Users' questions

Why did they decide to kill Ikemefuna?

Why did they decide to kill Ikemefuna?

He tells Okonkwo that the Oracle has decreed that Ikemefuna must be killed as part of the retribution for the woman killed three years before in Mbaino. He tells Okonkwo to take no part in the killing since the boy calls him “father.” Afraid to appear weak, Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna with his machete.

Does Okonkwo regret killing Ikemefuna?

After killing Ikemefuna, Okonkwo is very upset. He doesn’t eat for two days and has difficulty sleeping. He was very fond of Ikemefuna and he knew that this boy had been a positive influence on Nwoye and that they too had become great friends.

What was Okonkwo’s punishment for killing Ikemefuna?

Okonkwo is not punished for his role in Ikemefuna’s death but suffers from a guilty conscience. In contrast, Okonkwo accidentally kills Ezeudu’s son during a funeral service. Okonkwo’s action is considered a female crime against the Earth goddess and he is exiled for seven years.

Why did Okonkwo kill himself?

With a feeling of hopelessness, Okonkwo gives up and hangs himself. He commits suicide because he cannot deal with the changes that the Christian white men are making in his village. While the white man from Europe came in to civilize the Igbo tribe, he did not succeed.

How does Okonkwo accidentally kill Ezeudu’s son?

The men beat drums and fire their guns. Okonkwo’s gun accidentally goes off and kills Ezeudu’s sixteen-year-old son.

Who was Okonkwo’s favorite child?

Ezinma
Ezinma is also Okonkwo’s favorite child, for she understands him better than any of his other children and reminds him of Ekwefi when Ekwefi was the village beauty. Okonkwo rarely demonstrates his affection, however, because he fears that doing so would make him look weak.

What crime did Okonkwo commit?

beating his wife
During the Week of Peace, Okonkwo commits the crime of beating his wife. This is his first crime against the earth. As punishment, he is told to make a ritual sacrifice, which he does.

What did Okonkwo learn from his exile?

Okonkwo is banished to learn how to become a balanced man who understands the supremacy of his mother’s feminine qualities.

Who is to blame for Okonkwo’s death?

Okonkwo is responsible for his death because he has remained stagnant while his village and family are changing. His entire life was measured against his father so he never established his own sense of identity — he just wanted to be opposite of his father. With the modernization and evolution…

What Okonkwo fears most?

Perhaps down in his heart Okonkwo was not a cruel man. But his whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of weakness. Instead, Okonkwo suffers from the existential fear that he will not succeed in life and thus end up like his unremarkable father.

Which son did Okonkwo kill?

Okonkwo’s gun accidentally goes off and kills Ezeudu’s sixteen-year-old son. Killing a clansman is a crime against the earth goddess, so Okonkwo must atone by taking his family into exile for seven years. Okonkwo gathers his most valuable belongings and takes his family to his mother’s natal village, Mbanta.

Why did Okonkwo kill his adopted son?

Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna because he doesn’t want to appear weak in front of his fellow clansmen. Ogbuefi Ezeudu, a village elder, informs Okonkwo that the Oracle has decreed that Ikemefuna must be killed but that Okonkwo should not be the one to kill him, since Ikemefuna regards Okonkwo as a father.