chapter twenty five!

In the last chapter of Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo commits suicide: an act that is a grave sin in the Ibo culture. Obierika praises Okonkwo's greatness and blames the district commissioner for driving him to commit this crime. The fellow countrymen ask the district commissioner to help remove Okonkwo's body as once the body is subject to suicide, it can only be touched and buried by strangers. The commissioner refuses to touch the body, as he considers himself above these duties, but tells his men to assist the countrymen. As the commissioner is leaving, he reflects upon his time here in Africa and especially his struggle of power against Okonkwo. The commissioner reveals that he is planning to write a book, in which he will talk about his time in Africa, "toiling" to bring civilization to the numerous tribes. He prides himself on learning about the different African customs, however, its apparent there is no true appreciation for their traditions and ways of life: he calls their language"an infuriating habit of...superfluous words." When reflecting on his interactions with Okonkwo, he sees Okonkwo's story as one that would make "interesting reading," but only for a paragraph or, at best, a chapter. Achebe, on the other hand, has managed to write a whole novel on Okonkwo's struggle within Umofia.

What drove Okonkwo to commit suicide in the first place? What is Achebe trying to say by revealing the commissioner's stereotypical view on Okonkwo and African tribes as a whole?