CURRICULUM GRADE 10 -12 DIRECTORATE

NCS (CAPS)

ENGLISH HOME LANGUAGE

GRADE 11
TEACHER SUPPORT DOCUMENT
THINGS FALL APART

JUST IN TIME (JIT) PROGRAMME

MARCH 2024

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1. PURPOSE AND RATIONALE
“Things Fall Apart” is rich in literary techniques and themes such as the clash of cultures, the
consequences of change, the nature of power and the complexities of identity. Chinua
Achebe’s novel has sparked discussions about post-colonialism, feminism and the
representation of Africa in literature. Teaching “Things Fall Apart” encourages learners to
consider multiple perspectives and engage in debates about power dynamics, cultural
authenticity and narrative voice. This guide aims to enable and empower learners to engage
in close reading, critical thinking and in-depth analysis of the text to deepen their
understanding of the novel.

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 2. JIT RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT TEAM – MAY 2024

TEAM NAME SCHOOL DISTRICT

Clive Mottian DCES Umlazi
Morgan Moodley Savannah Park Secondary Umlazi
GRADE 12 POETRY
Meloshnee Pillay Mountview Secondary Pinetown
Kumreshni Pather Kharwastan Secondary Umlazi
GRADE 11 POETRY
Devindree Pillay Mountview Secondary Pinetown

GRADE 10 POETRY Kasturie Govender Asoka Secondary Umlazi

Monica Ramraj Queensburgh Girls’ High Umlazi

GRADE 12 NOVEL
“LIFE OF PI” Dillon Naidoo Marburg Secondary Ugu
Nayan Morar Ladysmith Secondary Uthukhela
GRADE 11 NOVEL
“TSOTSI” Adhithi Maharaj Westham Secondary Pinetown
Tilly Maharaj Scottburgh High Ugu
GRADE 11 NOVEL
“THINGS FALL APART” Nongcebo Qwabe Canaan College Umlazi
Abigail Scott Amanzimtoti High Umlazi
GRADE 10 DRAMA
“ ROMEO AND JULIET” Nonkululeko Gumede Maritzburg College Umngungundlovu
Vembuli Sewmangal Dundee High School Umzinyathi
GRADE 10 DRAMA
“LIGHTHOUSE Simi Moodley Clairwood HighSchool Umlazi
KEEPER’S WIFE”
Yoga Moodley Ganges Secondary Umlazi

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 CONTENTS PAGE

TOPIC SUB-HEADINGS PAGE

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1. Purpose and Rationale
Acknowledgements 3
2. The JIT Team
Overview of the Novel 5
3.
Author’s Background 5
4.
Plot Structure/Diagram 5
5.
Answers to Plot Diagram 7
5.1
Story Structure 8
6.
Storyboard Plot 9
7.
Themes 10
8.
Word Bank 11
9.
Analysis of Main Characters 11
10.
Answering Exam Type Questions 14
11.
Literary Essay 14
11.1
Contextual Type Questions 17
11.2
Crossword Puzzle 18
12.
References 20
13.

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Before teaching the novel, the teacher of English should provide learners with a brief
overview of it.
3. OVERVIEW OF THE NOVEL
Things Fall Apart, written by Chinua Achebe, is simple story of a "strong man" whose life is
dominated by fear and anger,

It is set in pre-colonial Nigeria. The novel chronicles the life of Okonkwo, a proud Igbo warrior, as
he navigates the shifting dynamics of his community.

It captures the cultural richness of Igbo society, delving into its customs and traditions, spirituality,
and social structures.

The novel follows the life of Okonkwo, an influential leader of the fictional Igbo ("Ibo" in the novel)
clan of Umuofia. Among other things, he is a feared warrior and a local wrestling champion.
 The novel is split into three parts, with the first describing his family, personal history, his
violent exterior and tortured soul, and the customs and society of the Igbo.
 The second and third sections introduce the influence of European colonialism and
Christian missionaries on Okonkwo, his family, and the wider Igbo community.

4. AUTHOR’S BACKGROUND

Chinua Achebe was born on November 16, 1930, in Ogidi, Nigeria and on died March 21,
2013, in Boston, Massachusetts. He was a Nigerian novelist.

