Things Fall Apart Analysis

In “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe a story of how hardships changed Umuofia the most feared village and its people is told. The story starts off by introducing Okonkwo a man who is well known and respected in his village. Okonkwo was proud of how well his life turned out. He was recognized for his strength and work ethic and had sons who would maintain his good name. However, he wasn’t proud of all his sons, Nwoye, his oldest son had yet to meet his expectations. In the eyes of Okonkwo his son still needed to grow and become the man which he so desperately wanted him to become. Okonkwo saw that Nwoye had too much of his grandfather in him. Okonkwo feared that his son would never meet his expectations. However, as time went on and Nwoye
The two became very close and when Ikemefuna died Nwoye was devastated but when Nwoye found out “something seemed to give way inside him, like the snapping of a tightened bow” (Pg 42). Nwoye afterwards had began to question his culture and religion thinking how could a god tell them to kill a human being who was innocent. He had only felt like this one other time when he had heard the twins who were left in the evil forest crying. Nwoye after having lost a loved one who was innocent began to question his village. After the white men came he began to question it even more. Nwoye from day one was captivated by the new religion which the white men talked about. “There was a young lad who had been captivated. His name was Nwoye … It was the poetry of the new religion” (Pg 104). He of course didn’t tell anyone and never went too close to the missionaries in fear of being seen by his father. Once the white men built their church Nwoye was very curious to see what they did and would pass by the church never going in until he would eventually go home. However, one day his father was told that Nwoye was seen around the Christians and was almost killed by Okonkwo. After almost being murdered, Nwoye was filled with fear and anger and decided to leave home and convert to Christianity. After Nwoye converted Okonkwo would say he only had two sons and Nwoye would say he had no father. “How is your father? I don’t know. He is not my father” (Pg 101). Nwoye used his anger and fear as strength to go against his father who he no longer loved and hated. Nwoye at first was a weak man who after having meet Ikemefuna became a masculine man and after he was fed up with his life at home used all his courage and converted, going against his father. Even though Nwoye didn’t become the man that his father wanted he became a man who was intelligent and