Things Fall Apart: Chapters 14–19

by Chinua Achebe
Centered around Okonkwo, an Igbo leader who is banished from his community, this novel explores the tension between white missionaries and tribal culture in Nigeria.

Here are links to all our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–3, Chapters 4–8, Chapters 9–13, Chapters 14–19, Chapters 20–25
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. requisite
    necessary for relief or supply
    And he arranged the requisite rites and sacrifices.
  2. diffuse
    spread through
    A vague scent of life and green vegetation was diffused in the air.
  3. ominous
    threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
    There is something ominous behind the silence.
  4. derisive
    expressing contempt or ridicule
    When this was interpreted to the men of Mbanta they broke into derisive laughter. These men must be mad, they said to themselves.
  5. rollicking
    given to merry frolicking
    Then the missionaries burst into song. It was one of those gay and rollicking tunes of evangelism which had the power of plucking at silent and dusty chords in the heart of an Ibo man.
  6. evangelism
    zealous preaching and advocacy of the gospel
    Then the missionaries burst into song. It was one of those gay and rollicking tunes of evangelism which had the power of plucking at silent and dusty chords in the heart of an Ibo man.
  7. callow
    young and inexperienced
    Nwoye's callow mind was greatly puzzled.
  8. persevere
    be persistent, refuse to stop
    It was not very easy getting the men of high title and the elders together after the excitement of the first day. But the missionaries persevered, and in the end they were received by the rulers of Mbanta.
  9. enormity
    the quality of extreme wickedness
    Now that he had time to think of it, his son's crime stood out in its stark enormity.
  10. annihilation
    destruction by obliterating something
    Suppose when he died all his male children decided to follow Nwoye's steps and abandon their ancestors? Okonkwo felt a cold shudder run through him at the terrible prospect, like the prospect of annihilation.
  11. degenerate
    unrestrained by convention or morality
    How then could he have begotten a son like Nwoye, degenerate and effeminate?
  12. adherent
    someone who believes and helps to spread a doctrine
    The two outcasts shaved off their hair, and soon they were the strongest adherents of the new faith.
  13. blaspheme
    speak of in an irreverent or impious manner
    When a man blasphemes, what do we do? Do we go and stop his mouth? No. We put our fingers into our ears to stop us hearing.
  14. ostracize
    expel from a community or group
    Everybody in the assembly spoke, and in the end it was decided to ostracize the Christians.
  15. wherewithal
    the necessary means (especially financial means)
    I am calling a feast because I have the wherewithal.
Created on Fri Mar 22 18:17:59 EDT 2013 (updated Tue Jul 01 13:19:49 EDT 2025)

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