How Does Okonkwo's Change In Things Fall Apart

Okonkwo lost himself after losing everything he had. He didn’t have a real enough sense of self to adapt to all the changes that hit him like a whirlwind.

1. Although he is thankful for the welcoming of his mother’s kinsmen, Okonkwo regrets every day of his exile (Achebe 162).

7) “ The only course open to Okonkwo was to flee from the clan. It was a crime against the earth goddess to kill a clansman, and a man who committed it must flee from the land…. He could return to the clan after seven years.”

Next at a village celebration, Okonkwos gun exploded and killed a young boy. The rule of the village exiled Okonkwo and his family to his motherland. “With a father like Unoka, Okonkwo did not have the start in life which many young men had.” Pg 18 Okonkwo had to figure life out on his own, he got seed yams, and began to grow them. He wanted to be nothing like Unoka, and he made sure he did everything Unkoa didn't do.

Okonkwo had a son, Nwoye. Moreover Okonkwo does not like his son because he had characteristics that made him look weak. Okonkwo saw his

He could not grasp why these white men came and took that from

Eventually, Okonkwo goes back to whom he once wanted to be disassociated with, his father. In Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo’s personal decisions of mistreating his clan’s rules and people, and then being rightly punished demonstrates that one chooses their own destiny and causes their success or downfall. Okonkwo goes to beat his wife and disregards the tribe’s rules, knowing that they are in place. Okonkwo threatens to beat

People change over time and after seven years of exile Okonkwo makes many changes. Okonkwo after seven years of exile Okonkwo speaks out more.(192) “although they had not agreed to kill the missionary or drive away the Christians, they have agreed to do something substantial”. Okonkwo had spoken out about doing something about the missionaries. He is pretty upset that they had not gone to war or done anything about the Christians.

Everyone wants power in this world. More money equals more power, which means more responsibility. Throughout the entire story Okonkwo is constantly putting his tribe first for respect and his reputation. After his exile everything Okonkwo has ever lived for changed dramatically. He was looking for a way to be accepted again and as he showed would do anything to get back. Redemption plays an important role in “Things Fall Apart” because without redemption there is no way to prove you’ve learned from your mistakes.

The white man appears to Umuofia (Achebe 143). The white man, Mr. Brown comes to the village and talks to the clan people in the village. Mr. Brown tells the people the things the clan’s people are doing are wrong to the white man’s god. Okonkwo’s son Nwoye goes to Mr. Brown’s church (Achebe 143). Okonkwo is not pleased with his son, Nwoye for wanting to be one of the white men. Nwoye leaves his tribe’s beliefs to learn and believe Mr. Brown’s beliefs and his god. Okonkwo becomes depressed that his son Nwoye is part of Mr. Brown’s church. Okonkwo wished to fight against Mr. Brown’s church, but his tribe would not back him up. Okonkwo was so depressed how his tribe was falling apart because of Mr. Brown’s church (Achebe 183). So with all this depression Okonkwo had in his life, made a decision to end his life for he didn’t want anymore

Okonkwo has become determined to climb his way back up the social ranks after have been knocked to the bottom. “He was determined that his return should be marked by his people. He would return with a flourish, and regain the seven wasted years. Although this determination took his mind off of things, he still remembered the tragedy of Nwoye. “At first it appeared as if it might prove too great for his spirit. But it was a resilient spirit, and in the end Okonkwo overcame his sorrow. He had five other sons and he would bring them up in the way of the clan (172).” Okonkwo goes as far as to say “Now he is no longer my son or you brother (172).”

For 7 years okonkwo and his family are sent to Mbanta, which begins his downfall. Upon Okonkwo’s return to Umuofia things have changed drastically. The church has grown in Umuofia and the white men had brought in a government. On top of those changes, Okonkwo has lost great power and reputation as part of his downfall. After the burning of the church it is stated that, “For the first time in many years Okonkwo had a feeling that was akin to happiness.” This hints at maybe the end of this downfall, but during a meeting with the District Commissioner, Okonkwo and his fellow Umuofia leaders are ambushed thrown in jail and abused. The reason this comes as an ambush is because they agreed to meet with the District Commissioner as friends. The men were released after paying a fine and return to their village. During yet another meeting, this one with men from all the clans nine villages, a messenger interrupts saying this message from the District Commissioner, "The white man whose power you know too well has ordered this meeting to stop." Without even flinching Okonkwo deepens his downfall by slaying the messenger with his machete. Knowing the umuofia wouldn’t go to war with him, he ran away. After news of this murder, the District Commissioner arrives at Okonkwo’s compound looking for

            When Reverend James Smith is sent to replace the ill Mr. Brown, "things" reroute.  Reverend James Smith openly disputed Mr. Brown's "policy of compromise and

After he gets back from jail, Okonkwo kills the messenger of the white people and attempts

The second part of the passage shows the change in the entire village and their reaction, or lack of reaction, to Okonkwo's return. Okonkwo's initial plan was to make his return to Umuofia attract the attention of the entire village with two beautiful daughters, a larger house with room for two more wives, and the initiation of his sons into the ozo society. The "ozo" society, a use of African English to add culture to the novel, is made up of powerful and titled men in the village. To Okonkwo's dismay, he attracts little attention (it was "not as memorable as he had wished") because the village is occupied with the new culture and religion growing in the village. "The clan had undergone such profound change during his exile