The more that I read about Okonkwo the more I am able to understand him. That is the good thing about this novel; it is very “to the point” and clear about how the characters feel and about their past. Because the author refers to Okonkwo’s past several times, the readers are able to understand why he is the way he is through a psychological point of view. We find out that Okonkwo’s father was lazy and could not provide for his family. I truly believe that Okonkwo was embarrassed by his father; especially after that one person called his father a woman. He had so much resentment built up as a child that it clearly is impacting his life now. He demands respect from everyone, because his father didn’t. He works hard, because his father didn’t, and he makes a name for himself because his father never had one. He hated his father so much that he wants nothing to do with him now….he does not want to be anything like him. I believe Okonkwo feels this way for pride reasons; he is obviously ashamed of his past and now is demanding so people are able to look past it. Unfortunately, Okonkwo’s father did obtain some good qualities; like compassion and sympathy, and now Okonkwo will not have anything to do with those emotions. “Okonkwo never showed any emotion openly, unless it to be the emotion of anger. To show affection is a sign of weakness; the only thing worth demonstrating is strength.”(pg. 28) Okonkwo believes that if he shows any kind of sympathy he will be considered weak like his father, so he doesn’t at all. Because he is like this, his relationships with his children and wives are negatively affected. He is extremely hard on his older son, and if this kind of relationship continues Okonkwo could do the same thing to his son (push him in the opposite direction) like his father did to him. His wives fear him their health (emotional and physical well being) is probably being affected by Okonkwo himself.
I am unsure whether I really like Okonkwo or not. He has the drive and ability to do great things, which he already has at a very young age, but he also carries a heavy weight upon his shoulders which interferes with his life sometimes. He feels much pressure from the past failures of his father and he often lives in fear. "But his whole life was dominated by fear, fear of failure and of weakness...It was not external but lay deep within himself, lest he should be found to resemble his father." (page 13). Fear can be extremely detrimental to a person emotionally. We see this in Okonkwo when he lashes out at his wife and beats her for no apparent reason. Not to mention, it's during holy week. I think that this fear shows a side of immaturity to Okonkwo, but he is young and experience and knowledge come with age. In the seven years that he must be sent away from his village I think he will learn this maturity that he lacked and how to control his actions better. But at the same time, I think Okonkwo shows the promise of a true leader. He has the willpower and the desire to excel in life and set high expectations for himself and those around him. He has a sort of heroic, outcast vibe to him, yet he still makes the mistakes that your average person makes. I like this because it makes him seem human which makes the book more realistic. But it's also the most frutrating thing about him because he has such drive to completely separate himself from any connection with his father and you want him to be successful, yet there are character flaws and complications that hold him back. I think him going away for seven years can be extremely beneficial to him and his relationships. If he comes back a learned and more matured man maybe he won't be so harsh on his wives and children. I'm interested in seeing how Okonkwo will change and grow as a person throughout the novel.
Okonkwo’s poor relationship with Unoka has shaped his entire life. His father’s failure has driven him to become obsessed with his image in the tribe. As a young man, he started with nothing, forcing him to work twice as hard as others. Over the years, he has become extremely prosperous and he is revered as a great warrior. However, he is still ruled by his insecurities. As stated on page 13, “Perhaps down in his heart Okonkwo was not a cruel man. But his whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and weakness. It was deeper and more intimate than the fear of evil and capricious gods and of magic, the fear of the forest, and of the forces of nature, malevolent, red in tooth and claw. Okonkwo’s fear was greater than these.” I think this underlying fear has caused Okonkwo to lose control over all of his emotions, resulting in spontaneous and illogical behavior. He nearly shoots and kills one of his wives over a banana tree. In addition, his constant criticism causes his oldest son, Nwoye, to resent him. Nwoye is simply a child, yet Okonkwo is determined to mold him into a great man. He even goes so far to state he would rather kill Nwoye than have a lazy son. Likewise, he lashes out at his favorite daughter Enzima. He views affection as a form of weakness, so he pushes her away. Like a child, Okonkwo simply cannot deal with his feelings and act rationally. This is clearly shown in the murder of Ikemefuna. Although he never showed it outwardly, Okonkwo became very fond of the boy and treated him like an adopted son. However, when it is decided that Ikemefuna must be killed, Okonkwo is caught in a moral dilemma. Ezeudu warns Okonkwo not take part, but he knows only the “effeminate men” refuse to participate. The fear of being thought weak eventually drives Okonkwo to murder Ikemefuna, even as the boy runs to him for protection. Although he loves Ikemefuna, he will do anything to protect his image.
Okonkwo is a great example of a character that is a product of his environment. Everything that he is comes from influences form other people. The largest of these influences was his father. “Okonkwo was ruled by one passion – to hate everything that his father Unoka had loved.” (pg 13) Unoka had been a lazy man, but he was also gentle, loving, and had a passion for art and music. Okonkwo benefitted from the hatred of his father in the respect that he was extremely hard working and ambitious. He rose to power and became wealthy extremely fast, because of this trait. He also became negatively affected by the drive to be the complete opposite of his father. He became harsh and unloving, unable to show any emotion for fear of weakness. His wives and children suffered at his hands whenever he lost his temper or became violent. When his second wife took a few banana leaves to prepare his meal, “Okonkwo gave her a sound beating and left her and her only daughter weeping” (pg 38) just because he was in a bad mood. Okonkwo isn’t incapable of feeling emotion. He mentions it many times when he’s talking about his family, but he refuses to express it. His actions demonstrate a much softer man than he tries to portray himself as, like when he circles back to the cave of the goddess multiple times until he finds is second wife to wait with her for their daughter. He appears here to actually have a heart, but this is a rare display of love. Okonkwo’s actions often have no explanation at all. For example, he breaks the week of peace, an ancient ritual, and risks angering the gods simply because he lost his temper. Often you would think that such a successful man would have a little more common sense or respect. Okonkwo’s weakness lies in his pig-headed-ness and his belief that he is invincible.
