In the novel Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo is portrayed as a respected and determined individual whose fatal flaw eventually works against him.

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In the novel Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo is portrayed as a respected and determined individual whose fatal flaw eventually works against him. Throughout the novel the readers are shown that Okonkwo has many of these Characteristics because he is obsessed with the idea of becoming just like his father. This becomes his flaw in the novel that puts him into exile and makes it hard for him to adjust to the changes that were made within his village.

Okonkowo the main protagonist of the book was highly regarded man in the district of Umofia  which in all consisted of nine villages. He was a very egoistic man and had great resentment towards women. This resentment may have been caused due to the bad reputation of his father who in his time was lazy and improvident and was quiet an incapable man due to which he was humiliated throughout the society. And soon due to a lot of pressure Unoka died. Okonkowo wanted to be the exact opposite of his father as he wanted to be regarded highly in society. His successes were based wholly on his personal achievements. For example, he was a warrior and wrestler who gained respect through his athletics. Manliness was a characteristic that was greatly valued by the people of the village. Since Okonkwo was a wrestler and a warrior this showed that he was a fierce fear-free individual. And because he hadn't lost one fight or any battles this was more reason for the people of the village to love him. He was also respected because of his wealth. Okonkwo had three wives and many children. When people saw this they realized that he was able to take care of his wives and children. He wanted to show that he was not like his father in any way. His father was a poor, lazy, man whom he didn't respect at all. Okonkwo gained respect through being a clansman. The clansmen were the law making body of the village, which everyone had obeyed. They enforced rules and laid down punishment.  

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Okonkwo was a very short-tempered and he himself couldn’t control it instead he then later justified it to himself for instance, he beat his wife to a pulp  during the week of peace that lead to great shame and a lot of taunts however all of them eventually stopped with time. Determination is one of Okonkwo's most outstanding characteristics. Because of his undying obsession to be unlike his father, Okonkwo is determined to be exactly what is father is not. Since childhood, Okonkwo has been ashamed of his father, because according to the clansmen Okonkwo's father did not meet the ...

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