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In Chapter 9 of Chinua Achebe's novel "Things Fall Apart," Okonkwo's wife Ekwefi is upset because their daughter Ezinma is seriously ill. Ezinma is Ekwefi's only surviving child as her previous nine children have all died in their infancy, which has been traumatizing for Ekwefi. Ezinma is not just Ekwefi's only child but also the child Okonkwo cares about the most, despite his efforts not to display affection. Okonkwo is distressed by Ezinma's sickness but hides his concern with hardness. Ekwefi sees a medicine man named Agbala when Ezinma's health declines. According to the villagers, a wicked spirit or "ogbanje" is responsible for Ekwefi's children's tragic deaths. They believe that this spirit continuously enters new babies and 'forces' them to die young. To protect Ezinma, they need to find the "iye-uwa," an object believed to link the ogbanje to the spirit world. This chapter presents the theme of superstition, which is prevalent in traditional Igbo society. It also serves to highlight Okonkwo's internal struggles more, showing his affection towards Ezinma that he's unable to fully express due to the societal expectation of masculinity.
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