Okonkwo's Transformation In Things Fall Apart

Throughout time and progression of society the worlds’ cultures have become intertwined. With expansion, globalization and new technology comes the clash of two cultures. In the past Western ideas introduced itself to countless cultures through religion and other means. Missionaries traveled all over the world bringing their way of life to foreign countries. In the book Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Okonkwo is introduced to Western ideas and from his actions he demonstrates that if one cannot adapt to changes in life, then you cannot survive. In the book Okonkwo was a strong man, he rose up from nothing and made a name for himself. In the community he lived in he had wealth, respect, power, and titles. Growing up Okonkwo’s father, Unoka,
He had no titles, he was very laid back, and he preferred music and alcohol to work and success. Okonkwo despised his father because of his weakness, and so Okonkwo spent his life trying to be everything his father wasn’t. As a young man he went to a rich man in the village to ask for yam seeds so he could grow his own empire. Growing older he remained successful, due to his dedication to attainment. With three wives and many children, Okonkwo had a good life. In the midst of his thriving life it takes an unexpected turn. “ Okonkwo’s gun had exploded and a piece of iron had pierced the boy’s heart.” After this accident Okonkwo was forced into exile for seven years. He left his village and with it his opportunity for high titles and high accomplishments. He was devastated; for fear that he may now become more like his father. That was the first step that lead him to not fitting in to the new society. I say this because I believe that if Okonkwo had been in Umuofia the whole time Western ideas were being introduced he could have made adaptations. But he was thrown into the new culture and was instantly hit with the full extent of Western ideas. So throughout the seven
As he set home he had his plan in mind and readied himself to regain titles. Here, Okonkwo has his first encounter with Western ideas. He faces much surprise when he sees what he used to know. Churches are built, people are different and the village will never be the same. Okonkwo is stunned and with it, his return to power begins its decent from here. The entire essence of his culture has gone awry, things that were once important no longer remained. The white man separated the native people, but Okonkwo does not understand. He wishes to act as the old culture would, “ ‘We must fight these men and drive them from the land.’ ” But because of the new occurrences this is not possible, “ ‘It is already too late, our own men and our sons have joined the ranks of the strangers.’ ” Okonkwo does not understand these new ideas. He believes that if they band together and fight they can drive them out, and that is what he tries to do. But without the unity of the tribe they cannot do such things, when the Western ideas were introduced everything changed and it became essential to adapt to new ideas. This misconception he holds