So far in Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo has been trying to prove that he is the complete opposite of his lazy, gentle father, Unoka. Okonkwo doesn’t agree with his father’s displays of emotion and interest in music and conversation. He works hard throughout his life, making a name for himself, earning respect, experiences emotion only “inwardly”. He believes that men should not be open with sensitivity, “Okonkwo never showed any emotion openly, unless it was the emotion of anger. To show affection was a sign of weakness; the only thing worth demonstrating was strength.” (pg 28). Okonkwo begins to earn significant financial and social successes as a result of embracing these simple ideals. He marries three women and becomes a father to several children. His relationships with his wives and children, however, are constantly strained by Okonkwo’s lack of affection. He beats his wife, Ojiugo, during the Week of Peace, despite the fact that it is the sacred week. He is also extremely harsh on his eldest, Nwoye, although, only intending to teach him how to become successful. Okonkwo pushes his son to be sedulous and hard-working, as he is, “He wanted Nwoye to grow into a tough young man capable of ruling his father’s household...He wanted him to be a prosperous man, having enough in his barn to feed the ancestors with regular sacrifices.” (pg 52). However, Okonkwo is beginning to realize that Nwoye resembles Unoka. For this, Okonkwo gives him many beatings and as a result, unintentionally begins pushing his son away from him. On the same note, he is in conflict with his feelings toward Ikemefuna. Okonkwo becomes very fond of the young boy, and begins to treat him as an adopted son. The true test of Okonkwo’s love comes when Ogbuefi Ezeudu tells him that Ikemefuna must be killed, but warns him not take part because he has become like a father to Ikemefuna. Okonkwo, however, is the one to kill Ikemefuna because, “He was afraid of being thought weak.” (pg 61). After he kills the boy, he does not eat or sleep for days. This shows Okonkwo’s desire to be strong, but his inability to control his fondness for the people he loves.
Many different traits can be associated with the protagonist, Okonkwo, from Things Fall Apart. Okonkwo’s character is derived from his father, Unoka, whom he wants to be nothing like. Unoka’s weak and lazy character disappointed Okonkwo, so Okonkwo strives to be completely different from his father. This results in a dominant, manly personality. He is a powerful man and clearly has a lot of authority not only in his family, but in his tribe as well. He is considered one of the strongest warriors and he even beat the undefeated wrestling champion. Because of his accomplishments and the title he has, he abuses his power. Also, his fear of becoming like his father plays a part by leading him to be violent and harsh. More than once, there has been instances where he has beaten his wives for stupid, little reasons. He beat his wife during the week of peace which is extremely looked down upon in the tribe and he didn’t seem to care that he was wrong for doing it. He also got angry for no reason once and unleashed his anger by blaming his wife for ruining the banana tree which was perfectly fine. Okonkwo fails to show any emotion. “Okonkwo never showed any emotion openly, unless it be emotion of anger. To show affection was a sign of weakness, the only thing worth demonstrating was strength. (pg 28)” It is easy to perceive Okonkwo as a terrible person and automatically dislike him, but he possesses some admirable traits. He is productive, hard-working, and determined to be a successful man. His personality might be a bit to forceful and I’m curious to see where it will lead him. He seems to do whatever he pleases and doesn’t listen to others. He is popular amongst the people in the tribe but could his brutal actions lead to his demise?
Okonko is an interesting character. He at once commands respect as a strong and intimidating force but there seems to be ab underlying element of the man that is rarely shown. This is his vulnerability due to his deep seated fear of failure. The author explains this as a result of the hate that Okonkwo had for his father. This is highlighted by a passage on page 18. “With a father like Unoka, Okonkwo did not have the start in life that many young men had. He neither inherited a barn, nor a title, nor even a young wife.” Okonkwo is deeply afraid of becoming a man like his father, one who is not respected by the community that life in the novel is based around. The effect this has on Okonkwo is easily seen. “He was talking about Okonkwo, who had risen so suddenly from great poverty and misfortune to be one of the lords of the clan. The old man bore no ill will towards Okonkwo. Indeed he respected him for his industry and success.” This passage from page 26 illustrates how Okonkwo becomes seen as a hard working man of great influence, while his father was a man who was looked at as lazy and unambitious. There are times that Onkonkwo’s inner fears get the best of him. After he gets caught up in the killing of a boy who was practically his own son, Okonkwo’s inner thinking comes to light. “When did you become a shivering old woman,” Okonwo asked himself, “you, who are known in all the nine villages for your valor in war? How can a man who has killed five men in battle fall to pieces because he has added a boy to their number? Okonkwo you have become a woman indeed” This passage from page 65 shows that even after Okonwo undergoes an extremely traumatic event he still thinks of his image and reputation. So while Okonwo is a character that demands respect, one can’t help but see that he is driven by his fears and insecurities.
I admire Okonkwo, but at the same time I cannot help but feel sorry for him. His childhood is the real reason he has become the type of man that he is. Not only this, but because his father was such a “failure” in the eyes of the other men in the community, that Okonkwo’s perception of what a real man is became warped and unrealistic. I admire him for his constant drive to succeed, “But despite his disadvantages, he had begun even in his father’s lifetime to lay the foundations of a prosperous future. It was slow and painful. But he threw himself into it like one possessed.” This passage from page 18 proves Okonkwo’s undying desire to succeed to achieve success as he defines it. However, although I admire his determination, I feel sorry for him due to the fact that I think he is unhappy. He has spent his entire life trying to be the opposite of his father and is then therefore unable to discover who he truly is. The instance where he kills Ikemefuna illustrates this character trait of his perfectly. Okonkwo is afraid to be thought of as anything less than a man. The passage on page 61 reads; “Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought weak.” Okonkwo admits in his mind to being fond of Ikemefuna throughout the story while Ikemefuna was still alive, yet when he had the opportunity to save him, or at least not being the one to murder him he decided to kill him because he was afraid if he didn’t it would harm his reputation. This is where I feel the most sorry for Okonkwo because he would rather betray someone he actually cares about just to avoid being seen as weak.
