
4. For what event was Obierika preparing?
5. How did Obierika respond when Okonkwo confronted him about not refusing to
help kill the boy?
6. Why had the drum not sounded to announce Ndulues death?
7. Why doesn't Obierika tap his own palm tree?
8. For what were the broomsticks used?
9. According to the men, how is marriage handled in other clans?
10. Compare Obierieka and Okonkwo and their relationships with their respective sons.

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Standards Focus: Allusions
An allusion is an implied or direct reference in a work of literature to another work of
literature or to a person, place, or thing that may be real or fictional. If you think of a
story as a conversation, allusions are references to other conversations.
If you have ever quoted a movie line or a song lyric while talking with friends, then
you have used an allusion. When you do this, you expect that your friend will
understand the reference, and so you don't have to say what movie or song you're
quoting. They'll just get it. That's the way allusions work.
Part A
Directions: Think of a movie quote or song lyric that you have used in casual
conversation recently. Using the table below, think about when and why you used
that quote, as opposed to using your own words to express a thought. Answer the
question that follows.
What is the original Why did you use it?

Movie quote or song
source of the What special meaning
lyric
quote/lyric? does it have?
How do you and your friends use allusions to create special meanings and reinforce
bonds?

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Allusions in Things Fall Apart
Though allusions in casual conversation are most often drawn from popular culture,
allusions in literature are usually drawn from the Christian Bible, other well-known
works of literature (such as Shakespeares works), or historical events. This can
make it hard to identify allusions if you are not familiar with the original works.
In Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe alludes to the Bible, Joseph Conrad's Heart of
Darkness, and to folk literature of the Ibo. Each type of allusion carries special
meaning and reflects the author's attention to a particular audience.
Directions: Complete the chart below considering the given quotes from Things
Fall Apart. You may use your book for help.
What audience What special

Allusion Original Source is the author meaning does
addressing? allusion have?
He remembered Igbo oral tradition
the story she often
told of the quarrel
between Earth and
Sky long ago, and
how Sky withheld
rain for seven
years p. 53
giant trees and Going up that river
climbers which was like traveling back
perhaps had stood to the earliest
from the beginning beginnings of the
of things, world, when vegetation
untouched by the rioted on the earth and
axe or bushfire. the big trees were
p. 59 kings. (Heart of
Darkness p. 46)
For although I will bring locusts into
locusts had not your country tomorrow.
visited Umuofia for They will cover the face
many years, of the ground so that it
everybody knew cannot be seen. They
by instinct that will devour what little
they were very you have left after the
good to eat. p. 56 hail, including every
tree that is growing in
your fields. They will fill
your houses
(Exodus10:3-6)

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Things Fall Apart

Assessment Preparation: Context Clues
Readers encounter unknown or unfamiliar words all the time. Context clues can help
the good reader unlock the meaning of words without having to refer to a dictionary.
Some common types of context clues are antonyms, synonyms, direct definitions,
cause and effect relationships, examples, and inferences.
Antonyms can help determine the meaning of a word by telling us its exact
opposite meaning.
Example: I can be quite garrulous at times, whereas my sister is quiet in
social situations.
Synonyms have the same meaning as the unknown word.

Example: I can be quite garrulous, and my talkative nature sometimes puts
people off.
Direct definitions are sometimes provided, making it quite easy to determine a

word's meaning in context.
Example: I can be quite garrulous, or excessively talkative, at times.
Cause and effect relationships can also provide clues to a word's meaning.
Example: I can be so garrulous that my friend will often stick her fingers in her
ears and walk away.
Examples can show us what the meaning of a word looks like in practice.
Example: I can be quite garrulous. One time, I talked for three hours straight,
and when I finally stopped to take a breath, I couldn't remember what had
started me talking in the first place.
Inferences are guesses we can make about a word's meaning based on other
indirect clues in the sentence.
Example: My garrulous manner got me through the interview, but turned out
to be a problem when I actually got the job.
Directions: For each sentence below, determine which type of context clue is being
used, and then write your own definition for the word.
1. He was like an elder brother to Nwoye, and from the very first seemed to have
kindled a new fire in the younger boy.
Type of context clue:
Your definition:

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
2. Nothing pleased Nwoye more than to be sent for by his mother or another of his
father's wives.On receiving such a message, Nwoye would feign annoyance
and grumble aloud about women and their troubles.
Your definition:
3. At last Vulture was sent to plead with the Sky.Whenever Nwoye's mother sang
this song he felt carried away to a distant scene where Vulture, Earth's emissary,
sang for mercy.
Your definition:
4. and he knew that his father wanted him to be a man. And so he feigned that he
no longer cared for women's stories. And when he did this, he saw that his father
was pleased, and no longer rebuked him or beat him.
Your definition:
5. At first, a fairly small swarm came. They were the harbingers sent to survey the
land.
Your definition:
6. Okonkwo sat in his obi crunching happily with Ikemefuna and Nwoye, and
drinking palm wine copiously.
Your definition:

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
7. Whenever the thought of his father's weakness and failure troubled him he
expelled it by thinking about his own strength and success.
Your definition:
8. She rose from her mat, took her stick, and walked over to the obi. She knelt on
her hands and knees at the threshold and called her husband, who was laid on a
mat.
Your definition:
9. She was about sixteen and just ripe for marriage. Her suitor and his relatives
surveyed her young body with expert eyes as if to assure themselves that she
was beautiful and ripe.
Your definition:
10. They haggle and bargain as if they were buying a goat or a cow in the market.
Your definition:

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Chapters Nine Eleven
worksheet.
Chapter(s)
Reflections

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Comprehension Check
Chapter Nine
1. How did Ear respond when Mosquito asked if she would marry him?
2. Why does Ekwefi wake Okonkwo early in the morning?
3. Why is Ezinma not allowed to eat eggs?
4. What happened to Ekwefis first nine children?
5. How did the names of Ekwefi's children reflect her deepening despair?
6. Why did Okagbue mutilate the dead child?
7. What is an ogbanje child? What evidence justifies the belief that Ekwefi's children
are ogbanje?
8. How does Ezinma behave during the search for the iyi-uwa? What does her
behavior say about her character?
9. Why did snake-lizard kill his mother? Restate the moral of the snake-lizard story
in your own words.
10. Why do you think Okonkwo responded to his daughter's illness the way he did?
Chapter Ten
1. What are the egwugwu?
2. How do the villagers respond to the arrival of the egwugwu?
3. What is distinctive about the second egwugwu?
4. What role do the egwugwu fulfill for the villagers in this chapter?
5. What is the dispute Ozowulu has brought?
6. What inferences can you make about the kind of man Ozowulu is?
7. What was the judgment of the egwugwu? Was it a fair one? Why or why not?
8. Based on what you know of Okonkwo's character, what opinion might he have
offered to the egwugwu about the case before them?

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9. Why was such a trifle brought before the egwugwu?
10. How does the system of justice described in this chapter compare and contrast
with our U.S. system?
Chapter Eleven
1. How did the birds help Tortoise get to the feast in the sky? What did Tortoise ask
to be called at the feast?
2. What message did Tortoise send to his wife?
3. What message did Parrot give to Tortoises wife?
4. What was the result of Tortoise's journey to the feast in the sky?
5. What do you think is the moral or message of the story of the Tortoise and the
Feast in the Sky?
6. Why did the priestess come to Okonkwos compound?
7. What reasons might Ekwefi have for following Chielo despite her fears and her
husband's assurances that everything would be fine?
8. What is Ogbu-agali-odu?
9. What did Ekwefi swear to herself when Chielo disappeared into the cave?
10. How are night and darkness characterized in the novel? What do you think the
night symbolizes to the Ibo?

