Here is the space to talk about the first third of Things Fall Apart. Read all the comments before you post and try to respond specifically to other people's comments. Avoid repeating ideas that others have presented; make every effort to move the conversation forward.
50 comments:
I think the reason I find Things Fall Apart so interesting is that the culture is so drastically different from ours. From the very first page, it’s clear that elders are the most respected, physical strength can be related to status, and speaking through idioms and proverbs shows your intelligence. Whereas in America, elders aren’t expected to fend for themselves, physical strength has nothing to do with one’s power in society, and proverbs can be rather…cheesy. The whole culture itself seems very ritualistic, what with the “breaking of the kola nut” when guests arrive.
With the contrast between Unoka and Okonkwo, the reader immediately gains a sense of rebellion from the latter. Unoka is lazy, shameful, and unreliable. Okonkwo is strong, respected, and a leader. It’s clear that Unoka and Okonkwo never had a close relationship and I think that the lack of fatherly guidance could account for why Okonkwo has such a cold-hearted exterior. He basically had to fight for a good life on his own and his story kind of reminds me of Ghenghis Khan. He learned to ride horses, hunt, and fight at a very young age and grew to become one of the greatest rulers in Mongol history—all because his father was killed by a competitor tribe when he was a young boy. Okonkwo’s story is similar in how he learned to wrestle and farm skillfully at a young age because his father could not teach him. His father was the village bum, so Okonkwo basically had to fight for himself and make a name for himself.
I found the scene where Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna very heartbreaking. I had the feeling before they announced he would be killed that Ikemefuna would take after Okonkwo and work on his farm, and maybe follow in Okonkwo’s footsteps. I found it disturbing that Okonkwo came along with those planning to sacrifice him and even more disturbing that he actually was the one to kill Ikemefuna. It makes me wonder if there is really any good in Okonkwo at all.
Something I’ve noticed about the author, Chinua Achebe, is that he often will leave the reader hanging in a way. He’ll make the reader interested in a story, such as when Ezinma was sick with the obi, but not talk of her recovery. Or there was also the part where Ekwefi followed Chielo and Ezinma to the shrine where Agbala stays, yet never followed up with what happened in the shrine or anything else about Ezinma’s adventure. Part One finished off once again with Achebe leaving the reader hanging by saying that “Okonkwo’s gun had exploded”, killing a boy. It’s revealed that this was accidental but Achebe leaves the reader hanging once again.
Usually, when it comes to discussing the themes of a novel, it is most difficult to gather evidence and information to support a theme. Authors do not write their novels by theme, the themes just appear as the masterpiece is created. In Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, it is clear that the theme presented in the first third of the novel is masculinity and what it means to be a man. Okonkwo is the son of Unoka. Umuofia, the village in which they live is the most powerful and all of the surrounding land fears its strength. Unoka is infamous for being the town coward and spendthrift. When Unoka had died, he had left no title and was heavily in debt. This put Okonkwo in a tough position because the sons of Umuofia inherit their fathers money and land and are looked upon to take care of the family. Okonkwo did not inherit
“a barn nor a title, nor even a young wife.”
Fortunately, for Okonkwo, men were judged according to their worth, not to the worth of their fathers. This gave Oknokwo all the more reason to claim a name for himself in Umuofia. Unlike his father, Okonkwo “ruled his house with a heavy hand.” Okonkwo is not a cruel man, but a respected leader among his people. Though he may appear tough on the outside and show no emotion of anything less than anger, inwardly his whole life is dominated by fear. He fears failure and weakness because he does not want to leave behind a meaningless legacy as Unoka had.
I found it interesting that Okonkwo found more promise in Ikemefuna than in his own son Nwoye. Okonkwo is worried about Nwoye because he fears that in some respects he resembles Unoka. Okonkwo states “a bowl of pounded yams can throw him in a wrestling match.” In other words, he is not as strong and Okonkwo does not see power in Nwoye when he gets older. The bond between Nwoye and Ikemefuna is something special and symbolic. The two develop a close relationship with each other. Nwoye looks up to Ikemefuna because he is older and from another village and therefore he can share a different perspective on life and stories with Nwoye. I believe that the bond between Nwoye and Ikemefuna represents the bond that Oknokwo never had with his father Unoka. Okonkwo sees Nwoye obtaining similar characteristics as Unoka. Okonkwo becomes fond of Ikemefuna. Ikemefuna calls Okonkwo “father” and Okonkwo sees no harm in this because he visualizes Ikemefuna as a perfect clansman. Yet, Okonkwo does not demonstrate his feelings of affection toward Ikemefuna for fear that it would make him look weak, like his father. It was clear that Okonkwo had faith that Ikemefuna would take pride in his work of the farm and follow in Okonkwo’s footsteps.
I loved the story about the tortoise and the birds that Ekwefi told Ezinma. The story allows the audience to be exposed to the Igbo folklore. In the tale, the tortoise of course “had no wings, but he went to the birds and asked to be allowed to go with them.” The tortoise was cunning and ungrateful. Eventually, the tortoise convinced the birds to let him travel with them. This folk tale is symbolic for the colonialism that will descend upon Umuofia. This is the second of the two intertwining stories that concerns the clash of cultures and the destruction of Okonkwo’s world with “the arrival of aggressive European missionaries.” I am looking forward to experiencing the way Achebe illustrates the colonialism of Umuofia. I also believe that the arrival of the locusts symbolize the arrival of the colonists that will come. The locusts change the farms and the surroundings in Umuofia. In allegorical terms, we can anticipate the destruction and doom. I found the instance where the branches were breaking because of the weight of the locusts to be most symbolic. The breaking branches represent the upheaval to come and the roots of the Igbo society, which will not be able to survive under the settlement of the Europeans.
I got right into the beginning of the story. I like how we can immediately see the laws and relationships of Okonwo's clan. When Unoka's neighbor visits him to collect money, but it's not just about the money, they share food and pray first. It's not like if someone had to pay debts here; they would probably be jumped.
Religion is a big part of the lives in the clan. Do one thing to upset the priest or the rest of the clan and you are basically shunned for life. Nobody will accept anything you offer. Like when Okonwo broke the peace during the sacred week, the priest chastised him for endangering the community.
I also liked the story of the Tortoise and the birds. It kind of reminds me of the locusts that are in Chapter 7 because they are symbolic of the colonialism in Umuofia. The tale also represents ways of defeat. When the birds strip the tortoise of the feathers they gave him; it shows cooperation among the birds. And then the parrot outwits the tortoise too.
(I read the book chapter by chapter then make some comments so my predictions are made before I finished reading all of part one)
As Sam said, something that definitely caught my attention in the book was the appearance of culture. More specifically, I noticed that the first three chapters mentioned their culture in relation to music. In almost every turn of the page, there was a mention about a tune, a beat of the drum, a hum, or any musical related term. I wonder if that will be a theme throughout the rest of the book and if it actually is a big part of their culture.
Culture wise, we have a completely different way of living. For example, the story of Ogbuefi Udo’s wife being killed and replaced by a fifteen year old girl who was negotiated for, would just seem like a raunchy and wrong solution to such a problem. But in their culture, it was expected. As others said, that’s what makes the book so interesting. It’s the fact that we are reading about something we have never heard about or learned about that keeps me reading this book.
I agree with Sam with how the author leaves the reader hanging a bit. He tells a story and at the end, he gives us almost enough to finish the story, but not the little details that may still be needed. I wonder if he will shift back and forth into a story he told earlier in the book and tell the reader the full story. Sort of like Deng did with What is the What.
As far as theme goes for the first few chapters, I feel like it deals a lot with power. More than power: masculine power? If that makes any sense. It’s almost like survival of the fittest. The most powerful and most knowledgeable will be the ones to survive and the ones most looked upon. This is shown, for example, when Okonkwo makes his way to a powerful and well known person in the tribe area.
I was going to split up my parts with in equal pages, but I see that the actual parts of the book were followed ,so I will just go with the sections of the book.
I read the whole book before I comment so, I will try my best to stay on the part one events.
I agree with Samantha that the lack of “fatherly guidance” could account for Okonkwo’s exterior. However, this same lack of guidance is what caused Okonkwo to grow with a sturdy belief of what it is to be a man. Yes, maybe some people would disagree with Okonkwo’s perspective of manhood, but these are the ideas that lead him to be one of the most powerful men in his tribe. Personally, I believe Okonkwo fulfilled a small portion of my idea of manhood, even if I disagree with his heavy hand and his burning fire of a temper. He provided for his family comfortably, and he kept them secure and under control. Surely, Okonkwo did not step in the path of his fathers legacy. If it were not for his father’s lack of power, I do not believe that Okonkwo would have been the effective aspect of his clan during the life that he lived. Agreeing with Renee, I also believe that Okonkwo led his life in fear. So, with all his power he fought to not become like his father. He was shielding himself with his violent hand and words, only for a better life. His fear became the leading factor to his achievements.
