In Things Fall Apart, the main character Okonkwo is exiled from his tribe. Even though he is a successful man in accruing wealth from his yam farm, Okonkwo has trouble balancing his emotions and he is violent and angry most of the time. When he accidentally shoots and kills an elder's son during a funeral, the Earth Goddess Ani decides to banish Okonkwo from his village. Ani is already angry at Okonkwo because he is violent with his family. Also, he has killed Ikemefuna who was his adopted son. Even though Okonkwo is warned not to take part in the killing of Ikemefuna, Okonkwo is afraid of appearing weak so he murders Ikemefuna. Ultimately, Okonkwo kills the son of an elder as his gun explodes. This is an action that is punished by exiling a tribe member.
Okonkwo’s immoral actions affect the community. During the funeral rite for the elder Ezeudu, Okonkwo’s gun accidentally explodes, killing Ezeudu’s son.
Because Okonkwo has a list of crimes, the Earth Goddess Ani banishes Okonkwo for seven years. He has to go and live in his mother's village. Ani cannot allow Okonkwo to corrupt his village with his angry actions:
His irrational actions are destroying the moral fabric of traditional life. Therefore, Ani banishes Okonkwo to Mbanta, his mother’s village, for seven years.
In his mother's village, Okonkwo will be in touch with his feminine side as he learns the feminine principle to honor his mother's nurturing love. Okonkwo is banished to learn how to become a balanced man who understands the supremacy of his mother's feminine qualities.
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