Okonkwo, the protagonist of Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart, exemplifies the traits of a classic tragic hero. Determined to cling to the past and its out-dated traditions and social norms, Okonkwo uses violence to maintain his power and prestige in the community. As a result, he is a feared leader even more than an effective one. Through the character of Okonkwo and the setting of the Nigerian village, author Chinua Achebe shows how things fall apart when leaders resist change.
Things Fall Apart has several interrelated themes, the most notable of which is linked to the title. Okonkwo believes that in order to be an effective leader, he must use violence and aggression instead of methods that promote peace and collaboration. He understandably resists the colonial influences on his village, but fails to provide his fellow people with a viable alternative they can embrace. As a result of his conditioned actions, things fall apart not just for Okonkwo but his entire community.
The theme of resisting change is effectively delivered in the novel through characterization. Okonkwo embodies the characteristics of his vision of masculinity, passed on from his father. The way he treats his sons reflects his belief that masculinity is about power and dominance, and not about cooperation or peacemaking. As a result, Okonkwo is unable to forge the strategic alliances he needs to survive as a leader or to help his community transition to the new world posed by the imposing colonialists.
Being set in rural Nigeria also helped Achebe deliver the theme of Things Fall Apart. The traditional life of the villagers in Umuofia is highly structured and hierarchical, with a strict social order based on gender, age, and status. At the highest rung of his society, Okonkwo abuses his power but is unable to become humble when the circumstances call for it. He is eventually exiled from the village of his birth, bereft of power and left without a community that loves or supports him.
References
Achebe, C. (2012). Things fall apart. Prentice Hall: Literature, Grade 10, Part 2, Common Core Edition. [Bookshelf Online]. (pp. 1053-1055). Retrieved from https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781256493914
Therefore, Okonkwo rejected his father, and hence, the womanly element of himself. He turned out to be a leading wrestler and warrior in his people to make available the facilities of life for his family at a very small age. Simultaneously, he established a new farm and began to collect his own riches, and ultimately a name. His uphill struggle confirms itself in his victory, and he rapidly became
But such a violent and unexpected murder, and to come in such a very uncivilized manner! According to what the other men told me, there was absolutely no provocation or intimidation -- they simply told the assembly to disperse, and one of them that had been in jail yesterday simply started hacking him to pieces with a machete. The other men were understandably shaken, and I cannot say I blame
Religion in Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart is centrally focused on religion, and the varied ways it can be interpreted and how those interpretations can be acted upon. (MacKenzie 128) Secondary to the Igbo religion, which plays an important role in the everyday lives of African's is the contrasting Christian faith of the missionaries that predate colonial interests. It is to some degree important to stress that colonial
MOTHER IS SUPREME Things Fall Apart "Mother is Supreme:" the Complex Feminine Presence in Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebe's seminal novel, Things Fall Apart, portrays the difficult struggle of a native African society to preserve its beliefs and values when faced with a powerful and dangerous outside influence. The struggle is most poignantly captured in the story of Okonkwo, a warrior who cannot reconcile his most treasured principles with the changes occurring
Colonial Resistance in Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebe was born in Ogidi, Nigeria, and his father was a teacher in a missionary school. His parents were devout evangelical Protestants and christened him Albert after Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, although they installed in him many of the values of their traditional Igbo culture. He attended University College in Ibadan, where he studied English, history and theology. At the university Achebe
Postcolonialism: History And an Overview Postcolonialism is both a political orientation as well as a theory of literary criticism and a philosophy. Broadly defined, it is "a study of the effects of colonialism on cultures and societies. It is concerned with both how European nations conquered and controlled 'Third World' cultures and how these groups have since responded to and resisted those encroachments" ("Key terms in post-colonial theory"). Postcolonial studies add
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now