Thinks Fall Apart - Okonkwo as Father Figure

Why do you think that Okonkwo faces problems in his role as a father, in the novel ‘Things Fall Apart’ by Chinua Achebe? In the novel ‘Things Fall Apart’ by Chinua Achebe, we are introduced to the main character Okonkwo. He was born and raised in the village of Umuofia. He is a man with three wives and many children. Throughout the novel we are encouraged to focus on the relationships forged between Okonkwo and his own children. He does not seem to be, in my opinion, a good father. In fact, Okonkwo seems to fail as a father because he allows the mistakes of his own father Unoka to affect how he fathers his own children. Another reason I feel as though Okonkwo is unsuccessful as a father is because he allows his culture to dictate to him. Finally, I believe that Okonkwo allows his need to appear 'manly' and masculine to determine his decisions. He does not allow feelings to interfere with his actions. Throughout the novel, I have observed that Chinua Achebe portrays the relationship between Okonkwo and his father Unoka to be one full of hate and resentment. I say this because their relationship is built up on the mistakes of Unoka’s past. Okonkwo hates his father because he fails at being what Umuofia sees as a successful man. Unoka before he dies is “poor and his wife and children barely had enough to eat”. This means that Unoka is weak according to his culture. Okonkwo has “no patience with unsuccessful men”. He makes every endeavor not to be what his father is. His mindset however has a negative effect on the relationship between him and his children. He allows his torrid relationship with his father to affect the way by which he fathers his children. Okonkwo is extra hard on his children so that he wouldn’t be classified as unsuccessful, a man was not a man unless he is able “to rule his women and children”. By the end of the novel, the relationship between Okonkwo and his son Nwoye is non – existent. Nwoye no longer considers Okonkwo as his “father”. This is he has built up resentment towards Okonkwo. This mindset however, has a negative effect on his relationship with his own children. Okonkwo is very hard on his children so that he is not classified as unsuccessful a man is not considered to be a man unless he is able “to rule his women and children” according to Okonkwo’s culture, Okonkwo firmly stands by this belief he makes every endeavor to ensure that he is able to rule his wife and kids. By the end of the novel, the relationship between Okonkwo and his son Nwoye is non – existent. Nwoye no longer considers Okonkwo as his father. Nwoye has built up resentment towards Okonkwo. This is because Okonkwo is so focused on wanting his son not to turn out like his grandfather Unoka that he disregards how his son feels. This upsets Nwoye and pushes him to rebel against his father. I believe that this shows Okonkwo to be a bad father because he puts his personal desires before the feelings and emotions of his son Nwoye.

Okonkwo is a man that is deeply rooted in his culture. He allows his cultural beliefs to dictate to the process by which he raises his children. In the novel we see many displays of Okonkwo allowing his culture to dictate to his relationships with him and his children. For example in part one, we realize that Okonkwo wants his son Nwoye “to grow into a tough young man capable of ruling his father’s household when he is dead and gone to join the ancestors”, because of this Okonkwo went to every extent to train his son the way that their culture would accept. Okonkwo is extra hard on Nwoye because “no matter how prosperous a man is, if he was unable to rule his women and children he was not a man”. For example, Nwoye decides to make a great decision and convert to a different religion thus standing against all the beliefs by which he is raised and standing against his father. Okonkwo seizes “a heavy stick that lays on dwarf wall and hit him two or three savage blows”. He does this because Nwoye’s actions are a disgrace to their culture and all the ancestors who have gone on before. Okonkwo looks beyond his sons feelings and he does what he thinks is right which is beating his son for going against their culture. This in my opinion is a prime example of Okonkwo being a horrible father and manly figure for his children. Another reason I deem Okonkwo to be a unfit father is because he allowed his culture to influence him to the point where he killed a boy that he considered to be one of his sons. Okonkwo in this situation did not consider his own feelings. Okonkwo truly loves Ikemefuna as one of his sons. He is “very fond of the boy inwardly.” Despite Okonkwo his feelings in the end being “dazed with fear”, Okonkwo “drew his machete and cut him down.” He ignores his feelings and does what his culture dictates him to do. In this situation Okonkwo not only damaged his own emotions but he also tampered with the emotions of his son Nwoye. Nwoye is inseparable from Ikemefuna because he “seemed to know everything”. This shows Okonkwo being inconsiderate as a father and as a person, he denies the emotions of others and his own to stand up for what his culture see’s as right.