In the book, Things fall apart we are introduced to the antagonist Okonkwo, who has become a very well-respected leader in his village in Nigeria. Okonkwo is a very hypermasculine male who has dedicated his life to become the complete opposite of his father which he demises. His father, Unoka was seen as a very lazy man who owed debts to almost all of the villagers. He was everything Okonkwo aimed not to be. His obsession with being unlike his father had a key impact on the man he became. To start the story Okonkwo’s rise to stardom started after he defeated a fighter who was previously undefeated for the past seven years. After this, he was on a path to become one of the village’s most respected men. Okonkwo eventually becomes a husband of three women and fathers, multiple children. His dedication to becoming unlike his dad had affected all his relationships. He was quick to beat on his wife in children as he felt that it is very masculine to assert his dominance in this form. He was dedicated to making sure his son became a strong man in the way he is as well. Due to a settlement, Okonkwo was given the chance to father another boy, Ikemefuna. He saw great potential in the boy and admired him. The boy was ordered to be killed in a dispute with a neighboring village. Okonkwo was told to not take part in the boys killing because he calls him his father. He does so anyway because he fears that not doing so may cause him to be seen as weak.
Later in the story, Okonkwo Accidentally kills a boy due to poor gun skills. For his punishment, he and his family must leave the village for seven years. During his time away, Europeans make their way into the village. There were always rumors about the dangers of the white man would do once they come in contact with these people, They were compared to Locust. The locust was a sign of joy and in ways that is what the Europeans were, they had brought many good things to the village whether that was schools and more structure. The locust in its nature devours and destroys the land that it comes in contact with and that is also what the Europeans represented. Many were fearful but the Europeans were strategic in not showing any aggression early on ultimately earning the trust of many villagers. They start by introducing the villagers to Christianity and eventually start implementing schools and taking over how they govern the village. Okonkwo was disgusted to find out that his village wasn’t fighting back. He felt that a true man, a true leader would not stand for this. In his many efforts to take back his land, he comes to the realization that there is no hope and ultimately kills himself.
I believe that Okonkwo’s attitude is a very important theme to this story. He is a slave to his own identity. His pursuit to become the most masculine figure in retaliation of his own father is the root of his downfall. Okonkwo feared being weak or masculine, this did plenty of damage to a lot of his relationships. Especially with his son Nwoye. He was quick to strike his son in any instance he showed weakness. This drove his son away. Nwoye eventually fell in love with Christianity and wanted nothing to do with his father. Okonwko took part in Ikemefuna’s killing due to the fact that he feared that he could be viewed as weak if he didn’t. Ultimately, his obsession with becoming so dominant did not allow him to live in his village where he and his people were not in charge. Because of his beliefs, he would have rather taken his own life than to live in a world where he would have to be weak like his father.
Sources:
Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York: Anchor, 1994. Alcorn, Marshall.
Chimamanda Ngozi, Adichie. “The Danger of a Single Story.” 2009,
I really enjoyed your explanation of what goes on inside of Okonowko’s mind. The themes of insecure and toxic masculinity in this story remind me of similar practices held by some men in the US. As you explained, Okonowko’s hypermasculinity was created because he wanted to be anything but his father, and in the end, he is similar because his own son betrays him as he did to his father. Using Adichie’s “A Single Story” to also back up your statements was a great source. This was a very telling interpretation.
This is another interesting reading so far and with your context presentation, it helped summarize the whole story and also talk about some key points. Some things that I have noticed while reading ‘Things Fall Apart’ was that the story is densely metaphorical, and it wants to be read that way. The locusts and fire are two of the most important emblems. The locusts represent white colonists falling upon the Africans, appearing to bring good fortune but actually foreshadowing difficult encounters. Okonkwo’s nature is symbolized by fire: he is ferocious and destructive. The drums, a third symbol, represent the physical bond amongst Umuofia’s clansmen and operate as a figurative heartbeat that beats in sync, uniting all village members. The theme of this story mainly revolved around the conflict between tradition and change; various interpretations of masculinity and language as a cultural marker.
