Things Fall Apart (Part I)

This story seems to be one from rags to riches. Okonkwo, who started with next to nothing, rose to one of the higher positions in his clans. While almost striving to overcome everything his father represents, he rules his family with an iron fist taking no excuses for laziness. When a adjacent clan commits an offense on their clan, Okonkwo takes in a boy, Ikemefuna, from their clan to later be sacrificed. After 3 years, Ikemefuna has almost become part of their family, but the time has come to sacrifice him. Not wanting to be seen as weak Okonkwo goes to participate. Time goes on and at a funeral for one of the clansmen, Okonkwo's gun goes off and kills a boy. Now him and his family must be exiled from the clan for some time.

This story seems to focus around sadness for me. A man who has worked hard for everything he has and is striving to become the clan leader has it all taken away in an instant due to a freak accident.