Nwoye Collision

Nwoye’s unavoidable decision of converting cultures was lead by his search for acceptance and in hopes of escaping his immoral religion and Okonkwo’s high expectations for him as a man. Okonkwo is not satisfied with Nwoye’s sensitive and slothful personality After Ikemefuna’s unjustified death, Nwoye loses respect for Okonkwo and puts an emotional barrier between them.

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

-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.

Nwoye Struggles with his identity and it has led him to embrace a new culture, which has Basically saved him, and shows the good effects colonialism can have on people.

Even as a young boy Nwoye himself and ok noticed abnormal qualities in Nwoye. “Nwoye knew that it was right to be masculine and to be violent, but somehow he still preferred stories that his mother used tell, stories of tortoise and his willy ways, stories originally told to the younger children” (53). As he grew older, personality changes grew more drastically, separation between him and his generation grew farther apart leaving his traditional, original faith and beliefs altered. This change first became prominent after the so-called white missionaries arrived in Umuofia. Unlike most of the clan at first, Nwoye favored the missionaries, he understood their worship and was interested in Christianity. Okonkowo was very upset to find that Nwoye was taking part in the missionaries’ speech and

But there was a young lad who had been captivated. His name was Nwoye, Okonkwo’s first son. It was not the mad logic of the Trinity that captivated him … It was the poetry of the new religion, something felt in the marrow. The hymn about brothers who sat in the darkness and in fear seemed to answer a vague and persistent question that haunted his young soul - the question of the twins crying in the bush and the question of Ikemefuna who was killed” (Achebe 147).

Okonkwo wanted to keep his Son, Nwoye from progress. He has just sent Okonkwo’s son, Nwoye, who was now called Isaac, to the new training college for teachers in Umuru. He had hoped that Okonkwo would be happy to hear of it. But Okonkwo had driven him away with the threat that if he came into his compound again he would be carried out of it.(182; ch 21) Okonkwo did not approve that Nwoye follow the path of knowledge.

Once Nwoye joins the church, Achebe describes Nwoye’s feelings as, “Happy to leave his father. He would return later to his mother and his brothers and sisters and convert them to the new faith (152).” Nwoye wanted to leave his father and was committed to abandoning his old way of life. This also had a consequence on his family, and he converted the them to Christianity while his father was exiled. He even chooses to change his identity and become a teacher.

In the book it says that “ ”Where have you been?” he stammered. Nwoye struggled to free himself from the choking grip. “Answer me!” he roared again. Nwoye stood looking at him and did not say a word.” Which shows how Okonkwo reacted to finding out that his son had an interested in the new culture. This greatly affected the way Nwoye saw his father, Okonkwo. After that it says that “He went back to the church and told Mr. Kiaga that he had decided to go to Umuofia where the white missionary had set up a school to teach young Christians to read and write.” Nwoye did this mostly to get away from his father he also disowned him from being his father. Finally Chinua Achebe uses Nwoye to show how hard it was for some people to share their acceptance with the new culture and the consequences it could

I would describe Nwoye as a very curious and sensitive character. Not everyone is proud of the man Nwoye had become, for example Okonkwo. “ Okonkwo’s first son, Nwoye, was then twelve years old but was already causing his father great anxiety for his incipient laziness.”(13/2). Based on his father's observation you can come to a conclusion that Nwoye was very lazy starting at a young age. As you can see Okonkwo was fairly disappointed on the person Nwoye had turned out to be. Okonkwo and Nwoye never had a great relationship and sums up Nwoye as very naive having none of Okonkwo's traits. “What are you doing here?” Obierika had asked when after many difficulties the missionaries had allowed him to speak to the boy. “I am one of them”, replied Nwoye.”(144/2). Nwoye

Based on this action, Nwoye began to fear the disappointment of his father. In the novel, Achebe writes that, “Nwoye knew that it was right to be masculine and to be violent, but somehow he still preferred the stories that his mother used to tell…” (53; pt.1; Ch.7). In this section of the chapter, the author describes how Nwoye understands how his father wants him structured, but Nwoye still enjoys the opposite perspective. Based on this fear, it motivates Nwoye to avoid his personal preferences and attempted to gain respect from his father. The book shows this by saying, “ He dared not go too near the missionaries for fear of his father” (149; pt.2; Ch.17).

Nwoye came to the conclusion that the murder of Ikemefuna, at first leaving him devastated and deeply betrayed by his father, later came to be a blessing in disguise. The terrible fate of Ikemefuna finally led to Nwoye parting with his dysfunctional family and coming to peace with himself. He proved to me, and himself, that you decide your own future, and that we do not all become our parents. The way Okonkwo did all in his power to be nothing like his father, Nwoye did the opposite to be unlike

Because his father had a hard childhood, he has high expectations for his children, especially Nwoye, since he is his first born: “I will not have a son who cannot hold up his head in the cathering of the clan. I would sooner strangle him with my own hands” (Achebe 33). He beat them for any small mistake they made and threaten them when he saw any signs of weakness. This pushes Nwoye to be different from his father. One time, Nwoye was seen among the Christians by his father’s cousin.

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