Okonkwo in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart Essay

Okonkwo in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart Okonkwo, as presented by Chinua Achebe in the novel Things Fall Apart, wished to be revered by all as a man of great wealth, power and control--the antithesis of his father. Okonkwo was driven by the need to exhibit utmost control over himself and others; he was an obsessive and insecure man. Okonkwos father, Unoka, was a failure, a loafer, and People laughed at him (1426). This would bring great shame to any man as it did for Okonkwo. In Umuofia a man is judged according to his worth and not according to the worth of his father (1427). In Umuofia achievement was revered. Okonkwo became obsessed with the need to prove to everyone that he, unlike his father, was a man†¦show more content†¦While Okonkwo could be sensitive and caring, his obsession with control would not allow him to show it. Enzima, whom he was especially fond of (1441), became ill and was taken to the cave by Chielo. Ekwefi followed Chielo and the girl from a distance as she feared for her daughters life. Okonkwo seemed to be unconcerned: He had felt very anxious but did not show it. Unknown to Ekwefi, Okonkwo had made four trips to the cave before he found Ekwefi and by then had become gravely worried (1468). Okonkwo had waited to follow; he had allowed what he regarded as a reasonable and manly interval to pass before he went to the cave the first time (1468). To show his own fears and worries would show lack of control. When it was pronounced that Ikemefuna should be killed, Okonkwo not only went along with the other men, he also drew his machete and cut him [Ikemefuna] down. while Okonkwo was dazed with fear, it was because He was afraid of being thought weak (1448). This is an extreme example of Okonkwos need to show that he was a strong and controlled man. Only a powerful man could kill the boy that called, My father, they have killed me (1448). Things begin to fall apart when Okonkwo kills a young man and is exiled for seven years. Throughout the seven years, Okonkwo thinks only of his return to Umuofia and how he will rebuild his fame and fortune and how much he must have been misssed by his people. Upon his return,Show MoreRelated The Character of Okonkwo in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart1602 Words   |  7 PagesThe Character of Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart What makes a successful man? This, in itself, is a culture bound question because it can vary from culture to culture. However, in the perception of Okonkwo, the main character in Chinua Achebes novel, Things Fall Apart, the measure of a mans success is based on two elements, material acquisition and growth, and physical prowess. 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