Things Fall Apart Precis Chapter 1-13 Essay Example

Things Fall Apart Precis Chapter 1-13 Essay Chapter 1 Okonkwo is the wealthy and respected warrior of the Umuofia clan. He defeated Amalinze the Cat in a wrestling match and brought honor to his village. Amalinze was undefeated for 7 years, so the win caused some attention towards Okonkwo. The thing was that Okonkwo’s father Unoka, was the total opposite. Unoka feared the sight of blood; however he was a skilled flute player, and had a love for language. Chapter 2 The town crier rings the ogene and asks for all of the clansmen to gather in the market in the morning. At the gathering Ogbuefi Ezeugo announces that someone from the village of Mbaino murdered the wife of an Umuofia tribesman. Everyone was as mad as can be. So Okonkwo travels to Mbaino and delivers a message saying that they must hand over to Umuofia a virgin, and a young man. If Mbaino doesn’t cooperate, the two villages must go at war. It sounds good for Umuofia, knowing that they have a good reputation for its skill in war and magic. Mbaino later agrees to Umuofia’s terms and hands over what they want. Since Umuofia didn’t know what to do with the fifteen year old boy, so they handed him to Okonkwo. Okonkwo has three wives and eight children, an obi (a hut) and can support all of them. Okonkwo fears weakness, which he associates with his father and women. He also constantly beats and nags his son, Nwoye because he finds him lazy. Chapter 3 Okonkwo talks about his childhood, and on how he was never able to have a successful harvest. Unoka, his father had bad fortune and died of an illness which caused swelling of the limbs and stomach. We will write a custom essay sample on Things Fall Apart Precis Chapter 1-13 specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Things Fall Apart Precis Chapter 1-13 specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Things Fall Apart Precis Chapter 1-13 specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Ani the earth goddess didn’t find that death acceptable so therefore his body could not be buried and was sent to the Evil Forest to rot, making Okonkwo more ashamed. People donated many seeds to Okonkwo when he was preparing his first farm in yams, but the growing season later turned into a disaster as well as for other farmers in the village. The village suffered first a big drought, then next endless rain and floods. Chapter 4 The clan decides that Ikemefuna will stay with Okonkwo. Ikemefuna is homesick and wants to go back at first, but Nwoye’s mother treats Ikemefuna like her wn, and gets popular with Okonkwo’s kids. Ikemefuna knows many stories the children didn’t know, and has a talent for making flutes out of bamboo sticks, and setting traps for bush rodents. Ikemefuna becomes comfortable enough to call Okonkwo â€Å"father. † Okonkwo also beats his youngest wife, because she got her hair braided without cooking. The priest demands Okonkwo t o pay a fine and sacrifice a nanny goat and a hen for his actions. It was the Week of Peace when that happened and after that villagers began to clear the land in preparation for planting their farms. Nwoye and Ikemefuna help Oknonkwo with the deeds but are criticized in doing so. Chapter 5 Before the harvest, the village holds the Feast of the New Yam to give thanks to the earth goddess (Ani). All the old yams left over from the old year must be thrown away. Okonkwo invites his wife’s relatives. While everyone seems happy about the coming festival, Okonkwo knows he will get tired of it and would rather stay on his farm. Ekwefi, Okonwo’s second wife admits to taking some leaves from his banana tree, so Okonkwo beats her also tries to shoot her but misses. Chapter 6 Second day of the festival and everyone gathers at the village playing field to watch the wrestling match between men of the village and neighboring one. The wrestling ends with a rematch between Ikezue and Okafo, just when people thought that it was going to be another draw a second year in a row, Okafo throws him and wins. Then the villagers sing a song of praise to Okafo. Chapter 7 Nwoye and Ikemefuna spend all their time together like brothers. During the evenings, they both sit next to Okonkwo in his hut and listen to stories of violence and bloodshed. Nwoye still likes his mother’s stories, but he acts like he doesn’t like them, so it can show Okonkwo he’s masculine. Ogbuefi Ezedu, the oldest man in the village, needs to have a talk with Okonkwo. He needs to speak to Okonkwo privately. Ogbuefi Ezeudu talks about how Ikemefuna needs to be killed as part of retribution to the killing of a woman three years back in Mbaino. Ogbuefi tells Okonkwo not to kill Ikemefuna, since the boy calls him father, but eventually Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna with his machete to make him not appear to be weak. Chapter 8 Okonkwo now goes into depression mode. He feels pretty weak, and can’t really sleep or eat. Okonkwo doesn’t eat anything for two days and just drinks palm wine. Nwoye is now scared of his dad, because of the killing and now tries to avoid him. Okonkwo asks Ekwefi to make him a dish, and does it in his favorite way and has Ezinma bring the food to him. Okonkwo repeatedly wishes that Ezinma was a boy, because she has â€Å"the right spirit. † Okonkwo wants some work to distract himself, but he’s out of luck because the down farming season. When Okonkwo meets his best friend Obierika, he goes on and on about Nwoye being soft and calls him out for not coming with him to kill Ikemefuna. Then all of a sudden, news comes in saying there has been a death of the oldest man in a neighboring village, shortly after his wife dies. Okonkwo then sits with Obierika to bargain his daughter’s brideprice with the family of her suitor. Chapter 9 Okonkwo can finally sleep well again, and feeling like his old self. Just as he’s feeling good, he is woken up in the morning to Ekwefi pounding his door, and trying to tell him that Ezinma is dying. Okonkwo then runs immediately to Ekwefi’s hut. Ekwefi’s relationship between Ezinma is very close because that’s her only child, while her nine other children died in infancy. Okonkwo leaves and returns to gather herbs to heal his little daughter. After he’s done boiling the herbs, he forces Ezinma and forces her to sit over the pot of medicine covered by a blanket. Though she complains and struggles to be let loose, she is held down. When Okonkwo is done and releases her, she’s drenched with sweat and falls asleep. Chapter 10 The village holds an interesting ceremony which draws the attention of a large crowd. The clan’s ancestral spirits, which are known as egwugwu, emerge from a secret house that no woman whatsoever is allowed to step in. The egwugwu take the form of masked men, but everyone suspects that Okonkwo is one of them. This makes the women and children fearful. Chapter 11 Ezinma survived her fever, and she and Ekwefi take turns telling each other folktales. Then Chielo in her role as priestess informs Ekwefi that Agbala, Oracle of Hills and Caves wishes to see Ezinma. Chapter 12 After Chielo took Ezinma away, Okonkwo was not able to sleep. He made several trips to the cave before he finallyfound and joined Ekwefi waiting outside the cave. When Chielo came out of Agbala’s cave, she returned her to the hut safely sound asleep. The following day the village celebrates on the marriage of the daughter of Obierika. Chapter 13 Drums and cannons sound for the death of the oldest man in the village, Ezedu. His funeral was a big deal because he was one of the head honchos of the Umuofia. But during all this an accident occurred. Ezedu’s sixteen year old son has been shot and falls dead. It was Okonkwo who did it and he had to leave the village for 7 years.

