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Okonkwo's Reputation In Things Fall Apart Research Paper

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How important is one's reputation in one's culture? In the novel, Things Fall Apart Achebe portrays how important a man’s reputation in his culture is. Throughout the novel the reader notices Okonkwo struggles with his masculinity and being seen as similar to his father. Okonkwo’s reputation and the way his community view him affects the way he acts from who he really is. The men in the Ibo culture are represented as men who believe that if you show any soft or “feminine” emotions you are weak and not “manly enough” they are taught this their entire lives. Okonkwo views “being a man” as someone who does not show any signs of weakness. He is taught to believe that a man should never show affection to anyone and if he does, it should only be anger. Okonkwo wants to be seen as masculine and is afraid that others will not see him as a man especially if he shows affection towards …show more content…

He gains respect from his village by overthrowing a great wrestler who was unbeaten for seven years. “... during this time Okonkwo’s fame had grown like a bushfire in harmattan ... He had not patience with unsuccessful men.” (4). Okonkwo identifies reputation with power and courage. He is very proud of his own accomplishments and reputation that he looks down on others and anyone with anything less than him. He is highly ranked in his village but he is also a very aggressive and prideful man. Okonkwo equates manliness with doing something physical or having many crops and huts in his village. Due to this, he feels that he is very successful and highly looked up to in Umuofia. “His fame rested on solid and personal achievements. As a young man of eighteen he had brought honor to his village by throwing Amalinze the Cat” (3). Okonkwo believes that doing something physical and winning means that you are a man. He feels that you gain the respect of others by proving that you are “man

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In Umuofia, Okonkwo has a high title, earned by demonstrating his achievement in his city. He is recognized everywhere for being a great wrestler who beat Amalinze the Cat. In chapter one, it says that “He brought honor to his village by throwing Amalinze the Cat” (Achebe 3). Okonkwo made it his goal to demonstrate himself powerfully to the community because his father, Unoka, was the opposite. The emotional, lazy, gentile, and unsuccessful Unoka was interested in music and drinking, and he didn 't try hard to make a name for himself.

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Okonkwo is the protagonist, so it makes sense for him to demonstrate a lot of pride which he undeniably does. Okonkwo is constantly bragging and boastful talking about how many men he or Umuofia has killed and is constantly scared to be perceived as weak. An early example of this is in chapter 7 when Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna. He is advised by his elders not to go and just stay at home. But Okonkwo goes anyway, which leads to him killing Ikemefuna because "He was afraid of being thought weak.

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According to Okonkwo’s tribe, the Igbo, masculinity is being strong, aggressive, and nourishing. Femininity is being weak, loving, compassionate, and devotional. Achebe highlights the definitions of masculinity and femininity to show that Okonkwo’s hypermasculinity causes his downfall. Okonkwo is trying to act too masculine and by completely rejecting feminine qualities, he sets up his destiny to be his downfall. The first instance in which things fall apart for Okonkwo is when a tribute from another village has to stay with Okonkwo for three years.

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