Tuesday, March 12, 2013
The Irony Inherent in Okonkwo's Masculinity
I find it a little ironic that Okonkwo assumes the role of a man, someone who typically bears most of the responsibility in a family in terms of their welfare and such. According to Okonkwo, a man is someone who needs to face reality with a sense of toughness, however their is implicitly toughness inherent in being mature and responsible. In fact on two separate levels of irony, Okonkwo not only fails to fulfill his responsibility and maturity as a man towards his family (Beats his wives and children, gets depressed in his motherland, subsequently makes his family depressed, not having compassion when doing so is arguably both mature and responsible) when he avidly advertises his "manliness" like a peacock, but Okonkwo defies this facet of a man by exercising what he believes he must do to assert that he is a man.
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You bring up a very intereseting issue Grant. I think Okonkwo had contorl issues due to his father's lack of control and action to provide for his family. Okonkwo feels establsihed if others are submissive to him becaue it provides a sense of accomplishment given that he has achieved a certin status. I believe Okonkwo also acts the way that he does because he become so consumbed iwth being "manly" that he actually loses sight of what it means to be a man. Depsite the fact that Okonkwo contradicts his definition of what it means to be a man,subconciously he act in the manner he does to better his family. Okonkwo beat Nwoye with positive intentions, however he has become blind to the actual results of his actions.
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