I find it very interesting that the son that was not Okonkwo’s, Ikemefuna, was the son that pleased Okonkwo the most. I believe that Okonkwo was so proud and effected that he felt the need to be the one who killed Ikemefuna. If he had not done so, he probably would not have been able to live with the fact that he cared for some one ,that was not of his own blood, so much that he became a “woman”. What is a woman to Okonkwo? A woman was one who showed their feelings, was a afraid to fight, weak. A woman was someone who did not lead an honorable life, who did not supply for their family, unsuccessful. A woman was simply not a man. A woman was everything Okonkwo was not. Okonkwo was not his father. (I do not agree with ANY of this by the way. Times have changed and a woman is now all those things Okonkwo does not recognize and beyond)
Every time I think about Okonkwo’s actions and ideas, I can help to think about his father. Even though he wanted nothing to do with his father, I feel that because he of this the father stayed in the back of my mind. Form the first few pages I never forgot the father, because my first impression of Okonkwo was through his father. I understood Okonkwo through his father, just because he tried so hard to be opposite.
Overall, reading the first part of the book I became aware of a culture I had kept in the back of my mind from history class. The culture of the people of Africa, before imperialism. These people lived without real currency , but the idea of trade. Yet, they still led a fulfilling lives, and were happy to an extent. They led both simple and complicating lives, that outsiders would not understand; Just like someone said in one of the pages of the book “a custom of one clan, is an abomination to others” , or something like that.
Seeing some more comments here I wanted to go back and re-read. I feel like Achebe wanted his reader to see that this book had a balanced and sensitive portrait of Igbo culture.
As i went back through this first section of the book, I noticed that digression was one of Achebe's most important tools. He really takes any opportunity he can to tell us about a past incident and the incidents didn't even have to be that important.
I don't think anyone mentioned it, but I also noticed that ambition and greatness were two closely connected themes. Okonkwo was determined to be the opposite of his father. He has already taken two titles and he was rich. He worked his whole life to win the respect of his people. But i think his work ethic and his ambition gave rise to his faults. He was a harsh man, quick to anger and without humility. The theme of ambition has its converse too, and it is Okonkwo's fear of failure that makes him a harsh man. He is strong, but he fails to see that his wives and children are not as physically strong as he. Yet he drives them to work as hard as he does. All of his wives and children fear him. Okonkwo tries to help his son, Nwoye, by being doubly harsh on him. But this approach is turning Nwoye into a sad and resentful youth.
Achebe is definitely clever; he paints a picture that questions manhood, gender roles, individual vs. society tensions, and culture. Let’s start off with the protagonist, Okonkwo. I obviously agree with Samantha that Achebe creates a contrast between Okonkwo and his father to illustrate their differences. Unoka is lazy, musical, talkative while Okonkwo is hard-working, stoic, and silent. What forms in Okonkwo is the cliché façade of a “manly man” hiding all his emotions and only showing emotions. It mirrors a documentary I watched last year (when testing out research paper topics) about how culture forces males into an “act of toughness” that they feel necessary. Is Okonkwo really the super tough woman beater he pretends to be? Probably yes, after all, he did defeat the legendary Cat. But still—he feels the need to continuously reassert this, as we see when he basically slaughters Ikemefuna.
And what does this hint at? Insecurity. Renee is spot on when she comments that Okonkwo fears becoming like Unoka. This fear and insecurity is symbolized in the gun. Guns are vicious, violent, and ready to burst at any moment just like Okonkwo. They take skill and practice to wield correctly. When Okonkwo tries to shoot at Ekwefi after her snide comment, he misses. Later, he accidently kills somebody with it. This suggests a weakness in his gun, his outbursts.
But I guess there’s still a major loophole in my argument. What if Okonkwo really just doesn’t have any strong emotions toward his family? Well, the scene where he stays up all night to protect Ezinma when she is with Chielo shows this, especially because Okonkwo had become “gravely worried.” To me, this scene was the climax of Part One. After all, the supposedly “weak” women show a lot of strength too! Ekwefi promises to “defend [Ezinma] against all gods in the world. [Ekwefi] would die with her.” The whole night chase was a very bold move by Ekwefi. It shows the true colors of both characters.
Everyone else who commented seems extremely intrigued by the cultural aspects of this novel. It certainly humanizes African culture, which us World History geeks know was always seen as savage throughout history. And we all know from the back of the book that the Europeans, king of colonization, are going to come into play later in the book. I’m sure Achebe humanizes the Nigerians so we’ll instantly side with them and hate the Europeans.
But I honestly feel like its more complex than that, which is why I’m bringing it up. Nobody else seemed to mention the ironic, somewhat mocking tone Achebe uses to describe some of their traditions. In the scene where the egwugwu, who are supposedly spirits, settle disputes, some of the woman notice that one of the egwugwu have the “walk of Okonkwo” but kept it to themselves. And still, they all pretend to be really scared of the spirits. What wait? Achebe definitely makes fun of the fact that they cling so closely to these traditions that they know are in fact not completely correct. Obierika questions these traditions, but Okonkwo is dismissive. For what purpose does Achebe create this irony? I hypothesize that Okonkwo’s close clinging to tradition will somehow either hurt either himself or his village later in the novel. We shall see.
In chapter one of Things Fall Apart, we are introduced to the main character, Okonwo, who is immediately described as a powerful, sucessful man in his clan. Okonwo's great reputation is made clear in the story of his greatest victory as a wrestler, in which he "brought honor to his villiage by throwing Amalince the cat."
As the story goes on, Okonwo's past is told. His father, Unoka, was the total oppopsite of Okonwo. Unoka was a lazy man who never bothered to increase his rank in the clan, and would constantly borrow money from his neighbors without paying them back. Even the oracle of the clan calls him "lazy," and tells him to "work like a man." Unoka was also a man of music and language, not of war, which was widely looked down upon.
Okonwo credits his ambition and drive to become such a great man to his fathers laziness and lack of sucess. Okonwo tells a story of how he had to build his farm and grow his yams on his own, with help from friends and wealthy clansmen, as his father had nothing for Okonwo to inherit. "Looking at a king's mouth," said an old man, "one would think he never sucked at his mother's breast." This quote shows how Okonwo is such a determined man that it seems as though he recieved no help from his parents and made himself all on his own.
Okonwo, a man who constantly beats his wife and kids just as an outlet to release anger, is given the responsibility of looking after a sacrafice from a neighbor clan. The young boys name is Ikemefuna. Over time, the boy becomes quite strong, and Okonwo takes a particular fondess in the boy, crediting him with guiding his real son, Nwoye, in the direction to becoming a man.
One day, after a swarm of locusts appear, the oracle of the clan proclaims that Ikemefuna must be killed. After being marched far away from Okonwo's Obi, a man attempts to kill the young boy, who runs to Okonwo for protection. Okonwo, fearing weakness, "cuts the boy down." After a few days, Okonwo slips into a depression over killing the boy, showing that his relentless pride and fear of weakness caused him to do something that he regrets, which may be the first stepping stone to a change in Okonwo.
I'm a little confused with this book. It isn't what I was expecting, yet it is still interesting. It's exotic.
While Unoka is portrayed right now as being "lazy, shameful, and unreliable", as Samantha.M.S said, I wonder what perspective that view is from. I feel like it is from Okonkwo's perspective, and if that is the case then I think that what he sees as unworthy is actually more like enlightenment. I feel that often Okonkwo mistakes a philosopher for a weakling, but a clan actually needs both to survive. This reminds me of something I once was told: early Native American tribes would cast their women out into the depths of the forest for the duration of their menstrual cycle each month, thinking that it was some kind of evil when in reality it was the sign that they were healthy and fertile, which is of course what you would want in order to have your tribe carry on for generations. But they didn't know any better back then, and Okonkwo doesn't know any better right now.
From the beginning, before even opening the book, the reader can tell that the plot will result in something going wrong because of the title. Okonkwo seems to be the main character, so I think it will be he that falls apart, that it will be Okonkwo's "strength" that is his downfall. He seems so proud that he is almost thick. He is warned to stay far away from Ikemefuna's death because Ikemefuna calls him father, yet Okonkwo follows the men and the boy anways, thinking " 'how can a man who has killed five men in battle fall to pieces because he has added a boy to their number? Okonkwo, you have become a woman indeed.' "(Achebe 65). That is a very daft thing to do, and Okonkwo pays for it when his gun goes off. He must flee the clan, leave everything he has toiled so hard for, because of an accident that could have been avoided had he admitted that he should have stayed clear of this event. It isn't good to shut human nature and human emotion away and inside of you, and I think that Okonkwo's ways will continue to haunt him throughout the book.
Honestly, after reading all of the comments written so far, I have nothing to say. Anything that is on my mind about this book has pretty much already been said. I feel like now the only aspect of the book (for part one) I can justly comment on is the title/cover. How many of us took the time to think about the title, to actually think about the words in it? Or did you rip the book open; just to read the first page? Did you glance at all the books in Ms. Clapp’s class and decide to read this one first based purely on the fact that it is slimly bound, lightweight and has appealing colors? I know I did. Maybe we should start literally judging books by their covers.
