Essay On Okonkwo In Things Fall Apart
Readers tend to identify with characters who are strong leaders, have great accomplishments, and look out for the well-being of others. In the novel, “Things Fall Apart”, the author follows the main character Okonkwo and shows the struggles of his once prosperous life during the influence of British colonialism of Nigeria. Okonkwo is a tragic hero because he was a meaningful member in the Igbo tribe and always met the consequences of his choices with courage.
Okonkwo allowed many factors to contribute to his character of a tragic hero. Okonkwo was very quick to anger and impatience. “Okonkwo’s machete descended twice and the mans head lay beside his uniform body (Achebe 204)”. His emotions easily got the best of him and “Okonkwo was not a man of thought, but of action (Achebe 69)”. He was definitely easily considered a hero for
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He was very widely known and “brought honor to his village (Achebe 3)”, along with proving himself as an outstanding warrior. Unfortunately, Okonkwo showed that “his fame rested on solid personal achievements (Achebe 3)”. He definitely struggled with the thought of his personal failure and this seemed to have gotten in the way of being a successful hero to avoid tragedy. In addition to my above paragraph, Okonkwo’s anger was an obstacle for success causing travesty in succcess. “He was a man of action and war (Achebe 10).”
When it’s percieved too late to change the course of events, the tragic hero Okonkwo recognizes his flaws and gains sympathy from the audience. Okonkwo had much to deal with such as white missionaries in his village and even his own family. One of Oonkwo’s biggest fears was “being thought weak (Achebe 61)” and feminine. His self-worth couldn’t afford the loss of his dominance so after the killing of a clansmen “He could not return to the clan after 7 years (Achebe 124)”. He eventually ended it all when “They came to the tree in which his body was hanging (Achebe
Pride In Things Fall Apart
1119 Words | 5 PagesHe was too proud to let his tribe give up their warlike history. He was to proud and self-assured to accept his son's choices. Okonkwo is a sad character whose pride has constantly led him down the crooked path. Achebe shows that being proud isn't a constructive thing for the future. That development can only occur when pride is put aside, and people think logically instead of
Cultural Collision In Things Fall Apart Essay
924 Words | 4 PagesAn Unfortunate Result to Cultural Collision With the increased technology of today’s world, cultures collide constantly, and these interactions can either have positive results of a blended culture, or negative results of horrible tragedies and acts of violence. However, this trade of cultural ideas has been occurring for several thousand years, all over the world. The novel, Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, is a breathtaking novel about the struggles of the African tribe of Umuofia to change their lifestyle to comply to that of a powerful group of white foreigners that invade their land. The collision of cultures is adapted to by some better than others, and the novel seamlessly conveys the results of each response to the newcomers, as
How Is Okonkwo A Sympathetic Character
623 Words | 3 PagesThe novel “things fall apart” is about the fatal demise of Okonkwo and the igbo culture of Umuofia. Okonkwo is well known and respected leader in his community, who is successful in everything he does, such as wrestling and farming. He is quick with his hands and takes pride in his accomplishments. Okonkwo’s family relationship makes him a sympathetic character because of his support and an unsympathetic character because of his cruelty. In many ways Okonkwo showed that he had no sympathy for others , However at times he could be sympathetic.
Okonkwo's Response From Things Fall Apart
723 Words | 3 PagesOkonkwo tries to fight the changes made by the Western people. Okonkwo’s response to the Western people trying to bring Western ideas into the Ibo culture are simply trying to fight back at the Western people with violence. Okonkwo is a strong and fierce leader, but throughout the story, he is challenged by the Western people and the cultural collision because Okonkwo is supposed to be the leader of Umuofia. Okonkwo is supposed to fight back for his village and not stop until he gets it done. In the story Achebe quotes, “He was a man of action, a man of war.
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387 Words | 2 PagesThe author, Chinua Achebe, used Okonkwo as an example of the father/son conflict and how the conflict affects a man’s life. Just because one does not always act like the typical strong, almost emotionless man, that does not mean one is coward. Okonkwo’s thought process leads to his demise because he cannot bear to see the strong willed tribe and culture he has known his whole life fail him: just
Cultural Collision In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart
855 Words | 4 PagesAmong those of the same culture, individuals who are adaptive and open-minded can be successful when there is cultural collision. When the Igbo and European cultures collide, Okonkwo gradually spirals out of control, losing everything he values and his own sense of self. From the beginning of the novel, Achebe depicts Okonkwo as a virile warrior and a successful farmer within the Igbo tribe. Reacting with violence to anything he considers “womanly” or “weak”, “He was a man of action and man of war” (10). Because of his reputation as a warrior he is highly respected by his community.
