Things Fall Apart Universal Justice Essay
The Igbo people of Nigeria believe that no consequence or calamity occurs unless the individual 's actions justify that event, referred to as "universal justice." While the Igbo culture has since been entwined with other cultures, Chinua Achebe preserves their unique culture in his book Things Fall Apart. In the final moments of the novel, readers see the protagonist Okonkwo, once a "Roaring Flame" and successful man, driven to suicide to escape the weakening of his tribe. While readers might take pity on Okonkwo, his life and suicide are simple consequences of his life as said by his own peoples ' idea of universal justice. Okonkwo 's life and eventual suicide occur as the results of universal justice, punishing him for his immense hatred of any cultural change and excessive violence. Okonkwo 's immense hatred of cultural change lead him to suicide as a result of the Igbo idea of universal justice. After his son Nwoye joined the Christians and left Okonkwo and his family, “A sudden fury rose within [Okonkwo] and he felt a strong desire to take up his …show more content…
The Igbo culture of universal justice can be seen in the life of Okonkwo due to his hatred of cultural change and his violent actions in Chinua Achebe 's Things Fall Apart. Universal justice, while a part of Igbo culture, can also be seen in much of today 's culture. Referred to as karma, many people believe in the concept of a universal justice system, including Christians in the forms of the Holy Spirit and the acceptance into heaven dependent on how a person acted on Earth towards others. While universal justice may not even exist, accepting change and being kind and respectful to people creates in that individual a better person, which is something that the world could use more of. Without people like that the world suffers, bad events occur, and the people that are kind and respectful suffer when those around them treat them with harsh actions and indifference, just like Okonkwo in Chinua Achebe
Okonkwo A Hero Analysis
1319 Words | 6 PagesRather than being killed by the men he despised he took his own life. Actions have consequences and in killing three people he realized he was not exempt from that rule. Upon his newfound cognizance he took a cowards way out which is also an abomination to their clan. While Okonkwo was an impressive figure to the people of Umuofia because of the warrior he had become for his own self-gratification he died just like his father; titleless. If Okonkwo hadn’t been so petrified of being seen as weak he could’ve lived to be more, but the persona he built wasn’t prepared to enter his new world of an
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 Before Colonialism
728 Words | 3 PagesOkonkwo experienced change because of the actions that lead to his banishment and this made some of his fears come true. Even after these parts of his life have occurred, Okonkwo would have still been able to recover from his incident. However, because of colonialism, this idea of returning to his old life was shot down by the new ideas and changes within the people of Umoufia. This negative change was caused directly by colonialism. In “Things Fall Apart” the Igbo have been shown to have a large amount of culture that was effected by western beliefs.
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.
Okonkwo's Conflict In Things Fall Apart
1359 Words | 6 PagesOkonkwo wanted his tribe to fight back the missionaries in order to protect their Igbo culture but his persistence only led to his downfall. This can be seen when Okonkwo makes a rash decision to kill a messenger thinking Umuofia would fight back but ended up not fighting, “The white man whose power you know too well has ordered this meeting to stop.” In a flash, Okonkwo drew his machete. The messenger crouched to avoid the blow. It was useless.
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.
Change In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart
889 Words | 4 PagesThe story has many examples of the importance of community through tradition and religion, which also plays a major part in the story. For example, we see the community working together and supporting each other throughout the book, until change visits them and changes their culture and muddles their ideals. The introduction of the white man forever changes the Igbo culture which we see at the very end of the book when Okonkwo kills the missionary to try to bring war to drive the change out, and no one supports him. The community has changed, and Okonkwo hadn’t realized it, this change was destructive to both the Igbo culture and to Okonkwo, as he realizes that the change he is trying to prevent is inevitable, and the community he once was respected in and loved, had turned their backs on
Things Fall Apart Nwoye Identity Analysis
479 Words | 2 PagesThis springs a collision between Okonkwo and Nwoye. Nwoye wants to become Christian and Okonkwo does not approve of what the white men introduced to the Ibo culture. There were other people in the clan like Okonkwo that went against their faith and claimed that everything the Christians believe in was false. Nwoye knows his father has a bad temper and so when Okonkwo found out that he wanted to convert, Nwoye knew that it would cause conflict, and Okonkwo would want to kill him. " Answer me," roared Okonkwo, "before I kill you!"