Achebe grew up in the Igbo (Ibo) town of Ogidi, Nigeria. After an automobile accident in Nigeria in
1990 that left him partially paralyzed, he moved to the United States.
He was one of the most famous 20th Century African writers. He published his first novel, Things
Fall Apart, in 1958 and has since published four more novels and a series of short stories,
essays, and other literature. Much of Achebe’s work focuses on the themes of colonialism, post-
colonialism, and the tumultuous political atmosphere in post-colonial Nigeria.

Chinua Achebe died in Boston on March 22, 2013. He was 82 years old.

5. PLOT STRUCTURE / DIAGRAM

Freytag’s pyramid is a very helpful tool to teach plot structure. Before any novel is taught to
learners, the structure of the plot must be discussed.
The plot diagram helps the learner to organise a story into specific parts.
Use Freytag’s Pyramid below to teach learners the structure of the plot.

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 Discuss each part of the diagram with learners.
 Guide them to complete the activity on the PLOT STRUCTURE in the learner’s guide.

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5.1 ANSWERS TO PLOT DIAGRAM

EXPOSITION: Umuofia, Africa in the 1800’s.

INCITING ACTION: Unoka, Okonkwo’s father was known as the biggest failure in all of
Umofian history.

RISING ACTION: Okonkwo prides himself on being the best leader of Umofia, or at least,
being nothing like his father. He has three wives and an array or children.

CLIMAX: Okonkwo attends the funeral of Ezeudu, and as they are paying their respects, he
accidently shoots someone. The people of Umofia are outraged by his actions
and someone Okonkwo and his family are thrown out of Umofia.

FALLING ACTION: Okonkwo and his family go to live where his uncle, Uchendu, lives. He
is forced to be away from Umofia for seven years. Okonkwo plans to rebuild
his life for that time being. Uchendu helps Okonkwo get settled and start
farming again.

RESOLUTION: Seven years later, Okonkwo returns to Umofia to find that the white men
have completely taken over. Okonkwo is disappointed that the people of
Umofia have lost the will to fight and stand up for themselves against the
white men. Christianity is taking over Umofia and Okonkwo and others burn
down a church. They are imprisoned until a fine is paid for their actions.

DENOUEMENT: Once the fine is paid and the prisoners are released, Okonkwo goes back
home. He is distraught and hangs himself. One of the commissioners
come to visit him, and finds him dead. Obrieka enlists the help of the
commissioner to bury Okonkwo. Later the commissioner plans to write a
book about Okonkwo.

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6. STORY STRUCTURE
This activity allows learners to place events in chronological order.
It allows learners to tell the story in their own words.
The following may be used as a guide for teachers to prompt the learner along.

The opening of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart introduces

Okonkwo, the main character of the story, and the village of
Opening of the Umuofia which he lives. It also shares information about
book
Okonkwo’s personality and how it both differs from and was
shaped by his father Unoka, who was lazy and carefree.

Ikemefuna lives with Okonkwo’s first wife and quickly becomes a

Ikemefuna’s well-loved member of the family. He serves as a role model for
life with the Okonkwo’s eldest son, Nyowe, and over time he also earns
family
Okonkwo’s respect. Ikemefuna comes to call Okonkwo “father”.

The village elders decide that the time has come to kill
Ikemefuna and finally settle the dispute with the neighbouring
village. Okonkwo insists on taking part in the execution, despite
Ikemefuna’s
death the fact that the boy calls him “father”. Ikemefuna’s death harms
the relationship Okonkwo has with Nyowe. His death signals the
start of things falling apart.

The village of Umofia is the symbolic heart of Things Fall Apart,

as well as the setting for much of the novel’s action.
Umofia is patriarchal and run by a council of elders and titled
Life in Umofia men.
and Ezinma’s Ezinma is forced to go with Chielo to Agbala’s house is the
trip
sacred cave. Ekwefi and Okonkwo follow Chielo to the cave,
both very concerned. Chielo refers to Ezinma as “my daughter”,
suggesting a relationship that may lead Chielo to choose
Ezinma as a priestess.

