Things Fall Apart - College Paper
EssayChat / Mar 5, 2019
Okonkwo was a warrior, wrestler and wealthy farmer of the village of Umuofia who had taken three wives. He was considered the greatest wrestler in the nine villages of his clan. His father Unoka was lazy, poor and always in debt, so Okonkwo disliked his father and was determined to ensure that he did not have a similar fate. Hence Okonkwo was extremely hard working, and became wealthy at a young age. "He had also taken two titles and had shown incredible prowess in two inter-tribal wars," (Achebe 10). Yet, Okonkwo' life was ruled by the fear of failure and weakness, he did want to become the person his father was.
Hence he was extremely worried about his status, what other people thought about him. He was extremely harsh with his family members, rarely showing his affection, and often shouting at them using harsh words. Though he was fond of his daughter, he did not show his affection openly because he did not want to appear weak. He was worried that his eldest son Nwoye would become lazy like his father, so Okonkwo was always shouting at him and beating him. This affected the twelve-year-old Nwoye, who lacked self-esteem (Achebe 17).
Ikemefuna was a young boy from Mbaino, who was given by his village to Umuofia to compensate for killing of a woman from the village at the Mbaino market. Since Okonkwo is one of the wealthiest persons in the village, Ikemefuna lives with him and helps him in chores. According to Achebe (19), "The elders of the clan had decided that Ikmefuna should be in Okonkwo's care for a while." Since he is hardworking, Okonkwo becomes fond of Ikemefuna, who also is friendly with Nwoye, helps him grow. Yet, when the village is attacked by locusts, the Oracle of the village, declares that Ikemefuna will have to be sacrificed. Though the village elder Ezeudu asks Okonkwo not to play a role in the death, since Ikemefuna calls him father. "Since Okonkwo is worried that he will be considered weak, he draws his sword and kills Ikemefuna," (Achebe 36). This adversely affects Okonkwo's relationship with his son for the rest of his life.
At the funeral of Ezeudu, the gun of Okonkwo explodes accidentally killing the son of Ezeudu. Since the crime is accidental, Okonkwo is punished by being exiled from the village for a period of seven years. He and his family has to flee overnight to the village of his mother and the next day, the village destroy the house and everything which belonged to Okonkwo in Umuofia (Achebe 67). In the village of Mbanta, the white preachers are converting people to Christianity. Nwoye, who is haunted by the killing of his friend Ikemefuna becomes a Christian against the wishes of Okonkwo (Achebe 82).
When he returns to the village of Umuofia when his exile has ended, Okonkwo finds that things have changed drastically. The white man, Christians have increased their influence (Achebe 89) .After a killing, the church in Umuofia, is razed. The leaders of the village are tricked into meeting the district collector, who arrest them and jail them. The villagers are then humiliated in jail, their head shaved, starved and whipped. Only after they pay a fine they are released. "I have decided that you will pay a fine of two hundred bags of cowries," (Achebe 102). The released leaders decide to hold a meeting of the villagers the next day to decide how to handle the atrocities of the white men (Achebe 103)
A large number of villagers gather at the meeting, and discuss the crimes of the white men. While the meeting is in progress five messengers of the white men approach the group and ask them to end the meeting. Okonkwo kills the messenger with his machete. After attending the meeting, he realizes that Umuofia will not take on the power of white men and they will let the other messengers escape (Achebe 107). The next day, the district commissioner arrives in the compound of Okonkwo and finds that he has committed suicide (Achebe 108). After killing the messenger, Okonkwo probably realized that the white men would kill him, so instead of being humiliated by them, he prefers to commit suicide.
Okonkwo is a tragic figure in the novel because despite being extremely hardworking, brave and strong, he is forced to commit suicide in the end since he is unable to fight the white man. He is only worried about his status, wanting to appear strong, so he is very harsh with everyone around him including his wife and children. To appear strong, he kills Ikemefuna, though he is fond of his adopted son. This alienates him from his eldest son and the villagers are also afraid of him. Later when his gun explodes and kills the son of Ezeudu, he is forced to go into exile, affecting his status in Umuofia. After the church is destroyed, Okonkwo is jailed and humiliated. When there is a meeting of the villagers, Okonkwo realizes that his status in the village has changed, and no one will support him in fighting the white man. So out of anger, frustration and resentment, he kills the messenger and then commits suicide to avoid humiliation, making his life a tragedy.
