Notes on Things Fall Apart - Part 2, Chapter 16

Summary

• Time Skip: Two years have passed since the events of the previous chapter.
• Missionaries in Umufia: Missionaries have built a church in Umufia and converted some villagers to Christianity.
• Elders' Reaction: The elders are displeased but believe the new religion will not last.
• Nwoye's Conversion: Obeirika notices Nwoye among the converts and wants to inform Okonkwo, who refuses to discuss his son.

Key Events

• Arrival of Missionaries in Mbanta:
  • One white man and six converts arrive.
  • The white man speaks through an interpreter, leading to comical misunderstandings.
  • The white man criticizes Igbo gods and promotes the Holy Trinity, urging conversion.
  • Promise of technological benefits, like iron horses.
  • Okonkwo dismisses the missionaries as crazy.

Nwoye's Perspective

• Intrigue: Nwoye is fascinated by the missionaries.
• Personal Struggle: The hymn answers a deep, persistent question in his soul.
• Relief and Breakaway: Christianity provides relief and a way to break from his father, especially after the traumatic killing of Ikemafuna.
• Rejection of Okonkwo: Nwoye denies Okonkwo as his father, showing his complete conversion.

Themes and Character Analysis

• Obeirika vs. Okonkwo: Obeirika understands and questions societal norms, urging patience with Nwoye, unlike the impatient Okonkwo.
• Spread of Christianity: The missionaries are compared to locusts, initially few but eventually spreading and infiltrating the clan.

Symbolism

• Locusts: The spread of missionaries compared to the locust invasion, symbolizing a slow but inevitable change.

Conclusion

• The chapter highlights Nwoye's conversion, his internal conflicts, and the broader impact of missionaries on Igbo society.