The Apple Does Fall Far From the Tree
Every piece of literature shows different types of relationships between two or more characters. In Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, the relationships between two generations of fathers and sons are antagonistic relationships. Unoka has no intent to influence Okonkwo’s behavior, although Okonkwo dedicates all of his energy into outshining his father’s legacy; while Okonkwo wants to influence his son, Nwoye, and ends up failing miserably.
Okonkwo resents his father, Unoka, and his actions, and strives to be the opposite of him. Okonkwo and the clan consider Unoka to be a weak man and a failure. Achebe exaggerates that Okonkwo’s “whole life [is] dominated by fear… It [is] the fear of himself, lest …show more content…
In Okonkwo’s mind Nwoye is turning out to be like Unoka. Nwoye is “causing his father great anxiety for his incipient laziness… he sought to correct him by constant nagging and beating.”(Achebe 14). There are certain skills Okonkwo wants his child to know in order to be successful. The skills, he will do anything to make his son obtain. Achebe describes,“Okonkwo wanted his son to be a great farmer and a great man. He would stamp out the disquieting signs of laziness,”(33). Okonkwo will not settle for anything less than perfection from his son. Dr. Jude Chudi Okpala is a lecturer at Howard University, served on the National Council of Teachers of English, and specializes in 19th century and black British literature. Okpala states, “when Nwoye abandons the "traditional sanctity" for "the poetry of the new religion" (137), Okonkwo ruminates thus: "Why ... should he, Okonkwo, of all people, be cursed with such a son?”(1). Okonkwo thinks that he is cursed with a terrible son who abandons the traditional ways and does not learn after his father. Nwoye does not stray from his father’s wishes consciously, yet he still finds himself disagreeing with the way Okonkwo tries to shape him. Achebe touches on how “Nwoye [knows] that it [is] right to be masculine and violent, but somehow he still [prefers] the stories his mother [tells]”(53). Nwoye is a kinder soul than his father
Every piece of literature shows different types of relationships between two or more characters. In Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, the relationships between two generations of fathers and sons are antagonistic relationships. Unoka has no intent to influence Okonkwo’s behavior, although Okonkwo dedicates all of his energy into outshining his father’s legacy; while Okonkwo wants to influence his son, Nwoye, and ends up failing miserably.
Okonkwo resents his father, Unoka, and his actions, and strives to be the opposite of him. Okonkwo and the clan consider Unoka to be a weak man and a failure. Achebe exaggerates that Okonkwo’s “whole life [is] dominated by fear… It [is] the fear of himself, lest …show more content…
In Okonkwo’s mind Nwoye is turning out to be like Unoka. Nwoye is “causing his father great anxiety for his incipient laziness… he sought to correct him by constant nagging and beating.”(Achebe 14). There are certain skills Okonkwo wants his child to know in order to be successful. The skills, he will do anything to make his son obtain. Achebe describes,“Okonkwo wanted his son to be a great farmer and a great man. He would stamp out the disquieting signs of laziness,”(33). Okonkwo will not settle for anything less than perfection from his son. Dr. Jude Chudi Okpala is a lecturer at Howard University, served on the National Council of Teachers of English, and specializes in 19th century and black British literature. Okpala states, “when Nwoye abandons the "traditional sanctity" for "the poetry of the new religion" (137), Okonkwo ruminates thus: "Why ... should he, Okonkwo, of all people, be cursed with such a son?”(1). Okonkwo thinks that he is cursed with a terrible son who abandons the traditional ways and does not learn after his father. Nwoye does not stray from his father’s wishes consciously, yet he still finds himself disagreeing with the way Okonkwo tries to shape him. Achebe touches on how “Nwoye [knows] that it [is] right to be masculine and violent, but somehow he still [prefers] the stories his mother [tells]”(53). Nwoye is a kinder soul than his father