Lecture Notes: Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart (Part One, Chapter 12)

Key Events

Chielo Returns Ezinma: Chielo returns Ezinma to Okonkwo's compound in the morning.
- Okonkwo is anxious and hasn't slept all night.
- He made multiple trips to the cave before finding Ekwefi there.
Preparations for Betrothal Ceremony: The village prepares for Obierika's daughter's betrothal ceremony.
- Obierika bought a giant goat from a far-off market to present to his in-laws.
- Villagers prepare food for the ceremony.
- Incident: A cow gets loose, and the women run to retrieve it.
Arrival of In-Laws: Obierika's in-laws arrive with 50 pots of wine.
- The feast includes toasts, singing, and dancing.
- The bride dances and the crowd cheers.
- The bride leaves with her suitor's family, visiting prominent people who give them gifts.

Okonkwo's Concern: Despite typical stoic behavior, Okonkwo's all-night vigil shows his deep care for Ezinma and his family.
Communal Spirit: The betrothal ceremony highlights the communal spirit.
- Community functions as one big family.
- Cooperation in preparing the feast, retrieving the cow, contributing wine, and giving gifts.
Marketplace Symbolism: The large, crowded marketplace where the goat is bought symbolizes negative elements of commercialism.
- Contrast between the unsavory, thief-filled market and the family/community-focused marriage celebration.
- Superstition about thieves using