Chapter Nine Flashcards
How is Ezinma special to Okonkwo and Ekwefi?
Ezinma is special to both Okonkwo and Ekwefi for different reasons. For Okonkwo, Ezinma is a
source of pride. She is the only one of his children who truly understands him and shares his
ambitious and determined nature. Her intelligence, resourcefulness, and strong-willed
personality make her the child Okonkwo wishes he had in terms of embodying the qualities he
values. He sees in her the potential for greatness and often wishes that she were a boy so that
she could fulfill the role he had envisioned for his male children. For Ekwefi, Ezinma is not only
her daughter but also her only surviving child from her union with Okonkwo. Ekwefi lost many
children in infancy, and her deep affection for Ezinma is heightened by the pain of those losses.
The mother-daughter relationship is portrayed as close and supportive, with Ekwefi being highly
protective of Ezinma. They share a unique bond that is a central and emotionally significant
aspect of the novel.
What does Okagbue, the medicine man, have a young Ezinma do? Why?
Okagbue, the medicine man, has young Ezinma carry a pot of coals and a banana leaf to his hut
during the wrestling match to test her spiritual potential. This act is believed to determine if she
is the one fit to serve the powerful Oracle of the Hills, as only a child with the right spiritual
qualities would be able to carry the pot of coals without being burned.
