The novel, Things Fall Apart by China Achebe takes place in a small town within the heartland of Nigeria. In this harsh landscape constant threats include war with other clans, starvation due to lack of a consistent food supply, and the swarm of foreign invaders and missionaries determined to uproot the Igbo culture. The protagonist of this novel is Okonkwo, a respected warrior who intensely aggressive to say the least. His claim to fame is the fact that he is a spitting image of the Igbo ideal (strong, brave and masculine). Okonkwo takes excessive pride in his idealistic attributes. However, this narcissistic attitude proves to be dangerous to his success. Throughout the novel, Okonkwo is forced to battle his anger issues, his dangerously dominant attitude, and most importantly his excessive pride. Okonkwo’s greatest flaw is his hubristic attitude towards his family and clanmates. In order to maintain his pride, Okonkwo commits actions that negatively impact his life. One being the murder of his adopted son, Ikemefuna. Tensions between Umuofia and a neighboring village arise due to a complication resulting in the death of a clan member. As a result, the members of the Umuofia clan demand two youths be sent from th neighboring village as payment for the death. Once they arrive, Okonkwo agrees to …show more content…
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how things fall apart by china achebe takes place in a small town within the heartland of nigeria. the protagonist is okonkwo, an intensely aggressive warrior who takes excessive pride in his idealistic attributes.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's hubristic actions negatively impact his life, such as the murder of his adopted son, ikemefuna.
- Analyzes how okonkwo viciously beats his wife, ojiugo, during the week of peace, in order to appear strong and avoid showing mercy.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's hubris and obsession with his social status drives him to become a flawed character.
- Analyzes okonkwo's rejection towards "feminine" actions when he accidentally shoots a young boy during the gun salute.
- Analyzes how okonkwo rededately attempts to dominate those around him, in order to appear strong and gain respect.
- Analyzes how okonkwo is a tragic hero who realizes his misdeeds. he lives his life with the fear of being inadequate, of not being the best.
Okonkwo’s youngest wife, Ojiugo, had returned late to cook Okonwo’s meal. In order to appear strong and to avoid showing mercy, he viciously beat her: “He walked back to his obi to await Ojiugo’s return. And when returned he beat her very heavily. In his anger he had forgot it was the Week of Peace” (29). As a result of his outburst, Okonkwo was heavily fined. In this situation, Okonkwo beats his wife instead of showing feeling or mercy, since depiction of feelings are “feminine”. As a matter of fact, Okonkwo portrays his masculinity very often during this
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- 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 - Okonkwo Unsympathetic Characteranalytical essayOkonkwo is a man of action, he would rather settle things with his strength rather than talk it out with the person he is mad at. This is very unsympathetic because not only is he going to use violence towards others, he is doing it just because he can not get his point across with using his words. This quote shows that he does not care towards others emotions because he would rather just fight them than talk it out. Another quote that shows Okonkwo’s unsympathetic behavior is,“He rules the household with a heavy hand” (Achebe 13). Okonkwo is shown to be someone who disciplines where he sees fit, if he does not like what is going on then there might be a high chance that the heavy hand is going to come down onto you. It shows how unsympathetic Okonkwo is because it shows how he might not care about his family’s feelings towards getting hit when they disobey him. His wives are more often beaten, especially Ekwefi, who has been beaten almost to death because Okonkwo was in a bad mood. It shows that he lets his emotions get the best of him and he does not control them very well, he would rather let it all out violently than talking it out with the people that he is mad at. Those quotes show how Okonkwo can be seen as a very unsympathetic person from 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 - How Does Okonkwo's Change In Things Fall Apartanalytical essayIn Chinua Achebe’s novel, Things Fall Apart, the main character, Okonkwo, is faced with the destruction of his culture through the changes of African Colonization. Okonkwo is the strongest member of his clan. At a young, he fought his way up the societal ladder to become something from nothing. As time passes, the Western cultures’ ideas force Okonkwo to the limits of his cultural boundaries. Okonkwo realizes that in a new society ruled by Western influence that the old ways of his clan, violence and hate, are not going to regain control over the people of Umuofia. With Okonkwo’s past of extreme violence, his fight for the old traditions of the Igbo culture cannot withstand the cultural collision between the Western missionary’s ideas and the Igbo’s ideas which inevitably leads to his undoing.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how chinua achebe's novel, things fall apart, forces okonkwo to the limits of his cultural boundaries. his fight for the old traditions of the igbo culture leads to his undoing.
- Describes okonkwo as a great warrior and success story, deeply intertwined with his faith. he dedicated his time to his gods and goddesses as well as his ancestors.
