Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe | Part 3, Chapter 23

Summary

In 'Things Fall Apart' by Chinua Achebe, Okonkwo experiences a rare moment of happiness and rejuvenation as he leads his clan to reclaim its traditional ways. However, this is quickly shattered when he and his delegation are deceitfully arrested by the district commissioner's men. The British colonial authorities' disrespect and injustice are highlighted as they impose fines, humiliate the prisoners, and even exploit the situation for personal gain, showcasing a stark contrast to the clan's respect for honor and action.

Takeaways

• 😊 Okonkwo feels happy and rejuvenated, believing the clan has reclaimed its old ways.
• 🗡️ Okonkwo convinces the men in Umuofia to arm themselves, unlike the people in Abame.
• 📜 Three days later, messengers from the district commissioner's office invite Okonkwo and five others to his office.
• 🔪 They bring machetes but choose not to carry guns, which would be unseemly.
• 🗣️ A member of the Umuofia delegation begins to explain why the church was destroyed, but the district commissioner interrupts.
• 🚓 The commissioners' men handcuff Okonkwo and the others after a brief scuffle.
• 📚 The clansmen are lectured about their bad treatment of people and are fined.
• 🚨 The court messengers forcibly shave the prisoners' heads, beat them, taunt them, and withhold food and water.
• 😡 Okonkwo feels choked with hate as the men of Umuofia gather to decide to pay the fine.
• 💔 The happiness Okonkwo feels at the beginning turns to bitterness after the encounter with the district commissioner.
• 👮 The district commissioner is condescending and dismisses the clans' ways, serving as judge and jury without hearing their side.
• 😠 The court messengers are disrespectful and cruel, inflating the fine to steal the extra funds, making them worse than the criminals they deal with.

Q & A

What significant change does Okonkwo feel in Part Three, Chapter 23 of 'Things Fall Apart'?

Okonkwo feels happy for the first time in many years, rejuvenated, and believes the clan has reclaimed its old ways.

What action does Okonkwo convince the men in the clan to take?

Okonkwo convinces the men in the clan to arm themselves so they will be prepared, unlike the people in ABBA.

Why are Okonkwo and five others invited to the district commissioner's office?

They are invited because a man does not refuse a call from the district commissioner's office, and they bring machetes as a sign of their warrior status.

What is the district commissioner's initial response when the clan delegation begins to explain the destruction of the church?

The district commissioner asks them to stop so he can bring in men to hear their grievances.

What happens shortly after the commissioner's men enter the room?

There is a brief scuffle, too brief for a machete to be drawn, and in the melee, Okonkwo and the others are handcuffed.

What is the reaction of the clansmen after they are lectured about their bad treatment of people and a fine is placed upon them?

The clansmen decide to pay the fine to appease the white man, showing their willingness to comply with the new authority.

How does Okonkwo feel about the court messengers' treatment of him and the other prisoners?

Okonkwo feels choked with hate due to the disrespectful and cruel treatment by the court messengers, including being forcibly shaved, beaten, and starved.

What does the court messengers' behavior towards the prisoners reveal about the British colonial system?

The court messengers' behavior reveals the unjust and corrupt nature of the British colonial system, where they are worse than the criminals they deal with and do not treat the ebo as equals.

How does the meeting with the district commissioner contrast with the war council in Chapter 2?

The meeting with the district commissioner is condescending and dismissive of the clan's ways, unlike the war council in Chapter 2 where Okonkwo holds a discussion with his adversaries and is treated with respect.

What does the district commissioner's role as both judge and jury signify about the colonial justice system?

The district commissioner's role signifies the lack of a fair and balanced justice system, as he does not hear the clan's side and disrespects their customs and traditions.

How does the script illustrate the clash of cultures and values between the Igbo people and the British colonial authority?

The script shows the clash through the contrasting expectations and treatment of the Igbo people by the British, who do not adhere to the same codes of honor and instead impose their own unjust and corrupt system.

Outlines

00:00

😄 Okonkwo's Rejuvenation and Clan's Resurgence

In Part Three, Chapter 23 of 'Things Fall Apart' by Chinua Achebe, Okonkwo experiences a rare moment of happiness and rejuvenation, feeling that the clan has reclaimed its traditional values. He successfully convinces the men of Umuofia to arm themselves, reflecting a return to a time when warriors were respected. However, this moment of triumph is interrupted by an invitation from the district commissioner's office. Despite their reluctance, Okonkwo and five others attend the meeting, adhering to the unwritten rule that a man does not refuse a call. The meeting takes a turn for the worse when the commissioner's men forcibly arrest Okonkwo and his companions, leading to a series of humiliating and unjust treatments.

Keywords

💡Okonkwo

Okonkwo is the protagonist of 'Things Fall Apart' by Chinua Achebe. He is a respected and feared warrior in the Igbo community, known for his strength and determination. In the script, Okonkwo's rejuvenation and his leadership in arming the clan to reclaim its old ways are central to the theme of resistance against colonial influence. His actions and the respect he garners from his clan reflect the traditional values that are being challenged by the British.

💡Clan

A clan in the context of the video refers to a group of related people, often with a common ancestor, living together and sharing a cultural identity. The script highlights the clan's struggle to maintain its traditions and autonomy in the face of British colonial rule. The clan's decision to arm itself and the subsequent events show the unity and resistance of the community against external threats.

💡District Commissioner

The District Commissioner represents the British colonial authority in the narrative. He is the one who invites Okonkwo and others to his office under the pretense of hearing grievances, only to arrest them. This character embodies the duplicity and condescension of the colonial power, using deception and force to subjugate the local population.

