Question 1

List four physical characteristics that separate Okonkwo's appearance from that of the other men in his village.

Accepted Answer

he is tall, breathes heavily, walks on the balls of his feet, and he has a wide nose

Question 2

How did Okonkwo bring honor to his village as a young man? What other achievements make him an important man?

Accepted Answer

a. As a young man he beat a great wrestler named Amalinze the Cat

Question 3

Why does Okonkwo have no patience with his own father, Unoka? What good qualities does Unoka have, that his son fails to appreciate?

Accepted Answer

a. Okonkwo believed that his father was lazy, a coward, had not titles, and was heavily in debt

Question 4

What is the general truth stated in the following proverb: "When the moon is shining the cripple becomes hungry for a walk."?

Accepted Answer

The tribe believes that darkness holds evil spirits and is dangerous, so they are afraid. But, when it is light out they do not fear the outside and are willing to go outside at night

Question 5

What is the "normal cause of action" when a member of a neighboring clan murders one of the Ibo?

Accepted Answer

They either go to war, or they must give up one virgin to make babies as "gifts" to the elders and one young man to work and then be murdered.

Question 6

How does the Oracle of the Hills and the Caves prevent the powerful Umuofia from going to war with their neighbors?

Accepted Answer

By threatening that they would be beaten as agadinwayi would not fight in a "fight of blame"

Question 7

Why does Okonkwo behave as a cruel man when, "perhaps down in his heart Okonkwo is not a cruel man"? (Pg. 13)

Accepted Answer

His fear of failure and weakness, and his wish not to resemble his father in any aspect

Question 8

Briefly describe the physical layout of Okonkwo's compound.

Accepted Answer

The compound is surrounded by thick red walls, and directly behind the one gate stood his obi. In a half moon shape around his obi stood 3 huts, one for each wife. At one side was his barn and at the opposite end was a shed for goats. Near the barn is a small shrine.

Question 9

What does the reader know about Ikemefuna's fate by the end of the second chapter? What literary term is employed?

Accepted Answer

We can determined that Ikemefuna's fate will be unhappy and grim. We understand this because of foreshadowing

Question 10

Describe the entrance to the shrine called Agbala. How does a worshipper get a message from the gods? What is a chi?

Accepted Answer

a. The entrance is a round hold at the side of a hill, and worshippers must crawl on their stomachs through the hold into the darkness to find themselves with the gods.

Question 11

Describe the custom of wine sharing presented in this chapter.

Accepted Answer

It begins with the man who brought the wine drinking a cup first, then from eldest to youngest each man drinks 2-3 horns of wine. After, they will discuss why they have come to visit.

Question 12

State a general theme for this story using the piece of wisdom about failure that Unoka offers his son. Why does Okonkwo not listen to his father's words?

Accepted Answer

"if one is proud, they will survive and it is better to fail together than alone." He does not listen to his words because he hated how much of a failure Unoka is.

Question 13

List the crops that the women are responsible for in the Ibo clan.

Accepted Answer

cocoyams, beans, and cassava

Question 14

What are Ikemefuna's special skills that make him popular with Nwoye?

Accepted Answer

- he seemed to know everything

Question 15

What is the importance of the Week of Peace to the Ibo clan? In the past, how did the clan punish a man for breaking the peace? What is Okonkwo's punishment?

Accepted Answer

The week of peace is a week of no fighting or work to honor the earth goddess. They used to drag those who broke the peace through the village until they died, but Okonkwo must simply offer a she-goat, hen, length of cloth, and 100 cowries to Ani.

Question 16

Why is Ani the most important deity in the lives of the lbo people? What is the New Yam Festival?

Accepted Answer

Because she is the ultimate judge of morality and conduct as well as the goddess of earth and fertility. It is a festival to honor the earth goddess and ancestral spirits by disposing of all old yams.

Question 17

What story is always told at the New Yam Festival? Why is it an example of a legend?

Accepted Answer

A story of a wealthy man who piled foo-foo so high he did not see his in-laws until the end of the mean. It is a legend because it has exaggeration but some truth in it, it was passed down from generation to generation.

Question 18

In what ways do you think Okonkwo's second wife both respects and dislikes her husband?

Accepted Answer

Ekwefi respects how hard he has worked to get where he is, but disrespects his cruelty.

Question 19

What is the purpose of the drums beating the day of the New Yam Festival? What might these drums symbolize?

Accepted Answer

The drums tell the villagers the wrestling match will start soon, and they symbolize the heartbeat of Umofia.

Question 20

What does Okonkwo say to criticize his daughter Ezinma, even though he really is fond of her? Why do you think he is so harsh?

Accepted Answer

"You are older than Obiageli but she has more sense." He is harsh because of his need strong and manly as well as his fear of failure causes him to be harsh towards those he cares about.

Question 21

How do the drums reflect the emotions of the crowds at the wrestling match?

Accepted Answer

The drums represent the high intensity and passion for wrestling as seen in the crowd.

Question 22

Why do you think Ezinma's mother says to the priestess "Perhaps she has come to stay"?

Accepted Answer

She is commenting on how she hopes her daughter will live through childhood and based on her age she has a higher likelyhood of staying alive.

Question 23

How is Nwoye changed after Ikemefuna's arrival?

Accepted Answer

He is more masculine, spending less time with his mother, and Okonkwo believes this change is due to Ikemefuna's influence

Question 24

Why do you think Nwoye's mother tells the story about the Earth and the Sky? Why is this story considered a myth? What is Nwoye's dilemma?

