Things Fall Apart Chapters 1-4 I feel like I'm reading Shakespeare. To be more exact, I feel Shakespeare's Othello is playing out before the pages of Achebe's Things Fall Apart. Othello and Okonkwo, the two protagonists, are introduced to the reader in a similar fashion. Othello is presented as a strong confident warrior whose bravery in battle won him the heart of his people, not to mention the fair Desdemona. In Things Fall Aprt, Okonkwo is held with much the same respect. “Okonkwo was well-known throughout the villages,” Achebe wrote. “ As a young man of eighteen he had brought honor to his village by throwing Amalinze the Cat.” On the outside, both men appear invincible and on top of the world. Yet, as their stories continue, both protagonists unintentionally reveal their flaws. In Shakespeare's Othello, Iago uses Othello's insecurities to drive him into a jealous rage that perpetuates him to kill Desdemonia, his one true love. Okonkwo has a weakness of his own. “It was a fear of himself, lest he should be found to resemble his father,” Achebe wrote. “Okononko was ruled by one passion- to hate everything that his father Unoka had loved. One of those things was gentleness and another was idleness.” Okonkwo believes that any traits that his father, a man of no title, encompassed, are signs of weakness, even traits of gentleness, compassion, and love. As a result, Okononko uses an abnormally strict hand on his family. Okononko bars himself from establishing a good relationship with his son Nwoye and feels compelled to beat his second wife Ojjugo during the Weak of Peace. The emphasis Okononko’s internal weakness plays in the first four chapters makes it pretty clear that Okonoko, like Othello, will face a terrible fate.
Things Fall Apart Chapters 5-7 Before I begin my second blog, I must write a retraction of my first. Okonkwo did beat his wife Ojiugo but she was not his second wife. She was his youngest wife, as if that justifies it. Now to my second blog. Once again, Okonkwo’s temper gets the best of him. Just as Othello unjustly accuses Desdemona of having an affair, Okonkwo accuses his second wife Ekwefi of killing their banana tree. In the midst of his anger, Okonkwo pulls a gun on her. Luckily, he misses. I can’t say the same for when Othello strangled Desdemona. Call me crazy, but along with Shakespeare I feel I'm reading a messy Biblical version of Abraham and Sarah. Abraham is told by God to sacrifice his son Isaac in the same way Okonkwo is told that Ikemefuna, whose been like a son to him, must be killed. As we all know from Bible history, Abraham follows God's order, and at the last second, Isaac is spared. However in Things Fall Apart, the earth goddess doesn't spare Ikemefuna and he is killed. To top it off, Okonkwo helps in the process, once again showing internal weakness. Okonkwo cannot appear weak to the village men so he kills Ikemefuna, despite liking the lad. “Okonkwo grew very found of the boy,” Achebe wrote. Yet this does not stop him from drawing his machete and helping in the slaughter. It’s clear Okonkwo wants to be strong and mighty in order to battle demons he has with his father, but it seems he’s taking this masculinity thing too far. Okonkwo’s son Nwoye who secretly loves his mother’s stories could teach his father valuable lessons beyond violence and bloodshed. However, all Okonkwo cares about his turning Nwoye into a tough young man. Okonkwo is the poor soul who cannot see his son’s true being, who cannot express his true emotions and who could not find the courage in his heart needed to fight for a loved one’s (Ikemefuna’s) life.
Things Fall Apart Chapters 8-10 Gender roles in the book portray the rigid customs of the Nigerian tribes. In Okonkwo’s eyes, weakness is associated with women. When he feels guilty for Ikemefuna’s death he calls himself out. “‘When did you become a shivering old woman," Okonkwo asked himself, "You who are known in all the villages for your valor in war? Okonkwo you have become a woman indeed.” By speaking down on himself this way, Okonkwo shows how he refuses to open himself up to emotion and his lack of respect for women. Okonkwo has a deep love for his daughter Ezinma yet cannot accept her because she is female. “If Ezinma had been a boy, I would have been happier,” Okonkwo said. In this way, Okonkwo is pushing Ezinma to be something she is not in the same way he’s pushing Nwoye to be the warrior that he is not. The irony is that Okonkwo had Ikemefuna, who had all the qualities Okonkwo wanted in a son and yet he let the boy be killed. The settling of a bride price is another example of gender inequality. Obeirika and his daughter’s suitor haggle over the bags of cowrie the boy will pay to marry the girl as if they are discussing an item at a garage sale. Obeirika’s daughter Akueke gets no say in who she marries. Instead, Akueke serves the men as if she is their servant and they are her master. When the crowd gathers to hear the case directed by the egwugwa, the women are positioned like “fringe” on the outside thus showing their low status. In addition, all of the egwugwu, the fathers of the clan, are men. During the case, Mgbafo, the woman to whom the case concerns, is not permitted to speak on her behalf but is forced to have her brother speak for her. At the end of the case, it is ordered she go back to her husband, despite being beaten by him. I give the women in the book a lot of credit for putting up with these self-absorbed egotistical men like Okonkwo who feel it is their only job to be tough. These women are greatly under appreciated and regardless of what Mr. Vasquez and the other boys in quiz bowl think, not witches.
