Preview

Okonkwo's Fate In Things Fall Apart

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
483 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Okonkwo's Fate In Things Fall Apart
In the book Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe is about a great man meeting his fate over his ego. The main character Okonkwo had such a great ego that he did anything for his tribe. His ego led to him abusing his wife and children if the did something he didn’t like. He made mistakes and his ego was discredited by the tribe. At the end his ego got to him leading to his death. Okonkwo had a great ego and would do anything for his clan. The things he would do for his clan would involve his family including himself, but he would beat them for simple things. When his wife took a leaf off a banana tree he made it seem that she killed it but in reality it was fine, to show his ego he beat her so that she respected him. He was one of the greatest …show more content…
His second wife was out getting her hair done and he got mad that she didn’t make his dinner. He went to the obi where his second wife was at and beat her and people saw the beating. When he beat his wife the clan thought he was out of control and made him do a sacrifice to the gods of the clan. He later got exiled leading to his ego going down. Then he went back to his clan with high expectations then discovering the white man’s control. Discovering this lead to his demise because he lost all leadership and everything he stood for. So when he found out his son went to the white man’s church he got mad and beat him because he felt that his son was hurting his ego. This started to lead to his mistakes that hurt his ego and lead to his death. Okonkwo’s mistakes started bringing down his ego. One of the mistakes that hurt his ego was when he was about to kill his son for going to the missionaries. The uncle of Okonkwo stop him from killing his son but asked “ are you mad”(page 152). He thought his son was worthless and his son wasn’t his son anymore to him at least. The clan didn’t want to go to war but Okonkwo did. So he was going into war by himself with his big ego. Then he killed the head messenger and that did nothing to help his cause sense Umofia wasn’t following him anymore (page 204). This lead to his death because he felt
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Okonkwo In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart
    • 687 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Okonkwo In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

    Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart is the story of an Ibo tribe before and during the arrival of white missionaries. The main character, Okonkwo, is a highly respected man within his society who slowly falls in esteem as the story goes on. He involves himself in more and more conflicts with the people around him, including an ongoing battle of impossibly high standards for his son Nwoye, who decides to leave his family in the end for the Anglican Church. The warrior archetype Okonkwo is too rooted in his ways to survive marginalization, but his son Nwoye understands his only choice and resolves the doomed father-son conflict by abandoning his own culture.…

    • 687 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Effects Of The Igbo Society In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart
    • 833 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Effects Of The Igbo Society In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

    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…

    • 833 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Change In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart
    • 996 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Change In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

    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…

    • 996 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Okonkwo's Suicide Analysis
    • 697 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Okonkwo's Suicide Analysis

    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,…

    • 697 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Okonkwo And Unoka Research Paper
    • 156 Words
    • 1 Page

    Okonkwo And Unoka Research Paper

    Okonkwo’s father, Unoka, was extremely lazy and sickly, while Okonkwo was constantly active and seen with respect throughout the tribe. Unoka had one wife and no title, which showed his lowly importance in the tribe. Unoka was weak and couldn’t support his family, which causes Okonkwo to start working at a young age, so he could take care his family. “Unoka, the grown-up, was a failure. He was poor and his wife and children had barely enough to eat.” Okonkwo lived in constant fear of failure. Okonkwo didn’t like showing emotions, unless it was anger. He ruled his household with a heavy hand and with constant threats to his many wives. “His wives, especially the youngest, lived in perpetual fear of his fiery temper, and so did his little children.…

    • 156 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Things Fall Apart: Was Okwonko a Hero?
    • 898 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Things Fall Apart: Was Okwonko a Hero?

