In the village of Umuofia, there are different types of crimes that one can commit. In this village, there are ‘male and female’ crimes are obviously two different types of crime. “Okwonko had committed the female, because it had been inadvertent,” (Achebe 124). His gun had accidentally exploded and a piece of the iron pierced a sixteen year boy in the heart. He was automatically killed. Since his crime was considered a female crime, he was able to return to his village in about seven years. In a male crime, he might not be able to ever return.
Without the male figure in the house, Nwoye will most likely become the man of the house despite his shortcomings. He will become stronger maybe now that his father is out of the picture. Okwonko, however, will have the worst end of the deal. He will be known as a murderer throughout all the village and no one will take him in. He will have to struggle for most of his life because everyone will be scared of him.
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As Okonkwo's punishment he has been banished from the Umuofia village. In killing a young boy, Okonkwo has once again disrupted the gods. Fortunately, his offense is considered to be a "female crime" and he will be allowed to return back to the village after 7 years. In an early passage in the book, the proverb, “Eneke the bird says that since men have learned to shoot without missing, he has learned to fly without perching,” (Achebe 22) explains that one must adapt in times of hardship in order to prosper. When his father is gone Nwoye will be forced to grow up and take on the head role in the home.
I do not believe that the Umuofia will have any ill feelings towards Okonkwo when he returns to the village after his exile. They know that killing the young boy was an accident and because of this they do not hate him. “They set fire to his houses… It was the justice of the Earth goddess, and they were merely his messengers. They had no hatred in their hearts against Okonkwo” (Acebe 125). They simply abide by the laws set forth by the gods; banning him and eliminating his curse through the destruction of his possessions.
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