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 Everyone in the village gathers for Ezuedo’s funeral. Okonkwo
Ezuedu’s accidently kills Ezuedo’s son when his gun goes off. Okonkwo’s
funeral and the
death of his accidental killing of a clansman is a crime against the earth
son goddess, and he and his family must leave Umofia for seven
years.
Okonkwo feels that his seven years in exile (in Mbanta) have
been wasted. He feels the loss of exile. He could have risen to
the peak of Umuofian society if he had not been forced into
Time in Mbanta exile.
His uncle explains to him that it was right for him to come to his
motherland in this situation.

Nyowe converts to Christianity because he is disturbed by

various events that have occurred during his lifetime, including
the killing of his foster brother, Ikemefuna and the abandonment
of twins in the Evil Forest. He also wants to reject the excessive
Nyowe’s
conversion standard of masculinity his father wants to uphold. Nyowe jis
not al all like his father, and Okonkwo constantly punishes him
for being different. Stifled by his father’s expectations, Nyowe
runs away and joins the European church.

Christianity divided the Igbo people as some were mesmerised

Christian by the religion and some not. The number of converts grow
influence steadily as they see their traditional beliefs as increasingly
grows
outdated and powerless.

7. STORYBOARD PLOT

 An illustrated, shortened account of the plot summary (25 chapters) has been given in the
learner’s book.
 Teachers need to guide learners through the plot summary so that effective understanding
takes place.
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8. THEMES

 Encourage learners to identify possible themes and expand on them.

Even though Okonkwo often

.
Ritual etiquette exercises his “inflexible will,” fate
between the host and ultimately clashes with and
the guest: They pass a dominates his free will to bring about
kola nut to each other his demise.
until the host finally
breaks it, honouring
their gods and
ancestors

Ponder on the following…

1. How is Okonkwo’s destiny viewed in the
beginning of the book? Why is it seen so
Family is huge in this novel,
positively?
because the family unit was 2. To what extent is Okonkwo’s life governed
very important in Igbo by forces outside his control?
culture. Families are very 3. What deliberate choices does Okonkwo
large in the novel, not stature make that further his path towards self-
but in quantity. destruction?
4. Consider Ikemefuna. How does he, as a
character, epitomize a victim more than
anyone else in the novel?

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 Now, what are your thoughts on the other themes?

9. WORD BANK
 Things Fall Apart contains many words which may be difficult for learners to understand.
 It is therefore imperative for teachers to use the WORD BANK in the learner’s guide to help
them understand the plot of the novel.

10. ANALYSIS OF MAIN CHARACTERS

 The aim of this section is to prompt the learners to build onto the analysis already given.
 Encourage learners to fill in the table correctly.
 Use the following analysis to assist learners.

ANALYSIS OF THE MAIN CHARACTERS

Okonkwo is a self-made, well-respected
member of the Umuofia clan. Though outwardly
stern and powerful, much of his life is dictated
by internal fear. His greatest, overwhelming
worry is that he will become like his father –
lazy, unable to support his family, and cowardly.
Okonkwo considers many of his father’s
characteristics to be feminine.
Much of Okonkwo’s behaviour results from a
reactionary desire to be completely unlike his
father. This means that Okonkwo attempts to
work hard, provide for his family materially, be
brave, and be masculine in every possible way.
As a result, Okonkwo’s becomes successful in
many ways – he becomes very wealthy, holds a
high-ranked position in the community, has
three wives, and is known for his skill as a
wrestler and warrior.

OKONKWO

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 NYOWE Nwoye is Okonkwo’s eldest son who Okonkwo
considers irredeemably effeminate and very
much like his father, Unoka.
As a child, Nwoye is the frequent object of his
father’s criticism and remains emotionally
unfulfilled.

Eventually, Ikemefuna comes to fill that void and

Nwoye, in his adoration of his adoptive brother,
begins to emulate him.
In a strange way, Ikemefuna fills the role of both
father and brother for Nwoye, providing him with
a peer to share his thoughts and a role model.

