Chinua Achebe's novel of life in colonial-era Nigeria, "Things Fall Apart".

Chinua Achebe's novel of life in colonial-era Nigeria, Things Fall Apart, contains the character Okonkwo as the protagonist. Okonkwo represents the idea of a successful person; an admired hero even. Characteristics such as bravery, strength, and a desire to succeed are what everyone admires about Okonkwo. His fear of becoming like his father gave him this desire to succeed, and consistently motivated him to progress through life. However, Okonkwo personifies the idea of not just …

…dignity as well. "Although [Okonkwo] is a superior character, his tragic flaw--the equation of manliness with rashness, anger, and violence--brings about his own destruction," says Selena Ward (Ward Character Analysis 24). However, Ward's conclusion of Okonkwo's tragic hero-like qualities is not enough. Okonkwo's character becomes tied to the classical of a tragic hero as he is a hero who, because of his own internal tragic flaw and external forces which he cannot control, ends up losing.