Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Web Quest

Essential Question(s) Benchmark Focus EQ: How do plot elements contribute to the tone, mood, and theme of the story being told Thematic EQ: In the lore of heroes, there is always a stage of development which provides challenges and tests that solidify the hero as the rightful possessor of power. Proverbs or lessons on how one should conduct one’s life often offer words of wisdom that guides one’s path towards the attainment of power. Ancestors (familial ties), fate, and human will also play a role in determining who receives power. Do any of these have more weight in the determination of how one ascertains power? Or do they work in tandem? If so, which one would you feel the most need to possess?

Bell Ringer Anticipation Guide for Things Fall Apart Directions: Carefully read the passages below and mark the column under “me” with an “A” for “Agree” or “D” for “Disagree.” Underneath the statement write a sentence as to why you wrote “A” or “D.” We will discuss your answers aloud as a class, so be prepared to share your thoughts and reasoning. After we read the novel, we will revisit this guide and discuss the beliefs of the protagonist.   ME PROTAGONIST BELIEF ____ ____ 1. It is OK for one person to have more than one spouse. ____ ____ 2. Christianity is the true religion. ____ ____ 3. Being masculine depends on physical strength. ____ ____ 4. A woman can be intuitive about the health of her child. ____ ____ 5. Men should be intimately involved in childrearing. ____ ____ 6. Accidental manslaughter should be punished severely. ____ ____ 7. Ancestors have great influence in our present-day lives. ____ ____ 8. Hard work is the road to self-respect. ____ ____ 9. A parent should have much control over the future of her/his child. ____ ____ 10. Justice is served in the court system.

Whole Group: Article Review Title: A president who promotes tradition; Polygamy in South Africa Source: The Economist (US). (Jan 9, 2010): p.38EU After-Reading: What sidebar information (maps, graph, charts, tables, etc. might be seen with this article?

Read Chapter 1:Things Fall Apart Online (You need dialectical journal handout.) http://issuu.com/stephinrazin/docs/chinua- achebe---things-fall-apart Or Google “issuu things fall apart”

Chapter One Discussion Questions 1. Note how Achebe immediately establishes his perspective from inside Umuofia (which is Ibo for "people of the forest") in the first sentence. The wider world consists of the group of nine related villages which comprise Umuofia and certain other villages like Mbaino. What are Okonkwo's main characteristics as he is depicted in the first few chapters? List as many as you can, being as specific as possible. What were the characteristics of his father which affect him so powerfully? 2. Kola is a stimulant, comparable to very strong tea or coffee, which is served on most social occasions in this culture. It is also one ingredient after which Coca Cola is named. Note how the ritual for sharing kola is described without being explained. Why do you think Achebe does this? He will continue to introduce Ibo customs in this fashion throughout the novel.

Chapter One Discussion Questions (contd.) 3. One becomes influential in this culture by earning titles. As with the Potlatch Indians of the American Northwest and many other peoples, this is an expensive proposition which involves the dispersing most of one's painfully accumulated wealth. What do you think are the social functions of such a system? 4. One of the most famous lines in the novel is "proverbs are the palm- oil with which words are eaten." What does this mean? Palm oil is a rich yellow oil pressed from the fruit of certain palm trees and used both for fuel and cooking. Look for other proverbs as you read. Cowry shells threaded on strings were traditionally used as a means of exchange by many African cultures. The villages' distance from the sea makes them sufficiently rare to serve as money. Cowries from as far away as Southeast Asia have been found in sub-Saharan Africa.

Independent Assignment Read and complete Chapter two dialectical journal questions.

Chapter Two Discussion Questions What effect does night have on the people? What do they fear? How do they deal with their fear of snakes at night? Palm-wine is a naturally fermented product of the palm-wine tree, a sort of natural beer. What is the cause and nature of the conflict with Mbaino? Beginning with this chapter, trace how women are related to the religious beliefs of the people. What is the purpose of the taking of Ikemefuna? Note how Achebe foreshadows the boy's doom even as he introduces him. 2. In what ways does Okonkwo overcompensate for his father's weaknesses? In what ways is he presented as unusual for his culture? What is his attitude toward women? Why does he dislike his son Nwoye so much?

Chapter Two Discussion Questions (contd.) 3. In this polygamous culture each household is enclosed in a compound. Each wife lives in a hut with her children, and the husband visits each wife in turn, though he has his own hut as well. Children are often cared for more or less communally. What do you think the advantages and disadvantages of this form of social structure are? 4. What seems to be Achebe's attitude toward this culture so far? Is his depicting it as an ideal one? Can you cite any passages which imply a critical attitude?

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Exit Ticket Which two colonial powers possess the most territory in Africa? Answer thematic question.