Okonkwo Character Analysis
analytical Essay
665 words
Obierika is right in placing blame on both members of the clan and the missionaries for the fall of the Igbo. The fault of the missionaries would be from their semi-forceful nature towards converting clansmen to Christianity even though they must have known that there would be retaliation by resistant people in the clan like Okonkwo. The blame that Obierika would place on the clan would mostly be due to Okonkwo and his murderous acts at the end of the novel where he beheaded the head messenger on page 204 chapter 23”In a flash Okonkwo drew his machete…(Achebe 204)” Obierika places blame on the clan and the missionaries for the bad decisions made by Okonkwo and the unneeded forcefulness of the missionary Mr. Smith for the fall of the Igbo people.
Okonkwo has a very harsh personality where things need to be done the way he likes it. Okonkwos’s temper has been shown in the novel to get the better of him sometimes and it ends up getting him into trouble. Also Okonkwo has a masculinity complex that makes him feel the need to do anything that doesn’t make him seem feminine, even if that may be to kill somebody like Ikemefuna. The last lines of Ikemefuna in the novel were “My Father, they have killed me!”(Achebe 61) before Okonkwo drew his machete and took Ikemefuna’s life. Okonkwo said that he did this because he didn’t want to seem weak and feminine. Okonkwo was also warned by Ogbuefi Ezeudu not to take part in Ikemefuna’s death but he does it anyway. Okonkwo was also exiled because of an accidental murder of Ogbuefi Ezeudu’s daughter because Okonkwo’s gun went off without him actually shooting it. He had to leave Umofia for seven years and according to Okonkwo, when he left the clan became weak and eventually fell to the Christian...
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...ionaries that Okonkwo had left and that he would take the missionaries to where Okonkwo was. Obierika led them to Okonkwo’s final resting place in the forest. “We are thrust from what is figured as an intimate, insider’s view of the Igbo life to a jarringly alien one.”(Carey Snyder Things Fall Apart Blooms literature).Okonkwo felt that the Igbo people were doomed because they would not fight against the Christians so Okonkwo Hung himself from a tree. The commissioner was writing a book called “The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger(Achebe 209)” and that “One could almost write a whole chapter on him(Achebe 208)” meaning with what Okonkwo had done to the missionaries and against Christianity. Okonkwo and the missionaries both deserve part of the blame for the fall of the Igbo people and Obierika is very justified in placing blame on both of them.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how obierika places blame on the clan and the missionaries for the fall of the igbo people.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's temper gets the better of him, and his masculinity complex makes him feel the need to kill ikemefuna. he was exiled because of an accidental murder of ogbuefi ezeudu’s daughter.
- Opines that okonkwo doesn't deserve the blame because the christians had a lot to do with the fall of the igbo people.
- Analyzes how okonkwo and the missionaries deserve part of the blame for the fall of igbo people and obierika is justified in placing blame on both of them.
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- Cultural Differences In Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebeanalytical essayHe 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
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how chinua achebe, of things fall apart, portrayed the change in the igbo people's society through the character okonkwo in umuofia.
- Analyzes how achebe uses indirect characterization to show how okonkwo's fame throughout the nine villages from his great strength and talent in fighting.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's response to the cultural collision made an impact on the novel. he was in conflict with the ideas of the white men and the missionaries.
- Analyzes how chinua achebe wrote things fall apart to shine a light on the perspective of the nigerians during colonization. he demonstrates the struggle of dealing with forced western ideas into okonkwo's character.
960 wordsRead More - The Life of Okonkwoanalytical essayOkonkwo is the main character within the book, Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe. Okonkwo is an individual whom has many different personalities that are portrayed in different situations. He can be a nice and welcoming individual but also an abusive and harmful individual. Before returning to Umofia, in which the missionaries had invaded, Okonkwo had grown up upon resenting his father’s laziness, devoting his time in proving that he was much better than his father. That he was more respectable and masculine. These were qualities in which Okonkwo’s father had lacked. Upon reaching Umofia, Okonkwo becomes more passive than he has ever been. While watching in sorrow and grief of the coming of the missionaries as he is unable to anything about. The missionaries had turned Okonkwo into a completely different individual. Changing him for the worst.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how okonkwo is the main character in the book, things fall apart, by chinua achebe. he is a nice and welcoming individual but also an abusive and harmful individual.
- Analyzes how okonkwo was not pleased upon the coming of the missionaries. he was distrustful and hurtful towards others.
