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Things Fall Apart Essay

The document provides an analysis of the protagonist Okonkwo from Chinua Achebe's novel Things Fall Apart compared to classical tragic heroes. Okonkwo rises from a humble background to become a respected leader in his village, unlike traditional heroes who are born into high status. However, Okonkwo's fatal flaw is displaying emotion, which drives away his son. When British colonizers disrupt village life, Okonkwo tries desperately to restore order but fails, leading to his suicide. While suicide is seen as noble for classical heroes, it is a sin in Okonkwo's village. Overall, Okonkwo shares aspects of a tragic hero but also differs in key ways from traditional tragic characters

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1K views3 pages

Things Fall Apart Essay

The document provides an analysis of the protagonist Okonkwo from Chinua Achebe's novel Things Fall Apart compared to classical tragic heroes. Okonkwo rises from a humble background to become a respected leader in his village, unlike traditional heroes who are born into high status. However, Okonkwo's fatal flaw is displaying emotion, which drives away his son. When British colonizers disrupt village life, Okonkwo tries desperately to restore order but fails, leading to his suicide. While suicide is seen as noble for classical heroes, it is a sin in Okonkwo's village. Overall, Okonkwo shares aspects of a tragic hero but also differs in key ways from traditional tragic characters

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xingxu12
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© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Feng1

DavidFeng ThingsFallApartPrewrite 19January2014

Manystoriesinliteratureportraytragediesthatoccurtounsuspectingcharactersrather [Link],somestoriesshowthattragiceventshappentocharacterswhenitsnot [Link],ChinuaAchebetellsofastoryinwhichayoung [Link] inspiredfromhishatredofhisfatherslazinessashestrivestoearningthehighesttitleinthevillageof [Link],hiseffortsaredisturbedbytheintroductionofWhitemenandheeventually [Link] Okonkwosharescommonalitieswithtragicstoriessuchashavingatragicheroexhibitingtraitsofhubris andfearsofshowingaffections,hestillcontrastssignificantlyfromclassicaltragediesinthatthe [Link] village,Okonkwofailstorecognizehisflawashecommitssuicideaftertryingseveralseveraltimes. TheprotagonistOkonkworesemblesthetraditionalviewofatragicherointhatheportraysa [Link] [Link] villageofUmuofia,butthisconcealmentofsomeemotionsmaygivethewrongimpressiontoothershe [Link],inthescenewhereIkemefunaandNwoyearepreparingyamsfortheYam Festival,Okonkwothreatens,Ifyousplitanotheryamofthissize,Ishallbreakyourjawinaharsh andbittertone(Achebe28).Eventhough,threatsliketheseareintendedforbothboystobecome

Feng2

strongermen,theseremarksgraduallytickNwoyeintorefusingtoobeyhisfatherscommands. Eventually,therelationshipbetweenNwoyeandOkonkwobreaksapartandOkonkwofailsto transformhissonintosomeonelikehimself. OneaspectofOkonkwothatfailedtomatchAristotlesdefinitionofatragicheroisthat [Link],hedoesfalltohisdemisestartingfrombeing [Link],hebeganbylaying thefoundationsinaslowandpainfulprocessthathethrewhimselfintolikeonepossessedbecause [Link],OkonkwosfatherUnokaprays [Link],hetransitionsfrombeinga [Link] originalviewofatragicherosuchasCreonwhorulesasthenewkingofThebes,Menoikeussonat thedawnofhisreigninthetragedyAntigone(Sophocles819).InthesettingofAntigone,peopleare bornintowhateversocialstatustheirpreviousgenerationsresidein,however,inthemoremodern settingofThingsFallApart,peoplehavethecapabilitytoriseinstatusthroughhardwork. Lastly,towardsthedenouementofthenovel,Okonkwoattemptsforthefinaltimetorestore orderaftertheintroductionoftheBritishpeoplewhocloudedthetraditionsandrelationshipsofthe [Link],atragicheroacquiescetothejudgementofthe [Link],Okonkwosuffersfromvarioustragedies [Link] thesecircumstancesthatarguablydisplaysthegodsdissatisfactionwithhim,Okonkwocontinuesto [Link] [Link],

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Okonkwocommitssuicide,anactregardedasanoffenseagainsttheEarth(Achebe178).Hisown [Link] withmanytragicheros,thisscentexemplifiesanotherdifferencebetweentraditionaltragediesbecause theactofsuicideisregardedasnobleduringtheclassicalperiod. Inconclusion,thestoryofOkonkwoissimilarinmanywaystoolderstoriesintheClassical [Link] suicidebyeitherthetragicherosorothersthatfeelscatharsis,butinThingsFallApart,suicideinthe [Link] [Link],traditional [Link] Okonkwosscenario,[Link] realizesitismeaninglesstocontinueon,buthediesinfailurewithoutfaulttohimself.

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