How Does Okonkwo Have His Own Destiny

Just as Achebe employs that Okonkwo struggles throughout his life to maintain a certain level of respect from his peers and loved ones that ultimately leads to his downfall, so too does he illustrate that Okonkwo’s potential for greatness from a very young age, a probability that he finds very difficult to meet. For example, in Chapter One, the speaker describes Okonkwo’s accomplishments as a young boy, through the emphasis on “eat with the kings.” Because of his own hard work and dedication, Okonkwo’s future looks optimistic. It seems that he is indeed able to influence his own destiny with his sheer will. Even though Okonkwo can control his destiny for greatness, he can also influence his failure through actions and decisions as well: “As …show more content…
One’s destiny is theirs to control, yet the individual is constantly seen choosing the wrong path for the benefit of themselves for a hiatus: “The only course open to Okonkwo was to flee from the clan. It was a crime against the earth goddess to kill a clansman, and a man who committed it must flee from the land”(112). In juxtaposition, both scenes comment on the ability for one self to control their fate in life. In “Chapter One,” Okonkwo portrayed as having all the potential he could possibly need for success; in “Chapter Thirteen,” Okonkwo is exposed for letting down his guard and letting his destiny control him, while he should have been the one controlling it the whole time. Here, the text reaches a crescendo in that the speaker has given up and let his destiny play itself out. A true man does not care about his status among others, rather his own satisfaction that he is the best possible version of himself everyday. The individual has to make this decision in his life and how one lives it out will convey whether or not he will rise up or fall down into his own …show more content…
For instance, one may not experience these difficulties throughout their life, in which they experience other unique difficulties besides the ones listed in the perigee of this paragraph. Also, some individuals are blessed enough to never experience such difficulties, through fighting other battles like loneliness and depression. Certainly, this alternate perspective of the challenges an individual faces throughout life is important to consider for a fuller understanding of the importance towards the everyday decisions one makes in order to have a better control of the outcome of their life. Important to consider, too, is how overcoming certain hardships in one’s life is relevant in our 2015 world, where this is especially relevant towards Spc. Laurel Cox, a Patriot missile specialist assigned to Fort Belvoir, Virginia. She is a soldier who was faced with very gruesome injuries during her time with the army. Instead of simply giving up on her life and letting her life play out, she took command and fights everyday for a better life. Currently, she took part in the Defense Warrior Games for wounded veterans. She is a lucid example of how one can take control of her own destiny for a better life and prevent further demise. Furthermore, this modern-day connection