How Does Okonkwo's Change In Things Fall Apart

Upon an initial reading of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, it is easy to blame the demise of Okonkwo’s life and of the Umofia community on the imperialistic invasions of the white men. After all, Okonkwo seemed to be enjoying relative peace and happiness before then. He did have a few mishaps; one of them resulted in him being exiled for eight years. Nonetheless, he returned to his home town with high spirits and with prospects of increased success. However, everything has changed. The white men have brought with them a new religion and a new government. Okonkwo’s family falls apart. The men in his village lose their courage and valor; they do not offer any resistance to the white men. Consequently, Okonkwo kills

Throughout the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, Okonkwo is affected by colonialization which caused a dramatic change that affected his cultural sense and identity. This can be seen through the desertion of his family and being exiled from his own tribe from the overload of new traditions that are being forced upon him and his tribe by the white man. To begin with Okonkwo reacted harshly to the sudden shift in colonization and culture. Such as his murder of his friend, which caused an upset to Nwoye; Okonkwo did this to prove his strength to his tribe. Due to Okonkwo’s choices he was exiled from his tribe to Mbanta proving Nwoye right calling his father womanish and spineless.

Okonkwo wrestles with his fear that any sign of weakness will cause him to lose control of his family, position in the village, and even himself. Like many heroes of classical tragedy, Okonkwo’s tragic flaw, fear, also makes him excessively proud. Okonkwo’s downfall is a result of the changes created by the coming of the British Colonisers to Igbo. The introduction of the Colonisers into the novel causes Okonkwo’s tragic flaw to be exacerbated. Okonkwo construes change as weakness, and as a result of his interpretation, Okonkwo only knows how to react to change through anger and strength. He derives great satisfaction, “hubris” or proud arrogance, from the fact that he is a traditional, self made man and thinks that to change would mean submitting to an outside force (Christianity).

Nwoye first begins to undergo changes when the missionaries set up a church.Okonkwo is very against the churches due to his religious beliefs, and would be enraged

Nwoye believed these men; Nwoye abandoned his father for a new life, a new religion. “Although Nwoye had been attracted to the new faith from the very first day, he kept it secret. He dared not go too near the missionaries for fear of his father. But whenever they came to preach in the open marketplace or the village playground, Nwoye was there.” (Pg.112 TFA) Okonkwo feared the white men, because he feared Nwoye would become a Christian, ultimately losing his son. During the speech in chapter 24, Okonkwo’s last straw had been drawn; “In a flash Okonkwo drew his machete. The messenger crouched to avoid the blow. It was useless. Okonkwo's machete descended twice and the man's head lay beside his uniformed body.” Fear had destroyed Okonkwo so much he killed a man out of nowhere, and later on in the book he committed suicide.

“Although Nwoye had been attracted to the new faith from the very first day, he kept it a secret. He dared not go too near the missionaries for fear of his father” (Achebe 149). Nwoye refuse to go to the church and enter but everyday he would go to the marketplace and list to their short stories. “ And he was already beginning to learn some of the simple stories that they told” (Achebe 150). Eventually Nwoye summons enough courage to enter the church but one of Okonkwo’s cousins was passing by and happened to see him. So he quickly rushed to Okonkwo and told him the news. “Nwoye turned round to walk into the inner compound when his father suddenly overcome with fury, sprang to his feet and gripped him by the neck” (Achebe 151). Nwoye eventually told him where he was and Okonkwo became very angry but then he was overcome with sadness. Okonkwo didn’t know how he could raise such a weak son. The cultural collision not only changed the way Nwoye felt but also his relationship with his father and

Nwoye’s father, Okonkwo angered by Nwoye’s conversion felt that Nwoye had disgraced his elders and his family. Moreover, found himself saying that he was cursed with a Nwoye for a son and that he was just like his grandfather Unoka. “How then begotten a son like Nwoye (Achebe 146).” Nwoye had finally felt free from his father’s stubborn and violent ways when he converted to Christianity. Also in the meantime destroyed any father-son relationship that Okonkwo and Nwoye had but Nwoye was not bothered by the hate from his father.

