Okonkwo in Thing Fall Apart
analytical Essay
1283 words
"That man was one of the greatest men in Umuofia. You drove him to kill himself; and now he will be buried like a dog..." Things Fall Apart written by Chinua Achebe is the story of trials and tribulations that the main character, Okonkwo, has to overcome in anyway that he can. Some cultures may have seen Okonkwo as a warrior, a strong man, a manly man, a great farmer etc., but I do not believe he was actually as great as he was made out to be and I don't think that his culture viewed him as all that wonderful either.
In the beginning of Things Fall Apart we are introduced to the main character by a flashback of a wrestling match against the undefeated Amalinze the Cat. As Achebe describes each man there seems to be less of a chance of Okonkwo winning yet "in the end Okonkwo threw the Cat." After winning this fight the clansmen and villagers view Okonkwo as the strongest man which was the first title that he acquired.
Okonkwo's actions in the story are very similarly related to one another. Every one of
his actions relate back to the fact that he did not want to turn into the kind of man that his father
was before he died. He hated how his father was lazy and in so much debt. But most of all he hated the fact that when his father died, he was without any kind of title. That was not the man that Okonkwo wanted to become and he was willing to do everything in his power to keep himself from losing his title in the village.
There were three main events in Things Fall Apart that I think really emphasize the point that Okonkwo was not really the man that Achebe tried to make him out to be. With the start of these events lead to a serious snowball effect causing one horrible thing to happen after another until Okonkwo could not cause any more harm to anyone because there is really nothing that you can do when you are dead.
The very first event that lead to Okonkwo's demise, in my eyes, was when Ogbuefi Ezeudu told Okonkwo that the Oracle has said that Ikemefuna, the boy who had been given to the village after a settlement with a neighboring tribe, must be killed.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how chinua achebe's things fall apart is the story of trials and tribulations that the main character, okonkwo, has to overcome in anyway that he can.
- Introduces okonkwo in things fall apart by flashback of a wrestling match against the undefeated amalinze the cat.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's actions in the story are very similar to one another. he hated his father, who was lazy and in debt, and he was willing to do everything in his power to keep himself from losing his title.
- Analyzes the three main events in things fall apart that emphasize the point that okonkwo was not really the man that achebe tried to make him out to be.
- Analyzes how ogbuefi ezeudu told okonkwo that the oracle had said that ikemefuna, the boy who had been given to the village, must be killed.
- Analyzes how ikemefuna's death is a horrible and gruesome one. okonkwo cares for the young boy but doesn't want to look weak in the eyes of the other clansmen.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's participation in the death of ikemefuna is implied to have led to thedeath of the oldest tribal member, ogbuefi ezeudu.
- Narrates how okonkwo was exiled for seven years after his gun exploded and a piece of iron pierced his heart.
- Explains that okonkwo had always perceived himself to be a great man with many titles and people who loved him and thought very highly of him. as his time in exile began to come to an end, he dreamed about the welcome home party that would bethrown for him upon his return.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's titles were only known by himself, yet he gave it one last try before completely giving up. when the villages all come together for a meeting about the white men who are taking over and in the discussion on what should be done
- Analyzes how okonkwo realizes that all that he has worked for, hoped for and tried has backfired and hangs himself from a tree.
- Opines that okonkwo has broken the rules of his tribe and is only adding to the disapprovals of the g-ds.
- Analyzes how okonkwo beats the unbeatable, harvests when others find it impossible due to droughts, and does whatever he thinks is right in order to get different highly idolized titles.
- Explains that because of the love that he had for himself and only himself, there was no room in his heart for him to care about the other members of his life.
Related
- narrative
- analytical
- Okonkwos Tragic Lifenarrative essayOkonkwos’ Tragic Life Okonkwo, in Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, was faced with many hardships in his life. When growing up he had to deal with a lazy father, then when he was older he had to kill a boy that called him father, and he also accidentally killed a young boy from his village. These events played a very tragic role in Okonkwos life. Okonkwo’s father Unoka “was lazy and improvident was quite incapable of thinking about tomorrow.” Unoka owed everybody money and whenever he had money he would spend it on palm- wine.
