Relationships Between Characters in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

In the novel, Things Fall Apart, written by Chinua Achebe, Okonkwo is a sympathetic character and unsympathetic character in regards to his family relationships with his adopted son, Ikemefuna, his daughter, Ezima, and his father, Unoka, as a result of he appears to genuinely care about his family; but, the pride within himself prevents his expression of such pride and concern openly.

Unoka is Okonkwo’s father, he is a very lazy man and has amassed many debts. Okonkwo is very ashamed of Unoka and seems to hate him very much. Achebe states

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.

Okonkwo strives all of his life to become a stronger, more powerful, and a successful individual. He wants to do this because his father was a slack and lazy person who lived most of his life in debt and had no titles to his name. People often looked at his father as a women figure for the few achievements he redeemed. Okonkwo never wanted to be like his father and it eventually got to the point where he became fearful of becoming like him. Achebe uses the power of fear as a theme of to show how much it can devastate one’s

“{Ikemefuna} had become wholly absorbed into his new family. He was like an elder brother to Nwoye, and from the very first seemed to have kindled a new fire in the younger boy. He made him feel grown-up, and they no longer spent the evenings in his mother's hut while she cooked, but now sat with Okonkwo in his obi, or watched him as he tapped his palm tree for the evening wine. Nothing pleased Nwoye now more than to be sent for by his mother or another of his father's wives to do one of those difficult and masculine tasks in the home, like splitting wood, or pounding food. On receiving such a message through a younger brother or sister, Nwoye would feign annoyance and grumble aloud about women and their troubles.” [38] Before Ikemefuna came into their lives, Nwoye didn’t talk to his father very much, while he usually spent most of his time helping his mother in the kitchens. He was also a very emotional and ‘weak’ little boy. “Later in the day {Okonkwo} called Ikemefuna and told him that he was to be taken home the next day. Nwoye overheard it and burst into tears, whereupon his father beat him heavily.” [41] “...Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down… As soon as his father walked in, that night, Nwoye knew that Ikemefuna had been killed, and something seemed to give way inside him, like the snapping of a tightened bow. He did

However in chapter 16 on page forty seven, it was just poetry with a new religion in it to Nwoye something that he felt within him. It opened his eyes realizing that his own father did so many injustice making him hate and lose respect for him. He also appeared to be relieved about the twins crying in the bush and Ikemefuna death after he heard the christians preach. It made him have peace for his own soul. Later on in the novel in the beginning of chapter seventeen when it says “Although Nwoye had been attracted to the new faith from the very first day, he kept it secret. He dared not to go too near the missionaries for fear of his father,” he was in fear to show others in the village and his father that the western culture had an effect on him. Although Nwoye kept on going to the church secretly, it was not long that his father knew about it. Okonkwo was furious to find out and disowned him by saying that he is no longer a son to him and to leave the village because he is a great disappointed to their society. He left, but was glad to do it in the thought of returning soon for his mother, brothers, and sisters to introduce them to this new faith, christianity.

Okonkwo's father, Unoka, was "a failure," "a loafer," and "People laughed at him" (1426). This would bring great shame to any man as it did for Okonkwo. In Umuofia "a man is judged according to his worth and not according to the worth of his father" (1427). In Umuofia "achievement was revered." Okonkwo became obsessed with the need to prove to everyone that he, unlike his father, was a man

When Ikemefuna was killed "something seemed to give way inside [Nwoye], like a snapping of tightened bow" (61). Nwoye felt awful for his father killing his brother. He never thought that Okonkwo would kill his favorite "child". Nwoye does not agree with anything that goes on in the tribe. The killing of Ikemefuna was his breaking point.

For Nwoye, after Ikemefuna's murder Nwoye seems to have finally given up on his father and loses reverence towards him. When Nwoye was at the stage of confusion he experiences an epiphany after being drawn to the new religion that made him “feel a relief within as the hymn poured into his parched soul” following his exposure to Christianity (147). This was an escape for Nwoye to finally find meaning in his life and ultimately make the decision to start a new life and leave the past behind. Compared to Nwoye, after Okonkwo’s time of crisis, he is faced with a transformed village and culture seeing that at the time of Okonkwo’s life many things were changing. This causes Okonkwo to experience denial and “mourn for the clan, which he saw breaking up and falling apart” (183). Drowned with memories of the past, Okonkwo misses the time at which he knew and was comfortable with. Ultimately, Okonkwo chooses to end his own life in fear that no longer exists in his clan and feels he is no match against the white men, as compared to Nwoye who chooses to live life

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

Ikemfuna, a boy sent to live with Okonkwo and his family, is not a foil for Okonkwo, but for Nwoye. If it were not for Ikemefuna, we would not be able to see Nwoye’s connection to his grandfather, Unoka. As Okonkwo’s oldest son, Nwoye is expected to be strong, and hardworking like his father. But when Ikemefuna joins the family, he becomes like the son Okonkwo never had. Ikemefuna and Okonkwo form a bond, a bond that Nwoye and Okonkwo were never able to have, and Ikemefuna even begins to call Okonkwo “father.” On the other hand, Okonkwo considers Nwoye to be weak and lazy because even though “Nwoye knew it was right to be

The character of Okonkwo in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart was driven by fear, a fear of change and losing his self-worth. He needed the village of Umuofia, his home, to remain untouched by time and progress because its system and structure were the measures by which he assigned worth and meaning in his own life. Okonkwo required this external order because of his childhood and a strained relationship with his father, which was also the root of his fears and subsequent drive for success. When the structure of Umuofia changed, as happens in society, Okonkwo was unable to adapt his methods of self-evaluation and ways of functioning in the world; the life he was determined to live could not survive a new environment and collapsed around

Unoka is Okonkwo father, who is “lazy and irresponsible, falling into debt and bringing shame upon his family. Unoka’s bad reputation in Umuofia haunts Okonkwo in the story”. Nonetheless, Okonkwo is well respected, tough and a successful person that everybody

In the novel Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo’s shame for his father, Unoka, motivates him to be everything his father wasn’t. As a result, Okonkwo hides behind masculinity and conceals his emotions, in hope of escaping weakness. Stubborn and impulsive, Okonkwo makes rash decisions to uphold his reputation, which affects his tribe and his family. Okonkwo’s constant fear of resembling his father takes over his ability compromise and causes him to suffer from depression, the “loss” of his son, the loss of

In Things Fall Apart, a novel written by Chinua Achebe,  the character of  Okonkwo is a valuable warrior of the Umuofia clan, a lower Nigerian tribe that is part of an association of nine villages in Africa. Okonkwo is troubled by the wrongdoings of his father, Unoka, due to him leaving many village debts unsettled. Unoka was considered to be a cowardly and prodigal person, who later died and was shamed by the public. As a result of all this, Okonkwo becomes a clansman, warrior, farmer, and family provider. Okonkwo is the father of his son Nwoye, who he finds to be lazy. Okonkwo is concerned that Nwoye will fail just like his father did. Additionally, since Okonkwo hated how gentle his father was towards other people, he decides to be controlling of his wives and children, and insensitive as well. As the years go by, Okonkwo becomes a very hostile person, becoming aggravated over the slightest annoyance.