Resistance to Change in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart Essay example

Achebes novel Things Fall Apart chronicles the life of an individual whose cautiously constructed world crumbles as his culture is assimilated into a colonizing society. This character, Okonkwo, is prestigious within his community, and in most respects views himself and is viewed by his neighbors as an square man. Yet for all his presumable honor, Okonwko self-destructs when his world begins to change. Although the value system held by Okonkwos village may differ somewhat from that held by other cultures, his particular experience during colonization is universal. When Okonkwo defines himself as an honorable man and thinks back upon his life achievements that have make him so, he focuses most strongly upon his ferocity. He has brought honor to his village by throwing Amalinze the Cat in a wrestling match (Achebe 3). Furthermore, his impatience with unsuccessful men causes him to pounce on people quite often (4). Although it is sometimes problematic for him, Okonkwos v iolent and impulsive disposition generally earns him great respect in his society. par tab Okonkwos second most obvious trait is his inflexible will (24). This trait enables him to survive the division of the yam famine and build up his prosperous compound, despite his grim struggle against poverty and misfortune (27). Okonkwo becomes very proud, knowing that this success was not luck. He thus believes that he controls his own fate Okonkwo said yes very strongly so his chi agreed. And not only his chi but his clan too, because it judged a man by the work of his hands (27). As a self-made man, Okonkwo has learned that he can attain his goals through ferocity, violence, tenacity, and stubbornness. His repeated successes have made ... ...ten, to preserve their integrity to their self-image and heritage, individuals intensify their ethnic behavior in the face of obliteration. For many such as Okonkwo, this is a suicidal act, if not literally, then at least socially, polit ically, and economically. Sources Cited and Consulted Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. Oxford Heinemann, 1996. Culross, Melissa. Chinua Achebe and Things Fall Apart. Postimperial and Postcolonial Literature in English. Internet. http//landow.stg.br/ own.edu/post/achebe/ things.htm l. Irele, Abiola. The Tragic Conflict in the Novels of Chinua Achebe. InChinuaAchebesThings Fall ApartA precise Companion. Delhi Worldview, 2003. Kortenar. Neil Ten, How the Center is Made to Hold inThings Fall Apart.InChinuaAchebesThings Fall Apart A Casebook. Ed. By Isidore Okpewho. Oxford OUP, 2003.