Things Fall Apart - 913 Words

Things Fall Apart The theme of the book Things Fall Apart, which focuses on the breakdown of a society as well as the main character’s personal breakdown, stems from many conflicts of interests and misunderstandings throughout the book. There is not one single moment in the book where everything falls apart, but many times throughout. In the beginning a lot of problems arise from Okonkwo’s anger problems, and his inability to see other’s views. His ignorance is what ultimately leads to his exile from his clan. It’s not just the fact that he accidently killed a fellow clan member, but many other events that had angered the village. One of the first problems was when he disregarded the week of peace by savagely beating his wife. Wife†¦show more content†¦The only emotion that he ever showed was anger; he hardly ever showed compassion towards those around him, including his three wives or many children. His temper and his longing for respect from tho se around him get him into trouble throughout the book. The first time being when he beat his wife during their week of peace, in which no violence is supposed to take place. Okonkwo makes sacrifices, pays his debt and he feels that all is forgiven; however his pattern of violence continues. He attempts to shoot his wife Ojiubo after she makes a remark about his inability to use his gun, once again giving in to his anger and insecurity. Okonkwo sees compassion as weakness and this drives him to constantly respond to things that upset him with anger. When he is told that Ikemefuna, a young boy who was placed into the care of Okonkwo’s family, is to be killed, he is also told that he must not interfere or take part in the killing. But when it comes time for the boy to be killed Okonkwo is so afraid of looking weak that he himself stabs and kills Ikemefuna. Later in the book, Okonkwo accidently shoots and kills a fellow tribe member, who is a young boy. Okonkwo is then exiled fr om his tribe for seven years, and is overcome with depression because he can never be in a place of power in his tribe. When he realizes that he will never get the respect he deserves Okonkwo fully falls apart and takes his ownShow MoreRelatedThings Fall Apart910 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿Okonkwo Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a novel about a man in West Africa. It tells about his triumphs and trial ultimately leading to his demise. It explains how the â€Å"white man† came into his country and took over. It show you how the â€Å"white man† mad things fall apart. Okonkwo was a very large and tall man. He had big bushy eyebrows and a huge nose. As stated in Things Fall Apart, â€Å"He was tall and huge, and his bushy eyebrows and wide nose gave him a very severe look (3-4).† He was extremelyRead MoreThings fall apart1057 Words   |  5 Pages Reflection on the novel Things Fall Apart The Idea of Culture in Things Fall Apart The novel Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe is a story about personal beliefs, customs and also about conflict. There is struggle between family and within culture and it also deals with the concept of culture and the notion of the values and traditions within a culture. The word culture is Latin and means to cultivate. To cultivate has several meanings; it can mean to plow, fertilize, raise and plantRead MoreThings Fall Apart875 Words   |  4 PagesOkonkwo is a tragic hero in Things Fall Apart Question ( 2 ): Discuss Okonkwo in Chinua Achebe s â€Å"Things Fall Apart† is a tragic hero. Answer: In Chinua Achebe’s novel â€Å"Things Fall Apart† Okonkwo is a tragic hero. Aristotle’s Poetics defines a Tragic Hero as a good man of high status who displays a tragic flaw ‘hamartia’ and experiences a dramatic reversal ‘peripeteia’, as well as an intense moment of recognition ‘anagnorisis’. Okonkwo is a leader and hardworking member of the Igbo communityRead MoreThings Fall Apart977 Words   |  4 Pagesdifferently by two different readers? Things Fall Apart Language and Literature Things fall apart is a novel written by Chinua Achebe. It is set during the late 19th, early 20th century in a small village named Umuofia situated in Nigeria. This time period is important because it was a period in colonial history when the British were increasing their influence economic, cultural, and political influence in Africa. The novel deals with the rise and fall of Okonkwo, a man from the village ofRead MoreThings Fall Apart818 Words   |  4 PagesEnglish oral presentation Cultural strengths of the Ibo society before the invasion of the colons. The novel Things fall apart by Chinua Achebe describes the social and cultural traits of a culture based on the principles of labor and masculinity, conformity and kinship and finally on solid juridical system. The worth of a man was measured by his strength and the amount of work he could accomplish and how efficiently feed his family, the concepts of masculinity is strictly related withRead MoreThings Fall Apart2539 Words   |  11 PagesSociety (Things Fall Apart) Women are often thought of as the weaker, more vulnerable of the two sexes. Thus, women’s roles in literature are often subdued and subordinate. In Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, women are repressed by an entrenched structure of the social repression. Women suffer great losses in this novel but, also in certain circumstances, hold tremendous power. Achebe provides progressively changing attitudes towards women’s role. At first glance, the women in Things Fall Apart mayRead More Things Fall Apart Essay763 Words   |  4 PagesChinua Achebes Things Fall Apart shows an odd similarity between the cultures of Ancient Greece and the Lower Niger. Despite the fact that two societies can exist during different periods of time and have conflicting cultural values, their stories and behavior can have surprising overlaps. Things Fall Apart is structured like a Greek Tragedy in its use of a chorus and in the presence of a tragic hero whose actions ultimately lead to his downfall. The Egwugwu from Things Fall Apart act like the chorusRead More Things Fall Apart Essay714 Words   |  3 PagesThings Fall Apart Opposites do not Attract In Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, Mr. Brown, the first missionary in Umuofia, was a kind and respectful man. Not to say that Reverend James Smith was not, but his degree of kindness and respect were present in a whole different level. They both wanted to convert the lost, all those in Umuofia that were not in the church. Mr. Brown made friends with the clan and â€Å"trod softly on his faith,† (pg.178) while Mr. Smith told them how thingsRead MoreSummary Of Things Fall Apart 716 Words   |  3 PagesJory Alkhudair Mr. Meister English 10th 26 October 2017 Things Fall Apart I am writing about Ekwefi , Okonkwo’s second wife, and who was once the village beauty. Ekwefi is also the mother of Ezinma , Okonkwo’s only daughter . Ezinma is her only surviving child, her other nine died in infancy. Ekwefi constantly fears that she will lose Ezinma too. The festival was only three days away. We were scrubbing the walls and the huts with red earthRead MoreColonialism In Things Fall Apart1824 Words   |  8 Pageswritten by Chinua Achebe which shows the main theme of the novel Things Fall Apart, and even represents the theme within the article, â€Å"The Benefits of British Rule†. There are many cultures with different values or practices that might seem obscure to one group but normal to another, therefore no one can determine what culture is wrong or right, but it s up to society to determine the best way of life. The novel Things Fall Apart and the article â€Å"The Benefits of British Rule† examine two different