I recognize the front cover of "Things Fall Apart" as very unique. It stands out in my mind among other books I have read. When looking at the cover, I noticed the bold lettering and font size. Hold “Things Fall Apart” and “How to Read Literature Like a Professor” side by side. Both books have an image in the middle and the author’s name typed on the bottom of the front cover. They both have tiny blips of information provided as well. While “How to Read Literature Like a Professor” has “A lively and entertaining guide to reading between the lines” written across the bottom half, “Things Fall Apart” depicts the simple words of “50th Anniversary Edition”.
Think of other books you have read. How is the cover of any book different than the cover of “Things Fall Apart”? What can an author convey JUST through a book cover? Do you think it’s possible to foreshadow the events of a story based on assumptions you visually make before even reading the text?
Does anybody have any thoughts on this? I feel that readers overlook the detail put into book covers too often.
Part 1 of Things Fall Apart is a lot to take in. Achebe wastes no time and digs right into the gory culture of Onkonkwo's tribe. Above, Rachael mentions what the meaning could be of the cover of this book. In my opinion, it's an introduction to Okonkwo's culture. Readers are already immersed in a new, exotic environment by simply looking at the African mask this book portrays. The book cover is also red, which could symbolize the countless characters in the book who have had their blood spilled even in part one of Things Fall Apart. Red could also be the color of Okonkwo's constant rage portrayed throughout part one. Achebe could have used this cover as a sort of "visual" introduction to his book. Because the cover of Things Fall Apart says so much about Okonkwo's culture, readers can dive right into the story knowledgeably instead of having to sit through a preface or a long introduction to the setting of the story. In my opinion, the cover of Achebe's novel was a wise choice.
Speaking of the color red, did anybody else notice the repeating theme of the color red so far in Things Fall Apart? Red is the most used color in this book. Achebe describes red as the color of Okonkwo's drunken, tear-filled eyes after Ikemefuna's death when he says, "his eyes were red and fierce like the eyes of a rat" (63). Along with many instances like this, fire (often associated with the color red), occurs often in this book. Pages 41 and 59 are just a few examples of the repetition of fire. Red and fire and usually associated with rage and destruction, maybe this symbolizes Okonkwo...?
One more thing. An example of Achebe's tone that Terenzi didn't mention in his post is when a tribesman named Machi says (in response to hearing that people can have white skin,) "That cannot be. . .you might as well say that the woman lies on top of the man when they are making the children" (74). Since there are people with white skin in the world, and those who make babies with the women on top (haha), Achebe could be showing how oblivious their culture is in certain ways.
A lot of what I had in my mind and wanted to say has already been talked about.
The first thing that crossed my mind while reading the book was the culture. The book is very ethnical. It shows how different the traditions were for that culture during that time period to present life, today. The whole tribe is very supersticious with their rituals and the spirits. It struck me how men have so many wives and the women do whatever their husband tells them to do. Today, it is clear that women have gained a lot more power, self right, and independence. When Ikemefuna was sent to live with Okonkwo it reminded me of how dominated certain civilizations were over one another. One always had more power.
Another topic that really surprised me was how in the book "a man is judged by the work of his hands". I found it very unique how many things in life have changed. Like today, a man is technically judged by what he has; being that people are very materialistic. I wonder why Okonkwo never shows any emotion. It doesn't make him any less of man to express what he feels.
Okonkwo is a leader, and is very powerful. He is the opposite of his father. I think that he never shows emotion and is tough on his family (aside from the fact that men were allowed to beat their wives and children) but because he doesn't want to be considered less of a man and be seen as weak. Having power in the society may have taken over who Okonkwo is as a person. Okonkwo has achieved more than his father had, but he is still stuck in the past which has a chief effect on his "manliness" affecting him. "Okonkwo was not a cruel man. But his whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and weakness." (p 13). Okonkwo is not his father and will never be and that's what he needs to realize instead of having to live his life in fear and trying to be an over achiever. No one ever wants to fail or be considered weak but in my opinion Okonkwo is a bit weak because (aside from having proved that he can accomplish things that the previous generation hadn't) he hasn't neccessarily shown that he's felt any thing other than fear, he's almost...heartless.
So pretty much everybody has said this, but I think the most striking part of Achebe’s writing (aside from his brilliant characterization of Okonkwo through comparisons between the different father/son relationships – and father/daughter – but I’ll get to those later), is the enormous cultural contrast he creates. I’m pretty sure Things Fall Apart was originally written in English, which means Achebe knew exactly how different his culture was from the one to which his book was marketed. He sets about illustrating this contrast literally throughout the entirety of the first part of the novel; the differences are barely set aside for a few sentences, let alone for a full page. I won’t go too into it, because pretty much everyone else has, but it’s still the most evident part of the novel (and, I think, why it’s so acclaimed).
These differences culminate in the climax of this individual part; Ekwefi’s personal conflict (whether to follow the priestess, as is her gut instinct purely because of her love for her daughter, or stay home as she had been ordered, which, even as she chases Chielo, she feels almost obligated to do for fear that Agbala will do her harm [105]) clearly emphasizes the importance of spirituality to the Ibo people, as well as the deep set belief they have in their gods. Interestingly, Ekwefi and Okonkwo both side with their base parental instincts and not their religious beliefs, which makes them very relatable despite the cultural disparity – after all, what parent, believing his/her child was in danger, would not chase a priestess through some villages to save said child? Achebe’s emphasis on this love that Ekwefi and Okonkwo have for Ezinma essentially turns them into human beings, minimizing any other differences we may have felt between ourselves (i.e. westerners) and them (the very antithesis of anything western– though I kind of doubt it will stay that way for long).
As Renee and Sam mentioned, Okonkwo’s father was essentially useless. He left Okonkwo with virtually nothing (except 400 seed-yams [24]). But though we was definitely a lazy bum (in this case a man who preferred music and conversation to fighting and farming), he was not a hated man by any means – though “people laughed at him because he was a loafer,” they also always loaned him more money even when they knew he would never pay them back (5). However, he lacked the respect of his son, who is “well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond” (1), not only for being a spectacular wrestler but also for being the very definition of a self-made man, and everybody know this. Horatio Alger would’ve loved him. Okonkwo is the complete opposite of his father – just as the old man said, “Looking at a king’s mouth...one would think he never sucked at his mother’s breast” (26). This disparity was created by Okonkwo completely deliberately. Okonkwo’s “whole life was dominated be fear, the fear of failure and weakness” (13) – essentially everything he believed his father to be, an “agbala” (13).
(continued from the last one because my life is a joke)
Then we have the relationship between Okonkwo and Nwoye, which feels a bit like the relationship between Okonkwo and his father, only with personality traits switched. Okonkwo is still the same farmer/warrior he’s always been – the ultimate definition of a man, at least in this village; Nwoye, however, is very different. Nwoye, in fact, does not seem to fit in very well in Umuofia; not only is he the only one (besides the priestess) whose name begins with a consonant (a deliberate choice on Achebe’s part? His name starts with a consonant too, I notice), but he is also the only male who cannot seem to stomach death – specifically that of twins who are left to die in the forest (62). He prefers “the stories that his mother used to tell...stories of the tortoise and his wily ways, and of the bird eneke-nti-oba who challenged the whole world to a wrestling contest” to the “masculine stories of violence and bloodshed” that his father loves to tell (53). But Okonkwo sees these differences as a sign of laziness; Okonkwo, perhaps misguidedly, wants his son to be like him, “a great farmer and a great man” (33). Nwoye, however, is not; the only way he becomes any more like his father is under the influence of Ikefuma. This is probably why Okonkwo felt so strongly about Ikefuma; Ikefuma was everything Nwoye is not; he was a promising child who eventually came to call Okonkwo his father (57), and Okonkwo thought of him as his son right up to the moment that “Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down” (61). It’s very Isaac and Abraham, except for the biggest and probably most important difference: Okonkwo was told not to kill Ikefuma, to let the others do it, and instead killed him himself, while Abraham was told to kill Isaac, but for his obedience had his son’s life spared.
Okonkwo’s reaction to this is probably more important than anything leading up to it, at least in terms of his relationship with Ikefuma. Instead of recovering quickly as he does in war, Okonkwo “did not not taste any food for two days after the death of Ikefuma...He did not sleep at night. He tried not to think about Ikefuma, but the more he tried the more he thought about him” (63). Again, Okonkwo loved Ikefuma; he thought of him as a son, maybe even more than he did Nwoye. It’s sort of depressing, really, but it also reveals that Okonkwo, though he does not want anybody to know it, does have emotions, emotions that appear to be very strong (though typically hidden).
We see these emotions once more toward the end, in the scene I’ve already mentioned, when Okonkwo and Ekwefi both chase after the priestess and their daughter, fearing her death. We also see Okonkwo’s intense fear when Ezinma falls ill, fear that culminates in anger (56) because it is weak for him as a man to show fear. But it makes sense; Achebe tells us that “Okonkwo was specially fond of Ezinma” (44) and that he wishes she were born a boy because he has more confidence in her than he does in Nwoye.
