'Things Fall Apart' Short Story of the Novel : Chapter 1 - 5

  THINGS FALL APART (Chinua Achebe) Chapter 1 ‘Things Fall Apart’ is story of the hero ‘Okonkwo’ and his late father ‘Unoka’. Okonkwo belonged to a poor family as his father was a lazy person, but he struggled hard in his life, earned a lot and made his name as a respected leader within the Igbo (formerly spelled  Ibo ) community of Umuofia in Eastern Nigeria. About twenty years ago, Okonkwo knocked down Amalinze ‘the Cat’, a wrestler who had been the winner for the last seven years. Thus, Okonkwo became famous throughout the nine villages of Umuofia. He disliked the unsuccessful men like his father who frequently borrowed money and squandered it on palm-wine and merrymaking with his friends and finally died deeply in debt ten years ago. Now, thirty years old Okonkwo, with his three wives (Chinwe, Ekwefi and Ojiugo) has become a wealthy farmer of yams — a sacred crop in Nigeria. Glossary Okonkwo  The name implies male pride and stubbornness. Umuofia  The community name,