Okonkwo's Flaws In Things Fall Apart

The book Things Fall Apart illustrates the life of an Umuofia clan member who goes from being a prosperous, well-respected man to a shunned and exiled outcast. Okonkwo, a warrior belonging to a lower Nigerian tribe, grew up with an example with what not to become through his father, Unoka. His father was cowardly and careless with his money, which resulted in a lack of respect from the tribe, therefore polluting Okonkwo’s name and reputation. With his father’s past actions haunting him, Okonkwo strives to become more than what his father ever was in terms of being a man, father, tribe member, and leader. As he climaxes in respect and power, an ill-faded turn of events and the surfacing of his flaws leads to a domino effect of self-destruction …show more content…
The clansmen of the village were having a massive meeting when messengers from the district commissioner showed up and interrupted them. As the head messenger stepped forward, insisting the meeting be brought to an end, Okonkwo met him in the middle and would not allow him to pass. Okonkwo proceeded to cut him to death with two strikes of his machete. Expecting a great cry of joy from the gathered crowd, Okonkwo became disturbed. He did not hear a cry of joy but rather a cry of questioning and disappointment. His people were not behind his actions. “They had broken into tumult instead of action…. He heard voices asking: ‘Why did he do it?’” (205). His village was not willing to go to war with him and he was outraged. His is taken back by the lack of commitment he sees from his peers and the weakness in their thought processes. He is disappointed in his people and wishes they would not have changed in the seven years that he was gone. It is no longer a village that he is proud of and he is realizing that the village is no longer proud of him, either. He cannot handle accepting this and decides there is only one way out: suicide. Okonkwo hangs himself and solidifies the idea that his life truly was falling apart. The saying that, “all good things must come to an end” has a lot of truth to it. Okonkwo, despite becoming very successful, wealthy, and respected, eventually ends up taking his own life because of an ill-faded turn of events that eventually turns not only his entire village against him, but also his own self against him. It is a sad thing when someone thinks that the only way out is by taking his/her own life, but Okonkwo thought that was the only answer. Even for a great warrior like Okonkwo, things still fell