But really, what does all this tell us? Mainly, that Okonkwo strives to be everything that his father isn’t: unlike his father, he puts significant effort into raising and disciplining his children; he spends much of his life creating a household that his family will be able to live off of for several generations; he despises weakness and laziness; it is all very idle-hands-do-the-devil’s-work. Okonkwo is not a bad father – far from it. Rather, he is a heavy-handed discipliner who strives to create the best possible future for his children. Of course, the irony here is that it all goes to hell as soon as he (accidentally?) shoots a man at the end of part one.
...omg I totally went overboard didn’t I.
In reading “Things Fall Apart”, I couldn’t help but compare it to “The Namesake”. While the novels have their own unique plots and characters, I feel as though they are also teaching readers some of the same ideas. In a way, these two novels are perfect examples of how radically different people can have similar issues going on in their lives.
The fundamental difference between the two novels is that the setting of “Things Fall Apart” is in Africa, as opposed to North America and Asia, as it is in “The Namesake”. More specifically, the story takes place in the village of Umuofia. Similarly, though, the main character, Okonkwo, tries to distance himself from his father and build a respectable life of his own, just as Gogol had. He tries to gain the approval of his fellow men and earn an honest living for his wives and children, instead of depending on others and failing to reimburse them. My prediction is that this determination of Okonkwo will eventually be responsible for his downfall. Both novels discuss the idea of obedience and adjusting your lifestyle in order to fit into peoples ideas of what is acceptable in society. Unoka was lazy and a freeloader, qualities that were looked negatively upon in this particular society. Since he didn’t alter his lifestyle habits-i.e. get a paying job and support his family-his fellow villagers saw him as a parasite and he died with a bad reputation. However, I’m pretty sure those qualities are looked down upon in many other societies, as well.
It’s interesting that Okonkwo went on to achieve so much for himself and his community, given the kind of father he had. I believe that when people grow into adults, they can either emulate their parents and their lifestyle choices, or they can rebel against it. In Okonkwo’s case, he grew up with a lazy father who fed off of other people’s funds. Okonkwo disdained his father’s behavior whilst growing up, so he strove to become an entirely different man. He grows up to become a hardened man with high expectations for his life and family, due to the shame he felt as a young man. This is noted in the following quote: “Okonkwo’s first son, Nwoye, was then twelve years old but was already causing his father great anxiety for his incipient laziness. At any rate, that was how it looked to his father...” (13). Okonkwo’s chronic fear of failure has transferred from his own life to that of his son’s. He doesn’t want his son to bring him the shame that his own father brought him years earlier. Besides that, he has developed his own definition of masculinity that he expects his son to adhere to. He sees men as having to be strong, iron-fisted providers for a family.
Childhood is one of the most significant times in a person’s life because it is when a majority of their personality and habits are developed. In turn, Okonkwo doesn’t want his son to pick up lazy habits, for fear that he may ultimately end up as a bum. However, Okonkwo resorts to “beating and nagging” for his son, which turns him into a sad child.
(continued)
Hasn’t Okonkwo considered that his son might do as he had and rebel against his father’s ways once he is older? His treatment of his son, though well-intention, could ultimately end up damaging his son and his self-esteem. His self-worth could plummet and his feelings of inadequacy might damage any chance he has of a successful future.
That could have been what contributed to him becoming a fighter in his younger days. He wanted to achieve an honorable reputation on his own, showing he could hold his own, even at such a young age. He wanted to prove himself, to prove his masculinity and his power. He didn’t want the other villagers to think he was weak and unable to achieve success for himself. He didn’t want them to think he was his father.
So far, I’ve enjoyed reading the book because it offers a perspective that I’ve rarely gotten to hear from. I can’t recall ever reading a book that was set in Africa, offering the perspective of Africans, as well as favorably illustrating their cultural practices, instead of showing them as wild and lacking in sophistication. The writing is less descriptive than that of “The Namesake”, and I think that has to do with the respective authors wanting to achieve different things in their novels. Jhumpa Lahiri focused on adjectives in order to realistically describe settings-which were vital to grasping the overall message of the book- and the characters’ inner workings. Meanwhile, Chinua Achebe tries to keep his writing as simple as possible, but also manages to paint a realistic portrait of village life and make the characters lifelike. He aims to give readers the idea of certain cultural practices and the disposition of the people in the village. For example, in describing when a neighbor-Okoye-visited Unoka to retrieve a debt, he writes, “Okoye...spoke for a long time, skirting round the subject and then hitting it finally” (7). Okoye didn’t want to embarass or insult Unoka by immediately asking for the debt, something I find to be an admirable quality in a person. This illustrates the manners of the people in the village, and that they knew how best to converse with one of their own. However, the way that Unoka reacts-by laughing out loud-only helps to further cement his reputation as an outsider in his community. He doesn’t respond to Okoye in the same courteous manner in which he had asked him about the debt. Did he think that he was above following the practices of his community? Perhaps he just didn’t want to go through the task of putting on an illusion for his guest. He was honest in his reaction, but I have the feeling that being genuine doesn’t hold the same value as being diligent in that community.
Achebe is showing the reader how important masculinity is to the culture. Men must be masculine, with Okonkwo being the prime example. He is not “soft” on his children; instead, he is stern and a disciplinarian. He fought in his past, but now makes the money for his family through farming.
On another note, a titleless man in this society is referred to with the same word that is used to mean “woman”. Is this a sign of sexism? Yes. Don’t the men realize that women made contributions to society, too? They were the ones raising the children, having to deal with a culture that was patriarchal. They had to deal with being considered second-class citizens, as men were free to have multiple wives and treat them as they’d like.
The sharing of the kola nut is an act of communion. The setting of the book is back in a primitive time, where people are wary of each other and few can be trusted. People are vulnerable when they are eating, thus the sharing of the kola nut symbolizes a welcoming gesture, that the hut is a safe space.
What I found very interesting was the way Okonkwo was raised. His father was nothing more than a beggar. Once his father died, Okonkwo was left to fend for himself and to create a new status for his family. I wonder how much Okonkwo is willing to fight for his title and his own rigid beliefs that have allowed him to move up in the Umofia clan.
For Okonkwo, “his whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of weakness” (Achebe 13). What happens when Okonkwo has to face weakness and failure? That is something interesting I want to see happen later on as the book develops.
Stemming from the society Okonkwo lives in and the way he raised himself, Okonkwo has this idea of sexism, whereas female characteristics are unsavory in men. When he hears that the couple, Ndulue and Ozoemena, has died he hears yet another story that makes him shake his head. Ndulue would always consult Ozoemena on everyday matters, and Okwonko retaliates by saying he thought Ndulue was a strong man, but after hearing that story he is doubtful. Okonkwo does not like the idea of a man going to a woman for help, he sees that as weak. At Okonkwo’s own home he does not have a mutual understanding and caring relationship with his wives. They are terrified of him and Okonkwo is fine with that, he wants them to be terrified, because it means he has power over them. When he needs them, he calls them over to his hut. They can not enter without permission. He also would never consult them on his daily problems. He goes to speak with other men, the elders in the clan.
One of the most interesting parts is when Okonkwo reminisces about his mother. He is trying to kill mosquitoes that are bothering him during the night and he remembers his mother’s stories. However, he thinks, “it was as silly as all women’s stories” (73). Does a story have to be told by a man to make it worthwhile? I think not. This is another example of how Okonkwo puts down women.
One point that Achebe likes to illustrate is the idea of death. There is the death of Okonkwo’s father, which allowed Okonkwo to make a new status for himself. When Ikemefuna dies at the hands of Okonkwo, Okonkwo becomes weak. He can not eat for days and in the back of his mind, he questions whether or not the decision was right. He knows it was not, but he can not be weak, not in a clan where the men must be powerful. The death of Undulue and Ozoemena also symbolized a change in ideas and a bit of foreshadowing of what was to come. Finally, the death of the young boy by an accidental shot from Okonkwo’s gun is the turning point. The strict rules of the clan force Okonkwo and his family to flee.
Achebe wants to tell people that death brings great change. He uses the setting of a more primitive year to show us that death affects everyone regardless of time.
Let there be a note I did read the first paragraph of the second part...that’s why I might of analyzed it like this. The first part of Things Fall Apart works as a set up to the rest of the book. It works to describe the culture of Okonkwo's people effectively making that the social norm in the reader's eyes. Achebe creates this atmosphere because he wants to make the village people the main group creating the atmosphere of the hero while setting up anyone else as the outsider or the weird one.
Achebe continuously mentions the rituals and the social order of their village. From breaking the kola nut every time a guest arrives, bringing palm wine to the breaking of the iyi-uwa when a child is suspected of being a ogbanje. All these ceremonious things are added to create the authenticity of this world. By adding these in it creates routine and with routine comes familiarity allowing the audience to become one with the culture. Going back to Andrew’s mention of world history where these people are seen as savage, Achebe is doing the opposite he is setting these people up as the sane ones. He gives the reader the other side of the story completely excluding the side that has been told over and over again; opposite of the idea that the victors write the history books, he is giving the less lucky the chance to have their story told.