Things Fall Apart Chapters 11-13 Okonkwo’s love for his daughter Ezinma is shown when he follows Chielo and Ezinma to the shrine. “Okonkwo was feeling tired, and sleepy,” Achebe wrote. “Although no one else knew it, he had not slept at all last night. He had allowed what he regarded as a reasonable and manly interval to pass and then gone to the shrine.” The catch is that Okonkwo could not let himself me seen as an unmanly father waiting at the shrine for his daughter. As a result, he returned four times as to not look too anxious. The irony is that Okonkwo’s numerous trips make him look paranoid, not brave and manly. Okonkwo’s inability to reveal his concern about Ezinma heighten his weakness or tragic flaw. This inability to relate manliness with care and emotion divides Okonkwo from his family. What Okonkwo sees as his manly duty to be strong, others see as his indifference and lack of concern. In reality, Okonkwo is not a cold hearted barbarian. He is simply a fellow who faces an going struggle against his emotions and his father that is greater than any battle he's ever before encountered. This conflict has no weaponry, no soldiers to ally around. It is Okonkwo vs. himself, and the fight is exhausting The fact that Okonkwo always seems to be linked to bloodshed simply furthers his barbaric non-loving portrayal. First Okonkwo is linked to Ikemefuna’s death and now he has inadvertently killed Ezuedu’s son. As a result, he is forced to flee to his motherland. It is my hope that there he will be able to turn his life around for as they say, mother always know best. Sadly however, I feel this may just be the beginning of a tragic downfall for the manly man Okonkwo.
Things Fall Apart Chapters 14-18 Going to Mbanta, his motherland, does not make Okonkwo more in touch with his emotions like I had hoped. Okonkwo has lost his passion to be a clansmen and now he feels he’s losing his masculinity and in its place, becoming more like his father. The pouring rain mirrors Okonkwo’s sorrow and despair of his exile, an ironic event considering the man is embarrassed to express emotion. Okonkwo does not understand that his motherland is a worthy place. “A man belongs to his father’s homeland when things are good and life is sweet,” Uchendu told Okonkwo. “But when there is sorrow and bitterness, he finds refuge in his motherland." Because of his strict conventions of masculinity, Okonkwo does not allow the motherland to be his refuge but finds more joy when Obierika comes to visit and tells stories of bloodshed in Abame. This should not be a light part of the book, but thanks to Okonkwo love of violence it makes the scene look almost like a joyous one. At a time when Nwoye is more confused than ever, questioning his faith, his traditions, and even his own being, Okonkwo fails the boy by losing his temper and threatening to kill Nwoye after hearing news he was with the Christians. Okonkwo says Nwoye resembles his grandfather, but it was he Okonkwo who became estranged from his family when he left home to go make something of himself and now, Nwoye is doing the same by joining the missionaries. Both men defied their fathers for what they believed to be right. If Okonkwo had not been so strict with Nwoye, forcing him to be a fighter when he was really a peacemaker and if Okonkwo had not killed Ikemefuna, Nwoye’s best friend and mentor, the outcome may have been different. All of this shows that number one, the enviorment doesn't make the man, the man makes the environment (Okonkwo was just as hard and insensitive in his motherland as he was in Umuofia) and number two, parents should not push their children to be something that they are not as that will drive the child away. These lessons, while important in Okonkwo’s time and culture, hold the same message in the modern age.
