Okoye left without his money.ĭespite his father's shameful reputation, Okonkwo is now highly respected in Umuofia, which honors individual achievement rather than family heritage. He told Okoye that tradition required him to repay his largest debts before repaying small ones like his debt to Okoye. Unoka burst into laughter and pointed to the wall on which he recorded his debts. Okoye needed the money for the ceremony in which he would purchase the third highest title of honor. After the traditional ceremonial courtesies and small talk, Okoye asked Unoka for the two hundred cowries that Unoka had borrowed two years earlier. The story is told about the day, years ago, when Unoka was visited by Okoye, a successful neighbor. Even though he had a family to care for, Unoka frequently borrowed money and then squandered it on palm-wine and merrymaking with his neighbors, thus neglecting his family who barely had enough to eat. He is known to be quickly angered, especially when dealing with unsuccessful men like his father, who died ten years ago deeply in debt.īecause of Unoka's laziness and wastefulness, the community had considered him a failure and laughingstock he was a continual source of deep shame to Okonkwo.
Since then, Okonkwo's reputation as a wrestler has grown throughout the nine villages of Umuofia. About twenty years ago, Okonkwo distinguished himself and brought honor to his village when he wrestled and threw to the ground Amalinze the Cat, a man who had not been defeated for seven years. Okonkwo is a respected leader within the Igbo (formerly spelled Ibo) community of Umuofia in eastern Nigeria. Set around the turn of the century, the novel focuses first on the hero of the book, Okonkwo, and on his late father, Unoka.
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