Cool

927 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Importance of genres of literature

There are many different genres of novels, which are intended to capture the reader’s attention. These genres may include horror, fiction, non – fiction and many more, different genres gives the reader variety in what they want to read. More importantly, the author uses many similarities and differences between characters to show the character’s personality. On the other hand, these different character traits may sometimes turn out to be negative. For instance, giving a specific character who practices or lives in a certain society a distinctive trait such as giving a weird accent for being Indian, this can result many readers to believe the fact that all Indians have weird accents. This act is called stereotyping, basically cauterizing a certain group, such as a specific race. These stereotypes are really hurtful and usually are untrue, many of which who are affected by this may even believe them. “Things Fall Apart” a novel written by Chinua Achebe is specifically based on stereotypes of Africans. This novel clarifies where all the stereotypes of Africans come from and why. Okonkwo and Unoka have a father son like relationship and they are different in many ways. Okonkwo is very aggressive, he has a hard time controlling his anger and sometimes tends to get really physical when he is not capable of getting his message across. Even though, Okonkwo has gotten physical at times, he has also made it up by spending his valuable time in planting crops during the planting season making him a hard worker. Furthermore, he has earned many titles to his name and also is well known in nine villages and more by being the greatest wrestler, while Unoka has not. To begin with, Okonkwo has many different traits, making him different from his f...

... middle of paper ...

...s laziness, he has taken the easy out and exhausted the land. She told him to "work like a man" but the bad fortune followed him and he had passed away. Unoka also was not properly buried, he was not accepted by Ani who the earth goddess. This shows that Unoka was very lazy, he took the easy route in harvesting his crops. He did not work for the crops and so the crops did not grow. For instance, Okonkwo worked for his crops, working day and night the work had paid, while Unoka did not. However, he is a talented musician who loves to play the flute in festivals for his enjoyment. The narrator writes "He was very good on his flute, and his happiest moments were the two or three moons after the harvest when the village musicians brought down their instruments, hung above the fireplace. Unoka would play with them, is face beaming with blessedness and peace " (Achebe 4).

Show More
Related

  • Comparing Things Fall Apart 'And Invictus'

    282 Words  | 1 Pages

    Since Unoka lacked any social status or financial stability, his death was more or less of a weak blow to Okonkwo’s firm rooted position

    Read More

  • Okonkwo's Self-Destructive Masculinity in Things Fall Apart

    2752 Words  | 6 Pages

    Okonkwo is known throughout Umuofia to be extremely masculine. He rarely shows signs of fear or weakness. This is because Oknokwo promised himself he would be the complete opposite of his father Unoka. Unoka had passed away ten years prior to when the story takes place but he has always been remembered as a weak, lazy, poor man who could barely provide for his family. He was always in debt and didn't care to work, he would play his flute all day everyday if he was able to. "People laughed at him because he was a loafer, and they swore never to lend him any more money because he never paid back" (5). Unoka was the laugh of the town and Okonkwo would never allow himself be that.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Sexism In To Kill A Mockingbird

    1655 Words  | 4 Pages

    The novel also portrays numerous examples of racism, sexism, in creative ways. The stereotypes and themes portrayed in this novel have taught its readers not only very valuable lessons but ways to keep from placing stereotypes on people that are different from you before you get to know that person.

    Read More

  • Cultural Differences In Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe

    960 Words  | 2 Pages

    He was in great conflict with the ideas of the white men and the missionaries. Okonkwo saw that their beliefs had not only changed the daily life of the Ibo, but it also changed the people themselves: “He mourned for the warlike men of Umuofia, who had so unaccountably become soft like women” (Achebe 183). The author uses strong diction to compare the men before and after colonization. This quote also portrays Okonkwo’s opinion towards the cultural collision. He values strength and masculinity immensely because of his fear of appearing weak like his father Unoka. When he describes that the men of Umuofia changed to be soft like women, this shows how much he dishonors the Western ideas and how it has taken over the village. He made an attempt to get rid of the Western influence by urging the tribe to fight like men, but they refuse to. He was determined and still attempted to furthermore encourage the people of Umuofia to revolt against the new culture. He realizes that his attempts to return the village back to the way it was before were futile. He knew that Christianity was tearing his people apart, but knew he was incapable of making change to help his people. Okonkwo then starts to feel hopeless and abandoned by his clan, which causes him to commit suicide by hanging himself: “Obierika… turned suddenly to the District Commissioner and said ferociously: ‘That man was one of the greatest men

