Okonkwo's Loyalty In Things Fall Apart

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Power is like a cake. A sweet delicacy that many people crave a piece of. For some, a small piece is merely not enough; therefore, they seek a bigger slice in hopes to satisfy their desire. Living a balance life is the basis of virtue ethics (Pursuit of Happiness). In “Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo’s refusal to accept his own individuality only resulted in his diminishing character in an increasingly unsympathetic and unharmonious environment. In “Things Fall Apart,” Achebe centers the story on Okonkwo, a prominent and influential “leader” who has demonstrated strength and is well respected. He first gained fame by defeating Amalinze the Cat. For this, he brought honor to his village Umuofia and is well respected by his tribe (Achebe 3). Okonkwo is considered a recognized leader in Umuofia, however, I believe his leadership is merely just a title.…show more content…
I feel that Okonkwo had such high expectations to portray himself as this honorable and tough leader, that the only emotion he could truly express was his anger. Oftentimes, I see that this is how society portrays what “being a man” is. Society has this perceived notion that to be a man, he must not cry, he must not show any emotions, he must suppress all his feelings – all except for anger. Okonkwo’s son Nwoye saw that acts of violence and rage is what he must do gain approval from his father (Achebe 53). In contrary, women are supposedly emotional creatures who portray weakness, and they are perceived as inferior to men. These socially constructed gender expectations often hinder progress and only promote inequality. Okonkwo cared so much about how others thought of him, but failed to see himself through his own
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