Things Fall Apart, a novel, follows the life of African man Okonkwo, who lives in the village of Umuofia. As a young man, Okonkwo seeks to distinguish himself, and through hard work becomes a leader in his village. When white men invade his village, Okonkwo wants to fight and drive them out. He soon realizes that the old values and customs he has lived by are disappearing, driving him to despair in this classic exploration of masculinity and the conflict between tradition and change.
Husband of three, father of eight, he is the most respected warrior and leader in his village. All his life he endeavors to get rid of the memory of his father, Unoka, who was an unmanly, idle, and lazy person.
Okonkwo is a conservative person who believes that the only thing a man has to do is to fight for his family and for his tribe. He can’t tolerate any other attitude, that’s why he worries about his 12-year-son, Nwoye, who seems to be similar to Okonkwo’s despised father.
He always wants to prove that he is a real man (not like his father) but he regularly makes big mistakes and even falls into sin as a result of excessive manliness and frustration.
He is not able to accept any change in life including the white converters and the Christianity. But when the clansmen compromise and choose peace instead of war against the white people, he is forced to realize that he has no future in the community because of his lack of ability to conform.
Okonkwo is a "classical" tragic hero: he is a superior person and his tragic flaw - the compilation of manliness with violence, arrogance, and impatience - brings about his destruction.
Okonkwo's best friend. He takes care of Okonkwo's yams after Okonkwo is exiled for seven years. He also questions some of the tribal morals and consequences. Chinua Achebe uses this character as a foil to Okonkwo because Obierka is a man that thinks instead of acts like Okonkwo
Okonkwo’s oldest son who is, similarly to his grandfather, a rather "feminine" boy and that’s why he is unacceptable to his father. He wants to meet his father’s requirements but can’t hide his personality and feelings. However, when Ikemefuna arrives and becomes Nwoye’s best friend, with the help of his "stepbrother", he is able to show some manliness to Okonkwo.
When Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna, Nwoye becomes alienated from his father and his values. He joins forces with the white converters, and although Okonkwo disowns him, he finds peace at last far way from his father.
Daughter of Okonkwo who has more "masculine" spirit than her brother, Nwoye. Okonkwo wishes Ezinma was a boy, and interestingly she is the only child who has won Okonkwo’s respect.
She shares an interesting relationship with her mother Ekwefi. The relationship is more like one of equals than of the typical mother-daughter seen in the tribe. This could be because Ekwefi has lost so many other children, Enzinma is her only child, and so she loves her less because she has reached the crowning achievment of a woman, motherhood, but more because she relishes the love and companionship that she finds with Ezinma.
Ezinma shows great love for her father. She constantly tries to help him, and after he is taken hostage by the white District Commissioner, she breaks the traditional 28 day stay with her husband to be's family in order to return home and wait for her father's return. And after Okonkwo gets back, she is the only one who can persuade him to eat.
Similar to Ezinma, he also confuses Okonkwo’s feelings and beliefs: though he is not a real child but a gift of another tribe, Okonkwo finds him a much better and suitable son than Nwoye. Though Ikemefuna calls Okonkwo "father", the strong leader shouldn’t show anything but masculine strength – so, in order to prove his manhood, he kills the innocent boy. The death of Ikemefuna is one of the most important incidents that will lead to the tragedy of Okonkwo.
One of the wives of Okonkwo whose only aim is to protect her only child, Ezinma– from Okonkwo and even from the gods.
The first leader of the missionaries: a gentle and kind man who tries to convert the villagers only verbally and through his hospital and school, and he never uses aggressive methods.
He is the one who uses violence in order to convert the local people. He believes that the quality and zeal of the converts counts more than Mr. Brown's large quantity of followers.
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