In this essay, the author
- Narrates okonkwo's tragic life in things fall apart by chinua achebe. his father, unoka, was lazy and improvident, and his wife and children had barely enough to eat.
- Narrates how okonkwo became attached to a boy that he had taken in when udo’s wife was murdered. the boy, ikemefuna, still missed his family but was beginning to feel at home.
- Narrates how okonkwo was a sick man in today's society. when he shot his gun, the crowd cried of agony and shouts of horror.
- Opines that people today would never want to walk in okonkwo's shoes, but people back then thought he was brave and didn't hold a grudge against him.
686 wordsRead More - Analysis of Okonkwo inThings Fall Apart by Chinua Achebeanalytical essayOkonkwo’s true nature was clearly only reflected around those he closest to him, many times only under intimate or special circumstances. As his true masculinity, his unrealised and under expressed fondness for those he loved, and his overly expressed fiery temper, was shown to the greatest extent only around those closest to him. This deeply developed the character, and heightened the sense of Okonkwo being a tragic hero in Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that okonkwo was an accomplished and ambitious man, known for his rapid rise to fame. his strength, his fiery temper, and his fondness for those he respect and love were all suppressed.
- Analyzes how okonkwo strives to appear as masculine as possible, even though his father's traits were already considered very male. however, not all agree with his interpretation of manliness.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's fiery temper was feared throughout the nine villages. he beat his wives consistently and instilled fear in his children.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's fondness of his family was clearly shown, even though he almost shot his second wife to death in anger and to avoid showing weakness.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's true nature was clearly only reflected around those closest to him, many times only under intimate or special circumstances. his unrealised and under expressed fondness for those he loved, and his overly expressed fiery temper, deeply developed the character.
714 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 - The Stubborness of Okonkwoanalytical essayOkonkwo, a fierce warrior, remains unchanged in his unrelenting quest to solely sustain the culture of his tribe in the time of religious war in Achebe's book, Things Fall Apart. He endures traumatic experiences of conflict from other tribes, dramatic confrontations from within his own family, and betrayal by his own tribe.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how okonkwo, a fierce warrior, endures traumatic experiences of conflict from other tribes, dramatic confrontations from within his family, and betrayal by his own tribe.
- Analyzes how okonkwo brought honor to his village by throwing amalizine the cat. the victory brings out hubris, a self-defining trait of him.
- Analyzes how okonkwo wanted his son to be a great warrior like him, but he didn't change to idolize him.
- Narrates how okonkwo's son, isaac, was sent to the new training college for teachers in umuru, and hoped that he would be happy to hear of it.
- Narrates how okonkwo was deeply grieved after being banished from his tribe, which had been converted by the christian missionaries.
- Analyzes how okonkwo feels betrayal for the former members of the tribe because they no longer act like the great warriors that they once were. his inability to conform brings him to suicide.
- Analyzes how okonkwo does not change throughout the novel, despite his experiences, tribal and family, but he remains unchanged in a new time, where change is the only way to be accepted.
389 wordsRead More - An Overview of Chinua Achebe's 'Things Fall Apart'analytical essayIn another part of the story, Okonkwo is banished from his fatherland. This incident is the first where he is punished greatly for his actions. It marks a turning point in Okonkwo's downfall, and therefore the downfall of the traditional culture that he stands for. His hopes and aspirations are almost forgotten while he is away from Umuofia, and he desperately tries to regain his status when he returns. During this period of time, Okonkwo also discovers that his son has converted to his enemy's ways and beliefs. He abandons his son, and doesn't want to be his father any longer. This shows that his relationships with family and other people are beginning to 'fall apart';.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how chinua achebe's "things fall apart" explains how two cultures with different ideas and beliefs can clash and be intolerant towards one another.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's character is introduced and explained to the reader. he is shameful of his father and belligerent and cold-hearted.
