Similar Conflicts in Nwoye and Haemon
Contradicting philosophies separate the loving bond between father and son by creating conflict through opposing opinions and actions because of their principles or values. The Greek myth Antigone by Sophocles, and the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, differing greatly in cultural settings, express contrasting characters of father and son because of their opposing beliefs. Both stories depict hardheaded, prideful fathers with open-minded sons that consider new ideas which contradict their fathers’ perspectives on certain matters. The characters Nwoye and Haemon from Things Fall Apart and Antigone both seek approval from their fathers, but soon come to realize that their fathers’ opinion can be …show more content…
Nwoye’s only friend, Ikemefuna, took a walk outside with Nwoye’s father and other men when “… Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down.” Okonkwo killed Ikemefuna for preserving his reputation as an honorable man and took no consideration the friendship Nwoye and Ikemefuna had. The two became inseparable in that short period of time when Nwoye did not feel lonely anymore; unfortunately Nwoye’s father took that away for his own selfish gain. Haemon’s father also caused the death of the one person Haemon fell in love with – Antigone. Out of anger and frustration, Creon barked the orders to “… carry her far away, out there in the wilderness, and lock her living in a vault of stone …” which led to Antigone’s suicide. Haemon’s father reacted this way partially to depict himself as a king that does not tolerate such behavior, but mainly out of his rage to spite Haemon for his disobedience and contradictory comments. The conflict of losing loved ones by death because of their fathers’ ego and selfishness has led to Nwoye and Haemon’s damaged relationship with their
Contradicting philosophies separate the loving bond between father and son by creating conflict through opposing opinions and actions because of their principles or values. The Greek myth Antigone by Sophocles, and the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, differing greatly in cultural settings, express contrasting characters of father and son because of their opposing beliefs. Both stories depict hardheaded, prideful fathers with open-minded sons that consider new ideas which contradict their fathers’ perspectives on certain matters. The characters Nwoye and Haemon from Things Fall Apart and Antigone both seek approval from their fathers, but soon come to realize that their fathers’ opinion can be …show more content…
Nwoye’s only friend, Ikemefuna, took a walk outside with Nwoye’s father and other men when “… Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down.” Okonkwo killed Ikemefuna for preserving his reputation as an honorable man and took no consideration the friendship Nwoye and Ikemefuna had. The two became inseparable in that short period of time when Nwoye did not feel lonely anymore; unfortunately Nwoye’s father took that away for his own selfish gain. Haemon’s father also caused the death of the one person Haemon fell in love with – Antigone. Out of anger and frustration, Creon barked the orders to “… carry her far away, out there in the wilderness, and lock her living in a vault of stone …” which led to Antigone’s suicide. Haemon’s father reacted this way partially to depict himself as a king that does not tolerate such behavior, but mainly out of his rage to spite Haemon for his disobedience and contradictory comments. The conflict of losing loved ones by death because of their fathers’ ego and selfishness has led to Nwoye and Haemon’s damaged relationship with their