Summary “Thing fall apart” Chapters 7-13

Summary “Thing fall apart”
Chapters: 7-13
Maria Fernanda Gonzalez Obregon
Group: 46

Thanks to Ikemefuna,  Nwoye becomes more masculine, he is like a big brother to him. Okonkwo is very proud of his son’s development, and he knows that is thanks to Ikemefuma. Okonkwo likes to invite both of them into his obi and tell them violent, masculine stories. But Nwoye likes better his mother’s stories.

Ogbuefi Ezeudu go and visits Okonkwo, he informs him that the Oracle ordered that Ikemefuna has to die. Even though Okonkwo loves the kid, he can’t save him from his dead. He lies to Ikemefuna, telling him that he is going back with his family.
Nwoye was very sad and disappointed.

During the walk home with the men of Umuofia, a man tries to kill Ikemefuna, the boy cries to Okonkwo so he saves him from his death. Unfortunately, Okonkwo did not help him, he cut him down.
Nwoye knew that Ikemefuna was dead. Something breaks inside of him, it was the second time that happened; the first time was when he heard a baby crying in the Evil Forest.

Okonkwo felt depressed. He did not taste any food for two days and could not sleep. In this chapter (8) we can see how Okonkwo wishes that Ezinma was a boy.
Later, he went to visit Obierika and congratulates Maduka for his wrestling. Obierika told him he was not 100% sure it was a good idea to take part in Ikemefuna’s death.

Okonkwo begins to feel better, later, someone arrives tells everyone about the death of the oldest man in a neighboring village but later, the old man’s wife died too.

Ekwefi wakes up Okonkwo because Enzima felt terrible. She had a fever so Okonkwo sets collecting medicine.
They are feeling very bad about Ezinma being sick because she is Ekwefi’s only child and the “center of her world.” Ekwefi had nine other children, but they died.

The village holds a ceremonial gathering for justice. The clan’s ancestral spirits (egwugwu, masked men) appear from a secret house, which no woman is allowed. Everyone suspects that Okonkwo is among the egwugwu.

 The first argument that comes before the egwugwu is about a husband and wife. The husband says that the brothers of his wife beated him and  took her and the children from his hut, but the woman’s brothers said that he is a cruel and bad man who is always beating their sister. They argue that the husband wants wife to return, if she agrees and he beats her again, her brothers will cut his genitals off.  At the end the egwugwu decide in favor of Mgbafo (The husband)

Ekwefi tells Ezinma a story about a tortoise. All of the birds have been invited to a feast in the sky and Tortoise abuses of the generosity of the birds. This story tell us a lot of how we should we treat people, and gives us a beautiful message.

 Chielo informs Ekwefi that Agbala  (Oracle of the hills and caves) wants to see Ezinma. Okonkwo and Ekwefi try to convince Chielo to wait until the next day, but Chielo takes Ezinma on her back and did not let anyone to follow them.
Later, Chielo goes back with Ezinma on her back. She takes Ezinma to her mother´s hut and puts her to sleep. Okonkwo was very worried but he did not show it, again, so everyone can think he is the strongest man.

Okonkwo’s family prepared for Obierika’s daughter’s uri (betrothal ceremony). The people of the village contribute with food and Obierika buys a goat to present to his future in-laws. The feast is a success.

Later, Ogbuefi Ezeudu’s death is announced. Okonkwko goes the big funeral. It is a tradition to beat drums and fire guns, but when Okonkwo do it, he accidentally kills Ezeudu’s sixteen-year-old son. This is considerate a crime against the earth goddess, so Okonkwo must take his family into exile for seven years.
 Obierika doesn’t understand why a man should suffer so much for something that was an accident.

 

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