Okonkwo

Why does Achebe choose a tragic hero for his protagonist in his colonial counter narrative? 

I think the reason that Achebe chooses a tragic hero for his protagonist in his colonial counter narrative because he wanted to show cultural value and practice of Igbo people. As we can see from the beginning of the story that Okonkwo’s desire was to be successful which he gradually achieved along the story. However along the way to his goal, which to gain his title in the clan – considered to be a hero of the village, he had to pass my challenges such as death of Ikemefuna. Igbo’s society practice is mostly based on the power of masculinity, showing and acting strong without any fear – as a fierce warrior. Death of Ikemefuna did actually interrupt Okonkwo’s journey to be a hero in his clan. Okonkwo did show some of his weaknesses which was usually not accepted by Igbo’s culture. Meanwhile talking about colonial counter within the story along with tragic hero – Okonkwo, I think Achebe wanted to express his thought and idea about colonization through this particular character. Achebe used Okonkwo as a tool to act and resist European colonizer, which perhaps portrays Achebe’s feeling. At the same time Okonkwo was to pursue his journey to gain title or the clan, which he had to follow Igbo’s culture, tradition and practice in order to receive the name, but his hero journey as well as Igbo’s tradition was stopped and disrupted by European. Achebe wanted to show the cultural and political system of Igbo’s culture where we can see that everyone is packed and built the culture. By using Okonkwo’s hero journey, it shows that the destruction of African culture was something that cannot be accepted. The suicide of Okonkwo shows Achebe’s notion that African tradition culture was gone at the same time when Okonkwo died because Okonkwo was a character that strongly obey and believe in his own culture. His death means that there is no one to resist colonization – lost of Igbo culture. Hence, I think Achebe is trying to represent African culture though Okonkwo’s action.

How does Achebe use Okonkwo to develop specific themes in Things Fall Apart?

I think the most obvious theme in Things fall apart is colonization, collapse of culture and acceptance. Achebe used Okonkwo to encounter the theme of culture where we see that Okonkwo strongly believe and obey in Igbo practice. He believes everything from the way used to gain title, oracle, and tradition believe about killing clansman. Meanwhile, the theme of colonization and acceptance is perhaps merged because Okonkwo didn’t accept European colonizers at all. Okonkwo is used to show that colonization is harsh and tough to accept especially for people who strongly believe in their culture. Okonkwo also provides the other perspective of colonization that if the colonizers come with peace, they might conquer and change local’s notion easily. However they did not come with peace in the story, therefore it is hard to accept because losing culture is hard to grant.