Things Fall Apart Okonkwo Characteristics

Title Cultures have a variety of customs, and Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe literates the customs of an African tribe well. Currently I am at the part where Okonkwo beat one of his wives during the Week of Peace because she was out getting her hair plaited. The actual violence did not surprise me awfully because females have been oppressed for centuries through a multitude of ways from systemic tyranny to violence. What struck me as fascinating is the fact that a man’s success is determined by the number of wives he has, and not solely on the amount of wealth he has, although it is important. Okonkwo has three and is respected throughout the village; however, there is a man more respected called Nwakibie who has nine wives. This shocked …show more content…
He obviated, with great self-discipline, his father’s legacy only to become a man ruled by stoicism. He’s characterized by the other villagers as ruthless and overpowering. However, upon further reading, it is these traits that make Okonkwo a prosperous man because he 's efficient and head-strong. His austere greatly impacts the outcome of events for Okonkwo. For example, because of his character, he is able to overcome being outcasted for seven years and continue to farm and raise his family without the threat of …show more content…
For one, it is culturally significant to have more than one wife, with the more wives indication higher rank or success. Okonkwo’s three wives (and children) feared him because he was a man driven by his father’s poor legacy, and he wished to avert it. This drove Okonkwo to become a successful yet harsh man - or a man with a tough shell. The relationship between Ekwefi and Ezinma is particularly fascinating to me because it contrasts the general tone of the book. The book tells a story of things falling apart while Ekwefi’s is a story of success. I did notice men had power in almost every aspect, including how a woman was addressed. It was seldom (except in Exwefi’s case) that women were referred to by their first name. Rather, they were talked about by the association of some male character. I also noted that the general theme of the book was fear. Okonkwo was fearful of becoming his father, he was scared his children would become like his father, and he was afraid of what the Europeans would do to the culture that Okonkwo had grown up and loved so dearly. It was because of fear that caused things to fall