- Analyzes how okonkwo borrowed seed yams from nwakibie to feed his family. he wanted his son to be a great farmer, but the guilt of the murder haunts him for life.
- Analyzes how okonkwo commits three different crimes against the earth, including beating his wife and killing a boy at ezedu's funeral.
- Concludes that okonkwo began his life strong, learning right from wrong, having a role model like his father to show him what not to do with life, and meeting the missionaries.
742 wordsRead More - Things Fall Apart Essayanalytical essayOkonkwo’s violent reaction included the hatred of Christians, the new religion had challenged everything Okonkwo had believed in. Okonkwo was a strict traditionalist, valuing strength and despising anything he proclaimed as “soft”. The Europeans had promoted “soft ideas”. Prior to Okonkwo’s return from exile, for he had accidently killed a fellow clansman, an insult to his earth god, Europeans had arrived and they began to introduce their religion, Christianity, their culture and their government, while denouncing the traditional Igbo ideas. A church was constructed, a settlement had been created, and European government began to succeed Igbo government. Okonkwo violently questions his son, Nwoye, who Okonkwo saw “among the Christians”. (Achebe,151). Nwoye was “gripped by the neck” when his father, Okonkwo had been “overcome with fury”, he was repetitively asked “where have you been?” Okonkwo then added “Before I kill you” (Achebe, 151). Okonkwo is prevented from killing his son due to his uncle, Uchendu’s, objections, implying Okonkwo is “mad”. Later that day, Okonkwo is still in fury as he “felt the strong desire to take up his machete, go ...
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how chinua achebe's "things fall apart" assesses the cultural clash between ibo culture and western culture through fictional literature. okonkwo, a proud, strong and well respected warrior in the igboko society, reacts by using violence as the only choice.
- Analyzes how okonkwo was a strict traditionalist, valuing strength and despising anything he proclaimed as "soft". europeans introduced their religion, christianity, culture, and government, while denouncing the traditional igbo ideas.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's reaction to new culture included abandoning diplomacy and slaughtering europeans and missionaries.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's reaction included the destruction of the christian church, before he slaughtered a missionary or called for the other clans to wage war.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's reaction to the introduction of western ideas into igbo society was a violent one. his clan refused to go to war and he committed suicide by hanging.
736 wordsRead More - They had a vibrant culture which brought the people together like weddings, festivals,and storytelling. The author gave the reader a sense of how the culture of the igbo people.They had their culture y going for years untill the colonial master 's came this lead to a change for them and things started to fall apart. There was a clash of culture and this clash made Children abandon their culture and their community which they grew in to join a community that was filled with promise of change and suffocation they felt with their culture and tradition. Okonkwo son Nwoye for the first time went against his fathers wish and felt free again after his brother from another mother was killed. The killing of babies and throwing them into the evil forest also stop.. The elders called the missionaries "fool 's"While the missionaries judged them and became the judge over them by building a court district. This also lead to downfall of Okonkwo he wanted to keep his tradition going and bring his community back but he felt like a looser. He was also scared of loosening his title therefore he concluded he was going to die like an unknown weak person like his father. This reminded me of when We were discussing the book in class this question came to my mind did the "disintegration" of the society lead to the chaos of what happened in the society? In high when my
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how okonkwo emerges early in the text as a traditional hero, who has within himself the ability to languish or attain his goals.
- Analyzes how the society was based on a "patriarchal" system where men had the supreme power, while women had less power and little or no involvement in politics.
- Analyzes how the igbo people of umuofia valued culture and religion. they had a vibrant culture that brought people together like weddings, festivals, and storytelling.
- Analyzes how chinua achebe's "things fall apart" is set in the southeastern part of nigeria, where most igbos live.
- Concludes that "things fall apart" did justice to the novel showing the society's form the igbo perspective.
1414 wordsRead More - Okonkwo A Sympathetic Characteranalytical essayIn these few chapters that we read, we have already learned a lot about Okonkwo, his life, and how he shows sympathy to some, but to others he is heartless. Okonkwo is other wise known as an unsympathetic person. Okonkwo is a clan leader of umuofia who holds many titles and is well known among his people. Okonkwo's daily life consists of tending to the three yam farms he has produced and to make numerous offerings to numerous gods and to help himself and his family. Okonkwo's personality is hard driven, since his father did not provide for him and his family Okonkwo had to start man hood early and this led him to be very successful in his adulthood, Okonkwo is an unsympathetic character who only shows sympathy rarely because he believes it's a sign of weakness Okonkwo's family relationships make him a sympathetic character because when his children show signs of manliness or do their jobs right he shows sympathy towards them. He is an unsympathetic character because whenever he get a little mad he has to take his anger out on something and that is usually vented by beating his wife's.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that okonkwo is an unsympathetic character who only shows sympathy rarely because he believes it's a sign of weakness.