- Opines that okonkwo's return to his native land was not as memorable as he had wished. hundreds of people had left the igbo religion to join the christians.
- Narrates how okonkwo fought long and hard in a valiant effort to bring the old ways back. his anger showed as he tried hard to tolerate the new ways of the missionaries.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's reaction to the cultural collision between western culture and igbo culture was an extreme on the negative spectrum of the idea. his lack of care and compassion built his up his anger and hatred towards everything.
544 wordsRead More - Critical Criticism Of Things Fall Apartanalytical essayIt becomes clear that he is undoubtedly a critical member of Umuofian society, but has many extreme behaviors that aren’t typical of that culture. When reflecting on his achievements of the past he always stresses the ferocity and heartlessness. He has "brought honor to his village by throwing Amalinze the Cat" in a wrestling match (Achebe 3). He then begins to emphasize his impatience with “unsuccessful” men, which is clearly shown when he speaks of his “effeminate” son, Nwoye, and father, Unoka. Although a generally harsh view, Okonkwo’s actions more often than not earn him great respect in his
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how chinua achebe's "things fall apart" is one of the most significant postcolonial texts because it was the first time people were able to relate to african as humans through non-european literature
- Analyzes how the protagonist, okonkwo, is a critical member of umuofian society, but has many extreme behaviors that aren't typical of that culture.
- Analyzes how achebe paints an image where women only exist to serve the men and bear children, but eventually adds to their importance in society.
- Opines that the igbo culture is presented with forceful external issues when compared to european depictions. the arrival of white explores changed their culture in a way that it could never recover.
730 wordsRead More - Okonkwo in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apartanalytical essayOkonkwo 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.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how okonkwo is a tragic hero in chinua achebe's novel things fall apart. aristotle defines tragic heroes as good men of high status who display tragic flaws and experience dramatic reversals.
- Analyzes how 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 unproductive life and disgraceful death.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's fear leads him to treat members of his family harshly, in particular his son, and his downfall is a result of the changes created by the british colonists to igbo.
- Analyzes okonkwo's reaction to christianity and the influence of the british after his seven-year exile.
975 wordsRead More - Okonkwo is the son of a man named Unoka, who was known as somewhat of a failure and was not able to repay debt. Unoka preferred music and friendly gatherings to working in the field and was therefore more focused on things as seen as unimportant to the Ibo culture such as playing his flute and drinking palm-wine rather than earning titles and growing yams as an Ibo man should. Okonkwo developed a deep shame and hatred for his father and worked tirelessly to erase him from his memory by attempting to become his opposite by earning
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how chinua achebe's things fall apart goes into great depth with its character development. okonkwo is perhaps the most interesting example of these descriptions throughout the novel.
- Explains that okonkwo is the son of a man named unoka, who preferred music and friendly gatherings to working in the field. he worked tirelessly to erase him from his memory by earning titles and providing enough food for his family.
- Opines that it pleases them to see a young man like you in these days when our youth has gone so soft.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's work ethic and success exceeded the standards of the ibo culture earning him titles and leadership. his shame and fear of being seen as weak drove him to be a harsh ruler in his tribe.
- Analyzes how okonkwo ruled his household with a heavy hand. his wives, especially the youngest, lived in perpetual fear of his fiery temper.
- Narrates how okonkwo's life was stripped away when his gun malfunctioned and a piece of metal pierced his heart and killed him. after seven years in exile, he was able to return to his father-land.
- Narrates how okonkwo became bitter towards the british and wanted vengeance and war to reclaim the land for his people and honour for himself.
- Explains how okonkwo's inability to accept change and his surrender to despair made him unable to see the doors of opportunity that were opening in other directions.
1073 wordsRead More - And when she returned, he beat her very heavily. In his anger he had forgotten that it was the Week of Peace. His first two wives ran out in great alarm pleading with him that it was the sacred week. (Achebe, 29) But Okonkwo was not a man to stop beating somebody half-way through, not even for fear of a goddess. (Achebe, 30)
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how okonkwo, a great and heroic leader, is doomed by his inflexibility and hubris. he is driven by fear of failure.
- Analyzes how the reader gets an exotic understanding of a totally foreign and ancient culture experiencing the growing pains of colonial expansion during the british domination of nigeria in the late 1800s.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's ferocity is demonstrated in the carrying out of his personal "dread" to the letter within his family, his community, and the invaders.
- Analyzes how okonkwo was not a man to stop beating somebody half-way through, not even for fear of the goddess.
- Analyzes how ikemefuna loses self-control and abandons his tribe after the death of his adopted son, nwoye.
