Okonkwo The Tragic Hero By Cherie Law Allison

Okonkwo: The Tragic Hero By Cherie Law, Allison Bitney, Anthony Warren, & Conall Quinn

Okonkwo: Model Clansmen? o Okonkwo is a model clansmen from based on his o o success. However, he is more alienated from his culture based on his lack of respect for it. Okonkwo beats his wife during the Week of Peace. (Pg. 29 - 31). Kills a clansman and feel his situation is unfair doubting his culture. (Pg. 124 -125). Violence is the answer, whereas peace is the solution for the tribe. (Pg. 199). Okonkwo commits grave sin by committing suicide. (Pg. 207).

Okonkwo o Okonkwo is respected by the tribe because he won wrestling match against the cat. (Pg. 4). o He went from failure to success with his yams. (Pg. 24 & 26). o His chi agreed with him. (Pg. 27).

Okonkwo/Nwoye o Okonkwo and Nwoye have a sour relationship. o Okonkwo sees Nwoye as weak and lazy, just like his grandfather. (Pg. 13). o The relationship deteriorates after Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna. (Pg. 61). o Okonkwo disowns him for converting to Christianity. (Pg. 172). o Other examples: Pg 152.

Okonkwo/Ikemefuna o Okonkwo and Ikemefuna’s relationship is good. o Okonkwo loved him like his own son however kills him out of fear of being weak. o Examples: Pg. 28

Okonkwo/Unoka o The relationship between Okonkwo and Unoka is hate. o Okonkwo hated his father because he was lazy and a debtor. o He hates what his father loves. (Pg. 13). o Examples: Pg. 4, 5, 13.

Okonkwo/Ezinma o The relationship between Okonkwo and Ezinma is happy o o o relationship. Okonkwo secretly wishes she was a boy. (Pg. 67). She has the work ethic of a boy. He shows care for her. (Pg. 112 & 172) Attitude resembles her father, anger. (Pg. 173). Okonkwo’s character teaches us that he shows no signs of emotions for the ones he loves, but greatly expresses hatred towards the one he does not like.

Public vs. Private o Okonkwo has a public and private self. o Publicly, he wants to be seen as this great clansman who has the absence of fear. o Privately, he had emotions deep within him that he did not want nobody to see, especially himself because to him he seems weak. o Example: We can see Okonkwo’s feelings for Ezinma privately. He secretly wishes she was a boy. Pg. 173 & 174.

Okonkwo and other Literary Tragic Hero o Okonkwo o Achilles o Hubris o Status: Achievement o Tragic Flaw: Ankle o Tragic Flaw: Fear of o Character: Savage-like failure o Character: Savage-like o Death: Suicide o Death: Shot in the ankle

Characteristics of a Tragic Hero o High Status ~Birth ~Achievement o Tragic Flaw o Death or Destruction

Okonkwo o Okonkwo is a tragic hero because he is of high status. He earned it through achievement by the success of his yams. o Okonkwo has a tragic flaw which is fear of failure. o Okonkwo’s death is by his own hands.

Okonkwo o Okonkwo’s tragic flaw leads to his death because he fears failure. o He sees a sign of weakness as a downfall which the idea comes from his father. o Example: “Whenever the thought of his father’s weakness and failure troubled him he expelled it by thinking about his own strength and success. ” Pg. 66. o He is so afraid of failure that he brings his own death upon himself.

Conclusion o Okonkwo is a tragic hero through the eyes of the clansmen. o However, the District Commissioner and other colonists see him as a person with no status.

The End