Things fall apart (Okwonwo)

Things fall Apart

How does Okwonko develop themes in the text as a tragic hero ? 

Throughout the novel, Okwonko is portrayed as a powerful, strong and brave character. He's also portrayed as a leader who values his reputation over others. The novel also portrays Okonkwo as a man of action, a man of  high status in the Igbo village. He holds the prominent position of village clansman due to the fact that he had shown incredible skills in two intertribal wars. Okonkwo’s hard work had made him a wealthy farmer and a recognized individual amongst the nine villages of Umuofia and beyond. Okonkwo’s tragic flaw isn’t that he was afraid of work, but rather his fear of weakness and failure which stems from his father’s unproductive life and disgraceful death. When Okwonko's problems start going south, he starts to realise that fate has had a part in his difficult times. He blames the oracle for the death of Ikemfuna, He then almost faces exile as he mistakingly kills Ezeudu's son. He then leaves for seven years. The reason Okwonko is considered a tragic hero is due to the fact that he eventually hung himself which led to a sad and tragic ending Okwonko and the novel. 

Why does Achebe choose a tragic hero for his protagonist in his colonial counter narrative ? 

Achebe establishes the concept that the emotion of pity does not come from a person becoming better but when a person receives undeserved misfortune which is exactly what Okwonko received in his novel, and fear comes when the misfortune befalls a man like us. Okwonko decided to kill himself so that he wouldn't give the colonisers the pride of revenge due to the fact that he knew that they would be after him. Okwonkwo though that if he gathered with the clan leaders they could kick the colonisers out of Umofia, and he was also convinced due to the fact that he thought the people would be convinced due to the burning of the churches etc. Overall the fact that Okwonkwo had an undeserved misfortune such as exile caused fear and the emotion of pity, but the in the same time gave hope to the people and the readers as they though that Okwonkwo was going to come back for revenge but on the contrary, he committed suicide which then cause not only confusion, but a tragic ending for the novel. 

What is the purpose of function on Okwonkwo in thing fall apart ? 

 

As we know from the story, Okwonkwo was a hard working and self respected member of the Umofia clan. Even though Okwonkwo was shown in the novel as a powerful, strong, and fearless fighter who anybody would generally tremble upon, his life was mostly dictated by fear. This made Okwonkwo a realistic character and proved that he had a weak spot which made it easier for some people to relate to him if necessary. In the novel, Okwonkwo attempts to work hard, provide for his family, be brave, and be masculine in every possible way as he also fear femininity. As a result, Okonkwo becomes successful in many ways , he becomes very wealthy, holds a high-ranked position in the community, has three wives, and is known for his skill as a wrestler and warrior. But he also tends toward emotions that are extreme, and his fear motivates him to take actions which are often unnecessary and ultimately destructive. Okwonkwo gave meaning to the story and he was a good person in which at the time people and readers could relate to.