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Examples Of Masculinity In Things Fall Apart

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The Most Masculine Man
In the story Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe portraits Okonkwo, the main character, as a symbol of masculinity. His strong hatred toward his lazy father Unoka, Okonkwo adopts a extreme ideal of masculinity and strives him to achieve a title of strongest man.
“Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond. His fame rested on solid personal achievements. ” (1)
Okonkwo’s ideal of becoming productive, wealthy, and strong defines the word “masculinity” used in Things Fall Apart.

Throughout the novel, Okonkwo is illustrated as the most successful man in the Umuofia clan who built a magnificent farm from nothing.
“Okonkwo did not have the start in life which many young men usually had. ” (16)
In the story of Things Fall Apart, having barns full of yams is one of the status a masculine man should have. Those barns are usually inherited from their fathers and is passed on to their children. However, Okonkwo could not inherit any barns from his father. “He did not inherit a barn from his father. There was no barn to inherit.” (16)
Okonkwo’s father Unoka was a lazy and improvident person. He was a very talented flutist but, never brought food to his family. He uses all his money in …show more content…

Not only that Okonkwo had a magnificent farm, but he also has three wives. In the traditional African culture illustrated in Things Fall Apart, polygamy was allowed and was one of the status a masculine man has. Marriage status was not only important for men but it is also important for women. When women choose its husband they look for how wealthy he is. A man’s wealth is recognized by its number of farms and its status so by marrying a wealthy man, the wife is guaranteed for a peaceful life without starving. To marry a productive man was the top priorities for women when choosing its husband. Ekwefi, Okonkwo’s second wife is a good

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That was held first came to know that Agbala was only another name for a woman that also mean a man who had taken the title” Achebe 15. Okonkwo not only was verbally abusive to his wife, but was verbally abusive to his oldest child; Nwoye. Okonkwo mentally killed the woman, through his words and thoughts. He had power and reign, through his words and how he treated the

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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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The novel “things fall apart” is about the fatal demise of Okonkwo and the igbo culture of Umuofia. Okonkwo is well known and respected leader in his community, who is successful in everything he does, such as wrestling and farming. He is quick with his hands and takes pride in his accomplishments. Okonkwo’s family relationship makes him a sympathetic character because of his support and an unsympathetic character because of his cruelty. In many ways Okonkwo showed that he had no sympathy for others , However at times he could be sympathetic.

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Throughout the book Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, there are many references to the protagonist’s necessity to be recognized for his masculinity. Okonkwo, the protagonist, despises his father for his unsuccessfulness, and Okonkwo is motivated to become a prosperous man. His fear of being weak determines his actions in difficult situations, which causes an internal conflict. Eventually, this fear overwhelms Okonkwo, and he commits suicide. Okonkwo’s desire to be masculine in opposition to his father creates an internal conflict established in his fear of being thought weak, which ultimately leads to his death.

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He didn’t marry her because he didn’t have money to pay for he dowry, instead a few years later Ekwefi escaped from her husband and got married to Okonkwo. This is very rare that something like this happens in the Umuofian society. It shows that there is courage and that even in the toughest situation rules can be

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Things Fall Apart is a novel written by Chinua Achebe. In the novel there is a main character called Okonkwo. He lived in Umuofia where he was also known throughout many of the nine villages around Umuofia. In the beginning of the story we see his overwhelming hatred towards his father Unoka. His father died about ten years ago and had not taken any title and was very much in debt.

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His fear of weakness and failure is derived from his father, Unoka’s failures, which ignite Okonkwo’s misogynistic views. Throughout his lifetime, Okonkwo associates femininity with weakness because of Unoka, who was called an “agbala” or woman by the people of Umuofia. Since women have this reputation for weakness, Okonkwo lives with constant fear that he will be given the same title as his father. Okonkwo’s first son, Nwoye’s effeminacy reminds Okonkwo of his own father. He says, "I have done my best to make Nwoye grow into a man, but there is much of his mother in him ."(Achebe, 66).

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He was a caring man down in his heart but “his whole life was dominated by the fear, the fear of failure and of weakness” (Achebe 13), and his mission to become one of the greatest men of his clan. Okonkwo was devoted to masculinity, he put it above anything else preventing anyone from questioning his masculinity. When he felt a slight sign of weakness it reminded him of his fathers failure to being a true man not providing for his family or ruling women and his children, therefore “he was not really a man” (Achebe 53).There were many traits to being a masculine man but to Okonkwo the main one was ruling his wife and children, if any of them had disobeyed him he would beat them without hesitation or regret. Although Okonkwo is influenced by masculinity it is because the Ibo culture believes in men dominating women which leads their society to fall

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