Okonkwo's Changes In Things Fall Apart

Events that occur in everyday lives can affect the attitudes toward those holded closest and that challenges Okonkwo's beliefs. In the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Okonkwo was a true member of his clan however as things begin to fall apart Okonkwo starts to doubt the choices that his clan makes. It shows how he began to shift his attitude toward the members among the clan. After Okonkwo is exiled from Umuofia for an accidental murder begins the downfall of Okonkwo and his Igbo village and when returning Okonkwo realizes that things were changing and he couldn’t accept those changes that were being made. Okonkwo followed and agreed with the clans culture but sometimes his anger surmounted his beliefs. In this culture it wasn’t
uncommon for a man to beat his wife because the rule was if there is probable cause then you can without penalty. It all started with the leading up to Peace week. Peace week was a once a year celebration that brought the villages together and with them came all kinds of food and drinks. However, during this celebration there is a rule and this rule states that there must not be any harm done before they plant their crops. “...before we plant any crops in the earth we should observe a week in which a man does not say a harsh word to his neighbor.” (30) During this week Okonkwo broke this rule when his wife arrives back at his compound late and his is angered when he finds out. He decided to punish her by beating her and normally that would be fine because that was considered probable cause but this happened during the week of peace. This is considered a great evil according to the village priest and he was punished for it. “You will bring to the shrine of Ani tomorrow one she-goat, one hen, a length of cloth, and a hundred cowries.”(31) Okonkwo had a lot of anger inside of him and with the body build he had it could be very dangerous. This anger that he had was so strong it was the start of his downfall and the collapse of the clan itself. Okonkwo had made mistakes before but some mistakes can come to a point where punishment is mandatory even if accidental. At the funeral of Ezeudu who is the oldest man in the village they were giving the final salute by firing the guns into the air. After the shots silenced there was second piercing sound. “And then from the center of the delirious fury came a cry of agony and shouts of horror...It was the dead man’s sixteen year-old son…”(124)