Okonkwo in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart Essay -- Things Fall

Okonkwo in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart Okonkwo, as presented by Chinua Achebe in the novel Things Fall Apart, wished to be idolise by all as a opus 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 honorable of respect. Okonkwo worked hard and in time his prosperity showed in his household (1429). Okonkwo had a large compound, three wives (1429), two barns full of yams and two titles (1427). Okonkwo had become a pie-eyed and respectable man. Still he feared that all would fall apart if he were to allow any slight deviation, any sign of weakness. Weakness could be a slight disobedience of a wife, as happened during the Week of Peace. Ojiugo was not home in time to prepare Okonkwos meal and though it was unheard of to beat mortal during the sacred week (1435), Okonkwo beat Ojiugo unmercifully. Likely, Okonkwo feared that others would view Ojiugos indifference to her responsibilities as a sign of Okonkwos inability to control his wife. Okonkwo was just as demanding upon his children and he wanted his countersign to be a great farmer and a great man (1437). Okonkwo would become overly angry if Nwoye made small mistakes while learning. When Nwoye and Ikemefuna were splitting yam... ...ch so that he chose evil and took his own life. Achebe, for the most part, does seem to follow the Western formula for tragedy and the tragic hero. Okonkwo, while not born into wealth or privilege, does become a wealthy and powerful man in Umuofia. Okonkwo is neithe r good nor thoroughly evil yet does possess a tragic blot that leads to a series of tragic events. Okonkwo begins in poverty and rises to the height of wealth and prestige among his people. He is so obsessed with control, control at all costs, that he begins to make tragic mistakes beating his wife during Peace Week, killing Ikemefuna, having to flee Umuofia, killing the messenger and then himself. This fits the criteria of disregard of divine law and trying to passing water his fate, as outlined in the study guide. Works CitedAchebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York Ballantine, 1969.