Plot

- The story begins with a man named Julius Obi, who works as a clerk in a Niger
company.
- We see him walking towards the window in the office that overlooked the great
market on the banks of the Niger.
- Then, we learn that this market was an Ibo market, and used to only be held once
a week.
- But with the coming of the white man, the market became busier and was then
held everyday, with still the original day being the busiest.
- However, when Julius Obi looked through the window today, the market was
empty, and we learn that this was caused by smallpox.
- A flashback soon begins and Julius begins to think of the devastation in which
smallpox has caused.
- He then thinks of Janet, the girl he was going to marry, and her mother, Ma, and
what had happened a week ago.
- He remembered that he had not gone straight home after saying goodbye to Janet,
but had instead went to the bank of the river and just walk up and down.
- He stayed there until the wooden gong of the night spirit sounded and then set out
for home, half walking and half running.
- As he hurried home, he stepped on something that broke with a liquid explosion,
and when he looked closely, he realized that it was a sacrificial egg, an offering
which someone oppressed by misfortune had placed.
- Julius had taken away the sufferer’s ill to himself, but he did not believe in such
nonsense.
- Now, as Julius stood at the window looking out at the empty market, he felt a vast
emptiness, an emptiness deepened by the fact that Janet and Ma had been carried
away by smallpox.

Characteristics
- Julius
1) Has double standards: Julius received education and did not believe in
superstitious stuff, but half walk and half ran when it was said that the night spirit
ran its race through the town at night “Julius, whose education placed him above
such superstitious stuff” pg 27 and “He immediately set out for home, half
walking and half running” pg 28
2) Caring: he cared for Janet and stayed away from her when there are smallpox
“Julius was worried because it was almost a week since he had seen Janet” pg 27
3) Obedient: he listen to Ma and took preventive measures to make sure that Janet
does not get smallpox “ ‘You must keep to your rooms,’ she had said” pg27 and
“And they shook hands, which was very odd” pg28
 - Ma
1) Devout: Ma was a Christian and Christians should not believe in spirits, and yet
she believe in the mammy-wota spirit from the rive “Ma was a very devout
Christian” pg 27 and “ ‘Some of the beautiful young women you see squeezing
through the crowds are not real people but mammy-wota from the river,’ she said”
pg 27
2) Cautious: she told Julius to try and keep away from Janet during the time when
there was smallpox “ ‘You must keep to your rooms,’ she had said” pg 27
3) Caring: she told Julius to stay at home and take care of himself “‘you must keep
to your rooms,’ she had said. ‘You never know whom you might meet on the
streets”

Themes
- Superstition: the people of the village believe in spirits and allow to fate of the
town to rest in their hands “because the deity that presided over it cast her spell
only on that day” pg 25
- Colonization:
1) African beliefs vs. Western beliefs: the Africans believed in spirits while the
Western powers tried to introduce education “ ‘Some of the beautiful young
women you see squeezing through the crowds are not real people but mammy-
wota from the river,’ she said” pg 27 vs. “Julius, whose education place him
above such superstitious stuff” pg 27
2) African practices vs. Western practices: the Africans traded for daily needs while
the Western powers came to trade to earn money “bring the produce of their
lands: palm oil and kernels, kola nuts, cassava, mats, baskets, and earthenware
pots. And they took home many-colored cloths, smoked fish, iron pots and plates”
pg 26 vs. “…to work as a clerk in the offices of the Niger Company, which dealt
in palm-oil and kernels” pg 26
- Education: how education gives people a superiority complex and make them
arrogant; however it is useless against superstition and thus education is not as
good as it sounds “Julius, whose education placed him above such superstitious
stuff” pg 27 and “He immediately set out for home, half walking and half
running” pg 28

Setting
- Office was beside market: this show the conflict of native Africa and the Western
powers “Julius went to the window that overlooked the great market on the banks
of the Niger” pg25
- Strong governmental presence: this shows the European presence in the country
“The family were all moved away today in the big government lorry.” Pg27
- Superstitious: shows African side of the story “ ‘Some of the beautiful young
women you see squeezing through the crowds are not real people but mammy-
wota from the river,’ she said” pg 27
- Dirty port right next to river: this shows the conflict between the Europeans and
the Africans “Others came by the great river bringing…” of 26