- Analyzes how okonkwo is banished from his fatherland and is punished for his actions. his hopes and aspirations are almost forgotten while away from umuofia, and he desperately tries to regain his status.
- Analyzes how the conflict between okonkwo and the new culture occurs at the end of the book.
435 wordsRead More - In Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo is an extremely complex character who experiences a variety of emotions which he has a difficult time controlling. He experiences a never ending battle of psychosomatic symptoms, starting with his obsession over the conflict of the past with his father, Unoka. Okonkwo portrays himself as a heroic, strong warrior, only to mask the feelings of intense anger, fear, and selfishness that provokes him, which inevitably leads him down the same path as his father. He feels a strong hatred towards his father because he believes that his father had no masculine qualities, he owed everyone money, and owned no titles. Achebe states:
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how okonkwo, in achebe's things fall apart, is a complex character who experiences psychosomatic symptoms, starting with his obsession over the conflict of the past with unoka.
- Analyzes how okonkwo believes that no man should ever be like his father. he defeats amalinze the cat in a wrestling match, gaining respect from those in his society.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's instincts of survival, satisfaction of his needs, his aggressiveness, murder and conquest are all provoked by one emotion he hides very well, fear.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's vile actions driven by fear of loosing his hard work and titles inevitably causes his downfall.
- Analyzes how okonkwo strives to avoid being like his father, which ironically leads him to be even weaker when he commits suicide.
692 wordsRead More - Okonkwo Unsympathetic Characteranalytical essayOkonkwo is on two ends of a stick. Sometimes he can be shown to be a caring, sympathetic character, but others he is shown as a ruthless person that is very unsympathetic person. Okonkwo is a man of action that would rather solve things with his fists rather than talking it out. He is a great wrestler hailing from the Umuofia clan that has thrown Amalinze the Cat. Okonkwo is also a very good farmer, where he has been able to grow two barns worth of yams. He is someone that doesn’t know how to control themselves when they get angry as he will then resort to violence. Okonkwo’s family relationships make him a sympathetic character because of his caregiving nature and hospitality and he is shown to be an unsympathetic character because of his
In this essay, the author
- Describes okonkwo as a caring, sympathetic, ruthless, and unsympathetic person. he's also an excellent farmer, who doesn't know how to control himself when he gets angry.
- Analyzes how okonkwo is a sympathetic character because of his caregiving nature.
- Analyzes how okonkwo is a ruthless, uncaring, and unsympathetic person towards his family.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's quotes show how sympathetic and unsympathetic he can be seen as someone who cares about his family.
705 wordsRead More - The Theme Of Fear In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apartanalytical essayThe character of Okonkwo in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart was driven by fear, a fear of change and losing his self-worth. He needed the village of Umuofia, his home, to remain untouched by time and progress because its system and structure were the measures by which he assigned worth and meaning in his own life. Okonkwo required this external order because of his childhood and a strained relationship with his father, which was also the root of his fears and subsequent drive for success. When the structure of Umuofia changed, as happens in society, Okonkwo was unable to adapt his methods of self-evaluation and ways of functioning in the world; the life he was determined to live could not survive a new environment and collapsed around him.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the character of okonkwo in chinua achebe's things fall apart was driven by fear, a fear of change and losing his self-worth.
- Explains how okonkwo was ashamed of his father, unoka, who was unable to feed his family. the unpredictability of receiving enough food at a young age was enough to inspire fear and embarrassment.
- Analyzes how okonkwo rejected the ways of his father, who was deeply indebted to other members of umuofia, holding no titles, to the point where his whole life was dominated by fear, failure, and weakness.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's disparity between his true and warped motivations led him to behave in ways which shocked other members of umuofia with his apparent disregard for others.
- Analyzes how the ibo ways faded through the novel, reaching a head in part two, bringing the downfall of okonkwo.
