Paper 14 Character of Okonkwo (Assignment)

Name:-Sejal R Parmar

Course :- MA

Batch :- 2018/2020

Sem :- 4

Enrollment no :- 2069108420190033

Paper :- 14 The African Literature

Topic :- Character of Okonkwo

Submitted to :- smt. S. B. Gardi  Department of English

Email:- sejalparmar095@gmail.com

Okonkwo,tthetsontofttheteffeminatetandtlazytUnoka,tstrivesttotmakethistwaytintatworldtthattseemsttotvaluetmanliness.tIntsotdoing,thetrejectsteverythingtfortwhichthetbelievesthistfathertstood.tUnokatwastidle,tpoor,tprofligate,tcowardly,tgentle,tandtinterestedtintmusictandtconversation.tOkonkwotconsciouslytadoptstoppositetidealstandtbecomestproductive,twealthy,tthrifty,tbrave,tviolent,tandtadamantlytopposedttotmusictandtanythingtelsetthatthetperceivesttotbet“soft,”tsuchtastconversationtandtemotion.tHetiststoicttotatfault.

Okonkwotachievestgreattsocialtandtfinancialtsuccesstbytembracingtthesetideals.tHetmarriestthreetwomentandtfatherstseveraltchildren.tNevertheless,tjusttasthistfathertwastattoddstwithtthetvaluestoftthetcommunitytaroundthim,tsottootdoestOkonkwotfindthimselftunablettotadaptttotchangingttimestastthetwhitetmantcomesttotlivetamongtthetUmuofians.tAstittbecomestevidenttthattcompliancetrathertthantviolencetconstitutestthetwisesttprincipletfortsurvival,tOkonkwotrealizestthatthethastbecometatrelic,tnotlongertablettotfunctiontwithinthistchangingtsociety.

Okonkwotistattragictherotintthetclassicaltsense:talthoughthetistatsuperiortcharacter,thisttragictflaw—thetequationtoftmanlinesstwithtrashness,tanger,tandtviolence—bringstaboutthistowntdestruction.tOkonkwotistgruff,tatttimes,tandtusuallytunablettotexpressthistfeelingst(thetnarratortfrequentlytusestthetwordt“inwardly”tintreferencettotOkonkwo’stemotions).tButthistemotionstaretindeedtquitetcomplex,tasthist“manly”tvaluestconflicttwiththist“unmanly”tones,tsuchtastfondnesstfortIkemefunatandtEzinma.tThetnarratortprivilegestustwithtinformationtthattOkonkwo’stfellowtclantmemberstdotnotthave—thattOkonkwotsurreptitiouslytfollowstEkwefitintotthetforesttintpursuittoftEzinma,tfortexample—andtthustallowstusttotseetthettender,tworriedtfathertbeneathtthetseeminglytindifferenttexterior.

Whenthetwalked,thistheelsthardlyttouchedtthetgroundtandthetseemedttotwalktontsprings,tastifthetwastgoingttotpouncetontsomebody.tAndthetdidtpouncetontpeopletquitetoften.

IntChaptert1tthetnarratortdescribestOkonkwotastatphysicallytintimidatingtmantwhotexhibitstatgenerallytaggressivetpersonality.tWell-knowntforthistwrestlingtprowess,tOkonkwotseemsttotthreatentattackteventwhiletwalking.tThistquotetofferstonetoftthetfirsttsuggestionstthattOkonkwo’stviolentttendenciestbordertontbeingtsociallytinappropriate.

PerhapstdowntinthisthearttOkonkwotwastnottatcrueltman.tButthistwholetlifetwastdominatedtbytfear,tthetfeartoftfailuretandtoftweakness.tIttwastdeepertandtmoretintimatetthantthetfeartofteviltandtcapricioustgodstandtoftmagic,tthetfeartoftthetforest,tandtoftthetforcestoftnature,tmalevolent,tredtinttoothtandtclaw.tOkonkwo’stfeartwastgreatertthantthese.tIttwastnottexternaltbuttlaytdeeptwithinthimself.tIttwastthetfeartofthimself,tlestthetshouldtbetfoundttotresemblethistfather.

