CHAPTER ONE
In the first chapter we are introduced to the protagonist of the
novel, Okonkwo
and how became famous and wealthy. By beating Amalinze the Cat,
an undefeated
warrior for seven years, he was recognized in his village as a
warrior and a man of
honor. Okonkwo is also a man of bad temper, rough, and had no
proud of his deceased
father Unoka. His father was an idle man with a lot of debts.
For that, Okonkwo was
ashamed of him and was also afraid of becoming like him. So, he
acts very aggressively
in order not to show weakness which he associate that with his
father.
In this chapter the author shows us a little bit of the culture
and customs of
Okonkwos clan like sharing pal-wine and kola nuts.
CHAPTER TWO
In this chapter a terrible thing happens. This tragedy was
announced by the town
crier that asked every man of Umuofia to gather at the market
place tomorrow morning.
At the market, the orator Ogbuefi Ezeugo told them that a woman
was murdered by
someone from Mbaino village. Everyone was shocked and they
decided to give the
Mbaino village an ultimatum, where they would have to choose
between war or give the
Umuofia clan a boy and a virgin girl. Fearing the Umuofia they
gave the virgin and the
boy was asked to Okonkwo, and he took them back to the village.
The virgin girl was
given to the widower whose wife was murdered and the boy was
given to Okonkwo to
be looked after. Ikemefuna, the boys name, was let on the care
of Okonkwos first
wife.
We can also notice the concept of just war introduced in this
part of the book.
The customs is to ask the permission of the Oracle of the Hills
and the Caves to go to
war.
CHAPTER THREE
Because of the slothfulness of his father, Okonkwo didnt inherit
anything. The
story in Umuofia is that he once visited the Oracle to find out
why he always had a
miserable harvest and they told him that he was unsuccessful
because of his laziness.
Unoka had a sad end, left in the Evil Forest to die without
being buried in order not to
offend the earth goddess.
For that reason of the depressed life his father had, Okonkwo
had to work hard to
become a successful man. He asked a wealthy man, Nwakibie, to
loan him 400 seed
yams so he could start his farm. Instead, Nwakibie gave him the
double he asked for,
and also received another 400 of seed yams from another friend.
Unfortunately, because
of the Okonkwo lost a lot of his harvest. That year made Okonkwo
even stronger and
more proud of himself saying that if he had survived that year
he would survive
anything.
CHAPTER FOUR
In this chapter it is described how Ikemefuna was at Okonkwo
house. At the
beginning he was scared an homesick, but after a while he began
to interact with other
people in the village. Ikemefuna was a very smart boy making
Okonkwo very fond of
him but he doesnt show it so he wouldnt be considered a weak
man. Ikemefuna begins
to call Okonkwo father.
Okonkwo shows more aggressive attitude in this part by beating
his youngest wife,
Ojiugo, for not cooking dinner during the Week of Peace. For his
behavior the priest
demands him to sacrifice a goat and a hen, length of cloth and a
hundred cowries. After
that week the villagers began to clear the bush to make new
farms. Okonkwo gets the
help on Nwoye (his oldest son) and Ikemefuna to prepare the seed
yams wich he was so
pleased with it
CHAPTER FIVE
The villagers holds the Feast of the New Yam to show their
gratitude to the earth
goddess. Okonkwo doesnt like those feasts because on his point
of view it is times od idleness.
Ekwefi, Okonkwos second wife, starts to decorate the huts and
other things, which makes Okonkwo mad and he beats her. The he goes
hunting although hes not a good hunter. After the Feast, the annual
wrestling contest takes place, and Ekwefi
enjoys it because it was in a wrestling contest that she became
Okonkwos wife. Ekwefi has a daughter who Okonkwo is very fond of,
but he also doesnt show it.