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Standards Focus: Allegorical Tales
An allegory is a short narrative that uses symbols to convey a meaning other than
what is directly expressed through the text. Some familiar forms of allegory are
fables and parables, such as Aesop's "The Tortoise and the Hare."
Although on the surface Aesop's fable is about a tortoise who takes his time and a
rabbit who rushes to do everything, the tale is more than that. It reminds readers and
listeners that rushing through life is not a good way to live. A wise person is more
like the tortoise than the hare; he/she takes things slowly and steadily all the way to
their completion.
Allegorical tales teach lessons, usually to young people, about what their culture
considers valuable. What allegorical tales do you remember reading or hearing as a
child? What lessons did these tales impart?
Things Fall Apart employs many traditional Igbo tales that function as allegories.
Each of these allegories has multiple layers of meaning. There is the direct meaning,
the meaning as it relates to the culture of the novel, and the meaning as it relates to
the readers of the novel.
For example, the tale of "Mosquito and Ear" can be considered from multiple
viewpoints:
Direct Meaning Cultural Meaning Reader's Meaning

A story about a mosquito The story is entertaining. It The story represents
who wants to marry an offers a humorous Okonkwo's childhood. His
ear, but is refused. explanation for why rejection of the story is a
mosquitoes buzz in rejection of all things
people's ears. It also childlike.
reminds young people not
to judge someone by how
they appear on the
outside.
These multiple layers of allegory are one of the techniques that make Things Fall
Apart unique in its method of storytelling.

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Directions: For each example of allegory below, explain the cultural meaning of
allegory and what it means to the character.
Direct Meaning Cultural Meaning

The man who had ten
wives and not enough soup
for his foo-foo, p. 53
The bird eneke-nti-oba

challenges the whole world
to a wrestling contest, p. 53
The quarrel between Earth

and Sky, p. 53
Dimaragana, who would

not lend his knife for cutting
up dog meat, p. 69
The tale of the snake-lizard

and his vegetables, p. 83
The Tortoise and the Feast

in the Sky, p. 96
Essay:
In Things Fall Apart, allegorical tales also represent characters, situations, and
conflicts in the novel that the reader is meant to recognize. Choose one of the tales
listed above. In a short essay, explain the meaning as understood by the reader.

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Assessment Preparation: Connotation
It should be no surprise to you by now that words can evoke feelings. Music and
poetry wouldn't be the same otherwise, right? Sometime words that mean essentially
the same thing can have different feelings and ideas associated with them.
The captain of the football team was scrawny.
The captain of the football team was thin.
Although the underlined words in the sentences above mean the same thing,
"having very little body fat," the first sentence implies that the captain of the team is
also puny and weak, while thin implies trim, lean and healthy. When we talk about
the connotation of a word, we are talking about the feelings and ideas that the word
implies. In the example above, the negative feelings and images associated with the
word "scrawny" are the connotative meaning.
Directions: For each sentence below, decide whether the connotation of the
underlined word evokes positive (+) feelings and ideas, negative (-) feelings and
ideas, or a neutral (0) feeling or idea. Then answer the questions that follow.
______ 1. "Of his three wives Ekwefi was the only one who would have the
audacity to bang on his door."
What is the dictionary meaning, or denotation, of the word as it is used?
Is it a good thing or a bad thing that Ekwefi has audacity? Explain your answer.
______ 2. "The birth of her children, which should be a woman's crowning glory,
became for Ekwefi mere agony devoid of promise."
How would the sense of the sentence change if the synonym "without" was used in
place of "devoid (of)"?
______ 3. "At first Ekwefi accepted her, as she had accepted otherswith listless
resignation."
Supply the denotation of listless.
How would the feeling of the sentence change if the synonym "tired" was used in
place of "listless"?

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
______ 4. "Most communal ceremonies took place at that time of the day"
How would the feeling of the sentence change if the synonym "social" was used in
place of "communal"?
______ 5. "The egwugwu house was now a pandemonium of quavering voices"

How would the feeling of the sentence change if the synonym "uproar" was used in
place of "pandemonium"?
______ 6. "the spirits of the ancestors, just emerged from the earth, greeted
themselves in their esoteric language."
How would the feeling of the sentence change if the synonym "mysterious" was
used in place of "esoteric"?
______ 7. "There was a loud murmur of approbation from the crowd."

How would the feeling of the sentence change if the synonym "approval" was used
in place of "approbation"?
______ 8. "the people of the sky set before their guests the most delectable
dishes Tortoise had ever dreamed of."
How would the feeling of the sentence change if the synonym "appetizing" was used
in place of "delectable"?
______ 9. "'She will bring her back soon,' Nwoye's mother said. But Ekwefi did not
hear these consolations."
How would the feeling of the sentence change if the synonym "guarantee" was used
in place of "consolations"?
______ 10. "The priestess' voice came at longer intervals now, but its vigor was
undiminished."
How would the feeling of the sentence change if the synonym "ferocity" was used in
place of "vigor"?

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Chapters Twelve Thirteen
worksheet.
Chapter(s)
Reflections

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Comprehension Check
Chapter Twelve
1. What is the neighborhood celebrating?
2. How is this celebration different from others like the wrestling matches and the
Feast of the New Yam?
3. How many trips to the shrine did Okonkwo make the night before? Why do you
think he didn't just wait at the shrine for Ekwefi and Chielo to arrive?
4. Both the war magic of Umuofia and the market magic of Umuike are personified
as old women. Why do you suppose this is?
5. What is the one that uses its tail to drive the flies away?
6. Who counseled the women not to abandon their cookpots? Is it surprising that
she is there? Why or why not?
7. Who collected the fine from the neighbor whose animal was loose? What does
this say about law and justice among the villagers?
8. What did the men mean when they viewed the goat and said that that was the
way things should be done?
9. Evaluate the toast Obierika's brother gave over the breaking of the kola. What
does this tell you about the Ibo expectations for marriage and family?
10. Compare and contrast the traditions of marriage presented in this novel with a
marriage tradition you are familiar with.
Chapter Thirteen
1. How was the early morning message delivered to the clan?
2. Who was the man who died? Why did a cold shiver run down Okonkwo's spine at
the mention of the man's name?
3. How does the funeral demonstrate the greatness of the man who has died?
4. What does the author mean when he writes "A man's life from birth to death was
a series of transition rites which brought him nearer and nearer to his ancestors"?

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
5. How was Ezeudus son killed during the funeral?
6. What was Okokwos punishment? Do you believe it was just? Why or why not?
7. Why was Okonkwos crime considered a female crime? Why is this ironic, given
his character?
8. Why do you think Okonkwo did not fight his punishment? Would you have
accepted the punishment if you had been in his place? Why or why not?
9. How did the villagers cleanse the land Okonkwo polluted?
10. In the end of the chapter, Obierika mourns Okonkwo's calamity and questions
why a man should "suffer so grievously for an offense he committed
inadvertently." What answer does he come to? Do you agree or disagree with his
conclusions? Why or why not?

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Standards Focus: Symbolism
Symbolism in literature occurs when a person, place, or thing is used to represent
an abstract idea or concept. Symbols make what is usually abstract into something
concrete. A dove, for example, is a common symbol for the concept of peace, which
is an abstract idea.
Symbols give meaning beyond the literal. Let's contrast, for example, apples and
apple pie as symbols. An apple commonly symbolizes the concept of original sin, as
in the story of Adam and Eve. With this in mind, imagine a political campaign poster
on which a candidate is seen giving a young girl an apple. There is automatically
something sinister about the image. The candidate is equated with serpents and old
ladies trying to poison snow-white maidens. Apple pie, on the other hand,
symbolizes American values, as in the saying "as American as apple pie." Imagine
the same poster, but instead of presenting the youth with an apple, our politician is
holding a perfect apple pie. The politician is now wholesome, delivering to the youth
of America all the traditions and patriotic values of the nation.
Symbols are strong tools. Authors (and campaign managers) must understand them
in order to use them correctly.
Practice
Directions: Look over the following list of common symbols on the left and try to
match them to their corresponding ideas on the right.
_____ 1. the color black a. death or evil
_____ 2. the color red b. obstacles

c. decisions
_____ 3. the color green
d. anger
_____ 4. water e. life
_____ 5. mountains f. passion
g. beginnings
_____ 6. sunset
h. wisdom
_____ 7. sunrise i. endings
_____ 8. fire j. nature and growth
_____ 9. owls
_____ 10. road forks

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Application
Directions: In Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe employs a number of symbols to
represent abstract ideas. For each of the symbols listed below, see if you can
identify and explain the abstract concept represented. Page numbers have been
provided to help.
1. yams (p. 33)
2. fire (p. 3 and 42)
3. locusts (p. 54)
4. Egwugwu (p. 89)
5. darkness (p. 103)
Essay
Directions: Use your knowledge of symbolism in the novel Things Fall Apart to
respond to the following essay prompt on a separate piece of paper.
Chapters Twelve and Thirteen juxtapose two traditional ceremonies, an engagement

ceremony and a funeral. Why do you think Achebe chose to set up these chapters in
this way? What is the significance of the marriage and the funeral as symbols in the
Ibo world?

