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Masculinity In Okonkwo Essay

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During the book, Okonkwo hates his father who acts very feminine according to the Igbo definition. Okonkwo’s actions are primarily based on his fear of becoming like his father so he rejects all characteristics that his father had. Throughout the story, we learn about how things fall apart for Okonkwo. The story starts off with Okonkwo living a normal life, beating his wives and farming, but then Ikemefuna joins the family as a tribute from another village to avoid war. Okonkwo starts to grow fond of Ikemefuna as he also has a positive influence on Nwoye, his son, because Nwoye starts to act more masculine. Soon, the oracle decides that Ikemefuna must be killed causing great problems for Okonkwo and Nwoye as Nwoye becomes more feminine in the …show more content…

An important characteristic of masculinity in the Igbo society was strength. “Yam stood for manliness, and he who could feed his family on yams from one harvest to another was a very great man indeed. Okonkwo wanted his son to be a great farmer and a great man.” (Achebe 33) In other words, men must be able to provide for the family and one who can is a great man. The motif of yams as a masculine crop is used to give more importance to men when it comes to providing for the family because yams are the main crop of the Igbo. This shows that men are required to work hard and farm for their family demonstrating that strength is required for a man. More important characteristic of masculinity include temper, destructiveness, and nourishment which is shown when Okonkwo is thinking about Nwoye converting to Christianity. He remembers, “He was a flaming fire.” (153) The metaphor used compares Okonkwo to a flaming fire which symbolizes not only destruction and a flaming temper, but also nourishment because a fire can support life by giving warmth and cooked food. This shows that masculinity is not only having a flaming temper and being destructive but also to help nourish the Igbo society, people, and families through their

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Okonkwo constantly struggled to create the same masculine character in Nwoye that he made for himself and constantly found a reflection of his effeminate father, Unoka, in Nwoye. Chapter two describes the relationship between Okonkwo and Nwoye in Nwoye’s youth. “Okonkwo’s first son, Nwoye, was then twelve years old but was already causing his father great anxiety for his incipient laziness... He sought to correct him by constant nagging and beating” (13-14). Okonkwo’s efforts to change Nwoye’s resemblance of Unoka were causing their relationship to be pushed apart because of Okonkwo’s violence and Nwoye’s resistance.

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The novel “things fall apart” is about the fatal demise of Okonkwo and the igbo culture of Umuofia. Okonkwo is well known and respected leader in his community, who is successful in everything he does, such as wrestling and farming. He is quick with his hands and takes pride in his accomplishments. Okonkwo’s family relationship makes him a sympathetic character because of his support and an unsympathetic character because of his cruelty. In many ways Okonkwo showed that he had no sympathy for others , However at times he could be sympathetic.

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Okonkwo devotes his life to becoming the opposite of his unsuccessful father. This need to become masculine introduces his fear: “But his whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of

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As a child, Nwoye is the frequent object of his father's criticism and remains emotionally unfulfilled. Okonkwo, “wanted Nwoye to grow into a tough man capable of ruling his father’s household when he was dead and gone to join the ancestors”(38). When Nwoye finds out that it is Okonkwo who killed a “brother” who he is extremely fond of, and grows very close with, he loses all appreciation for Okonkwo and decides to go against his father and his cultures.

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Fear is the core cause of the dramatic shift of lifestyle for both Okonkwo and Nwoye. Through the management of reputation and the avoidance of their father’s likeness, Okonkwo and Nwoye built new lives for themselves. Okonkwo sought power and authority to prove his masculinity and make up for Unoka’s reputation as a weak man. He did this to the point where manliness became his character. Fearlessness and violence were masculine qualities that in Igbo culture signifies strength and influence.

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He was a caring man down in his heart but “his whole life was dominated by the fear, the fear of failure and of weakness” (Achebe 13), and his mission to become one of the greatest men of his clan. Okonkwo was devoted to masculinity, he put it above anything else preventing anyone from questioning his masculinity. When he felt a slight sign of weakness it reminded him of his fathers failure to being a true man not providing for his family or ruling women and his children, therefore “he was not really a man” (Achebe 53).There were many traits to being a masculine man but to Okonkwo the main one was ruling his wife and children, if any of them had disobeyed him he would beat them without hesitation or regret. Although Okonkwo is influenced by masculinity it is because the Ibo culture believes in men dominating women which leads their society to fall

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