Its a very different world that reader's are used to reading about and that is why he goes into so much depth about it. Achebe is determined in making this culture prominent and not allowing the reader to drift back into the that of the world of "the white skin" (74). This separation is so evident by the natural vide that the society gives when talking about polygamy and when Ikemefuna was put to death. However Ikemefuna’s death also noted on the expectation of males. This might not be a good example because Okonkwo was asked not to take part in the death but it does work as an example of how men feel they need to be viewed as. Though he was told not to kill he still needed to be viewed as a ‘man’ and a ‘man’ does not show his emotions and does not let anything bother him; in other words to be a man you must be: macho and pigheaded. The polygamy also notes on the aspect of females, making them appear more like objects than people. It is not unlike other culture’s where the men have to pay for the wife as well.
In a way its almost connecting this culture to others making it seem less different than ours. Though Achebe is working to make us acknowledge another culture it also shows the similarities giving us the ability to connect.
I found it quite interesting that the more wealth you have the more respect you are given by society. For instance, Okonkwo had three wives because he had so much money he was able to support all of them based on his income. Nwakibie is a villager with nine wives, therefore, he was more respected than Okonkwo in society. However, for our culture having more than one wife is not only a felony, yet, is strongly looked down upon. I also found it interesting that when Okonkwo’s father, Unoka, died his debt was left unpaid. He owed a lot of people money, after his death it was as if he didn’t owe anyone anything.
Noticing how different our culture is from Okonkwo’s culture, I established a similarity between the two worlds. Okonkwo did not want to face his destiny as a crowd like how his father was known by society. He wanted to be a true respected man through society’s eyes, and that’s exactly what he did. Just like in our culture many children do not want to end up like their parents, some may say. For instance, parents always want more for their children. They want them to have more opportunities and choices they never had. Okonkwo driving for success, inspired by his father’s choices in life, is the same common drive many children want to make in our culture as well.
I strongly agree with Kaela’s idea that based on the title the “Things” that fall apart is Okonkwo’s strength. When he used the gun as his weapon, it became a coward act. This whole time what he was trying to avoid is slowly catching up to him. It is kind of ironic and reminds me of the saying “ father like son”.
After reading the first paragraph of Things Fall Apart, I felt sure that I was going to hate reading the book. Achebe’s style of writing differs so drastically from the works I usually read, that it took several pages for me to even get my mind wrapped around the story. However, once I finally managed to adjust to this new style of writing however, what with all of its culturally rich vocabulary (some of which I cannot even understand with the help of context clues), I found appreciation for the book through its context. Like Sam, I find this new, foreign culture’s respect for elders fascinating. In actuality, I find these characters’ entire way of life fascinating, primarily because it is so incredibly alien. The world I live in today consists not of such a caste system—people, for the most part, rank superior to others because of intelligence and wealth and fame and talent, whereas people in this book gain such high respect because of age, physical strength, gender. Such a way of life is primitive in comparison to the way we live today, in America. As such, this book serves as a deep look into history, into the way life was, and—giving the book the fascination factor it holds—the way life will likely never be again.
The topic of social levels closely relates to one great theme of Things Fall Apart: that of maintaining a certain reputation. Renee mentioned the ever-present role of masculinity in this book, which I believe to fall under this theme of living up to a certain image. Okonkwo, like the other men in his tribe, strive to be the best of the best: the most respected, the strongest, the most powerful. Achebe blatantly informs her audience of Okonkwo’s intense manliness from the start. We learn that Okonkwo’s drive sparked from his father’s being “a failure” (5). This connects to, as Andrew suggested, a strong sense of insecurity, which only fueled the fire of Okonkwo’s desire to be the man his father never was, to earn the respect his father never had. Achebe even reveals that his “whole life was dominated by fear,” specifically, “the fear of failure and of weakness” (13). Okonkwo’s “rul[ing] his household with a heavy hand” clearly illustrates how this has affects him and those around him (13). Okonkwo ruled out “everything that his father Unoka had loved,” among these things “gentleness” and “idleness,” in order to erase the reputation his father had left behind and to create an entirely new “title” and reputation for himself (13).
This idea of maintaining a specific image of oneself also exists in entire families in the story. While women constantly try to maintain the “good wife” image, slaving away for their husbands, even handling so much as being shot at, children, particularly sons, are pressured to fit into the same masculine mold as their fathers, competing for respect and honor. Even when the men of the family are not fighting to preserve and prove their masculinity, they are placing valiant efforts to impress others elsewhere. For example, upon the wedding of a child, the youth’s parents and relatives, and even entire village, take extreme measures to impress the family of the other side. It seems that, in this culture, everything is a competition, face value is the only value considered, it is indeed what is on the outside that matters most. Even though people have very different means of earning respect today, in our own culture, this idea prevails.
In the beginning of this novel the author did a surprising thing which was he put the main character’s highest moment of achievement in the beginning of the story, so when this occurs the author is either going to tell the story of the main character’s rise to fame or his downfall from fame. The author begins by describing the great battle that gave Okonkwo his ticket to fame. Then he goes to describe Unoka who was the opposite of his son. Okonkwo’s hate towards Unoko seems to be driving force behind Okonkwo’s ambition and hate for the weak and unsuccessful. Unoko said something that might explain his perception of life which was “whenever he saw a dead man’s mouth he saw the folly of not eating what one had in one’s lifetime”. From the quote I conclude that Unoka was the type of person who wanted to swim the ocean of life rather than swim against the tides. His obsession with enjoying life clouded his judgment and resulted in him disregarding the responsibilities that are also apart of life. His selfish lifestyle leads his family to live to experience tremendous hardships and alluded from what was really important in life until he died.
This figurative blindness is one if not the only things he shares with his son. Lawrence Durrell wrote “character is damaged in some way or another no matter how careful or fortunate we might seem we don’t get through life without being marked by that experience”. Okonkwo’s past experiences have molded him into the person that he is, but that’s not all they did Just because he has risen to great heights does not mean he can’t fall from there. The mark that stayed with him through his experiences l believe with lead to downfall. The main problem with Okonkwo and he has many is just like his father is that he is blind to the fact that his putting his values in the wrong things and it’s leading down a dangerous path. The extent is so fetal that even with the knowledge of the importance of peace week he was not able to hold himself back.
The killing of his stepson with his own hands was the true symbol to how far he had fallen. The elder had asked him stay behind because his stepson called him father, but Okonkwo thinking in doing so is acting like a coward decided to commit the horrific act even with knowledge of how much it would weigh on his soul. To some Okonkwo seems like a strict Dad who wants only the best for his family which is fine, but he carries all his pain and sorrow with him. He never lets it go which means he lives his life according to his past hardships. The problem with that is things change and his children are not like him. His inability realize that sometimes the presumptions we have in life have to change is a fatal mistake he will live with for the rest of his life just like his father who was ignorant to this to the end.
The death of Okonkwo’s stepson seemed like a rewrite of the Abraham’s story except it’s not a test and there is no divine intervention. This act and Nwoyo’s growing anger is a sigh for trouble ahead. Since the setting is a village that worships gods, offering sacrifices for gods and strong ties on tradition is inevitable , but I found the story of Ani interesting because she reminds of the Greek goddess Demeter who was used to explain the different seasons and as well as growing seasons. The worship of gods in the story is not only important because they answer questions human can’t, but also because the villager’s morals reflect their respect to the gods. Okonkwo is special because his values come from his experiences not his fear for gods. For example he hit his wife on a peace day something you could not do even if you found her cheating. This in turn separates him from the rest and the rest from him which I believe will be the last piece that will bring everything to crush down on him once and for all.
After reading all these comments everything i was thinking has been said.
I agree with Renee and Terenzi all the way about Okonkwo being insecure. He very much lives in fear of weakness and becoming like his father. I've noticed that Okonkwo never does anything for himself. It's always because he's afraid he will look weak. This was evident with the murder of Ikemefuna. "Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought weak." (61) This was very disturbing to read and at the same time this event made me dislike Okonkwo even more. In my opinion doing something because you are scared what others might think already makes you weak in my eyes.
Yet again I also agree with Samantha on the fact that Okonkwa's hard exterior is because of his father, Unoka's failure. His whole life Okonkwo does everything to be everything his father wasn't. He had a great disadvantage growing up with literally nothing. His story is like a rags to riches. I respect that he has worked hard to get what he wants but I think he should soften up a bit and find a heart because he obviously does not have one. Although his father was not rich he seemed like a kind hearted man who was happy which is what counts.
Like many cultures, the people of Umuofia scorn women. The people of Umuofia treat women as if they are objects with a price tag. Like when Obierika was deciding on a bride price for his daughter Akueke."They haggle and bargain as if they were buying a goat or a cow in the market." (73) I abhor how much these people belittle women. Like Gabby said, it shows how far women have come along.
