How Does Okonkwo Sacrifice Himself

Oknokwo sacrificed himself, his pride, and his image which showed his true values and the meaning behind his work. Okonkwo is renowned as a wrestler, a fierce warrior, and a successful farmer of yams, which were seen as manly crops. In the novel, Things Fall Apart, Oknokwo’s biggest fear was being seen as a failure or as weak because his father, Unoka was perceived that way. He was a prideful farmer and wrestler, so that is why Okonkwo continued to act prideful and strong. He sacrificed himself by taking his life when Okonkwo felt as if he had been a failure to everyone and himself. Okonkwo sacrificed his pride by ending his life; throughout the novel, Okonkwo made it clear his opinions on masculinity, which were that men could not be seen

Okonkwo hung himself from a tree behind his compound. He did this because he felt like a failure. Unoka was perceived as weak and a failure; although, Okonkwo was seen as a fierce and prideful man. Okonkwo’s biggest fear was being anything similar to Unoka. After being exiled, Okonkwo returned from his mother’s kinsmen to see some people of Umuofia turn against the clan and revert to Christianity including Okonkwo's son, Nwoye. Okonkwo wanted so badly to be the most powerful and influential man in Umuofia. Every chance that Okonkwo had to show his pride and strength, he took it. Okonkwo’s son Ikemefuna killed one of the women in the village which is why he was sacrificed. Though it was the Week of Peace, Okonkwo did not want to show any signs of weakness to the other men of the culture, so he was indeed the one who killed Ikemefuna. “He heard Ikemefuna cry, “My father, they have killed me!” as he ran towards him. Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought of as weak.” (Achebe,

Oknokwo’s first job was as a farmer. Chapter three talks about Okonkwo’s childhood, and mentioned the time when he was preparing to plant his first yam farm. “He had not hoped to get more than four hundred seeds. He would now have to make a bigger farm.” (Achebe, 22). Okonkwo’s father, Unoka, was never able to produce a successful harvest, so Okonkwo built his fortune as a sharecropper. Though Okonkwo was young, he was a very wealthy farmer of yams, which he used to support his three wives. He was a significant figure of wealth and “manliness”. Okonkwo based his life on achieving status and proving his strength to avoid becoming like his father, which he feared. The sacrifice that Okonkwo made; himself, his pride, and his image, provides a deeper understanding of Okonkwo’s work as a farmer and wrestler by confirming the true values of his pride and image. All of his works boost Okonkwo’s pride and image. Okonkwo was so overpowered by his pride that he continued to sacrifice everything just to not be seen as weak by others. Okonkwo never showed any signs of remorse for his actions. His work gives everyone the perception that he is almighty, fierce, and