Things Fall Apart Nwoye Identity Essay

A multifaceted English writer named Lewis Carroll once said, “Who in the world am I? Ah, that's the great puzzle.” Finding oneself is an arduous task, and a character named Nwoye in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart is able to do so through a cultural collision. Through his experiences, Nwoye determines his potential and decides to take advantage of his opportunities in order to live a prosperous life. The story of Nwoye demonstrates how an ethnic collision leads to religious, political, and social changes, which results in one discovering his true identity.
While Nwoye’s interactions with the westerners were positive, it had negative effects on his culture and his relationship with his father. His true personality shows through because it had been hidden for fear of his father. One day, Okonkwo hears about how Nwoye visits the church and gets angry at him when he returns. “Nwoye turned round to walk into the inner compound when his father, suddenly overcome with fury, sprang to his feet and gripped him by the neck” (Achebe, 132). The author uses imagery in this sentence to show how abusive
Nwoye did not appreciate some Igbo traditions like farming at a young age. “During the planting season Okonkwo worked daily on his farms from cock-crow until the chickens went to roost” (11). The diction in the quote shows how important Okonkwo finds his work and how manly he considers himself. Okonkwo expects Nwoye to be a great farmer, but Nwoye is not interested. The fact that the western children got the opportunity to go to school at an early age instead of working fascinates and excites Nwoye. In this unjust society, Nwoye stays unfulfilled, with no hope or joy. When he saw the western culture, and their just society with peace and opportunities, he became keen to convert; not just because he wants to leave the impartial Igbo society, but because he wants to determine his true