In Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart, Achebe’s main character, Okonkwo, is the most affected by the changes the Christians brought. He starts the novel as a strong, tenacious, and influential man but he becomes a dissipated man who would rather kill himself and commit an “offense against the earth” than to watch the white people ruin his Ibo culture (Achebe 207).
Before the Christians came, Okonkwo is a very successful leader of the Ibo society. He does everything in his power to not be agbala like his father. Okonkwo’s worst fear “was the fear of himself, lest he had resented his father’s failure and weakness” (Achebe 13). He goes to extremes to prove his manhood including killing his adopted son, Ikemefuna, because he “was afraid of being thought weak” (Achebe 61). In this time of his life Okonkwo would fight to the death for his culture and clan. …show more content…
He has no idea what is happening in Umuofia other than what Obierika tells him. When Okonkwo learns of what happened in Abame, he views the Abame people as recreant people. He says, “they had been warned that danger was ahead. They should have armed themselves with their guns and their machetes even when they went to market” (Achebe 140). Okonkwo shows his animosity towards the white people because they are interfering with his culture. His eldest son, Nwoye, turns against his father and converts to christianity. This causes Okonkwo to view Nwoye as “degenerate and effeminate” and depends his hatred for the Christians (Achebe 152). He realizes that the white people are causing a divide between his clan and is prepared to fight the Christians to stop
Before the Christians came, Okonkwo is a very successful leader of the Ibo society. He does everything in his power to not be agbala like his father. Okonkwo’s worst fear “was the fear of himself, lest he had resented his father’s failure and weakness” (Achebe 13). He goes to extremes to prove his manhood including killing his adopted son, Ikemefuna, because he “was afraid of being thought weak” (Achebe 61). In this time of his life Okonkwo would fight to the death for his culture and clan. …show more content…
He has no idea what is happening in Umuofia other than what Obierika tells him. When Okonkwo learns of what happened in Abame, he views the Abame people as recreant people. He says, “they had been warned that danger was ahead. They should have armed themselves with their guns and their machetes even when they went to market” (Achebe 140). Okonkwo shows his animosity towards the white people because they are interfering with his culture. His eldest son, Nwoye, turns against his father and converts to christianity. This causes Okonkwo to view Nwoye as “degenerate and effeminate” and depends his hatred for the Christians (Achebe 152). He realizes that the white people are causing a divide between his clan and is prepared to fight the Christians to stop