- Analyzes how nwoye resembled his grandfather, unoka, and pushed the thought out of his mind. he became famous throughout umofia for his wrestling and fearlessness
- Analyzes how okonkwo's eyes were opened and saw the whole matter clearly. living fire begets cold, impotent ash.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's personal and social chi, or karma, is good because he works, provides for his family, and serves his community.
- Describes okonkwo's return to umofia after seven years in exile to a much different society.
- Analyzes how okonkwo drew his machete, and the messenger crouched to avoid the blow. the most evil twist comes at the end of the novel.
- Analyzes how the man who killed a messenger and hanged himself would make interesting reading. the pacification of the primitive tribes on the lower niger.
- Analyzes how achebe suggests colonialism has led to this tragedy, but the seeds of dread and self-will are evident in okonkwo. we purposely choose our own end by the choices we make along the way.
957 wordsRead More - Okonkwos Influence On Things Fall Apartanalytical essay“If you don't like how things are, change it! You're not a tree” (Jim Rohn). The novel Things Fall Apart is about the story of a young and strong man, whom is named Okonkwo, that is determined to not resemble his father, and this causes the protagonist to have a tragic flaw of unstable aggression within in his native Igbo tribe. From an early age, Okonkwo was a beloved and influential leader within the Igbo community of Umuofia in eastern Nigeria, and he earned his fame and distinction by defeating Amalinze the Cat in a wrestling competition. Throughout the novel Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe uses Okonkwo to show in a more fictitious way the truth about the atrocities that occurred to the Igbo people in Nigeria, and how European settlers altered and permanently affected them. Achebe wanted to counteract the perception of the superiority of Europeans over the people of Africa because the conqueror generally writes the history of the victim, and this book gives a more accurate depiction of the Igbo people, rather than allow for them to be thought of as worthless and cultureless.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how chinua achebe uses okonkwo to show the truth about the atrocities that occurred to the igbo people in nigeria, and how european settlers altered and permanently affected them.
- Analyzes okonkwo's internal conflicts with his father, unoka, who was lazy and improvident, and members of the igbo tribe called him an agbala.
- Explains that okonkwo's self-reliance within the tribe was commended and valued in a society where age was respected among his people, but achievement was revered.
556 wordsRead More - Things Fall Apartanalytical essayThe emphasis placed upon societal status in Igbo culture is profound. Okonkwo builds his life around this ideal because his father was considered town failure. He is constantly blindly trying to better his social status. An obvious portrayal of his need to keep his masculinity is his murder of a boy. The boy was practically a son to him who had been raised in his home among his family. It is decided by the town elders that the boy, Ikemefuna, should be killed in retribution of a woman murdered three years ago. Even after the boy cries out to Okonkwo calling him his father, “…Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought weak.”(61) Okonkwo’s culture pushed him to become a heartless man in order to gain respect.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how things fall apart proposes the idea that the igbo culture possessed civility prior to it’s colonization by the british. okonkwo is a man of little compassion for anyone, including himself.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's culture pushed him to become a heartless man in order to gain respect.
- Explains that at the turn of the century igbo culture was nearing its height of colonization by the british.
- Analyzes how okonkwo held dear to his culture and did so with a vengeance after the remaining igbos burned down the christian church in anger.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's family is more proof of the way his culture hardened him and made him a callous man.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's tragic suicide was brought on by his inability to deal with the ever-changing society.
526 wordsRead More - Okonkwo's Failureanalytical essayBoth the beatings of his wives and the killing of Ikemefuna helps to manifest Okonkwo’s impulsiveness. During the misunderstanding about the banana tree, Okonkwo “... who had been walking about aimlessly in his compound in suppressed anger, suddenly found an outlet” (Achebe 38). Okonkwo resorts to violence to try to relive many of his frustrations in life. His anger is shown in his incompetence to control himself. Okonkwo states, “ ‘Who killed this tree? Or are you all deaf and dumb?’ ” (Achebe 38). Okonkwo’s frustration and temper starts to build up until he cannot handle it anymore and lashes out on his second wife for “killing” the banana tree. The tree, in fact, was still alive, but since Okonkwo’s impulsiveness controls him he could not understand that his second wife had only taken a few leaves from the tree to wrap up some food. Without listening to his wife’s explanation for why some of the leaves on the tree were missing, “Okonkwo gave her a sound beating and left her and her only daughter weeping...His anger thus satisfied, Okonkwo decided to go hunting.” (Achebe 38). Okonkwo’s actions towards his wives highlight his impulsiveness. All of Okonkwo’s built up anger and emotions are trapped inside of him and are usually released at the expense of others through his actions. Okonkwo’s part in the killing of Ikemefuna
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how okonkwo's fear of failure and weakness stems from his father, unoka, and his inability to succeed during his life.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's actions towards his wives and ikemefuna show his inability to control his acts and temper which are fueled by his fear of failure and weakness.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's fear of being judged by the elders and being thought of as weak led him to kill ikemefuna.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's determination to succeed in life and to not fail leads to his fatal downfall in the novel.
