Sydney Koubek

English Period 2

Tragic Hero Paragraph

Throughout the novel, Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo battles himself that leads him to his downfall
and death, which can depict him as the tragic hero of the story. Author, Achebe was able to successfully
convey him as a tragic hero by emphasizing on his characteristics, characteristics in which most tragic
heroes acquire such as great importance to ones state, a change of fortune ruled by fate, and ultimately
a tragic flaw. Okonkwo was a very popular man who was well known throughout the nine villages and
beyond (1) for his wrestling achievements and had brought honor to his village (1). His status within
the villages shows that he is very important to his people and that many look up to him. Rather than
being an ordinary villager, being famous among others makes his downfall seem even more disastrous
and pitiful. After committing a female crime, Okonkwo encounters his change of fortune. For seven
years, he had to be cast out of his clan like a fish onto a dry, sandy beach (121). This is the beginning
of his downfall. Okonkwo begins to feel as if he is a failure because he had all but achieved (121) his
goal of becoming one of the lords of his village. Okonkwos exile away from Umoufia just asks for
sympathy since now that he will never become a lord. He will never achieve his goal. His suffering in his
new land and realization of his unsuccessfulness adds to the pity of his story. His change of fortune has
made him miserable as it seems, yet this is inevitable. Achebe adds to Okonkwos tragic story by
including fate, something he just cannot escape. His personal god or chi was not meant for great
things (121). Being ruled by fate, Okonkwo is helpless. Fate has brought Okonkwo to his downfall, yet
his tragic flaw brings him to his death. Okonkwos biggest flaw is his inability to accept change. He drives
himself to his death trying to keep the village from being taken over by the white men. He wants to keep
the customs he lived by intact and plans to go out and avenge himself (183) against the missionaries.
When Okonkwo does take vengeance by killing one of the messengers, he knows he, alone cannot save
his village so he kills himself. His strong headedness failed him. Okonkwo could not escape his fate and
his extreme passion to preserve his villages traditions turned out to be his tragic flaw. His tragic flaw
came from his pre-ordained downfall from a popular noble man to a miserable failure of a man, making
him the Things Fall Apart tragic hero.