Okonkwo lives his life and is who he is based on his fears. He spends his whole life trying to be exactly what his father was not. He makes choices based on what his father would have done. Okonkwo to me does not seem like he is a true real person. I feel that he is fake because he is trying to be opposite his father. I don’t know if he would have these same traits if his father didn’t act how he did. Okonkwo also teaches his kids to be the opposite of his father. Who they are and how he teaches them is all based on how Okonkwo’s father lived. I feel that Okonkwo is so scared of being like his father that he will do anything not to be. I think that he looks at every single one of his his father’s traits as being bad. I do not think all of his father’s traits were bad however, Okonkwo assumes every single thing his father did was bad. I respect him though for pushing himself as hard as he does. I think he possesses a lot of drive and determination to be the very best he can be. Unfortunately for him I think that this drive to be strong and powerful turns him more and more into a bad person because he kills his own son to not be seen as weak. Page 61 states, “Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought weak.” This quote shows how his drive for power turns him into something terrible. I do not like Okonkwo because I feel that he is using this fear of being weak as an excuse to do bad things. He is in my mind by forcing himself to be the opposite of his father he is turning himself into something worse. This drive to be the best most powerful and strong man is completely destroying who he should be and who he is as a person on the inside.
In the beginning of the book I felt pity for Okonkwo because his father was a jerk but now I have other feelings toward him. I feel that Okonkwo takes the whole wounded son to an annoying level .He has a lot of pent up anger that he takes out on his children and wives. Its not like his father beat him, or was mean to him. He just wasn’t the hardest working man he could’ve been. The only reason Okonkwo was upset with him was because he got the family a bad reputation. That fact alone doesn’t make the father a bad person. I think Okonkwo is a worse father because he lets his anger and fear of weakness make him a hard person who beats his family. Okonkwo shows no compassion and won’t show any human feeling and I think that in itself is a weakness. When Okonkwo shoots at his wife I realize he is incapable of loving those who love him. I believe he feels love is a weakness because he thinks happy thoughts when he loves. After Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna he feels terrible and regrets his decision this makes him feel weak and then he feels even worse. (61) I think that if Okonkwo would just accept his emotions let them show, and be a hard worker he would be twice the man his father was. He would be loved and respected for being a good man. I think his family would be more obedient if he was nicer but still strict. Yes Okonkwo had a difficult life in the beginning and he did work really hard for everything he has today but I don’t think that gives him the right to be such a jerk. I think if Okonkwo forgave his father he would be much better off and wouldn’t be so cranky all the time.
Okonkwo is a very predictable person in the sense that you know why he does the things that he does. However, his actions themselves are the unpredictable aspects. His father's failure to provide a stable environment for his children causes Okonkwo to stray away and act out in anger towards any sign of weakness in his adult life. "But his whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of weakness," (pg. 13). The worst part of his attitude is that he has no respect for anyone of a higher figure than himself it seems. He beat his wife, and he almost shot her during the week of peace. He is punished for disobeying the gods, but could he have really learned anything from a slap on the hand(pg.39). He thinks he is better than anyone, because he has no weakness that anyone could play off of. If it were allowed I believe he might have killed anyone that tried to tell him he did something wrong. It's almost as if he also fears being let down again by someone who is supposed to be there for him in any situation. Okonkwo is forced to grow up and become a successful man at a very early age, as can be seen through his wrestling match against the Cat (pg. 1). Why would he start listening to anyone now when he never had to before? His riches, wives, and reputation are all looked at as a great accomplishment. His own soul is what suffers. When Okonkwo welcomes Ikemefuna into his own home, I would never have believed that Okonkwo is the one who kills him(pg 61). His detachment from his own emotions shows how strong the fear inside him is and how much a part of him it has become. What is he truly capable of?
I am still confused on Okonkwo’s motives and why he acts the way he does. His entire life is motivated by the fact that is he determined not to be his like father. Okonkwo basically lives in fear every day, he is so afraid of being lazy, and not being weak. On page 18 it says “and he indeed was possessed by the fear of his father’s contemptible life and shameful death”. Okonkwo knew that the rest of the tribe saw his father as a pitiful man and was determined to be viewed as strong unlike his father. The ironic thing is that Okonkwo tries not to be afraid of anything, he wants to be seen as a superior man, but his whole life is actually dominated by the fear of turning into his father. Okonkwo constantly lives in the past, always thinking about how his father was pitiful, he never forgets it. That makes it confusing to me that he can forget about Ikefumna so easily within days, yet cannot forget about his father. He says it was so easy for him to push the concept of him killing his “son” within days yet who would think that he could then forget his past with his father easily. One other thing I don’t understand about Okonkwo is his belief that emotions equal weakness. Yet he shows anger on a regular basis. The idea of showing any love towards a member of his family makes him feel weak. He is defiantly not afraid of showing anger towards them though. Okonkwo really associates many things with weakness. When he beats his wife during peace week I was shocked. I would have thought that would have been a weakness for him, that he ruined a sacred week, yet he didn’t seem to care at all.
