Things Fall Apart - What Makes A Man

In Chinua Achebe's book "Things Fall Apart," an occurring theme in the African lifestyle, which he is trying to show through Okonkwo, is what makes a man. In their society, a man was his own. He did everything himself, even from the beginning, "His fame rested on solid personal achievements," (3). Okonkwo did not ever want to live like his father or be remembered for what his father was, he was his own man and make it that everyone would remember his greatness. A successful man had many barns of yams, many wives, and lots of children. "Yams stood for manliness, and he who could feed his family on yams from one harvest to another was a great man indeed." (33) Okonkwo was a skilled farmer, a determined farmer, he worked endlessly to be respected and feed his family. "No matter how prosperous a man was, if he was unable to rule his women and his children (especially his women) he was not really a man," (53). Family was everything to a man, it was leaving a legacy, leaving behind your story, and it was a great blessing. But, a man was always above the women and children. Family is everything, to take care of your family was a man's duty. "We do not ask for wealth because he who has health and children will also have wealth. We so not pray to have more money but to have more kinsmen," (165). A man was to be strong, Okonkwo "was a man of action, a man of war," (10) and that was greatly respected and loved amongst the clan. Wrestling was a manly skill, to be physically better than another man was a great achievement, it showed strength and power, "to conquer and subdue," (42). Okonkwo wanted his sons to be brave, strong, masculine, etc. so he tells "masculine stories of violence and bloodshed." (53) To make them tougher and ready for the world. Religion was a large part of the community, so respect for the gods and the ancestors really was a large factor of a man's life, future, fate, or wellbeing. "And when a man is at peace with his gods and his ancestors, his harvest will be good or bad according to the strength of his arm," (17). To be a man was to be accomplished, all men respected a man who was older, because they have lived through many battles they have survived, and they are wise. The clan "judged a man by the work of his hands," (27) what effort he has put into to make him great will be rewarded with respect.