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Assessment Preparation: Understanding Dictionary Entries
Dictionary entries can provide a lot of information, if you know how to read them
properly. Study the sample entry below.
B C D
A. Main entry (Divided refuge (rf'yooj) n. 1. Protection or shelter, as
A
into syllables)
B. Pronunciation key from danger or hardship. 2. A place providing
C. Part of speech (noun, protection or shelter. 3. A source of help, relief, or
verb, adjective,
adverb, etc.) comfort in times of trouble. [Latin refugere, to run
D. Definition (Most away: re-, re- + fugere, to flee.]
common come first) E
E. Etymology (Language
source)
Directions: Use the dictionary entries provided here to answer the questions on the
next page.
calamity (k -lm'-t) n. 1. An event that brings terrible loss, lasting distress, or severe
affliction; a disaster: A hurricane would be a calamity in a low-lying coastal region. 2. Dire
distress resulting from loss or tragedy. [Latin calamits]
close-fisted (kls'fs'td) adj. Tightfisted; stingy.
inadvertent (n' d-vr'tnt) adj. 1. Not duly attentive. 2. Marked by unintentional lack of
care. [Latin inadvertentia: in-, not + advertere, to turn toward] inadver'tently adv.
infirm (n-frm') adj. 1. Weak in body, especially from old age or disease; feeble. 2. Lacking
firmness of will, character, or purpose; irresolute. 3. Not strong or stable; shaky: an infirm
support. [Latin nfirmus: in-, not + firmus, strong, firm] infirm'ly adv.
lament (l -mnt') v. -mented, -menting, -ments tr. 1. To express grief for or about;
mourn: lament a death. 2. To regret deeply; deplore: He lamented his thoughtless acts.
intr. 1. To grieve audibly; to wail. 2. To express sorrow or regret. n. A feeling or expression
of grief. [Latin lmentr, from lmentum, lament]
lamentation (lm' n-t'sh n) n. 1. The act of lamenting. 2. A lament.
rite(rt) n. 1. The prescribed or customary form for conducting a religious or other solemn
ceremony: the rite of baptism. 2. A ceremonial act or series of acts: fertility rites. 3. Rite The
liturgy or practice of a branch of the Christian church. [Latin rtus]
sediment (sd' -m nt) n. 1. Material that settles to the bottom of a liquid. 2. Solid
fragments of inorganic or organic material that come from weathering of rock and are carried

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
and deposited by wind, water, or ice. [Latin sedimentum, act of settling, from sedre, to sit,
settle; see SED-]
tremulous (trm'y -l s) adj. 1. Marked by trembling, quivering, or shaking. 2. Timid or

fearful; timorous. [Latin tremere, to tremble] trem'ulouslyadv. trem'ulousness n.
tripod (tr'pd') n. 1. A three-legged object, such as a cauldron, stool, or table. 2. An

adjustable three-legged stand, as for supporting a camera or a transit. [Latin trips, tripod-,
from Greek tripous, three-footed : tri-, tri- + pous, foot; see POD.] trip'odal adj.
tumult (too'mlt') n. 1. The din and commotion of a great crowd. 2a. A disorderly
commotion or disturbance. b. A tempestuous uprising; a riot. 3. Agitation of the mind or
emotions: "I spend much time in a tumult of anger and disbelief" (Scott Turow). [Latin
tumultus]
_____ 1. How many syllables are in the main entry for "inadvertent"?
a. 1 c. 3
b. 2 d. 4
_____ 2. Which of the following roots comes from the Greek word for "foot"?
a. FUGE c. SED
b. POD d. FIRM
_____ 3. Which of the following roots comes from a Latin word meaning to "sit"?
a. FUGE c. SED
b. POD d. FIRM
_____ 4. Which of the following roots comes from a Latin word meaning "strong"?
a. FUGE c. SED
b. POD d. FIRM
_____ 5. Which of the following also has an adverb form?

a. close-fisted c. infirm
b. rite d. calamity
_____ 6. Look at the entry for the word "tumult." Which of the following sentences
uses the word as it is given in definition 3?
a. As the band took to the stage, a great tumult arose inside her.
b. She covered her ears to block out the tumult.
c. When the band didn't return for an encore, the crowd rose up in a tumult.
d. Many people tried to escape through the tumult, but the fury of the fans
made the attempt unsafe.

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
_____ 7. Look at the entry for "lament." Which of the following sentences uses the
word as it is given in the first intransitive verb definition?
a. The sound of the dog howling was the saddest lament she had ever
heard.
b. The dog lamented for hours, expressing its grief in loud, long howls.
c. The widow's lament was moving enough to bring the audience to tears.
d. The widow lamented her loss while imploring others to know the
importance of gun safety.
_____ 8. Which two words end in a true rhyme?

a. lament and sediment c. tripod and close-fisted
b. inadvertent and lament d. calamity and rite
_____ 9. Look at the entry for "infirm." What is the primary difference between the
first and third definitions?
a. The first is an adjective and the third is an adverb.
b. The first is a measurable characteristic, and the third describes as abstract
character trait.
c. The first describes a trait of a living thing, the third a non-living thing.
d. The first is more general, and the third applies only in specific cases.
_____ 10. Look at the entry for "sediment." What is the primary difference between
the first and second definitions?
a. The first describes a process, and the second describes a thing.
b. The first is a noun, and the second is a verb.
c. The first is more general, and the second is more specific.
d. The first contains a Latin root, and the second does not.

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Chapters Fourteen Sixteen
worksheet.
Chapter(s)
Reflections

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Comprehension Check
Chapter Fourteen
1. When was the last time Okonkwo remembers visiting Mbanta?
2. How is Okonkwo greeted by his mother's kinsmen? Why do you think they do not
judge him negatively for his crime?
3. What are "the nuts of the water of heaven"?
4. What is chi? Why does Okonkwo now believe "a man could not rise above the
destiny of his chi?
5. What is the isa-ifi ceremony?
6. Why is the most common name given to children "Nneka"?
7. What was Uchendu's purpose in giving his speech to Okonkwo?
8. What evidence does Uchendu give to prove that Okonkwo is not the "greatest
sufferer in the world"? Do you agree or disagree with Uchendu on this point?
Explain your answer.
9. Of all the things Uchendu said to him, what do you think is most likely to convince
Okonkwo to leave his despair behind and begin anew?
10. Okonkwo has worked his whole life to become "one of the lords of the clan." He
has "said yes," so according to the wisdom of the clan, his chi should also say
"yes." Yet he has, apparently, failed. Do you believe Okonkwo's exile is the result
of his personal chi, the result of Okonkwo's choices, or something else? Explain
your answer and provide support.
Chapter Fifteen
1. Why did Obierika come to visit Okonkwo?
2. What does Uchendu lament that the young men do not do anymore?
3. What do the Ibo call the transport that the first white man arrived on? What do
you think it actually is?
4. Why did the men of Abame kill the white man? What happened as a result?

