IMPLICATION OF THE TITLE

The title foreshadows the tragedy that the novel depicts. It bears the central idea of the novel that
portrays the downfall of the Ibo society and the people per se, particularly the ambitious, well-known,
and respected, Okonkwo.

At the very beginning, Umuofia, which was once a peaceful village where the people has its strong
beliefs to gods and goddesses. They also have superstitious beliefs related to their religion that also
contributes to the downfall of the place upon the entrance of the white colonists. They believe in evil
spirits and oracle, which was one time, described how these beliefs were responsible to Okonkwo’s
sacrifice to Ikemefuna making Nwoye, his son, became distant to him. Their beliefs underline the
sacrifices need to be done as an act of loyalty to their tradition; this includes brutality, injustices and
inhuman activities such as: abandoning twins after being born; people with severe disease should be
thrown at the village; and killing innocent people because their oracle said so – people who are not in
favor of these get the opportunity to turn their backs and embrace the new faith causing the society to
fall apart.

Moreover, Okonkwo’s life falls apart too. The first incident was when he contributes to the killing of
Ikemefuna, which he was fond of and he rather considers him as his own son, because of his fear to be
called as weak. This resulted to him wounded and things between him and Nwoye falls apart.

Another incident was the time he accidentally committed a crime and was thrown out of the village for
seven long years. His ambition of being one of the lords of the land had drifted away. He lost his land, his
farm and other properties, and his eldest son, Nwoye, coverts himself to be a Christian.

Upon his return to Umuofia, people barely pay attention to him; was humiliated by the white colonists;
became a murderer, and he committed a suicide where his life finally had fallen apart.

Thus, the title sums up the whole tragedy of the Ibo society and the hero.