Leaves Okonkwo example essay topic

534 words
Pg 94 ComentaryQuestion: In essay form, explain what this paragraph reveals about Okonkwo. Work specifically with the language proceeding through in an organized fashion. Structure of section Achievement What he wanted out of life Becoming a clan leader Fear - didn't want to be weak Shame of childhood Affirmation of his masculinity Harsh self judgment Loss (fish) o o Loss (chi) In the paragraph on page 94 near the bottom, Achebe reveals the desperation that Okonkwo has fallen into because of his banishment. Okonkwo up to this point in the book has proven to be warrior-like in his approach to all things in life, but now we see that he has lost the battle of achieving the greatness, leaving him with a broken spirit. In the first section of the paragraph it is made known that Okonkwo was". ... ruled by a great passion - to become one of the lords of the clan".

This was evident at the very beginning of the book by his fear of failure. The loathing he had for his father and what he stood for had driven Okonkwo to work hard through his entire life. This commitment help confirm the manliness that he had be seeking for, the one thing that could separate him from the shame of his childhood. However his strong will and determination has left him with a very egomaniacal self-image that leaves Okonkwo helpless when he actually fails in something.

His banishment to M bantu was a very hard blow to his self-image, leaving him weak and broken while trying to live there. The way Okonkwo refers to his banishment was that he". ... had been cast out of his clan like a fish on to a dry, sandy beach, panting". This pitiful image shows Okonkwo's personal disgust, comparing himself to a lowly creature like a fish. The image of the fish out of water shows his suffrage, that a fish cannot live without water as Okonkwo cannot live without his clan and honour. The fact that the fish is panting shows that he is still alive but most likely suffering a slow and painful death. The analogy of a slow death shows how much Okonkwo sees the banishment as something that has completely destroyed his life and legacy and that his god had turned against him.

In the Ibo tribe the chi or "personal god" plays a pivotal role in each person's life. In this section we see that Okonkwo has lost faith in his chi saying that". ... his personal god or chi was not made for great things". He sees his banishment as his chi turning against him. Previously in the book there was a proverb that said". ... that if a man said yea his chi also affirmed".

Okonkwo's despair can be seen by his belief that the saying was not true, that he". ... was a man whose chi said nay despite his own affirmation". His loss of belief in his own god shows his complete surrender to his future, that he would never achieve anything like his father.