- Analyzes how okonkwo is sympathetic by showing fondness to some children for different reasons. he is not a heartless man and actually cares for his children.
- Analyzes how okonkwo thinks sympathy is a sign of weakness. he is unsympathetic because he doesn't know how to control his temper.
- Opines that okonkwo doesn't show sympathy because he thinks his dad is weak, and is trying to be the opposite of his father.
563 wordsRead More - The Ibo Culture In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apartanalytical essayIn Achebe 's text, the Ibo people are overrun by the missionaries. Traditionally, Ibo culture is very one sided, as demonstrated by the villagers of Umuofia. Physical strength and power is valued above all else, and it is not uncommon for men to beat or abuse their wives and children. Okonkwo, a highly regarded Umuofian man, is especially guilty. Driven by traditional honor codes, Okonkwo feels he needs to make up for his “lazy, improvident, and drunk” father’s legacy, and goes so far as to almost kill one of his wives in front of the entire family over a banana tree to achieve his
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how chinua achebe suggests that if a culture refuses to change, it is doomed to be consumed, as supported by both the novel and the aztec civilization.
- Analyzes how the ibo people are overrun by the missionaries in achebe's text. okonkwo, a highly regarded umuofian man, is especially guilty.
- Analyzes how the missionaries aren't touched once by ibo deities, even though their chapel was built right in the forbidden forest.
- Analyzes how the aztecs were consumed by the spanish conquistadors in the 14th and 15th centuries.
- Analyzes how the aztecs resisted change, believing that their gods would save them from the invaders, but were buried by spanish influence.
- Analyzes how modern day nigeria is an example of how change benefits society.
1276 wordsRead More - Analysis Of Okonkwo Died When He Killed Ikemefunaanalytical essayDescribe how Okonkwo died when he killed Ikemefuna: The book Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a very in depth book about Nigeria. It describes what their culture is like and how their traditions are different than how most believe are normal. In the book one of the main characters, Okonkwo, suffers many deaths. Okonkwo died in almost all ways when he killed Ikemefuna. A death is a irreversible change.
In this essay, the author
- Describes how okonkwo died when he killed ikemefuna in things fall apart by chinua achebe. a death is an irreversible change.
- Analyzes how okonkwo experienced an emotional death when ikemefuna was killed. he participated in the execution because he didn't want to look weak like his father.
- Explains that the second death he experienced was a political death. he had to leave behind all his rankings and lost his land.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's home knew him to be very powerful, because he had many wives and many children. the igbo had new people arrive and tried to convert everyone to their religion.
- Explains that okonkwo's third death is an economical death, since he planned for his return. while the missionaries were there, they changed the system and brought money into their barter system.
- Analyzes how reverend smith was not able to believe his people allowed for this to happen to their village. he wanted to take back what was his, which is why he killed him.
- Explains that the last death presented was a physical death. since no one else joined in to fight back, he knew the missionaries had already won his people over.
- Analyzes okonkwo's emotional, political, economic, and physical death. he was banished for seven years from his village and hung himself after realizing that the missionaries had won over his people.
1087 wordsRead More - African Imperialism In Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebeanalytical essayIn Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo was one of the strongest proponents of violence against the white missionaries. Throughout the book, he advocated for violence while be outnumbered by his fellow natives who objected. Near the end of the book, he had had enough. During a village meeting gathered to discuss what to do about the white missionaries, a messenger for the missionaries arrived to tell them the meeting had been ordered to be stopped. “In a flash Okonkwo drew his machete. The messenger crouched to avoid the blow. It was useless. Okonkwo’s machete descended twice and the man’s head lay beside his uniformed body”.3 The man had been killed. Shortly after, Okonkwo hanged himself on a tree. Violence was by far the most disruptive response to to the presence of white missionaries in Africa. It was the only response that led to deaths. Not only was the violence disruptive, it was also ineffective. In the last paragraph of the book, the Commissioner of the missionaries articulated how Okonkwo’s actions would make a good paragraph in the book he planned to write. Violence against missionaries was disruptive and led to death for both the locals and the
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how a great fiction novel by chinua achebe, things fall apart, highlights the responses to missionaries by african people.
