Paper 2 Okonkwo

Children often inherit their values from their parents. Explore to what extent this is true of Okonkwo.

Throughout things fall apart, characters are motivated by the fear of becoming anything like his father, hence they resent anything that resembles their fathers’ values. Chinua Achebe from the beginning of the story creates a flashback to introduce the reader to Okonkwo’s father. Through the imagery of the flashback, and diction of words such as laziness and debt. The reader is given the impression that the Igbo people viewed Okonkwo’s father as a failure. In a culture where work and titles would move you further in life, Okonkwo’s father had nothing. As such Okonkwo given nothing by his father was determined to become everything his father wasn’t, in order to prevail in his society that was devoted to the Igbo culture. Resulting in him resenting anything that his father stood for and valued in his life. Throughout the entirety of the book Okonkwo is consumed in his love of excessive masculinity and resents anything that he deems similar to his father or feminine. This is seen in the abuse of his wives throughout the story including the week of peace and the killing of his adopted son Ikenefuna in order to uphold his masculine principles. Additionally, Achebe metaphorically compares Okonkwo to the raging fire, which is symbolic of masculinity, strength, and power, but it also destructive and violent as well.  This shows how Okonkwo goes to great lengths to maintain his masculine principles, defying everything his father was. Though this extreme masculinity would be Okonkwo’s hamartia, which would lead to his eventual suicide. Ironically dying in an abdominal way like his father did. What is also ironic is the relationship between Okonkwo and Nwoye. Okonkwo throughout the book has immense tension with his son, as Nwoye is represents more feminine attributes than he does masculine. Through this inner conflict in Nwoye he opposes his father and the culture he represents, joining Christianity as it is more adherent to Nwoye. Okonkwo realizes this was in due to fault of his forceful values he placed onto Nwoye in the quote “living fire begets cold incompetent ash”. Nwoye has abandoned the values in which his father espouses. In contextual terms abandoning a culture he deemed as unjust for one he sees as justifying the flaws he sees in the Igbo culture. Such as coming to terms with what his father did to his brother Ikenefuna. In Chinua Achebe’s Things fall apart, characters are motivated by the fear of becoming anything like their father, hence they resent anything that resembles their fathers’ values. Okonkwo strives to revolve his entire life around masculinity, resenting anything feminine which reminds him of his father. Similarly, Nwoye resent the violence and ruthlessness that his father displayed top him and his family.