Okonkwo then knew he was alone. He was alone without his clan. He was still brave and strong, but his clan was weak and cowardly. He had fought the white man by himself. His clansmen were cowards. The white man had broken up the clan. His people had fallen apart. The clan did not agree anymore. Okonkwo wiped his matchet after he had killed the messenger, and walked away
The African Trilogy Series
This remarkable trilogy delves into the intricate world of African society, exploring its traditions, the impacts of colonialism, and the subsequent search for identity. The narratives are woven with rich culture, personal relationships, and the political shifts that shaped the continent. The author masterfully portrays characters navigating the complex space between old and new worlds. Readers are drawn into a compelling saga that offers profound insights into the human experience and historical transformations.
Recommended Reading Order
No Longer at Ease
- 154 pages
- 6 hours of reading
Obi Okonkwo is an idealistic young man who has now returned to Nigeria for a job in the civil service. However in his new role he finds that the way of government seems to be corruption. Obi manages to resist the bribes offered to him, but when he falls in love with an unsuitable girl, he sinks further into emotional and financial turmoil. .
Arrow of God
- 232 pages
- 9 hours of reading
Ezeulu, headstrong chief priest of the god Ulu, is worshipped by the six villages of Umuaro. But he is beginning to find his authority increasingly under threat - from his rivals in the tribe, from those in the white government and even from his own family. Yet he still feels he must be untouchable - surely he is an arrow in the bow of his God?
Related books
The African Trilogy (Picador Books)
- 560 pages
- 20 hours of reading
Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe's first novel, has received widespread critical acclaim since its first publication thirty years ago. It has sold over 3 million copies and has been translated into more than forty languages. No Longer at Ease, its sequel, won the Nigerian national trophy, while Arrow of God confirmed Achebe's standing as the founder of modern African fiction. These three novels, collected here in a single volume with a new introduction by the author, chronicle the story of twentieth century West Africa.'The Story is the tragedy of Okonkwo, an important man in the Obi tribe in the days when white men were first appearing on the scene. Mr Achebe handles the macabre with telling restraint and the pathetic without any false embarrassment.'THE OBSERVER
Collects three of the author's novels, all inspired by the tragedies faced by the Igbo people during the European colonization of Africa.
"The trilogy opens with the groundbreaking Things Fall Apart, the tale of Okonkwo, a hero in his village, whose clashes with missionaries -- coupled with his own tragic pride -- lead to his fall from grace. Arrow of God takes up the ongoing conflict between continuity and change as Ezeulu, the headstrong chief priest, finds his authority is under threat from rivals and colonial functionaries. But he believes himself to be untouchable and is determined to lead his people, even if it is towards their own destruction. Finally, in No Longer at Ease, Okonkwo's grandson, educated in England, returns to a civil-service job in Lagos, only to see his morality erode as he clings to his membership in the ruling elite"-- Provided by publisher