Hero or Not?
I believe that in the end, Okonkwo wasn't a hero. Although what he was fighting was very honorable, his character flaws got in the way of his true potential.
His anger, and his confusion of feelings created a turmoil within himself that could not be fixed.
His anger, and his confusion of feelings created a turmoil within himself that could not be fixed.
“The Earth cannot punish me for obeying her messenger,” Okonkwo said. “A
child’s fingers are not scalded by a piece of hot yam which its mother puts into its palm.” pg. 57 wo uses a proverb to illustrate his point. He hopes he will not be scalded by the “hot yam” of killing Ikemefuna. But in a deeper sense he says the words with the hope that they might come true, because internally Okonkwo feels deeply guilty about killing his adopted son. |
[Okonkwo]: “Afraid? I do not care what he does to you. I despise him
and those who listen to him. I shall fight alone if I choose.” pg.166 wo proudly declares his courage to fight whoever he wants, even if he is fighting a losing battle. This harkens back to Okonkwo’s survival through the horrible year of flood and drought early in his life when he made it through only by force of his indomitable will. |
“Worthy men are no more,” Okonkwo sighed as he remembered those days. “Isike
will never forget how we slaughtered them in that war. We killed twelve of their men and they killed only two of ours. Before the end of the fourth market week they were suing for peace. Those were days when men were men.” pg. 164 his Umuofia people will not fight a holy war against the Christians, Okonkwo considers them weakened to the point of womanliness. His vision of masculinity seems to have no place for anything but rash and aggressive action. Only in the old glory days when the Umuofia fearlessly fought wars and killed other tribes were they really men. |