Things Fall Apart Okonkwo Quotes

When the moon is shining the cripple becomes hungry for a walk

There is no story that is not true, […] The world has no end, and what is good among one people is an abomination with others.

A man who calls his kinsmen to a feast does not do so to save them from starving. They all have food in their own homes. When we gather together in the moonlit village ground it is not because of the moon. Every man can see it in his own compound. We come together because it is good for kinsmen to do so.

We shall all live. We pray for life, children, a good harvest and happiness. You will have what is good for you and I will have what is good for me. Let the kite perch and let the egret
perch too. If one says no to the other, let his wing break.

No matter how prosperous a man was, if he was unable to rule his women and his children (and especially his women) he was not really a man.

Let the kite perch and let the eagle perch too – If one says no to the other, let his wing break.

The sun will shine on those who stand before it shines on those who kneel under them.

The falcon cannot hear the falconer

We have heard stories about white men who make the powerful guns and the strong drinks and took slaves away across the seas, but no one thought the stories were true.

The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.

There is no story that is not true.

An old woman is always uneasy when dry bones are mentioned in a proverb

If I hold her hand she says, ‘Don’t touch!’ If I hold her foot she says ‘Don’t touch!’ But when I hold her waist-beads she pretends not to know.

You might as well say that the woman lies on top of the man when they are making the babies.

If a child washed his hands, he could eat with kings.

At the most one could say that his chi or … personal god was good. But the Ibo people have a proverb that when a man says yes his chi says yes also. Okonkwo said yes very strongly; so his chi agreed.

The world is large,” said Okonkwo. “I have even heard that in some tribes a man’s children belong to his wife and her family.” “That cannot be,” said Machi. “You might as well say that the woman lies on top of the man when they are making the babies.