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
5. What does Uchendu mean when he says, "There is no story that is not true"?
6. Why did Uchendu say the men of Abame were fools? Do you agree or disagree
with his logic? Explain your answer and provide support.
7. Why did Okonkwo say the men of Abame were fools? Do you agree or disagree
with his logic? Explain your answer and provide support.
8. What does Obierika mean when he says, "ordinary men like us"?
9. How did Obierika say Okonkwo could thank him? Why do you think he said that?
What is ironic about his request?
10. Why do you think the white men killed the people of Abame? Were they justified
in doing so? Why or why not?
Chapter Sixteen
1. Who were the efulefu?
2. Why were the efulefu among the first converts to the new religion? Evaluate the
effect their conversion has on the rest of the villagers.
3. Why did Obierika come to visit Okonkwo?
4. How did Nwoye respond when Obierika confronted him? Do you think Nwoye is
justified in his response? Why or why not?
5. What was oddly humorous about the interpreter's dialect? What effect did this
have on the men who came to listen to him?
6. What message did the missionaries bring to Mbanta?
7. What was the "iron horse"?
8. What promise did the white man make about the "iron horse"?
9. What does the author mean when he says Nwoye's soul is "parched"? Explain
how the events in his life have led Nwoye to feel this way.
10. Explain the significance of the "hymn about brothers who sat in darkness and in
fear." Why was this hymn so moving to Nwoye?

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Standards Focus: Figurative Language: Metaphor, Simile, and
Hyperbole
Metaphors and similes are common examples of figurative language, or a form of
language where words can be interpreted as meaning something other than the literal
meaning.
A metaphor is a type of figurative language that compares two unlike things, suggesting
that one has the qualities of the other. When using a metaphor, an author will state
either that one thing is another, as in "The student was a living computer," or give
something the qualities of another, as in "He quickly computed the data and filed away
the answer." Metaphors function to make writing more colorful and make connections
that a reader might not otherwise see.
Similes, like metaphors, compare two unlike things. Unlike metaphors, similes are
signaled by the use of "like" or "as." For example, an author might write "She attacked
the problem like a dog attacks a bone," or "The student was as frightened as a deer in
the headlights when she saw the math problem."
A hyperbole is a form of figurative language that uses extreme exaggeration to make a

point. With hyperboles, we are meant to understand that the exaggeration is so great, it
cannot possibly be true. For example, an author might write, "The test went on for ages."
Even though it sometimes feels like a test lasts a lifetime, it is not literally true that they do.
Practice
Directions: Decide whether each of the following is an example of a metaphor (m),
simile (s), or hyperbole (h).
______ 1. He entered the classroom as quiet as a mouse.

______ 2. The hall was filled with perfect silence.
______ 3. She approached the hurdle and took flight.
______ 4. The class was as exciting as getting dental work done.
______ 5. The skin on her face was drawn so thin he could almost see through it.
______ 6. He's such an angel!
______ 7. The teacher's lesson on the anatomy of the heart really kindled her
interest in biology.
______ 8. He wrinkled his nose. The locker room smelled like feet.
______ 9. I spent the whole afternoon in the library trying to dig up the answer to the
essay question.
______ 10. She cried a thousand tears when she saw her failing test grade.

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Application
Directions: For each of the examples of figurative language below, determine whether
the selection is a metaphor, simile, or hyperbole. Write M,S, or H on the line after the
quote. Briefly explain the literal and figurative meaning of each.
1. "For two or three moons the sun had been gathering strength till it seemed to
breathe a fire on the earth." p. 130 __________
a. Literal:
b. Figurative:
2. "the sands felt like live coals to the feet." p. 130 __________
a. Literal:
b. Figurative:
3. "Trees wore a dusty coat of brown" p. 130 __________
a. Literal:
b. Figurative:
4. "the world lay panting under the live, vibrating heat." p. 130 __________
a. Literal:
b. Figurative:
5. "the wind combed their leaves into flying crests like a strange and fantastic
coiffure." p. 130 __________
a. Literal:
b. Figurative:

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
6. "He had been cast out of his clan like a fish onto a dry, sandy beach"
p. 131 __________
a. Literal:
b. Figurative:
7. "other white men were on their way. They were locusts, it said, and that first man
was their harbinger"p. 139 __________
a. Literal:
b. Figurative:
8. "Chielo, the priestess of Agbala, called the converts the excrement of the clan, and
the new faith was a mad dog that had come to eat it up." p. 143 __________
a. Literal:
b. Figurative:
9. "It was one of those gay and rollicking tunes of evangelism which had the power of
plucking at the silent and dusty chords in the heart" p. 146 __________
a. Literal:
b. Figurative:
10. "He felt a relief within as the hymn poured into his parched soul. The words of the
hymn were like the drops of frozen rain melting on the dry palate of the panting
earth." p. 147 __________
a. Literal:
b. Figurative:

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Assessment Preparation: Word Parts
Being able to break words into their smallest meaningful parts can help you to better
decipher the meaning of unfamiliar words. These "smallest meaningful parts" are
prefixes, suffixes, base (root) words.
Prefixes attach to the front of roots or base words to slightly change or add to the
word's meaning.
Suffixes attach to the end of roots or bases words, usually to change the part of
speech (POS), tense, or noun agreement.
Base words, which are sometimes called "roots," are the part of the word that
contains the basic meaning.
Consider the example below:
Word: reaction
Prefix Base/Root word Suffix
re- act -tion
(again) (to do or perform) (POS: noun)
Part A
Directions: Use your own knowledge and/or a dictionary to break down the
following vocabulary words into their component parts. Be sure to indicate the
meaning of each, as indicated in parentheses in the example above.
Word Prefix(s) Base/Root Suffix(es)
refuge
requisite
banished

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Word Prefix(s) Base/Root Suffix(es)
fugitives
beckoning
ominous
converts
benevolently
enthralled
parched
Part B
Directions: When you are done completing the chart, answer the questions below.
1. Which two words contain the same base/root word? What is the meaning of the
base/root?
2. Which two words contain the same prefix? What is the meaning of the prefix?

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
3. Which words contain the same suffix? What is the meaning or purpose of that
suffix?
4. What is the meaning or purpose of the "-ly" suffix in words like "benevolently"?
5. What is the meaning or purpose of the "-ing" suffix in words like "beckoning"?
6. What is the meaning of the word "ban"? How does it differ from the meaning of
the word "banish"?
7. Without looking at a dictionary, what do you think a "beck" is? How did you
decide this?
8. Without looking at a dictionary, what do you think a "thrall" is? How did you
decide this?
9. Using your dictionary, find three words that contain the base/root "bene-"and list
them along with their definitions.
10. Using your dictionary, find three words that contain the prefix "con-" and list them
along with their definitions.

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Chapters Seventeen Nineteen
worksheet.
Chapter(s)
Reflections

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Comprehension Check

Chapter Seventeen
1. How did the villagers respond when the missionaries asked to see their king?
2. What is the "evil forest"? Explain why the elders gave the missionaries land in the
"evil forest."
3. Why did some of the new converts suspend their allegiance to the church when
the seventh week in the "evil forest" approached?
4. Why was Okonkwo provoked to such great anger that he threatened to kill his
son, Nwoye? How was Nwoye saved?
5. Mr. Kiaga says, "Blessed is he who forsakes his father and mother for my sake.
"What does Nwoye's response reveal about his knowledge of the new religion?
6. Why, upon reflection, did Okonkwo give up his anger at the new church and not
"wipe out the entire vile and miscreant gang" as he thought to?
7. What is Okonkwo's great fear with regard Nwoye joining the church? How is this
contrary to Ibo belief systems?
8. Okonkwo uses the metaphors "fire" and "ash" to describe himself and his son.
Why does he believe these metaphors are appropriate? Do you agree or
disagree? Explain your thoughts.
9. Describe the methods of resistance the Ibo use to discourage the missionaries.
10. The Ibo elders clearly do not welcome the Christian missionaries, and yet they do
not refuse them a place or force them to leave. Evaluate the elders' decision to
allow the unwelcome guest a continued place among them. If you were one of
them, would you have done the same? Explain your thoughts.
Chapter Eighteen
1. How did the converts overstep their bounds? What was the result?
2. What other system has the white man brought? What is the purpose of this new
system?
3. Why would none of the clan members consider killing a convert?
4. Who are the osu? What rules and/or social taboos keep the osu "enslaved"?

