Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart Essay

His fear took over his entire life. Achebe says, "Okonkwo ruled his house with a heavy hand. His wives, especially the youngest, lived in perpetual fear of his fiery temper, and so did his little children."(9). This quote explains that Okonkwo was very abusive towards his family members, not only that but whenever his children, especially his first son, Nwoye, showed signs of being anything like Unoka, "-he(Okonkwo) sought to correct him(Nwoye) by constant nagging and beating. And so he developed into a sad-faced youth"(Achebe 10). This intimate fear of Okonkwo's has affected the livelihoods of his family, however, there's one event when he let his fear of femininity get the best of him. In Chapter 7, Okonkwo's adopted son, Ikemefuna, is murdered. But the blood of Ikemefuna is on Okonkwo's hands. Achebe explains,"-He heard the blow. The pot fell and broke in the sand. He heard Ikemefuna cry, "My father, they have killed me!" as he ran towards him. Dazed with fear, he drew his machete and cut

Ikemefuna was brought to Umuofia from Mbanio after his father killed a young girl. He was fifteen years old and had no idea what happened. When he arrived in this new town, the clan decided for him to live with Okonkwo’s family. As time passed, he became very close to Nwoye and Okonkwo. “But he and Nwoye had become so deeply attached to each other…” (pg. 25) They could hardly be separated. Okonkwo liked how he worked around the compound and how he was rubbing off on Nwoye. Okonkwo actually thought of him as his own, but he never let it show. Sadly, a time came where the elders of the villages decided that Ikemefuna should be killed. The worst part is that they told him he was going home, but really they were taking him to his murder

Okonkwo has a more positive relationship with his adopted son, Ikemefuna, who is basically a hostage from another tribe. No matter how hateful he was towards gentleness, Ikemefuna managed to be into the likings of Okonkwo because “he was by nature a very lively boy and he gradually became popular in Okonkwo’s household, especially with the children” (p. 28 “[He] himself became very fond of [Ikemefuna]…Sometimes when [Okonkwo] went to big village meetings or communal ancestral feasts, he allowed Ikemefuna to accompany him, like a son, carrying his stool and his goatskin bag. And indeed, Ikemefuna called him father” (p. 28). This shows a father and son relationship because all though Ikemefuma is not his son he is treated like one, Okonkwo begins to feel an emotional fatherly affection to his adoptive son Ikemefuna. All though he is very stubborn and does not like showing his emotions deep down he cares for his children including Ikemefuma. Eventually Okonkwo's tribe decides to kill Ikemefuna Okonkwo is only told not to participate, because Ikemefuna calls him father, and he is like a father to the boy. As the boy's back is turned, one of the men strikes the first blow with his

“Okonkwo’s son, Nwoye, who was two years younger, became quite inseparable from him because he seemed to know everything. He could fashion out flutes from bamboo stems and even from the elephant grass. He knew the names of all the birds and could set clever traps for the little bush rodents. And he knew which trees made the strongest bows.” (20) Nwoye looked up to Ikemefuna as if he was his role model. But one day, Umuofia decided to kill Ikemefuna. When the day came for Ikemefuna to be killed, Okonkwo went to the party even though the elders of Umuofia don’t want him to take part of it. “As soon as his father walked in, that night, Nwoye knew that Ikemefuna had been killed, and something seemed to give way inside him, like the snapping of a tightened bow.” (44) After Okonkwo killed Ikemefuna, Nwoye became afraid of him. Because of this, the relationship of Okonkwo and his son, Nwoye, was affected. Nwoye became distant to his father. This distance between them will then cause Nwoye to change his

Okonkwo used brutality and force throughout Nwoye’s childhood, causing him to drift away from his family. As a small child Nwoye was the constant object of Okonkwo’s criticism. When Ikemefuna, Nwoye’s adopted brother, moved into his home, Ikemefuna filled the role of the father, the brother, and the best friend. They were inseparable from the beginning and their relationship grew stronger as time passed. When Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna it destroys Nwoye. “...Nwoye knew that Ikemefuna had been killed, and something seemed to give way inside him, like the snapping of a tightened bow. He did not cry. He just hung limp.” (44). Nwoye found comfort in the arms of the Christian religion. He saw the Christian religion as a more forgiving and loving community, compared to Igbo

“He was by nature a very lively boy and he gradually became popular in Okonkwo’s household, especially with the children” (Achebe, 28). Ikemefuna becomes the son Okonkwo wants Nwoye to be and essentially saves Nwoye from his father’s harsh hand, but only temporarily. A fatherly bond created between Ikemefuna and Okonkwo. “Even Okonkwo himself became very fond of the boy – inwardly of course…there was no doubt that he liked the boy. Sometimes when he went to big village meetings or communal ancestral feasts he allowed Ikemefuna to accompany him, like a son, carrying his stool and his goatskin bag. And, indeed, Ikemefuna called him father. (Achebe, 28). At first the audience seems to believe that Okonkwo is capable of being compassionate towards others and caring at a deeper level. However, this is proven wrong when Okonkwo allows and aids in the killing of

