What lead to Okonkwo's downfall? This past week my AP Lit students characterized Okonkwo, the protagonist from Things Fall Apart. I had a volunteer in each class be a life-size model and we drew around them. Then, each student had to find text in the book which described Okonkwo. They particularly had a good time adding African tribal garb. Someone added a yam. But more importantly, they were proving who was Okonkwo.
I always start the year with this book. It is unusual, divergent, and exotic all combined into one. Most students have never read it or anything like it. The concepts behind Okonkwo are difficult, though, for my students. I chose the AP Write from one of the past which is:
"Novels and plays often depict characters caught between colliding cultures -- national, regional, ethnic, religious, institutional. Such collisions can call a character’s sense of identity into question. Select a novel or play in which a character responds to such a cultural collision. Then write a well-organized essay in which you describe the character’s response and explain its relevance to the work as a whole."
My students are able to write the different ways in which Okonkwo falls, but they fail to take it a step further to discuss which events call his identity into question. He collides with his own culture because he fears being a weak man like his father. He beats his wife during the Week of Peace, and he takes part in killing Ikemefuna who he had come to love like a son. These are only a few, but how do these events call his identity into question? The cycle of pride starts with prosperity and being blessed with temporal and spiritual gifts. Okonwko doesn't want to appear weak like his father. He didn't appreciate his father's gift of music and easy manner. Pride starts to enter in to Okonwko's life. He doesn't listen to his friend's advice when told not to be involved with killing of Ikemefuna. Because he let his pride get in the way, he is careless, and then Okonwko is sent to his mother land. He is somewhat humbled, but when he returns, he is disillusioned by the fact that the white man has taken over and his tribe is not fighting back. Okonwko's identity is called into question when he tries to fight back, but only a few tribesmen help him. His identity is called into question when he sees that the osu are being welcomed into the new religion. The changes that are happening all around Okonwko are so hard for him to understand that he "grinds his teeth." Instead of the Egwugwu being all powerful, someone rips off one of their masks. The lack of respect for tribal customs is too much for Okonwko. Instead of breaking the pride cycle, Okonwko ends his life and ends up exactly like his father, disowned.There are other examples, but somehow, I will need to make sure that I spend one more lesson on how Okonwko is affected, and how his identity is questioned.
“A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.” C.S. Lewis
“Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.” - Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice
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