Okonkwo's Diction

By observing converted details and investigating close readings, audiences can process hidden messages and themes throughout a passage. Bertrand Russell once stated, “Fear is the main source of superstition, and one of the main sources of cruelty. To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom.” The initial reading of Things Fall Apart elaborates on the theme of fear. While the novel’s specific references to trepidation and failure prepare the reader to believe that even the strongest of people have inner demons, it then is proven by the actions of the main character that the complex representation of fear in the text can potentially consume a human being. Chinua Achebe portrays the main character, Okonkwo, as a powerful, influential subject that ironically, is dominated by fear which leads to his own demise, personal failure, and destruction of his tribe.

Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart illustrates the traditions and beliefs of an African tribe and the influence post-colonialism has on them. The patriarchal tribe stresses the importance of relations and the expectations of those in them. Okonkwo, fearing he will turn out like his father, constantly corrects and beats his eldest son, Nwoye, yet, his behavior towards his daughter, Ezinma, drastically differs.

In Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe employs imagery, symbolism, and themes to reveal the story of Okonkwo. Throughout the novel he weaves in these things to really tell us the tale.

The focus of the individual is prominent in Things Fall Apart, a tale of an almost anti-social being in a world dominated by change.  Achebe's main character, Okonkwo, is the window to the dramatization of social, economic, and political change of the nation known as Nigeria.  The focus of the narrative is the struggle of a strong and well respected individual to maintain his own life course, and to differentiate this outcome from the end result of his lethargic father's life.  The story embodies the ideal of embracing the individual's goals and aspirations to yield an outcome

The novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, originally written in his native language Ibo, tells the tragic tale of an African pre-Christian tribe seen through the eyes of Okonkwo. Okonkwo became a very successful clan leader in his village, by working hard and refusing to be lazy like his father Unoka. Achebe uses irony to encourage character development, drive the contrast between Okonkwo’s dreams and his reality as others see him, and explain the culture’s beliefs in the way they treat women vs. the way women are revered.

In Chinua Achebe's 1958 novel Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo's cruel and arrogant attitude towards those around him divides Ibo society and causes a clash of cultures that ultimately destroys the community. Achebe utilizes characterization and conflict to illustrate the inherent tragedy of society and the unfortunate realities produced by individuals when power is founded in ignorance and hatred. Okonkwo first gains the respect of his clan by defeating Amalinze the Cat. Following this, his hard work and determination builds admiration as he repeatedly overcomes obstacles that would have broken anyone else.

Nwoye’s betrayal in the novel is the same level of betrayal that Achebe is condemned with in his lifetime. African literary theorists who vie for the purity of African literature for African languages defy Achebe as a European traitor, writing his stories with his back turned to his native homeland. Yet this thesis argues for a reevaluation of that criticism. Achebe does not in fact deny his beliefs, his country, or his heritage. He rather aligns himself in a tragically ironic way with the hero of Things Fall Apart. Achebe writes his own struggle with colonialism into the life and death of Okonkwo. It is interesting to note that Achebe’s father was in many ways very similar to Nwoye. His father, Isaiah Achebe, was orphaned early in life and spent most of his childhood with his uncle, Udoh. Udoh was a man of the land; he prided himself on tradition and leadership. Chinua writes in his essay, “My Dad and Me,” that the differences between Isaiah and Udoh were seen early through the eyes of Chinua, a questioning child who was placed in the middle

One of the most well-known Greek philosophers, Aristotle, continues to influence current literary analysis. One such way is through Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero. According to Aristotle, a character must demonstrate five main characteristics in order to be considered a tragic hero. They are: a flaw or error in judgment, a reversal of fortune brought about by the hero’s error in judgment, the recognition that the reversal was brought about by the hero’s own actions, excessive pride, and the character’s fate must be greater than deserved. In Chinua Achebe’s book Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo is often thought to be the tragic hero.

Chinua Achebe’s novel, Things Fall Apart , is a classic postcolonial novel about a man named Okonkwo who was a well known man in his village in Nigeria. He is a man that has a very thin temper and is portrayed as a tragic hero, Okonkwo fits Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero pretty well. Okonkwo’s demise was ultimately caused by his fatal flaw. A cultural identity crisis had little to no minimal impact on his demise; rather, his fatal flaw of a bad temper and fear of being thought of as weak had the biggest impact on his demise. Aristotle’s conception of a tragic hero includes that he is a character of a noble or high status, Okonkwo fits this because, “Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond.”.

A tragic hero is defined as an individual who holds a powerful influence among their society, yet their own course of actions and flaws kindle a fall in their success. Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, conveys the protagonist, Okonkwo, as a tragic hero because his own faults cause his “tragic end”. Although the main cause of Okonkwo’s death are his own fear of weakness and failure, there are several components that contribute to his unusual reactions which result in his final and most unexpected act. Throughout the novel, readers are exposed to various aspects that provoke the protagonist’s death such as his heredity, the environment surrounding him, along with the idea of chance. Primarily, heredity is predominantly depicted

In conclusion, Okonkwo exemplifies Aristotle's definition of a tragic hero. His character has many tragic flaws, including, fear of weakness, hubris, and his work ethic, which in the end lead to his death. His life and death provoke pity and fear for the audience. Okonkwo becomes noble and is a great leader overall in the story. In the end, Chinua Achebe has shown an expressive character that evidently can be called a tragic

In Chinua Achebe’s book Things Fall Apart he develops a main character, Okonkwo. Okonkwo is portrayed as a strong, proud, fearless, and hardworking man who is destined for great things. He has strong beliefs and fights for the values taught by the Ibo people. One may view Okonkwo as a martyr, a man who sacrifices even life itself for the values

A tragic hero; someone who is born of a high or nobility class that demonstrates a fatal flaw. Things Fall Apart shows how a character responded to the culture collision brought about by the missionaries. The essay analyzes how the collision changed the character’s sense of identity and it also help develop the overall meaning of the story. Things Fall Apart is a story take place of an Ibo village in Nigeria. It talks about the conflict between an individual and society.

What is a hero? From Batman to Wonder Woman; from Mother Theresa to Ghandi; from Malala Yousafzai to Nick Vujicic; even the protagonist of Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo, is portrayed by Chinua Achebe as a hero in his own right. For centuries and across many civilisations, we have revered people dead, alive and fictional alike. Yet if we were to compare every definition of a hero, few would explicitly match. To define – or even simply list – every archetype within the genre of a hero is an almost impossible task as the extensive interpretations and variations span across time and culture. Despite this variation, Okonkwo from Things Fall Apart depicts the traits of hero. From a literary perspective, he is explicitly tragic hero, particularly as defined by Aristotle. A tragic hero can be defined as "a [great] man who is not eminently good and just, whose misfortune is brought about not by vice or depravity, but by some error or frailty." This further consists of five major traits: hamartia (a tragic flaw); peripeteia (a reversal of fate); anagnorisis (enlightenment from ignorance); catharsis (purification or purging); and pathos. Overall, Okonkwo characterises a classic tragic hero, and Achebe achieves this through three major aspects of his characterisation: father-son relationship, an imbalanced character and structured downfall.

Chinua Achebe, in her novel Things Fall Apart, depicts a story of not only a man using great strength and aggression to disguise his mental weakness, but also a story of great Nigerian tribal traditions that strech back many generations. Achebe accomplishes this by using literary devices such as details and rhetorical questions in specific scenes of the story.