A Real Father?

Ikemefuma

We are going home?  Home to my mother?  I wonder if she will recognize me. Or I her?  Will she be proud of who I have become and how I have changed? 

My little sister, I suppose she’s not very little anymore.  How she must have grown.  I wonder how my other father treats her.  Is she cherished or does he continue to abuse his family? He was not a man of whom I can be proud.  What does that make me?  Am his son or yours?  What is more important – where I came from or who I have become?

He gave me up to save himself.  Has he changed? Does he regret his decision or will I have to prove my worth to the members of the tribe?

Father what has changed in my home?  Will they welcome me?  I was payment and perhaps they will be angry that I am being returned.  Father why am I being returned?  I am a good man, brave and strong. 

Father, my voyage home is filled with a wide range of mixed emotions – joy, fear, uncertainty, loss.  I will forever be grateful to you for watching over me and making me into a man.  I shall miss my friend and brother Nwoye as well as all my other brothers and sisters. They were my childhood friends.  Will they miss me? I am worried how Nwoye will react to my going.  He is not yet strong like you or I.  

I was frightened, confused, and nervous when I was taken from home as an infant.  However little did I know that I was not leaving home.  I was being brought to my real home, to you, Father.  You’ve taken me in as your own and blessed me with the greatest family I could have known.  I am grateful for my other father’s cowardliness.  Without it, I would never have had a real man as a father.  You have taught me courage, persistence and to respect the cycles of the earth.  You have shown me how to be strong and stand up for our community.  

But why father are you now disposing of me?  Did I not satisfy you as a son? Perhaps I truly am an undesirable and destined to live the remainder of my life as an “agbala”.  Please Father save me from this horrible fate.  I beg you father.  I am not weak.  I will work harder than ever before and become the greatest man in Umuofia.  

For you, Father, only to continue to be with you.  You only need to provide me with the opportunity.  (dies).  Why?  Father!  Why?

How Does a Hero Fight when they are their Greatest Nemesis?

After completing the novel, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, and looking over my essay, I continue to believe Okonkwo is a hero. However, unfortunately for Okonkwo, he is a prime example of a tragic hero. Okonkwo demonstrates many noble characteristics throughout the novel, such as perseverance, bravery, and courage. Sadly, Okonkwo's fear to resemble his father ultimately leads to his downfall.


In addition to being recognized as a "man of war" and a great wrestler, Okonkwo also demonstrates his emotional heroism by continually trying to overcome the social handicap placed on him by his father (page 8). Becoming a well respected and high class individual in a community is not an easy task for anyone, especially if one is born without titles or wealth as Okonkwo was. Okonkwo shows bravery, determination, and perseverance by striving to overcome his status. He could have easily accepted his status and not have worked hard and challenged his community. Challenging one's community and finding success is no easy task no matter the circumstance and is worthy of great honor. Okonkwo's early success is fueled by his one passion; "to hate everything that his father Unoka had loved" (page 10). However, that same passion fueled Okonkwo's downfall.

Okonkwo, who's perpetually afraid of being thought of being weak like his father, leads him to act rather questionable in certain situations. For example, Okonkwo kills Ikemefuma, the boy who calls him father, because he is afraid his peers will find him weak. Ultimately, this fear leads to Okonkwo's suicide. When the Christians begin to take more control over his homeland, Okonkwo strongly advocates for his people to wage war on the European invaders. However, his community fails to recognize these strangers as a threat and is contempt to allow them to continue to settle in their land. Okonkwo sees this lack of action as an act of cowardice and fears his people have become weak. Instead of acting like the stereotypical hero of today and overcoming every issue that comes before them, Okonkwo is defeated by his tragic flaw. Okonkwo takes his own life. Okonkwo is truly the perfect example of a tragic hero.

Personal "Wars"

As indicated by the title, The Wars, written by Timothy Findley, there is no central conflict but many daunting emotional and physical battles faced by those fighting in The Great War. The front lines in Europe are a living hell, and Robert Ross, the protagonist, finds this out the moment he arrives in France. During his first few days in charge of a convoy in France, Robert he finds himself drowning and blinded by "chlorine in the mud" (page 87). Luckily, Robert was successful in his attempt to save himself. However, he quickly realized this was not the last terrorizing incident he would face. Later, when Robert and his comrade, "Levitt went to take over the guns at the 18th Battery" they meet some interesting charters who explain there attempts to fight off insanity (page 91). One man, named Devlin, collects stain glass doors and windows from ruined churches. Another soldier, takes care of wounded animals that he finds during his travels through Europe. Sadly, not all men were successful and emotional and physical strain of the war eventually took its toll on Levitt. He became obsessed with his books. Robert would notice him staying up all night reading and when they were shelled by the Germans one morning, Levitt ran away, taking with him only his precious books. This demonstrates that the War brought so much stress and physical hardships that people began to lose their minds. We must ask ourselves; why wouldn't they lose their minds? One's friends were being slaughtered in front of them each day, one had to be on constant alert of an attack, food was scarce, trenches were infested with lice and rats, it was freezing, muddy, wet, and most of all, one had to cope with the knowing he killed another young man. The author of the novel clearly shows that many personal "wars" began within the young boys forced to endure the nightmare of World War I.

Everyone must face their own personal battles at one point in their lives. These personal battles are affected by the situation we find ourselves in. Thankfully, I do not believe that, recently, anyone has found themselves in a more dreadful situation than a World War. Nonetheless, the greatest challenges we face in life are often with ourselves, so no matter the situation no one should believe an easy victory is obtainable. We must always face ourselves with great courage and battle valiantly, much like Robert Ross and all the other soldiers who took part in The Great War.