What Is Nwoye's Sense Of Identity 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

Within Ibo culture, masculinity was highly praised whilst femininity was scorned, and being a feminine man was one of the worst things you could be, especially in the eyes of Okonkwo. He perceived his father to be weak and womanly so he modeled his life after being the opposite of his father. And he forced this mindset onto his son as well. These toxic ideas of masculinity ultimately backfired, forcing Nwoye away from his father's culture. Nwoye's response to the missionaries and decision to join their church is a direct result of his father's unhealthy attitudes about how Nwoye should be and how he should act.

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 doesn’t think that violence and taking control of others is manliness. Nwoye’s father is disappointed in him and regretful of Nwoye being his son because of this difference in between their thoughts. Anyone with this problem would be pushed towards negative feelings. This is why Nwoye looks for another culture that would allow him to fit in.

Before the missionaries arrived to the igbo culture, the people of the ibo culture respected their own culture and they didn’t question anything but when the missionaries arrived some people of the ibo culture began to question the things they did in their culture and some of their beliefs were not good or didn’t even make sense. The other people who still respected the igbo culture were not happy with the western ideas because they proposed things that went against the Igbo culture and some of them could not believe that their own people would actually believe in the new faith and leave their own culture and their people. Nwoye was one of the many who actually left his own culture to be part of the new faith. His father did not like

He is very different form his father and in some way reminds us of Unoka who was a total opposite to Okonkwo. He is the black sheep and the scapegoat of the family, before Ikemefuna is in the house that becomes like an older brother to Nwoye and teaches him to be gentle but successfully masculine at the same time “ Nwoye’s mother was very kind to him. Treated him as one of there own children” (27) “ Nwoye … became quite inseparable form him” (28). Okonkwo approves of Nwoyes actions and stops the beatings. Although Nwoye is now a “real man “ he still misses his “feminine ways” for example music and the act o conversation.

However, Okonkwo’s past struggles with his father shaped Nwoye relationship with his father and turned it into a malformed fragile thing. Nothing Nwoye ever did could satisfy his

This hate often fueled conflict between him and his son. Although Nwoye was attracted to the new religion from the beginning, he did not dare to join in fear of his father. “He dared not go too near the missionaries for fear of his father.” (112) However, he always heard the word from a distance.

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 starts to change when he hears about the Western’s new religion called Christianity. He is attracted to the new religion. We see the affection on pg 147 of Achebe’s Things Fall Apart “But there was a young lad who had been captivated. His name was Nwoye, Okonkwo's

He sees an alternative to his own community’s culture and likes it. Nwoye’s failure to fit in with his community forced him into Christianity because of the unreasonable standards. Nwoye is invested in Christianity and wants to take his dedication to his new community to another level by completely leaving his community, “he had decided to go to Umuofia where the white missionary had set up a school to teach young Christians”(152 Achebe). Nwoye is attempting to assimilate himself into the whiteman’s society. However, Nwoye at this point has decided to run away from home and leave his family behind.

(152) Nwoye is aware of the banishment he will receive if he chooses the path to Christianity yet he learns that a greater purpose in life is in store for him. His resentment to his father also encourages him to leave his clan with a guilty free

In the book “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe, Nwoye was strongly influenced by the westerners that went to the Igbo tribe and started influencing their culture. With the missionaries that went to the village, they are trying to unforced their religion onto the Igbo people and the Igbo people aren’t very happy about that because they already have their own religion and their own beliefs. In part one of Things Fall Apart,Okonkwo is talking with obierika about how he is only worried about Nwoye and not so much about Ezinma. Just by Okonkwo going on about all those things Nwoye starts to dislike Okonkwo more and more because he likes Ezinma more and cares for her more because she has the “right spirit” and h wishes Ezinma would’ve been a boy because he would’ve been happier.

In this book, Nwoye seems different than everyone because he had higher goals and wanted to do something different with himself. His dad was a farmer and a well respected warrior, but he didn't want to follow in his footsteps. This feeling was stronger after his dad killed his brother who was taken in from a different village due to a deal that prevented war between the two villages. Even Nwoye's dad liked his brother because he left such a good impact on Nwoye. I think he chose Christianity because it seemed more real to him than the religion he grew up with and it was different than what everyone else he knew was doing. The leaders that order killings and such in the villages are looked at like gods, and they ordered the death of his brother.