What motivates the character Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart?

Okonkwo is primarily motivated by a deep-seated need to differentiate from his father. Specifically, he is intrinsically focused on demonstrating his complete alignment with the traditional masculine ethos.

The text tells about how Okonkwo persevered and prevailed during a miserable yam planting season. First, an eight-week drought destroyed many harvests. Next, the rains came with a ferocious intensity, further destroying more yam crops. Many farmers endured great loss that year, and some were prompted to take their lives in desperation. Okonkwo, however, endured and prevailed.

Yet, his pride was marred by anger and frustration. Okonkwo was his family's primary breadwinner. As such, he had to support his entire family, including his mother, sisters, and father (Unoka). Okonkwo especially despised Unoka's weakness. As a son, he had to do the work of the father. For his part, Unoka was content to depend upon Okonkwo. Unoka's only contribution was philosophical words of advice about life and suffering.

This irritated Okonkwo greatly. So, for the rest of his adulthood, Okonkwo was determined to prove his masculine prowess in every way: in battle, in material pursuits, and in romantic conquests.

What type of person is Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart?

Okonkwo is a man who looks ferocious on the outside but on the inside he is full of fear. His main fear is being thought of like his father, a man who was seen as weak and lazy by his tribe. Many of Okonkwo's actions can be traced back to this fear. Okonkwo hates gentleness, laziness, inaction and overt actions of sentimentality. He doesn't allow himself to enjoy life, his wives, his material success or his children. He rules his family harshly and even beats one wife. He acts like a very proud man and pushes himself to be the best warrior in his tribe. But underneath all of his accomplishments and pride, there is always a fear that he might turn out like his weak father. Thus,many of his actions in the novel belie the idea that Okonkwo is truly brave when in fact his bravery is a cover-up for the shame of his heredity.

What type of person is Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart?

Okonkwo is the protagonist of Things Fall Apart, and some might even call him a tragic hero. Okonkwo values masculinity and strength and is loyal to the traditions of his tribe (for the most part). His father was poor and a musician; Okonkwo is ashamed of his father, so he tries to be nothing like him. Instead, Okonkwo wins a famous wrestling match and is a successful yam farmer. He values hard work, and in his tribe, having a thriving yam crop is seen as manly. He is one of the leaders of his tribe at the start of the novel, and he is well-respected. He takes a couple of actions near the beginning of the book, though, that are criticized by other men in the tribe. For one, he beats one of his wives during the Week of Peace. Even though the other men agree that he was justified in beating his wife, it is not permitted to do so during that week. Furthermore, he is the one who strikes the deadly machete blow that kills Ikemefuna, a boy being held hostage from another tribe but who lived with Okonkwo's family and befriended his son. Other tribal leaders believe it was not right for him to go along on the journey during which Ikemefuna would be killed (as decreed by the gods), let alone be the one to actually kill him. Okonkwo's personal bias toward masculinity affects his relationships with his children. His son is not manly enough for Okonkwo, so they are not close, while his daughter Ezinma is Okonkwo's favorite. Unfortunately for Okonkwo, though, he can only lament that she was not born his son. 

The pivotal moment in Okonkwo's life comes when he accidentally kills the son of an elder tribesman at the elder's funeral. Because it was accidental, it is termed a "female crime." He is exiled for seven years to his mother's village. While he is away, missionaries come to his home village and exert their influence. By the time he returns, the tribe and village are no longer the people nor place he once knew. He and a few other characters stand for tradition and resist the missionaries, but this is to no avail. At the end of the novel, Okonkwo kills himself because he does not think he can live in his village in its current state. He believes the tribe has abandoned its roots, and he cannot bear to participate in it nor witness it any further. 

What does Okonkwo's relationship with his father reveal about the themes in Things Fall Apart?

Okonkwo has a difficult relationship with his father, Unoka, who is a lazy debtor. Unoka is a relatively peaceful man, who enjoys playing his flute and indulging in palm wine. Unoka is also described as an ill-fated man, who dies of swelling in his stomach and limbs, which is an abomination to the earth goddess. Unoka ends up dying a untitled man and is carried to the Evil Forest.

Okonkwo fears becoming like his father and is ashamed to be his son. Out of contempt for his father, Okonkwo works to become a successful man with multiple wives and a large compound. Unlike his father, Okonkwo is aggressive and masculine. The only emotion that Okonkwo displays is anger, and he is known throughout Umuofia as a fearless warrior. Okonkwo is also a celebrated wrestler and ends up earning numerous titles. Despite Okonkwo's accomplishments, his excessive masculinity, stubbornness, and anger lead to his downfall.

Okonkwo's difficult relationship with his father thematically correlates to Okonkwo's anger and repressed emotions, which contribute to his demise. Through Okonkwo's negative feelings towards his father, Achebe explores themes of masculinity, success, and fear. Essentially, Okonkwo's accomplishments stem from his fear of becoming like Unoka but adversely reflect his relationships with family members and influence his terrible decisions throughout the novel.

How does Okonkwo's individuality separate him from his society and determine his fate in Things Fall Apart?

When we're first introduced to Okonkwo, the main character in Things Fall Apart, he's distinguished himself for winning a wrestling match. The son of a poor and drunken, if amiable, father, Okonkwo has worked hard to succeed, to overcome the shame of his family, and to distinguish himself in the tribe. The downside of his success is that he is arrogant (a frequent characteristic of tragic heroes), moody, prone to violence, and not always respectful of the important traditions of the Igbo tribe. It is especially his violence that makes him stick out in the tribe. He beats his wives and children, accidentally discharges a gun, and kills one of his fellow tribesmen, which is the action that leads to his exile.

His seven-year exile, however, does not make him humble or repentant. Rather, it hardens all of his negative characteristics and makes him bitter. This is the first part of his downfall, but fate is not done with him. In the second part of the book, the Europeans have arrived, and their influence starts to impact the tribe, especially in terms of religion. Okonkwo, in keeping with his violent and proud nature, decides to fight the Europeans. While there is something admirable about his resistance, it's Quixotic. Not only does he fail, but we, the readers, know the colonization succeeded in Nigeria. In his final act, Okonkwo kills himself.