Making Okonkwo into a real person would result him to being similar to Alfred Jodl. Alfred Jodl was a German general in World War 2 and a staff officer in World War 1. From history records it was said that he planned and conduct most of Germany’s military campaign. No matter what he did, what Alfred Jodl was most known for was being very dedicated and loyal to Adolf Hitler and Germany. Even when he died, he did not admit to any of the crimes committed by him because of this dedication and actually stubbornness. Okonkwo was similar to Alfred in this sense. When Okonkwo noticed that nobody could stop the white men from expanding in power, he preferred to take his own life than submit to them. He knew that he would be miserable if he had let the white men rule him.…
One of the main reasons supporting this statement is because Okonkwo was always a coward. Everything he acted on was driven by a fear of appearing weak. What he did not understand was that this mindset automatically makes him weak. A stereotypical hero is brave and overcomes his fears. In the end of the novel, Okonkwo tries to run from his phobia one last time by killing himself and leaving his clan to the colonizing dogs. By doing so, he did not leave a significant impact on his people. Although he attempted to gather them together to fight back against the colonists, he failed and let his anger get the best of him. All he did was intensify the fight by killing the messenger, and killing himself when the white men demanded to see him. Before returning to Umuofia, Okonkwo also did not pay any respects to his people. He tried to keep his friends close but completely disregarded his family in light of his malevolence. Eventually, he killed his own “son” and his own clansman. Did he save anyone in the process? No, he did not; he lost the respect he gained from others towards the beginning of the book, and ultimately gave…
When he came back from his exile, he noticed that his own brothers already had different thoughts about their customs and said they must fight for their land and for their religion. Okonkwo refuses any changes, and began to speak out to defend his motherland. He said, “Until the abominable gang was chased out of the village with whips there would be no peace (158),” the division was so marked that many others did not agree with his point of view, but he remarked, “ 'If a man comes into my hut and defecates on the floor, what do I do? Do I shut my eyes? No! (158).' ” Okonkwo was trying to convince the clans to fight, fight and fight for their customs. Obierika told him, “our own brothers who have taken up his religion also say that our customs are bad, (176)” that white man was very intelligent, because he came peacefully and quietly, but then, “he has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.” (176) White man had achieved his gold by dividing Igbo society. They knew that by doing so the Igbo could not stand together to fight and defend their way of…
The Odyssey and O Brother, Where Art Thou are similar movies in various ways. Although they are made five years apart they share similar acts, characters and scenes. First off, The Sirens (washing women) that seduce the three main characters in O Brother, Where are Thou are the Sirens that attempt to seduce Odysseus and his crew while they are headed home. Also, the sheriff is similar to the god Poseidon, who torments Odysseus and prolongs his journey home. While in The Odyssey, Odysseus and his men blind the Cyclops with a spear in his one eye, “Big Dan” shares almost the same experience with Polyphemus and similar traits.…
Okonkwo is in a clan called Umuofia. One night the town crier rung the gong to announce someone in the town of Mbaino murdered the wife of a Umuofia tribesman. Okonkwo travels to Mbaino to deliver the message that they must give Umuofia a woman and a young boy. In case they refuse to do so, Okonkwo is chosen to represent his clan, because he’s the fiercest warrior of them all. On this trip, you see a lot of the clan’s commitment to their culture which is known for its harmonious relations. For example, when Unoka’s neighbor went to collect debt, he before shared a cup of palm-wine and some kola nuts. This released any possible tension and put emphasis on the common interests and culture they split. This civilization would soon be divided by the white men that came to spread Christianity in the nigerian community. Okonkwo finds these men very shrewd and can’t believe his men did not drive them out yet. And many people like them, they’re setting up trading posts and money is flowing throughout their village. Okonkwo and his new friend Enoch, love their clan how it is now and want to respond to the Christians in a violent manner. Okonkwo sets out alone, to kill some of the Christians and didn’t get the response he was hoping for. The District Commissioner tries to find Okonkwo after that and he soon finds that he hung himself. The reason for Okonkwo killing himself is, he could not submit to a new life where he felt at odds. I assume he felt lonely and his suicide is how he is telling people they need to listen. This is the worst case scenario on how to deal with change, but it happens all around the…
To begin with, Okonkwo’s death marks the end of the Ibo culture in Umuofia. Anxious to return home, Okonkwo does not understand why everyone is allowing the missionaries to interfere with their lifestyle. Imposing a new religion and government, the white men do not understand or seem to care about how the clan operates, focusing solely on converting the clansmen to a supposedly superior ideology. As a result of his upbringing, Okonkwo is not afraid to fight for what he believes in, his tribe and culture, unlike most of the people in Umuofia. Originally convinced that Umuofia would fight against the new religion,…
Okonkwo was banished from Umuofia for 7 years and he went to live in his mother’s land for that time (Achebe, 124). Okonkwo was insecure about living in his mother’s land because men are naturally supposed to live in their father’s land. Uchendu, the leader of Okonkwo’s mother’s land, gave him land to build his hutts and land for farming season (Achebe, 129). Okonkwo felt very insecure when Uchendu asked him why one of their commonest names is Nneka meaning “Mother is Supreme” (Achebe, 133). Okonkwo was insecure because children belong to their fathers yet seek remission from their mothers after being beaten from their father, and Okonkwo was in his mother’s land not his father’s land. Uchendu made Okonkwo feel insecure because he was telling him not to be sorrowful because he isn’t the greatest sufferer in the world (Achebe, 135). Although Okonkwo was very insecure after being exiled for 7 years, his insecurity took a worse tole when it came to tying not to appear weak to his…
