Who Is Okonkwo In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

The book “Things Fall Apart” tells a story of a man, Okonkwo who was very well respected in his clan called the Umuofia clan from an Ibo village in Nigeria. Okonkwo comes from a father called Unoka who was a laughing stock throughout the entire village, and died leaving many debts unpaid. Becoming his father is something that Okonkwo never wants for himself or his twelve year old son. Okonkwo falls from a place of high respect in his village and this book follows his story. It also tells of how when exiled, Okonkwo and his family have to move away and live with European oppression and the religious influences that come along with them. The first few chapters are about how Okonkwo has been haunted by his father and his past forever, striving …show more content…
They built a christian church in which many of the outcasts wanted to admitted. Mr. Kiaga agreed to admitting them so long as they shave their hair and they did and became strong in their faith. In the village there was an incident with the “sacred python” where one of the christians, a former outcast, allegedly killed the python causing the elders to mess with the christians. The man accused of this later died and the villagers said they would leave the christians …show more content…
At this feast an elder gave a speech that told them how he feared the younger generation because they didn’t realize the significance of kinship and was afraid this new religion would break apart their clans. When Okonkwo returned to his clan, he knew he had lost a lot of time during exile but was determined to make it all up. He also gave his family a message after Nwoye left the clan, saying that if they also wanted to turn on him that they should do so while he is still alive. He exile had left him behind in much, and many things had changed, such as the many converts to christianity, the white men had built a government, and the prison had become full of people who broke the white mans laws. Obierika told Okonkwo that they couldn't fight off the white men because the clans had been divided and were falling to the power of the white man, and that they were beginning to give reason to what the white people were telling them. This upset Okonkwo greatly because the clans were falling to pieces and the men were becoming weak in his