Things Fall Apart

Lesson 15
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ELA

Unit 2

11th Grade

Lesson 15 of 25

Objective


Analyze how Achebe develops the importance of strong and harmonious ties to the Igbo community.

Explain the development of Okonkwo’s tragic flaw in chapter 13.

Readings and Materials


  • Book: Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe  — Chapter 13

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Target Task


Question 1

Based on the chapter and what you know of the events that have taken place in the novel, which of the following is the best explanation for Okonkwo’s reaction to Ezeudu’s death?

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Sample Response

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Which of the following quotations from p. 121 best supports the answer to question 1?

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Sample Response

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Question 2

What does this conclusion to Part 1 of the novel seem to foreshadow for Okonkwo and for the Igbo society? How does Achebe communicate this idea to the reader? Use evidence from the chapter to support your answer.

Key Questions


  • What is the ekwe?
  • What information does the narrator provide about why the ekwe is sounding? What is the impact of the narrator revealing the information to the reader slowly, in much the same way Okonkwo and the villagers received it? Why do you think the author made this choice?
  • What does the phrase “a shiver ran down Okonkwo’s back” communicate about how he is feeling at the news of Ezeudu’s death? Why is this his reaction?
  • Compare Ezeudu with Okonkwo’s father. With Okonkwo. How does Ezeudu’s funeral serve to remind the reader of Okonkwo’s fears?
  • Why does Okonkwo have to leave his village so suddenly?
  • What is the significance of the phrase “nothing like this had ever happened” on p. 124?
  • What happens to Okonkwo’s possessions? Why? 
  • As Obierika thinks to himself on p. 125, he wonders, “Why should a man suffer so grievously for an offense he had committed inadvertently?” How does he answer this question for himself? What questions seem to remain for him?
  • How did Achebe foreshadow Okonkwo’s fate at the beginning of the chapter?
  • What is the significance of the line “if one finger brought oil, it soiled the others”?

Notes


Given that students read chapter 12 for homework, it is recommended to start class with a quick review of the contents of chapter 12.

Next

Trace the author’s continued development of the importance of strong harmonious ties within a community.

Lesson 16
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