Monday, March 3, 2008
Okonkwo: Protector, Provider, Papa?
As a father Okonkwo lacks the ability to support his wives and, more importantly, his children in adequate manner emotionally. Okonkwo believes that the essence of man is to be strong, tough, and detached when matters involve expressing himself. This aspect of his personality directly affects the way he fathers his children. In regards to his son, Nwoye, Okonkwo is dissatisfied with his sensitivity and lack of interests for his manly duties. Although many of the neighbors tell him that Nwoye will turn out to be a fine man, Okonkwo still has doubts about his son and urges him to be better; in other words more like himself. Achebe states, “Okonkwo was inwardly pleased at his son’s development and he knew it was due to Ikemefuna. He wanted Nwoye to grow into a tough young man… So Okonkwo encouraged the boys to sit with… and he told them stories of the land—masculine stories of violence and bloodshed” (Achebe 53). Okonkwo abides to “template of toughness” instead of using his heart to discern what the correct upbringing is for Nwoye. He attempts to make Nwoye into a clone of himself, urging him to live and work as he does in hopes Nwoye will to obtain similar success. Okonkwo is even persuaded by the Umuofia societal views to shelter his daughters; for beliefs that women are weak and ought to manage the home and succumb to the men bear the brunt of life’s burdens. Okonkwo needs to realize that there is more to being a father than sheer protection and forcing his views upon his children. They need emotional support, stability, and an example to follow. Okonkwo’s obstinate demeanor does not provide this.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Okonkwo is not able to be the father figure that he needs to be. He needs to be supportive of his children and let them live the life that they want to live. Okonkwo does not do this though. Nwoye has a laid back personality and Okonkwo does not like that. He wants his son to be strong-minded and have goals and wants him to be a responsible, young adult. Nwoye on the other hand has a different outlook on life. He knows what a man’s duties and responsibilities are and what his father expects of him, but he still likes certain things. Achebe says, “Nwoye knew that it was right to be masculine and to be violent, but somehow he still preferred the stories that his mother used to tell him…” (Achebe 53). Nwoye likes the feeling of security that he feels around his mother but he knows that he is disappointing his father by acting like that. Okonkwo is pleased though when Ikemefuna comes to live with them and Ikemefuna’s personality rubs off on him. This is why Okonkwo once made the comment that he calls Ikemefuna his own son, but he does not consider Nwoye, his own son, one of his own.
Okonkwo is incapable of being a good, loving father figure to his children. This is not only due to his personality, but of the views of his culture. Boys are supposed to grow up into strong men who fight and girls are only destined to be weak women who do as they are told. He cannot accept his children as they are, but wish that they were something else. He worried about Nwoye and thought his was too weak. This also caused him to feel embarrassed for his own image as well. He compared himself at Nwoye's age and was disappointed at how little Nwoye had achieved. He tried to turn Nwoye into the person that he wanted him to be, even against the advice of his friend, Obierika. "You worry yourself for nothing,said Obierika. The children are still very young" (Achebe, 66).Okonkwo also wanted to change his daughter, Enzinma. Enzinma was a strong girl with her own mind and thoughts. Okonkwo who was worried that his son was too soft, but wanted his daughter be different. "She should have been a boy he thought as he looked at his ten-year-old daughter. (Achebe,64)" Okonkwo has a hard time being a father and does not know how to be supportive and can only parent with an iron fist.
Post a Comment