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Chinua Achebe, in his seminal novel "Things Fall Apart," intricately explores the customs and values, particularly African, through the lens of his characters. Among these, Okonkwo emerges as a symbol of the ideal Ibo man, acquiring wealth and fame seemingly from nothing. However, this success fosters in him an arrogance and disdain for those less accomplished. While pride is traditionally considered a noble quality, Achebe delves into the darker side of this virtue, highlighting its destructive potential when rooted in fear and insecurity.
This essay will examine how Achebe, using techniques such as direct characterization, character foil, and impactful dialogue, unfolds the narrative of Okonkwo's incorrigible pride and its tragic consequences.
Achebe employs direct comments from the narrator to vividly portray Okonkwo's thoughts and actions, providing insight into his proud nature. After Okonkwo's exile, the narrator divulges Okonkwo's meticulous plan for his return, revealing his desire to showcase wealth and status. The narrator states, "Even in his first year in exile, he had begun to plan for his return...
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Okonkwo saw clearly the high esteem in which he would be held, and saw himself taking the highest title in the land" (Achebe 172).
Despite the challenges faced during exile, Okonkwo's determination to display success reflects his deep-seated pride. The direct characterization method allows readers to discern Okonkwo's thoughts without ambiguity, emphasizing his relentless pursuit of acknowledgment and status.
It's crucial to delve into the nature of Okonkwo's pride, which transcends the typical self-assuredness associated with this virtue. Instead, Okonkwo's pride appears rooted in an underlying fear of inadequacy.
This fear, stemming from a traumatic childhood witnessing his father's perceived failure, shapes Okonkwo's relentless pursuit of success. His pride becomes a facade, shielding him from the haunting possibility of resembling the man he so despises—his father, Unoka.
Achebe employs Unoka, Okonkwo's father, as a foil to accentuate Okonkwo's character. Unoka, characterized by his meekness and considered a failure by society, stands in stark contrast to Okonkwo's brash and arrogant pride. Okonkwo's disdain for his father is evident, as seen in his thoughts: "I have done my best to make Nwoye grow into a man, but there is too much of his mother in him. too much of his grandfather... But he had long learned how to lay that ghost" (Achebe 66).
Okonkwo's abhorrence of Unoka reinforces his unyielding pride, driven by the fear of resembling his perceived failure of a father. Achebe utilizes character foil not only to exaggerate Okonkwo's pride but also to elucidate its origins, rooted in a determination to distance himself from perceived weakness.
Unoka's portrayal serves not just as a foil but as a reflection of the societal values that contribute to Okonkwo's pride. The Ibo society, with its emphasis on martial prowess and material success, shapes Okonkwo's beliefs about manhood and success. Unoka's rejection by society becomes a cautionary tale for Okonkwo, further fueling his prideful pursuit of success at any cost.
Achebe employs impactful dialogues to amplify Okonkwo's unyielding and often destructive pride. After the death of Ikemefuna, Okonkwo is still bothered by it that he says When did you become a shivering old woman, Okonkwo asked himself, you, who are known in all the nine villages for your valor in war? How can a man who has killed five men in battle fall to pieces because he has added a boy to their number? Okonkwo, you have become a woman indeed. (Achebe 65). Okonkwo is telling himself that he has turned into a "woman"- meaning soft-hearted and emotional, and he feels ashamed.
Through this monologue, Achebe lets the reader understand more of Okonkwo's way of thinking. He obviously thinks that a man should only be strong and unemotional, and he measures a man's sense of pride by his ability in battle and toughness of his heart. Since his pride is not from the true confidence of himself, but from the fear of not being what he thinks about an ideal man, it is twisted- wrong, destructive. Achebes excellent use of dialogue shows Okonkwos distorted pride that the readers can connect that it would eventually lead to his downfall.
This dialogue not only reveals Okonkwo's struggle with his changing emotional state but also exposes the toxic masculinity ingrained in his beliefs. The societal expectations of what constitutes a "real man" contribute to Okonkwo's internal conflict, where any display of emotion is perceived as a weakness. Achebe employs dialogue not just as a tool for character expression but as a means to critique the damaging norms perpetuated by the Ibo society.
Ultimately, Okonkwo's inveterate pride becomes the catalyst for his downfall, ultimately leading to his tragic demise through suicide. He finds himself unable to see his falling and weakness and adapt to changing society that he could not play an important role anymore due to the arrival of the white men. Okonkwo is a memorable character as he shows true-to-life strengths and true-to-life flaws. Through Achebes excellent use of direct method of characterization, effective use of foil and his robust dialogues, the reader not only sees Okonkwos character, but understands it as well.
However, it's crucial to dissect the broader societal implications woven into Okonkwo's narrative. Achebe uses Okonkwo as a microcosm to critique the damaging effects of colonialism on traditional African societies. Okonkwo's tragic end becomes symbolic of the larger tragedy faced by African communities grappling with the imposition of foreign ideologies.
The arrival of the white men, with their own set of values and beliefs, shatters the existing societal structures. Okonkwo's inability to adapt to this change represents the clash between tradition and colonial influence. His suicide, then, is not just a personal tragedy but a poignant commentary on the broader cultural disintegration brought about by external forces.
In conclusion, Okonkwo's inveterate pride becomes a multifaceted exploration of not just an individual's downfall but a society in flux. His inability to reconcile his traditional beliefs with the encroaching colonial influence ultimately leads to his tragic demise. Achebe, through his meticulous use of direct characterization, character foil, and impactful dialogues, paints a vivid portrait of Okonkwo's pride, revealing its deep-seated roots and destructive consequences.
Moreover, Achebe's narrative serves as a powerful commentary on the broader issues of cultural clash and the eroding impact of colonialism on indigenous African societies. Okonkwo's personal tragedy becomes emblematic of the larger upheavals faced by communities grappling with the imposition of foreign ideologies.
Therefore, "Things Fall Apart" stands not just as a character study but as a profound exploration of the complexities inherent in societal change and the human cost of unwavering pride.
Okonkwo's Destructive Pride in Things Fall Apart. (2016, Jul 25). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/characters-in-chinua-achebes-books-essay
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