    Okwonko did not have a solid family conection. Infact he absolutly resented his dad, and his oldest child did not want anything to do with him. "Even as a little boy he had resented his father 's failure and weakness, and even now he still remembered how he had suffered when a playmate had told him that his father was agbala." ( Achebe 13) Okonkwo despised everything his dad was and did. His dad played the flute, so Okonkwo thought that music was for the weak. Okonkwos dad was afraid of blood, so Okonkwo strived to be a great warrior. All of these qualities that he thought was weak, he tried to make sure his children never got invlovled in them, and because of this his oldest chiled Nwoye hated him. "Okonkwo 's first son ,Nwoye, was then twelve years old but he was already causeing his father great anxiety... he sought to correct him by constant nagging and beating."( Achebe 14) Okonkwo thought that Nwoye was becoming to much like his father, so he had to "correct" him and make sure that he wouldn 't become the very thing he hated most. In doing so he made his own son want nothing to do with him.…

    • 898 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    How Does Okonkwo's Change In Things Fall Apart
    • 555 Words
    • 3 Pages

    How Does Okonkwo's Change In Things Fall Apart

    He was losing the pride he once had in his culture and society. It also caused him to kill himself. "That man was one of the greatest men in Umuofia. You drove him to kill himself and now he will be buried like a dog..."(153) He was trying to uphold his culture and ended up disgracing it. The cultural collision deeply affected Okonkwo. “Then the tragedy of his first son had occurred. At first it appeared as if it might prove too great for his spirit. But it was a resilient spirit, and in the end Okonkwo overcame his sorrow. He had five other sons and he would bring them up in the way of the clan.”(126)…

    • 555 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Okonkwo Research Paper
    • 856 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Okonkwo Research Paper

    Okonkwo is a well-respected man and warrior of Umuofia who rose from poverty and descended to destitution. As a boy Okonkwo was able to work hard and gain status, at his height he was progressively disgraced by a series of his own actions and banished from the tribe for several years. After returning Okonkwo gained some traction in his village but was imprisoned and died disgracefully through suicide. The most harmful event in his personal tragedy is the accidental murder of a clansman which led to his exile.…

    • 856 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    How Does Okonkwo Change In His Tribe
    • 729 Words
    • 3 Pages

    How Does Okonkwo Change In His Tribe

    In his tribe, he is both feared and honored. “Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond... He brought honor to his tribe by throwing Amalinze the Cat ”(3). Okonkwo’s character remains strong and courageous. From an early age, Okonkwo was ashamed of his father, who was unable even to feed his family. When he was old enough, Okonkwo began farming his own yams because “he had to support his mother and two sisters […] And supporting his mother also meant supporting his father” (25). Okonkwo’s self-reliance was admired. Okonkwo was not a failure like Unoka. “ He had a large barn full of yams and he had three wives. And now he was going to take the Idemili title, the third highest in the land.” ( ) Okonkwo’s life was always with great pride before he accidently kills Ezeudu's sixteen-year-old son. He and his family were sent into exile to his homeland. His clan was already invaded by British Colonists after he got back. Okonkwo’s death is a result of the changes created by the coming of the British Colonists to Igbo. Okonkwo construes change as weakness, and as a result of his interpretation Okonkwo only knows how to react to change through anger and strength, but he does not know how to face the weakness. That is why he killed himself at the end to avoid everything. And this shows the coward side of…

    • 729 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Okonkwo In Things Fall Apart
    • 1054 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Okonkwo In Things Fall Apart

    Okonkwo is a man who was possessed by his extreme fear of weakness and failure. We see that very clearly here. In the novel, after the men were released, Okonkwo wanted the clan to fight back, and gain their rights. Hence, he proceeded to kill the head messenger to prove to them that they should fight back. However, the missionaries were allowed to run away and he would bear the consequences. But since Okonkwo previously knew about the "men in Abame" and "the hanging incident", he could have chose suicide as an option over public humiliation. Since he was so afraid of failure and of seen as being weak or vulnerable, there was a high possibility that he would not want to face a public death and be subjected to the White man's tortures. Thus, the only way of an escape was for him to take his own life. This resulted in his suicide in the…

