Things Fall Apart: Character & Key Quotes: Ekwefi

Ekwefi: Character Analysis and Key Quotes

Ekwefi is Okonkwo’s second wife and the mother of Ezinma. She can be described as devout, caring, and resilient.
She stands apart from Okonkwo’s other wives due to her boldness and grit. Ekwefi has a strong spirit which enables her to retaliate against Okonkwo despite the threat of physical punishment.
Her role predominantly revolves around motherhood, underscoring the gender role dynamics within Igbo society. The importance she places on her daughter presents a tender perspective on love and family within a harsh societal environment.

“‘I nearly died of grief,’ Ekwefi was telling [Ezinma]. ‘I did not eat for many days. I did not drink. I did not speak.’”
- This quote from Chapter 20 lays bare the depth of Ekwefi’s maternal love. It also emphasises the hardships she faced due to the death of her previous children.
“He could hear in his mind’s ear the blood-stirring and intricate rhythms of the ekwe and the udu and the ogene, and he could hear his own flute weaving in and out of them, decorating them with a colourful and plaintive tune. The total effect was gay and cheerful, but if one picked out the flute as it went up and down and then broke up into short snatches, one saw that it was really a lament […].”
- This descriptive quote from Chapter 9, though not directly about Ekwefi, indirectly highlights her inner strength. The flute’s plaintive tune symbolises her sadness and resilience in the face of repeated loss.
“Of all her children, only one survived past infancy: a daughter called Ezinma, whom she protected with a zealousness that was as much superstition as motherly care.”
- The aforementioned quote from Chapter 5 places spotlight on Ekwefi’s determination and superstitious belief in ensuring the survival of Ezinma. This determination underscores Ekwefi’s depth of feeling and her resolve to combat the societal norms to protect her child.