How does Uchendu react to Okonkwo's depression?
Uchendu senses Okonkwo's depression and plans to speak to him later. Uchendu's twenty-seven children gather from far and near for an isa-ifi ceremony. This final marriage ritual will determine if the intended bride of Uchendu's youngest son has been faithful to him during their courtship. The isa-ifi ceremony is described in detail.
What is Okonkwo trying to do in Things Fall Apart?
Things Fall Apart. Okonkwo. Okonkwo, the son of the effeminate and lazy Unoka, strives to make his way in a world that seems to value manliness. In so doing, he rejects everything for which he believes his father stood. Unoka was idle, poor, profligate, cowardly, gentle, and interested in music and conversation.
What is Okonkwo’s fear?
Okonkwo acts from a place of fear, but his fear doesn’t resemble the prevalent terrors of his clan, which relate to the supernatural world. Instead, Okonkwo suffers from the existential fear that he will not succeed in life and thus end up like his unremarkable father.
How does okonkwa die in the story?
When Okonkwa rashly kills a messenger from the British district office, his clansmen back away in fear; he realizes that none of them support him and that he can't save his village from the British colonists. Okonkwo is defeated. He commits suicide, a shameful and disgraceful death like his father's.
Why does Okonkwo become depressed?
They build homes and plant yams, but Okonkwo becomes depressed because of how his life has turned out. His uncle Uchendu, after helping to conduct a final marriage ceremony for his son and daughter-in-law, reminds Okonkwo to be strong and to recognize that life is not easy for anyone.
What does Okonkwo suffer from?
Okonkwo acts from a place of fear, but his fear doesn't resemble the prevalent terrors of his clan, which relate to the supernatural world. Instead, Okonkwo suffers from the existential fear that he will not succeed in life and thus end up like his unremarkable father.
What causes Okonkwo's downfall?
In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo's fear of weakness along with the arrival of Christianity causes Okonkwo's downfall. One of the main causes of Okonkwo's downfall is his fear of being like his father, who was weak and considered a failure.
How did Okonkwo feel after killing his son?
Summary and Analysis Part 1: Chapter 8. For two days after Ikemefuna's death, Okonkwo cannot eat or sleep; his thoughts return again and again to the boy who was like a son to him. On the third day, when his favorite daughter Ezinma brings him the food he finally requested, he wishes to himself that she was a boy.
What is Okonkwo tragic flaw?
The protagonist of Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo is also considered a tragic hero. A tragic hero holds a position of power and prestige, chooses his course of action, possesses a tragic flaw, and gains awareness of circumstances that lead to his fall. Okonkwo's tragic flaw is his fear of weakness and failure.
What does Okonkwo death symbolize?
Okonkwo's death symbolized the “falling apart” of the village, not widespread peace, a form of pacification. “Pacification” is what the man did the exact opposite of when he arrived with the missionaries.
Why did Okonkwo end his life?
Okonkwo's death comes because he realizes that he has failed both the people and their goddess, Ani. Though he has the spirit to endure misfortunes such as the loss of his yams during the drought that hit Umuofia, the traumas of exile, and the humiliation of imprisonment, he does so with others.
What made Okonkwo a tragic hero?
Okonkwo rises to the honorable and successful leader of Umuofia. In the novel “Things Fall Apart” Okonkwo is the tragic hero because he shows a tragic flaw of fear, of weakness, and failure that leads to his suicude. Okonkwo struggles with fear and uses that fear to become stronger.
Who is to blame for Okonkwo's death?
Obierika displays an uncharacteristic flash of temper and lashes out at the commissioner, blaming him for Okonkwo's death and praising his friend's greatness.
What is ironic about Okonkwo's death?
Okonkwo's death is especially ironic when we consider one major event at the beginning of the novel: the terrible harvest. Okonkwo's first harvest is one of the worst harvest years in clan history. Very few crops survive at all because of unusual weather patterns.
Who is Okonkwo's favorite child?
EzinmaEzinma is also Okonkwo's favorite child, for she understands him better than any of his other children and reminds him of Ekwefi when Ekwefi was the village beauty. Okonkwo rarely demonstrates his affection, however, because he fears that doing so would make him look weak.
Who dies in things fall apart?
Okonkwo dies an outcast, banished from the very society he fought to protect. The novel's second tragedy occurs on the broader level of history. Achebe signals this second tragedy by ending the novel with a shift from an African to a European perspective.
Did Okonkwo grow up poor?
In his youth he lived a carefree life and would visit different villages and market to play on his flute and feast. However, Unoka the grown-up was a failure. He was very poor and was constantly in debt, which means that his wife and children (including Okonkwo) didn't have much to eat.
Who is the villain in things fall apart?
Okonkwo's personality allows no room for nuance or change, and alienates others. In the end, the fact the Okonkwo clings perhaps too desperately to traditional norms may qualify him as the novel's main antagonist.
