Things Fall Apart: Ikemefuna Falls Apart

In Things Fall Apart, Ikemefuna is given to the Igbo community of Umuofia as a payment from a different village in order to not have a war. Ikemefuna, however, brings about a different outlook on life, a perhaps unexpected persona when he is given to Okonkwo to watch over. This is because Ikemefuna eventually finds favor in his owner's heart almost like a son. He is very smart and has interesting uses for many things and soon enough is accepted within the Okonkwo house. "He could fashion out flutes from bamboo stems and even from the elephant grass. He knew the names of all the birds and could set clever traps for the little bush rodents. And he knew which trees made the strongest bows," (Achebe 28). Nwoye, Okonkwo's son is especially taken away by his new "brother," as he learns many things from him including stories.

The significance of Ikemefuna in the Oknokwo household is challenged after the decision of the Oracle that states he must be killed. At a certain point, Oknokwo allowed Ikemefuna to join him in village meetings, and feasts at times just like any son would do. This shows that Ikemefuna not being Okonkwo's real son, and in the bigger picture not being an actual member of the Igbo community of Umuofia has won a certain acceptance in the heart of whom he calls "father." However, this is challenged once the Oracle gives order to have Ikemefuna killed. Chapter seven goes on telling of the loss of Ikemefuna and the way it completely impacts Okonkwo. "He heard Ikemefuna cry, "My father, they have killed me!" as he ran towards him. Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought weak," (Achebe 61). The life of Ikemefuna who made himself known and favored in the Okonkwo household (especially with Okonkwo and Nwoye) ended with Okonkwo's machete.


The impact of Ikemefuna's death took a toll on Okonkwo and Nwoye as the loss seemed to close to blood (family). Nwoye felt like he had lost a brother, as Okonkwo felt like he lost a son. Nwoye new something was not right when his father returned from, "taking Ikemefuna back to his home." "As soon as his father walked in, that night, Nwoye knew that Ikemefuna had been killed, and something seemed to give way inside him, like the snapping of a tightened bow," (Achebe 61). The loss of a brother for Nwoye made him weak and heavy. Nwoye learned a lot from his "brother," as he taught him new and different things, and who made him feel stronger as a person, as a man. "He was like an elder brother to Nwoye, and from the very first seemed to have kindled a new fire in the younger boy," (Achebe 52). Okonkwo admired Ikemefuna and wished that Nwoye would be like him, clever and strong. And as the time went by he noticed Nwoye developing more like a man and this due to Ikemefuna. The difficult part for Okonkwo is that he could not show any sign of pain because it displays weakness, although his sleepless nights continuously reminded him of the boy who was like a son to him. "He did not sleep at night. He tried not to think about Ikemefuna, but the more he tried the more he thought about him," (Achebe 63). Okonkwo being a stubborn and prideful man, or a "macho man," could not and did not ever display emotion as it meant weakness; and his character as we learn keeps the firm hand on the outside although, the inside is constantly battling with different emotion and thought. Thus, Ikemefuna's death displays the emotional impact on Okonkwo through his sleepless nights, as he is not at peace. In reference to Ikemefuna, "He grew rapidly like a yam tendril in the rainy season, and was full of the sap of life. He had become wholly absorbed into his new family," (Achebe 52). His character impacted the Okonkwo house as a brother, a son, and as a different seed of life.