Okonkwo's Failure In Things Fall Apart

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As frequently stated, hard work is the road to success. In fact, Chinua Achebe portrays this idea in his novel, Things Fall Apart (TFA). It is revealed in the beginning of the novel that Okonkwo's father was a weak, lazy, poor, unsuccessful man. Hence, Okonkwo was disgusted by his father's failure. Although Okonkwo began with nothing, he becomes famous, wealthy, honorable. He achieved this high status through hard work. For example, when he was eighteen years old, he defeated a wrestler known as Amalinze the Cat. According to Achebe, "Amalinze was the great wrestler" who went undefeated for seven years (3). Okonkwo is conveyed as "a wealthy farmer and had two barns full of yams, and had just married his third wife" (8). He also "worked daily

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