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Theme Of Family In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

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In things fall apart the author Chinua Achebe talks in first person about Okonkwo being very passionate about family because he really never had one. As far as Okonkwo not having a stable family all because his father Unoka was not around. His father was more important with gambling and putting the family in debt. As in things fall apart the author Chinua Achebe displayed the importance of valuing family through plot and tone. Okonkwo was a very powerful person that considered the whole Umuofia as family. Could no one come between the clan and if they tried it would be war that no one would forget. Considering
Umuofia as a big family they do have their problems just like everyone else. As in things fall apart someone could be killed and it would break the clan apart for a …show more content…

Sometimes when he went to big village meetings or communal ancestral feasts he allowed
Ikemefuna to accompany him like a son carrying his stool and his goatskin bag. And indeed Ikemefuna called his father. After a while Okonkwo himself so fond of Ikemefuna that he comes to think of him as a son. Ikemefuna reciprocates the feeling adoring Okonkwo enough that he calls him his father. Out of affection Okonkwo extends his notion of family to included Ikemefuna even though the boy isn’t related to him by blood or clan membership. Okonkwo is hoping the ways Ikemefuna will rub off on his son Nwoye. Okonkwo has been trying to figure out Nwoye but Nwoye wants to do his own thing.
“Ikemefuna had begun to feel like a member of Okonkwo family. He still thought about his mother and his three year old sister and he had moments of sadness and depression. But he and Nwoye had become so deeply attached to each other that such moments become less frequent and less poignant.
Ikemefuna has lived long enough with Okonkwo’s family to start feeling like as part of it especially since he has revealed such a close relationship with Nwoye. To Ikemefuna mutual affection the basis of a family not shared

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Okonkwo never showed any emotion openly, unless it be the emotion of anger. To show affection was a sign of weakness, the only thing worth demonstrating was strength. He therefore treated Ikemefuna as he treated everybody else--with a heavy hand. But there was no doubt he liked the boy. Sometimes when he went to big village meetings or communal ancestral feasts he allowed Ikemefuna to accompany him, like a son, carrying his stool and his goatskin bag.

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Okonkwo’s aggressive ways caused Nwoye to rely on Ikemefuna, A boy given to Okonkwo by a neighboring village, as an older brother who teaches him a more gentle form of masculinity. The bond between Nwoye and Ikemefuna was stronger than the bond between Nwoye and Okonkwo ever was because of Okonkwo’s refusal to demonstrate affection towards his son as it could make him appear weak. However, because of the death of Ikemefuna, Nwoye fears having to return to the harsh values of his father. Okonkwo’s stubborn ideas of masculinity ruined his relationship with his son beyond repair. Okonkwo’s refusal to show emotion towards his family pushed them apart which shows that Okonkwo is not willing to give up his stern values and reputation to be emotionally committed to his family.

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Next, Okonkwo is warned that he will be told to kill Ikemefuna, a boy who has become like a son to him. When the time comes, Okonkwo, Ikemefuna, and a few other men set out on their journey. When the men move to kill Ikemefuna, Okonkwo trails behind them so he will not have to be a part of

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In “Things Fall Apart” Achebe gives background information on Okonkwo saying “He was a wealthy farmer and had two barns full of yams, and had just married his third wife.” (5). This quotation from chapter one demonstrates that Okonkwo’s nobility of prosperity is revealed by his success’ from his early years and forward. The villagers within Okonkwo’s clan love and honor him for his personal achievements, and he

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He showed his sympathy by providing for his family and Ikemefuna. Okonkwo showed that he was unsympathetic by having no patience and beating his wives and

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When Ikemefuna runs towards him, “Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought weak” (Achebe 13). Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna because he is afraid someone will believe he is weak and similar to his unsuccessful father. He lets this fear of compassion and failing control his life and his decisions. When he is faced with a difficult choice he completes the action that will portray him as a man and not as an agbala, a woman.

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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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His father was the exact opposite of what the Igbo people stand for. Unoka, Okonkwo’s father, is a “coward [who] could not bear the sight of blood” (Achebe 6). In turn, Okonkwo became a ruthless warrior who was known across the different tribes. The worst aspect of Unoka is that he was considered to be a failure. This caused Okonkwo “even as a little boy [to resent] his father’s failure” (13).

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Okonkwo and Ezinma, an unexpressed love. In his novel, ‘Things Fall Apart’, Achebe presents to the reader, a story based around the village of Umuofia. Through his narration which is close to an oral tradition, we discover the culture and commodities of that village as well as of some surrounding villages. Superstitions, festivals and traditions, everything is vividly described.

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The hatred that he had for his father he carried with him throughout his whole life. That hatred turned into him killing Ikemefuna and the messenger. Ikemefuna was thought of as a son and he killed him in fear of being considered weak in front of his clan members. That weakness was thought of his weakness which was considered a failure. At the end of the story Okonkwo ends up being just like his father which is ironic because he strived to be nothing like him.

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