I just finished it today. It was very interesting to read of the lives and traditions of the Ibo people, and it was very sad to see them begin to be destroyed by the colonial machine.
I just finished it today. It was very interesting to read of the lives and traditions of the Ibo people, and it was very sad to see them begin to be destroyed by the colonial machine.
I do have to say, I think a lot of my distaste of it on the first reading is that superficial reading causes Okonkwo to often come off as the most two dimensional portrayal of toxic masculinity.
I had a lot of trouble with the portrayal of domestic violence as well.
I thought of Okonkwo as that two-dimensional portrayal until the last part. I may need a re-read after some time thinking about it.
I think that it was supposed to be mostly a commentary on the negative aspects of the norms and societal expectations, along with the shame from his father causing him to act that way out of deep insecurities. Because his fixation with honor and masculinity was so heavily focused on how he was seen in the community and not giving an opening for people to see him as weak or feminine, that is hammered home in his own internal justifications for his actions.
Spoiler for people that haven't read it.
Thus why when colonization started undermining his own perceived position and status in the community, and people wouldn't follow him in resistance, he killed himself
That makes a lot of sense! I had a hard time understanding his action at the end there, but that explains it.