- Analyzes how okonkwo didn't argue with the banishment that was the standard punishment when he accidentally killed another umuofia member during a funeral ceremony. obierika mourned his loss and questioned the reasoning behind the punishment.
- Narrates how okonkwo's rebellion against his father continued when he was deprived of umuofia and the opportunity to fulfill his passion of becoming a clan lord.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's suicide conformed to the ways of umuofia. the white men attracted the lowest positions and those who questioned the previous order.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's resistance to change was irreversible and his final downfall as the ibo ways changed.
1481 wordsRead More - Achebe's Thing Fall Apart By Achebeanalytical essayThroughout the entire novel of “Thing fall Apart” by Achebe’s we can see how the main character called Okonkwo became the strongest person in the village of Umofia. Okonkwo did so many things in the village that make him a great warrior among his friend and the member of the Umofia. Okonkwo is a guy who likes strong people because he thinks they can accomplished what they want through they boldness mind, and that is why Okonkwo don’t get along with his father because he always see his father as a weak person. The act of commit suicide of Okonkwo is when he came back to his village Umofia, Okonkwo notice that things are change in the village under the colonialism and that pissed Okonkwo off because he think that the village should not allow white people to control their village or their culture. Okonkwo realizes that his village has changes in three ways which is, religion, government and economic. All this affect Okonkwo life, he doesn’t know how to couple with the new change.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how okonkwo became the strongest person in the village of umofia in "thing fall apart" by achebe's.
- Analyzes how okonkwo sacrificed his adopted son ikemefuna because he believed in the oracle. he tried to convert to christianity but it was difficult for him to worship another god.
- Analyzes how okonkwo commits suicide because he was abounded by his people and realized that the only way to overcome is to sacrifice himself.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's suicide was the ultimate sacrifice to prove his deep embedded belief and valve to both his god and his people.
598 wordsRead More - Things Fall Apartanalytical essayOkonkwo is often described as being similar to characters in Greek tragedies. Okonkwo knew that the end of his clan was coming, and that they would do nothing to prevent it from happening. He took his life out of desperation. He had struggled his whole life to become a respected member of his community, and suddenly his world is turned upside down and changed forever because of an accident. Okonkwo sees that he is fighting a losing battle, so he quits. Suicide was one of the biggest offenses that could be committed against the earth, and Okonkwo?s own clansmen could not bury him. Okonkwo?s death symbolizes the end of patriarchy in Umuofia. The last page of the book is from the point of view of the white Commissioner, who notes that he wants to include a paragraph on Okonkwo?s life in his book entitled The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of Lower Niger. Okonkwo?s struggles, triumphs and defeats are all reduced to a paragraph, much like his culture and society will be reduced.
In this essay, the author
- Introduces chinua achebe's things fall apart, a narrative story that follows the life of an african man called okonkwo.
- Analyzes how okonkwo became a well-respected member of the igbo society, but his wealth and prestige rested solely on his personal achievements.
- Analyzes how okonkwo ruled his household with a heavy hand, and his wives, especially the youngest, lived in perpetual fear of his fiery temper. his violent temper was triggered in response to actions that he deemed to be weak.
- Narrates how okonkwo decides to go to the village where the accused lived and ask for one virgin and one young boy to make up for the murder.
- Explains that igbo society, as well as most other african societies, was polytheistic. every man had his own chi, or his won personal god to which he would pray for health and prosperity.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's gun misfires and he accidentally kills a young man in chapter thirteen. he was exiled to mbanta and his family were taken in by uchendu.
- Narrates how okonkwo heard of the first white man while in exile in mbanta, and his mother's clansmen learned of his religion. they gave him permission to build their church in the evil forest.
- Narrates how okonkwo and his family returned to umuofia after seven years. they were surprised to find that the white man had not been driven out of their villages.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's death symbolizes the end of patriarchy in umuofia. his struggles, triumphs, and defeats are all reduced to a paragraph.
1974 wordsRead More