Tierra Encantada Charter School discussion

Things Fall Apart (The African Trilogy, #1)
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Engl. I(6th) > Character attitude

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Tierra Encantada | 76 comments Mod
in what ways does Okonkwo overcompensate for his father's weaknesses? In what ways is he presented as unusual for his culture? what is his attitude toward women? why does he dislike his son Nwoye so much?


message 2: by Xavier (last edited Sep 09, 2012 07:33PM) (new) - rated it 3 stars

Xavier Benni | 26 comments Okonkwo wanted to be the exact opposite of his father because he was ashamed of his weakness and failure. He overcompensates by being the strongest and more fearless worrier in all the land. His attitude towards woman is that they are not worth more than working and making children. He dislikes his son so much because he has too much of his grandfather in him.


message 3: by Juliana (last edited Sep 09, 2012 09:29PM) (new)

Juliana | 15 comments Okonkwo had a father who was lazy and not too worried about the world around him because of this Okonkwo is very strict and does not take no for an answer. To women he comes off as mean because of his strict want to get things done attitude. He does not have lower expectations for women or children then he does himself. His son is in the lazy stage of life he does not want to do things and his father gets mad at that.


message 4: by Molly (last edited Sep 21, 2012 05:12PM) (new)

Molly Malone | 27 comments Okonkwo was ashamed that his father was such a failure and he wanted to do the exact opposite of everything that his father did. Okonkwos father was deemed strange in their culture because he did not have more than one wife, he did not have a farm, and he did not have anything to offer his sons, he did not have a legacy. To the people of Umuofia this was strange because men were supposed to have all of those things. Okonkwo had to gain all of these things himself. Okonkwo disliked his son Nwoye so much because Nwoye disliked working hard and doing things that men were supposed to do. Okonkwo said that Nwoye was like a women in so many ways. The women did not work as hard as the men and Nwoye liked to work like the women did. Okonkwo wanted Nwoye to be like a man and act like one to.


message 5: by Sarai (new) - added it

Sarai Cisneros | 27 comments Okonkwo did not like the way his father did things and that is why he wanted to be the exact opposite of his father.


message 6: by Emily (new)

Emily | 16 comments Okonkwo hated his father because of his failurness and weakness and he wanted to be way opposite than his dads weakness and hated everything that his father loved.


message 7: by Zane (last edited Sep 08, 2012 11:53AM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Zane Flannery | 27 comments Okonkwo tried to overcome his father's weakness by doing and being everything everything opposite of him. He is unusual because he is ruled by fear hidden behind anger, strength, and violence. His attatude toward women is that they are weak and that they should be lower in society than they are. He dis likes his son because to Okonkwo's eyes his son is weak and that should be punished.


message 8: by Kat (new) - added it

Kat (kathycat) | 22 comments Okonkwo considered his father to be weak. He tries to compensate for this by building his farm up and being as strong and masculine as he can.An example of this is the fact that in his day he was the strongest, best wrestler and the fact that he is a universally feared warrior that has fought in three wars. He thinks that woman should be dominated and will beat his three wives if they do something stupid or wrong. He even his second wife because she was gone to long to help with making diner even though it was peace week. His greatest fear is for him or his sons to be weak. This is why he is so hard on his eldest son, Nwoye, so that he will not be like Okonkwo's own father and be a lazy, peaceful failure.


message 9: by [deleted user] (new)

Okonkwo tries to overcompensate his father because he was deeply ashamed of him and wants to be NOTHING like him. He is unusual for a couple reasons: he fought and defeated "The Cat" at only 18 years old, he always fended for himself at a very young age when others would still be in their mothers care and he is just so beaten over because of his overwhelming dominant fear of failure. He has no patience and thinks women should be beaten to learn how to do things right, he even disrespected/offended the godess of the earth during peaceweek by beating one of his wives. He dislikes his son Nwoye because he sees that he is weak and thinks that he is worthless because of that.


message 10: by Marianne (last edited Sep 22, 2012 03:43PM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Marianne Lara | 26 comments Okonkwo overcompensates for his fathers weakness by being tough and being an overall better man than him. Okonkwo has fought in 3 wars and has even brought five human heads back home,and says that "unlike his father he could stand the look of blood". His dad was known by people to be weak, and that's why Okonkwo's life has been dominated by the fear of being weak. Okonkwo had suffered a lot becuase a class mate of his called his father an "aglaba" which meant he had taken no title, or woman. He has little respect for women and even beats his own wives if they do something wrong. He beat his second wife during peace week therefore insulting the earth goddess, Ani. He doesn't like his son, Nwoye, becuase he sees him as lazy and weak and that reminds him of his father.


message 11: by Mona (new)

Mona Chavarria | 29 comments Okonkwo wanted to be exact opposite of his dad because it was disrespecting himself.


message 12: by Kai (new)

Kai | 33 comments He does not show affection or do anything that makes him like his father. He is scared of coming off as his father, so he makes it his mission to do exactly the opposite of him. He dislikes Nwoye


message 13: by Kai (new)

Kai | 33 comments (sorry, accidentally posted) b/c in Okonkwo's eyes he is weak and lazy.