Rachael I also did not pay attention to the significance of the title at all and how it foreshadows the european invasion or how Okonkwa will crumble. Thanks for pointing that out!
I also noticed how Umuofia is very religious and superstitious just like Tibetans. The superstition about how "children were warned not to whistle at night for fear of evil spirits," (9) is also believed by Tibetans. Yes I know it sounds weird.
This book is very different from the past books I have read. I find the African culture very unique and intriguing. The way this book is going, I think it is going to be a very meaningful story.
In Chapters 1-8 of Things Fall Apart, I saw a few themes as well as some interesting details begin to form. First off, we introduced to Okonkwo, a highly respected warrior and self-made wealthy yam farmer from the Umuofia clan.
Okonkwo is a violent man, with "no patience for unsuccessful men" like his father, Unoka, who was a man of peace, language, and music and was seen as "lazy" and a "debtor" by everyone in their village. It is revealed that it was fear of being like his father, the "fear of failure and weakness" and "hatred of everything his father had loved, which included gentleness and idleness" that drives Okonkwo and forces him to beat his three wives and eight children, all of whom he sees as being "weak".
Right here is where I noticed a major theme in this book, which is masculinity. I believe that Okonkwo associates "masculinity" with "aggression" and that is why he constantly beats his wives and children. I also think that he associates "women" with "weakness", a usual thought in masculinity, and it is this thought of being a women drives him to hate weakness.
What i also found interesting is the cultural differences between the Ibo people and ourselves.
The Ibo people are shown to be peaceful and respectful of their elders/ancestors. The breaking of the kola nuts, i believe, is a sign of repect towards each other. They even have a Week Of Peace! I just find it so ironic that the highest respected individual from such a peaceful clan is also the most violent, peace-hating person in the village. Truly, its irony at its best.
As we read on, Oknkwo is given the responsibility of looking after a young boy named Ikemefuna, who Okonkwo takes a liking to because he becomes "like an elder brother to Nwoye and from the very first seemed to have kindled a new fire in the younger boy" (p.52). Okonkwo credits Ikemefuna with Nwoye's masculine development and is very pleased.Despite all of this, Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna because "he was afraid of being thought weak" (p.61).
At the end of part 1, I am starting to like this book. The differences in culture between theirs and ours and just figuring out what is going to happen next makes this book interesting. going back to the theme of Masculinity, I think that it was Okonkwo's opinion of what masculinity should be that drove him to Ikemefuna. Also, at the end, when Obierka is talking about the "white skinned' men, I wonder if it is foreshadowing an invasion of white settlers?
In Part 1 of "Things Fall Apart," Chinua Achebe uses strong symbolism to communicate his message. His main symbol is destruction and/or the threat of destruction.
This is first introduced when the threat of war between tribes arises, after an Mbaino man kills a Umuofian woman. As a result, Ikemefuna is sent to live with Okonkwo. Achebe uses this event to introduce Okonkwo's ability to love and appreciate others. The author also uses Ezinma's sickness and kidnapping (threats of destruction) to emphasize Okonkwo's soft side. Additionally, when Okonkwo destroys Ikemefuna, the aftermath shows the remorseful side of Okonkwo, while ironically showing his cruelty (he learns to overcome the guilt). Achebe also uses this event to develop an early step in Nwoye's rebellion/departure from his dad's culture and standards.
The destruction of Okonkwo's compound also is a relevant symbol of how things are/will fall apart for him. Achebe's symbolism in destruction is most likely backed by the book's title. His use of symbolism and, as Ravi stated, irony, are very eminent in this novel.
When I first started to read this book, two major themes were continually coming up. The first being Okonkwo's desire to become more of a man than his father had been. His father seems to be a driving force of Okonkwo's success, as he tries in everyway to outdue him, which in a way could display the kind of father son relationship in Africa at that time. I'm not saying that all fathers were lazy, but the children were always trying to outdue them and become better in their own way and manner. Which, come to think about it, is a little ironic because the elders are seemingly one of the most respected in the clan.
The other theme that stood out to me, which many people have already mentioned, is the way that the clan thinks about their religion. They regard it at a high esteem, but still question it. All in all, it makes me wonder what Achebe is saying about their beliefs. Which I think Terenzi might have already asked in different words.
To respond to Ravi, Yes I think it fore shadows the coming of white settlers as well. Especially toward the end of chapter 8. Does anyone think there is a connection to the settlers and the "white skinned man" with leprosy? Maybe I'm just over thinking this.
The first section of Things Fall Apart feels like a long disclaimer to me, like an Intro to Africana textbook. Chinua Achebe’s language and delineation of the tribe seems very catered to a Western audience, and it worries me that the culture of the tribe falls so easily into African stereotypes. The disclaimer I refer to has to do with the way Achebe describes Okonkwo’s shame of his father, the tribes’ inclination towards violence, and their religious devotion via flashbacks, as if saying “something bad is going to happen later, but the way Okonkwo and these people react to it is reasonable because of their culture, which I laid down on the beginning of the book.” Although I feel like this structure almost trivializes and oversimplifies the village’s culture, it also has its advantages. Through this structure, Achebe was able to add a layer of complexity to Okonkwo, though I still maintain that he is a simple character model. The reader really gets to understand the source of Okonkwo’s ambition, temper, and strength. Okonkwo’s history with his father explains why Okonkwo “never showed any emotion openly, unless it be the emotion of anger” (28), and is also the main catalyst for his climb up the social ladder in the village. Okonkwo wants to completely divorce himself from his father’s memory and legacy of weakness, but since that is what shaped who he is, he is never truly able to expel his father from his mind.
As Achebe highlights certain aspects of the village’s culture, gender roles and blind trust surface frequently. These elements are often portrayed to the reader through Okonkwo’s perspective. We get an intensified notion of women’s subjugation by the way that Okonkwo resents his love for his daughter Ezinma, and how he wishes she were a boy. The society’s patriarchal order also comes across through the way Okonkwo treats his wives, often in an abusive and objectifying manner. The blind trust is in reference to Okonkwo’s and what it seems like the rest of the populations’ homogeneity, their rigid way of life, and the way that they follow tradition and religion so blindly and strictly. Their way of life is so different from ours because it is so inflexible and lacks any fundamental diversity. This cultural inflexibility and incompatibility is also shown in the way that the neighboring tribes often go to war with each other. Okonkwo’s character, which can easily put off the Western reader because of so many clashing values, is really a partial reflection of his environment.
In this section, Achebe makes sure readers notice the tribe’s way of life and understand that this culture is deeply ingrained into every member of the society. He creates this context that makes the title of the book seem very relevant. The “things” in “Things fall apart” refers to the culture, religion, and government of our society, aspects that to us are so commonplace we take for granted and label as “things,” which can be easily linked to the phrase we hear so often “that’s just the way things are.” The second part of the title, the “fall apart,” foreshadows the breaking up of these value systems Achebe described in this first section. If the book follows the same trend, the reader will be able to watch the breaking down of the tribal society through Okonkwo’s perspective. I expect to see character development coming from Okonkwo after he goes to his exile, maybe a shift from a man who, to prove his strength, partakes on the murder of a boy he treated like a son, to someone more emotional, less ambitious. It is also perfectly reasonable to expect him to become even harder, and to seek respect and leadership to atone for his past offense.
Fromt the beginning Things Fall Apart it seems that the theme of the book is about masculinity and a man's responsibilities throughout his village. However, I believe there will be a deeper meaning, but it is too early to tell. I do believe it has to do along the lines of how Okonkwo was ashamed of his father, Unoka's weakness. Okonkwo wants to become powerful, fearless, and succesful in his life. All the things that his father failed to do. Because of his father's poor and shameful life, Okonkwo wants to show the village just how much of a man he is. Although this life and these people are greatly different from the way we live in America, we can still find some similarities through human behavior. I think this is a topic the book tries to convey. These people may live much different lives, but they're not much different from how our human instincts are. Power in Society is the number one thing. I also liked the tortoise and birds story Ekwefi told her daughter Ezinma. This story gives us a look more into their culture and some of their storytellings. I also think this story is foreshadowin an event that has yet to occur in the book.
In the beginning of “Things Fall Apart”, we as readers are immediately represented with the stark contrast between Unoka and his son Okonkwo. Unoka likes to bask in the idleness of the day and reminisce of his kite-flying childhood. People referred to Unoka as ’lazy and improvident (p4)’.