With Okonkwo’s ideas, the people of Umuofia would not have been taken over in such a manner, Okonkwo is very aggressive and fearless and would definitely have lead the tribe to war if need be. However, the tribe is now weak and only after the Christians have unmasked and killed an egwuwu did they react with any sort of force. After this act of force Okonkwo and five other men were called by the Commissioner and imprisoned; these men were beaten, starved, and dehumanized for days. Their release was only allowed when the tribe paid a hefty fine and after this abuse, the tribe failed to stand up against measly messengers. After killing a messenger and seeing the weakness of his tribe Okonkwo commits suicide tarnishing his…
I think that these events foreshadowed Okonkwo’s and the Ibo tribe’s demise because every single one of the events affected Okonkwo negatively and led to some of change in his life. It starts with Okonkwo’s father being a bum in the tribe and neglecting his responsibility to his family. His death was also degrading because his body was thrown in the forbidden forest and Okonkwo always worked towards not becoming someone like him. However, at the end Okonkwo’s “burial” is the same and he becomes the failure he tried to avoid. He considered himself a failure because he was unable to rid the tribe of the colonists because he could see that the culture was diminishing but he failed to bring the tribe to fight after his exile. He was exiled because he killed a boy at the wedding which he was invited to after he killed Ikemefuna so that he could clear his mind with a distraction. Overall, every event led to something which foreshadowed Okonkwo’s demise as well as the tribe’s.…
In the beginning, Okonkwo is a great warrior who takes pride in the “masculinity” and power that war brings to him. His conclusion as a tragic hero can be seen through his fatal flaw, pride, which is shown right before he kills himself: “Okonkwo stood looking at the dead man. He knew Umoufia would not go to war…. He discerned fright in that tumult” (Achebe 205). In this passage, Okonkwo has just killed one of the district commissioner’s messengers and is overcome with hopelessness, knowing his people won’t fight back and he is going to die. Anything outside of his culture, he believes, is feminine and weak, showing the contrast of Okonkwo’s character over time. Okonkwo’s great sense of pride conquers his mind, showing he would rather kill himself…
On Okonkwo’s return to Umuofia after his exile, he meets a different Umuofia that is being controlled by the white men from Europe and a Umuofia that is drifting to Christianity “The church had led many astray…the white men had also brought a government”. He is furious and enraged at the fact that Umuofia does not fight back “He had spoken violently…on their action” (Achebe, 108) he makes this point known at the meeting of the elders, and offers a solution to kill the white man. When the people of Umuofia do not yield his advice he follows his emotions and commits suicide. Okonkwo did not think logically about this because if he had, he would have seen a perspective where his death does not solve the problem of colonization, or his death causing Umuofia to go to war. From Okonkwo’s story, it is clear how solving a problem two different ways leads to two different…
Everyone in the entire world has obstacles. Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart focuses especially around Okonkwo and his struggles. Achebe demonstrates how people have to change to overcome obstacles but not lose themselves in the process through Okonkwo’s internal conflict, the climax in the plot, and the tribe’s internal conflict.…
Although Okonkwo appears tough and uncaring in many situations, he is more sensitive than he appears. Okonkwo felt pressure when he killed Ikemefuna because he wanted to be seen as tough to his other clan members. He “tried not to think about Ikemefuna, but the more he tried the more he thought about him… Now and then a cold shiver descended on his head and spread down his body”(63). Okonkwo tries to push away his feelings and emotions because he always has a constant fear of being weak. The death of Ikemefuna not only affects Okonkwo’s mental state, but his physical being as well. The guilt he feels for what he has done is expressed when a “cold shiver” runs through his body. As much as Okonkwo forces himself to be tough and uncaring, the…
During imperialism an English businessman, Cecil Rhodes, addressed the public of Britain to boast that “we (Britons) are the finest race in the world and that the more of the world we inhabit the better it is for the human race” (Rhodes). Influenced by their belief of being a superior race, the British found it reasonable to acquire the land and resources of inferior races because they believed their actions would cause the lesser races eventually benefit by being civilized and educated. In addition, if the British managed to convert the Africans to believe in their faith, they would possess a civilized group of individuals who could support them during times of difficulty. During the 7 years Okonkwo was away from Umuofia, the white men had started to take away the and of the natives to “[Bring] a government.. And build a court where the District Commissioner judged in ignorance. They also built a prison which was fill of men who had offended against the white man’s law” (Achebe 174-175). Africans were subject to the will of the Europeans because they lacked the capabilities to stand up against the British for themselves. They were also oppressed because they were forced to give up their land due to technological disadvantages and be forced to get judge by someone who was naturally biased towards his own…
Scarcity is the belief that something in one’s possession is in short supply. Humans as individuals constantly fight the issue of scarcity and it haunts their every thought. For many individuals, the first thought after waking up is “I didn’t get enough sleep” (Twist 43). Most of our days are full of phrases which depict our constant criticism of what one is lacking or does not have enough of. Scarcity often roots from an event that has caused one an immense amount of pain or ridicule and is society’s version of Post-Traumatic Stress (Brown 27).…