In Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe, The author uses the tragic hero in the character of Okonkwo. When he starts off in the Outstanding position with his extensive compound and many wives and leading him to his tragic downfall. Okonkwo throughout his life he was the ideal Ibo man, showing expertise in many different areas of his life including the many titles and well-earnt respect. Okonkwo is challenged by his community and the opposing religion and deals with it in fear Okonkwo is controlled by his fear causing him to act irrationally resulting in his downfall.
Okonkwo fears controlled him and remained the main contributor to his demise, having the fear of weakness making him oblivious to the choices that trigger his flight or fight response making him act illogically for example in the beating of his wife and the murder Infemefuna “Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. he was afraid of being thought weak.” (Achebe 28).
For example, fear was heavily represented in the killing of Ikemefuna, Okonkwo attempting not to seem weak in front of his clansmen by this action Furthermore demonstrating how his fear influence’s him.The Fear of change influenced him, prompting him to want to fight it. Throughout Okonkwo’s life, his culture had not changed until the missionaries came to Umuofia and start converting the Africans to Christianity, moving the African religion aside and replacing it made Okonkwo mad. “In a flash Okonkwo drew his machete. The messenger crouched to avoid the blow. It was useless.
Okonkwo’s machete descended twice and the man’s head lay beside his uniformed body. Okonkwo stood looking at the dead man. He knew that Umuofia would not go to war. ” (Achebe 41) I think the reason why he killed him was to motivate the others into fighting because he is scared of the change that they bring, aforementioned how his fear motivates him into doing irrational things.Okonkwo is controlled by his fear, throughout Okonkwo’s life, fear is his motivation and the reason he does many things, because of his father’s failure.
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Okonkwo’s fear plays a significant role in his success and his downfall, therefore, controlling him and making him fear change because of it.Okonkwo cannot help his tribe because fear and how it interacts with his decisions
