Goldrush Book Club

Okonkwo home   coming wasn’t memorable as a lot has happened in Umuofia that many did not take notice of his arrival. Okonkwo knew that he had lost his place among the nine masked spirits who administered justice in the clan. He had lost the chance to lead his warlike clan against the new religion, which , he was told, had gained ground. He had lost the years in which he might have taken the highiest titles in the clan. But however he consoled himself since these losses were   not irreparable. In   Umuofia the white man did not only come with his religion but also his government, as the writer puts it ‘They had built a court where the district commissioner judged cases in ignorance. ’ The people of Umuofia feared the court of the white man that whosoever killed a fellow clan member despite the circumstances surrounding the death , such a fellow would be killed by hanging as it was in the case of Aneto who killed Oduche. During the reign of Mr. Brown, there was rel

  This part exhaustively talks about Okonkwo finding a home among his Mother’s kinsmen in Mbanta.   Okonkwo was well received by his mother’s kinsmen. He was given   a plot of land to build his compound and two or three pieces of land on which to farm during the coming planting season. Okonkwo by this time was no longer his former self as the writer puts it ‘Okonkwo and his family worked very hard to plant a new farm. But it was like beginning life anew without the vigour and enthusiasm of youth like learning to become left-handed in old age. Work no longer had for him the pleasure it used to have’       But it was Uchendu who observed the countenance of Okonkwo and did all he could to inspire life back into him. Okonkwo adapted gradually and with the   visit of Obierika he gradually bounced back . He brought the proceeds from the sale of Okonkwo’s yam tubers . he also hinted his friend of the arrival of the white men into Abame . Two years later when Obierika visited

Part one of the book showcases the rich and industrious culture and traditions of the people of Umuofia and finally ended with the beginning of misfortunes for Okonwo. The writer was able to take his readers through the various ceremonies observed by the people of Umuofia. From the wrestling ceremony   to wedding ceremonies, customary judicial system where people go to seeking justice, and burial ceremonies of prominent men in the village. The writer was able to give us a peek into the traditions of the people which in most cases difficult to bear and   understand but has to be obeyed, like the throwing of twin babies into the evil forest. There was the situation where Ezinma was taken away by the priestess and her parents were helpless and could not resistance Chielo. They had to wait patiently for the return of their daughter. This shows how powerful the gods were over the lives of the people. In chapter one, the writer gives a hint as to the reason for the popula

Things Fall Apart is the story about a man called Okonkwo who happens to be the hero in the story but whose death was rather a tragedy . Is about a man’s rise from rags to riches and power and his dramatic   downfall to a pauper’s grave by forces far greater   than his determined will. Is a book that celebrates the rich culture of Nigeria and Africa at large especially of the igboland. The book throws light into the historical emergence of western values and institutions in Africa, reflecting the various factors motivating both resistance and acceptance   through the osu , outcasts , who are excluded from traditional society and who regard the new dispensation as redressing their unhappy lot. The fissures   within the structure of tradition that facilitate the entry of the west are revealed. The Novel also re- evaluates the colonial movement, recasting it as a significant but particular phase in the long historical development of an African people over millennia. It has