💡Machete

In the script, the machete is a symbol of the clan's preparedness for self-defense and their determination to uphold their traditions. The fact that they choose to bring machetes but not guns signifies their adherence to traditional ways, even in the face of colonial power.

💡Respect

Respect is a recurring theme in the video, particularly in the context of the clan's interactions with the British. The script contrasts the respect that Okonkwo and his clan command within their community with the lack of respect they receive from the colonial authorities. This contrast highlights the cultural clash and the erosion of traditional values.

💡Church

The destruction of the church in the script signifies the resistance of the Igbo people against the imposition of foreign religious beliefs. It is a symbol of the cultural conflict between the traditional Igbo religion and the Christian missionaries brought by the British.

💡Mafia

In the context of the video, 'Mafia' refers to a village in the Igbo community. The script mentions that the court messengers go to Mafia to inform the villagers of what has happened to Okonkwo and the others. This place name is important as it shows the community's response to the injustices committed by the colonial authorities.

💡Fine

The fine imposed by the colonial court in the script is a tool of oppression and control. It is a punitive measure that further illustrates the power imbalance between the British authorities and the Igbo people. The clan's decision to pay the fine reflects their desire to appease the colonial power, showing the extent of their subjugation.

💡Court Messengers

Court messengers in the script are agents of the colonial court, tasked with enforcing its decisions. However, they are depicted as cruel and disrespectful, engaging in humiliating practices such as forcibly shaving the prisoners' heads and withholding food and water. Their actions underscore the inhumanity and corruption of the colonial justice system.

💡Hate

Okonkwo's feeling of 'choked with hate' towards the court messengers is a powerful emotional response to the injustices he and his fellow prisoners face. This keyword captures the intense resentment and anger that the Igbo people feel towards the colonial oppressors, which is a central theme in the video.

💡Action

Action is a key concept in the script, as it represents both the physical acts of resistance by the clan, such as arming themselves, and the assertive leadership of Okonkwo. The script shows that Okonkwo thrives on action, which has earned him authority and power within his community. This highlights the importance of proactive measures in the face of oppression.

Highlights

Okonkwo experiences happiness and rejuvenation, feeling the clan has reclaimed its old ways.

Okonkwo convinces the men in Umuofia to arm themselves to be prepared for potential conflicts.

Messengers from the district commissioner's office invite Okonkwo and five others to a meeting.

The men bring machetes but choose not to carry guns, adhering to their cultural norms.

A scuffle breaks out during the meeting, leading to Okonkwo and others being handcuffed.

The clansmen are lectured about their treatment of people and are imposed a fine.

Court messengers disrespect the prisoners, shaving their heads, beating, and withholding food and water.

Okonkwo feels intense hatred towards the court messengers for their cruel treatment.

The men of Umuofia decide to pay the fine to appease the white man, showing their willingness to compromise.

Okonkwo thrives on action, authority, and power, feeling content after the clan's destruction of the church.

The respect the clan shows Okonkwo for his actions leads him to believe the past has returned.

The meeting with the district commissioner starkly contrasts the war council in chapter 2, where Okonkwo was treated with respect.

The British do not embody the Igbo's codes of honor, showing a cultural misunderstanding and power imbalance.

Okonkwo and the others are unprepared for the British's condescending and disrespectful treatment.

The district commissioner serves as judge and jury, dismissing the clan's ways without hearing their side.

Court messengers are corrupt, inflating the fine to steal extra funds and acting worse than the criminals they deal with.

Transcripts

[Music]

in Part three chapter 23 of Chinua

Achebe's things fall apart Okonkwo feels

happy for the first time in many years

he's rejuvenated and feels the clan has

reclaimed its old ways when a warrior

was a warrior he has convinced the men

in a mafia to arm themselves so they'll

be prepared unlike the people in ABBA me

three days later messengers from the

district commissioner's office

invite okonkwo and five others to his

office they go because an Wolfie a man

does not refuse a call

they bring machetes although they choose

not to carry guns which would be

unseemly a member of the Mafia

delegation begins to explain why the

church was destroyed and the district

commissioner asked him to stop so he can

bring in men to hear the grievances

shortly after the commissioners men

enter the room though there's a brief

scuffle to brief for a machete to be

drawn and in the melee they handcuff

okonkwo and the others the clansmen are

lectured about their bad treatment of

people and a fine is placed upon them

the court messengers in turn are told to

treat the prisoners with respect but

instead they forcibly shaved the

prisoners heads beat them taunt them and

withhold food and water from them

Okonkwo felt choked with hate the court

messengers go to a mafia and inform the

villagers what has happened the men of a

mafia gather and decide to pay the fine

to appease the white man Okonkwo thrives

on action and the authority and power it

has earned him he was content after the

clan destroyed the church and the fact

that the clan listened to him with

respect

leads him to think the past has returned

when men took action and were respected

for it but the happiness that opens the

chapter soon turns the meeting with the

district Commissioner offers a stark

contrast to the war Council in chapter 2

when Okonkwo holds a discussion with his

adversaries and is treated with respect

we may think the men naive

to expect the British to embody their

own codes of honor but the rules have

clearly changed the British do not

consider the ebo their equals and

okonkwo and the others aren't prepared

for this the district commissioners

condescending he tricked so conquer and

the others and then lectures them about

treating people badly he serves as judge

and jury but doesn't hear their side

disrespecting and dismissing the clans

ways at every turn the court messengers

are both disrespectful and cruel to the

prisoners humiliating them by shaving

their heads and whipping and starving

them they even inflate the fine so they

can steal the extra funds as agents of

this unjust and corrupt Court they're

notably worse than the criminals they

deal with