Okonkwo getting exiled was a major turning point in Things fall apart. Chinua Achebe wrote Okonkwo to try to show the native’s perspective on imperialism and how it directly affected them. While Okonkwo wouldn’t have been able to fight the missionaries much, when Okonkwo was forced to leave Umuofia it changes the course of the story dramatically because Umuofia lost their best warrior and Okonkwo would’ve been more resistant to the missionary's presence. Okonkwo was seen as a warrior by his people due to his strength. “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.” (28). When this line is read it’s used to show how guarded Okonkwo was about his feelings, not showing his emotions is one of the reasons why he was so strong both emotionally and physically. He didn’t want to become his father causing him to think about everything that he did and how it would affect his image in the clan, he also didn’t want to become or be anything like his father Unoka. Unoka was seen as being weak by his son through not planning for his future, neglecting his wife, being poor, and lazy. Okonkwo’s drive to …show more content…
“He discerned fright in that tumult. He heard voices asking: “Why did he do it?”” (205). Okonkwo knows by people in his clan questioning his actions that they wouldn’t wage war against the British. Okonkwo had a particular issue with the English going back to when his son Nwoye abandoned their culture and defected to Christianity. By the time Okonkwo came back to Umuofia the missionaries had a strong hold on the society. If he has been there when they first got there he would’ve tried to send them back to where they came from and protect his culture. Igbo culture is all that he’s ever known and the threat to that made him question and not want their culture around him and his