The interpretation and understanding of this reading were thoroughly explained throughout. It’s a bit of a wake-up call seeing how Okonkwo was with his son in relation to how Unoka (Okonkwo’s father) and Okonkwo’s relationship was. In growing up, Okonkwo was very adamant of not conforming to his father’s practices and beliefs for his own family. Turns out, he was very similar to that of his father, which was gained throughout the story. It exemplified how telling the trait of hyper-masculinity really was in Okonkwo’s mind. I believe it was smart of his son, Nwoye, to choose the opposite path of his father in following Christianity. For this choice, I have a great feeling that the consistency of hyper-masculinity and dominance will end at Okonkwo’s generation. These events were noticed by many, leading to a domino-effect.
Great summary and examination of the reading, Things Fall Apart. Although I found the story interesting, this was a powerful summary that helped me comprehend it even deeper. I loved your analysis of the theme of Okonkwo’s attitude. Another theme I picked up on was the impact the family generations had on the characters and their relationships. We learning significantly about the characters through their differences, such as the magnitude of Okonkwo’s masculinity due to seeing the despite he has for his artistic father, and his similar son.
Great summary! The dynamic between him and his father that you outline is really interesting. It’s like he did not want to be like him so much that he became an opposite extreme that some could argue is even worse. I love how you said he is a prisoner to his own identity because he trapped himself by wanting so badly to be different than his father. This perspective will definitely help me better understanding the reading! Thanks.
I really enjoyed your explanation of the story. The relationship he had with himself and fighting weakness really took over and brought out the worst version of himself. The way you explained the relationship between father and son is very important. Okonkwo drove his own son away just as his father drove him away. I liked the way you interpreted the reference to A Single Story in your explanation. This really helped me have a better understanding of the text. Great Job!
This is a great context presentation. I really like how you continued to connected each of Okonkwo’s actions back to how he feels about his father and how you explained how each of Okonkwo’s actions came out of the beliefs he held about his father. This really helped me understand Okonkwo’s actions. I really liked as well how you connected the novel back to Adichie’s Danger of a Single Story talk and I really liked your claim about how Okonkwo was a slave to his identity. That really helped in my understanding of the reading.
Hi! This was a fantastic context presentation. As I was reading, I felt as though the summary and the explanation of deeper topics went hand in hand. This style of writing helped me understand what deeper meanings were within seemingly simple and mundane details. While I was reading the story for myself, I also envisioned Okonkwo as a slave to himself. His need to maintain his image ended up harming him, and thus was the catalyst to him becoming isolated from everyone else. In his own head, however, he believed that coming off as “manly” and “strong” would make everyone want to be around him. Having this information helps me understand the story as a whole much better.
First, I just wanted to acknowledge your great work on this well thought out context presentation. When mentioning masculinity as the root of many of the issues in Okonokwo’s life, I would totally agree with you. The clan takes pride in “manliness” but how Okonokwo defines this “manliness” has a much different meaning. It seems that he associates masculinity with aggression and feels that anger is the only emotion that should be displayed amongst men. As you said before, this is why he beats his children and wives, even threatening to kill them, and partaking in the murder of Ikemefuna, who was a son to him. I enjoyed reading what you wrote!
Great synopsis of the novel. One of the major things in the story definitely was Okonkwo’s attitude and the way he presented himself. His idea with always being the “bigger man” and trying to be so masculine in his village was what caused his fame and rise, but also was his greatest weakness and eventually caused his demise. Everything around him began to change as time went on and his attitude stayed the same. He went as far as killing his surrogate son and then even taking his life.
To begin, I would like to say that your context presentation did a great job summarizing this particular reading. Myself, I found some interesting points throughout that the book that helped shift my perception of Okonkwo and who he was as a person. As stated in your presentation “I believe that Okonkwo’s attitude is a very important theme to this story. He is a slave to his own identity,” I feel this is a very accurate statement. There were situations throughout the book that led me to believe he truly was a slave to his own identity. I feel that a lot of these situations aroused from his obsession with wanting to be “the man” or “being great.” In the end, I really enjoyed reading your presentation and you definitely highlighted the necessary points.
