In the story we see many themes regarding the role of women, the Ibo belief system and values. Here women are seen not as partners to share what one has but as property and extra hands to farm. The more wife’s a man has the higher his status and respect; they have no say and should do as they are told. They work the farm with the kids and maintain the house. They have a complex belief system; they respect and honor their Gods so that they can have a good harvest and luck. They value hard work, courage and strength.
The main thing that caught my attention while I read the story was how Okonkwo did everything possible to be different than his father and at the end he was worse than him. His father even though was irresponsible at least had a passion which was music. Okonkwo on the other had nothing he spent every second remembering what he did not want to be, hiding his true feelings and being a stern and dry person.
In this egocentric and money driven society, many of us become this way. We do not want to be like our parents or past generation who thought that the ideal life as having a family, small house with a white picket fence and a job to keep food on the table. Unlike today where for many of us the ideal life is one where we have ten thousand dollars in the bank, becoming CEO’s or directors and have a job where we can make a surplus of money.
When one focus on the negative aspects of life or what we don’t want to become, we often overlook the simple pleasures in life and what really is important and can make us happy; Leading us to a dark and frustrated life.
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