Things Fall Apart Envelope Topics

Things Fall Apart Envelope Topics

Created by Marie Miller

Instructions: As you read the novel, be alert to passages and quotations that address,or are relevant to, the topic below. On index cards or pieces of paper, citeor paraphrase the quotation, including page and chapter number, speaker name, and the context (what was going on at the time), so that you will be able to locate the passage at a later date. Place the index cards or slips of paper in the envelope and bring to class each day.

Topic 1: Fear and superstitions are pervasive throughout the novel. How does fear affect the actions of the Ibo community? Okonkwo? Of Nwoye? How does fear influence Okonkwo's relationship with others?

Instructions: As you read the novel, be alert to passages and quotations that address, or are relevant to, the topic below. On index cards or pieces of paper, cite or paraphrase the quotation, including page and chapter number, speaker name, and the context (what was going on at the time), so that you will be able to locate the passage at a later date. Place the index cards or slips of paper in the envelope and bring to class each day.

Topic 2: Achebe's characters tell traditional folk tales and intersperse their conversation with Igbo words, phrases and proverbs/sayings. How do these tales and proverbs reinforce the meaning of the story and what do they suggest about Igbo culture, traditions, and values?

Instructions: As you read the novel, be alert to passages and quotations that address, or are relevant to, the topic below. On index cards or pieces of paper, cite or paraphrase the quotation, including page and chapter number, speaker name, and the context (what was going on at the time), so that you will be able to locate the passage at a later date. Place the index cards or slips of paper in the envelope and bring to class each day.

Topic 3: The novel frequently contrasts ideas of the feminine with what is considered to be masculine, either by Okonkwo or by the Ibo community. What behavior or attitudes does Okonkwo consider to be masculine? What is the role of women in the community? How are marriages arranged and how is family life organized? How does the extended family structure support Okonkwo, especially in part 2?

Instructions: As you read the novel, be alert to passages and quotations that address, or are relevant to, the topic below. On index cards or pieces of paper, cite or paraphrase the quotation, including page and chapter number, speaker name, and the context (what was going on at the time), so that you will be able to locate the passage at a later date. Place the index cards or slips of paper in the envelope and bring to class each day.

Topic 4: Throughout the novel Ibo religious beliefs are mentioned, such as the influence of one’s chi, ancestor worship, and the pervading influence of the Oracle of the Hills and Caves. Examine Ibo religious beliefs and practices and how they influence Ibo practices and, ultimately, the conflict with the Europeans.

Instructions: As you read the novel, be alert to passages and quotations that address, or are relevant to, the topic below. On index cards or pieces of paper, cite or paraphrase the quotation, including page and chapter number, speaker name, and the context (what was going on at the time), so that you will be able to locate the passage at a later date. Place the index cards or slips of paper in the envelope and bring to class each day.

Topic 5: Explore how Ibo life is structured and organized. What important ceremonies do they celebrate and what is their purpose? How does farming influence their lives? How do the Ibo resolve disputes? How do these traditions come in conflict with the European culture?

Instructions: As you read the novel, be alert to passages and quotations that address, or are relevant to, the topic below. On index cards or pieces of paper, cite or paraphrase the quotation, including page and chapter number, speaker name, and the context (what was going on at the time), so that you will be able to locate the passage at a later date. Place the index cards or slips of paper in the envelope and bring to class each day.

Topic 6: Consider how father/son conflicts shape the character of Okonkwo and later contribute to his downfall, as well as how father/son conflicts contribute to the character development and fates of Nwoye and Ikemefuna. How do the family tensions depicted in the novel reflect the breakdown of Ibo society as Christianity takes hold?

Instructions: As you read the novel, be alert to passages and quotations that address, or are relevant to, the topic below. On index cards or pieces of paper, cite or paraphrase the quotation, including page and chapter number, speaker name, and the context (what was going on at the time), so that you will be able to locate the passage at a later date. Place the index cards or slips of paper in the envelope and bring to class each day.

Topic 7: Examine the clash of cultures between the Ibo and the white colonizers. As the new religion takes hold, what aspects of Ibo religion and culture are threatened? How do the Christians establish footholds in Mbanta and Umuofia and attract elements of the Ibo society?How do the new legal, religious, and governmental practices and institutions differ from and threaten those that preceded them?