Okonkwo saw himself as a child in Ike, he was strong and hardworking. With Ike’s presence around Nwoye started to act more and more like a man each day and this made Okonkwo proud. For once in his life Okonkwo saw his son acting like a man, doing what he was supposed to do as a young man. It was all thanks to Ike acting almost like a big brother, showing Nwoye what to do and how to act. Until one day the tribe came to Okonkwo to inform him that they were going to kill Ike for his fathers actions.
His fear of weakness and failure is derived from his father, Unoka’s failures, which ignite Okonkwo’s misogynistic views. Throughout his lifetime, Okonkwo associates femininity with weakness because of Unoka, who was called an “agbala” or woman by the people of Umuofia. Since women have this reputation for weakness, Okonkwo lives with constant fear that he will be given the same title as his father. Okonkwo’s first son, Nwoye’s effeminacy reminds Okonkwo of his own father. He says, "I have done my best to make Nwoye grow into a man, but there is much of his mother in him .
Okonkwo, however, didn’t approve of Nwoye’s religion change. Everything Nwoye thought was morally right contradicted his fathers believes, so Okonkwo completely disowned his son and cut all ties after attempting to kill him. As a result, Nwoye moved in with the Christians and was able to escape his father 's abuse and controlling attitude. He was also able to escape from a faith that didn’t support his morals. Conclusion: How did the character develop Although much of the Ibo population reacted negatively to the forced Westernization of Nigeria, a number of people, such as Nwoye, accepted and benefited from the new religion.
Just like Okonkwo said “[...] and he mourned for the warlike men of Umuofia, who had so unaccountable become soft like women” (Achebe 183). Finally the craziness of change settles down, and Okonkwo can relax, until he and six other leaders are arrested and tortured in prison until a fine is paid off by the tribe. This infuriated Okonkwo to be looked down upon and seen as a weakling. He then declares that they must kill the white men immediately. “[...] I shall fight alone if I choose” (Achebe 201).
One of Okonkwo’s wives went to get her hair done instead of cooking for Okonkwo so “when she returned he beat her very heavily” (Achebe 29). This cruel action was uncalled for, especially since for every meal, each wife prepares a dish. This beating occurs during the Week of Peace, which is a sacred week in the Ibo culture for the earth goddess. Acts of violence are prohibited during the Week of Peace, so Okonkwo’s wives begged him to stop, “but Okonkwo was not the man to stop beating somebody half-way through, not even for fear of a goddess” (Achebe 30). If the fear of a goddess is not enough to control Okonkwo’s temper, then what can?
Similarly, Nwoye also resists the reputation of his own father by rejecting this masculine regime of Okonkwo and Igbo culture, showing feminine virtues instead. His intention to carry his beliefs on to his children is established when Okonkwo thinks to himself after he learns of Nwoye’s conversion to Christianity. Nwoye made the decision to leave Umofia after the realization that his views do not coincide with those of his society any longer due to the life time of exposure to the toxicity of Okonkwo’s masculine behavior. It is because he refuses to conform that Nwoye wishes to alter the reputation of himself and his family by joining a culture that he finds to reflect the values that he believes in, instead of those he was dejectedly forced into following by his
They did not believe in women 's roles. Okonkwo verbally shut down the importance of woman in the society along with the other men and Ibo. When Okonkwo was upset with his wives or any other woman in his life he would abuse them to show who has a seniority. Letting the village exile him was disappointing because it showed that he no longer had power. Through committing suicide he held all the power in his life.
Okonkwo fears becoming like his father, an agbala. The effect of this is beneficial for Okonkwo. The way he turns out makes him a great man and because of this, he obtains the third highest title in his tribe. He got power through his ideals. He also obtains fame through the Igbo culture.
Okonkwo was well known in Umuofia, he was one of the leaders for Umuofia. Okonkwo’s dad was an unsuccessful man and Okonkwo was pushed to be better than him (Achebe,4). Okonkwo didn 't like unsuccessful people like his father. If Okonkwo didn 't like unsuccessful people people then he would not want to be unsuccessful. When they burned down the church the District Commissioner wanted to talk to the leaders in Umuofia and Okonkwo was one of the six that they wanted to talk to (Achebe,193).
Children learn from their parent’s mistakes and one thing Okonkwo learned was to rule by one thing” passion- to hate everything that his father Unoka had loved. One of those things was gentleness and another was idleness.” Therefore, he wants to raise Nwoye with fear and abuse since, his father raised him with gentleness. Okonkwo is afraid Nwoye will “be found to resemble his father” so, he treated him and Ikemefuna “with a heavy hand.” Okonkwo was “fond of the boy” but, he did not “express any emotion openly, unless it be the emotion of anger.” Therefore,” when Okonkwo heard that he would not eat any food he came into the hut with a big stick in his hand and stood over him while he swallowed his yams, trembling.” This shows that Okonkwo is raising Nwoye with fear so, he will raise up to be a successful man who will do what he is told no matter what and not be lazy. Okonkwo is scaring Nwoye that he will beat him so, he will listen to him. Everything Okonkwo is doing is because he “was not a cruel man.