Achebe's Things Fall Apart

The structure of Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is abnormal due to the fact that the conflict is only brought into the book during the last quarter. A major portion of the novel is used to develop Okonkwo and his family, especially his father Unoka, and describe the shame that is brought unto Okonkwo by his father and his actions. Okonkwo became a very successful yam farmer, despite the prior shame of his father. After one of the tribes' women was killed while attending the market, Okonkwo was sent to negotiate with the Mbaino tribe. When he returns, he is accompanied by a virgin of the Mbaino tribe and a young man as compensation for the death of their woman. The tribe leaves Ikemefuna, the 14 year old boy from the Mbaino tribe in Okonkwo's home while the clan decides his future fate.

In one of the stories told about his past, it describes the shameful death his father endured, and tells of how his corpse was left in the Evil Forest to rot because he wasn't worthy of a proper burial. Okonkwo became so encompassed by the idea of needing to be a better man for selfish reasons that he often neglected his own son, instead spending more time with Ikemefuna and beating Ngowye, even letting his "child" join him at village meetings. Ikemefuna's fate was now sealed, and 3 years after initially joining the Umuofia tribe, he must be killed as retribution. Okonkwo was warned not to take part in the slaying "of the boy that once called him 'father.'" He is told that the Goddess Earth would take her revenge on