Things Fall Apart

by Chinua Achebe

 

Postcolonial Criticism

          Okonkwo, a member of the Umuofian tribe (in Africa) is a well-known champion in their place after defeating a wrestler in the nickname of "cat" (the wrestler was famed for his name because of never landing on his back). Okonkwo is a strong and hardworking man, who always strives to not show weakness. He doesn't want to be like his father, a coward (fears of seeing blood) and improvident (towards his family) because of lending and losing money.

         Everything that he has in his time, the position that he gained and all the wealth, was because of his hardwork; he became the leader of their village and had three wives because of strong masculinity, as his father died in shame and left many unpaid debts.

          

          Okonkwo was chosen to be the guardian of Ikemefuna, a boy that was taken by the village as a peace settlement from the other village because of his father's deed (killing a Umuofian woman). The boy was included in Okonkwo's family, nurtured and even looked up to him as his second father