I really appreciate how you not only provided a synopsis of the novel, but you interpreted the meaning within it in regards to Okonkwo and how he would rather die than live in a world where he is seen as weak, like his father. It is unfortunate that he let his pride and masculinity get the best of him in which it affected his relationships as well. He beat his sons and wife and made sure every aspect of his life was not seen as weak. His father had a huge impact on him in which he wanted to be the opposite of him so much that it led to his death. Therefore, I have a much better understanding of the reading and can develop my own interpretations of it.
You did a great job on your presentation. I enjoyed the analysis of the story and shows how culture can have such a strong hold on people. Such as his participation in Ikemefuna’s death, to show his dominance and masculinity. I think this is still relevant today, men are still showing their dominance and superior masculinity. Having the fastest car, the biggest muscles, best fighter and the most beautiful girlfriend. What it comes down to is power, power over your environment and those around you. This can be seen by the beating of his wife and children. He is actively showing his dominance so that they know he is the man of the house and a strong man.
You did an excellent job at identifying the theme of this text. Your analysis that, “he is a slave to his identity” is something that I thought was very perceptive. The text grasped a lot of real world problems that we have going on today. The strange culture that we have today of men trying so hard to prove themselves is an absolute issue. The text also provides an excellent example of how your environment through childhood can shape you as an adult. The text outlined many themes that are going on in modern society that we can learn observe and learn from.
I loved the way you said that Okonkwo was a slave to his identity, as this is such an accurate and powerful way to phrase this. He felt as if he must act to fit the role he was destined to become as soon as he beat the man in wrestling. His ego became boosted, and this is what gave him the confidence to be everything that his father wasn’t. I find it ironic that Okonkwo did everything he thought he could not not be like his father, and that is the same thing Nwoye has done for him. Nwoye abandoned his father’s wishes for him, and it ultimately lead to their relationship’s downfall.
I thoroughly enjoyed your summarization of Things Fall Apart. I agree with you that because Okonkwo was a slave to his own identity he lost some of the most important things in his life. Those included would be, his son Nwoye, Ikemefuna, his wives, and his community. It is obvious that if Okonkwo valued his relationships with loved ones more than his love for asserting dominance and being the most powerful person in the room, he would not have faced such a tremendous downfall.
I loved your interpretation of how Okonknwo would rather die rather than be seen weak similar to his father. This was clearly apparent as he would abuse his children and wife. I believe that this is also a huge issue in today’s society. There’s an overwhelming amount of pressure for men to be seen as masculine and not show emotion. We see in the story the lengths Okonknwo went to prove that and it’s scary to think that If people in today’s society would go to the same lengths. I enjoyed reading your synopsis and your interpretation, I believe it helped me grasp a better understanding of the story.
Hello!
I want to start off by saying that you have put together a beautiful summary of “Things Fall Apart” by China Achebe. Your analysis of the narrative was fantastic and I agree with absolutely everything you said. In the very beginning of your analysis you mention that Okonkwo was “a slave to his own identity”. This is a very true statement that you make here because it was more important for Okonkwo to be projecting strength and masculinity to everyone around him than it was for him to be happy. I would even argue that these traits he was trying so hard to encapsulate within himself is what became his identity. I feel that Okonkwo lost his true self and his idea of this toxic masculinity is what swallowed his identity whole, it is what became him. It is also bizarre to think to our present times and how men are still constantly threatened by their toxic masculinity. It is in my opinion nothing but a societal structure. It is something that our current generations and future generations are slowly breaking, but it is still extremely prevalent within men. I am not saying there is anything wrong with embracing your masculinity as a man, but it becomes so important that it sometimes carries through with actions that can be extremely harmful, just like it did with Okonkwo. Violence and strength is not what defines a man, and I think this is an important idea that more men need to hear.
