Okonkwo Character Analysis
What is the significance of Okonkwo’s character? What does he represent or is symbolic of?
He is symbolic of everything that the Umuofian society stands for. He is materialistic, and loves being successful. He aspires to reach to top ranks of his society, and is determined to achieve his goals. He is hard working, strong, and brave, everything that a man should be in his society. He does not follow in the footsteps of his father but rather deviates from him and will do anything to not end up like him. His society does not believe in a man that benefits from his own father's success but rather must build his own success. He is significant in that he is considered important within his society. He is well known and someone that the young men of Umuofia should aspire to be like. However, he is also human. He deals with a lot of internal conflict, mainly centered around the fact that he will do anything to not be like his father which has it's downsides. His father was a very loving and nice person. So, Okonkwo is ruthless with his family and forces his sons to be manly.
What is the purpose of Okonkwo’s character within the text?
The purpose of having Okonkwo as the main character in this text is that he showcases everything that the Umuofian society is and aspires to be. He is almost a human representation of the Umuofian society as mentioned before. In the first part of the novel, Achebe aims to introduce us to the Igbo culture and the values of Umuofia. So by choosing to create a character who will follow the rules put into place by his society so rigidly, even when it means he is affected negatively by it, gives us a good idea of what it means to be apart of this society. While some critics feel he was alone in his stubbornness and inflexibility, it is really just a continuation of how the society works and how seriously they take their religion. However, he overdoes this a lot, and at points follows the rules of his society too tightly. He also acts as someone that the audience can relate to. He has problems with his father and feels like he must sometimes act a certain way in order to be accepted by society. Something that all of us can relate with at some point in our lives. As a man and because of his attempts to deviate from his father's behaviour, he is incapable of showcasing any sort of weakness. This is also a continuation of the core values of his people, that a man must be brave and strong. Being a young man myself, I agree with the fact that men are forced sometimes to internalize their fear by society. So that is an example of how Achebe aimed to connect with his readers. Achebe does all of this to pass along his theme of the complexity of the Igbo culture and how if you are to inflexible to change, you will suffer for it.
How does Okonkwo’s character contribute to big ideas?
Okonkwo's character contributes to our assimilation of the complexity of Igbo culture and how inflexibility to change and rules in the end is hurtful to you. Okonkwo lives and breaths Igbo and follows his culture down to every single detail. By creating a character like that, we learn a lot about the complexity of the Igbo. The fact that Okonkwo is also someone who has a lot of internal conflict due to this rigid following helps further that message of complexity. He is trapped in his own mindset that a man has to be a man that has been created by his society. So, when he is exiled and his society's core values about manliness are changed with the arrival of the British, he is caught in an awkward situation. Does he keep following the traditional values of his culture, or adapt to the change. He does not deviate from his character, and continues on with his stubborn mindset. This in the end is what leads to his tragic death. After he kills the messenger, and no one in his society is willing do defend him or the village, he commits suicide because he cannot believe what his society has become.
He is symbolic of everything that the Umuofian society stands for. He is materialistic, and loves being successful. He aspires to reach to top ranks of his society, and is determined to achieve his goals. He is hard working, strong, and brave, everything that a man should be in his society. He does not follow in the footsteps of his father but rather deviates from him and will do anything to not end up like him. His society does not believe in a man that benefits from his own father's success but rather must build his own success. He is significant in that he is considered important within his society. He is well known and someone that the young men of Umuofia should aspire to be like. However, he is also human. He deals with a lot of internal conflict, mainly centered around the fact that he will do anything to not be like his father which has it's downsides. His father was a very loving and nice person. So, Okonkwo is ruthless with his family and forces his sons to be manly.
What is the purpose of Okonkwo’s character within the text?
The purpose of having Okonkwo as the main character in this text is that he showcases everything that the Umuofian society is and aspires to be. He is almost a human representation of the Umuofian society as mentioned before. In the first part of the novel, Achebe aims to introduce us to the Igbo culture and the values of Umuofia. So by choosing to create a character who will follow the rules put into place by his society so rigidly, even when it means he is affected negatively by it, gives us a good idea of what it means to be apart of this society. While some critics feel he was alone in his stubbornness and inflexibility, it is really just a continuation of how the society works and how seriously they take their religion. However, he overdoes this a lot, and at points follows the rules of his society too tightly. He also acts as someone that the audience can relate to. He has problems with his father and feels like he must sometimes act a certain way in order to be accepted by society. Something that all of us can relate with at some point in our lives. As a man and because of his attempts to deviate from his father's behaviour, he is incapable of showcasing any sort of weakness. This is also a continuation of the core values of his people, that a man must be brave and strong. Being a young man myself, I agree with the fact that men are forced sometimes to internalize their fear by society. So that is an example of how Achebe aimed to connect with his readers. Achebe does all of this to pass along his theme of the complexity of the Igbo culture and how if you are to inflexible to change, you will suffer for it.
How does Okonkwo’s character contribute to big ideas?
Okonkwo's character contributes to our assimilation of the complexity of Igbo culture and how inflexibility to change and rules in the end is hurtful to you. Okonkwo lives and breaths Igbo and follows his culture down to every single detail. By creating a character like that, we learn a lot about the complexity of the Igbo. The fact that Okonkwo is also someone who has a lot of internal conflict due to this rigid following helps further that message of complexity. He is trapped in his own mindset that a man has to be a man that has been created by his society. So, when he is exiled and his society's core values about manliness are changed with the arrival of the British, he is caught in an awkward situation. Does he keep following the traditional values of his culture, or adapt to the change. He does not deviate from his character, and continues on with his stubborn mindset. This in the end is what leads to his tragic death. After he kills the messenger, and no one in his society is willing do defend him or the village, he commits suicide because he cannot believe what his society has become.
Your answer to the question "What is the significance of Okonkwo’s character? What does he represent or is symbolic of?" rather works to characterize and give a description of Okonkwo rather than stating the significance of his character. To better answer the question, you should rather think about why Okonkwo is important in the novel, and what the author is trying to demonstrate through his character. However, that paragraph states great main ideas which Achebe is trying to demonstrate. Your answer for the second question shows clear understanding of the purpose of Okonkwo's figure, by showcasing how his character is a symbolic representative of larger ideas. As well, your answer to the third question shows great understanding in the correlation between Okonkwo's character's and greater conceptual ideas in the novel.
ReplyDeleteHey Tomas! Great blog post yet again! I agree that he does symbolize what Umuofia stands for but not what they are, if that makes sense. In the extra readings, Ibo culture is all about balance. however I really like your characterization of Okonkwo!
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