At some point in time we all begin to wish we were someone else. We cannot change who we have become, but we can start to change the future. No matter what the past, "A child who washes his hands can eat with kings."
             I picked this quote because I think it relates to all of us. We have all said we wish we where someone else and we have all regretted something in our lifetime. In Okonkowo's life the one thing he regrets is his father. At first he can't seem to wash his hands of his father's weaknesses. He is afraid to let go of the past because in a way it is part of him.
             We begin to see this part of him in certain scenes. Like when he starts to bond with his "adopted son" Ikemafuna. He starts to show care towards him. When Ikemafuna is finally killed Okonkowo breaks down. He falls into a deep depression. Okonkowo begins to think he is turning in to his father, that he is becoming weak.
             I don't think Okonkwo ever fully realizes that he is his own person and he can be free is he just lets go of his troubles. Okonkowo thought that the right way was to be strong and never to show love or care. The right way was to fight and kill like a man should. In the end when he kills himself I think he realized that there was more of his father in him than he knew. He also realized that fighting and killing does not always make you a stronger man.
             No matter what we have gone through. No matter who has hurt you, or put you down, you can let go of the past. For Okonkowo washing his hands of the past was too difficult, so instead, he washed his hands of life.
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