Masculinity In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

However, despite the differences and similarities between the European and African cultures, a change was coming. Each clansman reacted differently, some “have broken the clan and gone their several ways…deserted us and joined a stranger to soil their fatherland,” like Nwoye (Achebe 203). While others stayed to “fight the stranger” even it meant that they “shall hit our brothers and perhaps shed the blood of a clansmen,” (Achebe 203). Okonkwo most aligned with the remaining villagers willing to fight, but his aggression and heightened views on masculinity and keeping the old traditions separated him from even the bravest in Umuofia. His determination to not succumb to the colonizers stems down to a life or death situation as he says “I shall

Okonkwo’s tragic flaw is that “he was afraid of being thought weak,” because “they were the traits of his father,” (Achebe 6; see also El-Dessouky, “The Cultural Impact upon Human Struggle for Social Existence in Chinua Achebe’s ‘Things Fall Apart’”). Therefore, he follows through in killing a boy he thought of like a son, just to keep his pride and masculinity. “The problem with Okonkwo’s personality is that he is so obsessed with single-mindedness and egocentricity that he cannot hear or accept any idea different from his own,” (Sadeghi, “Role of Colonial Subjects in Making Themselves Inferior in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart”). This infatuation with appearing masculine and strong prevents Okonkwo from welcoming any change. He has built his entire life towards a successful and substantial role in the village to avenge the shame his father placed on his family, so in the face of the Europeans destruction of a traditional culture that he has based his entire life to prosper in, he quickly becomes unhinged. Seeing that masculinity and physical strength are no longer highly valued, attributes he considers almost sacred, he commits