The protagonist of Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, Okonkwo, is the personification of radical masculinity and patriarchy. The protagonist’s self-identification as a warrior, husband, and father is brutal and often based on cruelty and aggression. To the greatest extent, Okonkwo’s personal qualities are manifested against the background of other characters who find themselves in similar situations. Thus, the novel is built on the juxtaposition of concepts, ideas, and concepts, thanks to which the reader can fully understand the main character’s perception of the concepts of masculinity and patriarchy.
Notable is his father’s influence on the formation of Okonkwo’s personality and worldview. The main goal of the protagonist’s life is not to be like his father. He carries this opposition into all areas of his life, from farming to dealing with children. Also, Okonkwo’s qualities as a father when comparing how he treats his children and Ikemefuna, and Okonkwo and Ikemefuna’s attitude towards Nwoye. Another noteworthy feature of the protagonist is the cruel treatment of his wives, while his uncle treats women with respect and reverence.
The main opposition in the novel is the clash of tradition and innovation. The author conveys this confrontation through the conflict between African traditions, embodied in Okonkwo, and Christian ideas, brought by missionaries. Even though at first glance, these concepts are opposite, they still have similar features. One of these features is the cruelty and aggression with each side defending its interests.
Khan, S. N., Sardaraz, K., Khan, I. U., & Khan, A. K. (2021). Exploring behavioral characteristics in Chinua Achebeās Things fall apart. PalArch’s Journal of Archaeology of Egypt/Egyptology, 18(18), 1209-1217.
In their study, Khan et al. describe the critical characteristics of the protagonist. Among the main character traits of Okonkwo, researchers list competitiveness, self-confidence, ambition, and fearlessness. An analysis of Okonkwo’s personality is necessary to understand the motivation for his decisions and actions, as well as the factors that influenced the formation of the character. Moreover, a study by Khan et al. (2021) analyzed the father’s influence on the protagonist, concluding that Okonkwo’s behavioral patterns were formed as the complete opposite of Unoka. This source helps to understand the character’s main characteristics better, as well as to identify scenes in the novel in which the protagonist deviates from his classical model of behavior. I will cite this source in my research project to support my argument about the general perception of the concepts of masculinity and patriarchy by the protagonist.
Kiran, A., & Pareek, S. (2022). Narrativizing patriarchy within the framework of Things Fall Apart. Specialusis Ugdymas, 1(43), 8519-8528.
Kiran and Pareek analyze the patriarchal patterns in the Ibo community depicted in the novel. In particular, researchers focus on how the patriarchal structure of society influenced the distribution of dominant roles. Using the example of Okonkwo and his wives, Kiran and Pareek demonstrate how these dominant roles can be embodied in traditional African culture. Researchers also conclude that society predisposes men to act under specific patterns. I will use the results presented in the source to understand the nature of the patriarchy illustrated in the novel better.
Ngendahayo, J. D. (2021). The protagonist’s masculine perceptions in Things Fall Apart as the sign of Igbo society breakup. Journal of Literature, Languages and Linguistics(JLLL), 75, 5-10.
Like Kiran and Pareek (2022), Ngendahayo (2021) focuses on the role of women in the society depicted in the novel. The research focuses on defining gender roles in the community and how the protagonist perceives it. Ngendahayo focuses on how Okonkwo understands the concept of a man as a husband. This approach helps better understand the Ibo community’s social structure and how radical and brutal Okonkwo is in his views. In addition, the article touches on the topic of confrontation between the indigenous African tribes and the British colonialists, which is also of great importance for my future research. Ngendahayo notes that despite the difference in views, the approaches to solving situations between people of the clan and missionaries have standard features. Thus, the results of this study will help me establish how different the traditional and innovative Roma society is. In addition, I will use this source to support my argument that the missionaries and Okonkwo had similarities despite their apparent differences.
References
Chinua, A. (1959). Things fall apart. [eBook edition]. Anchor Books.
Khan, S. N., Sardaraz, K., Khan, I. U., & Khan, A. K. (2021). Exploring behavioral characteristics in Chinua Achebeās Things fall apart. PalArch’s Journal of Archaeology of Egypt/Egyptology, 18(18), 1209-1217.
Kiran, A., & Pareek, S. (2022). Narrativizing patriarchy within the framework of Things Fall Apart. Specialusis Ugdymas, 1(43), 8519-8528.
Ngendahayo, J. D. (2021). The protagonist’s masculine perceptions in Things Fall Apart as the sign of Igbo society breakup. Journal of Literature, Languages and Linguistics(JLLL), 75, 5-10.