Things Fall Apart: Chapter 15

The chapter begins as Obierika pays Okonkwo a visit during his second year of exile. Obierika brings not only bags of cowries, but bad news as well; the village of Abame has been destroyed. According to Obierika, a white man arrived in the village on an "iron horse." It was prophesied by the Oracle that this man would be followed by others, and therefore bring along with him destruction. Afraid of the repercussions of their actions if they did not do something about this matter, the villagers killed the white man and tied his "iron horse," or bicycle, to their sacred tree in hopes of getting rid of any of the ties he had with the whites. One day, a group of white men discovered this and expected the worst. As "revenge," the Abame market was destroyed as well as the Abame community. Uchendu adds to the story that the white man said nothing, or that he said things that the villagers did not understand. He then criticizes the people of Abame, saying, "There is nothing to fear from someone who shouts. Those men of Abame were fools" (140). Okonkwo agrees that the villagers were fools, but that they should have listened to the Oracle and armed themselves. What does Okonkwo's view on this topic now show us about his character that we wouldn't have realized earlier? Are the qualities that make up his character commonly used to describe those of the fundamental Igbo values? (245)