Okonkwo’s Offenses and Consequences Against Ani
In the book Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, the earth goddess Ani plays a major role in the daily life of the Ibo people. Chinua Achebe’s purpose of this book was to entertain readers with a story but also to inform them about the downfall of the ibo people. Certain actions are offences or sins to the earth goddess and are punishable with consequences with varying severity. The main character Okonkwo commits 3 major offences against Ani which were followed by consequences with increasing severity. Okonkwo’s first major offence to the earth goddess happened when he beat his wife during the villages’ week of peace. Okonkwo’s second wife Ojiugo, left to plait her hair and did not …show more content…
White Europeans had taken control of the village. When Okonkwo and some of the other village leaders tried to stand against them, they were put in jail and beaten until the other villagers could pay a fine to bail them out. Once they were released, the entire village was angry so they held a meeting in the market place. During the meeting Okonkwo thought to himself that even if everyone else didn’t want to fight them, he would do it himself. Then, five court messengers walked into their meeting. Okonkwo who was already angry at the white men, drew his machete and beheaded one of the messengers. He thought that everyone would follow him and rise up, but he thought wrong. After realizing the wrong he had just done, Okonkwo took to killing himself, which was also a crime against Ani. In the final chapter of the book, one of the men in the compound with the white men explains “It is an abomination for a man to take his own life. It is an offence against the earth, and a man who commits it will not be buried by his clansmen.’” (Achebe 191). Because he killed himself, he could not have a big ceremony such as that of Ezeudu and instead had to be buried by a stranger without a ceremony. In conclusion, the more offences Okonkwo committed, the worse his consequences were. Okonkwo’s downfall is a representation of the downfall of the ibo people with the arrival of the White Europeans. The book was Chinau Achebe’s way
In the book Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, the earth goddess Ani plays a major role in the daily life of the Ibo people. Chinua Achebe’s purpose of this book was to entertain readers with a story but also to inform them about the downfall of the ibo people. Certain actions are offences or sins to the earth goddess and are punishable with consequences with varying severity. The main character Okonkwo commits 3 major offences against Ani which were followed by consequences with increasing severity. Okonkwo’s first major offence to the earth goddess happened when he beat his wife during the villages’ week of peace. Okonkwo’s second wife Ojiugo, left to plait her hair and did not …show more content…
White Europeans had taken control of the village. When Okonkwo and some of the other village leaders tried to stand against them, they were put in jail and beaten until the other villagers could pay a fine to bail them out. Once they were released, the entire village was angry so they held a meeting in the market place. During the meeting Okonkwo thought to himself that even if everyone else didn’t want to fight them, he would do it himself. Then, five court messengers walked into their meeting. Okonkwo who was already angry at the white men, drew his machete and beheaded one of the messengers. He thought that everyone would follow him and rise up, but he thought wrong. After realizing the wrong he had just done, Okonkwo took to killing himself, which was also a crime against Ani. In the final chapter of the book, one of the men in the compound with the white men explains “It is an abomination for a man to take his own life. It is an offence against the earth, and a man who commits it will not be buried by his clansmen.’” (Achebe 191). Because he killed himself, he could not have a big ceremony such as that of Ezeudu and instead had to be buried by a stranger without a ceremony. In conclusion, the more offences Okonkwo committed, the worse his consequences were. Okonkwo’s downfall is a representation of the downfall of the ibo people with the arrival of the White Europeans. The book was Chinau Achebe’s way