Worksheet 9 – Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart
Read the following passage from Part 1 of the novel and answer the
questions that follow.
Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond. His
fame rested on solid personal achievements. As a young man of eighteen he
had brought honour to his village by throwing Amalinze the Cat. Amalinze
was the great wrestler who for seven years was unbeaten, from Umuofia to
Mbaino. He was called the Cat because his back would never touch the earth.
It was this man that Okonkwo threw in a fight which the old men agreed was
one of the fiercest since the founder of their town engaged a spirit of the wild
for seven days and seven nights.
The drums beat and the flutes sang and the spectators held their breath.
Amalinze was a wily craftsman, but Okonkwo was as slippery as a fish in
water. Every nerve and every muscle stood out on their arms, on their backs
and their thighs, and one almost heard them stretching to breaking point. In
the end Okonkwo threw the Cat.
That was many years ago, twenty years or more, and during this time
Okonkwo's fame had grown like a bush-fire in the harmattan. He was tall
and huge, and his bushy eyebrows and wide nose gave him a very severe
look. He breathed heavily, and it was said that, when he slept, his wives and
children in their houses could hear him breathe. When he walked, his heels
hardly touched the ground and he seemed to walk on springs, as if he was
going to pounce on somebody. And he did pounce on people quite often. He
had a slight stammer and whenever he was angry and could not get his
words out quickly enough, he would use his fists. He had no patience with
unsuccessful men. He had had no patience with his father.
1. Contextualise this passage: where in the action of the novel
does this scene take place? What is the setting? What scene is
described?
2. Comment on the use of narrative voice in this novel and discuss the
implications of this choice?
3. Things Fall Apart was written to counter the colonial myths about
African savagery, among other concerns. Why, then, does the
novel open with the spectacle of a wrestling match and the
theatrical display of violence? Substantiate your answer with examples
from the passage.
4. Identify the figure of speech used to describe Okonkwo’s prowess?
5. Describe Okonkwo’s major accomplishment and explain how it reflects
the values of Umuofian society.
6. Focusing on the last paragraph of the extract, identify some of the
words and phrases used to characterise Okonkwo. What kind of
impression is created?
