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Things Fall Apart Ikemefuna Quotes

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A powerful quote was once said by Heidi Wills. “We can choose to be affected by the world or we can choose to affect the world.” In the novel Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo has only experienced the land of Umuofia, but he decides to take action to “affect the world”, even though he’s only in a microscopic part of it. One example of him doing this was Ikemefuna, a boy that he got from another tribe, looked up to Okonkwo like a father figure. However, when the tribe agreed to kill Ikemefuna, and the boy was crying out for his father to help him, Okonkwo helped join in the killing, making him affect the killing instead of just watching the killing. Also, when he decides to affect the world, violence is used, a major change occurs in the book for the …show more content…

Nwoye, the actual son of Okonkwo, was very damaged by the killing of Ikemefuna. Nwoye would've been upset over the incident, whether his father was involved with it or not, but because his father was apart of it, Nwoye used all of his frustration on his father, even though he wasn’t the only one guilty for doing the crime. Because of the death of Ikemefuna, Nwoye will never be the same emotionally because he had never had a brother like figure in his life and that was taken away. Due to his father being apart of the killing of him, the connection between Okonkwo and Nwoye has been impaired (and may lead to what Nwoye does in the next significant change). Okonkwo also was afflicted by the killing of Ikemefuna. Ogbuefi Ezeudu, an elder of the tribe highly advises him to not before he went on the walk with his son. When he made the choice of helping kill his son, it was because he wanted to fit in and didn’t want the other guys in the tribe to think less of him. “He was afraid of being thought weak,” Because of him murdering Ikemefuna, his heart becomes harder by trying to become more manly even though an elder of tribe advised against it. However, he is being more like Okonkwo’s father. Okonkwo is a role model in the tribe because of where he came from and is work ethic. He even beat the top wrestler and got more famous. The tribe also thinks that Okonkwo is becoming tougher. …show more content…

This event affected Nwoye very significantly. Nwoye was trying his best to keep the secret that he was interested in the activities the missionary's were involved in, but when his father found out he was outraged and strangled his son. It was for so long that one of Okonkwo's wives was forced to stop him. After this he never wanted see his father again. “[Nwoye] walked away [after being strangled] and never returned,” This event affected Nwoye because he wasn't going to be welcome at home ever again because of what he believed in. Also his father would pretty much disown him as a son, so now he is fatherless. This also affected Okonkwo. Okonkwo in his life is having a hard time balancing love and anger. His anger right now is taking control of him by not thinking of Nwoye as a son but only a trader. On one side Okonkwo is thinking that it is his actual son and he will always love him. However, Okonkwo is thinking that he is completely evil and that he should never be forgiving. “[Okonkwo] cried in his heart should he Okonkwo be cursed with such a son,” This event affected Okonkwo because he will always have to deal with him disowning him. Also Okonkwo will never be thought of as the same throughout his tribe. This event affected the whole Ibo tribe. The Ibo tribe is now kind of in shock because one of the supposed leaders son is going against what they are going with. It starts making

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