In chapter 1, Achebe reveals a lot about the culture Okonkwo is born in. Achebe writes about the importance of honorific titles and social rituals that are performed in their tradition. The most important thing he mentions are the honorific titles. In their society, Titles are reference points people in tribe constantly compare themselves with one another (especially Okonkwo). If a man is wealthy, he may gain additional recognition from the work he has done. In the process of making a title, the man pays fees to the men who already has a title.
In chapter 2, the ideas of masculinity and femininity is separated in the form of labor. Achebe lets the readers understand the significant positions women and men are ideal to in the Umuofian society. For men, respect and success are based on only manly activities and accomplishments whereas taking care of children and hens, on the other hand, are only recognized as womanly activities.
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His characteristics changed when “Okonkwo drew his machete and cut [Ikemefuna] down. He was afraid of being thought weak” (61). His character develops more into a revengeful person towards his father and the ideal image of masculinity in his society. After the death of Ikemefuna, Nwoye starts to work less efficiently, therefore, losing total respect for his father. “I don’t know. [Okonkwo] is not my father” (144). Nwoye denying that Okonkwo is his father shows the amount of hatred towards his father, enough to deny his significant position in Nwoye’s family. Not only had it affected Nwoye’s development as a man, he had also developed a similar character trait as Unoka in which, he despises the sight and the use of violent