I really appreciate your presentation of Okonkwo’s thoughts and your summary of the story. This actually side-steps something about the family factor. okonkwo is extremely disgusted by his father’s weak approach. His father was good for nothing, had nothing to do, and was mild-mannered, which led to Okonkow’s distaste for these traits. Under this influence, he becomes the complete opposite, fiery and masculine. It is for this reason that he injured his wife and accidentally killed the tribe. This left his oldest son with the impression that it was bad to be so “brave and warlike”. This may also have been the trigger for his oldest son to join Christianity of his own accord, since Christianity is somehow more moderate.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your presentation of the story. The themes and ideas brought up in the story were summarized nicely in your writing. Okonkwo struggles with his identity and sense of self. he worked feverishly to distances his character from that of his father. His presentation as a tribal leader showed he had the aptitude to usurp his upbringing. but ultimately fell prey to the same issues as his father. He had unresolved daddy issues and the toxic masculinity and hatred within himself aided in his own destruction. Your piece of writing was clear and concise and I have a better understanding of this weeks piece.
I really enjoyed your presentation. You helped me really understand the importance of the story. You brought up some interesting themes and ideas and summarized them well. Okonkwo struggles with identity throughout the story and you explained that aspect of the story well. One quote that stuck out to me from your presentation was “He is a slave to his own identity. His pursuit to become the most masculine figure in retaliation of his own father is the root of his downfall.” This really helped me further understand the importance of identity by explaining how it affected Okonkwo. Overall I really enjoyed your presentation and think you did a very good job with it.
Awesome job on your presentation! You really gave me a better understanding of the story and showed me the importance of it. You did great talking about Okonkwo and his identity struggles.
Excellent post, this is a deep read so I enjoyed your post explaining everything. That was a great way to put it, “He is a slave to his own identity”. His downfall was definitely his mindset and the fear of being weak, which caused so much pain to everyone around him. It is crazy to think that a simple mindset could have so much impact.
This was a great and well-structured analysis, very nice job. I really like how you were ablet o so clearly show how Okonkwo mindset led to his downfall. You used some really great examples from the text that show how exactly Okonkwo’s concern about his dignity resulted in him making some poor decisions. One thing I learned is that one of the overall themes of Things Fall Apart is not to let your ego get in the way of true happiness. I think that if Okonkwo was not so concerned with his ego and what everyone else thought of him that his quality of life would have been much better. Okonkwo would have been able to form better relationships with his family instead of having his son hate him in the same way that he hated his father. It ironic that Okonkwo did everything in his power to not be like his father and Nwoye ends up wanting no relationship with Okonkwo because of the way he treated people. Okonkwo is so concerned with being seen as the alpha male that he puts his appearance before everything else. This obviously does not lead to his happiness as we know that Okonkwo eventually kills himself.
Your presentation is very good. It has a good description of Okonowko’s heart and the formation of his character, because in Okonowko’s view, the comparison of a man to a woman is naturally the biggest personal attack on him, and his character formation has a lot to do with his father. His own character also affects his growth. Your narration is very detailed. You can analyze the reasons for the formation of character from the character’s heart. At the same time, you also have a clear description of Okonowko’s growth track and add an understanding of African culture. Okonkwo is a tragic hero. He wanted to get rid of the shadow brought by his father all his life, but finally chose to hang himself. This behavior is also despised by the tribe. However, this is also his last resistance to the collapsing tribe
Your presentation was very good. It replicated the story very well. You did a good job explaining the hypocrisy in this story. Okonkwo wanted to be nothing like his father. He said his father was lazy and didn’t pay back the villagers. Okonkwo did worse than being in debt. He beat his wife, killed his children , and failed his community. He was trying so hard not to be like his father. He ended up being an even worse version of him.
Your first paragraph was very informational regarding Okonkwo as a character in the book, his personality and how he acted. In the second paragraph I found it to be very detailed on the events that started taking place in the story. It was a very good way to sum up important events.
I think your analysis of the story was very detailed and well explained. It gave me a good understanding of who Okonkwo was and his struggles. I also liked how you talked about his relationship with his father