How is Okonkwo portrayed in things fall apart?
Okonkwo consciously adopts opposite ideals and becomes productive, wealthy, thrifty, brave, violent, and adamantly opposed to music and anything else that he perceives to be “soft,” such as conversation and emotion. He is stoic to a fault. Okonkwo achieves great social and financial success by embracing these ideals.
What does ikemefuna's death symbolize?
Ikefuma's death irreversibly harms the relationship between Okonkwo and Nwoye. His death is also a bad omen that has a symbolic connection to Okonkwo's later exile from Umuofia. In this sense, the death of Ikemefuna signals the start of things falling apart.
Why does Okonkwo not sleep?
He refuses to eat for two consecutive days and spends every waking hour drinking palm wine. Okonkwo also struggles to sleep at night because Ikemefuna's image haunts him. Eventually, he decides that he is acting like a woman and decides to suppress his negative feelings regarding his role in Ikemefuna's death. Download PDF.
What did Okonkwo do after killing Ikemefuna?
He was afraid of being thought weak. After killing Ikemefuna, Okonkwo refuses to eat for two days and drinks palm wine from morning till night. Okonkwo also struggles to sleep, experiences a high fever, and takes his anger out on Nwoye.
Who killed Ikemefuna?
The next day, Okonkwo joins the group of men responsible for killing Ikemefuna and walks alongside Ikemefuna away from the village. When they are a significant distance away from Umuofia, one of the men raises his machete and strikes Ikemefuna. When Ikemefuna calls for help, Okonkwo finishes him off.
What is Okonkwo's flaw?
Okonkwo's tragic flaw is his fear of weakness and failure. In his thirties, Okonkwo is a leader of the Igbo community of Umuofia. Achebe describes him as "tall and huge" with "bushy eyebrows and [a] wide nose [that gives] him a very severe look.".
How does Okonkwo isolate himself?
Instead, he isolates himself by exhibiting anger through violent, stubborn, irrational behavior. Okonkwo demands that his family work long hours despite their age or limited physical stamina, and he nags and beats his wives and son, Nwoye, who Okonkwo believes is womanly like his father, Unoka.
Why is Okonkwo ashamed of his father?
He is quick to anger, especially when dealing with men who are weak, lazy debtors like his father. However, Okonkwo overcompensates for his father's womanly (weak) ways, of which he is ashamed, because he does not tolerate idleness or gentleness.
What happens when Okonkwa kills a messenger?
When Okonkwa rashly kills a messenger from the British district office, his clansmen back away in fear; he realizes that none of them support him and that he can't save his village from the British colonists. Okonkwo is defeated. He commits suicide, a shameful and disgraceful death like his father's.
Why does Okonkwo kill Ikefemuna?
Okonkwo is advised not to participate in the murder of Ikefemuna, but he actually kills Ikefemuna because he is "afraid of being thought weak. ". When the white man brings Christianity to Umuofia, Okonkwo is opposed to the new ways.
How many wives does Okonkwo have?
Okonkwo is renowned as a wrestler, a fierce warrior, and a successful farmer of yams (a "manly" crop). He has three wives and many children who live in huts on his compound.
What is the tragic flaw in Things Fall Apart?
A tragic hero holds a position of power and prestige, chooses his course of action, possesses a tragic flaw, and gains awareness of circumstances that lead to his fall. Okonkwo's tragic flaw is his fear of weakness and failure.
What is the paradox in Okonkwo?
In this chapter, Achebe presents a paradox about the manly and womanly aspects of Okonkwo's circumstances. Okonkwo begins his exile deeply discouraged and unmotivated. While striving for even greater manliness, he committed a female murder — that is, he accidentally killed a boy during the funeral ceremony.
What does Okonkwo say about Chi?
In earlier chapters, Okonkwo acknowledged the vital role of chi in his life. In this chapter, he seems to realize that his chi "was not made for great things" — a reluctant admission that he may not achieve everything he wants because his fate is predetermined.
What chapter does Okonkwo go to Mbanta?
Part 2: Chapter 14. Okonkwo arrives in Mbanta to begin his seven-year exile. His maternal uncle, Uchendu, now a village elder, welcomes him. Uchendu guesses what has happened, listens to Okonkwo's story, and arranges for the necessary rituals and offerings.
What does Uchendu say to Okonkwo?
The next day, in front of all of his children, Uchendu speaks to Okonkwo about his discouragement and despair. Through a series of questions no one is able to answer, Uchendu helps them all understand why a man should return to his motherland when he is bitter and depressed.
What does Okonkwo need to do to be a good leader?
Okonkwo needs to maintain a positive, responsible leadership (including male and female qualities) of his own family in preparation for their eventual return to Umuofia. The womanly aspect of his mother's village is not to be ignored while Okonkwo waits for the right to return to his own manly village.
Is Okonkwo a female or male?
