Things Fall Apart

Okonkwo is “one of the greatest men in Umuofia,” a determined and hard-working farmer, father, and husband (208). Given to bouts of anger that drive him to violence against his wives, children, and others, Okonkwo inspires both fear and respect.

From a young age, Okonkwo works diligently to farm successfully and accrue the wealth that his father, Unoka, squandered. Okonkwo sees himself in opposition to his father: he works to be Unoka’s opposite, avoiding what he deems feminine qualities of laziness, festivity, and love for the arts. As a young man, Okonkwo wins fame for his excellent skills in wrestling; soon thereafter, he leads his village to success in war. As a result, Okonkwo earns titles and serves as an egwugwu in the village.

It is important to Okonkwo that this hard-working, dutiful legacy become his family legacy. He is intolerant of perceived laziness or possible transgression among his family members and is particularly harsh toward his son, Nwoye. Though this harshness often leads him to trouble with the gods—for example, when he breaks the Week of Peace by beating his wife—Okonkwo nonetheless considers discipline the most important factor in his labor.

Okonkwo misses the transformations in Umuofia when he is in exile in Mbanta for accidentally killing an elder’s son.