How Does Okonkwo Use Violence In Things Fall Apart

For all of his desire to be strong, Okonkwo is caught up by the constant fear of being perceived as weak. He is afraid of failure and afraid of being considered weak. This fear drives him to do whatever he can to not become a failure like his father which ironically contributes to his death. While Okonkwo was a strong and important figure in his tribe, he had to keep his reputation that way by making some hard decisions. One of them was when he had to kill Ikemefuna, a young boy from the neighboring tribe. Okonkwo started accepting the decision to kill Ikemefuna because he started to call Okonkwo father. He had to keep his own valor intact and kill the boy to prevent himself from showing any weakness, but deep down, Okonkwo was really upset because of what he did which was ironic, “’When did you become a shivering old woman,' Okonkwo asked himself, 'you, who are known in all the nine villages for your valor in war? How can a man who has killed five men in battle fall to pieces because he has added a boy to their number? Okonkwo, you have become a woman indeed.'" (Achebe 65). He continued to roll downhill when the white man comes to try and convert Okonkwo’s tribe. Okonkwo responds by killing one of the messengers that were sent. This cause Okonkwo's own tribe to question his actions. “"Okonkwo stood looking at the dead man. He knew that Umuofia would not go to war. He knew because they had let the other messengers escape.

Okonkwo’s Acts of Violence In the novel, “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe, many themes of violence are displayed. One being that violence, whether it is intentional or not, can have consequences. One instance this theme is shown is when Okonkwo murders Ikemefuna- who he considers a son.

Once his reputation has been far approved by his village, Okonkwo won’t show his fear to the people around him but he lets it dictate his actions. While we see Okonkwo go through many different emotions on the inside, the only one he reveals on the outside is anger. He wants to not slip up on his reputation of being a hard nose man, so he makes sure to bottle up all his other emotions and that fear that is a fire inside him. He sees taking out his feelings through actions to be the best way with coping with his fears, specifically his wives or children. This rapid-growing fame turned him into a man who, “...had a slight stammer and whenever he was angry and could not get his words out quickly enough, he would use his fists. He had no patience with unsuccessful men” (3-4). It is those fists that he constantly uses to beat his family with when they act in a way that might tarnish his reputation or his manliness. Not only does he beat that often, but he feels nothing from doing it even when he breaks clan law by beating one of his wives during the Peace Week when it's forbidden. While the reader sometimes sees him begin to soften up, the real brutal Okonkwo re-enters as he will kill if not killing would show cowardice towards others. That is exactly what he does as Ikemefuna—essentially

Eventually, The Oracle depicts that Ikemefuna must be killed but it is thought that Okonkwo shouldn't kill him because he is thought of as a father to him. Okonkwo tries to seem manly and masculine to those around him and kills him anyway. Ikemefuna was originally struck by two other men, he ran towards Okonkwo for safety and said “My father, they have killed me”. Afraid to seem weak or caring, he strikes down Ikemefuna as he runs towards him for safety. Overall, Okonkwo aims to be masculine and strong as a father figure for his family, He turns out to be a terrible father figure.

Okonkwo's violence in this novel says a lot about his character. The acts of violence keep the story interesting and also aid the development of the theme. There have been numerous occasions of violence that clue us, the readers, what kind of man Okonkwo is as well as how their culture is. Not only do these acts make this story one worth discussing, it makes it one worth reading.

Due to Okonkwo’s complexity and his relationship with Unoka, Okonkwo decides to kill his adopted son Ikemefuna. The effect Okonkwo’s relationship with Unoka has on his decision to kill Ikemefuna is evident in the final moments before Ikemefuna’s death. For example, Achebe says, “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 weak” (Achebe 61). Okonkwo’s immediate response of killing a boy that calls him father demonstrates his fear of being thought weak. Okonkwo is consumed with the fear of resembling his father, and understands that the only way to act outwardly strong is to kill his adopted son. Therefore, Okonkwo’s murder of Ikemefuna is clarified because murdering Ikemefuna is the only way Okonkwo can contrast with his father. The relationship between complexity and conflict is clear in Okonkwo’s murder of Ikemefuna because Okonkwo’s

When it was "pronounced" that Ikemefuna should be killed, Okonkwo not only went along with the other men, he also "drew his machete and cut him [Ikemefuna] down." while Okonkwo was "dazed with fear," it was because "He was afraid of being thought weak" (1448). This is an extreme example of Okonkwo's need to show that he was a strong and controlled man. Only a powerful man could kill the boy that called, "My father, they have killed me" (1448).