IKEMEFUNA Ikemefuna is a fifteen-year-old boy from a

neighbouring clan, Mbaino, who is given up to
Umuofia as a sacrifice for killing one of the
women of Umuofia.
He lives with Okonkwo’s family for three years
before the elders order him to be killed. In those
three years, he grows very close to Okonkwo's
family, especially Nwoye.
Okonkwo even prefers him to his true son
Nwoye, considering Ikemefuna to be a
promising, hard-working young man. His
murder, in which Okonkwo takes a part, haunts
Okonkwo throughout the book.

From the very beginning, Ikemefuna is the

ultimate victim; his fate is completely out of his
control since he is taken away by his family so
early in life for a crime which he had no part in,
nor any knowledge of. In his new life, Ikemefuna
is subject to the whims of his new father and the
Umuofia elders, in whose hands his fate
ultimately lies.

Ikemefuna is a prime example of how

Okonkwo’s fear of being like his father –
feminine and cowardly – drives him to make a
poor, regrettable decision. He joins in killing
Ikemefuna because he is afraid of being weak,
yet he is haunted by his decision and it also
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 permanently emotionally distances him from
Nwoye.

UNOKA
Unoka is Okonkwo’s father.
Though he is a talented musician, he is lazy and
irresponsible, falling into debt and bringing
shame upon his family.
Unoka’s bad reputation in Umuofia haunts
Okonkwo throughout the novel. However, Unoka
did not intentionally set out to defame his family,
he just seemed to find no pleasure in anything
but leisure, parties, and music.
Passion for music occupies Unoka’s world more
than anything and he finds his greatest joy
playing his flute at festivals. What Unoka can’t
seem to bring himself to do is work – despite his
family nearly starving and his massive list of
unpaid debts.

OBRIEKA
Obierika is Okonkwo’s best friend and also a
respected man in Umuofia.
He often offers reasonable counterpoints to
Okonkwo’s desire for rash action, although
Okonkwo rarely takes his friend’s advice.
More than any other character, Obierika is a
thinking man, one who works things out in his
head.
He is one of the few characters who is truly
concerned with moral ambiguities and he
encourages Okonkwo to view the world in a
more balanced and less hasty manner.

EKWEFI
Ekwefi is Okonkwo’s second wife.
Once a village beauty, she ran away from her
home and husband to marry Okonkwo. She was
smitten with Okonkwo when he beat the
notorious Cat in a legendary wrestling match.
Though it’s kind of romantic that Ekwefi ran
away and eloped with Okonkwo, it turns out he’s
not Prince Charming. Ekwefi, like Okonkwo’s
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 other two wives, suffers quite a bit under his
forceful and aggressive rule of the household.
At one point, just because he was in a bad
mood, Okonkwo beat Ekwefi badly and even
threatened to kill her with his gun.
Regardless, Ekwefi is the most spirited of
Okonkwo’s wives and frequently stands up to
him and talks back.

EZINMA Ezinma is Okonkwo’s eldest daughter and

Ekwefi’s only child.
The girl has a very close relationship with her
mother, and she is her father’s favourite child.
Okonkwo – being a man who basically only
values masculine qualities – strongly wishes that
Ezinma had been born a boy, which, from his
frame of mind, shows how much he loves and
values her.

11. ANSWERING EXAM TYPE QUESTIONS

11.1 LITERARY ESSAY
Consult previous JIT documents to help you with the teaching of the literary essay.

 Learners must be taught how to write the literary essay question.

 Discuss INTRODUCTION, BODY AND CONCLUSION.
 Discuss THEME STATEMENT.
 Discuss the important points made in the body of the essay.
 Discuss the CONCLUSION.

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  Use the PEEL method in your teaching.
 P – POINT (state your point)
 E – EVIDENCE (provide evidence)
 E – EXPLANATION (offer an explanation)
 L – LINK (link to the next point/paragraph/main idea/topic.
 Build on vocabulary needed to write the literary essay.
 Build on a bank of linking words to allow a natural flow of the essay.
 Guide learners to write the body and conclusion of the essay.

