Things Fall Apart Tragic Hero Essay
1. A tragic hero is a literary character who makes an error of judgement or has a fatal flaw that brings on a tragedy. Okonkwo is somewhat a tragic hero because at the beginning of the book Okonkwo had a great title, and was looked up to by the people. “Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond. His fame rested on solid personal achievements.” (online 1) Toward the end of the book Okonkwo had a downfall, which made him a tragic hero. He had to leave and move to his motherland. Once he moved he wasn’t looked up to by people or had any titles. His downfall was that he had to start over, with his farm, and his house in Mbanta. He had to flee his land because his gun had accidentally exploded and killed a clansman. “The
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only course open to Okonkwo was to flee from the clan. It was a crime against the earth goddess to kill a clansman, and a man who committed it must flee from the land.” (online 46) After he got to his new home a large crowd of men set fire to Okonkwo’s compound. “As soon as the day broke, a large crowd of men from Ezeudu's quarter stormed Okonkwo's compound, dressed in garbs of war. They set fire to his houses, demolished his red walls, killed his animals and destroyed his barn.” (online 46) That was only the start of Okonkwo’s downfall. He struggles with the changes in his tribe, he was known as one of the strongest tribesmen, but when the white man comes in, the tribe's members begin to change, including Okonkwo’s son. Okonkwo did not want to be like his father who was weak. But Okonkwo cannot stay strong. “Then they came to the tree from which Okonkwo's body was dangling, and they stopped dead.” (online 73)
2. Uchendu gives Okonkwo advice, Uchendu says “It’s true that a child belongs to its father. But when a father beats his child, it seeks sympathy in its mother’s hut. A man belongs to his fatherland when things are good and life is sweet. But when there is sorrow and bitterness he finds refuge in his motherland. Your mother is there to protect you”. Uchendu is saying that when you don’t get something from one parent, you go to the other parent, and when things are emotionally tough, you go the mother, because mothers are nurturing, but fathers generally are not. This relates to Okonkwo’s situation because when he went to his motherland, he should have been conforted. “She is buried there. And that is why we say that mother is supreme. Is it right that you, Okonkwo, should bring to your mother a heavy face and refuse to be comforted?” (online 48) Another example when this quote relates to Okonkwo is that when Ikemefuna is running away from the people who are trying to kill him, he runs to his mother because he knows that she will comfort him and keep him safe. He then sees his father and goes to him but Okonkwo does not save him, instead he kills him to show his bravery, he does not save Okonkwo because he would be showing affection, and that would be a sign of weakness. “Even Okonkwo himself became very fond of the boy - inwardly of course. Okonkwo never showed any emotion openly, unless it be the emotion of anger. To show affection was a sign of weakness,-the only thing worth demonstrating was strength.” (online 10) Another time, Okonkwo got very angry after Nwoye converted to Christianity, instead of talking to him about it, Okonkwo beats Nwoye. "Where have you been?" he stammered. Nwoye struggled to free himself from the choking grip. "Answer me," roared Okonkwo, "before I kill you!" He seized a heavy stick that lay on the dwarf wall and hit him two or three savage blows. "Answer me!" he roared again. Nwoye stood looking at him and did not say a word.” (online 54) Nwoye knew that when he went to his father he would not be comforted, like his mother. Uchendu tells Okonkwo the value of family, and to stick with those who will take care of you. “Your duty is to comfort your wives and children and take them back to your fatherland after seven years. But if you allow sorrow to weigh you down and kill you they will all die in exile.” (online 48) Uchendu states that the value of family is more important than being strong and not showing affection, it is more important to stay with the people who will comfort you and keep you safe.
