THINGS FALL APART
BUT THEY ARE GETTING BETTER
Character 2: Nwoye
Nwoye -
Nwoye is Okonkwo's oldest son, who Okonkwo considers feminine and weak. He continually beats Nwoye hoping that it'll correct his flaws. After Okonkwo murders Ikemefuna, Nwoye grows to isolate from his father and lose respect for him. In the end, Nwoye is unable to forgive Okonkwo for killing his adoptive brother and converts to Christianity.
Analysis: Nwoye struggles to please his father. After getting many beatings from his father, he loses the ability to please his father, until the arrival of Ikemefuna. Ikemefuna teaches Nwoye how to be masculine, but in a different way and Okonkwo is somewhat satisfied and backs off. However, after Ikemefuna's death, Nwoye is lost
without his brother. When the missionaries arrive, Nwoye eventually joins them and Okonkwo curses at his son and disowns him. His converting to Christianity can seem like an attempt to get back at his father, but in the same way it appeals to Nwoye too.
Character Summaries
Character 1: Okonkwo
Okonkwo is a well-known and respected member of the Umuofia clan. Since his early years, Okonkwo's embarrassment towards his lazy and unmanly father was his motivation to success. As a result, he becomes very wealthy and holds a high position in the clan. He has three wives and is known for his skill as a wrestler. Okonkwo's tragic flaw is that he fears being weak like his father. These emotions lead him to do actions which are often unnecessary. His fear leads him to kill Ikemefuna, to beat his wives during the peace season and
to disown his eldest son.
Analysis: In a literal sense, Okonkwo is a tragic hero. Even though, he is a character with high authority, his tragic flaws brings about his own end. Okonkwo has a very bad temper and sometimes he is unable to express his emotions. But his emotions are complicated, as his manly and unmanly values clash against each other. The narrator gives us information about Okonkwo which allows us to conclude that Okonkwo is tender and he is a worried father.
Character 3: Enzima
Ezinma is the only child to Okonkwo's second wife, Ekwefi. Ezinma has a close relationship with her mother and is her father's favorite child. Okonkwo often wishes that Ezinma was born a boy because she would've been a good son.
Analysis:
Ezinma is Okonkwo's favorite daughter. Since Ezinma carries masculine traits, Okonkwo wishes that she was born a boy. Ezinma seems to gain Okonkwo's attention and respect. Eventually she grows up to be a beautiful woman and decides to marry after her family returns from exile.
Character 4: Ekwefi
Ekwefi is Okonkwo's second wife. She ran away from her first husband to live with Okonkwo. Ekwefi's life has been full of sadness, she has bore 10 children and only one survived. Eznima her only daughter, she cherishes her and develops a deep bond with her.
Character 5: Ikemefuna
Ikemefuna -
Ikemefuna was given to Okonkwo by a neighboring village. He develops a close relationship with Nwoye, who looks up to him. Okonkwo becomes very attentive to Ikemefuna, who calls him father. However Okonkwo does not show his affections towwrds him because he's afraid he might look weak.
Character 6: Uchendu
Uchendu is the brother of Okonkwo's mother. He welcomes Okonkwo and his family to his motherland and warns Okonkwo to be grateful for his motherland accepts him. Uchendu himself has experienced grief, all but one of his six wives are dead and he
buried twenty-two of his children. He is passive and peaceful and he serves as a foil to Okonkwo, who is the total opposite.
Character 7: Unoka
Unoka is Okonkwo's father. Okonkwo has been
ashamed of him since his childhood. Unoka would borrow
money from other men and never paid them back which
caused the family to be in debt. He never took a title
in his life and he never became a warrior because he feared
the sight of blood. On the bright side, he was a talented musician
and a simple man who had dreams, but was too lazy to achieve them.
Written by Randy Chung
Edited by Micah Leval