IntChaptert2tthetnarratortspeculatestontthetdeep-seatedtmotivetbehindtOkonkwo’stviolentttendencies.tOkonkwotactstfromtatplacetoftfear,tbutthistfeartdoesn’ttresembletthetprevalenttterrorstofthistclan,twhichtrelatettotthetsupernaturaltworld.tInstead,tOkonkwotsufferstfromtthetexistentialtfeartthatthetwilltnottsucceedtintlifetandtthustendtuptlikethistunremarkabletfather.tOkonkwo’stexistentialtfeartplaystatmajortthematictroletintThingstFalltApart,tsincetittdrivestOkonkwottotperformtseveraltactstofttremendoustviolence.

[Okonkwo]twalkedtbackttothistobittotawaittOjiugo’streturn.tAndtwhentshetreturnedthetbeatthertverytheavily.tInthistangerthethadtforgottentthattittwastthetWeektoftPeace.tHistfirstttwotwivestrantouttintgreattalarmtpleadingtwiththimtthattittwastthetsacredtweek.tButtOkonkwotwastnottthetmanttotstoptbeatingtsomebodythalf-waytthrough,tnotteventfortfeartoftatgoddess.

HeretOkonkwotbeatstOjiugotfortfailingttotcookthisteveningtmeal,tlosingthimselftsotthoroughlytintangertthatthetrefusesttotstopteventwhentremindedtthattsuchtviolencetbreakstthetpeacetoftthetsacredtweek.tThetideatthattOkonkwotdoestnottfeartdivinetwrathtforthisttransgressiontistironic,tgiventthatthe’stotherwisetsotcommittedttotIgbotreligion.tSuchtantironytmarkstantimportanttrifttbetweentOkonkwo’stcommitmentttothistclantandthistcommitmentttothistowntpower.

SomehowtOkonkwotcouldtnevertbecometastenthusiastictovertfeaststastmosttpeople.tHetwastatgoodteatertandthetcouldtdrinktonetorttwotfairlytbigtgourdstoftpalm-wine.tButthetwastalwaystuncomfortabletsittingtaroundtfortdaystwaitingtfortatfeasttortgettingtovertit.tHetwouldtbetverytmuchthappiertworkingtonthistfarm.

Whereast“mosttpeople”tfeeltenthusiastictabouttfeasttcelebrationstandtenjoytthetfestivitiestintthetcompanytoftothers,tOkonkwotfeelstdriventtotgotbackttotworkingtalonetintthetfields.tThistpassagetintChaptert5treaffirmstOkonkwo’staversionttotidlenesstandthowthetnevertwantsttotappeartweaktortineffectual.

Astthetmantwhothadtclearedthistthroattdrewtuptandtraisedthistmachete,tOkonkwotlookedtaway.tHetheardtthetblow.tThetpottfelltandtbroketintthetsand.tHetheardtIkemefunatcry,t“Mytfather,ttheythavetkilledtme!”tasthetranttowardsthim.tDazedtwithtfear,tOkonkwotdrewthistmachetetandtcutthimtdown.tHetwastafraidtoftbeingtthoughttweak.

Thistpassage,tfromtChaptert7,tnarratestOkonkwo’stexecutiontoftIkemefuna.tThistscenetrepresentstattragictculminationtofttwotcontrastingtemotionstintOkonkwo.tOkonkwothastgrownttotlovetIkemefunatliketatson,tbuttthistlovetamplifiestOkonkwo’stfeartoftbeingtconsideredtweak.tIntthetendthistfeartwinstout.tOkonkwo’stacttalsothastsignificanttimplicationstforthistfuture.tNottonlytdoesttheteventtmarktatbreaktintOkonkwo’strelationshiptwiththistsontNwoye,twhotlovedtIkemefuna,tbuttthetexecutiontrepresentstyettanothertinstancetwhentOkonkwotgoestagainsttthetwisdomtoftthetclan.

“Itdotnottknowthowttotthanktyou.”
“Itcanttelltyou,”tsaidtObierika.t“Killtonetoftyourtsonstfortme.”
“Thattwilltnottbetenough,”tsaidtOkonkwo.
“Thentkilltyourself,”tsaidtObierika.
“Forgivetme,”tsaidtOkonkwo,tsmiling.t“Itshalltnotttalktabouttthankingtyoutanytmore.”