Okonkwo is a very interesting character that seems to me, to have much more to him than what meets the eye. First off, the violence that Okonkwo practices seems a little over the top. Yes, the kind of community he lives in does enforce the use of violence, but I think that he almost takes it for granted and is almost savage when it comes to discipline. For example, he beat his wife because of the leaves on the tree were plucked off. Seriously? You’re going to shoot some weird, sketchy, handmade firearm at your wife because she plucked two leaves off of a tree? You’re ridiculous, Okonkwo. As I read on, it makes more sense why he acts the way he does though. I think it may be purely out of fear. He’s afraid of becoming like his father or even giving his community the inkling that he might be like his father was. As for his son, I believe his harshness and lack of companionship is taking a very large toll on Nwoye. Okonkwo’s lack of people skills is really going to hurt him in the long run. He’s not realizing how his behavior towards others makes his son feel. I think that when Nwoye grows up he will have to same rebellious spirit as his father and not want to do anything that Okonkwo does because he is so hardheaded and distant. I think I should touch a little bit on the good parts of him now shouldn’t I? I like how protective Okonkwo is. I think this might be another reason for his heavy hand. Him being protective is about the only time that shows that he cares about his family. “Tears of gratitude filled her eyes. She knew he daughter was safe. ‘Go home and sleep,’ said Okonkwo. ‘I shall wait here’”(pg. 108). As creepy as it is, I appreciate him more for creeping on where his wife was going and following her. He was just making sure she was safe, which all men should do for their wife, no matter how many of them he has.
Chinua Achebe created a character of great determination and personal strength in his novel, Things Fall Apart. The protagonist, Okonkwo, is internally motivated by a fear of failure and a hatred for his father, Unoka. "But his whole life was dominated by fear, fear of failure and of weakness...It was not external but lay deep within himself, lest he should be found to resemble his father." (page 13). He despises every fault of his father’s, such as poverty and idleness, and instead develops himself into a man of wealth, fortitude and violence. By striving to abolish any trace of his father within himself, he fails to emulate some of the more positive traits of Unoka. Okonkwo is a literary example of the danger of living your life in absolutes.
Ultimately, he is unable to establish a balance between living by his principles and adapting to the changes in his village. Okonkwo appears to have achieved material prosperity through strict adherence to his principles. He is a well respected member of his community, has fathered several children and is a wealthy yam farmer. While he may have achieved his own definition of success, in reviewing his interactions with the supporting characters, it becomes clear that his is far from the great man he appears to be.
Firstly, Okonkwo is extremely immature emotionally. He becomes mad very easily and lashes out at his loved ones for insignificant reasons. His children obey him mostly out of fear, rather than respect, and he came close to murdering one of his wives. Through Okonkwo’s thoughts, the reader is able to see that he is capable of experiencing intense emotion, yet he only demonstrates anger. It is one of his greatest faults that he equates weakness with traits such as compassion and empathy.
It is also apparent that Okonkwo is very concerned with what the community thinks of him. He even goes as far as murdering a boy that was like a son to him in order not to appear weak in front of the villagers. While Okonkwo seems to be generally well respected in the community, it is not well deserved.
In school appropriate terms Okonkwo is a scared jerk. His father was a useless and lazy man throughout his life. “Even as a little boy he had resented his father’s failures and weakness” (page 12). It is that laziness that scares Okonkwo into being a ruthless man. “It was the fear of himself, lest he should be found to resemble his father” (page 12). He’s horrified of becoming his father and to keep from doing so he hides his feelings and only acts out in anger. His father was lazy, so he seeks to be a strong man that works hard. By doing so he has made a great reputation for himself by the age of eight teen as the best wrestler in the land. Then he continues to raise his status in his community by marrying three wives. Him and his wives live in a huge compound and each are able to have their own house because of the wealth Okonkwo earns. Yet, the fear he has of becoming his father controls him. If he senses the littlest amount of laziness in any of his children, girl or boy, he beats them. Not even his wives are expempt from his anger. One of his wives couldn’t make it to dinner for she had prior arrangements, and even still Okonkwo beat her and then for a mere comment he shot at her. The worst act of Okonkwo’s was Ikemefuna’s death. A young boy that called Okonkwo father was killed at his hand, for Okonkwo was scared to look weak if he didn’t do so. The boy tried to protect himself as he called out to Okonkwo calling him father, but Okonkwo’s fear drove him to behead the innocent boy. Fear is an understandable thing, and it is a very powerful motive. Even so, Okonkwo is out of line by the way he uses his fear to produce the anger inside of him.
So far in this novel I have not been fond of Okonkwo whatsoever. He seems arrogant and full of himself with a slight “pity me” attitude that just annoys the reader. Such as in chapter seven when the author writes “He was afraid of being thought weak.” (page 61). I can understand that he doesn’t want to be his father but his father did have admirable qualities that I think he would benefit from. His fears are driving him just a bit too far and the admirable qualities he himself has are brought out too much and make these admirable qualities just the opposite. Instead of being able to admire him for his work ethic I see him as a workaholic terrified of being lazy and instead of being strong even tenacious I see him as being weak but driven with fear. Had he become the person he is without the drive of fear backed behind him I believe he would be more loving and even a likeable character. Also, I don’t believe he was even close to being right in the fact of beating his wife out of his pent up anger. As it said in chapter five he beat his wife for defacing a banana tree and then shot at her. Nothing about this statement is right. His fear seems to be driving him to a point of mental instability and nowhere close to how a real man should act in a proper way. I’m still going to give him a chance since the novel is far from over but so far he just isn’t someone I can like. Everything about him to me screams instability. He will do anything to make himself look good no matter who he hurts and he will do anything to avoid becoming his father, even hurting the people who love him most. Okonkwo definitely does not exhibit any qualities which I believe someone can be liked for.
