Masculinity In Things Fall Apart

In Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, the expectations of manliness give Okonkwo a crutch against his fears and insecurities. Masculinity is an integral part of the culture of the Igbo people. “Yam stood for manliness, and he who could feed his family on yams… was a very great man indeed.” (Achebe 33) The symbolism of yams being the livelihood provided by the traditional man shows how men have very specific and important roles in this primarily agricultural society. The “ideal man” Okonkwo is very aggressive and violent. “Perhaps Okonkwo down in his heart was not a cruel man. But his whole life was dominated by fear…” (Achebe 13) He as a person might not be so aggressive, but the expectations of the tribe and his own fears abet his violence

For instance, Okonkwo and the tribe expect strength from a man. This leads to many problems, such as the fact that Okonkwo struggles to face and understand his own emotions, specifically after killing Ikemefuna. “How can a man who has killed five men in battle fall to pieces because he has added a boy to their number?” (Achebe 65) In this scenario, Okonkwo’s experience in shutting out “weakness” handicaps him. Furthermore, when Nwoye breaks away from tradition and norms to follow the Christians, Okonkwo damages his relationship with the boy through his aggression and stubbornness. “But he left hold of Nwoye, who walked away and never returned.” (Achebe 152) Following this, again linked to the Christians, is the beginning of the end for Okonkwo. The devious and sly white man is faced by Okonkwo’s masculine aggression. “We should have killed the white man if you had listened to me,’ Okonkwo snarled.” (Achebe 195) His attempts are fruitless, “Okonkwo stood looking at the dead man. He knew that Umofia would not go to war.” (Achebe 205) His masculine pride and aggression encourages him to stand and fight, even when everyone else will not. When the others do not fight as he does, he is lost. His unwillingness to give up or adapt and his inability to cope with unfamiliar feelings of weakness because of expectations of strength from a man leads him to end his own