5. Okonkwo’s belief that strength is the key to survival ironically leads to his downfall. He kills Ikemefuna because he does not want to be thought of weak. This leads to one of his downfalls because he feels sad afterwards. “Even Okonkwo himself became very fond of the boy - inwardly of course. Okonkwo never showed any emotion openly, unless it be the emotion of anger. To show affection was a sign of weakness,-the only thing worth demonstrating was strength.” (online 10) He had another downfall when he moved to Mbanta. “The only course open to Okonkwo was to flee from the clan. It was a crime against the earth goddess to kill a clansman, and a man who committed it must flee from the land. The crime was of two kinds, male and female. Okonkwo had committed the female, because it had been inadvertent. He could return to the clan after seven years” (online 46) After Okonkwo moved into his new home he was trying to stay strong because he did not want to be like his father who was weak. He was the only one who could stay strong when everything was going in the opposite direction. He struggled with the changes in his tribe, even though he was known as one of the strongest tribesmen, but when the tribe's members start to change, including Okonkwo’s son, Okonkwo cannot be strong anymore, but he also does not want to be weak so he decides to kill himself. “Then they came to the tree from which Okonkwo's body was dangling, and they stopped dead.” (online 73) Okonkwo could not be strong anymore so he decided that it was the right decision.
At first Okonkwo had always had great titles, he was used to everybody looking up to him, and thinking he was the strongest. “Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond. His fame rested on solid personal achievements.” (online 1) When he and his family had to move, it was his biggest downfall, he was not used to not being the highest, or not being looked up to. What led to this downfall was that he was the strongest before he moved, he did not like the fact that he wasn’t looked up to anymore, and he wasn’t ready for the change.
6.
Mr. Brown and Mr. Smith can be compared and contrasted and their differences have impact the tribe’s members. Some ways that they were different are that Mr. Brown compromised when it came to zealous clansmen. “He condemned openly Mr. Brown's policy of compromise and accommodation.” (online 65) Mr. Brown had compromised, but Mr. Smith only accepted his way of doing things. When they were teaching. Mr. Brown was more focused on getting a large number of Igbo people into the church. However Mr Smith only wanted Igbo people who wanted to follow only Christianity, and no other religions. “Neither of them succeeded in converting the other but they learned more about their different beliefs. (online 63) ”Mr. Brown impacted the tribesmen, he built a school that was respected. “And it was not long before the people began to say that the white man's medicine was quick in working. Mr. Brown's school produced quick results.” (online 64) Mr. Brown educated the tribesmen. Mr. Smith didn’t have their respect, so they got angry at him. “He saw the world as a battlefield in which the children of light were locked in mortal conflict with the sons of darkness.” (online 65) Mr Smith impacted the tribe's members by making them very angry because he forced the religion on
them.
only course open to Okonkwo was to flee from the clan. It was a crime against the earth goddess to kill a clansman, and a man who committed it must flee from the land.” (online 46) After he got to his new home a large crowd of men set fire to Okonkwo’s compound. “As soon as the day broke, a large crowd of men from Ezeudu's quarter stormed Okonkwo's compound, dressed in garbs of war. They set fire to his houses, demolished his red walls, killed his animals and destroyed his barn.” (online 46) That was only the start of Okonkwo’s downfall. He struggles with the changes in his tribe, he was known as one of the strongest tribesmen, but when the white man comes in, the tribe's members begin to change, including Okonkwo’s son. Okonkwo did not want to be like his father who was weak. But Okonkwo cannot stay strong. “Then they came to the tree from which Okonkwo's body was dangling, and they stopped dead.” (online 73)
2. Uchendu gives Okonkwo advice, Uchendu says “It’s true that a child belongs to its father. But when a father beats his child, it seeks sympathy in its mother’s hut. A man belongs to his fatherland when things are good and life is sweet. But when there is sorrow and bitterness he finds refuge in his motherland. Your mother is there to protect you”. Uchendu is saying that when you don’t get something from one parent, you go to the other parent, and when things are emotionally tough, you go the mother, because mothers are nurturing, but fathers generally are not. This relates to Okonkwo’s situation because when he went to his motherland, he should have been conforted. “She is buried there. And that is why we say that mother is supreme. Is it right that you, Okonkwo, should bring to your mother a heavy face and