“Looking at a king’s mouth,” said an old man, “one would think he never sucked at his mother’s breast.” He was talking about Okonkwo, who had risen so suddenly from great poverty and misfortune to be one of the lords of the clan. The old man bore no ill will towards Okonkwo. Indeed he respected him for his industry and success. But he was struck, as most people were, by Okonkwo’s brusqueness in dealing with less successful men. Only a week ago a man had contradicted him at a kindred meeting which they held to discuss the next ancestral feast. Without looking at the man Okonkwo had said: “This meeting is for men.” The man who had contradicted him had no titles. That was why he had called him a woman. Okonkwo knew how to kill a man’s spirit.
The text above provides a better picture of how Okonkwo is as a character and how he stands before other men in his tribe. We see how his brusqueness is in dealing less successful men as he was a son to not so successful man who held no title. He had to rise up from nothing to get where he stands now and he is proud of what he has accomplished. However, seeing how his father was not a good role model, who left him nothing, and was not an inspiration to become someone like him, we see how that has affected Okonkwo’s view on others who are similar to that of his father. Okonkwo values those that are successful, who hold titles, and who have a name for themselves and those who do not will be looked down upon by him and treated not as equal but of lesser man, in this case by killing the man with no titles spirit by calling him a woman in a “man’s” meeting.
i do agree with what Chris had said about this specific snapshot. because of the way that his father was Okonkwo sees people with no title as a replica of his father. and when he insults these men with no title i think he’s trying to insult his father, and the words that he uses are the words i think he would have used if his father were to have still been alive. And by Okonkwo calling a man a woman is like saying if you have not done something to prove that you are a man then you must be one of the woman.
I agree with analysis of who Okonkwo is based on the snapshot you have chosen. I believe the influence his father on him has caused him to despise people who are unsuccessful due to his first-hand experience with his own father who held no title. The interaction with people who has no title shows the type of man Okonkwo is who holds no sympathy for people who do not have a name for themselves. He is concrete in his point of view and shows no intentions of sympathize with people who have a lack of success in their life. This shows that Okonkwo is a cold person with a lack of feelings towards others due to what he has encountered personally in his life. He is completely against what his father stood for in which even his son’s laziness alarms him.
Chris, I agree with your analysis of how that text portrays Okonkwo’s attitude and demeanor towards others. From careful examination of that text, it makes Okonkwo sound a bit presumptuous because clearly he thinks that he is superior to others due to his accomplishments. But I think he kind of forgets where he came from and that is from a father who is, and I quote, “was a failure.” He completely disregarded that old man as being a man because the old man didn’t hold a “title” or have any honorary accomplishments like he does. By accomplishing all that he has and being renowned among the nine villages, he feels as if he is a more accomplished individual and kind of looks down on others.
Great choice in excerpt; it shows the reader a great deal of how Okonkwo ticks. It makes me wonder if this way of thinking, putting a large importance on title, will be his undoing. He puts so much emphasis into how people perceive him that it makes him isolated from the rest of his community and even his family. It seems to me that he sees others and the way they work as inferior, he does not trust them to live up to his standards, and that’s what’s going to cause things to fall apart; alone he will not be able to keep things going the way they are yet his refusal to hear any dissidence will eventually lead to his undoing.
In addition to Okonkwo’s character in this book shows how aggressive he is. After being raised by a man with a beautiful soul. Okonkwo’s father was a peaceful man, who never show his son anything else than music and love. Yet through these four chanters we can see how Okonkwo’s character evolve. Instead of fallowing his father steps he takes his own destination. Which only make him an arrogant man who cares about the position he have and how hard he work to get there, and how his father never help, and how he was feeding his father by feeding his mother. Every single thing he does, he has to point out how ashamed he feel about his father. For this purpose is why the ghost of his father haunts him in his everyday life. To the end that he becomes more brutal and shows no Merci to no one, not even one of his wife get away from his inferno.
As explained above, Okonkwo was the son of a man who held no title. Coming from poverty, and a constant struggle just to find a meal everyday, Okonkwo wanted nothing to do with this struggle in the future. Okonkwo, only saw success. His peers feared his dominance and explosive behaviors. No matter the situation, Okonkwo spoke his mind about someone’s character, and was fearless of spreading blood and war. He is the holder of five human heads, which he has killed in past tribal wars.
In Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe we are introduce to the Ibo which is an African community. We are exposed to their culture, tradition, ceremonies and religious beliefs. Through the eyes of Okonkwo and his family we can interpret how important these values were. A traditional man was considered to be a strong and aggressive man. “Even Okonkwo himself became very fond of the boys inwardly of course. Okonkwo never showed any emotion openly, unless it be the emotion of anger. To show affection was a sign of weakness; the only thing worth demonstrating was strength” (28p). In other words, for Okonkwo anger was the only emotion worthy enough to be express. This passage shows a lot about Okonkwo charter. The author describe him as a man who insecurity dominated his actions. For instant, Okonkwo was fond with Ikemefuna but was afraid to show it. For Okonkwo showing love of compassion was something only women can do. A man was not a man if he showed he cared about others.