In the end, is the death of Okonkwo due to fear of what the white men would do to him for killing one of their messengers, or because he knew they would kill him, and he would've rather killed himself then be killed by the men he despised so much?
I think that Okonkwo realized when he was the only one to kill a messenger, and no war started that his village was weak. He realized his tribe had lost to the white men and he wasn't willing to live any longer. His once strong, warlike tribe was now weak and controlled by a white mans religion.
I agree with you. I think that once Onkonkwo discovered that his tribe wasn't going to fight back and was just going to allow the village to be taken over, it was too unbearable for him to be a part of or even to live with.
I think he killed himself because he was so disgraced by the change in his clan and failure within himself. Especially towards the end of the novel, Onkonkwo was the only one who still believed heavily in the old customs. He expected a great return to his village, but was surprised to see a completely changed village and it was then that he realized that it wasn't the same. I think subconsciously he took on the responsibility of getting his village back to the way that it used to be. It was only when Onkonkwo realized that his clan was defeated by the white man that he convinced himself that he was a failure as well and that's why I think he killed himself. He didn't see his clan as man enough to fight and the fact that he couldn't get his village to fight was a failure upon himself as well.
When he killed the messenger he was expecting the rest of the men to jump on the others but when this did not happen and people were whispering "Why did he do it?" he finally reassured himself that the clan was weak and would not go to war with these people. In the end, he was one of the only men not changed by the white men, and even though he was a very proud man, he felt like a failure.
I felt like he killed himself because he saw failure in his village. As far as he knew it, this was the end for everyone, because they had given in to the white man. From years that went by when he was banished, the white men had time to settle in and make peace. Once Okonkwo returned, his village and people were no longer the same, and that is what drove him mad. He was the only one fighting in the end, and he would rather put his name to shame, than give in to the white men.
I found it interesting that Okonkwo so strongly believed in the ancestor's customs, yet he committed the most serious and shameful crime he could: suicide. I think it shows that even the strongest, level-headed people can be stirred up by religious conflict. If no one is ever willing to understand each other and live peacefully, then the violence in our world will continue.
7 comments:
I think that Okonkwo realized when he was the only one to kill a messenger, and no war started that his village was weak. He realized his tribe had lost to the white men and he wasn't willing to live any longer. His once strong, warlike tribe was now weak and controlled by a white mans religion.
I agree with you. I think that once Onkonkwo discovered that his tribe wasn't going to fight back and was just going to allow the village to be taken over, it was too unbearable for him to be a part of or even to live with.
I think he killed himself because he was so disgraced by the change in his clan and failure within himself. Especially towards the end of the novel, Onkonkwo was the only one who still believed heavily in the old customs. He expected a great return to his village, but was surprised to see a completely changed village and it was then that he realized that it wasn't the same. I think subconsciously he took on the responsibility of getting his village back to the way that it used to be. It was only when Onkonkwo realized that his clan was defeated by the white man that he convinced himself that he was a failure as well and that's why I think he killed himself. He didn't see his clan as man enough to fight and the fact that he couldn't get his village to fight was a failure upon himself as well.
I think Okonkwo felt that his village was a disgrace and he wanted no part in it. He would rather be dead than be part of a tribe of "women".
When he killed the messenger he was expecting the rest of the men to jump on the others but when this did not happen and people were whispering "Why did he do it?" he finally reassured himself that the clan was weak and would not go to war with these people. In the end, he was one of the only men not changed by the white men, and even though he was a very proud man, he felt like a failure.
I felt like he killed himself because he saw failure in his village. As far as he knew it, this was the end for everyone, because they had given in to the white man. From years that went by when he was banished, the white men had time to settle in and make peace. Once Okonkwo returned, his village and people were no longer the same, and that is what drove him mad. He was the only one fighting in the end, and he would rather put his name to shame, than give in to the white men.
I found it interesting that Okonkwo so strongly believed in the ancestor's customs, yet he committed the most serious and shameful crime he could: suicide. I think it shows that even the strongest, level-headed people can be stirred up by religious conflict. If no one is ever willing to understand each other and live peacefully, then the violence in our world will continue.
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