Things Fall Apart Chapters 19-21 It is said that when one pebble falls, the rest come tumbling down. For Okonkwo’s traditions and culture, this seems to hold true. When Okonkwo returns to Umuofia he comes to find that the missionaries have brought a new religion, a new government, education and a more prosperous market to the village. If all the village men had stuck together and fought against the missionaries, the Nigerian tribes may have been able to preserve their way of life. That’s almost an impossible feat for a community however, especially one with restless youth like Nwoye. “But I fear for you young people because you do not understand how strong is the bond of kinship,” Uchendu said. “You do not know what it is to speak with one voice.” Uchendu was right. As soon as villagers joined the Christians, tribal beliefs and customs began to be ignored and the community started to unravel. “It is already too late,” said Obierika. “Our own men and our sons have joined the rank of the strangers.” Even self-absorbed Okonkwo realized the severity of the situation for Umuofia. “He mourned for the clan, which he saw breaking up and falling apart,” Achebe wrote. Okonkwo continues on to curse the “woman-like” tribe that he feels has taken its place. This is where he is incorrect. This movement away from tradition to a more conventional way of living, of praying and of survival, does not make the Christian men and women weak. They may not hold weapons or go to war, but they are strong in heart and of mind like true soldiers of God. For example, it took strenth for Nwoye to go against his father's wishes and join the church. War was not a common way for the Nigerian tribes as they preferred to use language not weapons to reach compromise. It is only the “fearless” Okonkwo who depends on war to attain masculinity. Mr. Brown’s departure at the end of Chapter 21 does not appear to be a good thing. So far the clansmen and the missionaries have lived rather harmoniously, despite the destruction of customs and traditions within the village. Without Brown, the result may not be so pleasant or so painless.
Things Fall Apart Chapters 22-25 This melodrama reaches its climax as Reverend Smith, Enoch, and Okonkwo compete to win the story’s prized title of masculinity and power. Ironically, the book’s fallen one, or tragic hero, the character who does not get up the next morning, is the one the reader best remembers, dying a death that the village labels sad and lowly. Smith, Encoh, and Okonkwo are a lot a like in the fact that they are aggressive men who dare not compromise. They all see things in “black and white.” Unlike Mr. Brown, Smith shows no respect for traditional ways. The villagers are either with the Christians or against them; there is no calm discussion of their differences. Enoch acts in much the same way. He shows no respect for custom, unmasking a egwugwu, knowing full well it will cause conflict. And then there is Okonkwo. After he is set free by the white men, he is determined to gain vengeance. “If Umofia decided on war, all would be well,” Achebe wrote. “But if they chose to be cowards he would go out and avenge himself.” The lesson in this is that a change in culture and tradition takes time, patience and understanding. Neither the white missionaries under the direction of Smith nor Okonkwo and his fellow clansmen knew the other party’s language well enough to communicate. This goes back to Uchendu’s message. “Never kill a man who says nothing.” Knowing your opponents beliefs and fighting against them is a commendable battle. But dismissing customs and traditions that you don’t understand and don’t care to understand, is unjustifiable. With neither group comprehending the other, silence is the only thing the groups shared, making the aggressive action by the three men wrong and self-satisfying. For Okonkwo, a battle with the white men was most definitely for his own benefit. If he was victorious, Okonkwo would show up his father and people would finally see the masculinity that he had worked so hard to prove. When the dream dies, Okonkwo gives up on life, dying a shameful death much like his father. Yet in Okonkwo’s eyes, he had not succumb to "womanhood;" he did let the white men take control of his land, his people and his traditions; he was a warrior to the grave. In retrospect, Okonkwo’s death is more satisfying than that of Shakespeare’s Othello or Romeo( and even Hamlet although I can’t expand in detail). At least Okonkwo died for his beliefs. He was not wishy washy. He was not overcome with guilt. It’s hard to criticize his suicide even as it’s held under his misconceptions of masculinity and fears of failure. Okonkwo would most likely define masculine, “to show strength, power, and aggression.” Much to my surprise, the dictionary’s definition is quite similar. Masculine, “having qualities traditionally ascribed to men, as strength and boldness. I must refute both versions and write my own definition. Masculine, “to have strength in one’s actions and convictions, a term used to describe anyone, male or female, who sticks to their wits despite fear.” And with that, I admire Okonkwo’s masculinity. Well done I say to him.
Didn't the passage of background information say that Antigone was a victim of Creon's hubris? Some of you are suggesting that Antigone is the tragic hero. Thoughts on that.