     When Okonkwo returns to the village, he finds that the white man has moved in, bringing Christianity with him. This is a struggle that shows Okonkwo’s inflexibility and objection to change from tradition. Eventually, Okonkwo slay’s a man working for the British and ends up hanging himself as a result of his actions. Suicide is forbidden by the clan,

The world is full of cultural collisions. Every day people meet other with different worldviews. This concept of cultural collision, is shown perfectly though Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. In the story it is the cultural collision, of the introduction of Western Ideas into the ibo society, that causes Achebe’s characters to grow and change. One character in particular is forced to reevaluate his sense of identity because of the cultural collision. This is the character of Okonkwo. The collision challenges Okonkwo’s sense of self, as a religious leader or an Egwugwu, as a leader of his people, and as a man. It is Okonkwo’s response to these challenges, that shapes the meaning of the book of that as your world changes so must you or you

His sense of identity was challenged with the commencement of Western concepts being forced onto the Ibo people. The cultural collision of the European colonists and the Ibo people affected Okonkwo to the point of committing suicide and dying a execrable death like his father. The reasons for Okonkwo’s instantaneous change in their sense of identity involved pride, loss of honor, and lack of respect.

Okonkwo is initially known as one of the strongest, most honorable tribesmen, but as the white man begins coming in and other tribal members begin to change as a result, Okonkwo cannot handle the change. Not everyone adapts to change well, and Okonkwo is an example of that because he comes back to the once Ibo culture to the belief of Christianity and doesn’t handle it appropriately. Okonkwo had a very good life ahead of him, and he ruled his household with a heavy fist. Okonkwo never changes his culture, if anything the Western culture killed him. Towards the beginning of the novel, Okonkwo is described as a very high-ranked man who had “three wives and eight children” (14).

Okonkwo to the point of death, him breaking down, giving up. The reasons for okonkwo change in their sense of identity included… He unwilling to change, and He was very protective of his culture, He was very aggressive.

Fear is a powerful tool that if used incorrectly, can control how one lives. Okonkwo’s life is one that is dominated by fear. Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart follows the Ibo people, set during the time of the colonization of West Africa, in the town of Umoufia. The protagonist, Okonkwo, is a strong follower of his culture’s rigid expectations and practices. While Okonkwo’s steadfast adherence earns the respect of the townsmen, many detest the cultural expectations and practices they are forced to follow. When Christian missionaries introduce Christianity to Umoufia, many of the Ibo people are quick to convert, including Okonkwo’s own son. This new religion slowly undermines the Ibo culture and religion Okonkwo firmly believes in, leading to his downfall. In Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo’s fear of weakness along with the arrival of Christianity causes Okonkwo’s downfall.

It was Okonkwo’s uncle, Uchendu. ‘Are you mad?’ Okonkwo did not answer. But he left hold of Nwoye, who walked away and never returned”(132). The scene ironically shows both guidance and destroying. Nwoye demonstrates confidence in his new Christian faith by not yelling back to his father and simply walking away to what he believes. Okonkwo, however, is driven insane by Christianity. Since Okonkwo does not believe the Christian faith, he does not want anyone else to join. When Nwoye does join, Okonkwo takes his anger out on him. Christianity both gives confidence to people and tears apart family units.

Okonkwo is a strong and confident man who has vowed to never be like his father Unoka. His father was lazy, unsuccessful and carried no titles. The relationship between Okonkwo and his father motivated Okonkwo to gain titles and become successful inside the clan. In this sense, Okonkwo has gained many titles, has three wives, and respected by the clan. Okonkwo chose to feel that identity in the clan was most important, and through this he had become a presence in the clan, noticed by the elders. However after the arrival of missionaries, who had come to convert the clans to Christianity, Okonkwo’s view is completely contradicted by the missionaries. Okonkwo had grown accustomed to members of the clan being ranked by certain tiers, while the