Chapter Twenty Three Flashcards
What is revealed about the kind of person the District Commissioner is when he calls Okonkwo and five other men to talk with him?
it is revealed that he is a condescending and dismissive figure. The District Commissioner,
representing the colonial administration, sees the indigenous people as inferior and treats them
with disdain. He perceives Okonkwo and the others as backward and uncivilized, viewing their
customs and traditions through a colonial lens that lacks cultural understanding and sensitivity.
The encounter highlights the arrogance and paternalistic attitude of the colonial authorities,
foreshadowing the broader theme of the dehumanizing impact of European imperialism on the
indigenous peoples of Africa.
How do the kotma (court messengers) treat Okonkwo and the other men? What do they demand from the village?
the kotma, or court messengers representing the colonial administration, treat Okonkwo and
the other men with arrogance and disrespect. They demand that the villagers, including
Okonkwo and his associates, gather for a meeting. During the meeting, the kotma demand a fine
from the village, which the villagers are required to pay as part of the punishment for killing the
court messenger. The kotma embody the oppressive nature of the colonial rule, exercising their
authority without regard for the local customs and traditions. The demands and actions of the
kotma contribute to the growing resentment and resistance within the village against the
encroachment of the colonial administration.
