Why does Okonkwo wish Ezinma were a girl (p. 172)? Characterize the relationship between Obierika and Okonkwo. Compare the tribesmen's own complaints about their customs with the white man's (p. 176).
Notice two lines at the end of the novel: ". . . shouted one of the messengers, quite unnecessarily" and "Yes, sah," the messenger said, saluting" (p.208). Think about the importance of speech at the beginning of the novel. What is Achebe saying about speech, about custom, and about meaning?
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