On the other hand, Okonkwo, his son grows to bear a heavy resentment to anything like his father, his laziness, his easiness, and his appreciation for life. Off the bat, Okonkwo strikes me as a person who on the exterior bears a cold, stern disposition but on the inside he’s insecure. He is insecure about how people perceive him. He does not want to be associated with the likes of his father, he is very black and white, and always a straight shooter kind of guy. His hard work pays off and he is seen rising in the ranks of Umuofia. His pursuit of total masculinity and to be dissociated with his ‘agbala’ father. The number of wives (concubines) he has are a mere statement of his masculinity, kind of like, “hey look at my woman!” His fits of outrage in which he lashes his anger through bouts of violence towards his concubines reassures himself that he is the masculine one in the family, the leader. I find it ironic, that Okonkwo fights so hard to be masculine yet he stays so insecure in his rank always sticking straight to the rules and never thinking of perhaps being a tiny more appreciative of his family and their efforts. He is constantly working “crow-to-cock” and makes me wonder if he is just a slave to the haunting of his father. So like pervious posters have said about him being a ‘rebellion’ and rebelling against the ways of father? It seems to me more like he’s chained to the associations to his father and constantly trying to live past that reputation.
Although, Okonkwo never EVER would display a show of affection to anything, there are two characters I found very intriguing. One would be Ikemefuna, Okonkwo would let the boy carry his most manly accessories of goatskin bags and attend communal meetings. Achebe made it seem as if Ikemefuna had assimilated into the family very well, so when his death came, and Okonkwo personally took a hand into his machete slaughter, I was a little taken back. Okonkwo only did it to show his masculinity, but to me was a sign of cowardice. Okonkwo is a coward. He obviously thought of the boy as his own, hence that was why he slowly started to resign to the back when they were leading him into the forest, he just had no guts to transcend his continuous need to prove his masculinity. And another would be Enzima. I believe that Enzima is a manifestation of Okonkwo’s desires in life. She is a bubbly, happy little girl, thoughtful to her father, obedient, but she still maintains her sense of self, unlike Okonkwo who does not know how to be happy unless it’s living to the status quo.
From the beginning it is very easy to see the division between Unoka and his son, Okonkwo. Unoka was always finding ways to increase his debt, and increase the level of shame his son had for him. In their life, a man is judged according to his worth, power, and achievements. Okonkwo made it his life goal to make sure that he was very successful, and very opposite from his father. Okonkwo definitely followed through with his goal. He was the greatest wrestler in the nine villages, and had two barns full of yams. The good thing about him was that he worked for what he had, everything was earned. Okonkwo also has a very scary side to him. He was a man of action and war, and brought home a total of five human heads after battles. He had a very short temper. Not only was it okay for a man to beat his wife, but it was okay for him to beat all THREE of them. He even beat one of them during the sacred week of peace. Such a different way of living -- children were seen as property of the men and not of the women. Both his wives and children lived in fear of what he was capable of.
As I read, I noticed a lot of differences between Things Fall Apart and The Namesake. In this book, the first wife is permitted to wear an anklet of her husband's titles. She is even permitted to call to him by his name. In The Namesake, Ashima never once uttered her husbands name -- it was seen as out of place in their culture. Ashima and Ashoke were never seen being intimate in any way shape or form. As for Okonkwo and his wives, they displayed the most intimate acts right in front of everyone. According to How To Read Literature Like A Professor, this act is known as violence. So far the only thing I noticed that was similar between the two books was the feasting with friends and neighbors. It displays a sense of cultural identity when the community of people alike come together to celebrate.
Okonkwo has some serious issues. The only emotion he likes to show is anger. The only person he seemed to like was Ikemefuna, but of course he had to go and help with the process of killing him because he was afraid of looking weak. How could he do that?! It one thing to look weak, but its so much more to look like a loving father. Even though his father was always in debt and everyone looked down on him, he still did what he had to do to survive. Isnt that what everyone was trying to do? He was doing all that he could to look out for his family -- too bad Okonkwo couldnt do the same.
In the first part of Things Fall Apart I noticed the fact that the elders are a BIG part of the book. On pg 8 Okonkwo says "Age was respected among his people" meaning that the elders were always considered first they knew best. Further into part one we learn about how if you break one of the sacred rules its not good for you. When Okonkwo beat Ojiugo during the week of peace he knew it was wrong "but Okonkwo was not the man to stop beating somebody halfway through not even for fear of a goddess"pg30 After the beating during peace week we hear of the edlers again because many went to the older people and found that not many remembered more tahtn one or two people in their liftimes to break the sacred rules of peace week, and not good things happened to these people.
I agree with Andrew in how the author Chinua Achebe is very clever in his writing. He describes pictures while also in the process he questions many of the things that are so prominent in the book.(gender, elders and culture, social etc.)
Gender: This seems to be a big part of the book from reading part one of the book. Everything seems to bea bout masculinity and how man should do this man should do that. Okonkwo has many wives and many chidren which gives him the feeling of power. He beats them like they are nothing and treats them like they are nothing but posesions (hence why he has so many) Man=power. He is filled with anger and the childrena dn his wives are just the punching bags for his anger.
My first thought of Okonkwo was that he wants to be the opposite of his father Unoka. His father was a man of laziness and really had no achivements in life. He was basically for lack of a better word a bum. Okonkwo wants to be the farthest thing from what his father was.
It's good to see the word 'irony' pop up a few times here. Because that's exactly what I thought during this part. Let's break it down. Okonkwo detests his father with the force of a thousand burning suns. Or more. As such, he strives to become a man that is his complete opposite - brave, successful, charismatic, manly - an "alpha male" in all situations considered. Makes sense. And the feats he achieved certainly proved his determination. But here comes the irony. When it all boils down to nothing, Okonkwo shares one fatal similarity to his father. Many people have picked up on this, but it is fear.
Unoka was a coward overall, afraid of the life of a soldier, afraid of the sight of blood. Afraid to be strong.
Okonkwo ironically enough is the archetype of what his father feared, and vice versa. His fear was of such a great extent that it forced him to slaughter an important person that he could of called his own son. And yet he still struck him down, with a machete no less. All because "he was afraid of being thought weak" (61).
Sure, this story may take place in Africa, but the important themes and concepts are universally understandable, unlike culture. Family, fear, courage, uncertainty, resolve - things like are relatively easy to understand and relate to. But I think Achebe excelled at transcribing a story that all audiences, including us Americans, are capable of taking in easily. The most major contributor to this, I feel, is the relatively simple language he employs. It makes for easy reading...luckily, as well as enhanced comprehensibility. Intended or not, I still find it to be a nice touch. But just because his structure is simple and easy to read does not mean it cannot manage to convey deep, complex meanings. Since it certainly does.
On a side note, after having to kill Ikemefuna, "he drank palm wine from morning till night" (63). Yeah, I'm pretty sure any culture is capable of relating to an experience like that.
The title becomes pretty clear at the end of this part. Okonkwo murders someone accidentally with an explosion from his gun and is forced into exile for 7 years. The American equivalent of being incarcerated for a felony I suppose. But the last line says something interesting - "As the elders said, if one finger brought oil it soiled the others" (125). If I had to make any sort of prediction as to how this might end, then Okonkwo's life won't be the only thing to fall apart. Since he can't agree with such a harsh punishment, I think he might come back after 7 years and change things up in a revolutionary way. Literally. I think he'd want to explode some guns 'by accident' in the face of the elders. If you catch my drift.
What’s interesting about Achebe’s portrayal of Okonkwo is that his personality is both bad and good. In other words, he possesses qualities that are embrace by men of his culture and as well as the qualities that are hated. You can tell that Okonkwo is a hard-working person who tries to accomplish what his father did not do to become successful. As a reader, I value you that. I find it baffling how a person could protect his tribesmen and yet so egotistic among other tribesmen. Moreover, the fear of feeling weak, Okonkwo “drew his machete and cut him [Ikemefuna] down (61).” As the title of this novel suggest, things are beginning to fall apart even for the first part. Okonkwo even beats his wives when disobedience gets in his way. The sternness and cold-heartedness would, I believe, be the cause of his death in the future. Achebe develops much of character of Okonkwo as a person who resembles a tragic hero with a flaw.
To me, Okonkwo’s personality seems very similar to that of Creon from Greek myth by Sophocles. I think Okwonko’s flaw is going to be his egotistic perception that he have among Imuofia tribe.
The first chapter brings up so many questions. If not for the back of the book, there’d be no way of knowing that the story takes place in Nigeria, unless one was familiar with the native words used or decided to look up harmattan, which according to Merriam-Webster is “a dust-laden wind on the Atlantic coast of Africa in some seasons”. There are also questions regarding the culture of this village. What does an ekwe or a udu or an ogene look and sound like? Who is the boy Ilkemefuna and why has he been sacrificed to the village? Why would a village want a boy anyway? And as each of these questions is answered, more arise. We get some onomatopoeia at the beginning of chapter 2 about the instruments, but we also are left to wonder about why the message has been sounded asking everyone to meet in the morning, about what is “amiss” (9). We learn the circumstances that led Ilkemefuna to be sent from Mbaino along with a virgin in order to make peace, but we have to wonder why a daughter of Umuofia was killed. And so on.
