Character Analysis Of Okonkwo In Chinua Achebe's "Things Fall Apart" (Essay Sample)

Okonkwo in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart Name Institutional Affiliation Okonkwo in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart Things Fall Apart as a title is an omen of what happens to Okonkwo, the main character in the Nigerian story. Okonkwo, the main character is a man obsessed with what it means to be masculine. All his life has been intertwined with that of his father. Throughout the book he shows great determination never to be associated with qualities represented Unoka, his father. The latter is perceived as a failure by the former due to his laziness and lack of desire to do anything useful with his life. Chinua Achebe is a renowned founder of a literary movement in Nigeria, and most of his works seek to show how he understood what it is to be African. In Things Fall Apart he uses his character and language to create a better understanding of the indigenous community living in rural and pre-colonial Nigeria. This essay seeks to analyze Okonkwo, the main character in Things Fall Apart by tracing his development from his humble beginnings to when he became a well-respected and recognized leader amongst his people. The essay will analyze his traits and characters and seek to explain why they were so as well as an attempt to see how Okonkwo contributes to the title of the story. Okonkwo’s background and upbringing leave him with a deep fear of becoming unsuccessful or in any way portraying characters that were not considered to be manly in his community. This fear is founded by the character and decisions his father, Unoka, made during his lifetime. Unoka loved to sing and was fascinated by nature as well as its ability to change. He was an emotional man who laughed and enjoyed a social life. When Chinua mentions Okonkwo’s mother, he creates an image of a good relationship between mother and son. This mention is made at Okonkwo’s worst time, just after losing his adopted son, Ikemefuna. The phrases “Okonkwo did not taste any food for two days after the death of Ikemefuna […]. He felt like a drunken giant walking with the limbs of mosquito” show that this death affected him emotionally, but he was keen to hide it. After remembering his mother’s story as to why mosquitoes like biting human ears, he turns and falls asleep. These scenarios show different relationships between Okonkwo and his two parents. His mother’s gentleness doesn’t affect his personality development as much as it would be expected, seeing that she is a woman. Chinua communicates effectively that in African societies women had little or no opportunity to make an impact in the community. They were second-class citizens. It is for these reasons that Okonkwo character and behaviour are more embedded by his hatred of his father than the influence of his mother’s upbringing. Achebe writes that “When he was a child his mother had told him a story about it. But it was as silly as all women’s stories. Mosquito, she had said, had asked Ear to marry him, whereupon Ear fell on the floor in uncontrollable laughter. How much longer do you think you will live? She asked. „You are already a skeleton‟. Mosquito went away humiliated, and any time he passed her way he told Ear that he was still alive. Okonkwo turned on his side and went back to sleep” (Cowlin, 2011). Okonkwo is unconscious of this attribution as he enjoys his growth into a wealthy and well-respected man in the community. Severally, he suffers from irrational impulses that leave his family in terror. For instance, he has a preconceived negative perception of his father that even when his father tries to offer him friendly advice, Okonkwo is repulsed by the thought of associating himself with anything his father says. Unoka tells his son “Do not despair. I know you will not despair. You have a manly and a proud heart. A proud heart can survive a general failure because such a failure does not prick its pride”. Okonkwo does not appreciate this wisdom which would have prevented his falling apart as it is pride that led to his ultimate failure. Chinua writes “Even as a little boy he had resented his father’s failure and weakness.” Okonkwo is a static character in Things Fall Apart as none of the events in his life softens his demeanor. He is a respected warrior after he bravely fought against other tribes. This respect is what will eventually propel him to be seen as a great leader. He is also a successful farmer whose loan of eight hundred yams yields well even though the land is experiencing drought. He, after that, has many barns full of yams thereby his wives and children have ample to eat. This is the picture he had always wanted to turn into a reality as it was a complete opposite of what his father had been. His father had never fought in wars and spent his youth playing the flute. In his adult life, he was deeply in debt with his friends, and his family had little to eat. Okonkwo character was revolved around achieving more than his father had and never showing any positive emotions. His appearance was intimidating, his face was stern, he was hot-tempered, he was impatient, and he was always angry (Okunaye, 2010). Chinua writes Things Fall Apart using informal diction. He tells the story in an everyday language not burdening the reader with complicated and complicated words. The informal language aims to allow the reader to relate to the Igbo culture as closely as possible. He goes to the extent of translating some of the sayings of the Igbo community into simple English. He writes “whose arm was strong” and also “when mother-cow is chewing grass its young ones watch its mouth.” The diction is simple, clear and easy for any reader to comprehend. There are a few instances where Chinua inserts formal diction but only in a few words. There is mention of words such as tentative, and adherent. Formal diction is, but Chinua does not apply it much in Things Fall Apart. Imagery is widely used in Things Fall Apart. The explanation of what Okonkwo was like is so vivid one can imagine him in his mind. He is masculine, fierce and a no-nonsense character who rarely expresses any softness to anyone. Even his wife and children do not know his soft side. Chinua describes an incident in which Okonkwo found a banana tree that had been destroyed. He yells out to his family asking for an explanation. Beside, figurative language is employed to explain what Igbo culture, traditions and beliefs entail clearly. A reader can form a mental image of the ...