Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe summary। Short and easy Summary of Things Fall Apart।

 

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe summary। Short and easy Summary of Things Fall Apart।

Chinua Achebe 

Things Fall Apart

Things Fall Apart is a masterpiece of Chinua Achebe. Okonkwo is the central character. He is a brave warrior and powerful man in the village Umuofia. He is a unique fighter in his village. The whole villagers admire him and his courage. He hates the cowards and weak-minded people. He wants sky-kissing achievement. He does not like his father Unoka because of his laziness. To Oknonkwo, his father Unoka was not far-sighted and skilled. He was very lazy and coward. He was not interested in achieving success, power and pelf. On the other hand Okonkwo loves money, power and pelf. His father did not get any title. But Okonkwo has got two titles, His house is full of crops. He has three Wives. Everybody respects him. So he has been given a charge to look after an ill-fated boy named Ikemefuna. The boy has been sent to Okonkwo for avoiding bloody struggle between two villages Umuofia and Mbaino. One day a girl of Umuafia went to Mbaino for shopping. But unfortunately she was killed. The people of Umuofia got ready for bloody struggle under the leadership of Okonkwo. Okonkwo came to Mbaino. The people of Mhaino gave him cordial reception and handed over Ikemefuna as an escape-goat for avoiding struggle. A girl was also handed over with Ikemefuna.

The girl was sent as a wife to the man who had lost his wife. Okonkwo took the charge of Ikemefuna. Nwoye is the elder son of Okonkwo, He is devoid of his father's heroic qualities. He is lazy and weak. So Okonkwo is very concerned for his son. Nwoye and Ikemefuna come closer to each other. Oknokwo is addressed father by Ikemefuna. The people of Umuofia follow a tradition named 'peaceful week'. This 'peaceful week' starts at the middle of harvesting and sowing seeds. Nobody shows courage to make confusion in this time. But Okonkwo violates this rule by beating his wife. It is considered as a serious sin and crime. The people accuse Okonkwo.

The villagers believe that Okonkwo has displeased the God of the earth. So they cannot hope good harvest. Now Okonkwo is repentant for his crime. But he doesn't show it before the people. If any body dies in this time, he is thrown to evil forest. Ezinma is the daughter of Okonkwo. She has been ill from her birth time. But she is very cleaver and intelligent. Okonkwo likes her than his elder son Nwoye. Gradually Nwoye becomes strong and handsome young man. Ikemefuna has played a vital role behind Nwoye's changes. Ikemefuna has passed three years in the village Umuofia. So very soon he will have to return his native village. Okonkwo orders Ikemefuna to get ready. Nwoye starts crying. For this, Okonkwo beats Nwoye seriously. Ikemefuna is very pleased now because he will meet his mother and sister after long time. On the other hand he is very disappointed thinking that he will have to leave Nwoye and his sweet memory of Umuofia. Okonkwo and Ikemefuna are now ready to make their journey. They are walking and cover some distance. Suddenly Ikemefuna sees a man coming towards him with weapons. Ikemefuna becomes frightened and cries for help. Addressing father, he calls Okonkwo for his safety. But Okonkwo kills him instead of saving him. Nwoye has realized that Ikemefuna has been killed. Nwoye feels tremendous pain and becomes wordless. Okonkwo comes to house of Obierika.

