Things Fall Apart Characters: Okonkwo, Nwoye, Ikemefuna and the Village of Umuofia
A strong man, a family that sees more than he does, and a village on the edge of change
The central character is Okonkwo, a famous warrior of the Igbo village of Umuofia. Around him are his father Unoka, his son Nwoye, his favourite daughter Ezinma, her mother Ekwefi, the adopted boy Ikemefuna and his wise friend Obierika.
In the last part, the European newcomers Mr Brown, Mr Smith and the District Commissioner arrive.
Okonkwo
Okonkwo is tall, strong and quick to anger, admired across the nine villages. Everything he does is shaped by fear: fear of failure and of becoming like his father. He works himself and his family hard, rules his household harshly and has little patience for gentleness. Achebe shows his courage and his tragedy at once: the qualities that made him great are the same ones that destroy him when the world changes.
↑ Back to the topUnoka
Okonkwo's father was a lover of music, conversation and palm wine who borrowed money and never paid it back. He was not cruel, only unambitious, and he died without any titles. Okonkwo is ashamed of him, but readers often see in Unoka a gentleness that Okonkwo badly lacks.
↑ Back to the topNwoye
Okonkwo's eldest son is quiet and prefers his mother's stories to tales of war, which infuriates his father. He grows close to Ikemefuna, and the boy's death breaks something in him. When the newcomers arrive with their songs and stories, Nwoye finds in them answers to questions that troubled him, and he leaves his father's house to join them.
↑ Back to the topEzinma and Ekwefi
Ezinma is the only surviving child of Ekwefi, who lost nine babies before her. She is bold, sharp and close to her father, who often wishes she had been born a boy. Ekwefi once left her first husband for Okonkwo, and her love for her daughter is fierce. In one of the book's most memorable nights she follows Chielo through the darkness when Ezinma is carried off to the Oracle's cave.
↑ Back to the topIkemefuna
Ikemefuna is a boy from a neighbouring village, handed over to Umuofia to settle a dispute. He lives with Okonkwo's family for three years and becomes a lively, beloved member of it. Even Okonkwo grows fond of him, though he never shows it. When the village decides the boy must die, Okonkwo's part in his death haunts him and drives Nwoye away.
↑ Back to the topObierika and the newcomers
Obierika is Okonkwo's closest friend, a man who questions traditions that seem unjust and sees clearly what is happening to the clan. He looks after Okonkwo's affairs during his exile and speaks the book's final words of grief. Among the newcomers, Mr Brown is patient and respectful and builds a school and a hospital. Mr Smith, who replaces him, is rigid and stirs up conflict. The District Commissioner sees the people of Umuofia only as material for a book.
↑ Back to the topWho's who in Umuofia
| Character | Who they are |
|---|---|
| Okonkwo | Warrior, wrestler and wealthy farmer |
| Unoka | His father, a gentle musician who died in debt |
| Nwoye | His eldest son, sensitive and doubtful |
| Ezinma | His daughter, clever and spirited |
| Ekwefi | Ezinma's mother, Okonkwo's second wife |
| Ikemefuna | A boy given to Umuofia, raised by Okonkwo |
| Obierika | Okonkwo's best friend, a thoughtful man |
| Chielo | The woman who speaks for the Oracle |
| Mr Brown and Mr Smith | Leaders of the newcomers, one patient, one harsh |
| The District Commissioner | The colonial officer |
More about Things Fall Apart
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