Daniel Arrants Things Fall Apart Draft English Honors Pr.6 Intolerance has negatively impacted people in today’s society as well as in the past. Things Fall Apart is written to follow the life of Okonkwo and his fall from greatness in his community. He has 3 wives, many crops, and is a strong warrior, all traits of a typical wealthy man in the Ibo Tribe. Okonwko’s main goal in life is to not gain the characteristics of his father, who was weak and considered a failure to those around him. He lives in a society where men rule, and it is hard for him to show love or affection towards his family.
Before she thought that Atticus was different from the other fathers in Maycomb because he was too old and couldn’t do anything fun with them. After he killed the mad dog in one shot, Scout was proud of her father and got more influenced in him. Scout is forced to understand that Tom Robinson was being treated differently because he had colored skin. Because of that, Scout realized that people can be prejudice because her father took a case of an African American man who was innocent. It shows that Scout can actually think seriously about things when she says, “Who in this town did anything to help Tom Robinson, just who?”(215).
Even though, Okonkwo develops a fatherly love for Ikemefuna, he goes to Imekefuna's killing and stabs him to death only because he doesn't want to be viewed as weak. Okonkwo holds great admiration and love for his family in his heart which he never admits to. Although you see an exposed emotion of care from him that he never admits to when Okonkwo feels anxious after the priestess takes Enzima to the caves and Ekwefi follows. Achebe tells Okonkwo does not sleep at all, when Enzima is taken away because he “[feels] very anxious”, and “becomes gravely worried” (p 112) In conclusion, though Okonkwo has a softer side to him, he doesn’t let anyone to be exposed to that to protect himself. Okonkwo has one main rule in his life to not do or say anything that shows weakness or failure, which leads to him being very stubborn.
Although his father was looked upon as a failure in society, in the eyes of the tribe, and by his own son, he contained something that Okonkwo never had: humility and happiness in the smallest things. He thought that those were the reasons that made his father a failure. His son, Nwoye, was more like Okonkwo’s father and this leads them to drift off in different directions. Okonkwo had grown up to reject anything that resembled his father, humility or happiness, and this leads him to live his life dominated by fear. Okonkwo's tragic flaw is that he fears looking weak and letting emotions get the best of him is what lead him to his ultimate downfall.
And so Okonkwo was ruled by one passion – to hate everything that his father Unoka had loved. One of those things was gentleness and another was idleness (Chapter 2 Pg 3).” This quote shows the truth of how Oknonkwo was not really this cruel, tyrannical man. He lives his life in constant fear of being a failure the same as his dad. Who was very weak and considered lazy by his tribe. Even his father’s death has brought shame to Okonkwo.
Amir’s mother died in childbirth and at times, Amir feels like Baba resents him for taking the life of his beautiful wife. Throughout the novel, Amir continues to resent himself for not living up to his father’s reputation as a great man. Amir often backs down from confrontations, something Baba would never do. When Hassan is being raped for Amir’s kite, Amir watches only for a moment before running away. Baba on the
Johnny wants his family to accept him, he want to be loved by his parent. He has never gotten that love because his mother didn’t love him and his father was a drunken alcoholic, who abused him. He seeks acceptance from the gang, and although stabbing Bob, which is completely out of character, as Ponyboy says “Johnny is the quite one”. (chp.1). He does it to protect Pony and so the gang would love him more and let him be a part of it.
The act of adultery is a sin, directly violating the Commandment which states “Thou shalt not commit adultery”. At the time of the 17th century, the quality of life was still poor, and one’s main possessions were his family, farm, reputation, and religion. John Proctor did not falsely confess to witchcraft because he could not stand the blackening of his name and believed firmly in stand up to the truth. He can’t imagine how he would “teach [his children] to walk like men in the world” when their own father betrayed his friends by not standing up for himself. Proctor knows that the only way to stop the witch hysteria and mob mentality in the town from destroying him is to confess to witchcraft.
Black men were not men at all, but they were property. Huck struggled with this throughout the book as he felt guilt and condemnation for not returning Jim back to his rightful owner, Widow Douglas. But even in the peculiar relationship, it was confusing as to which would be the father figure, Huck or Jim. Jim definitely filled the role as protector, when he shielded Huck from seeing corpse of his godforsaken Pap. Jim also displayed the image of father that would give up his own life for his boy when stayed with Tom after he got shot.
“He heard Ikemefuna cry, ’My father, they have to kill me!’ as he ran towards him. Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down” (Achebe 61). Okonkwo kills his son, because he is afraid of being seen as weak. To the villages he is perceived as brave and ruthless. But what the villagers do not know is that he never wanted to kills his son.