Take It or Leave It: Mentorship and Wisdom: Ch. 13-14

A respected elder named Ezeudu had warned Okonkwo against taking part in the execution of Ikemefuna since such an action would be akin to a father murdering his own son. Through his warning, Ezeudu displayed his keen wisdom, which enabled him to recognize the negative moral implications of Okonkwo's planned action. Yet, due to his fear of appearing weak, Okonkwo ignores the advice and suffers emotionally for it. Ironically, the fateful incident that leads to the exile of Okonkwo occurs at the funeral Ezeudu. Arguably, Okonkwo's exile is part of his punishment for spilling Ikemefuna's blood.

Once Okonkwo leaves his clan, he arrives at another crossroads at which he can either take the advice of an elder or leave it. This elder, Uchendu, urges Okonkwo to view problems in the larger context of human suffering and, in this way, realize that Okonkwo is not "the greatest sufferer in the world" (p. 117), knowlege that would alleviate the despair Okonkwo experiences during his exile. Uchendu's advice is perfectly suited for Okonkwo since one of Okonkwo's main flaws is his tendency to lose himself in his pursuit of wealth and power. Uchendu is wise in saying that losing wealth and power is a much smaller evil compared to the loss of loved ones. However, Okonkwo once again chooses to reject the advice and, by the end of the novel, has lost all hope.