Obierika is his friend. He remains absent from the killing mission of Ikemefuna. Okonkwo wants to know the reason of his absence. Obierika replies that he did not want to do it. But it was the decision of oracle said Okonkwo. Obierika refuses the lame excuse of Okonkwo. But Okonkwo believes that he has done right because he has materialized the decision of the oracle. Ezinma is very ill now. Okonkwo and his wives believe that evil supernatural element influence her. Chielo, the fortuneteller comes to the house of Okonkwo to take Ezinma. Agbala, the God has ordered her to take Ezinma in a cave of hill. Chielo takes Ezinma with her and flies to the hill. Okonkwo and his wife are very anxious now. Ezinma's mother is crying now and following Chielo. Chielo enters the cave and comes out within few hours. Chielo further flies and comes to Okonkwo's house. She puts Ezinma on the bed and vanishes in the air. An unexpected event has taken place of the life of Okonkwo. A boy is killed by a bullet of Okonkwo's Rifles at the time of dancing of his (the boy) father's funeral occasion. But Okonkwo has done this work unconsciously not willingly. It is a great sin in the view of Goddess. No body can kill his community member without any reason. So, there is a way for Okonkwo to flee from his community. Okonkwo is exiled and he takes shelter in his maternal uncle's house. He is cordially received by his maternal uncle Uchendu.

In the mean time Okonkwo's house has been destroyed. Okonkwo has taken shelter in Uchendu's house with three wives and eleven children. Okonkwo is given some lands to cultivate. But he does not feel the same strength as he enjoyed before coming his maternal uncle's house. Uchendu finds out some mental disturbance of Okonkwo. Uchendu consoles him saying that a man considers his father's land as his own land when everything runs perfectly. But when crisis appears in his life he returns his maternal uncle's house. Okonkwo is informed by Obierika that the Missionaries (the white men/ the followers of Christ) have established Church in Umuofia. Already many people of Umuofia have accepted their religion. Even Nwoye has accepted their religion. The Missionaries are preaching the principles of Christianity. To them, a unique God has created this world and we are all the puppets of God's hand. They have refused the idea of multi Goddess. The Missionaries have become able to convince the people of Umuofia that their belief of multi Goddess is baseless and imaginative. Hearing this, Okonkwo becomes furious and scolds his son Nwoye. The white men are very patient. They want a piece of land for establishing Church.

The lords of Mbaino have given them a piece of land in the evil forest. The evil forest is the house of evil souls. After the death of contagious patients and the magician of ghosts are buried in the evil forest. The white men have cleaned some area for establishing Church. The people of Mbaino think that they (white men) will die within four days. But their belief proves to be false. They further think that the white men have the supernatural power. They can see evil souls through their glass of eyes. Mr. Kiaga is the bilingual of the white men. He influences the young man of the village. So, their new disciples are increasing. Nwoye is now a faithful disciple of Christ. Now the people of Mbaino are eagerly waiting for seeing the catastrophe of the white men. They believe that the day after four weeks is very important and terrible. So, the white men will die after 28 days. But Books second time their ideas prove to be false. Okonkwo threatens his son Nwoye. But Nwoye would like to return Umuofia because the white men have set up a school there and he wants to be a student of this school. Mr. Kiaga welcomes Nwoye very cordially. Okonkwo is very upset now. He wants to destroy the Church and derive out white men. He thinks that Nwoye is his unfit son. He also blames his own God 'Chi'. He is very anxious thinking that his future generation will not follow their ancestors. They will forget their tradition and custom. They are following the God of white men.

Now the white men are expanding their area and making different new policies. They are getting prepared to destroy the monuments of the God and Goddess of the communities. Very soon the people realize that the white men will make a government besides preaching their religion. A court has been established in Umuofia for saving the followers of Christ. Already a man has been sentenced death because of killing a white man. The people of Mbaino do not welcome the twins. But the white men welcome the twins and slaves even the criminals. Mr. Kiaga says that a man cannot be slave in the view of God. All are equal in the view of God. But one of Kiaga's disciples says that he (Kiaga) should not welcome 'Osu'. Kiaga wants to know the meaning of 'Osu'. 'Osu' refers a man who is sacrificed for the Goddess. His future generation is considered as 'Osu'. They cannot move like other villagers. They are forbidden to make relation with others. They are to bear forbidden sign on their chest. They are deprived of the title of the community. After their death, they are buried in the evil forest. Kiaga welcomes the Osus. The Osus cut their hair according to the command of Kiaga.

