Things Fall Apart A Comparison Essay, Research Paper

CHINUA Achebe’s magnum opus Things Fall Apart created two characters that to
a large extent define the trajectory of human thinking and actions. Okonkwo, the
lead character was the brave and courageous man who had very little consideration
for deep reflective thinking. He was a man of action. Well a bit like the proverbial
soldier who acts out a command quite literally. Obierika on the other hand was
Okonkwo’s bosom friend. He was no coward, but had a high tendency to carefully
analyze issues that Okonkwo totally lacked.

Okonkwo and Obierika, two characters in Chinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart, are
two drastically different people, yet they share some of the same qualities and
beliefs. Okonkwo is stubborn, headstrong, and rigid. Obierika is open-minded,
thoughtful, and expressive. Both believe and follow the same religion, and attempt
to attain honour in their society. They are friends who are not afraid to criticize one
another or point out each other s faults. Chinua Achebe uses these two characters
to show the many aspects of Ibo culture through different perspectives, to give
the reader a greater understanding.

Okonkwo and Obierika, two friends could not be more different. They are like
night and day or Yin and Yang. Okonkwo is very rigid, closed off, and unwilling
to accept those he deemed unsuccessful, He had no patience for unsuccessful
people while Obierika is tolerant, open to change, and willing to consider other
people s beliefs and ideas. Okonkwo is willing to follow his people s beliefs and
values unerringly and without question. He also fears that he will be thought weak
in the eyes of the tribesmen so he becomes fanatical in appearing the pinnacle of
strength and manliness. This fanaticism leads him to kill his surrogate son,
Ikemefuna, as it was the will of the Gods.

“He heard Ikemefuna cry, ‘My father, they have killed me!’ as he ran towards him.
Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of
being thought weak.”

Okonkwo’s fears of weakness lead him to do a great many things that ultimately
mean his own downfall. Okonkwo and Obierika s beliefs often differ. When
Okonkwo took part in the murder of his son, Obierika believed that he was wrong
to do so. “If I were you I would have stayed at home. What you have done will not
please the Earth. It is the kind of action for which the goddess wipes out whole
families.” Okonkwo is unwilling to say what he thinks if that thought happens to
go against a belief or value of the tribe, whereas Obierika is often willing to say
what he thinks. An example is when Okonkwo questions Obierika s decision not to
come along to aid in Ikemefuna s death. He is willing to admit that he did not want
to come. Okonkwo is a leader and takes quick action, while Obierika is a follower
and waits for another to make the first move or decision. One of the biggest
difference between Okonkwo and Obierika is that Okonkwo is always insecure,
afraid of himself, and afraid of what other people will think of him and Obierika
is self-assured, able to accept who he is, and confident that people will accept him
for who he is. The other important difference between the two is that Okonkwo is
unable or unwilling to accept the presence of the Christians or the British, while
Obierika is able to accept the fact that they are here, even if he does not want them
to be there.

Though Okonkwo and Obierika appear to be very different they share qualities and
characteristics that make it possible for them to coexist without too much conflict.
To begin with both Okonkwo and Obierika follow the same religion. Neither of
them wishes to displease the various gods of their religion:

“You sound as if you question the authority and the decision of the Oracle, who
said he should die. I do not” nor do they wish to convert to the new Christian
religion. Okonkwo and Obierika share the desire to gain status in their tribe by
earning titles and following their value systems. Okonkwo followed the will of the
oracle in the decree of Ikemefuna s death, as would Obierika if it had been his son.
The only difference is that Obierika would not have joined in the slaying. “But if
the Oracle said that my son should be killed I would neither dispute it nor be the
one to do it.” They, like the rest of the Ibo people have more than one wife and
value male offspring higher than female. Both of the men are respected members
of the tribe, and both of them have earned and deserve the respect they receive.
Indeed he respected him [Okonkwo] for his industry and success. Okonkwo and
Obierika possess the same type of life. They are both farmers, with the same crop,
yams, they harvest palm wine to drink, and demand order and discipline from their
families. They share the same opinions of people in general, if you have yams and
titles you are successful, if you don t you are not. Finally both Okonkwo and
Obierika value honor and courage. These similarities allow the two to be friends
and to respect each other as well as accept and enjoy their differences.

Chinua Achebe has made these two friends so unlike one another to allow the
reader a broader view of the life of the Ibo people. One gains the perspectives of
both characters, which allows the reader to formulate more educated and well-
rounded opinions. In Okonkwo one sees the ideal Ibo male played out to extremes.
Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond. His fame
rested on solid personal achievements. Something highly valued by the Ibo people.
There is an understanding of what kind of pressure the typical Ibo male is under to
succeed and the resulting stresses. Obierika is a more moderate person. He has the
same values and religion as Okonkwo and wishes to attain the same honors, like
titles, but he is more capable of dealing with the pressures and stress of his life. He
also offers a look into the inner Ibo male. The reader is given a chance to look
inside his mind and see his private thoughts, which puts much of the novel into
perspective. Okonkwo and Obierika show how two different people deal with the
same type of like. One, Obierika copes with it well, dealing with things as they
come and using his judgment, rather than the perceived judgement of the clan and
one, Okonkwo does not, acting rashly at times and not following his mind, which
leads to his suicide. These two characters in Things Fall Apart help to put the book
and the events within it into perspective, while giving a deeper understanding of
the book and the people s lives it is about.

