From Pride to Anger and Then Came Suicide - Caroline Tucker

on
When I finished reading Things Fall Apart, I had many thoughts. Here are two of them.
Why did Okonkwo kill the messenger? His anger ruled his life. He kept his anger brooding because he believed it to be strength. Because of that anger and his pride, Okonkwo decided to kill the messenger. 
So, why did Okonkwo kill himself? I believe he did because of his ego. I think Okonkwo killed himself because he did not want to be killed by the white men. He considered it weakness to submit to them. He decided that he would rather commit suicide than be killed by the white men. He thought that suicide was the better option. 
Was suicide the best option? That, I do not know. I do have to say that I was becoming very frustrated with the white people. They seemed to do everything wrong. Maybe that is the point of the book. To realize that the people coming in to colonize would not learn of the culture of the people they were invading. This idea led to the hardships that came in colonizing.

P.s. I commented on Eliza’s and Clabo’s posts.

Comments

Rebecca Belew said…
I personally believe that the answer to your first question is that Okonkwo simply could not contain his emotions anymore, and his frustration with everyone around him, especially the ones on the side of the white men, led him to an extreme measure. I don't believe this was to show power, I believe it was simply the fact that he couldn't hold it in any longer. Additionally, I believe Okonkwo killed himself, not because he was a coward, but because his breathing was the only thing he felt he could control anymore, so taking it away was his last act of power.
March 1, 2020 at 4:08 PM
Logan Turner said…
To answer your second question, I think Okonkwo resorted to suicide because it was a final ploy for control in his life. When he no longer had control over anything, he took the final thing he had control over (his life) and ended it so that no-one else would be able to control it.
March 2, 2020 at 8:36 AM
Post a Comment