The more that I read about Okonkwo the more I am able to understand him. That is the good thing about this novel; it is very “to the point” and clear about how the characters feel and about their past. Because the author refers to Okonkwo’s past several times, the readers are able to understand why he is the way he is through a psychological point of view. We find out that Okonkwo’s father was lazy and could not provide for his family. I truly believe that Okonkwo was embarrassed by his father; especially after that one person called his father a woman. He had so much resentment built up as a child that it clearly is impacting his life now. He demands respect from everyone, because his father didn’t. He works hard, because his father didn’t, and he makes a name for himself because his father never had one. He hated his father so much that he wants nothing to do with him now….he does not want to be anything like him. I believe Okonkwo feels this way for pride reasons; he is obviously ashamed of his past and now is demanding so people are able to look past it. Unfortunately, Okonkwo’s father did obtain some good qualities; like compassion and sympathy, and now Okonkwo will not have anything to do with those emotions. “Okonkwo never showed any emotion openly, unless it to be the emotion of anger. To show affection is a sign of weakness; the only thing worth demonstrating is strength.”(pg. 28) Okonkwo believes that if he shows any kind of sympathy he will be considered weak like his father, so he doesn’t at all. Because he is like this, his relationships with his children and wives are negatively affected. He is extremely hard on his older son, and if this kind of relationship continues Okonkwo could do the same thing to his son (push him in the opposite direction) like his father did to him. His wives fear him their health (emotional and physical well being) is probably being affected by Okonkwo himself.
ReplyDeleteI am unsure whether I really like Okonkwo or not. He has the drive and ability to do great things, which he already has at a very young age, but he also carries a heavy weight upon his shoulders which interferes with his life sometimes. He feels much pressure from the past failures of his father and he often lives in fear. "But his whole life was dominated by fear, fear of failure and of weakness...It was not external but lay deep within himself, lest he should be found to resemble his father." (page 13). Fear can be extremely detrimental to a person emotionally. We see this in Okonkwo when he lashes out at his wife and beats her for no apparent reason. Not to mention, it's during holy week. I think that this fear shows a side of immaturity to Okonkwo, but he is young and experience and knowledge come with age. In the seven years that he must be sent away from his village I think he will learn this maturity that he lacked and how to control his actions better. But at the same time, I think Okonkwo shows the promise of a true leader. He has the willpower and the desire to excel in life and set high expectations for himself and those around him. He has a sort of heroic, outcast vibe to him, yet he still makes the mistakes that your average person makes. I like this because it makes him seem human which makes the book more realistic. But it's also the most frutrating thing about him because he has such drive to completely separate himself from any connection with his father and you want him to be successful, yet there are character flaws and complications that hold him back. I think him going away for seven years can be extremely beneficial to him and his relationships. If he comes back a learned and more matured man maybe he won't be so harsh on his wives and children. I'm interested in seeing how Okonkwo will change and grow as a person throughout the novel.
ReplyDeleteOkonkwo’s poor relationship with Unoka has shaped his entire life. His father’s failure has driven him to become obsessed with his image in the tribe. As a young man, he started with nothing, forcing him to work twice as hard as others. Over the years, he has become extremely prosperous and he is revered as a great warrior. However, he is still ruled by his insecurities. As stated on page 13, “Perhaps down in his heart Okonkwo was not a cruel man. But his whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and weakness. It was deeper and more intimate than the fear of evil and capricious gods and of magic, the fear of the forest, and of the forces of nature, malevolent, red in tooth and claw. Okonkwo’s fear was greater than these.” I think this underlying fear has caused Okonkwo to lose control over all of his emotions, resulting in spontaneous and illogical behavior. He nearly shoots and kills one of his wives over a banana tree. In addition, his constant criticism causes his oldest son, Nwoye, to resent him. Nwoye is simply a child, yet Okonkwo is determined to mold him into a great man. He even goes so far to state he would rather kill Nwoye than have a lazy son. Likewise, he lashes out at his favorite daughter Enzima. He views affection as a form of weakness, so he pushes her away. Like a child, Okonkwo simply cannot deal with his feelings and act rationally. This is clearly shown in the murder of Ikemefuna. Although he never showed it outwardly, Okonkwo became very fond of the boy and treated him like an adopted son. However, when it is decided that Ikemefuna must be killed, Okonkwo is caught in a moral dilemma. Ezeudu warns Okonkwo not take part, but he knows only the “effeminate men” refuse to participate. The fear of being thought weak eventually drives Okonkwo to murder Ikemefuna, even as the boy runs to him for protection. Although he loves Ikemefuna, he will do anything to protect his image.
ReplyDeleteOkonkwo is a great example of a character that is a product of his environment. Everything that he is comes from influences form other people. The largest of these influences was his father. “Okonkwo was ruled by one passion – to hate everything that his father Unoka had loved.” (pg 13) Unoka had been a lazy man, but he was also gentle, loving, and had a passion for art and music. Okonkwo benefitted from the hatred of his father in the respect that he was extremely hard working and ambitious. He rose to power and became wealthy extremely fast, because of this trait. He also became negatively affected by the drive to be the complete opposite of his father. He became harsh and unloving, unable to show any emotion for fear of weakness. His wives and children suffered at his hands whenever he lost his temper or became violent. When his second wife took a few banana leaves to prepare his meal, “Okonkwo gave her a sound beating and left her and her only daughter weeping” (pg 38) just because he was in a bad mood. Okonkwo isn’t incapable of feeling emotion. He mentions it many times when he’s talking about his family, but he refuses to express it. His actions demonstrate a much softer man than he tries to portray himself as, like when he circles back to the cave of the goddess multiple times until he finds is second wife to wait with her for their daughter. He appears here to actually have a heart, but this is a rare display of love. Okonkwo’s actions often have no explanation at all. For example, he breaks the week of peace, an ancient ritual, and risks angering the gods simply because he lost his temper. Often you would think that such a successful man would have a little more common sense or respect. Okonkwo’s weakness lies in his pig-headed-ness and his belief that he is invincible.
