The document discusses whether Okonkwo from Things Fall Apart is a tragic hero or a coward. It provides context about Okonkwo's respected status in the tribe. As the colonial government asserts more control, Okonkwo's anxiety and hatred grow. When he kills a messenger, he is imprisoned. In a moment of humiliation, he hangs himself, representing both his personal downfall and the collapse of Umuofia's traditional culture.

1. Things Fall Apart
Tragic Hero or Coward? In Achebe's book Things Fall Apart Okonkwo is arguably made out to be
a "coward" due to the killing of the messenger and to himself. Many reader's don't see that
Okonkwo is no coward at all, but should be considered a "tragic hero". In the tribe of Umuofia,
Okonkwo is considered to be the "greatest men of his time"(Achebe 8), his characteristics fit the
definition of an everyday hero, which is a man of distinguished courage, ability, and thought highly
of for his brave deeds and noble qualities. Okonkwo is a well respected man in the tribe and rises to
the top very quickly "like a brush–fire in the harmattan"(Achebe 3) and at a young age; he is
muscular, vigorous, well respected, and wealthy. Achebe describes...show more content...
He has been fantasying his return from the start of his exile and is nonetheless starting to fill with
more anxiety. Reader's are starting to see things falling apart in not only the tribe of Umuofia but
also in Okonkwo himself. Okonkwo gets a little relief from the tension and anxiety going on in
his mind and the reader actually see's a little happiness in him when they burn down the church.
But when the District Commissioner comes to the village and takes Okonkwo and the leaders
prisoner. This is were readers see Okonkwo's downfall unravel quickly. While being held prisoner
of the missionary's "judicial system", Okonkwo loses it after being humiliated by the whitemen.
He tells his other tribe members, " we should have killed the white man if you had listen to
me"(Achebe 195). The reader can see that Okonkwo is filled with hate specially toward the white
man and he is just a "ticking time bomb." Achebe's also mentions it in the book, "Okonkwo was
choked with hate"(Achebe 195). This is a turning point in the story and for the missionaries. When
Enoch is encouraged by Smith to insult the traditional Igbo culture by killing the "sacred python"and
de–masking of the god, readers tend to believe that this is where things begin to change. According
to spark notes the killing of the python, "emblematize the transition from the old order to the
new."Showing the reader's the missionaries are trying to covert the Igbo and will do it no
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2. Things Fall Apart Essay
The Relationship between Okonkwo and Nwoye falls apart.
A relationship between a father and son can have a decidedly profound impact on each other's lives.
Whether this relationship is bifurcated, the psychological effects of having an intimate or inadequate
parenting skills can have a nurturing or depriving effect on a child's personality from birth all
throughout adulthood. This relationship although sustained has the potential to be either beneficial
or untenable. In Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, we see a breakdown between a father and son
relationship which created a very detrimental effect. The carved figure of a son that Okonkwo had
predicted was erased due to his egoistic character and his terrible parenting skills....show more
content...
According to Achebe, the main character detested his father at a very young age, "Even as a little
boy he had resented his father's failure and weakness, and even now he still remembered how he
had suffered when a playmate had told him that his father was agbala."(28) The Igbo tribe in
Things Fall Apart uses the term an "agbala" which is used to describe "woman". Okonkwo
considered his father to be weak, effeminate, poor, disgraceful, and always in debt to his fellow
tribes people. Okonkwo's life revolves around the deep fear of becoming a failure and adopting the
image of his father. Due to this self rooted perception of failure there are indications that he tries to
rise above his father's legacy.
The breakdown of Okonkwo's relationship with his son is evident throughout this novel. The
reason for this tumultuous relationship is, Okonkwo is too engrossed in maintaining his status
quo, and his relationship was governed by his own beliefs, principles and his own "right way to do
right things". He treated his family very strictly as he believed that showing affection revealed a
sign of social weakness; thus the disheartening lack of respect and love was a mal nourishing factor
with in the family.
This story maintained a constant theme of conflict. Nwoye, lives in perpetual fear of his father.
Okonkwo constantly chastises his son and finds a fault with everything he
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