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Things Fall Apart
Chapters 1-4
I feel like I'm reading Shakespeare. To be more exact, I feel Shakespeare's Othello is playing out before the pages of Achebe's Things Fall Apart. Othello and Okonkwo, the two protagonists, are introduced to the reader in a similar fashion. Othello is presented as a strong confident warrior whose bravery in battle won him the heart of his people, not to mention the fair Desdemona. In Things Fall Aprt, Okonkwo is held with much the same respect. “Okonkwo was well-known throughout the villages,” Achebe wrote. “ As a young man of eighteen he had brought honor to his village by throwing Amalinze the Cat.” On the outside, both men appear invincible and on top of the world. Yet, as their stories continue, both protagonists unintentionally reveal their flaws. In Shakespeare's Othello, Iago uses Othello's insecurities to drive him into a jealous rage that perpetuates him to kill Desdemonia, his one true love. Okonkwo has a weakness of his own. “It was a fear of himself, lest he should be found to resemble his father,” Achebe wrote. “Okononko was ruled by one passion- to hate everything that his father Unoka had loved. One of those things was gentleness and another was idleness.” Okonkwo believes that any traits that his father, a man of no title, encompassed, are signs of weakness, even traits of gentleness, compassion, and love. As a result, Okononko uses an abnormally strict hand on his family. Okononko bars himself from establishing a good relationship with his son Nwoye and feels compelled to beat his second wife Ojjugo during the Weak of Peace. The emphasis Okononko’s internal weakness plays in the first four chapters makes it pretty clear that Okonoko, like Othello, will face a terrible fate.
Things Fall Apart
Chapters 5-7
Before I begin my second blog, I must write a retraction of my first. Okonkwo did beat his wife Ojiugo but she was not his second wife. She was his youngest wife, as if that justifies it. Now to my second blog. Once again, Okonkwo’s temper gets the best of him. Just as Othello unjustly accuses Desdemona of having an affair, Okonkwo accuses his second wife Ekwefi of killing their banana tree. In the midst of his anger, Okonkwo pulls a gun on her. Luckily, he misses. I can’t say the same for when Othello strangled Desdemona.
Call me crazy, but along with Shakespeare I feel I'm reading a messy Biblical version of Abraham and Sarah. Abraham is told by God to sacrifice his son Isaac in the same way Okonkwo is told that Ikemefuna, whose been like a son to him, must be killed. As we all know from Bible history, Abraham follows God's order, and at the last second, Isaac is spared. However in Things Fall Apart, the earth goddess doesn't spare Ikemefuna and he is killed. To top it off, Okonkwo helps in the process, once again showing internal weakness. Okonkwo cannot appear weak to the village men so he kills Ikemefuna, despite liking the lad. “Okonkwo grew very found of the boy,” Achebe wrote. Yet this does not stop him from drawing his machete and helping in the slaughter. It’s clear Okonkwo wants to be strong and mighty in order to battle demons he has with his father, but it seems he’s taking this masculinity thing too far. Okonkwo’s son Nwoye who secretly loves his mother’s stories could teach his father valuable lessons beyond violence and bloodshed. However, all Okonkwo cares about his turning Nwoye into a tough young man. Okonkwo is the poor soul who cannot see his son’s true being, who cannot express his true emotions and who could not find the courage in his heart needed to fight for a loved one’s (Ikemefuna’s) life.