ReplyDeleteSo far in Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo has been trying to prove that he is the complete opposite of his lazy, gentle father, Unoka. Okonkwo doesn’t agree with his father’s displays of emotion and interest in music and conversation. He works hard throughout his life, making a name for himself, earning respect, experiences emotion only “inwardly”. He believes that men should not be open with sensitivity, “Okonkwo never showed any emotion openly, unless it was the emotion of anger. To show affection was a sign of weakness; the only thing worth demonstrating was strength.” (pg 28). Okonkwo begins to earn significant financial and social successes as a result of embracing these simple ideals. He marries three women and becomes a father to several children. His relationships with his wives and children, however, are constantly strained by Okonkwo’s lack of affection. He beats his wife, Ojiugo, during the Week of Peace, despite the fact that it is the sacred week. He is also extremely harsh on his eldest, Nwoye, although, only intending to teach him how to become successful. Okonkwo pushes his son to be sedulous and hard-working, as he is, “He wanted Nwoye to grow into a tough young man capable of ruling his father’s household...He wanted him to be a prosperous man, having enough in his barn to feed the ancestors with regular sacrifices.” (pg 52). However, Okonkwo is beginning to realize that Nwoye resembles Unoka. For this, Okonkwo gives him many beatings and as a result, unintentionally begins pushing his son away from him. On the same note, he is in conflict with his feelings toward Ikemefuna. Okonkwo becomes very fond of the young boy, and begins to treat him as an adopted son. The true test of Okonkwo’s love comes when Ogbuefi Ezeudu tells him that Ikemefuna must be killed, but warns him not take part because he has become like a father to Ikemefuna. Okonkwo, however, is the one to kill Ikemefuna because, “He was afraid of being thought weak.” (pg 61). After he kills the boy, he does not eat or sleep for days. This shows Okonkwo’s desire to be strong, but his inability to control his fondness for the people he loves.
ReplyDeleteMany different traits can be associated with the protagonist, Okonkwo, from Things Fall Apart. Okonkwo’s character is derived from his father, Unoka, whom he wants to be nothing like. Unoka’s weak and lazy character disappointed Okonkwo, so Okonkwo strives to be completely different from his father. This results in a dominant, manly personality. He is a powerful man and clearly has a lot of authority not only in his family, but in his tribe as well. He is considered one of the strongest warriors and he even beat the undefeated wrestling champion. Because of his accomplishments and the title he has, he abuses his power. Also, his fear of becoming like his father plays a part by leading him to be violent and harsh. More than once, there has been instances where he has beaten his wives for stupid, little reasons. He beat his wife during the week of peace which is extremely looked down upon in the tribe and he didn’t seem to care that he was wrong for doing it. He also got angry for no reason once and unleashed his anger by blaming his wife for ruining the banana tree which was perfectly fine. Okonkwo fails to show any emotion. “Okonkwo never showed any emotion openly, unless it be emotion of anger. To show affection was a sign of weakness, the only thing worth demonstrating was strength. (pg 28)” It is easy to perceive Okonkwo as a terrible person and automatically dislike him, but he possesses some admirable traits. He is productive, hard-working, and determined to be a successful man. His personality might be a bit to forceful and I’m curious to see where it will lead him. He seems to do whatever he pleases and doesn’t listen to others. He is popular amongst the people in the tribe but could his brutal actions lead to his demise?
ReplyDeleteOkonko is an interesting character. He at once commands respect as a strong and intimidating force but there seems to be ab underlying element of the man that is rarely shown. This is his vulnerability due to his deep seated fear of failure. The author explains this as a result of the hate that Okonkwo had for his father. This is highlighted by a passage on page 18. “With a father like Unoka, Okonkwo did not have the start in life that many young men had. He neither inherited a barn, nor a title, nor even a young wife.” Okonkwo is deeply afraid of becoming a man like his father, one who is not respected by the community that life in the novel is based around. The effect this has on Okonkwo is easily seen. “He was talking about Okonkwo, who had risen so suddenly from great poverty and misfortune to be one of the lords of the clan. The old man bore no ill will towards Okonkwo. Indeed he respected him for his industry and success.” This passage from page 26 illustrates how Okonkwo becomes seen as a hard working man of great influence, while his father was a man who was looked at as lazy and unambitious. There are times that Onkonkwo’s inner fears get the best of him. After he gets caught up in the killing of a boy who was practically his own son, Okonkwo’s inner thinking comes to light. “When did you become a shivering old woman,” Okonwo asked himself, “you, who are known in all the nine villages for your valor in war? How can a man who has killed five men in battle fall to pieces because he has added a boy to their number? Okonkwo you have become a woman indeed” This passage from page 65 shows that even after Okonwo undergoes an extremely traumatic event he still thinks of his image and reputation. So while Okonwo is a character that demands respect, one can’t help but see that he is driven by his fears and insecurities.
ReplyDeleteI admire Okonkwo, but at the same time I cannot help but feel sorry for him. His childhood is the real reason he has become the type of man that he is. Not only this, but because his father was such a “failure” in the eyes of the other men in the community, that Okonkwo’s perception of what a real man is became warped and unrealistic. I admire him for his constant drive to succeed, “But despite his disadvantages, he had begun even in his father’s lifetime to lay the foundations of a prosperous future. It was slow and painful. But he threw himself into it like one possessed.” This passage from page 18 proves Okonkwo’s undying desire to succeed to achieve success as he defines it. However, although I admire his determination, I feel sorry for him due to the fact that I think he is unhappy. He has spent his entire life trying to be the opposite of his father and is then therefore unable to discover who he truly is. The instance where he kills Ikemefuna illustrates this character trait of his perfectly. Okonkwo is afraid to be thought of as anything less than a man. The passage on page 61 reads; “Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought weak.” Okonkwo admits in his mind to being fond of Ikemefuna throughout the story while Ikemefuna was still alive, yet when he had the opportunity to save him, or at least not being the one to murder him he decided to kill him because he was afraid if he didn’t it would harm his reputation. This is where I feel the most sorry for Okonkwo because he would rather betray someone he actually cares about just to avoid being seen as weak.
