When Ezinma brings him his evening meal three days later, she tells him that he must finish everything. He visits his friend Obierika and congratulates Maduka on his successful wrestling. Obierika in turn requests that Okonkwo stay when his daughter's suitor arrives to determine a bride-price. He and Obierika then argue over whether it was right of Okonkwo to partake in Ikemefuna's death. Okonkwo begins to feel revived a bit.
Someone arrives to report the death of the oldest man in a neighboring village.
Strangely, the old man's wife died shortly thereafter. Okonkwo questions the man's reputed strength once he learns how attached he had been to his wife. Okonkwo sits with Obierika while Obierika bargains his daughter's bride-price with her family. They discuss the practice of, and skill at, tapping palm trees for palm-wine. Obierika talks about hearing stories of men with skin as white as chalk.