women in society

Ekwefi awakes Okonkwo very early in the morning and tells him that Ezinma is dying. Okonkwo ascertains that Ezinma has a fever and sets about frantically collecting medicine.

Nature of the relationship between Ekwefi and Ezinma
• Ezinma is Ekwefi's only child and the “center of her world.”
• Ekwefi is very lenient with her
• Ezinma calls her by her first name and the dynamic of their relationship approaches equality.
• Ekwefi receives a lot of comfort and companionship from her daughter.

Why the medicine man mutilated the body?
• Ekwefi's nine other children died in infancy.
• She developed the habit of naming them symbolic things such as “Onwumbiko,” which means, “Death, I implore you,” and “Ozoemena,” which means, “May it not happen again.”
• The body was mutilated so the spirit could not return

Female Bonding
• Okonkwo's wives constantly try to protect one another from his anger.
• Before Ezinma's birth, Ekwefi was not jealous of Okonkwo's first wife; she only expressed bitterness at her own misfortune.
• While Okonkwo gathers medicine for the fever, his other wives try to calm Ekwefi's fear.
• Ekwefi's friendship with Chielo, too, is an example of female bonding.