Emotions In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

Showing emotions especially for men, is considered shameful, because only women can show emotions, and this is the case in many parts in the world. Men in the Igbo society are challenged to prove their power and how they are emotionless. Showing emotions especially for men is not acceptable for them. They will be considered weak and will lose all the respect they had from the men. Okonkwo was from these men that are afraid to look weak, or even to show emotions. He was trying extra hard to look like a man with no heart, and to be emotionless. When the village men decided to kill Ikemwfuna, his adopted son, Okonkwo helped in killing him even though he likes him a lot and cares about him, “As the man who had cleared his throat drew up and raised his machete, Okonkwo looked …show more content…
He was afraid of being thought weak.” (Achebe, 61). Okonkwo is afraid of being viewed as a weak person, and this fear caused him to kill his adopted son, and not showing any emotions while killing him. He was afraid if he did not share in killing him, he will lost respect and get insulted like his father. Characterization is presented in this quotation to explain Okonkwo’s character, and to show how much he is affected by his father, to the point where he kills his adopted son that he likes, so he do not be viewed as a weak person. This is another explanation and proof where men are challenged in order to maintain the respect they have, but in order for Okonkwo to keep the respect he has, he had to kill his adopted son, which shows how the society is unbalanced, and misshaped. Men and boys in any society are taught to believe that emotions are only for women, and if a man shows some emotions, he will be considered as a weak person. This is why boys are taught to not show emotions because it will be viewed as shame (Hudson). Sensitivity is not a synonymous with weakness, and many people think this way, it is actually the opposite