How does fire symbolize Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart? Okonkwo is mainly associated with fire and flames throughout the novel, hinting to his intense and dangerous anger- one of the small amount of emotions he displays to us readers. His biggest character flaw is this uncontrollable rage, which is just as deadly as uncontrollable flames. Fire symbolizes Okonkwos driving force: his refusal to be weak like his father. For Okonkwo, fire is a symbol of life and masculinity. Fire ultimately destroys everything in its path, as Okonkwo does with his anger.
This need for power and strength is not something we've never heard of, which is why I can understand his constant battle with himself. I've also been wondering, does Okonkwo ever come to realization with who he is? In chapter 17, Okonkwo has sort of a revelation. He gazes into the fire, or into himself we could say, and says "Living fire begets cold, impotent ash." He sees that his aggression could have caused this femininity in Nwoye. I see this as Okonkwo finally realizing that his biggest accomplishments -power and intense masculinity- are actually his downfall.
-Elisabeth Magana
I agree with you on the part that Okonkwo's anger is one of his biggest setback because due to his anger and his rejection of Nwoye's feminine side, he has lost a son that he love dearly even though he doesn't show it. I also think that the ashes that is left from the fire is the part of Okonkwo reflecting on himself.
ReplyDelete- Vy Ly
I agree that fire represents Okonkwo. Fire can be hard to control and dangerous like Okonkwo, and when out of hand, is deadly.
ReplyDeleteI also believe that power and masculinity is a major flaw in Okonkwo. He pushes a majority of people away with these characteristics, and he was only really fond of Ikemefuna and Ezinma.~ Jaya Jugmohan
I agree that Okwonko is very fearful man who allows his aggression to manifest itself like an all consuming wildfire. He sees himself as a strong and prosperous man, but does not have a true understanding of who he actually is. Okwonko chooses to disguise the man of his past with the persona he believes he wants to be. - Valentina Mejia
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ReplyDeleteI enjoy hearing all of your responses and I like to get different takes on this subject. It also makes me wonder, why is Okonkwo the only one who expressed these intense emotions? For example, Okonkwo's children may not have grown up in a household where their father was known as weak and useless, but he is full of this rage and uncertainty. I wonder how they are not affected by this as he was. - Elisabeth Magana
ReplyDeleteAlso, Valentina, I really like your take on how Okwonko uses his rage as a disguise to cover up his true feelings. I think that was a good way to describe how he truly feels inside. - Elisabeth Magana
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Okonkwo is a man with a driving force to be the greatest he can be also wanting his family in the eye of the public and at home to be this way, especially his male sons. He has an intense want to be nothing like his father was, he wants to be a light that can only be put out with the “cleansing” of water, which can help him be reborn and put him out forever. -Rakasha McIntosh
ReplyDeleteOkonkwo can also be referred to as the flame that comes around in the Ibo society to cause harm as well as good actions. He is a man that very few want to mess with, but I do believe that he hides behind who he wants to be as a person and who he is in result of his past. -Melenny Gallardo
ReplyDeleteOkonkwo is the enternal flame in Ibo society because he is both good and bad; there is not just only good in people and there is not only bad in people, the diversity in his character evenly displays both sides of him.-Rebecca Jones
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