In the novel Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo committed a crime and had to leave the village for seven years. After he arrived back to Umuoafia, he saw that the white men have changed a lot of things and many of his kinsmen joined the white men.
I am writing this task as an alternative ending to Things Fall Apart novel. I chose this because I thought that another ending to this novel will make some people wake from their sleeping and defend for themselves and their countries.
The purpose of this alternative ending is to inform that nothing is going to change if you just stand spectating the terrorism. I also want to tell that every man needs to be responsible for his village and himself.
My audience for this is people who just let other people take their place and kill whoever disobeys them. These are located in every place that has terrorism.
I think I succeeded in my purpose because I did all that I think will help inspire the oppressed people to claim their rights and never let anyone steal them. I did this by showing how Okonkwo didn’t just let the white men do whatever they wanted, but he led his village to victory and peace spread once again in Umuoafia.
Alternative Ending
In a flash, Okonkwo drew his matchet. The messenger crouched to avoid the blow. It was useless. Okonkwo’s matchet descended twice and the man’s head lay beside his uninformed body.
The other messengers were rushing to escape, but they were surrounded and captured by Umuoafia. Okonkwo saluted the crowd again and told them how he was proud of what they did. He dismissed them and asked the leaders of the clan to stay for a plan.
***
Meanwhile, in the court-house, the district commissioner was wondering why the messengers were late. The court-house was a great building with a high table for the commissioner and some doors in which his men are working.
The commissioner was thinking about the messengers when one of them hurried in fright. “Our chief has been killed” he began breathless. “My companions have been captured and will be killed unless all the white men retreat from Nigeria in three days”.
The commissioner didn’t show a sign of fear, but he was indeed. He was afraid that the men of Umuoafia regain their courage. He called for his interpreter to decide their next action.
***
In the dark, murky night, Okonkwo stared at the stars and he was thinking of what the commissioner will do. However, he wandered more about his village’s reaction. He lay with a satisfied heart.
In the next morning, Okonkwo called for the men of Umuoafia to a meeting in the market place. He bellowed the like always and then began his speech.
“As you all know, the district commissioner can come here any time and can murder or kidnap anybody. Therefore, you should not let any kids or women go anywhere without any adult near them and every adult should have a matchet and a gun for self defense. We can’t let these racist people beat us and take over our village”.
The crowd replied like roaring lions:”YAAAH”. They regained their courage after what happened and didn’t want to make another mistake which will make it their clan’s end.
During the afternoon, Alfredo’s wives were washing clothes near the river and his sons were playing and swimming peacefully. And suddenly, a white man rushed towards one of the kids when Alfredo stepped out from the shade and shot the white man who collapsed like a dying flower.
Alfredo was Okonkwo’s friendly neighbor. He was a strong man who once accompanied Okonkwo in his training. He had strong arms, fast legs and white hair.
Soon after killing the white man, Alfredo hurried to tell Okonkwo about it. His women and children went to their house. Okonkwo told all the families to stay inside their houses to ensure safety. However, he asked adults and leaders to watch the area near the river and kill every white man that passes.
The district commissioner sent other men from a different entrance from the river. They went immediately to Okonkwo’s obi and captured his two young daughters as hostages. The soldiers then went to the river and warned the men hidden there:”If you don’t drop your weapons, Okonkwo’s daughters will die”.
Okonkwo signaled to the others to throw their matchets away and show themselves. Twelve men appeared from behind the trees and from the shade. They all were bowed in surrender. The white men ordered Okonkwo to let the messengers free and his daughters will be free. He did as they wished.
When they opened the jail, the men of Umuoafia jumped like panthers and took the daughters of Okonkwo then pushed the messengers into the jail. Okonkwo planned for this and knew that it would happen. He thought about every single mistake that he could make and avoided it by planning. All he did until now was according to plan.
Okonkwo didn’t want to think of Nwoye anymore. He considered him as a traitor and wanted to kill him. “How could my son be an Agbala?” He thought. But he also remembered Ikemefuna. “If only he hasn’t died, Nwoye would have been like me. I was a foolish person when I killed him. But nothing will change now”.
The district commissioner didn’t think that Okonkwo was this clever. He had done things easier in Okonkwo’s absence. He didn’t dare to do more than that so he retreated from the village and went to his master in Umuro. “Please, master, don’t make me go to that fearful place again” He asked with a bowed head.
Umuoafia released the messengers when they knew that the commissioner has left. Umuoafia returned as it once was. Okonkwo was the strongest man and he ruled Umuoafia with a heavy hand and he delivered peace to all the citizens. Ezinma was married by -Obierika’s son- Khalfan. Hake; Ezinma’s sister; was married by Romeo, Alfredo’s son.
All the sons of Okonkwo were wrestlers and gained a title after the other. They soon became responsible for their own families and were leaders of the clan. Okonkwo was proud of all that happened to his village and family and died with a pure heart.
