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What does the quote "Amalinze was a wily craftsman, but Okonkwo was as slippery as a fish in water" from Things Fall Apart mean?
Quick answer:
The quote from Things Fall Apart means that Okonkwo's superior speed and agility allowed him to defeat Amalinze, a skilled and experienced wrestler. Amalinze, known as "the Cat" for his unbeaten record, was outmaneuvered by Okonkwo, who was described as "slippery as a fish in water." This victory brought Okonkwo fame and honor, establishing his prominence in the village.
In Things Fall Apart, part of Okonkwo’s rise to prominence is his ability to dominate others physically. His first claim to fame as a young man came from a win in a wrestling bout. The text says,
As a young man of eighteen he had brought honor to his village by throwing Amalinze the Cat. (chapter 1)
Amalinze was called “the cat” because he never landed on his back—the nickname denotes his formidable record in wrestling, going seven years unbeaten among the Igbo. It was significant that Okonkwo was able to beat him, and the quote you've cited helps explain how Okonkwo won the match.
Despite the years of experience that helped to make Amalinze a “wiley craftsman,” Okonkwo’s superior speed and agility end up being the decisive factor. Being slippery helps Okonkwo avoid being grabbed and tossed by Amalinze and provides him enough of an advantage that...
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he is able to toss the champion onto his back.
This section is significant for a few reasons. First, it demonstrates how Okonkwo came to power and fame among the Igbo people. His victory brought his village fame and respect, something that matters more than his own personal pride. It also helps us understand what Okonkwo loses when he is banished later in the novel—his importance and place, something he has forged through work, is taken from him. Second, it helps us understand Okonkwo's psychology in the novel. He is a strong man, and most of his power lies in his physical abilities. He keeps control of his house by force and violence, he lives by violence, and he dies by violence (self-violence). It is no small wonder that his entire reputation and place in the world is established on violence.
With the use of these colorful descriptions, the author is comparing Amalinze, the famed wrestler, to Okonkwo, the young upstart who was finally able to beat him.
Amalinze was known as "Amalinze the Cat" because of his great skill in wrestling. Amalinze was legendary, and for seven years, no one could beat him. The author describes Amalinze's approach to his sport, comparing it to a craftsman who knows his skill better than anyone else. "Wily" means "artful" or "cunning," and Amalinze, the "wily craftsman," had such knowledge of his craft that he was, for a great many years, the undisputed best.
The author goes on to describe Okonkwo metaphorically as being "as slippery as a fish in water." A fish in water, quick and nimble, is almost impossible to catch, and when Okonkwo goes up against Amalinze in the fateful wrestling match, the older man is unable to pin him down. Okonkwo, young, athletic, and strong, is the first to vanquish Amalinze in seven years, as youthful physical ability, as signified by the "slippery fish," trumps age and experience, as delineated by the "wily craftsman." The "fish" has eluded the "Cat" and overthrown him, bringing great honor and pride to the village, and enormous fame to Okonkwo himself (Chapter 1).