The Downfall of Okonkwo

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Recommended: Analysis of Chinua Achebe's things fall apart

The Downfall of Okonkwo The apple never falls far from the tree. In the book, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Okonkwo, who is the main character despised being like his father. His father had died when Okonkwo was very young. Although in the end he was exactly like his father when he hangs himself. Okonkwo is a vicious man which is shown when he kills the messenger at the Igbo’s meeting. He absolutely hates his son Nwoye for joining the European church. Okonkwo ultimately fails when he comes back to Umuofia and no one supports him in rebelling against the Europeans. I. Okonkwo failed when he could not get anyone to rebel with him. A. European’s had started to take over. 1. “On an Eke market day a little band of fugitives came into our town. Most of them were sons of our land whose mothers had been buried with us. But there were some too who came because they had friends in our town, and others who could think of nowhere else open to escape. And so they fled into Umuofia with a woeful story”, (138). The village of Abame had been wiped out. Europeans used the Eke market day as a cover in order to get into the down and destroy it from the inside out. The Europeans were behind the attack yet the people of Umuofia gave them land to make a church in the Evil Forest. 2. “The missionaries had come to Umuofia. They had built their church there, won a handful of converts and were already sending evangelists to the surrounding towns and villages”, (142). The Europeans made the Igbo’s life crumble around them by turning each other against one another. Europeans took many people into their church including outcasts. The Igbo’s would stand no chance in rebelling against European colonization if they didn’t unite. They need someone to stan... ... middle of paper ... ... died a dishonorable death like his dad. 2. “Okonkwo’s second wife had merely cut a few leaves off it to wrap some food, and she said so. Without further argument Okonkwo gave her a sound beating and left her and her only daughter weeping” (38). Okonkwo beat his wife and was very cruel to the rest of his family. Unoka had beat his family a lot just like Okonkwo did. Okonkwo had killed one of his son’s, Ikemefuna and beat his other son for joining the Christian church. They both did stupid things to their families for stupid reasons. Conclusion: When Okonkwo came back, no one rebelled with him so he failed in driving the Europeans out of Umuofia. Okonkwo did what he tried not to be which was like his father. As one religion rises the other must fall in order to maintain balance, your people must be united to be a strong force or else everything will just fall apart.

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