Okonkwo’s mission to never show affection and work to make him better helped him get wealthy and humble. “ must be one who is highly renowned and prosperous” (Aristotle). This quotation from Aristotle explains that in order to to be a tragic hero, he/she (mostly he) must come from a wealthy family or from royalty. “He was a wealthy farmer and had two barns full of yams, and had just married his third wife” (Achebe #5). This quotation from chapter one explains that Okonkwo has worked hard to get to where he is today from the bottom to the top of this clan. This trait is highlighted by his willingness to perform hard then ever; to not be his …show more content…
dad. His dad was very lazy and owed many debts. Because of that Okonkwo pitied him. Okonkwo’s mission to never show affection and work to make him better helped him get wealthy and humble.
Okonkwo’s insulting behavior lead him to the burning of his huts and having to work again for his wealth. “That the change of fortune presented must not be the spectacle of a virtuous man brought from prosperity to adversity” (Aristotle). This quote explains that the tragic hero can go from good to bad in a instant. “ They set fire to his houses, demolished his red walls, killed his animals and destroyed his barn” (Achebe #110). This quotation from chapter 13 demonstrates he went from having a nice compound and a barn full of yams to his compound burning down and no yams. This trait is highlighted by his ability to get into trouble often. This is not the first time he got in trouble and has been facing minor consequences until now. Okonkwo’s insulting behavior lead him to the burning of his huts and having to work again for his wealth.
Okonkwo has an outraged attitude and when that attitude is out in public, harsh things happen. “By what means the specific effect of tragedy will be produced” (Aristotle). This quotation explains that the tragic hero produces a specific type of affect that not many other people in society can do. “The only course open to Okonkwo was to flee from the clan”(Achebe #110). This quotation from chapter thirteen demonstrates how Okonkwo is forced to leave the clan because he killed a clansmen. Okonkwo does not get to testify or say anything , he can do one thing which is to be exiled. This trait is highlighted by to encourage him to do the right thing and be exiled so that way he can learn his lesson and then come back.
Okonkwo’s shocking action to kill a messenger discerned the villages trust and ultimately killing himself. “It should come about as the result not of vive, but of some great error or frailty” (Aristotle). The tragic hero realizes his mistake and his mood starts changing; ultimately changing the plots. “ Okonkwo’s machete descended twice and the man’s head lay beside his uniformed body… They had broken into tumult instead of action, he discerned fight in that tumult. He heard voices asking ‘why did he do that’”(Achebe #176). This quotation from chapter twenty four demonstrates that Okonkwo thought he would overrun the whites by killing the messenger and getting the people's trust. He didn’t, in fact he got the opposite and they asked why did he do that in the crowd. This trait is highlighted by Okonkwo trying to question to see if the people would help him overrun the white people but, he thought about himself too much and he could have just asked the village how they felt instead of killing a man. Okonkwo’s shocking action to kill a messenger discerned the people’s trust and ultimately killing himself.
Okonkwo’s aggravated attitude toward his family and the people around him ultimately making people fear him more. “ It should, moreover, initiate actions which excite pity and fear, this being the distinctive mark of tragic imitation” (Aristotle). This quotation explains that tragic hero should initiate fear and pity through his actions and bring a mark that many people will not fear. “He was tall and huge, and his bushy eyebrows and wide nose gave him a very severe look” (Achebe #1). This quotation from chapter one demonstrates that thanks to Okonkwo, his ability to wrestle helped him defeat the cat. He gained fame across each village. His height and the way he looked plus how he can wrestle intimidated his opponents. This trait is highlighted by Okonkwo wanted to strive for greatness by not being like his dad: he was gaining fame for doing things not many other people can do. Okonkwo’s aggravated attitude toward his family and the people around him ultimately making people fear him more.
Okonkwo’s flaw of being arrogant has affected his choice making and in the future, he has regretted some of the choices he has made.
“And those other who have done or suffered something terrible” (Aristotle). This quotation from Aristotle explains that when a tragic hero makes a decision they can regretted it in the future. “When his father walked in, that night after killing Ikemefuna… Okonkwo did not taste any food for two days after the death of Ikemefuna”(Achebe #54-55). This quotation from chapter 7-8 demonstrates that Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna to show how tough he is but, Okonkwo regretted it and realized how much of a mistake it was. This trait is highlighted by how Okonkwo acknowledges that he is not afraid of anything and that he is willing to do anything in public but, behind closed doors he is heartbroken. Okonkwo’s flaw of being arrogant has affected his decision making and in the future, he has regretted some of the choices he
made.
Okonkwo is a tragic hero because of his motivations, interactions, and development that suggest he is a tragic hero. The purpose of the book is to not have too much confidence. If you have too much confidence then you can get cocky and lose in embarrassing situations. For example, Steph Curry had too much confidence and blew a three to one lead. In the Finals a team wins four games and wins a championship: when Steph Curry played he needed to win one more game to win but he played sloppy and the next three games he lost all of them. Instead of winning one more game to win a championship he loses the next three and loses a championship.