Inward And Outward, Okonkwo F

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Throughout the novel Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe talks about the main character Okonkwo’s inward and outward expressions. The barrier between these two, inward and outward, are Okonkwo’s own decisions to do the things that he does. He doesn’t normally do what he thinks is right, but he does what he thinks others feel is acceptable or just for who Okonkwo is as a person. His inward expressions, his docile more kindhearted emotions, are consistently covered up by his outward actions and appearances. As the novel progresses, Okonkwo’s actions come to more closely match his innermost thoughts. Okonkwo’s barrier his inward and outward self “fall[s] apart.” In the beginning of the novel, Okonkwo has a definite boundary between his inward emotions and his outward actions. He has every idea that what he expresses is not what he is actually feeling or thinking. In this passage, Achebe describes Okonkwo’s grounds for his dominance and ruthless power in his household. Perhaps down in his heart, Okonkwo was not a cruel man. But his whole life was dominated by fear… It was not external, but lay deep within himself. It was the fear of himself, lest he should be found to resemble his father. (13) Okonkwo puts on a mask. He shows the unreasonable and irrational side that everyone in his tribe and family can see, but “in his heart, Okonkwo [is] not a cruel man”. Okonkwo possesses sensitive feelings, “but [they] lay deep within” him. The “wall” between the feelings he holds within, and the actions he expresses is very clear in the beginning of the book. Dominance is every weak man’s key to seeming stronger to his peers. As long as Okonkwo can appear ruthless and powerful, he will, in turn, appear to be manly, unlike his father. “Okonkwo never showed any emotion openly, unless it be the emotion of anger” (28). Okonkwo showed only manly emotions, to be as far from
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