Okonkwo’s broken childhood and lack of fatherly example affects his current life and how he confronts issues in several ways. He has a compulsive need to stand by and be everything his father is not. Their beliefs are completely opposite each other because of Okonkwo’s need to fulfill his own pressures and ideal image, which he burdens himself with. Certain characteristics he holds which his father does not is seriousness, determination, and brutality. Okonkwo cannot move on from his past, instead he forces his future to be effected by his past, which results in his emotional separation from others around him. Oknonkwo describes his father as “lazy, improvident and quite incapable of thinking about tomorrow. If any money [comes] his way and it rarely [does], he immediately [buys] gourds of palm wine. [Calls] his neighbors and [makes] merry” (4) All of these things described are disgraceful to him and his community. He also adds that he is “poor, and his wife and children [have] barely enough to eat. People [laugh] at him because he [is] a loafer.” (5) When Unoka dies and is placed in the Evil forest he leaves his family empty handed and with a dreadful reputation. From then on Okonkwo feels the need to gain a high title in order to prove his deference from his father. As an attempt to detach himself from his father’s name. “Okonkwo never [shows] any emotion openly, unless it [is] the emotion of anger.” (28)
This anger gets taken out on Okonkwo’s wives and children in the form of violence. Okonkwo associates women with weakness. He observed as a child how light his father was with crucial issues involving his mother and sisters. Therefor Okonkwo’s wives’ rather small mistakes come with heavy consequences, he physically abuses them. After one of his wives makes the small mistake of coming home late one day “He [presses] the trigger-he [throws] down the gun and [jumps] into the barn, and there lay the woman very much shaken but quiet unhurt” (39) Going as far as trying to kill his wife makes it clear to see that he lets his violence and rage squelch over his loving emotions.
Not only is Okonkwo’s physical aggression reflected on his wives but also on his children, innocent as can be, “ Without further argument Okonkwo gave her a sound beating and left her and her only daughter weeping” ( 38) His fear of weakness is so strong that he participates in the killing of Ikemefuna, a boy whom he considers a son.
Even his daughter Ezima who is his “favorite” he calls, “You wicked daughter of Akalogoli!” (82) When his children and family live in fear if him it hinders and creates problems in their relationships. Even his own son fears his father’s temper, his family is walking on eggshells around him, in terror that he might lash out at any time for any reason possible.
Okonkwo’s clan in Umofia’s culture is very strict, opinionated and has many different spiritual beliefs. There are traditions, rules and regulations, which like any culture, if disobeyed, have penalties. Okonkwo cares more about his reputation and how he might appear to others then about his own family’s emotional needs. This happens because of the strong judgmental aspect of his community, monitoring many people’s lives closely. All of his violence is an attempt to feed his own ego and pride, which is his central characteristic because of the substance arrogance is given in his clan. He lives his life by following the Ibo clan’s culture, weather his personal believes are that of the clan’s or not. Okonkwo’s civilization and people put emphases on the superiority that men have over women, helping support his violence at home. Okonkwo wrestles in an effort to receive a high title within his clan because in his culture masculinity is judged by aggression.
Although control physically and emotionally is Okonkwo’s most significant goal, by the end of his life he dies a shameful death and his heroic flawless bravery results in humiliation for him and his family. Not only does he die with no positive recognition, he leaves his family alone much like Okonkwo’s father left him. Also, when the missionaries hold Okonkwo captive, they beat and torture him, he is at complete mercy of others; this going forcefully against everything he stands for. This loss of control infuriates him more than the actual abuse. The village people “[notice] the long stripes ok Okonwko’s back where the warden’s whip [has] cut into his flesh.” (199) this was a major sign of defeat. His main hamartia is his strong impulsive need to be the ideal man; unemotional, impressively physically powerful, with a strong pride and high title.
Even though Okonkwo dies a dishonorable death, he leaves many of the town’s members with optimism of what can be done when people join together as a community. “It [warms] Okonkwo’s heart to see such strength of numbers.” (201) He has faith in this concept. A lesson which can be taken away from the story is the importance of individuality and not giving into stereotypes or generalizations which only tear communities apart.