Things Fall Apart
Chapters 8-10
Gender roles in the book portray the rigid customs of the Nigerian tribes. In Okonkwo’s eyes, weakness is associated with women. When he feels guilty for Ikemefuna’s death he calls himself out. “‘When did you become a shivering old woman," Okonkwo asked himself, "You who are known in all the villages for your valor in war? Okonkwo you have become a woman indeed.” By speaking down on himself this way, Okonkwo shows how he refuses to open himself up to emotion and his lack of respect for women. Okonkwo has a deep love for his daughter Ezinma yet cannot accept her because she is female. “If Ezinma had been a boy, I would have been happier,” Okonkwo said. In this way, Okonkwo is pushing Ezinma to be something she is not in the same way he’s pushing Nwoye to be the warrior that he is not. The irony is that Okonkwo had Ikemefuna, who had all the qualities Okonkwo wanted in a son and yet he let the boy be killed. The settling of a bride price is another example of gender inequality. Obeirika and his daughter’s suitor haggle over the bags of cowrie the boy will pay to marry the girl as if they are discussing an item at a garage sale. Obeirika’s daughter Akueke gets no say in who she marries. Instead, Akueke serves the men as if she is their servant and they are her master. When the crowd gathers to hear the case directed by the egwugwa, the women are positioned like “fringe” on the outside thus showing their low status. In addition, all of the egwugwu, the fathers of the clan, are men. During the case, Mgbafo, the woman to whom the case concerns, is not permitted to speak on her behalf but is forced to have her brother speak for her. At the end of the case, it is ordered she go back to her husband, despite being beaten by him. I give the women in the book a lot of credit for putting up with these self-absorbed egotistical men like Okonkwo who feel it is their only job to be tough. These women are greatly under appreciated and regardless of what Mr. Vasquez and the other boys in quiz bowl think, not witches.
Things Fall Apart
Chapters 11-13
Okonkwo’s love for his daughter Ezinma is shown when he follows Chielo and Ezinma to the shrine. “Okonkwo was feeling tired, and sleepy,” Achebe wrote. “Although no one else knew it, he had not slept at all last night. He had allowed what he regarded as a reasonable and manly interval to pass and then gone to the shrine.” The catch is that Okonkwo could not let himself me seen as an unmanly father waiting at the shrine for his daughter. As a result, he returned four times as to not look too anxious. The irony is that Okonkwo’s numerous trips make him look paranoid, not brave and manly. Okonkwo’s inability to reveal his concern about Ezinma heighten his weakness or tragic flaw. This inability to relate manliness with care and emotion divides Okonkwo from his family. What Okonkwo sees as his manly duty to be strong, others see as his indifference and lack of concern. In reality, Okonkwo is not a cold hearted barbarian. He is simply a fellow who faces an going struggle against his emotions and his father that is greater than any battle he's ever before encountered. This conflict has no weaponry, no soldiers to ally around. It is Okonkwo vs. himself, and the fight is exhausting The fact that Okonkwo always seems to be linked to bloodshed simply furthers his barbaric non-loving portrayal. First Okonkwo is linked to Ikemefuna’s death and now he has inadvertently killed Ezuedu’s son. As a result, he is forced to flee to his motherland. It is my hope that there he will be able to turn his life around for as they say, mother always know best. Sadly however, I feel this may just be the beginning of a tragic downfall for the manly man Okonkwo.
Things Fall Apart
Chapters 14-18
Going to Mbanta, his motherland, does not make Okonkwo more in touch with his emotions like I had hoped. Okonkwo has lost his passion to be a clansmen and now he feels he’s losing his masculinity and in its place, becoming more like his father. The pouring rain mirrors Okonkwo’s sorrow and despair of his exile, an ironic event considering the man is embarrassed to express emotion. Okonkwo does not understand that his motherland is a worthy place. “A man belongs to his father’s homeland when things are good and life is sweet,” Uchendu told Okonkwo. “But when there is sorrow and bitterness, he finds refuge in his motherland." Because of his strict conventions of masculinity, Okonkwo does not allow the motherland to be his refuge but finds more joy when Obierika comes to visit and tells stories of bloodshed in Abame. This should not be a light part of the book, but thanks to Okonkwo love of violence it makes the scene look almost like a joyous one. At a time when Nwoye is more confused than ever, questioning his faith, his traditions, and even his own being, Okonkwo fails the boy by losing his temper and threatening to kill Nwoye after hearing news he was with the Christians. Okonkwo says Nwoye resembles his grandfather, but it was he Okonkwo who became estranged from his family when he left home to go make something of himself and now, Nwoye is doing the same by joining the missionaries. Both men defied their fathers for what they believed to be right. If Okonkwo had not been so strict with Nwoye, forcing him to be a fighter when he was really a peacemaker and if Okonkwo had not killed Ikemefuna, Nwoye’s best friend and mentor, the outcome may have been different. All of this shows that number one, the enviorment doesn't make the man, the man makes the environment (Okonkwo was just as hard and insensitive in his motherland as he was in Umuofia) and number two, parents should not push their children to be something that they are not as that will drive the child away. These lessons, while important in Okonkwo’s time and culture, hold the same message in the modern age.