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
5. What does Mr. Kiaga mean when he says, "He that sitteth in the heavens shall
laugh"?
6. What did Mr. Kiaga ask the osu to do as a show of faith?
7. Analyze the elder's claim that among the Ibo, "It is not our custom to fight for our
gods." Why are other instances of criminal behavior, like the killing of the
"daughter of Umuofia" and the murder Okonkwo committed, not handled in the
same manner?
8. After the sacred python was killed, the elders chose not to punish, but to
ostracize the converts. Do you believe they were they correct or incorrect in this
ruling? Justify your response.
9. What evidence was given to show that the Ibo gods "were still able to fight their
own battles"? Do you believe the author intends to show the gods are not
powerless through this statement? Why or why not?
10. Throughout this chapter, as others counsel restraint, Okonkwo is trying to rally
men to battle. Okonkwo says, "If a man comes into my hut and defecates on the
floor, what do I do? Do I shut my eyes? No! I take a stick and break his head.
That is what a man does." Choose one of these two sides and defend it in a well-
organized paragraph.
Chapter Nineteen
1. Why does Okonkwo think he would have prospered more in Umuofia?
2. Why did Okonkwo name his first child born in exile "Nneka"? Does this
demonstrate a development in his character? Explain your answer.
3. Why didn't Okonkwo ask Obierika to build his obi?
4. Why didn't Okonkwo return to Umuofia before the rains stopped? How is this
decision in keeping with his character?
5. What is another name for a rainbow?
6. Why did Obiageli call Ezinma "Salt"?
7. How does Ekwefi's complaint about "poor soil" mirror Okonkwo's thoughts on
Mbanta?
8. What did Okonkwo mean when he said "I cannot live on the banks of a river and
wash my hands with spittle"?
9. At the feast an elder said, "An abominable religion has settled among youI fear
for you; I fear for the clan." From the elder's perspective, what makes the religion
"abominable"?
10. Construct an argument from an elder's perspective on how the younger men
should fight the influence of the "abominable" religion.

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Standards Focus: Conflict
Conflict is the main component of plot. Conflict is the struggle the hero, or main
character, must undergo in the course of a narrative. Although the early Greeks,
Aristotle in particular, believed that in the ideal plot a hero would face only a single
conflict, modern writers tend to confront their characters with a single, central
struggle around which occur numerous smaller struggles.
In the twentieth century, a famous literary critic named Arthur Quiller-Couch

identified seven common types of conflict. The first five were man versus man,
nature, self, the supernatural, and society. The last two, man caught in the middle
and man versus woman, have been dropped in recent years in favor of two
alternatives, man versus technology and man versus destiny.
Man versus man is a common form of conflict where one character struggles
against another character of similar nature. A good example of this is found in comic
books, where our heroes struggle against villains who are equal in power and as evil
as the hero is good.
Man versus nature places a character in conflict with a force of nature, perhaps a
hurricane, drought, or unwelcoming environment. Survival films often pit man against
nature.
Man versus self shows the character struggling with an internal conflict of some
kind. The protagonist battles with competing wants and needs within him- or herself.
Man versus the supernatural places a character against magical forces larger than
him- or herself, forces outside the natural realm. This includes the subtype man
versus God.
Man versus society gives us a struggle between a single individual and a larger
society. The characters beliefs are in conflict with the beliefs of everyone around
him or her.
Man versus technology is a newer category, arising with the introduction of

science fiction in the early twentieth century. In this kind of narrative, a character
struggles against a man-made machine that may or may not possess intelligence.
Man versus destiny pits the hero against a foretold path or future. The character
tries in vain to struggle against being forced down the path, often to find that it is his
or her own attempts to avoid the fate which, ironically, bring it forth. The most
famous example of this is the journey of Oedipus.

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Directions: Things Fall Apart is rife with conflict. For each of the types of conflict
below, provide an example from the novel that demonstrates it.
Type of Conflict Example from Novel
man versus man
man versus nature
man versus self
man versus the

supernatural
man versus society
man versus
technology
man versus destiny
Essay
Directions: Use your knowledge of conflict in the novel Things Fall Apart to
respond to the following essay prompt on a separate piece of paper.
Which of the seven types of conflict do you believe describes the central conflict of
the novel Things Fall Apart? Support your answer with evidence from the novel.

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Assessment Preparation: Latin Roots, Part 1
Latin first crept into the English language in the first century A.D. when the ancient
Romans crept into Britain. For many centuries after the Romans left Britain, Latin
was the language of the Catholic Church, and in the eighteenth and nineteenth
century Latin was considered a language of learning and scholarship. For these
reasons and others, an educated observer can still find pieces of Latin that worked
their way into the English language centuries ago.
Take just the word "educated," for example. The Latin root of "educated" is ducere,
a word meaning "to lead." The prefix e- means "toward" or "to." So, to educate is to
lead someone to something. The root ducere can also be found in words like
"deduce," literally "to lead from," "induce" meaning "to lead to" or "to cause," and
reduce meaning to lead back.
Part A
Directions: For each of the following vocabulary words you are given the root, the
original Latin, and the meaning of the root. Using your knowledge of roots and
suffixes, write a definition for each of the words. When you are done, check your
definition for accuracy against a dictionary.
1. persevered, p. 148 (sever-, Latin severus, meaning harsh)
Definition:
2. sinister, p. 148 (sinister-, Latin sinistr-, meaning from the left, the unlucky or evil
side)
Definition:
3. infant, p. 150 (fan-,fans-, Latin fari, meaning to speak)

Definition:
4. impudent, p. 150 (pudent-, pudens-, Latin pudere, meaning to feel shame)

Definition:
5. perturbed, p. 151 (turb-, Latin turbare, meaning to disturb)

Definition:

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
6. miscreant, p. 152 (cre-, Latin credere, meaning to believe)
Definition:
7. annihilation, p. 153 (nihil-, Latin nihil, meaning nothing)

Definition:
8. degenerate, p. 153 (gener-, Latin genus, meaning a kind or type)

Definition:
9. impotent, p. 154 (potent-, Latin potens, meaning powerful)

Definition:
10. revered, p. 157 (ver-, Latin vereri, to fear or respect)

Definition:
Part B
Directions: Each of the words given below contains one of three Latin roots. Study
the list and then, on the chart on the next page, sort the words into three separate
lists based on their common roots. The word roots and their various forms are given
at the top of the chart. At the bottom of the chart, write a definition, or basic meaning,
for the each of the Latin roots.
emit intermittent eject

permit admit mission
missile commit interject
contagious deject intangible
tangible remit contiguous
transmit inject omit
contact project tactile
intact submit

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Latin Roots
-tact, -tang, -tag, -tig -ject -mit, -miss
Provide a definition for each of the above Latin roots.

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Chapters Twenty Twenty-One
worksheet.
Chapter(s)
Reflections

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Comprehension Check

Chapter Twenty
1. What things did Okonkwo lose during his seven years in exile?
2. Why did Okonkwo want to initiate his sons into the ozo society?
3. Why did Okonkwo call his five sons together? Does his message to his sons
reflect an understanding of the lessons Uchendu tried to impart? Explain your
response.
4. Compare the characters of Ezinma and Okonkwo. In what ways does the maiden
resemble her father?
5. What does cutting the anklets of one's titles symbolize? From Okonkwo's
perspective, how would this make one a madman?
6. What mistake did Ogbuefi Ugonna make when he went to receive the Holy
Communion?
7. Why is it said that the District Commissioner "judged cases in ignorance"? What
evidence is given to support his ignorance?
8. What names were given to the court messengers?
9. What argument does Obierika give for not driving the white men out of Umuofia?
Do you agree or disagree? Support your ideas with evidence from the novel.
10. Obierika says, "He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we
have fallen apart." What are the "things" that held the Ibo together? Are those
"things" irreparably damaged? Explain your response.
Chapter Twenty-One
1. How has the white man's arrival benefited all of Umuofia, even those who have
not converted?
2. What does Mr. Brown mean when he says, "Everything is possible, but
everything is not expedient"?
3. What did Mr. Brown and Akunna talk about? What does the conversation reveal
about the character of Mr. Brown?
4. In what ways is the Ibo belief system similar to the English political system?
5. How did Mr. Brown convince families to send their children to his school?
6. What was Mr. Brown's real purpose in building the school and hospital?
7. Why did Mr. Brown visit Okonkwo's household? What was the result?
8. Why did Okonkwo's return not cause the stir that he had hoped it would?
9. Evaluate Mr. Brown's methods of gaining support within the clan. Are these
methods fair and ethical? Support your ideas with evidence from the text.
10. What metaphor did Okonkwo use to describe what the men of Umuofia have
become? How does this serve to make him feel further alienated from his clan?