    Read More

  • Stereotypes in Things Fall Apart and The Lover

    999 Words  | 2 Pages

    According to Oxford Dictionary, stereotype is a preconceived and oversimplified idea of the characteristics which typify a person or situation (Oxford). But in reality it is more like a subtle form of bias, such as those based on people's gender, race or occupation. For example, Americans are generally considered to be arrogant and materialistic while Asians, on the other hand, are expected to be shrewd but reserved. Obviously, not all Americans are arrogant and not all Asians are shrewd. So, if one just assumes what a person is like and don't look at each person as an individual, he or she is likely to make errors in estimates of a person's character. Such biases are easily ignored, yet are a fact of life. These biases can affect how people see others, as well as themselves, which may lead to unexpected consequences. Thus, stereotyping can influence the communication and understanding between people, usually in a negative way. To examine the side effect brought by stereotyping, I will go through Achebe’s Things Fall Apart and Duras’ The Lover and analyze the roles played by stereotype. The protagonists of both books are set in a background, to which they do not originally belong or where is colonized by foreign invaders. Therefore, stereotype becomes a mutual theme and plays an important role in these two books.

    Read More

  • Cultural Change Explored in Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe

    1874 Words  | 4 Pages

    William James, a famous American philosopher, once stated, “The greatest revolution of our generation is the discovery that human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives”. This quotation effectively illustrates how change in one’s attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs can alter the environment in which one lives. This concept is clearly demonstrated throughout the novel Things Fall Apart, authored by Chinua Achebe, by establishing a connection through the development of its characters and the change in traditional African tribal villages seen in the Nineteenth Century. It will be established how various characters demonstrated by the author throughout the novel exemplify how change in one’s attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs can alter the environment in which one lives addressed by William James’s quote above. First, by analyzing Achebe’s development of Okonkwo’s character through his initial character description and the emergence of outsiders, it is evident that he is portrayed as an old fashioned character that is less responsive to change. Secondly, through examining Nwoye’s character, Okonkwo’s son, it becomes apparent that the youth in the novel are more open-minded, easily persuadable and more adaptive to societal changes. Lastly, uncovering the meaning behind the arrival of European missionaries, it becomes apparent that Achebe defines this group as being a “disease”, poisoning the society in which Okonkwo lives. The author look’s at individuals as being critical and influential figures in shaping the environment to which they belong, beginning with Okonkwo.

    Read More

  • Okonkwo in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

    975 Words  | 2 Pages

    Okonkwo is “a man of action, a man of war” (7) and a member of high status in the Igbo village. He holds the prominent position of village clansman due to the fact that he had “shown incredible prowess in two intertribal wars” (5). Okonkwo’s hard work had made him a “wealthy farmer” (5) and a recognized individual amongst the nine villages of Umuofia and beyond. Okonkwo’s tragic flaw isn’t that he was afraid of work, but rather his fear of weakness and failure which stems from his father’s, Unoka, unproductive life and disgraceful death. “Perhaps down in his heart Okonkwo was not a cruel man. But his whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and weakness….It was not external but lay deep within himself. It was the fear of himself, lest he should be found to resemble his father.” Okonkwo’s father was a lazy, carefree man whom had a reputation of being “poor and his wife and children had just barely enough to eat... they swore never to lend him any more money because he never paid back.” (5) Unoka had never taught Okonkwo what was right and wrong, and as a result Okonkwo had to interpret how to be a “good man”. Okonkwo’s self-interpretation leads him to conclude that a “good man” was someone who was the exact opposite of his father and therefore anything that his father did was weak and unnecessary.