Things Fall Apart
Chapters 19-21
It is said that when one pebble falls, the rest come tumbling down. For Okonkwo’s traditions and culture, this seems to hold true. When Okonkwo returns to Umuofia he comes to find that the missionaries have brought a new religion, a new government, education and a more prosperous market to the village. If all the village men had stuck together and fought against the missionaries, the Nigerian tribes may have been able to preserve their way of life. That’s almost an impossible feat for a community however, especially one with restless youth like Nwoye. “But I fear for you young people because you do not understand how strong is the bond of kinship,” Uchendu said. “You do not know what it is to speak with one voice.” Uchendu was right. As soon as villagers joined the Christians, tribal beliefs and customs began to be ignored and the community started to unravel. “It is already too late,” said Obierika. “Our own men and our sons have joined the rank of the strangers.” Even self-absorbed Okonkwo realized the severity of the situation for Umuofia. “He mourned for the clan, which he saw breaking up and falling apart,” Achebe wrote. Okonkwo continues on to curse the “woman-like” tribe that he feels has taken its place. This is where he is incorrect. This movement away from tradition to a more conventional way of living, of praying and of survival, does not make the Christian men and women weak. They may not hold weapons or go to war, but they are strong in heart and of mind like true soldiers of God. For example, it took strenth for Nwoye to go against his father's wishes and join the church. War was not a common way for the Nigerian tribes as they preferred to use language not weapons to reach compromise. It is only the “fearless” Okonkwo who depends on war to attain masculinity. Mr. Brown’s departure at the end of Chapter 21 does not appear to be a good thing. So far the clansmen and the missionaries have lived rather harmoniously, despite the destruction of customs and traditions within the village. Without Brown, the result may not be so pleasant or so painless.
Things Fall Apart
Chapters 22-25
This melodrama reaches its climax as Reverend Smith, Enoch, and Okonkwo compete to win the story’s prized title of masculinity and power. Ironically, the book’s fallen one, or tragic hero, the character who does not get up the next morning, is the one the reader best remembers, dying a death that the village labels sad and lowly. Smith, Encoh, and Okonkwo are a lot a like in the fact that they are aggressive men who dare not compromise. They all see things in “black and white.” Unlike Mr. Brown, Smith shows no respect for traditional ways. The villagers are either with the Christians or against them; there is no calm discussion of their differences. Enoch acts in much the same way. He shows no respect for custom, unmasking a egwugwu, knowing full well it will cause conflict. And then there is Okonkwo. After he is set free by the white men, he is determined to gain vengeance. “If Umofia decided on war, all would be well,” Achebe wrote. “But if they chose to be cowards he would go out and avenge himself.” The lesson in this is that a change in culture and tradition takes time, patience and understanding. Neither the white missionaries under the direction of Smith nor Okonkwo and his fellow clansmen knew the other party’s language well enough to communicate. This goes back to Uchendu’s message. “Never kill a man who says nothing.” Knowing your opponents beliefs and fighting against them is a commendable battle. But dismissing customs and traditions that you don’t understand and don’t care to understand, is unjustifiable. With neither group comprehending the other, silence is the only thing the groups shared, making the aggressive action by the three men wrong and self-satisfying. For Okonkwo, a battle with the white men was most definitely for his own benefit. If he was victorious, Okonkwo would show up his father and people would finally see the masculinity that he had worked so hard to prove. When the dream dies, Okonkwo gives up on life, dying a shameful death much like his father. Yet in Okonkwo’s eyes, he had not succumb to "womanhood;" he did let the white men take control of his land, his people and his traditions; he was a warrior to the grave. In retrospect, Okonkwo’s death is more satisfying than that of Shakespeare’s Othello or Romeo( and even Hamlet although I can’t expand in detail). At least Okonkwo died for his beliefs. He was not wishy washy. He was not overcome with guilt. It’s hard to criticize his suicide even as it’s held under his misconceptions of masculinity and fears of failure. Okonkwo would most likely define masculine, “to show strength, power, and aggression.” Much to my surprise, the dictionary’s definition is quite similar. Masculine, “having qualities traditionally ascribed to men, as strength and boldness. I must refute both versions and write my own definition. Masculine, “to have strength in one’s actions and convictions, a term used to describe anyone, male or female, who sticks to their wits despite fear.” And with that, I admire Okonkwo’s masculinity. Well done I say to him.
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