I find the way that the villagers talk really interesting and engaging. It’s not like Shakespearean literature at all, but it reminds me of it. The people say the simplest things in the strangest, yet most enchanting way with their proverbs. It’s their customs and “the art of conversation is regarded very highly” (7). Everything seems to be done ritually and with the utmost politeness too: pouring wine, asking for favors…
It is really difficult to keep track of all the different characters. So far there has been a new name at least every five pages, usually less. I don’t think that all of these people are crucial to the story, but I still feel like I have to at least try to get all the names down. Hardest of all is the protagonist’s family. He has three wives and ten children, which isn’t really a huge group of people, but all three wives are mothers to their own children and it’s confusing to remember which children belong to which wife. Furthermore, we aren’t given a nice list at the beginning to figure the relations out, so the characters are given to us one at a time only as they appear in the story. This is annoying, but I think the challenge of organizing the characters and trying to see each of their roles in the plot draws the reader into the story.
I think that all the cultural traditions are pretty cool to learn about, such as the breaking of the kola and all the titles and festivals. However, a lot of what has to do with the actual lives of the people is disturbing. For instance, Ilkemefuna is sacrificed for his father’s crime. Okonkwo is forced to flee his village for an accidental misfire. All twins born are left to die in the forest. This made me think of The Giver. If I remember correctly, in Lois Lowry’s imaginary utopian world one of a pair of twins is euthanized so that no two people are exactly the same. Much like in The Giver, society dictates who will live and who will die, and these rules are completely out of the villagers’ control. There isn’t really a mastermind behind the customs, deciding who will be punished and how. If anything it would be the Oracle, but somehow it doesn’t seem like she is. Her behavior and apparent gift is fishy certainly, but I feel that she isn’t under her own control either.
One of the main things that I got from this book was, like most people said, the culture. Mainly gender roles, the role of family, the price of pride.
All of these things can be seen in our main character Okonkwo. Personally, I don't like him. He is far to aggressive in his thinking and mannerisms for me to even mildly like him. However this is addressed in the first chapter. Above all else, Okonkwo is trying so hard to be the complete opposite of his father that it has shaped who he is. He may be successful and respected, but as his personality goes, he is far too harsh and heavy handed. This theme of the relationship between father and son comes up several times. First, between Okonkwo and his father Unoka: Okonkwo hates his father for being lazy and weak. Second, between Okonkwo and his son Nwoye: Okonkwo does not want his son to end up like his grandfather so he is raising him harshly. And last between Okonkwo and Ikemefuna: Okonkwo treated that boy better than his own son because he saw potential in him. This relationship between father and son, specifically how should one treat their children in order for them to be successful, is one of the driving forces that Achebe utilizes in this first section.
However, we cannot talk about what Okonkwo feared without bringing up gender roles. More than anything, Okonkwo does not want to be "a woman" or weak. Thus he did everything in his power to be manly: a strong warrior, a hard father and husband. He showed no emotions other than pleasure and rage. This is a part of the culture. However, I feel as if Achebe is opposing this view. When Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna in order to not appear weak (and he berates others for not coming as well, he appears crueler than normal. Ikemefuna runs to him, asking for help and Okonkwo slices him down. Okonkwo comes off as barbaric, thus indicating Achebe's own feelings for that event. This betrayal, to me at least, seemed almost inevitable. Like father like son is the saying and as Unoka betrayed Okonkwo by being a good for nothing, Okonkwo betrays Ikemefuna to protect his own pride as a man.
The very first thing that I noticed when I began reading Things Fall Apart was that this is nothing like the American culture. First of all, I don't think winners of wrestling matches hold a very high authority in the U.S. and maybe in some cultures and religions it's alright to have multiple wives but to me it seems quite bizarre. It's obvious from the very start that Okonkwo is clearly ashamed of his father's failures and that he has become this cold and somewhat heartless human being due to the fact that he doesn't want to be ANYTHING like his father; that includes showing his emotions or sympathy and letting his guard down around anyone, even his family. Since Okonkwo is so focused on being a "true warrior" he completely disregards the value of his "extended" family and chooses to abuse those closest to him (mentally and physically). What made me so furious while reading this book was the treatment of women in this particular culture. Okonkwo called men that he thought were worthless, "agbala" which was another word for woman. I thought that was so completely unacceptable because we're taught that men and women are and should be treated equal instead of put down and shunned. The way that Okonkwo treated his wives was unbelievable as well. But what seemed incredulous was how Okonkwo was apart of Ikemefuna's death. How can you kill someone so cold-heartedly? Okonkwo was "afraid of being thought weak" so he used his machete to cut down someone that called him father, someone who valued his presence and someone who was taken away from their family. I felt absolutely no remorse for this cold-blooded killer when he couldn't sleep or eat for days after what happend. To me it seemed like he deserved everything that was coming to him.
When Chielo took Ezinma from Ekwefi and Okonkwo, it was clear that maybe Okonkwo had a little bit of sympathy and love for his daughter after all, even though she was a girl and not a boy like he had hoped. I think Ekwefi loved Ezinma so deeply because she was the only child who lived this long since Ekwefi was unsuccesful with the previous children. The fact that Okonkwo went after Ezinma and Ekwefi when Agbala kidnapped Ezinma showed that he was willing to sacrifice his life too for his children and wife.
When Okonkwo accidently shot the 16 year old boy and had to flee from the clan, I felt like that was his karma for abusing his wives and killing the Ikemefuna. When the group of men destroyed his compound it was like everything he had worked so hard for, his life, was ruined in a matter of seconds because of a thoughtless mistake. If that wasn't karma than I don't know what is.
I agree with everyone that there is a drastic culture difference introduced in the book. Not only do values like respecting elders and power in society emphasized in the book but also the people's connection to nature. Many times the author uses similes and metaphors that compare the characters to anmimals or nature. I think this helps set up the environment they are in and creates a connection between the people and earth. It also shows how much the people depend on nature to survive like a good harvest instead of new technological advances. In a way, the guns representing power corrupts the people. For example, the gun that Okonkwo shot the sixteen year old with completely destroys everything he has build for his family throughout the years. I agree that Okonkwo has insecurity issues. Although Okonkwo's father wasn't the "man", one who is able to provide stability for his family, Okonkwo is not sure of himself either. All his life, Okonkwo has been scared of becoming like his father, doing everything he possibly could to escape from his father's way of life. He even fears that his own son would be like Unoka.
The first evident theme or topic within the start of the novel Things Fall Apart as previously mentioned by Rene is this importance of masculinity in the village of Umuofia. A mans worth in his culture or society is very important considering throughout history the man has most always remained the dominant forces in the household, society, ect. For Okonkwo, obtaining significant meaning in Umuofia had meant more than just making a name for himself, but also setting himself aside from his fathers past, and infamous legacy to the village. This repetitive theme of the importance of masculinity came an interpreted directly from the relationship between himself and Ikemefuna, as opposed to his biological son Nwoye. Okonkwo deliberately avoids a genuine relationship with Nwoye for fear he will look weak, and instead looks to Ikemefuna for that comfort and affection he himself had never experience as a child with his own father Unoka.
The strong culture that is apparent in the people of Umuofia is another aspect of the novel I found interesting, considering that it is so different from the American culture today. As Kisla had mentioned, the worth and treatment of women, for example the abuse of Okinawa’s wife is typical, and I supposed expected of that area and culture, however in America (at least today) women are in cooperated in all levels of society from dominant forces the household to leading political in the occupational world. I feel as though Okonkwo was trying so hard to rid himself of his Father past, his actions, however in his attempts to morph into societal life, he was only isolating himself further and transitioning into his father more and more everyday, thus beginning when Okonkwo shot the sixteen year old boy.
In the novel Things Fall Apart, everything is so different to modern life today. It amazes me that the father, Unoka is nothing but a dead beat dad. He's unreliable, lazy and a huge coward. Instead of taking care of his family and making sure they have all the money they need he rather act childish and he didnt do his duty as a husband and as a father. He never had a close relationship with his son Okonkwo and im glad he didnt because it made Okonkwo do things on his own. It suprises me to see Okonkwo do the total opposite of his father. He was strong, inteligent, well respected and a leader. He strived for a good life and him not able to spend time with his father made him bitter and a little bit cold-hearted. Imagine not having a relationship with one of your parents its like your missing a whole another side of you and its your choice to either do good or bad. Most people end up doing bad because no one ever taught them right, but Okonkwo knew his fathers way of living wasnt the right way. Ukonkwo son Nwoye resembled Unoka a lot to the point where Ukonkwo trusted Lemefuna more. That shows how much he disliked his fathers ways.
His village, Umofia, was one of the strongest villages and had the most strongest leader and Okonkwo did his job well.
The culture is like unreal. First of all its all about power and masculine. WHERE THE WOMEN AT !? I deffinately wanted to see a women stand up because to me it was all about the men. And women can do the same things or even better then the men! The culture also had to do a lot with music. I seen lots of tunes and humming. When I read about Ogbuefi Udo's being killed and their village wanted a negoiation with Umuofia village to have a fifteen year old replace her. I had to like re-read that part a good three times because thats insane. Shes only a little girl who is still developing into her own body and into her surroundings. What knowledge does she have to repalce a wife?
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