Things Fall Apart

Chinua Achebe
Get out your highlighters and
writing utensils.
Read the opening page before
the chapter begins.
Number all the paragraphs
for Things Fall Apart.
Focus: CHARACTERIZATION
Opening Chapters:
Exposition
The exposition part of the plot
introduces the setting,
characters, and situation of the
story.
Authors introduce and reveal
character traits in the first
chapters.
Pronunciations
Background for Things Fall Apart
 The setting is in Nigeria, early 1800s
(turn of the 19th century) Unoka
 Nigeria socialized in tribes (Okonowo’s father;
Deceased;
 Nigeria was facing political upheaval Occasional narrator)

 The narration for this excerpt is

complex, as it is primarily in 3rd
person POV, but occasionally shifts Okonkwo
view from adult Okonkwo (main (adult; son of Unoka;
fighter; respected leader;
character) to his father Unoka (who is occasional narrator)
currently dead, but the POV is from
Unoka as a young man).
Together, let’s read first two paragraphs
of Things Fall Apart from your packet.

What did you learn about

the main character,
Okonkwo, from your brief
reading?
Let’s re-read

ANNOTATE by underlining
textual evidence (words and
phrases) that relates to the
characterization of
Okonkwo.
What did you learn?

Okonkwo was famous

because he had been a fierce
and successful fighter.
In partners, discuss the following about
setting:
 What did you learn about the setting of
Things Fall Apart in the first two
paragraphs?
 What textual evidence is related to the
setting?

 How do the details of the setting in which

the characters are living add to an
understanding of those characters?
Answers:
 What did you learn about the setting of Things Fall Apart
in the first two paragraphs?
 Novel is set in a village with customs that may seem unusual or
perhaps primitive.
 What textual evidence is related to the setting?
 “throughout the nine villages”
 “brought honour to his village”
 “engaged a spirit of the wild”
 “the drums beat and the flutes sang”
Three-Column Notes Time!

Create a three-column note chart

to record the different strategies
of characterization Achebe
(author) uses to describe
Okonkwo. Add several examples
from the textual evidence found in
the first two paragraphs.
 Example format
Okonkwo
Characterization Strategy Textual Evidence
1. Actions (STEAL) Took part in a fight that “the old
men agreed was one of the
fiercest” (paragraph 1)
Reasoning/Explanation of
Evidence
Okonkwo is brave and
experienced in battle, thus
making him a leader respected
by the tribe’s elders.
As we continue reading, provide additional
textual evidence to you characterization
chart.
Additionally,
continue annotation and
CIRCLE metaphors.
Questions
 Whatare some of the reasons that
Okonkwo’s fight with Amalinze resulted in
fame for Okonkwo?
 How do the words “springs” and “pounce”
add to the characterization of Okonkwo?
 Whatdid paragraph 3 reveal about
Okonkow’s father?
 Based on what has been revealed so far
about Okonkwo, what adjectives might you
use to describe him?
Read Paragraphs 4-6 aloud in
partnerships.
 Focuson the characterization of Unoka
(father of Okonkwo).
 Highlight
words and phrases that
characterize Unoka.
 Addtextual evidence to your three-column
notes.
 Share with class.
Vocabulary

 “In his day he was lazy and improvident and was

quite incapable of thinking about tomorrow.”
Paragraph 4
 What do you think improvident means? Use
context clues and/or prefixes to determine
meaning.
Vocabulary breakdown

 Im = ‘not’
 Provid = ‘provide’
 Ent = adjective meaning

 Therefore, improvident is a word that

describes someone who does not provide or
plan ahead.
 Ta-da!!
Vocabulary with a partner:

Paragraph 4: folly, debtor

Paragraph 5: haggard, intricate
Determine meaning of these four
words with your partner. Write your
proposed definition in your packet.
Character Foil – a character who is contrasted
with another character (usually the protagonist)
in order to highlight particular qualities of the
other character.
Based on the first six paragraphs of TFA, please answer the
following with your partner:
 How might Unoka be a foil to Okonkwo?
 Which qualities does Unoka have that are in direct contrast
to Okonkwo’s qualities?
 What inferences can you make about the other qualities
Okonkwo may have based on Unoka’s characterization?
 How might the father’s character influence the son’s
choices?
Support answers with textual evidence.
Example:
 1.I infer that Okonkwo will be a hard-
working man in contrast with his father’s
laziness because the text states, “He was
poor and his wife and children had barely
enough to eat,” which implies that
Okonkwo grew up poor and hungry due to
his father’s laziness. Therefore, it’s likely
that Okonkwo was motivated to work hard
and become prosperous to not have to live
that way again.
Write one well-formed CER paragraph

Choose one of the four previous questions about

foils, and include:
A topic sentence that responds to the prompt.
(CLAIM)
 Inferences about both characters supported by
textual evidence. (EVIDENCE)
 Commentary about the importance of your
evidence. (REASONING)
Complete reading chapter one.
 On your own, reading and analyze the rest of chapter one
using the same skills applied in class.
 Focus on characterization of Okonkwo and Unoka by highlighting
words and phrases that correspond to each character.
 Add evidence to your three-column notes.

 In paragraph 10, be able to define impending and intricate

 In paragraph 12, be able to define skirting and mirth
 In paragraph 14, be able to define prowess
Follow-up. Answer these questions: