In both Things Fall Apart and The Great Gatsby, both protagonists, exhibit character flaws of obsession and the inability to change that lead to their downfall.

International Baccalaureate World Literature

1000614

Mrs. Holmes

English 3

30 May 2008

A Pre-Socratic Ionian philosopher named Heraclitus once made an important statement regarding a man’s character, stating: "Character is destiny.” Heraclitus’ statement proves evident in the novels Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Both pieces mutually include characters that encompass distinguishable traits that account for their destiny. A major component of some literature, such as the novels addressed, is characters in the novel possess traits that can foreshadow the characters destiny. These traits displayed by the protagonists are mainly flaws and imperfections in disposition that lead to the downfall. In both Things Fall Apart and The Great Gatsby, both protagonists, exhibit character flaws of obsession and the inability to change that lead to their downfall.

Gatsby and Okonkwo display qualities of obsession that are characteristic of their inevitable downfall. Gatsby gazes at Daisy as they reminisce about old times and “hadn't once ceased looking at Daisy, and I think he revalued everything in his house according to the measure of response it drew from her well-loved eyes" (Fitzgerald 92). Along with Daisy, the desire to please her in any possible manner is the object of Gatsby’s obsession throughout the novel. Gatsby’s fascination with Daisy and pleasing her draws him away from reality. The veracity of his situation and state of mind pushes him further to his downfall because of his inability to grasp present and real ideals. He, in truth, embraces ideals presented by his obsessive qualities. After seeing Daisy and Tom leave the party at the end of the night, Gatsby immediately assumes that “She didn't like it, he said immediately" (Fitzgerald 110). Gatsby’s statement exhibits his obsession regarding her approval. The lack of a glorified response from Daisy regarding the party causes Gatsby to feel insecure about it. Gatsby assumes her feelings towards the party which reveals how the obsession concerning her approval causes him to feel apprehensive. As Gatsby awaits daisy’s safe return into her home” He couldn't possibly leave Daisy until he knew what she was going to do. He was clutching at some last hope [...] "(Fitzgerald 148) .Even when he is able there is little hope associated with acquiring of Daisy’s love, Gatsby continues to obsess. Although, Gatsby’s is “clutching at some last hope”, he decides to continue believe that Daisy will fall madly in love with him once again. His obsession for her love pushes Gatsby in a world that is not his own, and causes him to become disillusioned. Likewise, in Achebe’s, Things Fall Apart, When Okonkwo stares at his new “son” in the eyes, his son says “My father, they have killed me!' ... Okonkwo [draws] his machete and [...] cuts him down [...] He does not want to be though weak." (Achebe 61). Okonkwo’s life revolves around the obsession of projecting the image that he is almighty and strong. The everlasting façade of strength Okonkwo portrays along with his fear of becoming submissive and weak, beat him up inside, as he strives to become stronger and stronger everyday. Strength is associated with Okonkwo, therefore he must strive to be strong at all times; however he does not recognize his obsession with strength withers at his destiny. As Okonkwo ponders the ideal of weakness he touches on a thought of his fathering, remember that "People laughed at him because he was a loafer, and they swore never to lend him any more because he never paid back" (Achebe 5). Part of Okonkwo’s motivation for the obsession of not displaying weakness, lies in the image that his father projected as a clan member. The obsession of not becoming his father withers his character and causes him to focus solely on the one goal of not becoming weak while disregarding all other aspects of his life, as Gatsby did. As both novels progress, the character flaw of obsession evident in their personalities, elicits the downfall of each of the protagonists.

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Gatsby and Okonkwo both display the inability to change in times of major acculturation occurring in their environment that intensify the inevitability of their downfall. Nick observes the odd behavior of Gatsby and comments that “Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter-tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms further [...]and one fine morning So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past"(Fitzgerald 189). Nick comments at the strange behavior of Gatsby and his fascination with the green light adorned on Daisy’s dock. Nick observes the problem with Gatsby’s grasp of time and the fixation on trying to live in what was, and not what is. Gatsby fixation on the past and the inability to change and live in the present, adds to the inevitable downfall of his “greatness.” Following the party, Nick remarks the inability to repeat the past, and Gatsby responds “Can’t repeat the past, why of course you can!’” (Fitzgerald 116). Gatsby’s reply to Nicks comment about the inability to repeat the past illuminates his obsession with the past and the inability to change for the future. Gatsby’s past is full of memories that can not be fully trusted; his fixation in the past and these unreliable memories causes him to become disillusioned, much like he was disillusioned by feelings of love for Daisy. Similarly, Upon Okonkwo’s return to the tribe’s proceedings, “He knew that Umuofia would not go to war. He Knew because they had let the other messengers escape, they had broken into tumult instead of action […] he wiped his machete on the sand and went away (Achebe).” After his rash action of killing the messenger of the church, Okonkwo comes to realize the change that has happened. His realization and his walking away from the situation and the lack of confrontation with the situation shows that although he has given up, he still does not believe in the change and accept the change that has occurred with in the clan. When encountering the messenger, Okonkwo “[trembles] with hate, unable to utter a word... in a flash Okonkwo drew his machete. The messenger crouched to avoid the blow. It was useless. Okonkwo's machete descended twice and the man's head lay beside his uniformed body." (Achebe 204).Okonkwo is at his last grips with the changing of his culture that the Christians have caused. Okonkwo’s dire need of a last resort to save the culture and his tribe influenced him to strike the messenger in rage and kill him. His unavoidable attachment to the past culture forced him to act in a rash manner His rash action and the failure of his tribal members to act on his impulse, contributed to his commitment of suicide. The protagonists of the novel both hold the quality of not accepting change, which, along with their character flaw, contributes to their downfall.

The obsessive qualities and the inability to adhere that both Okonkwo and Gatsby possessed are what led to their demise. Their character in fact was their destiny. The manner in which they dealt with their flaws is paralleled in both novels, in similar and slightly different ways, however in the end; there is a common link between the protagonists and the range of their character flaws. Heraclitus put it brilliantly when he stated, “Character is destiny”. For Okonkwo and Gatsby, their character was their destiny.

In both Things Fall Apart and The Great Gatsby, both protagonists, exhibit character flaws of obsession and the inability to change that lead to their downfall.

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