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Okonkwo In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

408 Words2 Pages

Okonkwo is a well-known respected man in his town. Okonkwo own insecurities of being like his father leads to his very own violent behavior. His fear of weakness makes him reject everything in which he may believe his father took for granted. Okonkwo relates weakness to his father, and weakness he relates to femininity. Okonkwo believes his behavior is utterly more different than his father’s, and because it is different he believes that it be equivalent to masculinity. Okonkwo’s terrified of being feminine and commits to petty crimes. For example Okonkwo even joins in the group murder of his adoptive son, Ikemefuna, out of fear of seeming weak and cowardly. He tells the young boy he is going home to see his family. When the young boy is alone …show more content…

The punishment for killing a clansman is seven years of exile, in which he had to take all three wives and eight children. After completing his seven years of exile, white Christians have come to convert and to establish new government. When Okonkwo’s oldest son joins the Christians, he becomes upset because he feels as if they are destroying the unity within the clan. Now

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Okonkwo is faced with fear of himself or his sons becoming womanly, and the potential that his whole tribe will become powerless.
In a pronouncement of his masculinity, he cuts off a court messenger’s head. When any of the other villagers did not back him up, Okonkwo realizes that his clansmen will never go to war against the white men. At this point Okonkwo has committed a very serious crime and has to pay for the crime in which he has committed. When officials come to get Okonkwo he found dead, because he hung himself.
In conclusion, I believe Okonkwo let the best get to him .Okonkwo knew his worth and thought it was greater than what it was. Although, was an honorable and wealthy man, he was not happy. Okonkwo needed for things to go his way, and if they did not his violent behavior will show. Okonkwo childhood had a negative impact on his life and even his children lives as well. Ultimately, these negative impact is the reason to his violent

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They had broken into tumult instead of action. He discerned fright in that tumult. He heard voices asking: “Why did he do it?” (Achebe 143). When Okonkwo was faced with his enemies, he makes a rash decision and kills the messenger.

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In the beginning of the story, Okonkwo was a very vigorous man who everyone loves. One day a killing happened leaving Okonkwo with a wife and a son, Ikemefuna. He grew to like the young boy, where he is different from his other children, On a fateful day, Okonkwo murders Ikemefuna. Okonkwo had a load of guilt for killing his adoptive son, Ikemefuna.

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