ThistdialoguetconcludestChaptert15tandtmarkstatraretmomenttofthumortintthetnovel.tWhenthistgoodtfriendtObierikatvisitstduringthistexiletintMbantatandtbringsthimtnewstoftUmuofia,tOkonkwotfeelstthankfultandtwantsttotexpressthistgratitude.tObierikatintroducestantelementtoftdarkthumortintresponse,twhichtgivestbothtmentsomethingttotlaughtabouttintantotherwisetdifficultttime.tHowever,tthetjoketObierikatmakestabouttOkonkwotkillingthimselftforeshadowstOkonkwo’sttragictend.tThistmomenttoftlevitytbearstgreattsymbolictweight.

Okonkwotfelttatcoldtshuddertruntthroughthimtattthetterribletprospect,tliketthetprospecttoftannihilation.tHetsawthimselftandthistfatherstcrowdingtroundttheirtancestraltshrinetwaitingtintvaintfortworshiptandtsacrificetandtfindingtnothingtbuttashestoftbygonetdays,tandthistchildrentthetwhiletprayingttotthetwhitetman’stgod.

IntChaptert17tOkonkwotlearnstthattNwoyethastconvertedttotChristianity,tthetwhitetmen’streligion.tInitiallytenraged,tOkonkwo’stthoughtstturntfearfultasthetimaginesthistclan’st“annihilation”tshouldtalltoftUmuofia’stsonstforgetttheirtheritage.tOkonkwotimaginesthimselftintthetafterlifetamongthistforefathers,twaitingtintvaintforthiststill-livingtsonsttotpayttributettottheirtancestors.tOkonkwo’stanxioustvisiontoftatmeagertafterlifethelpstexplaintthetdepthtofthistexistentialtfear:tthetannihilationtoftthetclantmeanstthattOkonkwotwilltbetcompletelytabandonedtintdeath.

“Lettustnottreasontliketcowards,”tsaidtOkonkwo.t“Iftatmantcomestintotmythuttandtdefecatestontthetfloor,twhattdotItdo?tDotItshuttmyteyes?tNo!tIttaketatsticktandtbreakthisthead.tThattistwhattatmantdoes.”

IntChaptert18tOkonkwotrespondsttotothertclansmentwhotsaytthattUmuofiathastnevertfoughttontbehalftoftitstgodstandtshouldn’ttdotsotnow.tOkonkwotarguestthattthetwhitetmentposetantexistentialtthreattthattcouldtcontaminatetUmuofia’stentiretwaytoftlife.tTotmakethistpoint,tOkonkwotlikenstUmuofia’stsituationttotonetintwhichtatmantburststintotanothertman’sthuttandtcontaminatestthetspace.tThetonlytappropriatetresponsettotsuchtantacttistretaliation.tHowever,tOkonkwotdoesn’ttconvincetthetothersttottaketatstrongtstand,tandtthetlongstandingtdifferencetintopiniontbetweenthimtandthistfellowtclansmentremainstintact.

IftUmuofiatdecidedtontwar,talltwouldtbetwell.tButtifttheytchosettotbetcowardsthetwouldtgotouttandtavengethimself.tHetthoughttabouttwarstintthetpast.tThetnoblest,thetthought,twastthetwartagainsttIsike.tIntthosetdaystOkudotwaststilltalive.tOkudotsangtatwartsongtintatwaytthattnotothertmantcould.tHetwastnottatfighter,tbutthistvoicetturnedteverytmantintotatlion.

AftertOkonkwotgetstreleasedtfromtthetwhitetmen’stjailtintChaptert24,thetcommitsthimselfttottakingtvengeance—eventiftthetresttoftthetclantlackstthetcouragettotdotso.tAsthetsitstalonetplanning,tOkonkwo’stthoughtstretreatttottimestpast,twhentUmuofiatwastattitstheighttandtitstwarriorstcouldtbeteasilytstirredtintotaction.tOkonkwo’streliancetontidealizedtimagestoftthetpasttmaytsuggesttthat,tunlikethistfellowtclansmen,thethastfailedttotreckontwithtthetnewnesstoftUmuofia’stcurrenttproblems.tThistfailuretoftadaptationtwillthavettragictconsequencestfortOkonkwo.