Table of Contents
Why is Okonkwo unhappy with his son and here?
Okonkwo is unhappy with his son and heir Nwoye because he resembles more like his grandfather Unoka, lazy and easy-going. Ikemefuna is a fifteen years old boy from a neighbouring tribe who is given to Umuofia as a sacrifice. It is ironic that Okonkwo would favour Ikemefuna over his own biological son Nwoye.
Why was Okonkwo mad at his son?
And so Nwoye was developing into a sad-faced youth. As these words from Chapter 2 demonstrate, Okonkwo places great pressure on his eldest son from an early age. Okonkwo’s anxiety about Nwoye’s laziness relates directly to Okonkwo’s disappointment in his father, Unoka, who had lived a life of unproductivity.
What does Okonkwo think of his son?
Often with a closed circle of suspects. Nwoye is Okonkwo’s eldest son who Okonkwo considers irredeemably effeminate and very much like his father, Unoka. As a child, Nwoye is the frequent object of his father’s criticism and remains emotionally unfulfilled.
Why is Okonkwo ashamed of Nwoye?
Okonkwo is raising Nwoye to be the opposite of his father Unoka. Okonkwo is ashamed of his father Unoka because when he “died he had taken no title at all and he was heavenly in debt.” Therefore, Okonkwo wants to raise Nwoye to be a successful outgoing, great farmer, villager and man.…
What metaphor does Okonkwo use to explain how he feels about his son?
Okonkwo wonders how he could have raised such a foolish, weak son since he himself is so powerful and is even known by others as the “Roaring Flame.” In the Igbo culture, fire symbolizes strength and masculinity.
Why does Okonkwo disown his son Nwoye?
When he starts to beat Nwoye with a heavy stick, his uncle Uchendu demands that Okonkwo leave his son alone. Okonkwo fears that, after his death, his younger sons will abandon the family ancestors because they have become attracted to the new religion.
What metaphor does Okonkwo see his relationship with his son through?
Okonkwo compares himself to the burning flame, to an active and, at times, violent agent of change, and he acknowledges that after a flame has burned out, all that is left is the “cold impotent ash.” He has produced a son he deems feminine, a son who cannot compare to the brutal masculinity that Okonkwo represents.
What do Okonkwo’s comments about Obierika’s son reveal about Okonkwo’s feelings for his own sons?
Okonkwo complains to Obierika that his sons are not manly enough and says that he would be happier if Ezinma were a boy because she has “the right spirit.” He and Obierika then argue over whether it was right of Okonkwo to partake in Ikemefuna’s death.
What are Okonkwo’s weaknesses?
Western heroes lead from confidence, not from fear of failure. The weakness of Okonkwo is reacting first, and then thinking. Okonkwo’s weakness is lack of foresight. While his strength was that he knew how to be what his culture wanted, so that he’d have followers.
What does Okonkwo feel ashamed of his son Nwoye?
In Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo feels ashamed of his son Nwoye in Part I of the novel and betrayed by him in Parts II and III. In Part I, Okonkwo’s greatest fear is that Nwoye will become like his grandfather Uneka, a titleless and effeminate male ( agbala ).
What is ironic about Okonkwo’s relationship with Ikemefuna?
Ironically, Okonkwo is closer with his adoptive son than he is with his biological son. Unfortunately, Okonkwo takes matters into his own hands when he kills Ikemefuna, and Nwoye rebels by converting to Christianity. It is ironic that Okonkwo loves Ikmefuna like a son. He is the young man that he wishes Nwoye would have been.
Is Nwoye attracted to his mother or his culture?
Certainly, Nwoye seems more attracted to his mother and the arts than he does the uber-male culture of yam farming, wrestling, and war. Luckily,