Identity Change In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

In “Things Fall Apart,” by Chinua Achebe, Nwoye, the son of the fiercest warrior, is raised to be a manly man and refrain from any feelings. His father, Okonkwo, expects him to be a spitting image of him and less like his father, Unoka, who was a coward and unsuccessful. Throughout the story, Nwoye is forced to act tough and be who he is not. When the Christian missionaries suddenly come to Umuofia to share their faith, Nwoye reflects on his own culture and starts to question what is right. Because of the collision of the two cultures, Nwoye’s sense of identity changes and his old ways are left behind. While growing up, Nwoye was exposed to a handful of violence and tragedies. When the Christians arrived and shared their beliefs, he began to question why things were the way they were. Nwoye listened intently to a hymn about brothers who sat in darkness and fear, and it “seemed to answer a vague and persistent question that haunted his young soul the question of the twins crying in the bush and the question of Ikemefuna who was killed,” (Achebe 141). He reflected back to when he had witnessed innocent, infant twins being tossed into the Evil Forest, and was greatly disturbed by it. Also, his best friend, Ikemefuna, was viciously
When he first started attending Christian gatherings, he made sure his dad never found out, because he would punish and disown him. Okonkwo was strongly against the new religion, because it contradicted his own and seemed foolish. After Nwoye was caught supporting the new culture, him and his father separated. Whenever someone would bring Okonkwo up, Nwoye would simply respond with “he is not my father,” (Achebe 137). He had finally gained courage to form his own ideas and opinions, instead of trying to please Okonkwo. He felt “happy to leave his father,” (Achebe 146). Nwoye was now free to be himself and officially join the Christian