Compare And Contrast Okonkwo And Nwoye
1890 Words | 8 PagesFear is the core cause of the dramatic shift of lifestyle for both Okonkwo and Nwoye. Through the management of reputation and the avoidance of their father’s likeness, Okonkwo and Nwoye built new lives for themselves. Okonkwo sought power and authority to prove his masculinity and make up for Unoka’s reputation as a weak man. He did this to the point where manliness became his character. Fearlessness and violence were masculine qualities that in Igbo culture signifies strength and influence.
Okonkwo's Effects Of Colonization In Things Fall Apart
888 Words | 4 PagesColonization has an impact on an individual’s life and can either be positive or negative. In Things Fall Apart, Achebe uses Okonkwo, a tragic hero, to show loss of power and respect due to colonization and to exemplify change can be hard for people. Okonkwo’s identity is dependent on the Igbo Culture. At the beginning of the book, Okonkwo is seen as very strong. Also, Okonkwo only shows the emotion anger because he thinks that is the only emotion that men should show and every other emotion is feminine according to his standards.
Analysis Of Igbo Culture In Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe
837 Words | 4 Pages“Things Fall Apart”, a novel written by Chinua Achebe about Africa through the character Okonkwo, a man who Achebe uses to illustrate the complexity Igbo culture, contrary to what the Europeans portrayed Africa as. One main focus of the book is to counter the single story, which is the idea that an area is represented by one story, similar to a stereotype. However, differing from a stereotype a single story often completely misrepresents something, and in this case Africa. Europeans had been the only ones writing about Africa, describing all the culture as problematic for being different, rather than looking at what African culture really is. Achebe was one of the first to write about African culture for westerners to read about, making Things Fall Apart a true innovation in writing.
Why Is Okonkwo A Tragic Hero
1038 Words | 5 PagesToday, Christianity is one of the largest religions in Africa. In the past few decades, there has been a large growth of Christians in Africa - this is coupled with a steady decline in the more traditional African religions. The book, Things Fall Apart shows that a character that has a tragic flaw is one that constantly makes error in there actions that eventually cates us to them and leads them to there doom. Okonkwo, a perfect tragic character, is driven by his fear of being unmanly, this causes him to act very harsh toward his fellow tribesmen, his family and himself; he will judge all the people in the village. In the eyes of Okonkwo, a true man is wealthy, hard-working, and violent.
Similarities And Similarities Between Okonkwo And Macbeth
946 Words | 4 PagesHis father was the exact opposite of what the Igbo people stand for. Unoka, Okonkwo’s father, is a “coward [who] could not bear the sight of blood” (Achebe 6). In turn, Okonkwo became a ruthless warrior who was known across the different tribes. The worst aspect of Unoka is that he was considered to be a failure. This caused Okonkwo “even as a little boy [to resent] his father’s failure” (13).
Essay On Religion In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart
846 Words | 4 PagesReligion in Things Fall Apart Religion is the belief in a greater power, which shapes the way someone lives their life. Religion can bring people together, or it can pull them apart. The novel Things Fall Apart, a work by Chinua Achebe, is about a man named Okonkwo and how he and his village deal with the colonization of Christianity. In the end, it pulled Okonkwo away from his people, leading him to his death.
Things Fall Apart Essay
794 Words | 4 PagesOkonkwo represents the old ways and how they were driven to extinction. Misunderstanding played a large role in the colonization. The Igbo were not savages of any sort, as the Christians claimed, they were a complex society with a unique and enthralling cultural identity. The Igbo have existed for centuries building their ways of life and their ancestors have been in Nigeria since before 4500 BCE which far predates Christianity. The christians may have misunderstood this flavorful
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