Resistance to Change in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart Essay example

Achebes novel Things Fall isolated chronicles the life of an individualist whose carefully constructed world crumbles as his culture is assimilated into a colonizing society. This character, Okonkwo, is prestigious deep down his community, and in most respects views himself and is viewed by his neighbors as an honorable man. hitherto for all his seeming honor, Okonwko self-destructs when his world begins to change. Although the value system held by Okonkwos colonization may differ somewhat from that held by other cultures, his particular date during colonization is universal. When Okonkwo defines himself as an honorable man and thinks back upon his life achievements that form made him so, he focuses most potently upon his ferocity. He has brought honor to his hamlet by throwing Amalinze the Cat in a wrestling match (Achebe 3). Furthermore, his irritation with unsuccessful men causes him to pounce on people quite a lot (4). Although it is sometimes problematic for him, Okonkwos violent and impulsive nature generally earns him massive respect in his society. par tab Okonkwos second most unambiguous trait is his inflexible will (24). This trait enables him to survive the year of the yam famine and build up his prosperous compound, despite his grim get by against poverty and misfortune (27). Okonkwo becomes very proud, knowing that this success was not luck. He thus believes that he controls his own fate Okonkwo said yes very strongly so his chi agreed. And not only his chi but his clan too, because it judged a man by the work of his hands (27). As a self-made man, Okonkwo has learned that he can attain his goals through ferocity, violence, tenacity, and stubbornness. His perennial successes have made ... ...ten, to preserve their integrity to their self-image and heritage, individuals intensify their ethnic behaviour in the face of obliteration. For many such as Okonkwo, this is a suicidal act, if not literally, then at least socially, politically, and economically. Sources Cited and Consulted Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. Oxford Heinemann, 1996. Culross, Melissa. Chinua Achebe and Things Fall Apart. Postimperial and Postcolonial books in English. Internet. http//landow.stg.br/ own.edu/post/achebe/ things.htm l. Irele, Abiola. The Tragic Conflict in the Novels of Chinua Achebe. InChinuaAchebesThings Fall ApartA Critical Companion. Delhi Worldview, 2003. Kortenar. Neil Ten, How the Center is Made to make water inThings Fall Apart.InChinuaAchebesThings Fall Apart A Casebook. Ed. By Isidore Okpewho. Oxford OUP, 2003.