refuse to be comforted?” (online 48) Another example when this quote relates to Okonkwo is that when Ikemefuna is running away from the people who are trying to kill him, he runs to his mother because he knows that she will comfort him and keep him safe. He then sees his father and goes to him but Okonkwo does not save him, instead he kills him to show his bravery, he does not save Okonkwo because he would be showing affection, and that would be a sign of weakness. “Even Okonkwo himself became very fond of the boy - inwardly of course. Okonkwo never showed any emotion openly, unless it be the emotion of anger. To show affection was a sign of weakness,-the only thing worth demonstrating was strength.” (online 10) Another time, Okonkwo got very angry after Nwoye converted to Christianity, instead of talking to him about it, Okonkwo beats Nwoye. "Where have you been?" he stammered. Nwoye struggled to free himself from the choking grip. "Answer me," roared Okonkwo, "before I kill you!" He seized a heavy stick that lay on the dwarf wall and hit him two or three savage blows. "Answer me!" he roared again. Nwoye stood looking at him and did not say a word.” (online 54) Nwoye knew that when he went to his father he would not be comforted, like his mother. Uchendu tells Okonkwo the value of family, and to stick with those who will take care of you. “Your duty is to comfort your wives and children and take them back to your fatherland after seven years. But if you allow sorrow to weigh you down and kill you they will all die in exile.” (online 48) Uchendu states that the value of family is more important than being strong and not showing affection, it is more important to stay with the people who will comfort you and keep you safe.
5. Okonkwo’s belief that strength is the key to survival ironically leads to his downfall. He kills Ikemefuna because he does not want to be thought of weak. This leads to one of his downfalls because he feels sad afterwards. “Even Okonkwo himself became very fond of the boy - inwardly of course. Okonkwo never showed any emotion openly, unless it be the emotion of anger. To show affection was a sign of weakness,-the only thing worth demonstrating was strength.” (online 10) He had another downfall when he moved to Mbanta. “The only course open to Okonkwo was to flee from the clan. It was a crime against the earth goddess to kill a clansman, and a man who committed it must flee from the land. The crime was of two kinds, male and female. Okonkwo had committed the female, because it had been inadvertent. He could return to the clan after seven years” (online 46) After Okonkwo moved into his new home he was trying to stay strong because he did not want to be like his father who was weak. He was the only one who could stay strong when everything was going in the opposite direction. He struggled with the changes in his tribe, even though he was known as one of the strongest tribesmen, but when the tribe's members start to change, including Okonkwo’s son, Okonkwo cannot be strong anymore, but he also does not want to be weak so he decides to kill himself. “Then they came to the tree from which Okonkwo's body was dangling, and they stopped dead.” (online 73) Okonkwo could not be strong anymore so he decided that it was the right decision.
At first Okonkwo had always had great titles, he was used to everybody looking up to him, and thinking he was the strongest. “Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond. His fame rested on solid personal achievements.” (online 1) When he and his family had to move, it was his biggest downfall, he was not used to not being the highest, or not being looked up to. What led to this downfall was that he was the strongest before he moved, he did not like the fact that he wasn’t looked up to anymore, and he wasn’t ready for the change.
6.
Mr. Brown and Mr. Smith can be compared and contrasted and their differences have impact the tribe’s members. Some ways that they were different are that Mr. Brown compromised when it came to zealous clansmen. “He condemned openly Mr. Brown's policy of compromise and accommodation.” (online 65) Mr. Brown had compromised, but Mr. Smith only accepted his way of doing things. When they were teaching. Mr. Brown was more focused on getting a large number of Igbo people into the church. However Mr Smith only wanted Igbo people who wanted to follow only Christianity, and no other religions. “Neither of them succeeded in converting the other but they learned more about their different beliefs. (online 63) ”Mr. Brown impacted the tribesmen, he built a school that was respected. “And it was not long before the people began to say that the white man's medicine was quick in working. Mr. Brown's school produced quick results.” (online 64) Mr. Brown educated the tribesmen. Mr. Smith didn’t have their respect, so they got angry at him. “He saw the world as a battlefield in which the children of light were locked in mortal conflict with the sons of darkness.” (online 65) Mr Smith impacted the tribe's members by making them very angry because he forced the religion on
them.