Brown Vs. Brown In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

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In the novel Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, two of the characters have completely different view on topics quite important to their community. One of the two, Mr. Brown, feels that Umuofia needs change and is not up to date with modern times. However, Okonkwo, who has been living in Umuofia for years, believes that everything is perfect the way it is, and change is clearly unnecessary. A few of the main ideas one which they disagree are women’s rights, education, and gun control. Overall, Mr. Brown believes in settling differences in a peaceful manner and making the village of Umuofia a better place, while Okonkwo believes that fighting is necessary and everything should remain as it is. One of the most important issues in the novel…show more content…
Brown and Okonkwo having opposing views on is, education. Mr. Brown believes education is very important and that everyone should be sending their children to school. Mr. Brown himself installed schools in Umuofia, and now people can take advantage of that. Mr Brown says, “If Umuofia had failed to send her children to school, strangers would come from other places to rule them.” (181) This shows how Mr. Brown believes that if people do not take the opportunity to go to school, then later on they will be taken over by those who did gain an education. However, Okonkwo completely disagrees with Mr. Brown’s beliefs. He thinks that education is womanly and will not have a later benefit, contrary to Mr. Brown’s belief. An example of this is, “He mourned for the clan, which he saw breaking up and falling apart, and he mourned for the warlike men of Umuofia, who had so unaccountably become soft like women.” This shows how Okonkwo believes that all of Mr. Brown’s new ideas and plans are driving his community to be unsuccessful and womanly, and more specifically the schools he put into place. Okonkwo believes the village should remain as is, while Mr. Brown wants to change it and use education to their
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