Okonkwo loved Ikemefuna and treated him well. He was proud that he had finally got himself a strong man as his son. Although Okonkwo treated Ikemefuna just like a son Okonkwo’s success has more importance and nothing would stop Okonkwo from having a high rank in the clan. The day came when the clan decided to kill Ikemefuna, and even though Okonkwo treated him as a son, Okonkwo “was afraid of being thought of as weak.”(Achebe 61) causing Okonkwo to draw “his machete and cut him down.” (Achebe 61). Because he could not be looked at as weak, he chooses to take part in the killing of

Ogbuefi Ezeudu, a respected village elder, informs Okonkwo in private that the Oracle has said that Ikemefuna must be killed. He tells Okonkwo that because Ikemefuna calls him “father,” Okonkwo should not take part in the boy’s death. Okonkwo lies to Ikemefuna, telling him that they must return him to his home village. Nwoye bursts into tears. As he walks with the men of Umuofia, Ikemefuna thinks about seeing his mother. After several hours of walking, some of Okonkwo’s clansmen attack the boy with machetes. Ikemefuna runs to Okonkwo for help. But Okonkwo, who doesn’t wish to look weak in front of his fellow tribesmen, cuts the boy down despite the Oracle’s

He stays with Okonkwo and soon he becomes very fond with the whole family. Him and Nwoye, Okonkwo’s son, became such close friends that “Nwoye, who was two years younger, became inseparable from him” (Achebe 28). Okonkwo and Ikemefuna grew quite close as well, to the point that “Ikemefuna called him father” (Achebe 28). But it all goes downhill when Okonkwo finds out that the clan orders Ikemefuna to be killed. They lied to both him and Nwoye that he was returning to his family. So some men, including Okonkwo, brought Ikemefuna far out, and prepared to kill him. He realized this, and called out “My father, they have killed me!” (Achebe 61), but Okonkwo “was afraid of being thought weak” (Achebe 61). He is so enslaved to the belief that he must act strong and not seem like his father that “Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down.” (Achebe 61), thus killing Ikemefuna. This affects Nwoye drastically; he had a feeling in his gut that Ikemefuna had been killed and “something seemed to give way inside him, like the snapping of a tightened bow” (Achebe 61). This took the light out of Nwoye, eventually leading up to him leaving the

In pre colonial times, Okonkwo sees himself as a leader who holds high authority. Okonkwo has came a long way since he won his first title. He is a very well known figure all throughout the village. As a devoted believer to his gods, that brought him confidence in the things he does. Okonkwo’s judgement seems to be clouded when he kills Ikemefuna.

Okonkwo is a revered and affluent warrior in the Umofia clan. Umofia is part of a lower Nigerian tribe that has an alliance with nine other villages. He is upset and reminded of his fathers actions so to counteract those fears he aims to be different than his father Unoka. He was a very wasteful and timid person. On the other hand Okonkwo is a hard working clansman who provides for his family. His son Nwoye is idle like Unoka and Okonkwo is fearful that his son might end up like his father. Okonkwo makes a deal with a neighboring village where he receives a boy named Ikemefuna. He is Okonkwo’s ideal son. Nwoye and Ikemefuna form a bond with each other. Okonkwo does not want to get to attached to Ikemefuna because he does not want to show affection which then would show weakness.

Okonkwo was well respected and looked up to by the people of Umofia because of his accomplishments at an early age. Okonkwo’s early determination came from seeing his father’s struggles and shameful death, which is why he refused to follow in his footsteps. Okonkwo lived his life with the fear of resembling his father, the fear of being perceived as weak or effeminate. Anything that resembled his father angered him. Because Okonkwo was a leader in his community he was given the responsibility to care for a young boy named Ikemefuna.

History is full of the tragedies that befall indigenous peoples when their lands are invaded. Chinua Achebe’s book, Things Fall Apart, is a work of historical fiction that focuses on one man’s demise within the colonization of the indigenous Igbo people by the white Nigerian government. Through telling the story of Okonkwo, a famous wrestling champion, who is beset with his own problems and psychological baggage, but resists the colonization of his people, Achebe is able to capture a personal glimpse at the real-life, individual consequences of the invasion of the white government. This story is all too familiar for indigenous peoples who have suffered invasion and colonization by white people.

For the duration of the novel, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, the role of religion and tradition is a very important part of the characters lives. It decides how they live their life and decides their fate. Some of the customs that are practiced in this culture may not be accepted and are frowned upon by the western cultures. One example of this is that they think that in some cases a child should be killed or that the spirits of the dead must be appeased. Thinking this could create a consequence with the white men. They feel the need to “save” the natives from themselves.

He worked hard to gain his social status in the Igbo village but eventually his heart starts to fill up with pride and ostentatiousness, thus causing his downfall in the end. Okonkwo’s biggest weakness was the fear of being weak and effeminate like his father. –“But his whole was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of weakness.” Several of Okonkwo’s actions were affected by this fear. One of Okonkwo’s actions that was influenced by his fear was killing Ikemefuna. Ikemefuna was a boy who had been taken up from the neighboring village and given to Okonkwo as a son. One day, a few men from the village, came to Okonkwo’s house and took Ikemefuna. Okonkwo knew that Ikemefuna was going to be killed, but instead of saving him, he decided to kill him himself out of fear of being thought of as weak. “As the man who had cleared his throat drew up and raised his machete, Okonkwo looked away. He heard the blow. The pot fell and broke in the sand. He heard Ikemefuna cry, “My father, they have killed me!” as he ran towards him. Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought