Chapters 1-3

 Okonkwo is well-known not only to his village of Iguedo, of the Umuofia clan, but also to the nine villages surrounding Umuofia. He is a wealthy and respected warrior who, in his youth, brings honor to his village by throwing the man, “Amalinze the Cat” in a wrestling contest.

 Okonkwo does what no one else had done when he put “the cat” on his back. Before the match with Okonkwo, Amalinze had been undefeated for seven years.  This feat would be compared to Joe Frazier beating Muhammad Ali in 1971.

 As a child, Okonkwo lived in shame as his father Unoka, was seen by the clan as a coward and a squanderer who took no title in his lifetime. Okonkwo’s father borrowed money from his clansmen, but rarely repaid his debt.  No taking a title in one’s lifetime is cause for shame in Unoka’s culture.

 Okonkwo remembers the day a neighbor, Okoye, visits and asks his father to repay the two hundred cowries he had loaned Unoka. Unoka, not having the money, tells Okoye that he must first repay his larger debts, before paying the smaller ones.

 Okonkwo fears looking like his father even though he is completely different. He is a respected warrior who does not fear blood and is a wealthy yam farmer, with three wives and well-fed children.

 Because he is well-respected, Okonkwo is asked to take in the ill-fated boy, Ikemefuna.  Ill-fated - that causes or marks the beginning of misfortune

 As Okonkwo gets ready for bed, he hears the town crier ring the gong, announcing that all of the clansmen need to be present in the market in the morning.

 Ten thousand men gather in the morning. Ogbuefi Ezeugo, a great orator, announces that a daughter of Umuofia had been murdered while she was in the Mbanio market. The woman was the wife of Ogbuefi Udo. Not wanting to go to war, the village decides to give Mbanio an ultimatum – choose between war or offering a young man and a virgin as compensation.  Umuofia is feared by all its neighbors. It is powerful in war and in magic. A peaceful settlement was the best choice to make.

 Okonkwo travels to Mbaino and delivers the message of his village. Mbaino agrees to Umuofia’s ultimatum.  When Okonkwo returns to the vilalge, the elders give the virgin to Ogbuefi Udo to replace his murdered wife; and the fifteen- year-old boy, Ikemefuna, who belongs to the clan, is turned over to Okonkwo until his fate is determined.

 Okonkwo rules his home. His wives and his children fear him. In fact, fear rules Okonkwo as well. His fear is that his clasmen might view him as weak like his father.  Nwoye is not a hard worker like his father, and causes Okonkwo much anxiety. In order to correct his son, the proud farmer nags and beats his son, who grows into a “sad-faced youth.”

 When Ikemefuna is given to Okonkwo he instructs his first wife to watch over him. Afraid the boy does not understand what has happened to him. He does not know that his father played a role in killing a daughter of Umuofia.

 Okonkwo did not have an easy start in life. When Okonkwo was young, his father Unoka consulted the local priestess about his miserable harvests. The priestess reprimanded Unoka for his laziness.  Unoka was an ill-fated man who, even while dying, brought disgrace to his name. He never took a title.  Okonkwo worked for Nwakibie, who gave him his first seed yams. One of Unoka’s friends gives him another four hundred seeds.

 Horrible droughts and constant downpours however, spoiled much of the crops, and Okonkwo is only able to keep one third of the first harvest.  His first year of the harvest leaves a deep mark on Okonkwo, and for the rest of his life, he considers his survival during that first year proof of his inflexible will.  He believes he can endure anything.

 Still living during this first harvest, Okonkwo’s father offers words of comfort, but Okonkwo only felt disgust.  Okonkwo could not understand how his father could turn to words when so much more was called for. “It tried Okonkwo’s patience beyond words.”