Okonkwo And Nwoye Analysis

In the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, Okonkwo does not have an open mind when it comes to new traditions and a new culture. Therefore, when Mr. Brown came in and introduced Christianity, Okonkwo immediately saw him as a target. Mr. Brown and Okonkwo are almost complete opposites. Okonkwo is a self-centered person who does not respect his family. Mr. Brown, on the other hand, is very open minded and listens other’s opinions as well as his own. Okonkwo does not sympathize or empathize with anyone. His son Nwoye joined the Christian church, and he therefore disowned him. He did not for a second stop to think about the situation Nwoye was in. Mr. Brown on the other hand, let anyone join his church, even the outcasts that nobody wanted. The

This is relevant to his campaign because he believes that a man’s rights should always come before a woman’s. His lack of respect for women derives from his selfishness. He cannot see past his own needs and does not understand how his wives can do anything without his consent. He strongly believes in gender roles and sticking to those roles. He had always struggled with his son Nwoye who was more like a woman than a man. Therefore “he (Okonkwo) was always happy when he heard him (Nwoye) grumbling about women”(Achebe 53). Okonkwo believes that men should stick to their roles as strong and powerful men. On the contrary, he believes that women should stick to being servants of a sort to the men. This is why Okonkwo was so happy when he saw Nwoye taking on a more manly role in society. This is necessary for him to include in his campaign because is shows his view on tradition and change, as well as his views on women’s rights. Mr. Brown believes in more equal rights for men and women. Although he values men over women, he still believes in basic rights like a woman’s right to practice religion. This is seen when he accepts everyone