In Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, Achebe portrays the disparate ways that Ekwefi and Okonkwo suffer in an interesting way that illustrates their singular personalities. Ekwefi is openly distressed when Ezinma falls ill and is on the verge of death. Out of ten pregnancies, Ezinma is Ekwefi’s only surviving child. Thus, she cherishes her child, and is terrified to find Ezinma violently ill:
“'Ezinma is dying,' came her voice, and all the tragedy and...
In Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, Achebe portrays the disparate ways that Ekwefi and Okonkwo suffer in an interesting way that illustrates their singular personalities. Ekwefi is openly distressed when Ezinma falls ill and is on the verge of death. Out of ten pregnancies, Ezinma is Ekwefi’s only surviving child. Thus, she cherishes her child, and is terrified to find Ezinma violently ill:
“'Ezinma is dying,' came her voice, and all the tragedy and sorrow of her life were packed in those words” (76).
Similarly, Okonkwo suffers a great deal when he discovers that his adoptive son Ikemefuna has been condemned to die. However, he pushes aside these feelings, fearing that they are feminine and weak, and actually takes part in murdering the young man. Indeed, it is Okonkwo who lands the blow that kills Ikemefuna. After he has murdered Ikemefuna, Okonkwo falls into a deep depression. He questions why he feels this way:
“When did you become a shivering old woman... you, who are known in all the nine villages for your valor in war? How can a man who has killed five men in battle fall to pieces because he has added a boy to their number? Okonkwo, you have become a woman indeed” (65).
Thus, Achebe shows that Ekwefi is more willing to embrace her feelings than Okonkwo. Okonkwo is agonized by Ikemefuna’s death, but he believes that any emotion other than anger is a sign of weakness, so he pushes his feelings aside.
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