Nwoye began to act like a man by distancing himself from his father’s expectations and adopting his own beliefs and values. He chose to embrace the new religion brought by the missionaries, which gave him a sense of identity and purpose different from his father’s traditional beliefs. This shift in allegiance and autonomy marked a significant step in Nwoye’s journey towards manhood.
The Umuofian culture puts a pressure on Nwoye to act like a man in the culture. This depiction of the ideal man does not treasure the same things Nwoye treasures, such as the stories that his mother tells him, or the songs the Christians sing. Further, the Umuofian culture has led to the killing of Ikemefuna, whom Nwoye saw as his elder brother. Nwoye considers such a death unfair and unjustified.
Ikemefuna had a significant influence on Nwoye in Chinua Achebe's novel "Things Fall Apart." Ikemefuna served as an older brother figure to Nwoye, providing him with guidance and companionship. He introduced Nwoye to new ideas and perspectives, ultimately leading to Nwoye questioning his father's strict beliefs and traditions. Ikemefuna's presence catalyzed Nwoye's internal conflict and eventual rejection of his father's values.
Nwoye begins emulating Ikemefuna, and outwardly showing stereotypical masculine qualities, like grumbling about women and their troubles, feigning annoyance, and pretending he no longer cared for stories his mother and other women told. He was sent to do more difficult masculine tasks like splitting wood, and pounding food. Nwoye also began listening more to his father's stories, including those of wrestling and war.
Okonkwo was a masculine man, and expected his son to follow in his footsteps. Nwoye ended up being more effeminate, and either way could not follow in his father's footsteps, instead being obscured by his shadow.
Nwoye is Okonkwo's first son, and serves as a contrast to the manliness of the Igbo his father exemplifies. Nwoye's like for the feminine, in particular the stories his mother tells, causes him to not relate well with his father. Further, Okonkwo expects him to be as strong as he was, and to have taken a woman by now, but he is not as strong, and has not yet taken a woman. Okonkwo fears that Nwoye will be like his grandfather Unoka, who was a lazy drunkard debtor and tied without title or property.
Nwoye had been troubled by the conflicts between his personality and abilities and the expectations of what he was supposed to do as a man, as dictated by tribal customs.Nwoye could not compare to his father, Okonkwo, who was a self-made man who was on track to become the greatest man in the tribe. Nwoye was not physically strong. He was not keen on violence, having a more effeminate nature. Instead of stories of violence and bloodshed, he preferred children-stories of animal parables told by women. He was not financially independent, nor as able to work as hard as his father.Finally, Nwoye could not reconcile the tribe's need to kill Ikemefuna, who he considered an elder brother.
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Being well respected. - Nwoye agrees with this. In particular, in the later book No Longer At Ease, he seems to implicitly agree with this respect.Having titles. - Nwoye seems to have no problem with this.Being able to represent egwugwu in the egwugwu court. - Nwoye does not even consider this.Killing men in war. - Nwoye has an aversion to these stories.Being wealthy. - Nwoye seems to have no problem with this.Being a good farmer and a hard worker. - Nwoye seems to have no problem with this, but is not particularly skilled at farming.Having wives. - Nwoye seems to have no problem with this, but does not take a wife early in life.Having many children, particularly strong boys. - Nwoye seems to have no problem with this.Having his daughters marry respected men. - Nwoye seems to have no problem with this.Voicing one's opinion. -Nwoye's opinions do not always agree with his father's, so Nwoye is forced to hold his tongue in the presence of him.Being unafraid of war, and advocating for strong actions. - Nwoye seems to have a dislike of war, and is more a man of peace.Having everything in one's household under control, including wives and children. - Nwoye as a boy attempts to mutter about women and their problems in an attempt to please his dad. However, he doesn't really feel that strongly about this. He does however, exert control over his wife and her opinions later on in No Longer At Ease.Fighting lazy or stupid people. - Nwoye is not a fighter.Having respected friends. - Nwoye seems to have no problem with this.Being able to wrestle. - Nwoye is not a wrestler.Disliking idleness including excessive music. - Nwoye loves music, in contrast with the coolness exuded by his father towards it.Disliking feminine stories. - Nwoye loves his mother's stories, and is enchanted by them as well as the stories told by the Christians.
The fall of Ikemefuna marks the true beginning of Okonkwo's downfall. Before this, Okonkwo's situation was quite good and looking upwards; before this event is about the peak of Okonkwo's life.
Nwoye takes several steps including:Watching the missionaries as they arrive in MbantaListening to the missionaries as they tell their storiesBecoming enchanted and spiritually relieved as he listens to their songBecoming interested in the missionariesHanging out with the missionariesGoing to live with the missionariesConverting people along with the missionaries as they journey to the other Igbo villages, including Umuofia.
Start by being mature.
Act like a lady always ,around the kids