Things Fall Apart Chapters 14-16

Chapter 14 Okonkwo’s uncle, Uchendu, the oldest surviving member of Okonkwo’s mother’s family, welcomes Okonkwo warmly. Okonkwo is given plot of land to build a new compound. His kin also gives land and 300 seed-yams to plant. Okonkwo installs his personal god, and “the symbols of his departed fathers.” Finally the rains come, signaling the planting season.

Chapter 14 Although Okonkwo works hard he is not as enthusiastic as he once was. He recalls how he worked hard all his life “to become one of the lords of the clan,” and now he is cast out; all he had worked is gone. Amikwu, Uchendu’s youngest son, marries a new wife. Everyone attends the ceremony including Okonkwo. Although the ceremony is finished the family members stay for days. Traditionally Igbo marriage favors having more than one wife as long as the husband can support them.

Chapter 14 After the ceremony, Uchendu calls his sons and Okonkwo together. Uchendu talks of the most common name given to their children – Nneka, “Mother is Supreme,” and of its meaning. Uchendu tells Oknkwo to put away his sorrow and embrace his new kinsmen. He warns Okonkwo that if he allows his sorrow to weigh him down it will kill him, and his family will die in exile.

Chapter 14 Uchendu reminds Okonkwo that he has known sorrow as all but one of his six wives have died,and has buried twenty-two of his children. Uchendu tells Oknkwo that, even in all this sorrow, “I did not hang myself, and I am still alive.”

Chapter 15 Obierika visits Okonkwo in his second year of exile and brings bags of cowries. Everyone is happy to see him and the cousins insist he visits Uchendu. Obierika tells them that the village, Abame, has been wiped out. He tells them of a white man who was seen in the village riding an “iron horse.” Frightened, the Abame elders consulted their oracle, who tells them that the white man brings destruction and that more would come.

Chapter 15 The villagers killed the white man and tied his “iron horse” to their sacred tree. Later, three white men came to Abame and saw the “iron horse” tied to the tree. Weeks later, three white men came to the market and shot everybody in the village but the old and sick. Curious, Uchendu asks if the first white man said anything to the villagers. Obierika tells him that he said things, but the villager did not understand him. Uchendu thinks that the villagers were “fools” to kill a man who said nothing.

Chapter 15 Obierika explains the bags of cowries he brought, telling Okonkwo that they are from the sale of the yams Okonkwo left behind. The other seed-yams Obierika gave to other farmers and promises to bring Okonkwo the money. This is true friendship. Even while Okonkwo is in exile, Obierika is tending to Okonkwo’s land.

Chapter 15 Okonkwo tells Obierika that he does not know how to thank him. Obierika replies, “I can tell you. Kill one of your sons.” “That will not be enough,” said Okonkwo. “Then kill yourself,” said Obierika. “Forgive me,” said Okonkwo, smiling. “I shall not talk to you about thanking you anymore.” The author is foreshadowing coming events…

Chapter 16 Two years later Obierika brings Okonkwo news; missionaries have come to Umuofia and converted many of their people. Obierika tells Okonkwo his son, Nwoye, has been seen with the missionaries. Nwoye tells Obierika that he is one of them. Nwoye is converted when the white man speaks to the villagers of the one, true God. They explain that their gods are made of stone, and ask the vilalgers to leave their false gods and accept their one true God, Jesu Kristi. The white man uses an interpreter to speak to the villagers. The interpreter is Mr. Kiaga.

Chapter 16 Many of the villagers, laugh and leave, but Nwoye is fascinated. The new religion speaks to him and helps to answer his questions about the death of the crying twins in the bush, and of Ikemefuna. It makes him feel “like the drops of frozen rain melting on the dry palate of the panting earth.”