ReplyDeleteOkonkwo lives his life and is who he is based on his fears. He spends his whole life trying to be exactly what his father was not. He makes choices based on what his father would have done. Okonkwo to me does not seem like he is a true real person. I feel that he is fake because he is trying to be opposite his father. I don’t know if he would have these same traits if his father didn’t act how he did. Okonkwo also teaches his kids to be the opposite of his father. Who they are and how he teaches them is all based on how Okonkwo’s father lived. I feel that Okonkwo is so scared of being like his father that he will do anything not to be. I think that he looks at every single one of his his father’s traits as being bad. I do not think all of his father’s traits were bad however, Okonkwo assumes every single thing his father did was bad. I respect him though for pushing himself as hard as he does. I think he possesses a lot of drive and determination to be the very best he can be. Unfortunately for him I think that this drive to be strong and powerful turns him more and more into a bad person because he kills his own son to not be seen as weak. Page 61 states, “Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought weak.” This quote shows how his drive for power turns him into something terrible. I do not like Okonkwo because I feel that he is using this fear of being weak as an excuse to do bad things. He is in my mind by forcing himself to be the opposite of his father he is turning himself into something worse. This drive to be the best most powerful and strong man is completely destroying who he should be and who he is as a person on the inside.
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning of the book I felt pity for Okonkwo because his father was a jerk but now I have other feelings toward him. I feel that Okonkwo takes the whole wounded son to an annoying level .He has a lot of pent up anger that he takes out on his children and wives. Its not like his father beat him, or was mean to him. He just wasn’t the hardest working man he could’ve been. The only reason Okonkwo was upset with him was because he got the family a bad reputation. That fact alone doesn’t make the father a bad person. I think Okonkwo is a worse father because he lets his anger and fear of weakness make him a hard person who beats his family. Okonkwo shows no compassion and won’t show any human feeling and I think that in itself is a weakness. When Okonkwo shoots at his wife I realize he is incapable of loving those who love him. I believe he feels love is a weakness because he thinks happy thoughts when he loves. After Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna he feels terrible and regrets his decision this makes him feel weak and then he feels even worse. (61) I think that if Okonkwo would just accept his emotions let them show, and be a hard worker he would be twice the man his father was. He would be loved and respected for being a good man. I think his family would be more obedient if he was nicer but still strict. Yes Okonkwo had a difficult life in the beginning and he did work really hard for everything he has today but I don’t think that gives him the right to be such a jerk. I think if Okonkwo forgave his father he would be much better off and wouldn’t be so cranky all the time.
ReplyDeleteOkonkwo is a very predictable person in the sense that you know why he does the things that he does. However, his actions themselves are the unpredictable aspects. His father's failure to provide a stable environment for his children causes Okonkwo to stray away and act out in anger towards any sign of weakness in his adult life. "But his whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of weakness," (pg. 13). The worst part of his attitude is that he has no respect for anyone of a higher figure than himself it seems. He beat his wife, and he almost shot her during the week of peace. He is punished for disobeying the gods, but could he have really learned anything from a slap on the hand(pg.39). He thinks he is better than anyone, because he has no weakness that anyone could play off of. If it were allowed I believe he might have killed anyone that tried to tell him he did something wrong. It's almost as if he also fears being let down again by someone who is supposed to be there for him in any situation. Okonkwo is forced to grow up and become a successful man at a very early age, as can be seen through his wrestling match against the Cat (pg. 1). Why would he start listening to anyone now when he never had to before? His riches, wives, and reputation are all looked at as a great accomplishment. His own soul is what suffers. When Okonkwo welcomes Ikemefuna into his own home, I would never have believed that Okonkwo is the one who kills him(pg 61). His detachment from his own emotions shows how strong the fear inside him is and how much a part of him it has become. What is he truly capable of?
ReplyDeleteI am still confused on Okonkwo’s motives and why he acts the way he does. His entire life is motivated by the fact that is he determined not to be his like father. Okonkwo basically lives in fear every day, he is so afraid of being lazy, and not being weak. On page 18 it says “and he indeed was possessed by the fear of his father’s contemptible life and shameful death”. Okonkwo knew that the rest of the tribe saw his father as a pitiful man and was determined to be viewed as strong unlike his father. The ironic thing is that Okonkwo tries not to be afraid of anything, he wants to be seen as a superior man, but his whole life is actually dominated by the fear of turning into his father. Okonkwo constantly lives in the past, always thinking about how his father was pitiful, he never forgets it. That makes it confusing to me that he can forget about Ikefumna so easily within days, yet cannot forget about his father. He says it was so easy for him to push the concept of him killing his “son” within days yet who would think that he could then forget his past with his father easily. One other thing I don’t understand about Okonkwo is his belief that emotions equal weakness. Yet he shows anger on a regular basis. The idea of showing any love towards a member of his family makes him feel weak. He is defiantly not afraid of showing anger towards them though. Okonkwo really associates many things with weakness. When he beats his wife during peace week I was shocked. I would have thought that would have been a weakness for him, that he ruined a sacred week, yet he didn’t seem to care at all.