A Streetcar Named Desire - Scene Three Plot Summary

A Streetcar Named Desire - Scene Three Plot Summary The Poker Night Four men (Stanley Kowalski, Mitch, Steve, and Pablo) are playing poker while the ladies (Blanche and Stella) are having an evening out. Playwright Tennessee Williams describes the men as in the physical prime of their life; they drink whiskey and each of their shirts has its own bright, distinct color. Stanleys first line in this scene betrays his aggressiveness: STANLEY: Get yr ass off the table, Mitch. Nothing belongs on a poker table but cards, chips and whiskey. Mitch seems more sensitive than the other men. He considers leaving the poker game because he is concerned about his ailing mother. (An interesting point about Mitch: He is the only unmarried man in the group.) The Ladies Return Stella and Blanche arrive home at around 2:30 am. Intrigued by the gruff man and their poker playing, Blanche asks if she can kibitz (meaning that she wants to spectate and offer commentary and advice about their game). Stanley wont let her. And when his wife suggests that the men quit after one more hand, he roughly slaps her thigh. Steve and Pablo laugh at this. Again, Williams shows us that most men (at least in this play) are crude and hostile, and most women begrudgingly tolerate them. Mitch and Blanche Flirt Blanche briefly encounters Mitch, who is just emerging from the bathroom. She asks Stella if Mitch is a wolf, someone who will take advantage of her emotionally and sexually. Stella doesnt think that he would behave that way, and Blanche begins to wonder about Mitch as a romantic possibility. Mitch excuses himself from the poker table and shares a cigarette with Blanche. MITCH: I guess we strike you as being a pretty rough bunch. BLANCHE: Im very adaptable - to circumstances. She also talks about her career back in her hometown. She states, I have the misfortune of being an English instructor. (Personal note: Since I, too, am an English teacher, I find this line hysterical!) Blanche turns on the radio, hoping to dance with Mitch; however, Stanley (who has become increasingly enraged by Blanche and her distracting ways) throws the radio out the window. All Hell Breaks Loose After Stanley trashes the radio, fast-paced and violent action ensues: Stella calls Stanley a drunk - animal thing.Stanley beats Stella.Blanche screams My sister is going to have a baby!The men restrain Stanley and toss him in the shower.Blanche rushes Stella to the neighbors apartment. Within moments, Stanley, soaking wet and half-drunken. He suddenly realizes that Stella has left him. STELL-LAHHHHH!!!!! In this famous moment, Stanley stumbles out to the street. He begins to call for his wife. When she does not come down to him he begins to shout her name repeatedly. The stages directions indicate that he calls to her with heaven-splitting violence. Touched by her husbands desperate, animalistic need for her, Stella walks down to him. According to the stage directions, They come together with low, animal moans. He falls to his knees on the steps and presses his face to her belly. In many ways, this moment is the antithesis to the famed balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet. Instead of Romeo (as stage tradition holds) climbing up to his love, Stella walks down to her man. Instead of a romantic lead spouting eloquent poetry, we have Stanley Kowalski yelling at the top of his lungs, repeating only one name, like an ill-tempered boy calling for his mother. After Stanley carries Stella into their home, Blanche meets Mitch once again. He tells her not to worry, that the pair truly cares about each other. Blanche marvels about the confusing nature of the world and thanks Mitch for his kindness.