How Is Nwoye Portrayed In Things Fall Apart

““Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness. Armour yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you.” --George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones. Nwoye’s sense of identity was challenged with the introduction of Western Ideas into the Ibo culture. Nwoye started out as a weak boy, in Okonkwo’s eyes, in the novel. He spent most of his time with his mother, he was very emotional, and he was betrayed by Okonkwo when he killed his best friend, Ikemefuna, however, the cultural collision of the British colonists and Ibo people affected Nwoye to the point that he eventually switched over to Christianity. He became a missionary and had a major fallout with his father and ended

The evangelists are very accepting, as they take in the osu, outcasts from the clan. They offer salvation along with freedom, which Nwoye has been searching for for a long time. However, because of Nwoye’s action, Okonkwo disowns him. Later, when Obierika goes to visit Okonkwo, he finds that “Okonkwo [does] not wish to speak about Nwoye.” Moreover, Okonkwo tells his other children that “if any one of [them] prefers to be a woman, let him follow Nwoye” (Achebe, 172). Okonkwo then asks himself how he could have “begotten a woman for a son” (Achebe, 153). According to Okonkwo, Nwoye has become weak because he has joined another religion. Since Okonkwo believes he is the most masculine man in Umuofia, it is unbearable that his child turned out to be such a failure. This unbearable change in his family creates a ripple effect of events that become worse and worse for Okonkwo.

The Christian church had finally won him over with their answers to questions he had been asking his whole life. All that was left was to cut the ties with his old life, with his father. But his father was the one to make the first move. After learning of his sons visit to the church Okonkwo grabbed him by the throat in a misguided search for a reason why. “Nwoye struggled to free himself from the choking grip” (page 151) Even when he has fully lost his son to the new religion, Okonkwo still tries to use violence to mold his son into what he perceives a man should be, which illustrates the nature of their relationship. It had always been fueled by anger on Okonkwo's part and fear on Nwoye's. It takes people screaming at him to let his son go for Okonkwo to finally give up, but this attack was the last straw and he was finally able to free himself of his father. "But he left hold of Nwoye, who walked away and never returned.” (page 152) Though Okonkwo did not learn from this experience, Nwoye did. He learned that his father's violence and anger could no longer control him, and that there was an escape available, though it was an escape to another culture that he most likely did not fully believe in either but at the very least, this one did not have Okonkwo. "Nwoye did not fully understand. But he was happy to leave his father."(page 152) Okonkwo's goal had always been to make Nwoye 'manlier' as he was afraid of the shame having a feminine son would

Because of the lack of acceptance from his family, especially his father, he is forced to make a choice between his new culture, or his loved ones. He chooses to leave, and when ask by his father’s friend, obierka, Nwoye says [quote about Okonkwo not being his father]. Okonkwo doesn’t take it well either stating to his children [the thing about them being dead to him or something]. This action shows Nwoye’s willingness to value his new faith in Christianity over his own blood. His troubling past with his father and sense of belonging makes it easy for him to change his life for the better by leaving. The missionaries offer Nwoye a better alternative to the oppressive life he is living, which gives him peace of mind as he leaves his family behind. In the wake of Nwoye growing up and struggling to find himself, he managed to go through a cultural shift and completely change his identity. As some Ibo people also choose to convert also, the missionaries gain more and more power over the village. Things begin to fall apart for the Ibo clan as they are divided because of the forces within themselves. The village of Umuofia is ultimately destroyed because of the split between the people living there. Although Nwoye never felt quite in the right place before, he finds peace of mind in his new sense of self, and easily forgets his past to start a new and better

Because Okonkwo was never too fond of Nwoye, as he was towards his daughter Enzima or even Ikemefuna a non related child, Nwoye didn’t gain a father son relationship. Nwoye, as a child, knew his fathers tributes and character so tried to not to anger him. This included listening to explicit stories depicting death and violence even though he preferred his mothers stories about animals learning morals. As the time went by Nwoye started becoming more distant with his father. Finally, when the European starting practicing and trying to convert their religion to the Ibo, Nwoye felt something awaken and mesmerizing about them. It was depicted by stating, “He did not understand it. It was the poetry of the new religion, something felt in the marrow. The hymn about brothers

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.

    The Ibo culture in Things Fall Apart began to experience colonization, all after Okonkwo was exiled. He was sent away for seven years for killing a clansman. As soon as Okonkwo had left, Umuofia was greeted by Christian missionaries. They were there to convert the villagers to Christianity, to build churches, schools, and hospitals for them. When Okonkwo was exiled, Nwoye snuck off to be among the Christians. He enjoyed being around them and examined their religious views. But, Okonkwo was not happy about Nwoye’s decisions. Okonkwo chokes him by the neck, and demands Nwoye to tell him where he has been. “I don’t know, he is not my father.” (Achebe 137) Being almost killed by his own father really encouraged Nwoye to disassociate himself from his father completely and to head back home to Umuofia. Nwoye was drawn to Christianity because it made him feel welcomed, rather than when he was apart of his native religion.

