Things Fall Apart
Okonkwo's Life: The Motives of Suicide By definition, a tragic hero is someone usually of elevated status that has numerous character flaws, leading to the person's ultimate demise. In Chinua Achebe's novel, Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo, the protagonist of the story, fits all parts of the tragic hero definition. Although he may not have been royalty, as is common in classic literature, Okonkwo was nonetheless considered elite among his clansmen. It is evident then that his pride in accomplishments, his disappointment in occurring events, and his lack of self-awareness all contributed to his eventual decision to commit suicide. Okonkwo was not born into wealth and prestige; rather, he had to toil on his farm in order to achieve distinction in his village. To illustrate the significance of Okonkwo's position, the novel says, "And so although Okonkwo was still young, he was already one of the greatest men of his time. Age was respected among his people, but achievement was revered" (8). It was mentioned in the story that Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine vi
Besides the death of Ikemefuna, Okonkwo was forced exiled from his village for seven years. Any wonder then that his son Okonkwo was ashamed of him" (8). It was because of his abundant praise, that Okonkwo began to place extreme and nearly unattainable expectations of himself, "Okonkwo saw clearly the high esteem in which he would be held, and he saw himself taking the highest title in the land" (172). llages and beyond, it is thus inevitable that he would eventually become arrogant. Okonkwo's reaction was described as he questioned, "Why, he cried in his heart, should he, Okonkwo, of all people, be cursed with such a son. Although it is true that Okonkwo, the central character in Things Fall Apart, was a person of important standing, his flaws and conflicts led to his mental instability by an inability to cope with his life. Okionkwo drew his machete and cut him [Ikemefuna] down. In his constant determination to not be like his father, Okonkwo was unable to define who he actually was. It was Okonkwo's setting of unattainable objectives, his lack of resiliency in surrounding situations, and his inability to define who he was that pointed him in the direction of suicide. For instance, when Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna, the book gives information about his reaction to the situation, "Okonkwo did not taste any food for two days after the death of Ikemefuna. His misfortune and grievance contributed in guiding Okonkwo towards his suicide.
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