It is female ochu. Crimes are divided into male and female types. Okonkwo's accidental killing of Ezuedu's son is considered manslaughter and therefore a female crime.
What is Okonkwo's fear?
Okonkwo acts from a place of fear, but his fear doesn’t resemble the prevalent terrors of his clan, which relate to the supernatural world. Instead, Okonkwo suffers from the existential fear that he will not succeed in life and thus end up like his unremarkable father. Okonkwo’s existential fear plays a major thematic role in Things Fall Apart, ...
Why does Okonkwo beat Ojiugo?
Here Okonkwo beats Ojiugo for failing to cook his evening meal, losing himself so thoroughly in anger that he refuses to stop even when reminded that such violence breaks the peace of the sacred week. The idea that Okonkwo does not fear divine wrath for his transgression is ironic, given that he’s otherwise so committed to Igbo religion. Such an irony marks an important rift between Okonkwo’s commitment to his clan and his commitment to his own power.
What does Okonkwo feel when his friend visits him in Mbanta?
When his good friend Obierika visits during his exile in Mbanta and brings him news of Umuofia, Okonkwo feels thankful and wants to express his gratitude. Obierika introduces an element of dark humor in response, which gives both men something to laugh about in an otherwise difficult time.
What does Okonkwo learn in Chapter 17?
In Chapter 17 Okonkwo learns that Nwoye has converted to Christianity, the white men’s religion. Initially enraged, Okonkwo’s thoughts turn fearful as he imagines his clan’s “annihilation” should all of Umuofia’s sons forget their heritage.
What would happen if Umuofia decided to go to war?
If Umuofia decided on war, all would be well. But if they chose to be cowards he would go out and avenge himself. He thought about wars in the past. The noblest, he thought, was the war against Isike. In those days Okudo was still alive. Okudo sang a war song in a way that no other man could. He was not a fighter, but his voice turned every man into a lion.
What chapter does Okonkwo kill Ikemefuna?
This passage from Chapter 7 narrates Okonkwo’s execution of Ikemefuna. This scene represents a tragic culmination of two contrasting emotions in Okonkwo. Okonkwo has grown to love Ikemefuna like a son, but this love amplifies Okonkwo’s fear of being considered weak. In the end his fear wins out. Okonkwo’s act also has significant implications for his future. Not only does the event mark a break in Okonkwo’s relationship with his son Nwoye, who loved Ikemefuna, but the execution represents yet another instance when Okonkwo goes against the wisdom of the clan.
What chapter does Okudo get released from jail?
He was not a fighter, but his voice turned every man into a lion. After Okonkwo gets released from the white men’s jail in Chapter 24, he commits himself to taking vengeance—even if the rest of the clan lacks the courage to do so.
What is Okonkwo's opposite ideal?
Okonkwo consciously adopts opposite ideals and becomes productive, wealthy, thrifty, brave, violent, and adamantly opposed to music and anything else that he perceives to be “soft,” such as conversation and emotion. He is stoic to a fault. Okonkwo achieves great social and financial success by embracing these ideals.
Who is Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart?
Things Fall Apart. Okonkwo, the son of the effeminate and lazy Unoka, strives to make his way in a world that seems to value manliness. In so doing, he rejects everything for which he believes his father stood. Unoka was idle, poor, profligate, cowardly, gentle, and interested in music and conversation. Okonkwo consciously adopts opposite ideals ...
How many women does Okonkwo marry?
Okonkwo achieves great social and financial success by embracing these ideals. He marries three women and fathers several children. Nevertheless, just as his father was at odds with the values of the community around him, so too does Okonkwo find himself unable to adapt to changing times as the white man comes to live among the Umuofians. As it becomes evident that compliance rather than violence constitutes the wisest principle for survival, Okonkwo realizes that he has become a relic, no longer able to function within his changing society.
Is Okonkwo gruff?
Okonkwo is gruff, at times, and usually unable to express his feelings (the narrator frequently uses the word “inwardly” in reference to Okonkwo ’s emotions). But his emotions are indeed quite complex, as his “manly” values conflict with his “unmanly” ones, such as fondness for Ikemefuna and Ezinma.
Is Okonkwo a tragic hero?
Okonkwo is a tragic hero in the classical sense: although he is a superior character, his tragic flaw—the equation of manliness with rashness, anger, and violence—brings about his own destruction. Okonkwo is gruff, at times, and usually unable to express his feelings (the narrator frequently uses the word “inwardly” in reference to Okonkwo ’s emotions). But his emotions are indeed quite complex, as his “manly” values conflict with his “unmanly” ones, such as fondness for Ikemefuna and Ezinma. The narrator privileges us with information that Okonkwo ’s fellow clan members do not have—that Okonkwo surreptitiously follows Ekwefi into the forest in pursuit of Ezinma, for example—and thus allows us to see the tender, worried father beneath the seemingly indifferent exterior.