-After Nwoye is lured into the Christian religion and abandons his culture and family, Okonkwo is ashamed and states, "you have all see the great abomination of your brother. Now he is no longer my son or your brother. I will only have a son who is a man, who will hold his head up among my people" (172). Nwoye's father disowns him only because he chooses a path untraditional to his culture. The serious, frustrated, and unhappy mood that is created in Okonkwo's statement gives the reader an idea of how much the Ibo culture values tradition, choice, and family.

Once Nwoye took his place his place with the missionaries his whole life changes in huge ways. Nwoye has threw aside his old culture and religion to invite this new and prosperous culture into his life that will change it in a good way. When Okonkwo returned to Umuofia, Mr. Brown tells Okonkwo that “ He had just sent Okonkwo’s son, Nwoye, who was now called Isaac, to a new training college for teachers in Umuru”(170).This shows change in Nwoye because he has now left his clan and his hometown to go to a training college in Umuru. As well as his name being changed from Nwoye to Isaac. Everything around Nwoye is changing as well. When Mr. Brown starts getting more people to join the missionaries before Nwoye left for college. The narrator says

Nwoye has an attraction to a new religion and culture. Okonkwo slowly and surely pushes Nwoye away. When the missionaries had arrived it rose curiosity in Nwoye. Nwoye reveals their ways and is attracted to their culture, their

Furthermore, Okonkwo’s fear of being weak and resembling his father, forces him to act without compassion, and he suffers the “loss” of his son, Nwoye. Like Unoka, Nwoye is effeminate and sensitive. After Ikemefuna dies, Nwoye notices that he feels the same as when he saw twin babies left to die in the Evil Forest, “Then something had given way inside him [Nwoye]” (62). Nwoye is an innocent child who is baffled by the cruel rituals of his clan. He loses respect for Okonkwo and the traditions of his clan. He is unable to forgive his father for killing his adopted brother and unable to forgive his clan for allowing Okonkwo to do so. When the missionaries come to Umuofia Nwoye is intrigued by Christianity, a better way of life, where he feels relief. Strict and inflexible, Okonkwo is angered by Nwoye when he finds out that he converted to Christianity, because Nwoye abandoned their ancestors and he thinks the missionaries are effeminate. Later, Okonkwo tells his five other sons of Nwoye: “You have all seen the great abomination of your brother. Now he is no longer my son or your brother. I will only have a son who is a man, who will hold his head up among my people” (172). Okonkwo disowns his eldest son, Nwoye, because he betrays the clan. Okonkwo’s inability to be compassionate and understanding, drives Nwoye away, and he loses his eldest son.

“They have meetings every Sunday and I saw Nwoye at one of them.” Obierika waited Okonkwo’s response but Okonkwo said nothing. He told his friend, he did not wish to speak about Nwoye as he had disowned him. Obierika nodded his head like a rocking chair in agreement to let Okonkwo know that he understood. The day had come and gone but Okonkwo still refused to speak about Nwoye. Just then, Nwoye walked into his father’s compound with fear

Okonkwo despises his father to an extent that Okonkwo strives to be nothing like Unoka. Okonkwo lives his life and his goal is to be one of the high lords of the clan (Achebe 131). Okonkwo’s life goal is to be the opposite of his father, who is seen as a failure in the Ibo society. Unlike his father who did not fulfill the community's ideals of success Okonkwo did, and strives to achieve his whole life to prove that he was not similar to his father, because he does not want to be like someone who he despises. Similarly to Okonkwo, Nwoye does not have a good relationship with his father, because Nwoye does not act like him. Nwoye Knew that he should act violent like his father, but he preferred to be with his mother and listen to stories (Achebe 53). From a young age Nwoye knew he did not want to be like his father, because he did not approve of the way Okonkwo acts thus he rebelled by being like his mother and preferring kindness and stories over violence. Besides not wanting to be violent like his father, Nwoye rebels by converting to christianity. Nwoye converts, changes his name to Isaac and goes to college to become a teacher (Achebe 182). Nwoye converting and changing his name is the ultimate rebellion because he literally changes everything Okonkwo tried to make Nwoye. Okonkwo attempted to make Nwoye a strong man in the eyes of Ibo society just it in turn made Nwoye rebel and turn

Lastly, the author had a purpose for making the characters act they way that they did. He chose everything with care for his novel. “How is your father? Oberika asked, not knowing what else to say. I don’t know. He is not my father, said Nwoye, unhappily.” (151/4) With this quote, it shows the reader how Nwoye came to hate his father. Okonkwo pushed him so hard that Nwoye became independent. He had completed his goal but not how he wanted it to happen. “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.” (151/4) Okonkwo was still violent with his son because he had converted into a Christian. Which is something that he did not agree with. The author’s purpose for this part in the novel

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.