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Influential Fathers

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Essay #3 Research Essay April 23, 2013 The Influential Fathers Many people underestimate the significance of a father in a child’s life. The father has some of the most prevalent influences on a child, especially while the child is young. A child’s happiness while growing up is largely influenced by the type of father he has and the relationship they bare. Some children will end up resenting their father more than anything because their father fails to really get to know them. On the other hand, some children will have such a close bond with their father that they have trouble letting go. There are many different qualities or personality traits that …show more content…

As Okonkwo’s father Unoku’s prime responsibility was to ensure his wellbeing and safety to lead and support him throughout their teenage years (Kemp 30). Unoku did not do any of those things and therefore, Okonkwo grows up hating his father and wanting nothing to do with him. He adopts opposite ideals from his father to make sure that he turns out nothing like him. His father, Unoku, is viewed as a poor, lazy man that never cared enough about the future to plan anything in advance, forcing his son Okonkwo to have to provide for his family: “And what made it worse in Okonkwo’s case was that he had to support his mother and two sisters from his meager harvest. And supporting his mother also meant supporting his father” (22). Even though Unoku may be a very talented musician, he still brings great shame to his family since he does not provide for them and is extremely unmotivated and lazy. Unoku does nothing to help Okonkwo accomplish his goals and desires like a good father is supposed to. According to Rebecca L. Warner’s “Being a Good Parent”: “good parents do whatever is necessary for their children to reach their goals” (Warner 65). Unoku forgets all about his son’s goals and desires because he was too focused on his own hopes and dreams. Unoku does not purposely set out to defame his family name or put his family in such an unenviable position; he just loves partying and music more than anything else.

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