Significance of Ikemefuna episode in Things Fall Apart

Chinua Achebe in Things Fall Apart shows the murder of a young innocent boy named Ikemefuna as an emblem of sacrifice before Umofia earth Gods.Ikemefuna’s death foreshadows,as well as initiates the downfall of the Umofia clan in Ibo village.His death deeply affects Okonkwo,who serves as a metonymic figure and an epitome of the clan.,as he experiences consecutive series of physical and psychological deterioration,eventually leading to his gruesome suicide ,which inevitably marks the collapse of Umofia.

After a woman of the Umuofia tribe is killed at Mbaino village’s market, the Mbaino tribe offers Ikemefuna to Umuofia as recompense for their crime. Ikemefuna comes to Umuofia during the Week of Peace.Ikemefuna is put under Okonkwo’s care indefinitely and lives with Okonkwo’s family for three years.

While living with Okonkwo, Ikemefuna becomes like a son to Okonkwo. In fact, he is more of a son than Nwoye is. Ikemefuna is talented. He is hard working. He is a great hunter. Okonkwo admires Ikemefuna. He realizes that Ikemefuna is a good role model for Nwoye. Ikemefuna teaches Nwoye how to be a man.Okonkwo begins loving Ikemefuna as his very own son. Okonkwo truly appreciates Ikemefuna for teaching Nwoye to be a man.

Okonkwo takes part in killing Ikemefuna. Even though Okonkwo was warned not to take part, he does so. This leads to severe consequences for Okonkwo. Okonkwo cannot sleep at night. He cannot eat. Most importantly, Okonkwo's killing of Ikemefuna drives a wedge between Nwoye and himself. Nwoye cannot accept the tradition of killing Ikemefuna. Nwoye cannot believe his father would take part and kill Ikemefuna.From this point in the story, Nwoye begins questioning the customs and traditions of his tribe. It is a foreshadowing of things to come. Nwoye leaves his father's home and join the Christians. Ikemefuna's death opened Nwoye's eyes to the senselessness of killing an innocent young man.

Okonkwo's participation in Ikemefuna's death is a type of foreshadowing of Okonkwo's death. When Okonkwo has fear, he kills. He killed Ikemefuna out of fear of being called weak like his father Unoka. Again, when Okonkwo has fear that his clan will not go to war and drive out the white Christians, he gives in to fear and hangs himself. Okonkwo is not as strong as he tries to make everyone believe. In his greatest moments of fear, he reacts violently.