Okonkwo's Obstacles

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. The theme is developed by highlighting the main reason of Okonkwo’s downfall. Achebe acknowledges, “And indeed he was possessed by the fear of his father’s contemptible life and shameful death” (Achebe 18). This displays and explains how Okonkwo tried to change who he was to never be like his father but it ended up tearing him apart. Ultimately his obstacles resulted in his destruction rather than making him stronger.