Blog Post 4

                By the second half of the novel, the main conflict of the story is revealed. European settlements and missionaries interfere with the Ibo society. Events within these interferences result in the downfall of Umuofia along with Okonkwo. Achebe also includes a major theme and irony within these last few chapters.

            The clash of cultures between the Ibo and western society is inevitable and predictable. The real matter is the villagers' response to these foreign missionaries. Just as people from first world countries will find the Ibo practices to be absurd, most members of the Ibo think the Christians are crazy. One of them is Okonkwo, who “was convinced that the [missionary] was mad” (pg. 147). However, there is another group of people that accepts the missionary as its alternate sanctuary. These people are rejected by the Ibo society (outcasts) or disagree with certain customs. Nwoye is part of this group. He questions the fate of “the twins crying in the bush and…Ikefuna who was killed” (pg. 47).  As time progress, the missionaries begin to disprove each one of the Ibo beliefs. Citizens in Umuofia realize the falseness of their practice and question it.

            The theme that ignorance leads to violence and failure is shown multiple times throughout the end of the novel. The first instance is the news about Abame. A white man “riding an iron horse” greets the dwellers of Abame. Instead of leaving the man alone, they kill him because they do not understand him and the Oracle tells them that he brings harm. Even Uchendu admits, “Those men of Abame were fool. What did they know about the man?” (pg. 140). Another example of ignorance is Okonkwo’s treatment to Nwoye. Instead of persuading his son to not join the Christians, he scares Nwoye to run away by strangling him. Uchendu also questions Okonkwo’s senseless act of violence by asking, “Are you mad?” (pg. 152).

            Achebe includes irony that involves Okonkwo’s circumstances. The first case of irony is Obierika’s remark to Okonkwo “Kill one of your sons for me” and “Then kill yourself” (pg. 142). Obierika does not want Okonkwo to literally kill himself; however, Okonkwo ends up killing himself ten chapters later. It’s also ironic that Okonkwo killed Ikefuna, who was close to him like a son, and loses Nwoye to the Christians. Achebe may have been foreshadowing Okonkwo’s death and loss of his son. The next demonstration of irony involves Okonkwo’s character. His discipline and aggressiveness made him successful in the beginning of the novel, but these traits destroy his life at the end of the story. Okonkwo’s life is parallel to the decline of the Ibo culture.