Theme Of Domestic Violence In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart is about one man’s struggle with his ambition within his Igbo culture. The protagonist, Okonkwo, strives in becoming an accomplished man and respected leader in his tribe. Aside from the central plot, Things Fall Apart includes a collection of scenarios and concepts that people experience in today’s day and age, such as reaching one’s true potential, cultural traditions, and intertwining relations. Specifically, the narrative provides several illustrations of ethical issues experienced and debated today, such as domestic violence and the conflicting tension between one’s own thoughts and beliefs and the guidelines imposed by society. In the beginning of the book, readers observe that domestic violence is frequently used as a means of discipline and showing authority over others. Okonkwo employs violence in his own home on numerous occasions. For example, when his son Nwoye begins showing signs of laziness, Okonkwo fears he may follow in his grandfather's footsteps and become a failure to hm and in the eyes of the people. Angered at his son’s idleness, Okonkwo “sought to correct him by constant nagging and beating” (Achebe 13-14). Unfortunately, the …show more content…
As previously mentioned, Okonkwo lived in fear of becoming like his father, so he sets off in the opposite direction to distance himself from him as much as possible. For the duration of his life, “Okonkwo was ruled by one passion - to hate everything that his father had loved” (Achebe 13). Through his toil and dedication, he manages to advance into the higher ranks and prosper at a very young age, and becomes a man to be feared in his household. He might not have been such a hard man at heart, “but his whole life was dominated by fear” (Achebe 13). Because of this, Okonkwo prided himself on never giving any indication of