Things Fall Apart: Chapter 24

Things Fall Apart: Chapter 24

Chapter 24 Key Quotes

“Okonkwo stood looking at the dead man. He knew that Umuofia would not go to war…“

  • This is a moment of realisation for Okonkwo, recognising that the society he once knew which would respond with brute force has now changed.
  • The fact that Umuofia does not immediately retaliate signifies that the impact of colonisation has greatly weakened the united force they once held.

“The district commissioner, who walked behind, said nothing.”

  • The district commissioner’s silence enhances his superior stance, demonstrating that even in the face of rebellion, he retains control.
  • Reflects the dehumanising effects of colonial rule where the natives, even when provoked, are not seen as a significant threat.

“…a bunch of fanatical savages determined to kill a peaceful and innocent man.”

  • The use of terms like fanatical and savages to describe the Umuofians is an example of binary opposition that Europeans place in colonies.
  • This reflects the biased perspectives, the degrading and belittling of native populations, and the justification used for the brutal enforcement of colonial rule.

Chapter 24 Significant Themes

Loss of Tradition

  • Okonkwo’s killing of the court messenger demonstrates his desperate effort to hold onto Igbo traditions in the face of encroaching white influences.
  • But the fact that rest of the Umuofians do not respond as expected, further alienating him, underscores the significant cultural shift taking place.

Colonial Power

  • The representation of the court messenger and the district commissioner depicts the authoritative power of the colonial governance.
  • The Umuofians’ attitudes and responses to Okonkwo’s act show that colonial rule has severely undermined their traditional beliefs and institutions.

Cultural Misrepresentation

  • This emerges in the district commissioner’s thoughts on describing the Umuofians as savages, highlighting how non-European cultures were misunderstood and degraded during colonial rule.
  • Achebe, through the contradictions of the commissioner’s final thoughts in this chapter, critiques the colonial discourse and its impact on the disenfranchised.