ReplyDeleteOkonkwo is a very interesting character that seems to me, to have much more to him than what meets the eye. First off, the violence that Okonkwo practices seems a little over the top. Yes, the kind of community he lives in does enforce the use of violence, but I think that he almost takes it for granted and is almost savage when it comes to discipline. For example, he beat his wife because of the leaves on the tree were plucked off. Seriously? You’re going to shoot some weird, sketchy, handmade firearm at your wife because she plucked two leaves off of a tree? You’re ridiculous, Okonkwo. As I read on, it makes more sense why he acts the way he does though. I think it may be purely out of fear. He’s afraid of becoming like his father or even giving his community the inkling that he might be like his father was. As for his son, I believe his harshness and lack of companionship is taking a very large toll on Nwoye. Okonkwo’s lack of people skills is really going to hurt him in the long run. He’s not realizing how his behavior towards others makes his son feel. I think that when Nwoye grows up he will have to same rebellious spirit as his father and not want to do anything that Okonkwo does because he is so hardheaded and distant. I think I should touch a little bit on the good parts of him now shouldn’t I? I like how protective Okonkwo is. I think this might be another reason for his heavy hand. Him being protective is about the only time that shows that he cares about his family. “Tears of gratitude filled her eyes. She knew he daughter was safe. ‘Go home and sleep,’ said Okonkwo. ‘I shall wait here’”(pg. 108). As creepy as it is, I appreciate him more for creeping on where his wife was going and following her. He was just making sure she was safe, which all men should do for their wife, no matter how many of them he has.
ReplyDeleteChinua Achebe created a character of great determination and personal strength in his novel, Things Fall Apart. The protagonist, Okonkwo, is internally motivated by a fear of failure and a hatred for his father, Unoka. "But his whole life was dominated by fear, fear of failure and of weakness...It was not external but lay deep within himself, lest he should be found to resemble his father." (page 13). He despises every fault of his father’s, such as poverty and idleness, and instead develops himself into a man of wealth, fortitude and violence. By striving to abolish any trace of his father within himself, he fails to emulate some of the more positive traits of Unoka. Okonkwo is a literary example of the danger of living your life in absolutes.
ReplyDeleteUltimately, he is unable to establish a balance between living by his principles and adapting to the changes in his village. Okonkwo appears to have achieved material prosperity through strict adherence to his principles. He is a well respected member of his community, has fathered several children and is a wealthy yam farmer. While he may have achieved his own definition of success, in reviewing his interactions with the supporting characters, it becomes clear that his is far from the great man he appears to be.
Firstly, Okonkwo is extremely immature emotionally. He becomes mad very easily and lashes out at his loved ones for insignificant reasons. His children obey him mostly out of fear, rather than respect, and he came close to murdering one of his wives. Through Okonkwo’s thoughts, the reader is able to see that he is capable of experiencing intense emotion, yet he only demonstrates anger. It is one of his greatest faults that he equates weakness with traits such as compassion and empathy.
It is also apparent that Okonkwo is very concerned with what the community thinks of him. He even goes as far as murdering a boy that was like a son to him in order not to appear weak in front of the villagers. While Okonkwo seems to be generally well respected in the community, it is not well deserved.
In school appropriate terms Okonkwo is a scared jerk. His father was a useless and lazy man throughout his life. “Even as a little boy he had resented his father’s failures and weakness” (page 12). It is that laziness that scares Okonkwo into being a ruthless man. “It was the fear of himself, lest he should be found to resemble his father” (page 12). He’s horrified of becoming his father and to keep from doing so he hides his feelings and only acts out in anger. His father was lazy, so he seeks to be a strong man that works hard. By doing so he has made a great reputation for himself by the age of eight teen as the best wrestler in the land. Then he continues to raise his status in his community by marrying three wives. Him and his wives live in a huge compound and each are able to have their own house because of the wealth Okonkwo earns. Yet, the fear he has of becoming his father controls him. If he senses the littlest amount of laziness in any of his children, girl or boy, he beats them. Not even his wives are expempt from his anger. One of his wives couldn’t make it to dinner for she had prior arrangements, and even still Okonkwo beat her and then for a mere comment he shot at her. The worst act of Okonkwo’s was Ikemefuna’s death. A young boy that called Okonkwo father was killed at his hand, for Okonkwo was scared to look weak if he didn’t do so. The boy tried to protect himself as he called out to Okonkwo calling him father, but Okonkwo’s fear drove him to behead the innocent boy. Fear is an understandable thing, and it is a very powerful motive. Even so, Okonkwo is out of line by the way he uses his fear to produce the anger inside of him.
ReplyDeleteSo far in this novel I have not been fond of Okonkwo whatsoever. He seems arrogant and full of himself with a slight “pity me” attitude that just annoys the reader. Such as in chapter seven when the author writes “He was afraid of being thought weak.” (page 61). I can understand that he doesn’t want to be his father but his father did have admirable qualities that I think he would benefit from. His fears are driving him just a bit too far and the admirable qualities he himself has are brought out too much and make these admirable qualities just the opposite. Instead of being able to admire him for his work ethic I see him as a workaholic terrified of being lazy and instead of being strong even tenacious I see him as being weak but driven with fear. Had he become the person he is without the drive of fear backed behind him I believe he would be more loving and even a likeable character. Also, I don’t believe he was even close to being right in the fact of beating his wife out of his pent up anger. As it said in chapter five he beat his wife for defacing a banana tree and then shot at her. Nothing about this statement is right. His fear seems to be driving him to a point of mental instability and nowhere close to how a real man should act in a proper way. I’m still going to give him a chance since the novel is far from over but so far he just isn’t someone I can like. Everything about him to me screams instability. He will do anything to make himself look good no matter who he hurts and he will do anything to avoid becoming his father, even hurting the people who love him most. Okonkwo definitely does not exhibit any qualities which I believe someone can be liked for.
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