The Character of Okonkwo and the Broader Theme of Colonialism in Things Fall Apart

The Character of Okonkwo and the Broader Theme of Colonialism in Things Fall Apart

For decades the legendary novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe lives on to tell the story of European invasion in a land so rich in its culture and unaware of the consequences of foreigners that it opened its doors to all. The story is set in Nigeria and narrowed into the Igbo state.  The locus of the story is the man, Okonkwo, who has the task of proving his manliness and worth in the community. AS opposed to the character of his father, who was contented with a low status in the society, Okonkwo yearns for more, and he wants to be more than his father. Therefore, when the Europeans permeate the vast region occupied by the Igbo people, there is bound to be a clash of egos. ON one side is a man so steeped in the creation of his success story while on the other is the underlying impediment that seeks to create tectonic changes in a community so welcoming and harmless.  Additionally, Chinua Achebe uses Okonkwo to explore the broader theme of colonialism and through an exemplification of the various stages that the Europeans took in the acquisition of their coveted property.

First, before the settlement of the Europeans, Okonkwo has established himself as the locus of the community, a man to be relied upon and looked upon. Not only was Oknonkwo famous for his manliness, but he was also hardworking in character, thus earning his reputation as an industrious man. Among the Igbo people, Okonkwo is described as a man that has no room for the inefficiency of men, a character that he so resoundingly connects in his father and inherently in his son. Notably, the quality comes from spite that he had on his father for being a common sluggard that was not worried about his status in the community.  According to Achebe, “ Unoka, for that was his father’s name, had died ten years ago. In his day, he was lazy and improvident and was quite incapable of thinking about tomorrow.” It was the fear of dying miserable and spiteful like his father that drove him to his success. Additionally, Okonkwo is more than just famous in his village, and he is revered in the nine communities and even beyond for his wrestling prowess, especially the bring ng sown of Amalize a formidable wrestler and famous in his right. Moreover, Okonkwo owned a barn full of crops and a sizeable number of animals and was, therefore, by all means, a wealthy man. Unfortunately, out of his folly, he executes an adopted son of his even though the elders warned him. When informed of the Oracle of the Hills and the Cave’s decision to kill the boy, Ezeudu warns Okonkwo that because the boy calls him father, he should not bear a hand in his death(Achebe). Also., Okonkwo is involved in the killing of a clansman and is therefore forced into exile.  The violent outbursts are prompted by the presence of foreigners in the land. His exit marks the entry of missionaries in Umuofia village. Eager to spread the gospel, the missionaries settle in the village for years before Okonkwo comes back.

The return of Oknonkwo gives afresh perspective to the idea of Christianity and its connection to the loss of culture. Achebe has already portrayed the Igbo people to be a community that is steeped in its culture until the point of interception of the missionaries when liquidation begins. The very cultural fabric that was woven to ensure that the people of the Igbo land are kept together disintegrates in the face of foreign invasion. Relatively new to the idea of missionaries, Oknonkwo questions their entire presence in the area. Subsequently, the colonists took advantage of the missionary presence and established their places as colonizers. Okonkwo finds the foreign occupation to be intolerable to his existence. On arrival back to his land, he is filled with tales of the mightly colonizer who now ruled the area using the courts’ nad wiped out entire populations using his gun. Accordingly, the agitated Okonkwo replies, “Does the white man understand our custom about land? How can he be when he does not even speak our language? But he says that our customs are bad, and our brothers who have taken up his religion says our customs are bad.” At this point, Okonkwo is not only disturbed by the entirety of the occupation of the Europeans settling in their land, but he is also troubled by the response of his people to the white man. There were factions among the African people that acted like they were part of the Europeans.  Okonkwo retorts that things have fallen apart because the white man had won his brothers, and the clan can no longer cat-like one(Achebe). Notably, the quiet invasion of the Europeans was barely noticeable by the people of Umuofia, for they came in peace in the form of missionaries.

Reverberating consequences of colonialism are felt by both Okonkwo and the entire community of The Igbo people. Imperial powers have destroyed the religion and traditions of the Igbo people to the point of no return. Even though Chinua Achebe rids the Igbo people of the blame of cultural proliferation, Oknokwo believes it is the ignorance of the people that has resulted in the disrespect shown by Europeans to their customs. For instance, some locals were in support of the tearing down of the shrine, where the traditional gods were believed to dwell. During the confrontation, the locals are not interested in the harming of the white man nor chasing him away. Instead, they feel obliged to accept him in the community of the were to keep to his boundaries.  Achebe noters, “Youcan stay with us if you like our ways. You can worship your god. It is good that a man should worship that spirits of his fathers.” A culmination of events follows the confrontation. There was an imposition of taxes on the people by the Commissioner, who now ruled the land. Okonkwo was arrested for violation of the Whiteman laws imposed upon his people. A culmination of violence from the peace of the Igbo people was too fast. In an attempt to defend the sovereignty of his people,  Okonkwo killed a messenger of the white man. It is while staring at the body that the realization came to him; he knew that the people of Umuofia would not go to war because they had let the other messenger escape(Achebe). Afraid off the fact the people were going to turn his back against him, and the mighty white man will persecute him, Okonkwo hangs himself on a tree.

Conclusively,  Chinua Achebe uses the character of Okonkwo to explore the broader theme of colonialism and through an exemplification of the various stages that the Europeans took in the acquisition of their coveted property. A clash in the values of the society is directly correlated to a bigger plan that is expected to make the people give up both their land and autonomy and fall under the chains of colonialism. There is a disintegration of the society, chaos, and confusion among the Igbo people and the eventual collapse of societal norms as they were known before leading to the acrimonious title; Things fall apart.

Works Cited

Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. Heinemann, 1996.