    • 1054 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Things Fall Apart
    • 709 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Things Fall Apart

    First, one of Okonkwo’s major weak points was his family. He tried not to let it show, but he cared deeply for his family. For example, when Ikemefuna was introduced into Okonkwo’s life, Okonkwo immediately grew a stronger bond with Ikemefuna than he had with his real children. After raising Ikemefuna for three years, Okonkwo was told Ikemefuna must be killed. Not only did he agree to it but he took part in the brutal murder. On page 61, Achebe writes, “Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought weak.” Although he loved Ikemefuna like his own son, he killed Ikemefuna to avoid being thought of as weak by his fellow clansmen. Another example of Okonkwo’s weakness when it came to his family was when he followed Ekwefi, Enzima and Chielo to the shrine. He wanted to ensure his daughter and wife’s safety. On page 112, Achebe says, “He allowed what he regarded as a reasonable and manly interval to pass and then gone with his machete to the shrine.”…

    • 709 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Okonkwo's Pride In Things Fall Apart
    • 480 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Okonkwo's Pride In Things Fall Apart

    Okonkwo’s overbearing pride in himself results in unforeseen consequences for his family and others which come in contact with him throughout the book. Case in point, when Okonkwo was told by an elder of the Umuofia not be getting involved with the killing of Ikemefuna because as he was told “that boy calls you father.” Prompting, Okonkwo to be exiled and sent to live with his mother for 7 years. Which resulted from the unfortunate killing of Ezeudu's son from the misfiring of a bullet. Rather than just listening Okonkwo’s pride slapped him in the face and being looked upon as weak was no option.…

    • 480 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Norman Mailer Quotes
    • 778 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Norman Mailer Quotes

    He was masculine, hardworking, reputable, and wealthy. He didn't want to be like his father, a failure. Okonkwo believed his father was a failure because the man was very lazy, disgraceful, and poor. Over the years in his village it was said by the elders, “...if a child washed his hands...and so he ate with the kings.” This quote indirectly characterizes Okonkwo, displaying how he knew what he had to do if he wanted to be a great hero, furthermore developing his character as a young man. Towards the end of the novel one can imagine Okonkwo as a tragic hero because, like other tragic heroes, he has one major flaw. His main flaw develops from his fear of being like father, whom he dispised. He as well can't display his emotions because he doesn't want to look weak or sissyish, and when he does show any emotion, it is an uncontrollable rage. As a result of his flaws, Okonkwo has suffered countless tragedies, which ultimately leads to his ironic death. Okonkwo's tragedy was due to many things that happened in Umuofia, but the main reason was the arrival of the white missionaries, “Does the white man understand our custom about land?” (chpt. 20). Okonkwo says this, due to his…

    • 778 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    How Does Okonkwo Have Good Intentions In Things Fall Apart
    • 406 Words
    • 2 Pages

    How Does Okonkwo Have Good Intentions In Things Fall Apart

    Okonkwo’s father caused him to have a strong fear of becoming like his father.“Perhaps down in his heart Okonkwo was not a cruel man. But his whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of weakness... It was not external but lay deep within himself. It was the fear of himself, lest he should be found to resemble his father.” This shows that his aggression towards his wives and children is influenced by him not wanting to be soft. His father caused him to become a workaholic who doesn’t show any emotion.…

    • 406 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Okonkwo's Legacy In Things Fall Apart
    • 670 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Okonkwo's Legacy In Things Fall Apart

    Some may feel scared at first to go on their own and start something new, but in the end, we are just starting a legacy. In the novel, Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, Okonkwo who is the protagonist, is determined to gain high titles and become powerful in spite of his father’s weaknesses. Okonkwo wants his sons to inherit his power, but one of his son’s, Nwoye, wants to take a different route. Achebe uses Nwoye and the personal and cultural events that happen throughout the story to convey how they can lead to an individual’s perfunctory decision to create one’s own legacy.…

    • 670 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics