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His father Unoka was a lazy debtor, a poor farmer, a coward in war, and an agbala, a man who has taken no titles. Children make fun of him for being an agbala. He is a huge debtor because of his drinking debts, and will never pay back the money. He can barely afford to support his family, and yet when he borrows money he almost immediately spends it on wine. Instead of working hard to succeed, he wastes his time playing the Flute. People from the village looked down upon him, and Okonkwo felt ashamed by proxy.
Okonkwo tries to rise from this inferiority complex by becoming everything his father is not.
Finally, at the end of his days, Unoka is afflicted with swelling of the limbs and is carried to the Evil Forest to die instead of being given a burial.
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∙ 11y ago
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∙ 14y agoOkonkwo saw his father Unoka as weak and feminine, and therefore decided his goal in life would be to outdo Unoka. Many argue Okonkwo's decisions are largely based on his need to be different--and better, in his opinion--than his father. He also adopts a callous, sometimes cruel demeanor for this reason.
Sorry this is not more in depth; I read Things Fall Apart a while ago... Hope this helps!
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∙ 13y agoOkonkwo did not have many debts. Unoka had many.
Okonkwo was a great farmer. Unoka was a lazy farmer.
Unoka was lazy. Okonkwo was a very hard worker.
Unoka played the flute. Okonkwo saw instruments as a waste of time.
Okonkwo was a great warrior, having killed 5 men. Unoka was a weak warrior who did not like the sight of blood.
Unoka had a deeper understanding of people than Okonkwo. Unoka was friendly, whereas Okonkwo was stern.
Unoka was soft-hearted. Okonkwo was called the 'Roaring Flame'.
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∙ 13y agoHe is made fun of by other villagers for various reasons including being lazy, a drunkard, effeminate, a poor farmer, and no good at Wrestling or fighting among other traits. He is a huge debtor, and talks too much.
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∙ 13y agoFor the most part, Okonkwo is very hard on his children. He believes that being this hard on them will make them grow up strong and resilient, and not like their lazy grandfather Unoka.
Okonkwo insists that his daughters do not marry outside of Umuofia. He persuades Ezinma of this, and convinces her to persuade Okonkwo's eldest daughter, Obiageli.
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∙ 9y agoUnoka caused Okonkwo to be born by impregnating Okonkwo's father.
As a father figure, Okonkwo caused his son shame, by being a less than reliable father. This caused Okonkwo to try to compensate in response, by being a hard-working, honoured man with ambition.
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What are Okonkwo's feelings towards his father?
Okonkwo is ashamed of his father Unoka. He feels his father is weak, effeminate, and made fun of by other members of the tribe. Okonkwo feels a man should be strong like a warrior, but his father is shy of blood. Okonkwo feels a man should be hard working and provide for his family, but Unoka is lazy, and a very poor farmer. Okonkwo ends up inheriting nothing from his father.
What upset Okonkwo most about his son Nwoye in Things Fall Apart?
Subjective answer: The thing that upsets Okonkwo the most internally, is the fact that Nwoye is too much like his grandfather Unoka. The one action that gets Okonkwo the most upset externally is finding out that Nwoye has been hanging around the Christians, at which point Okonkwo confronts Nwoye and nearly chokes him to death.
How does the mosquito and the ear apply to the story Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe?
Replace Unoka a nd Okonkwo in place of the Ear and mosquito. you'll notice that the Ear (Okonkwo) is offended just by the sight of Mosquito (Unoka) and didn't want anything to do with him. Ear also called mosquito weak by saying he would die within the week having accomplished nothing. In the end, Mosquito survives and lingers around Ear reminding him that he is still alive. Now you may be wondering, how can Unoka still linger around when he is dead? Well that is what Nwoye is for. He has feminine quality so faint (like a buzz of a mosquito) but strong enough for only Okonkwo to notice. This story shows the relationship between Okonkwo, Unoka, and Nwyoe in only 4 sentences *Don't use this as an answer if you are using this for homework and by any crazy random happenstance you have Mrs. Fritz as your English teacher*
Where does it say that Okonkwo is disappointed in Nwoye?
The book does not say this explicitly until Nwoye joins the Christians, when Okonkwo calls him an abomination. However, Okonkwo often wishes that Nwoye was stronger, saying that at his age, he should already have impregnated a wife and taken a farm. Okonkwo also wishes that Nwoye were as strong a wrestler as Obierika's child, Okafo.
What excuse did Unoka give for not giving Okoye any money?
Unoka claimed that he had to pay his largest debts first, and that Okoye's loan to Unoka was small in comparison.
What is Okonkwo's relationship with Unoka?
Okonkwo is Unoka's son. Okonkwo does not respect Unoka, as Unoka is looked down upon by the villagers.
Who is Unoka and how is he related to Okonkwo?
Unoka is Okonkwo's father in Chinua Achebe's novel "Things Fall Apart." Unoka is known for being lazy and irresponsible, which stands in contrast to Okonkwo's strong work ethic and ambition. Their relationship is strained because Okonkwo resents his father's weakness and strives to be everything that Unoka was not.
How have Unoka failures affected Okonkwo start in life?
Unoka's failures served as a source of shame for Okonkwo, pushing him to strive for success and distance himself from his father's reputation. Okonkwo's drive to succeed was fueled by a desire to overcome his father's shortcomings and establish himself as a respected and successful member of the community. Ultimately, Unoka's failures influenced Okonkwo's fierce determination to achieve greatness and avoid the same fate as his father.
What aspects of unokas life and death make okonkwo despise him?
Unoka's laziness, lack of ambition, and inability to support his family during his life contribute to Okonkwo's disdain for him. In addition, Unoka's death, which is seen as shameful due to his debts and lack of titles, further reinforces Okonkwo's negative perception of his father.
What are Okonkwo's feelings towards his father?
Okonkwo is ashamed of his father Unoka. He feels his father is weak, effeminate, and made fun of by other members of the tribe. Okonkwo feels a man should be strong like a warrior, but his father is shy of blood. Okonkwo feels a man should be hard working and provide for his family, but Unoka is lazy, and a very poor farmer. Okonkwo ends up inheriting nothing from his father.
What did okonkwo illness tell about him?
Okonkwo's illness showed his vulnerability and fear of being seen as weak or inadequate in the eyes of his community. It highlighted his inner turmoil and the pressure he felt to live up to the expectations of masculinity and success in his society, which ultimately contributed to his tragic downfall.
Why did the protagonist have identity problems in Things Fall Apart?
Okonkwo was ashamed of his father Unoka, whom other villagers laughed at and did not respect.
Does Achebe's mean us to share Okonkwo's low opinion of his father?
Achebe presents Okonkwo's view of his father to highlight the conflict between tradition and change. While Okonkwo's negative opinion of his father is depicted, the novel also shows the complexities and limitations of Okonkwo's perspective. Achebe encourages readers to consider the broader cultural and historical context that shapes Okonkwo's beliefs.
How did Okonkwo's father lead to his downfall?
Okonkwo's father, Unoka, was seen as weak, unambitious, and unsuccessful in his community. Okonkwo was determined not to be like his father and worked hard to build his own reputation. However, his fear of being associated with his father's perceived failures led him to overcompensate with excessive harshness and a relentless pursuit of success, ultimately leading to his downfall.
What did the Oracle Agbala tell Okonkwo's father Unoka when he asked why his crops were not successful?
The Oracle Agbala told Unoka that his crops were failing because he was lazy and had poor work ethic. Unoka was advised to work harder and take farming more seriously in order to achieve success.
Why did a playmate call okonkwos father agbala?
Okonkwo's father Unoka was an agbala. The primary definition of agbala was woman, but it could also be used to describe a man with no titles, derisively. As Unoka had no titles, he was an agbala. Some children are mean or thoughtless.
What supports the inference that Achebe believes that it is important to strike a balance between being successful and enjoying life?
"[Unoka] was poor and his wife and children had barely enough to eat." "But [Okonkwo's] whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of weakness. . . . It was the fear of himself, lest he should be found to resemble his father. . . ." "Unoka loved . . . the first kites that returned with the dry season, and the children who sang songs of welcome to them." "If any money came [Unoka's] way . . . he immediately bought gourds of palm-wine, called round his neighbors and made merry." "Okonkwo is a strong, disciplined man but he cannot enjoy simple things in life." "And so Okonkwo was ruled by one passion - to hate everything that his father Unoka had loved."
