Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Term Paper

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Things Fall Apart

All classical heroes have tragic flaws. In the case of Okonkwo, the protagonist in Chinau Achebe's novel Things Fall Apart, heroism is demonstrated by his position of leadership and power in his community and his allegiance to tradition. However, Okonkwo's flaws haunt him, his family and his clansmen throughout the tale. Okonkwo's key flaws are his intense pride and anger. These tragic flaws lead to the death of two children and to his committing suicide at the end of the book. Okonkwo's excessive need to prove his worth over that of his lazy father and his consequential expectations and projections onto his son and community cause his downfall and are the source of his tragic flaw.

Ironically, it is the young men of his clan, especially his son and Ikemefuna, that most inspire Okonkwo to act as a true leader and hero. Okonkwo hopes to embody an illusory sense of masculinity.

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The author conveys Okonkwo's stance on masculinity by weaving Igbo words into the novel. For example, "agbala" refers to a man without title, and is also a word meaning "woman." Okonkwo's suicide is in part motivated by his failure to inspire the male ideal in his sons. However, the suicide is more directly related….....

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