TOPIC
In a carefully planned essay of 350–400 words (1½–2 pages) in length,
critically discuss to what extent the title of the novel is reflected in
Okonkwo’s life and the lives of the villagers.

STEP 1: Unpacking the topic

 Every word in the topic must be analysed.

 This step cannot be rushed through.
 Navigate through STEP 1: UNPACKING THE TOPIC in the learner’s guide thoroughly.

 A sample introduction is given to learners in the learner’s guide. They may use it to start writing their
essay.

STEP 2: PLANNING

 Planning is vitally important, especially for the struggling learner.

 Teach learners the process of writing:
 mind-mapping
 drafting
 editing
 final essay

Marking Guideline
 The title is a clear indication of the ‘fall’ of Okonkwo and of the relatively
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 peaceful and regulated village life shared by the clans.
 Okonkwo grows up in a home where his father’s gentle nature and
laziness caused him humiliation and shame. He is determined not to be
his father’s child.
 He believes that his ‘inflexible will’ is a necessary and admirable quality,
and that it is the only way to become successful.
 To achieve this, he becomes a forbidding husband and father. He
cannot show any emotion other than dissatisfaction with his family, or
rage at their ‘faults’ and simple demands. ‘To show affection was a sign
of weakness’ is his mantra.
 He severely beats up his wife and her child when he suspects that she
had cut banana leaves. Afterwards, he shoots the same wife because
she muttered something about his use of guns. He is extremely violent,
and does not know how else to make himself count except through
punishment and bullying.
 Okonkwo places his hopes on his son Nwoye to be his successor, yet
Nwoye is unlike his father. He does not enjoy listening to his father’s
stories about war and brave men; instead, he prefers his mother’s
gentle stories and songs. Okonkwo’s severity causes Nwoye to be a
‘sad-faced youth’.
 Okonkwo regards his son as ‘despicable’, ‘effeminate’ and an
‘abomination’. He cannot hide his deep resentment and disappointment
in Nwoye. He feels even more betrayed when Mr Kiaga is instrumental
in making a Christian convert out of Nwoye – things are indeed falling
apart. He distances himself with distinction from his ‘weak’ father, but
faces a son who probably has more in common with his father Unoka
than with him, the strong leader, father, husband, etc.
 He dotes on his favourite child, ironically a daughter, called Ezinma. He
wishes that she were a boy, because he sees in her a kindred spirit. His
rejection of Nwoye, because he is ‘effeminate’ and therefore inadequate,
is somewhat ameliorated by the presence of his very feminine daughter.
The irony is almost sublime.
 The arrival of Europeans disrupts the villagers’ lives dramatically and

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 permanently. The missionaries appear to be kind and non-judgemental,
but they introduce a religion that is contrary to all beliefs that are held
dearly by clans. It causes a rift, because missionaries also bring with
them western education.
 Mr Brown appears to understand that African religious beliefs and the
Christian faith share commonalities. His replacement (Rev. James
Smith) is the worst kind – he regards all things African as inferior,
primitive, base and objectionable.
 With the District Commissioner, Rev. Smith is keen to get rid of all that
which represents Ibo religion and culture, and to replace it with
whatever version of Western ideas and beliefs they purport. They are
arrogant and dangerous.
 With an increasing number of the clansmen and -women openly
professing their new-found Christianity, traditionalists such as
Okonkwo are horrified at the betrayal. Their rigid belief system does
not allow them to consider change. They are threatened by the White
man’s power.
 Nwoye and Obierika are able to distance themselves from the rigid and
relentless traditions and superstitions that are often deadly and cruel.
They are more flexible and agreeable. They will probably endure the
colonial invasion.
 But the arrival of rapacious whites will forever undo the orderly and
happy existence that the clans knew.
 In the same way that Okonkwo destroys himself because he cannot
accept and change, the villagers will be destroyed and humiliated by
colonialism and corruption. They will ‘fall apart’ in no uncertain terms.

11.2 CONTEXTUAL QUESTIONS

 The contextual questions are laid out in such a way that learners are able to unpack the
question properly before attempting to answer them.
 Guide learners through the question first.
 They must understand the meanings of the instructional verb/s in the question.
 They must understand the meanings of other words in the questions.