Isaiah Armijo | 28 comments Kai wrote: "(sorry, accidentally posted) b/c in Okonkwo's eyes he is weak and lazy."
could have just edited the text


message 15: by Benhanna (last edited Sep 26, 2012 07:30PM) (new) - rated it 3 stars

Benhanna | 27 comments Okonwo overcompensated by trieing his hardest to be the very opposite of his father . Okonwo is very strict tords women and thinks that they should be betone in order to teach them a lesson. Okonwo dislikes Nowye because he thinks that Nowye is lazy and weak . " I am worried about Nwoye. A bowl of pounded yams can throw him in a wresting." pg.66 ( Okonkwo)


message 16: by Alistair (new) - added it

Alistair Fene | 16 comments Okonwo's dad was a drunk and did not care about much. So Okonwo wanted to be the opisit of his dad because he had no pity for him. He tried His best to be different.


Isaiah Armijo | 28 comments Okonkwo's dad was a failure among his tribe. He had almost nothing to his name not even a title ,and for this reason Okonkwo hated everything his had loved and did to prevent him from becoming a failure such as his dad. He did not have to do so in order to achieve what he was trying to do so in a way he " overcompensated ". Okonkwo did not have a farm or yams to inherit. most of the males usually got this luxury. Not inheriting a farm or yams from his father makes him unusual. Yet he still became a prosperous man. He had three wives and all the things Unoka his father did not have. To ensure that none of his children turned out like Unoka he ruled his family with a " heavy hand " if any of his wives or children disrespected him the where punished with a pounding. For this reason he had a deeply complex view of women. He also has a deeply complex relationship with his son Nwoye. He loves Nwoye but he sees much of his father in him. So in a way he hates the Unoka in Nwoye.


message 18: by Saul (new) - rated it 3 stars

Saul Saiz | 17 comments Okonkow didnt want to be like.his father because his dad.was a total failure he wants to be a very respecte man and strong warrior


message 19: by Kai (new)

Kai | 33 comments Isaiah wrote: "Kai wrote: "(sorry, accidentally posted) b/c in Okonkwo's eyes he is weak and lazy."
could have just edited the text"


I was a bit sleepy.


message 20: by Kai (new)

Kai | 33 comments Marianne wrote: "Okonkwo overcompensates for his fathers weakness by being tough and being an overall better man than him. Okonkwo has fought in war and has even brought five human heads back home,and says that unl..."

I like Marianne's answer. I also like the part in Isaiah's where he says:"He [Okonkwo] loves Nwoye but he see's much of his father in him. So in a way he hates the Unoka in Nwoye." I like this statement. I think Okonkwo's treatment of Nwoye is unfair because to me it feels like Nwoye is trying his best to please his father and to work hard.


message 21: by Tristan (new)

Tristan Sena | 26 comments Okonkwo overcompensates for his father's weakness by making it his goal to be the exact opposite of his father. He is unusual in his culture because he had nothing to inherit from his father and he, at a young age; started his own farm, defeated "The Cat", and cared for himself at the age where most where still being cared for by their mothers. Okonkwo doesn't respect women like the others he even beat his wife during the week of peace. He doesn't dislike his son Nwoye its just that he sees so much of his father in him that he doesn't hate him he hates seeing his father in him.


message 22: by Dominik (last edited Oct 09, 2012 06:05PM) (new) - rated it 1 star

Dominik Barela | 12 comments Okonkwo hated his father. He hated him because he was a drunk, and he left Okonkwo with no farm to inherit. Okonkwo wants to be the opposite of his father. He dislikes his son because he doesn't think that he will become the man that he is.


message 23: by Mona (new)

Mona Chavarria | 29 comments Dominik wrote: "Okonkwo hated his father. He hated him because he was a drunk, and he left Okonkwo with no farm to inherit. Okonkwo wants to be the opposite of his father. He dislikes his son because he doesn't th..."

I agree that okonkwo hated his father but in a way okonkwo used his father to motivate him self . Meaning he would do whatever it took to not be anything like his father because he described his father as a lazy drunk and he uses his father so that way he can be better and show that he is nothing like his father. The only thing is okonkwo may of hated his father, but you can never hate a parent with so much.


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