Things Fall Apart
Okonkwo
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a novel about a man in West Africa. It tells about his triumphs and trial ultimately leading to his demise. It explains how the “white man” came into his country and took over. It show you how the “white man” mad things fall apart.
Okonkwo was a very large and tall man. He had big bushy eyebrows and a huge nose. As stated in Things Fall Apart, “He was tall and huge, and his bushy eyebrows and wide nose gave him a very severe look (3-4).”
He was extremely impatient with certain people. Mostly the men, who were unsuccessful, much like his father. The book says “He had no patience with unsuccessful men. He had had no patience with his father (4).” Approaching the climax of part one Okonkwo kills his “son” Ikemefuna. He then falls in to a deep state of depression. “Okonkwo did not taste any food for two days after the death of Ikemefuna (63).” “He did not sleep at night. He tried not to think about Ikemefuna, but the more he tried the more he thought about him (63).”
Early in his life Okonkwo had succeeded in beating Amalinze the Cat in a wrestling match. The novel says, “As a young man of eighteen he had brought honor in his village by throwing Amalinze the Cat (3).” This catapulted him up in the social ranks. Okonkwo’s name had become known by everybody in the nearby villages. “Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond (3).”
Towards the end of part one Okonkwo accidentally kills one of his fellow village men. “Okonkwo’s gun had exploded and a piece of iron had pierced the boy’s heart (124). “ He then had to follow the igbo tradition, and was exiled for 7 years. “Okonkwo had committed the female, because it had been inadvertent. He could return to the clan after seven years (124).” This caused Okonkwo great despair. He had to start his life all over. Everything he worked for had been taken away. “Uchendu, saw clearly that Okonkwo had yielded to despair and he was greatly troubled (131).”
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a novel about a man in West Africa. It tells about his triumphs and trial ultimately leading to his demise. It explains how the “white man” came into his country and took over. It show you how the “white man” mad things fall apart.
Okonkwo was a very large and tall man. He had big bushy eyebrows and a huge nose. As stated in Things Fall Apart, “He was tall and huge, and his bushy eyebrows and wide nose gave him a very severe look (3-4).”
He was extremely impatient with certain people. Mostly the men, who were unsuccessful, much like his father. The book says “He had no patience with unsuccessful men. He had had no patience with his father (4).” Approaching the climax of part one Okonkwo kills his “son” Ikemefuna. He then falls in to a deep state of depression. “Okonkwo did not taste any food for two days after the death of Ikemefuna (63).” “He did not sleep at night. He tried not to think about Ikemefuna, but the more he tried the more he thought about him (63).”
Early in his life Okonkwo had succeeded in beating Amalinze the Cat in a wrestling match. The novel says, “As a young man of eighteen he had brought honor in his village by throwing Amalinze the Cat (3).” This catapulted him up in the social ranks. Okonkwo’s name had become known by everybody in the nearby villages. “Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond (3).”
Towards the end of part one Okonkwo accidentally kills one of his fellow village men. “Okonkwo’s gun had exploded and a piece of iron had pierced the boy’s heart (124). “ He then had to follow the igbo tradition, and was exiled for 7 years. “Okonkwo had committed the female, because it had been inadvertent. He could return to the clan after seven years (124).” This caused Okonkwo great despair. He had to start his life all over. Everything he worked for had been taken away. “Uchendu, saw clearly that Okonkwo had yielded to despair and he was greatly troubled (131).”