Because of welcoming them (Osus) some disciples of Kiaga leave the Church. But Kiaga is determined to welcome them. As a result all Osus become disciple of Kiaga. It is believed that if an Osu's hair is cut, he will die. Kiaga informs the Osus that their belief is totally groundless. All are equal in the view of God. After cutting hair, their belief proves to be false. A python snake is killed by an Osu. The villagers consider this snake as a symbol of sacred God. So they become furious and decide that they will cut their relation with the white men and theirs new followers. But Okonkwo becomes very upset hearing this decision. He is broken heartened and mentally depressed. He wants to fight with the white men. Now the followers of Christ cannot move freely and go to the market. They are being avoided by the villagers because of killing python snake. Already Okonkwo banishment is close at hand. Okonkwo has derived out his elder son Nwoye has passed seven years in his maternal uncle's house. The duration of his from his house. Many changes have taken place in Umuofia. The white men are very powerful there. They are majority in numbers. They have made government. They have also set up a court and a hospital. They have developed commercial activities. Okonkwo has returned his father's land. Now he is determined to drive out the white men. But he has lost his leading power.

Many remarkable persons have joined the white man's party. Okonkwo is now very shocked thinking about the foreign domination and broken condition of his community. The people of Umuofia have lost their moral courage. They have accepted the domination of the foreigner. A few days ago James Smith has come to Umuofia as a leader of white men instead of Mr. Brown. James Smith starts neglecting the compromising policy of Mr. Brown. He would like to differentiate between the black and white. So, a conflict has taken place between the white men and the people of Umuofia. A Church has been destroyed two days ago. So, Okonkwo is now very happy. The district commissioner comes to Umuofia after three days of the destruction of Church. The major leaders have been summoned by the district commissioner. The leaders come to the commissioner office with arms under the command of Okonkwo. The commissioner advises them to avoid clash between them and white men. He promises that white men will not make any harm for them. But if they have violated the rules of the court destroying the Church so they will have to give a large amount of money as a penalty. The hair of the leaders is cut. Their heads are now hairless. They have been forbidden to take food. Even they are not permitted to go to the forest and field for natural call. They are now prisoners. Okonkwo is now in a serious temper. But they have been threatened for giving penalty very soon. If they become failed to give penalty, they will be given death sentence. They are released after giving penalty.

The white men torture the leaders physically at the time of their imprisonment. Now Okonkwo is determined to take revenge against the white men. But he confused that he will not get support from his people. Okonkwo arranges an assembly. But the white men forbid it. Okonkwo kills the order bearer within a moment. The district commissioner comes to Okonkwo's house with huge soldiers and arms. Okonkwo has already committed suicide. His dead body is hanging with the branch of a tree. Obierika requests the commissioner to cut the rope of the dead body. They (people of Umuofia) cannot do it because it is opposite of their tradition. Only the strangers can touch this type of dead body (actually who commits suicide). Obierika is very shocked for unexpected death of his friend. He blames the white men to lead him (Okonkwo) committing suicide. The commissioner commands his comrades to cut the rope. The comrades do it sincerely. The commissioner has spent many years in different parts of Africa for civilizing the people. So he has achieved many experiences. But his latest experience about the death of Okonkwo has touched his mind. Through reading this novel we can know about the development of colonial domination in the different parts of Africa. Chinua Achebe has presented very nicely the social condition, social prejudice, superstitions, and discrimination of cast, social class division, religious misinterpretation, racial characteristics, myth, and the conflict between old and new. The tragic death of Okonkwo proves the fiery voice against the colonial domination. But his conservative outlook and illiteracy is the main obstacle of his leading. The people of Umuofia and Mbaino are totally illiterate, ignorant, and blind-believer. The white men gradually conquer Umuofia and Mbaino taking the opportunities of their illiteracy, blind-belief, myth, racial conflict, religious superstition, and ignorance. An illiterate nation cannot enjoy their freedom. Strangers come to dominate an illiterate nation. Chinua Achebe has presented this truth through his book Things Fall Apart.