990 wordsRead More - Okonkwo In Things Fall Apartanalytical essayIn his novel, Things Fall Apart, Achebe uses one human emotion to display the strengths and weaknesses of his protagonist. Okonkwo is a very proud man. He yearns to be thought of as successful according to the standards of his tribe. This same emotion causes the character to act in ways that the Igbo consider incongruous. This stubborn male pride is the primary force at work in Okonkwo; it allows him to prevail and yet is equally responsible for the character’s demise.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how achebe foreshadows the rise and fall of his protagonist in things fall apart. okonkwo's name indicates his greatest traits as well as his tragic flaw.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's pride is evident in many positive attributes; he is strong, hard-working, and has obtained family status considered successful by igbo standards.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's pridefulness is rewarded for his hard-working nature. he borrows seedlings to begin his first crops and tends his fields diligently.
- Analyzes okonkwo's success in the igbo tribe is measured by the size of his family, which is another area in which he finds a great amount of self-regard.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's hubris motivates him to achieve as many titles as possible avoiding the humiliation this brings upon a man and his family.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's proud nature manifested itself as the above mentioned strengths, but it can also be found at the root of his weaknesses. he acts hastily without thinking about the consequences, is willing to do anything to avoid the appearance of weakness, and does not listen to the advice of others.
- Analyzes how okonkwo allows his male ego to control his actions. he doesn't consider ramifications other than if they will appear masculine or feminine.
- Analyzes how okonkwo is obsessed with appearing masculine and sacrifices a relationship with his son to avoid the embarrassment of appearing weak.
- Analyzes how the protagonist goes against the advice of others to prove his manliness. the first incident occurs after the oracle reveals that ikemefuna must be killed.
- Analyzes okonkwo's machismo in the end of the novel. the character feels the igbo are giving in to the christian missionaries.
- Analyzes how okonkwo's suicide brought about everything he had tried so hard to avoid. his father had died a shameful death; unoka held no titles and was indebted to many.
- Analyzes how achebe uses one human emotion to display the strengths and weaknesses of his protagonist, okonkwo, in things fall apart.
938 wordsRead More - An Identity Crisis in 'Things Fall Apart'analytical essayThings 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.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the ibo people had a different religious lifestyle and culture. they believed in many gods and were polytheistic.
- Analyzes okonkwo's personal conflict between himself and his father, unoka. he inherited no farm, no money, and no title.
- Explains that nwoye possessed traits like gentleness, forgiveness, and acceptance, which were signs of weakness and womanly.
- Analyzes how okonkwo was yelled at by ezeani, the priest of the earth goddess, for beating his wife during the sacred week of peace. he killed ikemefuna to prove that he was not weak to his tribe.
- Analyzes how things fall apart by chinua achebe is a story about personal beliefs, customs, and an identity confliction.
- Narrates how okonkwo was banished for killing a brother of the tribe, burned his obi, and reunited with his mother's tribe.
1770 wordsRead More - Okonkwo Is A Tragic Hero in Things Fall Apartanalytical essaySince Okonkwo is a tragic hero, he must have tragic flaws. The first of which is his obsession with war, fighting, and conquering. Okonkwo constantly must be engaged in some activity that has physical exertion or combat. For Okonkwo, the desire to conquer and subdue is described as being, "'...like the desire for woman'" (30). He possesses a one-track mind that was focused on nothing but success. His second tragic flaw is that he can show no other emotion except for anger. He never shows his fondness for the young hostage, Ikemefuna, who eventually regards Okonkwo as his father. Inside, Okonkwo wishes that Ikemefuna were his natural son instead of Nwoye. It is also this flaw that causes him to beat his wife during the weak of peace for, "...killing this banana tree" (27). His anger almost causes him to kill his second wife with a gun. He feels very sorry for this act, but cannot show his true emotions. The example of this is when the Oracle of the Hill deems that Ikemefuma must die, but not by Okonkwo's hand, since he calls him father:
In this essay, the author
- Narrates how okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down with fear.
- Analyzes how okonkwo is the protagonist in the book things fall apart by chinua achebe.
- Explains that okonkwo's ultimate fear is becoming like his father, worthless, without honor, and buried above ground without respect.
- Opines that we were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act as one.
- Analyzes how okonkwo is a tragic hero because he follows the umuofia culture because his father did not follow it.
857 wordsRead More