Accepted Answer

Nwoye's mother tells him this story to show Nwoye that in order to grow, you need to show emotion. This is a myth because it has supernatural characters and no basis in history. His dilemmas that to please his father or be "manly" he can't show emotion

Question 25

What advice does Ezeudu give to Okonkwo regarding Ikemefuna's death?

Accepted Answer

Ezeudu tells Okonkwo that he should not have any part in the boys death, because he calls him father, and Ezeudu knows Okonkwo cares fro the boy

Question 26

Why does Okonkwo kill Ikemefuna? How does this action also destroy his relationship with his son Nwoye?

Accepted Answer

Okonkwo killed Ikemefuna because he was afraid of being thought weak. Because Ikemefuna was a great influence and role model to Nwoye, when Okonkwo killed him it destroyed his relationship with Nwoye.

Question 27

How does Okonkwo feel about his role in Ikemefuna's death?

Accepted Answer

Okonkwo became depressed and sad about the role he played in Ikemefuna's death. He hates that he feels guilty.

Question 28

What do we learn about the role of women in the Ibo society by the death of Ogbuefi Ndulue?

Accepted Answer

We learn that when someone dies, the women of society wash the bodies of the dead. We also learn that if a husband and his wife at the same time, the wife is always burned first.

Question 29

Why is Obierika sometimes sorry he has the title of ozo?

Accepted Answer

He feels sorry because it hurts to see "young men killing palm trees in the name of tapping" or killing just to kill.

Question 30

How is Akueke's bride price settled?

Accepted Answer

It is settled by exchanging bundles of broomsticks between the families until they come to an agreement of the price.

Question 31

What do the Ibo people think about white men in general? What other evidence has there been in the story proving the existence of white men in Nigeria?

Accepted Answer

In general, the Ibo men believe and think of them as lepers. Other evidence of white men, is the white men walking and traveling through the land as well as white missionaries.

Question 32

What is an ogbanje? How does Okonkwo deal with it? What does the medicine man do to ensure Ezinma does not return to the spirit world?

Accepted Answer

A child that after death would enter their mother's womb to be born again. To help Ekwefi, Okonkwo calls a medicine man to help. To ensure that no Ogbanje would come back, he mutilated the child and buried it in the evil forest, as well as ordered the parents to not mourn it's death to ensure Enzima stayed, the medicine man broke her bond with the spirit world by digging up her iyi-uwa.

Question 33

What lesson is taught by the fable about the snake lizard and his mother?

Accepted Answer

The lesson is that when vegetables are cooked, the volume decreases.

Question 34

What evidence is there that male children are important to Ibo women?

Accepted Answer

Evidence supporting this is that Ekwefi is upset because she cannot bear a male child for Okonkwo.

Question 35

Who are the egwugwu, and why are there nine of them?

Accepted Answer

They are great masked spirits of the clans who make decisions as a "jury" about crimes. There are 9 to represent the 9 villages of the clan.

Question 36

What is the decision of the egwugwu in the case of Uzowulu and his runaway wife?

Accepted Answer

They decide that Uzowulu will go to his in-laws with a pot of wine, and beg for his wife's return. If he does this, they must let her go with him.

Question 37

Is it a crime for a man to beat his wife in this society?

Accepted Answer

No, it is not a crime but it is not brave and or praised.

Question 38

What is the moral lesson taught by the fable of the tortoise?

Accepted Answer

You should not be greedy, and deceitful or selfish.

Question 39

Why do you think Okonkwo comes to the shrine? How does Ekwefi feel about his presence there?

Accepted Answer

He comes to protect his daughter and save his wife from going into the shrine. She is grateful because she now knows they are both safe.

Question 40

Briefly describe how the Ibo women solve the problem of a cow trespassing in a neighbor's crops.

Accepted Answer

They respond to the call by dropping what they are doing, finding and returning the cow, and then order the cow's owner by making them pay a fine.

Question 41

List the steps the bride's family follows for her uri ceremony.

Accepted Answer

The family must cook for the entire village, present the fattest goat to the in laws, accept wine from the in-laws, present kola nuts, talk and finally dance.

Question 42

Why do you think a "cold shiver ran down Okonkwo's back as he remembered the last time the old man" Ezeudu visited him?

Accepted Answer

Because it reminded him of Ezeudu's warning about taking part in Ikemefuna's death.

Question 43

Briefly describe the funeral of the great warrior, Ezeudu. How does a warrior become one of the "lords" of the clan?

Accepted Answer

During the funeral, there is shouting, firing of guns, beating of drums, and finally the brandishing and clanging of machetes. A warrior becomes a lord by achieving the fourth of the highest titles of the clan.

Question 44

Why must Okonkwo leave his clan?

Accepted Answer

At the funeral, Okonkwo's gun explodes and kills Ezeudu's sixteen-year-old son. Killing a clansman is a crime against Ani, the earth goddess. By law, Okonkwo and his family must leave the clan. Since the killing was an accident, Okonkwo will be able to return from exile in seven year.

Question 45

A tragic flaw is a defect of character which brings about the downfall of the protagonist. What do you think is Okonkwo's tragic flaw?

Accepted Answer

his rage and his fear of weakness

Question 46

What is ironic about the fact that Okonkwo's crime is considered a "female" crime?

Accepted Answer

It is ironic because he tries and heavily focuses on appearing masculine.

Question 47

With what customs of the clan does Obierika not agree?

Accepted Answer

He didn't agree with exiling someone who killed a clansman by accident.

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