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Standards Focus: Irony
Irony is a literary device that occurs when there is a sharp mismatch, usually an
exact opposite match, between what is said and what is meant or between what is
intended and what actually occurs.
Verbal irony occurs when what a character or narrator says is in opposition to what
the reader and author know. In Romeo and Juliet, having just spotted the dashing
young Romeo at a party, Juliet says, "Go ask his name: if he be married. My grave is
like to be my wedding bed." This is to say, "I'd rather die than marry anyone else."
What Juliet doesn't know, but the audience and author DO know is that she will die
and her grave will in fact be her wedding bed. Special forms of verbal irony are
sarcasm, overstatement, and understatement.
Situational irony occurs when a character's actions have the opposite effect of his
or her intentions. For example, at the climax of Romeo and Juliet, Juliet has taken a
drug to put herself into a deep sleep, making her appear to be dead until her lover
returns. Unfortunately for Romeo, he thinks his beloved is dead, and so he kills
himself.
Irony can be comic or dramatic. Comic irony is humorous, often taken as a shared
joke between the author and the audience. Dramatic irony occurs when the
audience, or reader, knows something that the character does not, which results in a
gripping or stirring effect.
In Things Fall Apart when Okonkwo's father Unoka says, "The sun will shine on
those who stand before it shines on those who kneel under them." What Unoka
intends to mean is that he will wait and pay his big debts first. What the reader and
author understand is that the literal meaning of the proverb is more like, "Lazy men
will never prosper." Unoka is a lazy man. If he understood the meaning of the
proverb and lived by it, he would have no debts. This is an example of comic verbal
irony.
When Okonkwo kills Ezeudu's son we see an example of dramatic situational irony.
Despite all of his intentions to be strong and masculine, thereby controlling his own
fate, his accidental female blunder leads to his seven-year exile.
Part A
Directions: Classify each of the examples below as either comic or dramatic, and
verbal or situational irony. Write your answers on the lines provided.
_______________ 1. "He had no patience with unsuccessful men." p. 5

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
_______________ 2. "Okonkwo wanted his son to be a great farmer and a great
man. He would stamp out the disquieting signs of laziness which he thought he
already saw in him." p. 33
_______________ 3. "That boy calls you father. Do not bear a hand in his death."
p. 57
_______________ 4. "Okonkwo's wives, and perhaps other women as well, might

have noticed that the second egwugwu had the springy walk of Okonkwo. And
they might have noticed that Okonkwo was not among the titled men and elders
who sat . . . But if they thought these things they kept them within themselves."
pp. 89-90
_______________ 5. "Everyone was now about, talking excitedly and praying that
the locusts should camp in Umuofia for the night." p. 56
_______________ 6. "'It is like the story of white men who, they say, are white like
this piece of chalk,' said Obierika." p. 74
_______________ 7. "An 'evil forest' was, therefore, alive with sinister forces and
powers of darkness. They did not really want them in their clan, and so they
made them an offer which nobody in his right senses would accept." p. 148
_______________ 8. "Okonkwo made a sound full of disgust. This was a womanly

clan, he thought. Such a thing could never happen in his fatherland, Umuofia."
p. 159
_______________ 9. " 'I do not know how to thank you.' 'I can tell you,' said
Obierika, 'Kill one of your sons for me.'" p. 141
_______________ 10. "If Umuofia failed to send her children to the school,
strangers would come from other places to rule them." p. 181
Part B
Directions: Choose one of the examples above. In a well-organized paragraph,
explain the meaning of the quote, its significance to the novel, and the type of irony
represented. Use a separate piece of paper and attach it to this worksheet.

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Assessment Preparation: Words with Multiple Meanings
Some words have more than one meaning. Dictionaries list all the possible
meanings of a word, and it is up to you to decide which one best fits the way the
word is used in a sentence.
_____ 1. To do this, first carefully examine the definitions. Eliminate definitions that
clearly do not match.
Example:
Sentence: After the accident was cleared up, a construction team brought in a crane
to lift the train back onto the tracks.
Crane
1 : n. a bird with long legs and a long neck that lives on plains and in marshes
2 : n. a large machine used to lift and move heavy objects
3 : v. to stretch the neck in order to get a better view of something
_____ 2. Look at the remaining entries. Decide which one MOST CLOSELY
resembles the way the word is used in the sentence.
Crane
1 : n. a bird with long legs and a long neck that lives on plains and in marshes
2 : n. a large machine used to lift and move heavy objects
_____ 3. Test your chosen definition by placing the definition into the sentence in
place of the word.
Correct: "After the accident was cleared up, a construction team brought in a
large machine used to lift heavy objects to lift the train back onto the tracks."
Incorrect: "After the accident was cleared up, a construction team brought in
a bird with long legs and a long neck that lives on plains and in marshes to lift
the train back onto the tracks."
Directions: Read each passage below. Carefully consider the meaning of the under-
lined word. Circle the definition that best matches how the word is used. For your
chosen definition, write an original sentence using the word as it is used in the novel.
1. "As the years of exile passed one by one it seemed to him that his chi might now
be making amends for the past disaster." p. 172
amends
1 : v. to put right; especially : to make emendations in (as a text)
2 : n. compensation for a loss or injury : recompense <make amends>

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Original sentence:
2. "He finds he cannot do the work alone and so he appoints kotma to help him."
p. 180
appoints
1 : v. to select a person or a group of people for an official position or to do a
job
2: v. to fix or agree on a time or place for something to happen
Original sentence:
3. "The young ailing girl who had caused her mother so much heartache had been
transformed, almost overnight, into a healthy, buoyant maiden." p. 173
buoyant
1 : adj. capable of floating
2 : adj. cheerful, gay
Original sentence:
4. "There were many men and women in Umuofia who did feel as strongly as
Okonkwo about the new dispensation." p. 178
dispensation
1 : n. a general state or ordering of things; specifically : a system of revealed
commands and promises regulating human affairs
2 : n. an exemption from a law or from an impediment, vow, or oath
Original sentence:
5. "Everything was possible, he told his energetic flock, but everything was not
expedient." p. 178
expedient
1 : adj. suitable for achieving a particular end in a given circumstance
2 : n. a device used in an emergency; makeshift; resource
Original sentence:
6. "He was determined that his return should be marked by his people. He would
return with a flourish, and regain the seven wasted years." p. 171

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
flourish
1 : n. an act or instance of brandishing or waving
2 : n. showiness in the doing of something <opened the door with a flourish>
3 : n. a sudden burst <a flourish of activity>
Original sentence:
7. "Some of these prisoners were men of title who should have been above such
mean occupation." p. 175
mean
1 : adj. lacking dignity or honor : base
2 :adj. characterized by petty selfishness or malice
3 : adj. excellent, effective <plays a mean trumpet> <a lean, mean athlete>
Original sentence:
8. "Mr. Brown's mission grew from strength to strength, and because of its link with
the new administration it earned a new social prestige." p. 182
prestige
1 : n. standing or estimation in the eyes of people : weight or credit in general
opinion
2 : n. attractiveness and importance that is very obvious or enviable
Original sentence:
9. "At first it appeared as if it might prove too great for his spirit. But it was a resilient
spirit, and in the end Okonkwo overcame his sorrow." p. 172
resilient
1 : adj. able to spring back quickly into shape after being bent, stretched, or
squashed
2 : adj. tending to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change
Original sentence:
10. "One member in particular was very difficult to restrain." p. 178

restrain
1 : v. to prevent somebody or yourself from doing something
2 : v. to physically control the movements of a person or animal
Original sentence:

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Chapters Twenty-Two Twenty-Three
worksheet.
Chapter(s)
Reflections

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Comprehension Check
Chapter Twenty-Two
1. How does Mr. Smith view the world?
2. What does the phrase, "Narrow is the way and few the number," mean to Mr.
Smith?
3. Why did Mr. Smith suspend a young woman from the church within a few weeks
of his arrival?
4. What effect does Mr. Smith's arrival have on converts like Enoch?
5. What great crime did Enoch commit?
6. What is the great evil that the "soul of the tribe" weeps for?
7. How did the egwugwu respond to Enoch's crime? Was their response justified?
8. Why did the egwugwu not harm Mr. Smith?
9. Should the Christian leaders have listened to Okeke and not offered sanctuary to
Enoch? Why or why not?
10. Ajofia, the leader of the egwugwu, says, "We say he is foolish because he does
not know our ways, and perhaps he says we are foolish because we do not know
his." How might the situation have been different if the two sides had made more
of an effort to know each other's ways? Support your answer with evidence from
the novel.
Chapter Twenty-Three
1. Why does Okonkwo feel like the clan is "making amends"?
2. Why did the leaders of Umuofia choose to go before the District Commissioner
after the destruction of the church? Why not ignore the call to appear before him?
3. Why did the leaders arrive armed with machetes? Why did they not bring their
guns?
4. How were the leaders of Umuofia deceived in the court of the District
Commissioner?
5. According to the District Commissioner, under what authority does he administer
justice?
6. Do you believe the District Commissioner's court acts in the interest of justice?
Explain your answer.
7. What punishment did the District Commissioner hand down?
8. How were the men treated during their imprisonment?
9. Evaluate the actions of the court messengers following the arrest of Umuofia's
leaders. What do you think motivates their actions?
10. At the end of the chapter, the narrator tells us, "Obierika had not been home
since morning," but we are not told where he actually is, only that his wives
suspect he is at a "secret meeting." Where do you think Obierika was? Why do
you think the author does not tell us where he was?

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Standards Focus: Voice, Part 1: Narrative Point of View
Has your teacher ever told you your writing needs more voice? What is voice
anyway? Voice is a seemingly simple concept that actually involves an
understanding of a complex system called narration. In the next two "Standards
Focus" activities, we will explore the concept of voice in depth.
The first thing to understand when trying to understand voice is narrative point of
view. Narrative point of view describes the perspective from which a story is told and
perceived by the storyteller. In other words, who is telling the story and what is his or
her relationship to the other characters and the story itself?
The fictional character who tells a story is called the narrator. The narrator is not the
same as the author, since authors are indeed real people.
A narrator can be reliable or unreliable. A

reliable narrator is one who can be trusted to Narrator
give us all the necessary information. An
unreliable narrator does not tell us the full Reliable Unreliable
story (either because of self-interest or
ignorance), leaving the reader to fill in the gaps.
Whether reliable or unreliable, a narrative can be either first- or third-person point

of view.
Reliable Unreliable
First Third First Third
First-person point of view means that the story is being told by a narrator who is
also a character in the story. This is signaled by the narrator's use of "I" or "we" to
talk about characters in the story. A first-person narrator is sometimes, but not
always, the focal character, or the character around which the action centers.
A first person narrator naturally limits a reader, since we can only know what the
narrator knows (unless he or she is a mind-reader). It has the strength of causing the
reader to bond more closely with the character, since we are privy to his or her most
intimate thoughts.
Third-person point of view means that the story is being told by a narrator who is
uninvolved in the events of the story. A third-person narrator can be subjective,
objective, limited, or omniscient.

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
A third-person subjective narrator reveals the thoughts, feelings, and opinions of

one or more characters throughout the narrative, while a third-person objective tells
only the events of the story and the characters' actions without Third
revealing the characters thoughts.
A third-person limited narrator follows the thoughts and actions of Subjective/

only one character, usually the main character. A limited narrator Objective
cannot understand, predict, or explain the thoughts and actions of
any other character except from the perspective of the focal Limited/
character. Omniscient
A third-person omniscient narrator is a person or entity who has the ability to tell us
the thoughts and actions of all the characters in the story. An omniscient narrator
knows all the facts and is considered the most reliable of all narrative points of view.
Narrator
Reliable Unreliable
First-person Third-person Third-person First-person
Subjective/
Objective
Limited/
Omniscient
Directions: Carefully read the selection below from Things Fall Apart. Answer the
questions that follow based on the passage.
from Things Fall Apart

Chapter 23
For the first time in many years Okonkwo had a feeling that was akin to
happiness. The times which had altered so unaccountably during his exile seemed
to be coming round again. The clan which had turned false on him appeared to be
making amends.
He had spoken violently to his clansmen when they had met in the
marketplace to decide on their action. And they had listened to him with respect. It
was like the good old days again, when a warrior was a warrior. Although they had
not agreed to kill the missionary or drive away the Christians, they had agreed to do
something substantial. And they had done it. Okonkwo was almost happy again.

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
For two days after the destruction of the church, nothing happened. Every
man in Umuofia went about armed with a gun or machete. They would not be caught
unawares, like the men of Abame.
Then the District Commissioner returned from his tour. Mr. Smith went
immediately to him and they had a long discussion. The men of Umuofia did not take
any notice of this, and if they did, they thought it was not important. The missionary
often went to see his brother white man. There was nothing strange in that.
Three days later the District Commissioner sent his sweet-tongued messenger to
the leaders of Umuofia asking them to meet him in his headquarters. That was also
not strange. He often asked them to hold such palavers, as he called them.
Okonkwo was among the six leaders he invited.
1. Is the selection above first- or third-person? How do you know?
2. Do you think the narrator is reliable or unreliable? How do you know?
3. Is the narrator subjective or objective? How do you know?
4. Is the narrator limited or omniscient? How do you know?
5. What is the perspective of the narrator? Which character(s) does narrator follow?
6. If you had to imagine the narrator as a character, would the character be Ibo or a
white man? What makes you think this?
7. Rewrite the first two paragraphs of the passage in first-person point of view on a
separate piece of paper and attach it to this page.

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Assessment Preparation: Latin Roots, Part 2
Latin roots are found throughout the English language, even in some of our most
familiar words. Knowing and being able to identify a large number of Latin roots can
help you unlock the meanings of unfamiliar words that you may encounter on a
standardized exam.
Directions: For each of the following vocabulary words you are given the root, the
meaning of the root, and four words derived from the same root. For each of the
derived words, write a definition that utilizes the meaning of the root. You may use a
dictionary to find the meaning of unfamiliar words.
Root and
Word Related Words
Meaning
sacred something that is dedicated to a god
sacr-,
consecrate
sacraments
sanctify
of a god
saint
sanctum
sacr-
sacrosanct
desecrated
sanction
of a god
desecrate
entrails
initi-
entrance
uninitiated
initial
beginning,
entrance
introduce
menace
min-
promenade
imminent
prominent
to jut,
project
promontory

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
cordial
cord-
accord
discordant
record
heart
courage
appease
pac-
pact
pacified
peace
peace
pacifist
dome
dom-
domestic
dominion
major-domo
house or
household
dominate
paucity
pau-
poverty
pauper
impoverish
few or
little
poor
sonic
son-
sonnet
sonorous
consonant
sound
unison
compel
pel-
repeal
appeal
dispel
to drive at,
to get at
expel