How Okonkwo's Change In 'Things Fall Apart'
965 Words | 4 PagesIn the book “Things Fall Apart“ Okonkwo is a very strong man and from time to time he starts showing his true self. He has a lot of responsibilities and other things he has to do around the living environment and interact with lots of people. Okonkwo changes from being that strong man, to a man who feels like his tribe is not with him when he wants to go to war with the missionaries. For someone like Okonkwo a lot of people looks up to him and while in the tribe Okonkwo beats his wives and children. Not good behavior for someone who is supposedly looked at as strong.
Okonkwo's Change In Things Fall Apart
1163 Words | 5 PagesIn “Things Fall Apart” Achebe gives background information on Okonkwo saying “He was a wealthy farmer and had two barns full of yams, and had just married his third wife.” (5). This quotation from chapter one demonstrates that Okonkwo’s nobility of prosperity is revealed by his success’ from his early years and forward. The villagers within Okonkwo’s clan love and honor him for his personal achievements, and he
Okonkwo's Hatred In Things Fall Apart
1774 Words | 8 PagesThe hatred that he had for his father he carried with him throughout his whole life. That hatred turned into him killing Ikemefuna and the messenger. Ikemefuna was thought of as a son and he killed him in fear of being considered weak in front of his clan members. That weakness was thought of his weakness which was considered a failure. At the end of the story Okonkwo ends up being just like his father which is ironic because he strived to be nothing like him.
Okonkwo's Effects Of Colonization In Things Fall Apart
888 Words | 4 PagesHe got power through his ideals. He also obtains fame through the Igbo culture. In the Igbo tribe there are wrestling games and because of that “Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond.” (Achebe 1). This is the Okonkwo before the white men come.
Why Is Okonkwo A Tragic Hero
1038 Words | 5 PagesFrom being nothing in his village he rises to be a great, honorable, successful leader of umuofia. He also has a tragic flaw of being weak, failure and having fear that leads him to fail at things several times because of his fears. All of these failures then lead him to his suicide. Finally, he finds his own tragic fate because of his murder of the missionaries court messenger during his villages meeting. Though Okonkwo's life started out as one of the most successful and leading men of Umuofia but because of his violent and impulsive characteristics, even the most successful and well-respected man can fall from his
Okonkwo's Relationship Essay
817 Words | 4 PagesOkonkwo is a very well-respected and independent man in Umuofia due to his titles and hard work. Even though he seems put together and stern, his life is dictated by fear. His fear of becoming like his father led him to helping in the murder of Ikemefuna, beating his wives and children, and disowning his oldest son, Nwoye. As a main character, Okonkwo remains pretty much the same throughout the book, his biggest issue being his inability to have compassion. Who might he not have compassion for and why?
Okonkwo Tragic Hero Analysis
951 Words | 4 PagesEventually, after numerous hardships, Okonkwo earns his success and obtains several barns and wives. This symbolizes wealth and power which were what Okonkwo had been working for all his life. Moreover, Achebe portrays Okonkwo as a fierce warrior and is also represents him as a model clansman in the society:
Essay On Okonkwo
769 Words | 4 PagesOkonkwo In literature, there are many characters that stand out and show that they have a variety of qualities about them. In Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo is one character that presents character traits from both the negative and positive sides of him. Okonkwo is portrayed to be a warrior who wanted to become somebody strong and looked up to, but also possesses less favorable qualities. He, however, does not let any one trait dictate his whole personality; he is written to be a well-rounded character.
Theme Of Masculinity In Things Fall Apart
702 Words | 3 PagesHe was a caring man down in his heart but “his whole life was dominated by the fear, the fear of failure and of weakness” (Achebe 13), and his mission to become one of the greatest men of his clan. Okonkwo was devoted to masculinity, he put it above anything else preventing anyone from questioning his masculinity. When he felt a slight sign of weakness it reminded him of his fathers failure to being a true man not providing for his family or ruling women and his children, therefore “he was not really a man” (Achebe 53).There were many traits to being a masculine man but to Okonkwo the main one was ruling his wife and children, if any of them had disobeyed him he would beat them without hesitation or regret. Although Okonkwo is influenced by masculinity it is because the Ibo culture believes in men dominating women which leads their society to fall
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