Okonkwo and Obierika, two friends, with two separate lives, in the same society
share their religion, values, and desires of high honor are two distinctly different
people. Where Okonkwo is closed minded and unable to accept change or that
change is inevitable, Obierika is willing to accept change and its inevitability and
can sometimes see the value of the change. Together, Okonkwo and Obierika
provide two different ways to view and understand the tribe. Through Achebe s
writing the reader is able to look at the same event through different eyes thus
gaining a broader perspective and greater understanding of the Ibo culture and the
people.

Okonkwo's best friend, Obierika serves as a foil for Okonkwo. That is,
Obierika's personality contrasts with and enhances the distinctive characteristics
of Okonkwo's personality. Obierika is a reasonable person who thinks before he
acts, unlike Okonkwo, who is impulsive. Obierika does not advocate the use of
violence to get revenge against the British colonizers — Okonkwo does. Obierika
is open-minded; he understands and appreciates the changing values and
foreign culture that is infiltrating the Igbo traditions. Obierika is receptive to
new ideas and is willing to adapt to change, whereas Okonkwo is narrow-
minded, unable to accept any change to traditional Igbo culture and beliefs.

Even though the personalities of Obierika and Okonkwo are vastly different,
Obierika supports Okonkwo as a friend. He comforts Okonkwo when Okonkwo is
depressed over Ikemefuna's death, despite the fact that he disapproves of
Okonkwo's role in Ikemefuna's murder. When Okonkwo goes into exile, Obierika
sells Okonkwo's yams and seed-yams and gives Okonkwo the profits.

Unlike Okonkwo, Obierika questions the Igbo traditions and ritual, as well as their
tribal law. He thinks that change may improve the Igbo society. Whereas
Okonkwo's solution is to use violence against the British, Obierika understands
that rising up against the British is too late. He comments that the white man "has
put a knife on the things that have held us together and we have fallen apart."

Obierika offers reasonable counterpoints to Okonkwo’s immediate passions.

Okonkwo acts rashly and Obierika at least gives Okonkwo pause to think about
other options. In some ways Obierika's intellect and compassion makes him a
character foil to Okonkwo's lack of empathy and headstrong violence.

"text": " First, let's begin with defining a foil. Foils contrast with
one another.\u00a0 They define each other's characteristics by presenting their
differences, essentially. So, with that said, Obierka (a reasonable, rational character
contrasts with Okonknwo (a hot-headed, quick to act character) in almost every
aspect of their characterization. In relation to the British settlers, Obierka
understands that times are changing and he does not advocate the use violence
to \"get back at\" the colonizers. Okonkow, however, does wish to use violence to
make his point to the colonizers. Okonkow also never questions the traditions of
the Ibo people; he takes them for the truth and, essentially, his everything. Obierka
begins questioning the Ibo traditions almost as soon as he is introduced to the
reader. Even though the two are quite different, Obierka continues to support
Okonkow as a friend. Obierka comforts Okonkow after the death of Ikemefuna
(even though he did not support the ritual killing), and Ob. continues to sell Ok.'s
seed yams while he is in prison. So, even though the two characters are foils, their
friendship runs deep."
"text": "In Things Fall Apart, Obierika is a spokesman for the author,
Chinua Achebe. The author speaks through Obierika to comment on Okonkwo to
the reader. In this way, Obierika is reflective: he is critical of culture, and he adapts
to and anticipates cultural change. Okierika's role is evidenced first in Okonkwo's
killing of Ikemefuna: he is a kind of prophet who forecasts Okonkwo's
suffering. Obierika refuses to even go along with the men, for he knows that
only tragedy can come from the excursion. In this way, Obierika is a foil to
Okonkwo. Obierika is the humble self-deprecator who adapts his actions to prevent
suffering, and Okonkwo is the arrogant impostor who refuses to change or show
feminine weakness. So says one critic: The conflicts between the modern and
traditional, individual and community are highlighted in Obierika's conflict of
loyalties: personal/tribal, human/ religious, particularly when he fathers twins but
then has to leave them in the evil forest, comforting Okonkwo then having to
destroy his house. The question of loyalties, and irreconcilable differences between
public and private needs, are made more painful because one person is frequently
asked to do both conflicting things."

"text": "Okonkwo is stubborn, impulsive, very aggresive, and un-accepting of

change while Oberika is level-headed, reasonable, supportive, and adaptable.
"text": "Obierka is very calm compared to okonkwo, he is not a brute and
does not over use his manliness and strength. He also doesn't agree with some
aspects of the\u00a0Umuofia traditions, such as sacrifices. When Okonkwo came
back from killing Ikemefuna obierka was not pleased, he even told Okonkwo that
Ikemefuna saw him as a dad, and that if someone he saw as a son was ever chosen
as a sacrifice by the gods he wouldn't be one to participate. He challenges the
traditions while okonkwo just goes along with it without questioning, the good or
the bads."
"text": "the entire story is flagged with foil pairs.\nobrieka &
okonkwo\nOkonkwo & Nwoye\nOkonkwo & unoka\nthey all
hav\u00a0 the definig quality in common.. they all reflect on Oonkwos fatal flaw
of fear & anger."