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Chapters Twenty-Four Twenty-Five
worksheet.
Chapter(s)
Reflections

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Comprehension Check

Chapter Twenty-Four
1. How did the prisoners behave after their release? What do you think was going
through their minds?
2. Why was there a "childlike excitement" in Okonkwo's heart?
3. What did Okonkwo remember about the war with Isike? Would a war with the
white men proceed in the same way? Why or why not?
4. Why was Egonwanne "the greatest obstacle in Umuofia"?
5. Why didn't Okika, the great orator, salute the clan before he spoke?
6. What did Okika mean when he said that the clan must "do what our fathers would
never have done"? Why is it okay for them to do this now?
7. How was Okika's speech interrupted?
8. How did Okonkwo know that Umuofia would not go to war?
9. Why did Okonkwo draw his machete? Do you think it was a good choice?
10. Despite the fact that Okika spoke in favor of fighting, Okonkwo chose to take
drastic action against the white men. Predict what might have happened if
Okonkwo had not done what he did. Would the clan have fought back? Would
they have been successful in their fight?
Chapter Twenty-Five
1. What did the District Commissioner find when he arrived at Okonkwo's obi?
2. What did the District Commissioner say he would do if the men did not hand
Okonkwo over to him?
3. Where and in what condition did the District Commissioner find Okonkwo?
4. What favor did Obierika ask of the District Commissioner? Why did he ask this
favor?
5. What did Obierika say of Okonkwo? Do you think Obierika really believes this?
Do you agree or disagree with Obierika?
6. What order did the District Commissioner give to the messengers?
7. What is the title of the book the District Commissioner plans to write? How will he
include Okonkwo's tale in it?
8. Whose perspective is this final chapter written from? Why did the author choose
this perspective?
9. Considering what you know of Okonkwo's character, why did he choose this final
action despite the fact that it was considered a great evil?
10. One of the traditional characteristics of a tragic hero's fall is that it is caused by
forces outside of his or her control. Do you believe Okonkwo had any control
over his fate? Why or why not?

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Standards Focus: Voice, Part 2: Diction and Tone
In addition to narrative point of view, the voice of your writing is also affected by
diction and tone.
Diction is sometimes called word choice and refers to just that, the words a writer
chooses to use. Several different considerations affect these choices.
First, a writer must consider connotation and denotation. The connotation of a word
can greatly affect the meaning of a narrative. For example, the connotation of
the word "chatty" is quite different from the connotation of "gossipy," although
both could be used to describe a character who is talkative.
Second, there is the level of formality to consider. A word can be formal, informal,
or slang. For example, "communicative" is quite formal, "talkative" is informal,
and "blabbermouth" is slang.
Third, a good writer must be aware of and avoid the trap of what is known as
"Roget's Disease," or the use of overly complex words when a simpler, more
common word would be more appropriate. In other words, although
"loquacious" and "garrulous" are perfectly good words for "talkative," only use
them if they are appropriate to the narrative and audience.
Finally, writers will sometimes choose to use specialized vocabulary, or jargon. A
psychologist might talk about a talkative person as displaying "pro-social
behavior." A person writing from a Mexican-American cultural perspective
might refer to a talkative person as a "chismosa." Jargon must be used
carefully, and should only be used if it is appropriate to the audience and
purpose of the writing.
Using diction that is appropriate to your story and audience will give your writing its
tone. Tone is the author's attitude toward the subject and audience. For
example, the word "gossipy" to describe a character implies that the author
disapproves of the character's actions, and that the author believes the reader
should disapprove, too.
Part A
Directions: Examine the list of vocabulary below from the novel Things Fall Apart.
Sort the words into the chart below as formal, informal, slang, or jargon. Answer the
questions that follow.
machetes raffia waterpots speaker primitive

footpath infuriating valor superfluous shut up
nno resolute fear monkey undignified
obi sacrilege orator tricks pacification

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Formal Informal Slang Jargon
Questions:
1. Which two words share the denotative meaning of "one who delivers a speech"?
How does the connotation of the words differ?
2. What is the purpose of the jargon used in the novel? How does it suit the
audience and/or subject?
3. What is the purpose and effect of the slang as it is used?
4. It is often said that the voice in Things Fall Apart is remarkable because it
conveys a sense of nobility while still retaining a uniquely African character. Do
you agree or disagree with this statement? Explain.
Part B
The final chapters of Things Fall Apart demonstrate Chinua Achebe's mastery of
diction and tone. Although most of the book employs relatively simplistic diction and
a tone that is sympathetic to the Ibo, the final chapter gives us a dramatic shift that
signals a change in power.

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Directions: Use the excerpt from the novel to answer the questions below.
The Commissioner went away, taking three or four of the soldiers with 1
him. In the many years in which he had toiled to bring civilization to different
parts of Africa he had learned a number of things. One of them was that a
District Commissioner must never attend to such undignified details as
cutting a hanged man from the tree. Such attention would give the natives a 5
poor opinion of him. In the book which he planned to write he would stress
that point. As he walked back to the court he thought about that book. Every
day brought some new material. The story of this man who had killed a
messenger and hanged himself would make interesting reading. One could
almost write a whole chapter on him. Perhaps not a whole chapter but a 10
reasonable paragraph, at any rate. There was so much else to include, and
one must be firm in cutting out the details. He had already chosen the title of
the book, after much thought: The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the
Lower Niger.
1. From whose perspective is this final passage written? How does it differ from the
perspective of other passages in the book?
2. What words or phrases are used to describe Okonkwo?
3. How does the use of the word "toiled" in line 2 reflect the Commissioner's biases
toward Africa?
4. A "civilization" (line 2) means "a society that has a high level of culture and social
organization." How does the use of this term reflect the Commissioner's bias?

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
5. Why does the Commissioner believe the task of removing Okonkwo's body would
be "undignified" (line 4)? Is there another perspective he could take? Explain.
6. What ideas or biases does the term "natives" (line 5) imply as it is used?
7. To what does the term "material" in line 8 refer?
8. What "details" (line 12) do you think the Commissioner intends to cut out? What
does this demonstrate about his understanding?
9. The term "pacification" in line 13 means "to bring peace," but it can also mean
"the act of forcibly suppressing or eliminating a population considered to be
hostile." How do the two meanings differ? Is either one appropriate to describe
the Commissioner's work among the Ibo?
10. Why do you think the author chose to include this final paragraph?

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
Things Fall Apart

Assessment Preparation: Graduation Day
You've practiced your vocabulary skills throughout this book, and now it's time to put
it all together. When you approach unfamiliar vocabulary on a test, it is important to
use all the tools in your arsenal. Knowing all the Latin roots in the English language
may not help you entirely if you cannot also understand the connotation, context,
prefix, and/or suffix.
Directions: Refer to your book and use the vocabulary in context from Chapters 24
and 25 to complete the "graduation cap" for each word. Do not use a dictionary.
Instead, use your knowledge of vocabulary to make an educated guess as you
would in an exam.
Example:
desecrated, p. 186
Word
desecrated
Prefix Base/Root Suffix

de- secr- -ed
Sounds like Connotation (positive or Context- the condition of the

sacred, consecrate, Sacrament negative) negative egwugwu after Enoch unmasked it
My definition I think it means that it lost its sacred status

because it was insulted and abused.
1. astir, p. 199
Word
Sounds like Connotation (positive or Context

negative)
My definition

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
2. warder, p. 199
Word

negative)
My definition
3. derived, p. 200
Word

negative)
My definition
4. orator, p. 202
Word

negative)
My definition

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
5. sacrilege, p. 203
Word

negative)
My definition
6. tumultuous, p. 205
Word

negative)
My definition
7. superfluous, p. 206
Word

negative)
My definition

Name _______________________________________ Period ________
8. resolute, p. 207
Word

negative)
My definition
9. primitive, p. 207
Word

negative)
My definition
10. pacification, p. 209
Word

negative)
My definition

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Key Plot Points Vocabulary Proverbs

2012 Secondary Solutions - 38 - Things Fall Apart Literature Guide