- Analyzes how the african natives responded to the presence of white missionaries with submission to their desires, to convert to christianity.
- Explains that many converted to christianity after the arrival of the white missionaries, but many were unhappy with their presence. one strategy from things fall apart was to burn down the missionary's church in their village.
- Analyzes how okonkwo was one of the strongest proponents of violence against the white missionaries in things fall apart.
- Analyzes how chinua achebe's book things fall apart highlights different responses to the presence of white missionaries.
802 wordsRead More - Who Is Okonkwo In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart?analytical essayWhen the messengers come in and are prohibiting a meeting of the Umuofia people and their leaders, it breaks Okonkwo. “‘ The white man whose power you know too well has ordered this meeting to stop.’” (Achebe 204) The power had been taken from the village and when the people that toolkit tried to to force the power they to Okonkwo could not take it any more.After Okonkwo had killed the messenger he know that it was over and no one would help. “Then they came to the tree from which Okonkwo’s body was dangling, and they stopped dead.” (Achebe 207) His village was full brave people, but everyone in now afraid of the white man. The only person that tried to stop it acted up, but no one followed him and gave up on everything. Because of outside forces pushing in, the village fell apart, but it was not from the outside forces it was the people on the inside not pushing back.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the book things fall apart follows okonkwo the famous among the nine villages in nigeria. he had to go through many misfortunes as his culture is being tested by outsiders.
- Explains that okonkwo knew that he had power and respect through all of the nine villages before it started to fall apart.
- Analyzes how nwoye struggled to free himself from the choking grip of the clash of cultures.
- Analyzes how the ibo leaders' trust is broken when the missionaries' government arrested, assaulted, and held them for a ransom that the village had to pay.
- Analyzes how court messengers went to umuofia to tell the people that their leaders would not be released unless they paid a fine of two hundredbags of cowries. okonkwo has not trusted the missionaries from the start.
- Analyzes how okonkwo represents the nigerian culture and it was slowly chipped away. when the messengers come in and prohibit a meeting of the umuofia people and their leaders, it breaks him.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's image fell apart when he tried to take action, and now there is no one trying to regain their village back.
820 wordsRead More - Things Fall Apart Theme Essayanalytical essayAchebe shows us a culture that is on the verge of change. Within the story we find out how the reality of change is brought upon several characters, and what their actions follow. Just like how African’s resisted the white’s over taking their country in reality, Achebe implements the same idea with the use of several characters. Okonkwo, for example, is completely opposed to the new political and religious upbringing that has come upon his clan. He feels that a real man does not change his views and beliefs for another mans views and beliefs. He see’s it as a sign of weakness. As we see throughout the novel, Okonkwo’s fear of losing his title and status, drives him further away from the idea of changing and adapting to the new religion. Achebe shows us how there will always be those that fight against the change, but in the end the stronger religion will over take and turn the others. Unfortunately for him, Okonkwo finding out his clan is converting is heart aching and he finds complete weakness in his clan. Achebe ties both themes of change and masculinity very well, and both themes support each other in every way. In reality, many Africans resisted the colonizers trying to destroy their religion, but the colonization wasn’t as severe as Achebe presented in her novel. “Groups strongly resisted the coming of European
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how chinua achebe uses themes to educate readers on the complexity of the igbo society, early interpretations of masculinity, and the struggle of changing one's tradition.
- Analyzes how achebe informs readers on the complexity of okonkwo's and his family’s lives and introduces him as a brave hero and respected warrior throughout the umuofia clan.
- Analyzes how achebe depicted the life of igbo before they were forced to oppose their own culture. without the theme, we would never know the universe qualities of the society that shaped okonkwo’s life.
- Analyzes how achebe brings out the idea and interpretation of masculinity as one of her themes. she shows that okonkwo's relationship with his father shapes his demonic beliefs and violent nature.
- Analyzes how achebe portrayed the struggle with changing one's tradition throughout the novel.
- Analyzes how achebe presented okonkwo as a fearless warrior that overcame any hardships, but his over masculinity led to his own downfall.
- Analyzes how achebe accomplished a marvelous novel in which readers are engaged to learn more about african traditions and how the traditions were changed when colonization was overturning the tribes.
1621 wordsRead More