Summary of Things Fall Apart Part III

Summary of Part III

Maria Fernanda Gonzalez

Group: 46

Okonkwo is planning to rebuild his compound, take two more wives and get titles for his sons. He asked Ezinma and Obiageli to wait to marry in Umuofia so he could attract interest. Umuofia changed a lot since Okonkwo left. The church has grown and the white are doing what they want with the villagers with their judicial system and government. Okonkwo cannot believe that. Obierika says it is too late to drive them out because many people are now on the white man’s side. They talk about Aneto; he was hanged by the government.

Many people of Umuofia are happy with the white men because money is flowing into the village. Mr. Brown restrains from antagonizing the clan. Akunna talks with Mr. Brown about their different gods. They did not agree with every idea, but they understood better other’s faith. Mr. Brown builds a hospital and a school. He said to all of them that if they do not go there, people who can read and write will come and rule them. Mr. Brown goes with Okonkwo and to tell him that Nwoye is training to be a teacher, Okonkwo told him to leave. Mr. Brown’s health starts to get worse. Okonkwo’s clan did not care when he return.

Reverend James Smith,replaces Mr. Brown. He is very strict and intolerant. Enoch unmask an egwugwu during a ceremony. Later, the egwugwu burn Enoch’s compound. They gather to confront Smith. Smith forbids them to touch the church, but they ignore Smithand burn the church.

The District Commissioner wants the leaders of Umuofia to meet with him. The commissioner says that they should discuss as friends. They where talking when the soldiers surprises them and handcuffed them. They put them in jail for several days. The court messengers tell Umuofia that they have to pay two hundred and fifty bags of cowries if they do not want to see  their leaders dead. Umofia decide to collect the cowries.

 The prisoners return to the village but the village is afraid to greet them. The village decides to make another meeting. Okonkwo has decided that he wants revange no matter what. During the meeting they where talking about the damage that the white man have done to the clan. But in the middle of the speech, five court messengers arrived. Okonkwo got so mad that he killed a messenger with his machete. Okonkwo finally understood that his clan will not go to war,and departs.

The District Commissioner arrives at Okonkwo’s compound and  asks for Okonkwo. The men tell him that he is not at home. The commissioner starts to get angry so Obierika agrees to lead him to Okonkwo. They went to a small bush where they find Okonkwo dangling from a tree. Obierika explains that suicide is a sin and they can not touch Okonkwo’s body, only strangers may touch it. Obierika is blaming the commissioner for Okonkwo’s death. The commissioner orders his messengers to take down Okonkwo´s body and he leaves. The commissioner is writing a book about Africa; “The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger.”  He decided to write a paragraph or two about Okonkwo. At the end he didn’t care about Okonkwo, he didn’t considered it as important.

*Achebe, C.
Things Fall Apart
Achebe, C. (1958) Things Fall Apart. New York: Reed Consumer Books.