Achebe uses foil—a type of contrast—to strengthen his primary characters

in  Things Fall Apart,  illuminating their differences. The following pairs of
characters serve as foils for each other: Okonkwo and Obierika, Ikemefuna and
Nwoye, and Mr. Brown and the Reverend Smith. Okonkwo rarely thinks; he is a
man of action. He follows the tribe's customs almost blindly and values its opinion
of him over his own good sense. Obierika, on the other hand, ponders the things
that happen to Okonkwo and his tribe. Obierika often makes his own decisions and
wonders about the tribe's wisdom in some of its actions.
“Opposites attract ” This is a very cliche quote used by physicists and other

scientific personnel, but it rings true in many different ways. In literature, the

correct term for a character that sets off or enhances another character by contrast

is called a “foil ” Pairs of characters that are foils to each other have very opposing

views and personalities, but their presence with each other illustrates the qualities

in a better light.

The book Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a fictional novel which includes

a main character named Okonkwo.

Okonkwo has some very distinguishing features about him, but the fact that he has

a foil in the novel makes his features more noticeable. In Things Fall Apart,

Obierika is a foil to Okonkwo. Okonkwo is very strong-minded, dogmatic, and

hot-tempered, while Obierika is very calm, easy-going, and composed.

To start off, Obierika is a foil to Okonkwo because Obierika is very calm, easy-

going, and composed. In the story, Obierika is very relaxed with everything and

does not get frustrated easily. If something does not go his way, he waits for the

course of nature to play out.

For example, when the Oracle called for Ikemefuna to be killed, Obierika stayed

behind. He stayed behind and did not want anything to do with the death of

Ikemefuna. When Okonkwo asked Obierika why he did not go to kill the man,

Obierika answered with great wit. “’Because I did not want to… I had something

better to do… Why should I? But the Oracle did not ask me to carry out its
decision’” (Achebe 66). These quotes from the passage of the novel shows that

Obierika did not want to intrude on a matter that he did not believe he should

intrude on.

He is not obsessed with having power and being the mightiest person. Along with

being easy-going and calm, Obierika is a foil to Okonkwo because he is not

obsessed with power and being mighty. In the story, Obierika’s son, Maduka, is

very powerful and is a wrestler in the village. Okonkwo has great belief for

Maduka and is sure that he will do great things. When Okonkwo explains to

Obierika how he would strive to have a son like his because he is so strong and

mighty, Obierika answers with a very pacifying response. “‘You worry yourself for

nothing,’ said Obierika. ‘The children are still very young. ” (Achebe 66). This

passage shows that Obierika is not so concerned about power and supremacy.

Because of the contrast in Obierika’s traits, he is definitely a foil to Okonkwo

because Okonkwo is very strong-minded, dogmatic, and hot-tempered. If

something does not go his way, Okonkwo will do something very irrational about

it. When Okonkwo asked his second wife where his third wife, Ojiugo, was he

became angered because his second wife lied to him about Ojiugo’s whereabouts.

“He walked back to his obi to await Ojiugo’s return. And when she returned he

beat her very heavily” (Achebe 29).

Okonkwo’s rationale of beating his third wife was in very poor judgment because

he beat her during the Week of Peace. The Week of Peace was a week among the

tribes where there was supposed to be no violence. This shows that Okonkwo has
a very short temper and he does not tolerate nearly as much as Obierika can

tolerate. Not only does Okonkwo differ from Obierika in the fact of their

personality traits, but Obierika is a foil to Okonkwo because of Okonkwo’s

hunger for power. Okonkwo himself was known as the most powerful man in his

village because he threw Amalinze the Cat, who was a great wrestler who had

never been beaten before.

Okonkwo was the first to beat him, so he was very powerful. He wanted his son,

Nwoye, to follow in his footsteps. However, Nwoye is more like his mother and

more feminine than Okonkwo desired. Okonkwo stated in the book about his

worries for his Nwoye. “’I am worried about Nwoye. A bowl of pounded yams can

throw him in a wrestling match. His two younger brothers are more promising. But

I can tell you, Obierika, that my children do not resemble me’” (Achebe 66). In

this passage, Okonkwo is explaining to Obierika how he would long for a son like

Maduka because he is so powerful, unlike Nwoye.

This shows that Okonkwo is very power hungry and will do anything to have him

and his family be the supreme. All in all, in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart,

Obierika is a perfect example of a foil to Okonkwo for many reasons. Okonkwo is

very dogmatic and hot-tempered, while Obierika is very calm and quiet about a lot.

Also, Okonkwo is so power hungry, while Obierika is not. Even though Obierika

and Okonkwo were complete opposites, they still ended up being close friends in

the novel, because opposites really do attract.