The Power Of Power In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

Power is a dangerous game to play, helping to heal, and harm. In the novel, Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe illustrates the life of Okonkwo, and his experiences within his life. Being a warrior of great class and respect, Okonkwo stood at the zenith of his village, pulling himself up from nothing. It all came to an end when Okonkwo committed an accidental murder resulting in the banishment from the land for several years, laying the groundwork for his demise. The absence of the famed warrior allowed for foreign missionaries from another land to invade, take hold, and reform the lifestyle. Eventually, Okonkwo returned, but to a completely different society changed by the missionaries. Okonkwo developed throughout the novel because of his conflicts with society, which were primarily caused by his ideals of masculinity, his inability for adaption, and his relationships with others. Masculinity controlled Okonkwo’s life, influencing all his decisions and ideas, causing conflict in society. Fear was rooted at the basis of his masculine ideals, as his father, Unoka, the main source of his terror, was a failure in life, taking no title and often being described as a woman. Being constantly teased, Okonkwo lived his life, abhorring his father, hating everything he loved. Eventually, in Okonkwo’s life of hatred, he hit a road bump, taking his actions too far, as he beat his wife in the week of peace. “Inwardly, he was repentant. But he was not the man to go about telling his