Things Fall Apart Group

Question:

hunterp1994
hunterp1994
Student
High School - 10th Grade

What are some of Okonkwo's virtues and flaws?

I have to write a one page hand-written book report on Okonkwo's virtues and flaws so I need to know enough to discuss them.

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Posted by hunterp1994 on Tuesday October 27, 2009 at 1:59 PM and tagged with flaws, okonkwo, things fall apart, virtues.

Answers:


  1. egraham17 Teacher

    eNotes Editor

    Okonkwo embodies the Ibo ideal of masculinity. He is physically powerful, and commands respect as a member of the tribe and an egwugwu, a manifestation of an ancestral spirit that acts as a judge. He was a great wrestler when he was young, which not only earned him the praise of the tribe, but also won him his second wife. Okonkwo also upholds the village's laws as sacred, and he will defend those beliefs in any situation. finally, Okonkwo is very successful. He has three wives, plentiful yam harvests, and he holds many titles in the village. Overall, he seems the perfect representation of manhood in the Ibo society.

    However, Okonkwo has great flaws. He is a brutal tyrant with his family, especially his son, whom he perceives as weak & womanish. He is physically abusive, almost killing one of his wives & willingly breaking the Week of Peace. He is also stubborn, and this resistance to change leads to his exile and ultimately death. Okonkwo is extremely proud, & he spends his whole life trying to overcome the shame of his father's existence. He is haunted by the disgraceful way his father lived and died, & this secret shame pushes him to cruelty and harshness.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/things-fall-apart/character-analysis

    Rate answer:

    Posted by egraham17 on Tuesday October 27, 2009 at 3:24 PM