How Does Ikemefuma Affect Nwoye's Death

My topic of choice was how the death of Ikemefuma affected Nwoye. I chose to write over this topic because Nwoye was the character that interested me the most. I felt really bad for Nwoye because his father expected so much out of him. Okonkwo expected Nwoye to be a “man” at the age of 12. When I was at that age, I wasn’t worried about anything else other than school, my friends, and being a boy. Okonkwo had high expectations for him so he would not end up like his Okonkwo’s father. By the end of the book Nwoye finally stands up to his father and grows the courage to follow what he believed was best for him. At this point he didn’t have anyone telling him how to live his life or what to do. I really liked how Nwoye went from being a kid who
was beaten for being lazy to a person who wanted to learn more about another religion. I don’t think Nwoye did it for the religion but to figure out who he really was and what made him who he is. The courage that Nwoye had to not go back to his father was what really made me like his character.

Sincerely, Abel Juan
Things Fall Apart Writing Assignment

In the beginning of the book, there were already many events that affected Okonkwo’s family and Ikemefuna. Ikemefuna’s arrival to the family had an impacted on Okonkwo because he had a new son. Nwoye and his mother are affected because Ikemefuna lived in their hut. What impacted Nwoye the most out of the whole family was Ikemefuna's departure because he started to grow a bond with him.
Before Ikemefuna became part of the clan Nwoye is first presented in the book as a lazy. The book states, “Nwoye was then twelve years old but already causing his father great anxiety for his incipient laziness” (13). Therefore, in order to correct his laziness Okonkwo constantly beat him. One of the descriptions about Nwoye was that he was starting to develope into a sad-faced youth.
By the time Ikemefuna started to feel comfortable with Okonkwo and his family, he and Nwoye started to get along together. An example from the book was when they both helped
Okonkwo fetch yams from the barn and counting the prepared seeds. Okonkwo starts to see a change in Nwoye. An example from the book is, “Okonkwo was inwardly pleased at his son’s development, and he knew it was due to Ikemefuma” (52). At the beginning Nwoye was considered to be lazy but now that Ikemefuna is around he does not seem to be so lazy after all. Okonkwo starts to notice that Nwoye is developing into the young man that he wanted him to be and it was due to Ikemefuna. In fact, when Okonkwo told Ikemefuna that he was going home, Nwoye bursted into tears.
However, Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna because he didn’t want to be seen as weak. As a result of his death Nwoye becomes the same person that he was before Ikemefuna’s arrival. It wasn’t a surprise that Nwoye starts to grow fear of his father and does not want to talk to him. In addition, when Okonkwo and Okagbue were digging the pit to find Ezinma’s iyi-uwa, Nwoye just stands near the edge of the pit. If Ikemefuna was around Nwoye may have helped dig the pit. He would help his father before and now he does not offer to help him. As time passes Nwoye starts to distant himself from his father. Additionally, Nwoye begins to lose respect for his father.
Eventually, Nwoye completely distances himself from his father. A great example of this is when Obierika notices him among the group of missionaries. Not only did Obierika see him but he also tells him that he is one of the missionaries. When Obierika asks about Okonkwo, Nwoye replies with “I don’t know. He is not my father” (144). At this stage Nwoye completely grows away from his father. Everything traces back to the death of Ikemefuna. Nwoye does not forgive his father for killing him and everything that Nwoye is doing is for that particular reason. What drives Nwoye to never come back home to his father was when Okonkwo confronts Nwoye about being among the Christians. Okonkwo was very aggressive with Nwoye by gripping him by the neck and being very violent.
As Nwoye continues to learn about the new religion he starts to have many questions run through his head. It is stated in the book that it was not the logic of the Trinity that attracted him to this new religion. He did not understand how the Trinity worked. What attracted him to this religion was the feeling of relief within him with the words of the hymn. Nwoye starts to find happiness in this religion. Nwoye found happiness when Ikemefuna arrived in the clan. Now that his happiness is torn away from him he starts to look for another gateway to happiness. This religion makes Nwoye feel better about him and he starts to fill the emptiness that he had in his heart when Ikemefuna was killed.
Nwoye completely lost respect for his father that he decided to go to the school that the white missionaries build to teach young Christians to read and write. Nwoye completely betrays his father by leaving behind his beliefs and culture behind for the new religion. As a matter of fact, Nwoye would later return to his mother and his brothers and sisters to convert them into the new faith that brought him freedom and happiness. I believe that Nwoye’s plan was to get revenge from his father for killing Ikemefuna. In order to do so he leaves his father and everything they believed in all their lives. Nwoye gets that revenge that he wants and has Okonkwo feeling emotional. Okonkwo starts to feel a desire to kill everyone in the church. He was also started to cry about why he is cursed with a son like Nwoye even after his exile. Nwoye’s departure impacted Okonkwo to the point where he thinks about his other children following Nwoye’s steps and abandoning their ancestors. To add more flame to the fire Nwoye changes his name to Isaac. He does this to completely change his identity. This was one of the biggest actions that Nwoye did to show how he has changed after Ikemefuna’s death. After changing his name to Isaac he starts to Christianize himself even more. This comes to show that Nwoye is ready to completely abandon his father’s beliefs and culture. Nwoye is a name that is Ibo and Isaac is a name that is commonly known among the Christians.
In conclusion, Nwoye was greatly impacted by Ikemefuna’s death in many different ways.
At first Nwoye started to change toward his father only by being upset with him and not forgiving him. Eventually Nwoye gets fed up with his father and decides that he has had enough, which drives him not only away from his father but from his culture and beliefs as well. I believe that if Ikemefuna was still alive and living with Okonkwo’s family, Nwoye would have stayed with his father and not go with the missionaries. Ikemefuna had great influence on Nwoye and I believe that he would not have wanted to disrespect Okonkwo by letting Nwoye go with the Christians. Nwoye would not have wanted to find comfort in something else because he would have had Ikemefuna with him to feel happy. Nwoye would not feel betrayed by his father and would still have respect for him. In that case Nwoye would not have disrespected his father by going with the missionaries and eventually convert his mother and brothers and sisters into Christianity. Without Ikemefuna’s death I believe that Nwoye wouldn’t have betrayed his father because his father wouldn’t have betrayed him in the first place. Instead, Nwoye shows how greatly Ikemefuna’s death impacted his whole life that led him to reborn
himself.