What are the consequences of Okonkwo's willingness or refusal to change in Things Fall Apart?

Answer 1

Okonkwo's personality does not change hugely during the entire book, although his mental state does react more to the situations. He is emotionally shaken after he kills Ikemefuna, and aware of his emotional weakness. After he kills Ekeudu's son, he slowly sinks into despair during his exile. He is only given weak hope after talking to his uncle. He is vehemently opposed to the Christians, even more so when Nwoye converts. He becomes a little wiser, realizing that his own intemperance has made his sons weak. He is finally happy when the villagers burn down the church in Umuofia, but this revolution turns out to be short-lived. Finally he dies.

Answer 2

Okonkwo goes from being relatively unknown, to a village hero known throughout the 9 villages after he throws Amalinze the Cat.

He becomes well respected as a hard worker and a farmer, as well as a fierce warrior who eventually kills 5 other warriors in village wars.

He undergoes some hurt to his reputation when he beats his wife Ojiugo during the Week of Peace, offending the god Ani.

After he kills Ikemefuna, there is some discussion, but little status change.

Eventually, his accidental killing of Ekeudu's son leads him to be exiled, thus making him an outcast for 7 years.

Although he is an outcast in his mother's village, he is still decently respected.

As the Christians come in, he is implicitly disrepected by the Christians' acts, and not given the due respect by the white men.

Later he is jailed while attempting to negotiate with the white men, and then treated like a criminal by the white men's lackeys from surrounding areas.

Eventually he kills himself, and is shunned by the tribe.

Answer 3

Okonkwo becomes more resilient after the year of farming failure, where two crops of yams die off.

Okonkwo lets despair overtake him in Mbanta, but he is snapped out of it by Uchendu.

Okonkwo ties a deeper relationship with Ezinma, particularly after Nwoye's defection. He gives up on Nwoye, and to a lesser extent he no longer expects his younger sons to grow up as fierce as he.

Okonkwo develops a fierce hatred to Christians, the white men, the kotma or Ashy-Buttocks who prop up his government, and his own son.

Okonkwo slowly becomes wiser throughout the story, but remains compelled by his personal god to set upon the same path, even if it brings him destruction in the end.

In the end, Okonkwo is no longer alive.

Answer 4

Okonkwo realizes that because he is so masculine, his children are much more effeminate. This is realized in the proverb that living fire begets cold, impotent ash. So, his children will never surpass him, or even come close to living up to his nam.

Answer 5

Yes, Okonkwo's perspective changes.

• He feels like he will become the leader of his tribe, but later on he realizes that may not come to pass.
• He is at first embarrassed by his father, but then this evolves to disgust.
• He initially wants to marry Ezinma, but realizes that he will be unable to afford it.
• He initially sees Ikemefuna as a burden, but then realizes that he is a good influence and a useful surrogate son.
• He despairs when exiled, but then is talked out of his despair by Uchendu.
• He initially tries to make his sons into men like himself, but then gives up at that ideal.
• He originally perceives his clan to be warlike and strong, but then sees that they have become weak and afraid.
• He originally feels that he will be able to fight the colonists even without the support of his tribe, but then he realizes that this is just bravado.

Answer 6

Okonkwo's refusal to change results in his downfall as he is unable to adapt to the changing times brought on by British colonization. By clinging to traditional Igbo values and rejecting compromise, he becomes alienated from his community and ultimately destroys himself. Conversely, if Okonkwo had been willing to adapt and show flexibility, he may have been able to survive the challenges of colonization and maintain his standing in the community.

Answer 7

He kills his adopted son, and then loses his eldest son to Christianity. Finally he is driven to hang himself after killing one of the messenger's at the village meeting.