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 Then, they must understand what the question is asking of them.
 The examples given in the learner’s guide shows all of the above in steps.
 It also shows the learner how to answer the question to attain the maximum mark for that
question.

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12. CROSSWORD PUZZLE

T F A 0 1 - 2 5 C R O S SWO R D P U Z Z L E
Things Fall Apart
1 2

3 4 5

6 7

8 9 10

11 12 13

14 15

16

17 18

19

20

21 22

23

24

25

26

27

28

Across Down
2. Twins are put in pots and left to die in the . 1. The white men cannot be driven away because they have
6. The clan stops the white church after the man who changed the tribe’s .
killed a sacred python dies. 2. “A proud man can accept if it applies to everyone.”
8. The white men build their church in the 3. During the , the Ibo clan
. (2 words) does not tolerate any acts of violence. (3 words)
11. The violates both sets of laws in his 4. Okonkwo doesn’t want others to join the church because of the
treatment of the Umuofia leaders. (2 words) clan’s . (2 words)
14. Okonkwo’s father, Unoka, is a[n] .
5. Who are the central figures in tribal weddings?
17. The kotma are who increase the fines to keep some
money themselves. 7. The white men assume the Umuofia people did not have a
religion or a[n] .
19. Okonkwo’s greatest flaw is .
9. Osu are village who join the white church.
20. The name of the village Okonkwo flees to because of the killing
22. Chielo, the , takes Ezinma in the middle of the night. 10. Nwoye is intrigued by the because of his discontent
with his own religion.
23. Every man is believed to have a[n] chi.
12. considers Okonkwo a father figure.
24. The Abame clan ties a[n] to a tree like a horse.
25. Ani is the goddess of earth and . 13. Mr. Brown encourages the clan to themselves in
order to attain power.
26. If a man consults with his wife, he will be perceived as being
. 15. Families use to measure the bride price.
27. Okonkwo achieves fame through this. 16. is another word for hut.
28. Ibo culture is “inferior” to white culture only in terms of 18. A measure of wealth
. 21. “[A] man who pays to the great paves the way for
his own greatness.”

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 ANSWER KEY
Across Down.
2. FOREST 1. CUSTOMS
6. SANCTIONING 2.FAILURE
8. EVIL FOREST 3.WEEK OF PEACE
11.DISTRICT COMMISSIONER 4. ANCESTOR WORKSHIP
14. DEBTOR 5. WOMEN
17. MESSENGERS 7. GOVERNMENT
19. PRIDE 9.OUTCASTS
20.MBANTA 10.MISSIONARIES
22. PRIESTESS 12.IKEMEFUNA
23.PERSONAL 13.EDUCATE
24.BICYCLE 15.BROOMSTICKS
25.FETILITY 16.OBI
26.WEAK 18.YAMS
27. WRESTLING 21. RESPECT
28. TECHNOLOGY

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13. REFERENCES

1. https://www.jahkente.org/
2. https://www.newyorker.com/puzzles-and-games-
dept/crossword/introducing-the-new-yorker-crossword-puzzle
3. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Igbo
4. https://studyfy.com/literature-study-guides/things-fall-apart-
summary#:~:text=%E2%80%8DPart%201,important%20man%20in%2
0his%20tribe
5. https://akaroneschobbs.yolasite.com/things-fall-apart.php
6. https://www.slideshare.net/monikamakwana5/themes-in-things-fall-
apart-229455030
7. https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/things-fall-apart/ikemefuna.html
8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=tzZBM14C1hQ
9. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000mstv
10. https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/t/things-fall-apart/summary-and-
analysis/part-1-chapter-11
11. https://www.bartleby.com/essay/What-Is-The-Significance-Of-
Christianity-In-PCK584ZNN3B
12. Storyboardthata.co
13. Chinua Achebe "Things Fall Apart" Summary and Plot Overview |
14. Freytag's Pyramid and the Three-Act Plot Structure
15. The World Of The Ogbanje - eHRAF World Cultures
16. egwugwu - Google Search

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