Revealing Okonkwos Character Through Proverbs Essay example

In Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, Ibo proverbs reveal Okonkwo’s character, especially his ambition, self-reliance, and respect for elders. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Throughout the village of Umuofia, a belief the villagers have, is the belief in the earth, sun and rain gods. The villager’s religious values are very sacred. If one does not abide by a ritual such as bringing a little kota to an elder or friend, one does not respect. Other beliefs such as whistling at night, and creating violence in the village’s annual week of peace are meant to be a bad omen. The one who is at fault is believed to be cursed. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;During one harvest, Okonkwo has had a shortage of yam seedlings, so he looks to Nwakibie and†¦show more content†¦Okonkwo believes that work brings its own reward. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Okonkwo is a honorable man because he is a great fighter and warrior. He also shows respect towards his elders. Before Okonkwo even begins to ask for a favor from Nwakibie, he first brings a little kola, to give to Nwakibie. The little kola represents respect. After giving his gift, Okonkwo brings up the proverb,† a man who pays respect to the great paves the way for his own greatness. Nwakibie feels honored by this statement. The proverb means a lot in all of societies. When you give respect to one who is older, you shall in return receive respect; this leads to a mutual friendship. Okonkwo’s respect makes it quite easy for a man to say yes for a favor, but while showing respect he is only hiding behind a mask. Okonkwo wants to claim many titles and become the leader of the clan. Okonkwo shows respect only to get what he wants. This reveals Okonkwos dark side. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Okonkwo’s respect and honor for elders, ambition to succeed and self-reliance makes him a successful man. Okonkwo knows how to get what he wants. Hard work and determination bring outShow MoreRelatedThings Fall Apart: Okonkwo Character Analysis Essay856 Words   |  4 PagesIn the novel Things Fall Apart, strength and pride are very important aspects of the main character, Okonkwo, however, these traits may sound like excellent traits to possess but because of the way he was raised, Okonkwo harbours many of his emotions under an outer shell of violence, strength and pride. His traits can be shown by looking at where he has come from in his life, for example, Okonkwo has acquired a large amount of wealth in his life because of his hard work and dedication which he alsoRead MoreAnalysis of Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart1579 Words   |  6 Pagesfurthermore, that the destructive effects of these ideologies are visited upon both Ikemefuna and Okonkwo. Okonkwos larger narrative arc actually suggests an ideal third path that discards the , because the novel blends elements of African and Western literature in order to tell a story that is simultaneously a tragedy in the Greek sense and clearly, essentially African. By examining Okonkwos story in detail, it will be possible to see how Achebe uses the particular narrative elements of Things FallRead MorePostcolonial Literature (Persepolis Things Fall Apart)1504 Words   |  7 Pagesbelieve the value to be in using a particular critical approach. ‘Things Fall Apart’ by Chinua Achebe and ‘Persepolis’ by Marjane Satrapi follow a postcolonial critical approach. Both books take place in a country considered politically inferior through western perspective and both texts, even though reinforce colonialists’ oppressive ideology, don’t stand completely against the colonialists and fault their own culture. They present the themes of dislocation on how western influences changes, religiousRead MoreThe Culture And Traditions Of Africa1898 Words   |  8 PagesAfrica is a continent marked with a beautiful, yet violent and turbulent past. Its distinct culture is displayed through singularity in art, language, traditions, values and beliefs. However, unfortunately, much of ancient African heritage disappeared due to active elimination by slave traders and colonists. Even today, Africa is one of the most negatively judged continents on this Earth. Simply the word ‘Africa’ might conjur e up images of ebola or war as compared to ‘North America’ which might evokeRead More The Lie of Imperialism Exposed in Literature Essay3048 Words   |  13 Pagesnovel effective and intelligent language. Consequently Conrad’s novella perpetuates the lie of imperialism that presupposes the superiority of European language and identity. Conrad elevates the â€Å"soundless† language of the European colonizers through his treatment of written words and texts. When Marlow finds the Russian’s book he treats it as an â€Å"amazing antiquity with the greatest possible tenderness, lest it should dissolve in [his] hands.† To Marlow the book is â€Å"astounding,† â€Å"wonderful,†