Over this winter break the class has been reading Things Fall Apart. This engaging novel is written by Chinua Achebe. This novel is about a young man, named Okonkwo, who succedded in most of his life without the help of his father. Okonkwo shows great power and leadership in this novel, but he is so afraid of showing weaknesses that he acts rash which causes him problems internally. From the beginning of the novel the reader sees why Okonkwo does not want to show emotion. He believed that emotion was for the weak. His father liked to show emotion. So Okonkwo had to be the opposite of his father.. When Nwoye, Okonwo’s eldest son, started to show signs of weakness Okonkwo could not rationally handle it.
It is ironic that Nwoye shows characteristics of his grandfather. It seems as if it is almost a test for Okonkwo. Can he deal with his son if he reminds him of his father. I think that the author purposly shows that the characterics just skipped a generation. It makes me wonder about Unoka’s father’s personality. If he was a strong leader and a hero in war, much like Okonkwo, then the skip in generations would make sense. When the father is not succesful, reflecting Unoka, their son will be succesful because of the drive he has to be opposite from his father. However, in Okonkwo’s case this drive for success and a better life has its consequences. These consequences are obvious at the end of the novel was caused by the change in the village and an unfullfilled life. The consequence was sadly Okonkwo’s life. But all things aside, it is no doubt that Chinua Achebe wanted us to see the similar traits of Nwoye and Unoka. These two characters changed the character of Okonkwo. If they were not lazy and unsuccessful ,then Okonkwo would never have motivation and he would not have been driven into rage.These two supporting characters helped develop the novel.
8 comments:
Lauren W.
I agree that the children show the opposite traits of their father, probably because of motivation, or lack of it. Okonkwo's goal in life was to be a real man and not the womanly person his father, Unoka, was. It is surely ironic that Nwoye represents the exact this Okonkwo was trying to escape all of his life and I thinkt that Nwoye shows signs of laziness bewcause he doesn't want to grow up to be exactly like his father. Okonkwo does not realize that it is probably fairly common for a child to want to be different than their parents and it would be interesting to see if the same patterns existed in earlier generations of Okonkwo's family.
I think one reason that Nwoye is not like Okonkwo for the exact same reason that Okonkwo is not like Unoka. Okonkwo doesn't really treat Nwoye as a son, so Nwoye doesn't really accept him as a father. Granted, Nwoye may not be a naturally aggressive person, but Oknonkwo pushes him the opposite way with his own extreme actions. Okonkwo is even somewhat responsible for Nwoye's abandonment of the traditional culture in favor of Christianity. The book informs us that Nwoye left because he didn't feel fit in, and one reason that he felt out of place is Okonkwo's demands on him to be courageous, strong, and fearless, when he isn't naturally inclined to be what Okonkwo wants of him.
I think that Nwoye may have wanted to be different from his father for the exact opposite reason that Okonkwo wanted to be different from his. Okonkwo wanted to be different from his father because his father really did not care. Nwoye seems to want to go in the opposite direction of Okonkwo because his father seems to care too much and almost smothers the boy in his attempts to make im "more masculine" I think that if Okonkwo had not ridiculed and tried to change his son so much Nwoye might have had different feelings toward his father and may have lived closer to his standards
I agree with your statement about Okonkwo fearing the appearance of weakness. I find that this is his tragic flaw that drives him to the poor choices he made, such as cutting down Ikemefuma, over-beating his wives, and working to make Nwoye to be more manly, all of which are done to show his own strength.
As for the reason Nwoye wants to be opposite of his father, I think that although the situation is similar to that of Okonkwo and Unoka's, the reasoning behind the situations are in fact, different. Okonkwo hated his father because he did not seem to care at all, while Nwoye turns away from Okonkwo because he is overbearing, so much so that he gives Nwoye very little to be happy for.
Drew M. I do see where you could get the ironic part that his child is the exact opposite of what he wants to be but the part serves more of a purpose than just direct irony. It is also a part of Onkonkwos downfall. IT fits the title. After onkonkwo built up this huge persona during his life he fears that his son could rip his reputation to shreds in minutes. Once again things seem to be falling apart very rapidly for onkonkwo.
Brian Reuland:
I think that you make an interesting point about how the traits skip a generation. I think the parallels between Nwoye and Unoka are very important, as you mentioned. I'd also like to comment about his daughter, Ezinma, and how her traits are very similar to Okonkwo's. If the two children's traits were switched, it would be interesting to see how Okonkwo would react to having a lazy daughter, given that he was occasionally violent towards women.
Is it possible that Nwoye sees his father's determination to hide his weaknesses as a weakness in itself and strives to be the opposite of his father just as Okownkwo does?
(Christian Cassman)
I think it is very common for children to strive to be different from their parents. Okonkwo tries to be the opposite of his father because he is ashamed of him. On the contrary, I think Nwoye tries to be the opposite of his father because he is scared of his father. Ever since his father killed Ikmefuma, Nwoye has seen Oknokwo in a negative way. Because of this, and the way Oknokwo seems emotionless and cruel around his family, Nwoye tries to be the opposite of his father. This could be why he joins the Christians.
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