    Read More

  • Okonkwo Character Analysis Essay

    1235 Words  | 3 Pages

    Things Fall Apart is an attention-grabbing novel full of violence, aggression, and oppression. Its main protagonist Okonkwo, on the surface appears to be a true tribesman, and a revered leader with qualities that far surpassed many among his clan. However, the physical and psychological qualities of Oknokwos’ character mirrored an individual who was nothing short of a “king like” ruler and conquer. Okonkwo traits of being a self-seeking, abusive, and cold-hearted individual made him a man that preys on the weak and young, and people in general who falls outside of his definition of a man. Okonkwo character lacks many characteristics that represent real strength, disciple, and bravery as his life came to a disappointing demise reflective of the weakness he spent his whole life avoiding. Okonkwo character in all fairness fails to stage some real virtues of a true leader, but rather that of a ruler.

    Read More

  • Cultural Collision In Things Fall Apart

    821 Words  | 2 Pages

    Culture collisions are in our everyday lives here in America in our own little towns.  We might not notice our culture changing because it is a part of our everyday lives.  Culture collisions cause some people to triumph and some people to fail.  In the novel, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, the Ibo tribe did not see these culture clashes everyday until the “white men” showed up and influenced the Ibo to change their ways.  Achebe shows how many of the characters react to this culture shock.  Obierika is one of the main characters that shows his sense of identity through this culture collision.

    Read More

  • Things Fall Apart Adapt To Change Essay

    622 Words  | 2 Pages

    Since his childhood, Okonkwo has always been ashamed of his father, Unoka. Unoka was rarely able to feed his children, which made Okonkwo scared and embarrassed. When he went out into Umuofia, he found that the villagers had very similar opinions towards his father. As...

    Read More

  • Character Analysis Of Okonkwo

    1034 Words  | 3 Pages

    Okonkwo grew up from poverty to wealthy enough to support three wives, and many children. He was well respected by his clansmen from his village. Although, Okonkwo has many great aspects in his life, his tragic flaw is the fear of becoming like his father. While everyone was working on their farm, Unoka did nothing but drink, dance, and just plainly pray to the gods.

    Read More

  • Gender Roles In Things Fall Apart Essay

    1756 Words  | 4 Pages

    Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart tells the story of the people of an Igbo village in Nigeria. In Igbo society, the traditions and gender roles are strict, and being a woman or viewed as feminine is a negative thing. Okonkwo, the novel’s protagonist, values the traditions of his clan, but is controlled by the fear of being perceived as weak or effeminate. This fear causes Okonkwo to make decisions that are frowned upon by his fellow villagers, creating conflict.

    Read More

  • The Theme Of Fear In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

    1481 Words  | 3 Pages

    From an early age, Okonkwo was ashamed of his father, Unoka, who was unable even to feed his family. The unpredictability of receiving enough food at a young age was enough to inspire fear and embarrassment in Okonkwo who associated this embarrassment with his father and was given further justification for these feelings when he went out into Umuofia, discovering that the

    Read More

  • An Identity Crisis in 'Things Fall Apart'

    1770 Words  | 4 Pages

    Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a story about personal beliefs,customs, and also a story about an identity confliction. There is struggle between family, culture, and religion of the Ibo tribes. It shows how things fall apart when these beliefs and customs are challenged and how a personal identity changes for a man. The novel concerns the life of Okonkwo, a leader and local wrestling champion throughout the villages of the Ibo ethnic group of Umuofia in Nigeria, Africa, his three wives, and his children. Throughout the novel, Okonkwo is internally challenged and slowly becomes someone that is no longer recognizable by his friends or his family. When Okonkwo faces change, his identity starts to fade.

    Read More

  • Unoka

    624 Words  | 2 Pages

    Unoka’s most visible characteristic was, perhaps, his lack of motivation when it came to labor. He was known throughout his village as a man of little work. For instance, towards the beginning of Chapter Three, Achebe writes, “You, Unoka, are known in all of the clan for the weakness of your machete and hoe. … They cross seven rivers to make their farms; you stay at home and offer sacrifices to a reluctant soil (Achebe 20).” This quote comes from a priestess who, upon Unoka’s consultation visit about his farm, tells him that his laziness not only keeps him from success, but how his fellow farmers are much more capable than he is. Unfortunately, even a declaration from one the gods was unable to motivate him. As an indolent, titleless man, he was dependent on his family and his village for simple staples, such as food. Being so, over the course of his life he developed a sizable debt that he had naught but dreams of repaying. Neither the gods, the degenerating welfare of his family, nor his increasing debt were able to instill a sense of urgency or n...

    Read More

More about Cool

Open Document