Although Okonkwo took many actions to help his family and village, he mainly caused hurt and pain to the people around him. First, it started with Ikemefuna. When Ikemefuna was taken to be killed, Okonkwo was informed to not come along but instead he went and ended up killing Ikemefuna. "Ikemefuna

When confronted with perceived weakness, Okonkwo uses his pride as a shield against it unable to show any kind of emotion or true feeling. Instead of taking the time to consider fatal consequences,  he was impulsive. For example, he killed Ikemefuna , a boy the family had taken in from a enemy tribe. Over time, Okonkwo

But, Ikemefuna was to be escorted away from the tribe and killed. Okonkwo was ordered “Do not bear a hand in his death.” (57). Ezedu told him this because he knew Okonkwo was close to Ikemefuna and Ezedu knew it would be hard for him to handle taking part in Ikemefuna’s death. Once they ventured, Okonkwo was stuck in a situation in which Ikemefuna was dying and Okonkwo decided to slice Ikemefuna right down and he displayed no emotion.

In the novel Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo considers himself, as well as everyone else in their clan, to be a great warrior and someone who was well-respected. Throughout the story, Chinua Achebe hints “the second coming” (Yeats line 11) when he is told he has to get rid of Ikemefuna. Secretly, he really did like this boy, but as he was respected in the community and wanted to keep it that way, he agreed to kill him. Ogbuefi Ezeudu shows his disapproval of Okonkwo being apart of the killing through his words of wisdom. “That boy calls you father. Do

Okonkwo proves his hard work by overcoming the reputation of his lazy father by working hard to get respect in his village. “I know what it is to ask a man to trust another with his yams, especially these days when young men are afraid of hard work. I am not afraid of work…I began to fend for myself at an age when most people still suck at their mothers’ breasts. If you give me some yam seeds I shall not fail you” (Achebe 25). By fending for himself, starting at such a young age instead of playing like the other children in Umofia, Okonkwo shows that his tragic flaw dominated his entire life. As an adult Okonkwo encounters Ikemefuma who he comes to consider as his own son. However, when Ikemfuma is staring death in the eyes; Okonkwo does nothing to prevent the murder due to his fear of showing weakness. “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 weak” (Achebe 27-28). By taking the life of Ikemefuma, whom he loved, Okonkwo exhibits that his tragic flaw has taken over his humanity. Instead of allowing Ikemefuma to be killed, he could’ve saved him by objectifying his death however he was distracted by his fear of weakness. Overall, Achebe uses Okonkwo to demonstrate that if one doesn’t overcome their fears in

okonkwo is a man who is successful throughout the nine villeges. He rules over anyone with a heavy hand because he wants people to be strong, also he only talks to people that he respects he hates weak people. Okonkwo’s thrid wife left her children one afternoon he waited and beat her in the weak of peace. He didn’t care he followed his rules he does the same thing with ikemefuna rules over any one with a heavy hand.

When Ikemefuna came to Umuofia, Okonkwo “became very fond of the boy- inwardly of course… He therefore treated Ikemefuna as he treated everybody else- with the heavy hand. But there was no doubt that he liked the boy” (24). This establishes that Okonkwo loves Ikemefuna but because he wants to look strong and demonstrate power he shows little to no emotion of love towards him. Correspondingly, when Ikemefuna is facing his death, he runs to Okonkwo asking for help. As this happens Okonkwo, acting on impulse, slays Ikemefuna with his machete. Okonkwo try’s to act like he does not have affection for Ikemefuna, but the reader sees the reality when, after Ikemefuna’s death, “Okonkwo did not taste any food for two days…He drank palm-wine from morning till night…[and] did not sleep at night” (55). In other words, Okonkwo is mourning over the loss of Ikemefuna and. Though this is the case a close reader might see that Okonkwo’s impulse of killing Ikemefuna was because he wanted to seem strong but the evidence shows the reality of his emotion. One might conclude that Okonkwo can be loving and compassionate, but because of his need to look masculine his relationship with Ikemefuna is

Okonkwo was torn apart between the dilemma of letting the execution proceed or to take initiative to prevent it. By not taking action, it would make him seem feminine and break every one of his convictions. These masculine principles are what made him to become the successful man that he is. However, he would have to kill Ikemefuna, who he began to care for, as he would for one of his sons. On the expedition to execute the boy, Okonkwo, shackled to his own principles, took Ikemefuna’s life. This illuminating scene impacted Nwoye to later separate himself from his family and caused other chain reactions. In addition, Okonkwo too was mentally damaged following the death of Ikemefuna. He was “ o weak that his legs could hardly carry him,” he could not eat, and “did not sleep at night.”