Works Cited
Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York, Anchor Books, 1994. Print.
Hence he was extremely worried about his status, what other people thought about him. He was extremely harsh with his family members, rarely showing his affection, and often shouting at them using harsh words. Though he was fond of his daughter, he did not show his affection openly because he did not want to appear weak. He was worried that his eldest son Nwoye would become lazy like his father, so Okonkwo was always shouting at him and beating him. This affected the twelve-year-old Nwoye, who lacked self-esteem (Achebe 17).Ikemefuna was a young boy from Mbaino, who was given by his village to Umuofia to compensate for killing of a woman from the village at the Mbaino market. Since Okonkwo is one of the wealthiest persons in the village, Ikemefuna lives with him and helps him in chores. According to Achebe (19), "The elders of the clan had decided that Ikmefuna should be in Okonkwo's care for a while." Since he is hardworking, Okonkwo becomes fond of Ikemefuna, who also is friendly with Nwoye, helps him grow. Yet, when the village is attacked by locusts, the Oracle of the village, declares that Ikemefuna will have to be sacrificed. Though the village elder Ezeudu asks Okonkwo not to play a role in the death, since Ikemefuna calls him father. "Since Okonkwo is worried that he will be considered weak, he draws his sword and kills Ikemefuna," (Achebe 36). This adversely affects Okonkwo's relationship with his son for the rest of his life.
At the funeral of Ezeudu, the gun of Okonkwo explodes accidentally killing the son of Ezeudu. Since the crime is accidental, Okonkwo is punished by being exiled from the village for a period of seven years. He and his family has to flee overnight to the village of his mother and the next day, the village destroy the house and everything which belonged to Okonkwo in Umuofia (Achebe 67). In the village of Mbanta, the white preachers are converting people to Christianity. Nwoye, who is haunted by the killing of his friend Ikemefuna becomes a Christian against the wishes of Okonkwo (Achebe 82).
When he returns to the village of Umuofia when his exile has ended, Okonkwo finds that things have changed drastically. The white man, Christians have increased their influence (Achebe 89) .After a killing, the church in Umuofia, is razed. The leaders of the village are tricked into meeting the district collector, who arrest them and jail them. The villagers are then humiliated in jail, their head shaved, starved and whipped. Only after they pay a fine they are released. "I have decided that you will pay a fine of two hundred bags of cowries," (Achebe 102). The released leaders decide to hold a meeting of the villagers the next day to decide how to handle the atrocities of the white men (Achebe 103)
A large number of villagers gather at the meeting, and discuss the crimes of the white men. While the meeting is in progress five messengers of the white men approach the group and ask them to end the meeting. Okonkwo kills the messenger with his machete. After attending the meeting, he realizes that Umuofia will not take on the power of white men and they will let the other messengers escape (Achebe 107). The next day, the district commissioner arrives in the compound of Okonkwo and finds that he has committed suicide (Achebe 108). After killing the messenger, Okonkwo probably realized that the white men would kill him, so instead of being humiliated by them, he prefers to commit suicide.
Okonkwo is a tragic figure in the novel because despite being extremely hardworking, brave and strong, he is forced to commit suicide in the end since he is unable to fight the white man. He is only worried about his status, wanting to appear strong, so he is very harsh with everyone around him including his wife and children. To appear strong, he kills Ikemefuna, though he is fond of his adopted son. This alienates him from his eldest son and the villagers are also afraid of him. Later when his gun explodes and kills the son of Ezeudu, he is forced to go into exile, affecting his status in Umuofia. After the church is destroyed, Okonkwo is jailed and humiliated. When there is a meeting of the villagers, Okonkwo realizes that his status in the village has changed, and no one will support him in fighting the white man. So out of anger, frustration and resentment, he kills the messenger and then commits suicide to avoid humiliation, making his life a tragedy.
Works Cited
Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York, Anchor Books, 1994. Print.