Okonkwo In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

The actions of the protagonist in the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, has sparked many debates on whether he is a hero or a coward. Okonkwo has several conflicting personality traits which contribute to the confusion in distinguishing hero from coward. Okonkwo is highly regarded in his home village of Umofia, however he makes many mistakes which hurt his reputation and contribute to his downfall. While Okonkwo has strengths which make him a respected member of his community, he also possesses many weaknesses which force him to act in a rash manner and ultimately results in his death. Okonkwo is a very complex character, who despite having a lot of strengths in personality, is overcome by his weaknesses and resorts to suicide. Despite growing up with nothing, Okonkwo is able to provide for himself, and makes a name for himself …show more content…
Although Okonkwo has many positive character traits, he is ultimately ruined by his weaknesses and seen as a coward by his clansmen. Okonkwo is a very physically strong, determined and motivated man, however his fear of being thought weak controls his life and causes his downfall. After being ridiculed for his father’s laziness and lack of skill Okonkwo resolves to become a strong member of his community, and does achieve this for a period of time in his life. His impatience and violent temper ruins his life achievement and destroys his reputation and power in the village of Umofia. In his attempt to prove his predestined failure wrong, Okonkwo tries to become the strongest in the village, but in the end, his destiny prevails. Okonkwo beats the odds of being seen as lazy and unsuccessful, like his father was, but chooses the cowardly way out when things do not go his way. He begins life in a family who are disliked by the village, and ends life in a way that again makes him disliked by his