Things Fall Apart Part I

Hi everyone. First of all I want to discuss Okonkwo in relation to the village traditions. Okonkwo is made out to be a powerful and controlling man yet he, as well as his fellow villagers, are all subject to tradition, for example the gods and the value of masculinity. In a way Okonkwo can actually be seen as weak due to his compliance and submission to tradition. This is ironic because Okonkwo hates weakness and to combat weakness he clings to tradition, yet by doing so he is also submitting himself to the power of tradition.

Now to respond to Matt's question of whether or not we as readers are supposed to like Okonkwo. It's obvious that Okonkwo is not the best example of a protagonist (if you even view him as a protagonist at all). Okonkwo has character flaws such as a quick temper and an abusive, domineering nature. At the same time we must take into account that he is only following the culture of that setting and that his father inadvertently shaped his personality. When it is mentioned that Okonkwo inwardly felt affection towards Ikemefuna and Ezinma, it is obvious that deep down he really is a caring man who is simply subject to the tradition. In order to uphold the traditional image of masculinity he must suppress these emotions. He is simply a man caught between tradition along with a fear of failure and his true emotions. Ultimately, setting aside Okonkwo's flaws that were created by uncontrollable factors like culture and a poor upbringing, I just see him as man who was trying to maintain his honor and to not make the same mistakes that his father did.

To answer Alinne's first question, Nwoye is a male and as we have seen there are clear gender roles. Regardless of age, Nwoye is considered superior to his mother simply because he is a male. Perhaps Nwoye's mother is referred to as "Nwoye's mother" rather than by her name because of such gender roles. Or perhaps she is referred to in this way simply because Nwoye is a more prevalent character in the novel than the mother; therefore it is easier for the reader to know exactly who the author is referring to.
July 15, 2008 6:09 PM