The Depiction of Okonkwo's Tragic Situation through Symbols: An Analysis of Achebe's Things Fall Apart

Surendra Prasad Ghimire

doi:10.55927/fjmr.v2i7.5244

Authors

Surendra Prasad Ghimire Nepal Open University, Lalitpur

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55927/fjmr.v2i7.5244

Keywords:

Colonization , Post-Colonial Society, Domination, Exploitation, Transformation

Abstract

This paper aims to investigate how Achebe utilized various symbols to project the protagonist, Okankow's, forthcoming tragic situation in the novel Things Fall Apart. I utilized the concept of the symbol as a theoretical perspective to analyze the text. Here, I argued that Achebe used various symbols in the novel to reflect the protagonist's forthcoming devastating situation. The discussion has identified that Achebe used multiple symbols, such as Okonkwo's involvement in killing Ikemefuna, Ezeudu's son, ash, fire, and so forth, which symbolized Okonkwo's forthcoming devastating situation. The findings of this study contribute to a better understanding of the role of symbols in projecting the forthcoming tragic condition in the life of protagonist Okonkwo and provide a clear direction for further exploring the role of symbols in Achebe's novel Things Fall Apart

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Abrams, M. H., & Harpham, G. (2014). A glossary of literary terms. Cengage learning.

Achebe, C. (1958). Things Fall Apart, Penguin Classics Edition. Penguin London.

Alam, M. (2014). Reading Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart from the Postcolonial Perspective. Research on Humanities Social Sciences.

Asikaogu, J. (2018). Igbo cultural values and the effect of globalization: A critical analysis. International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 12(2), 42-51.

Avestan, S., & Mordaunt, O. G. (2022). The" roaring flame": pursuing Thymos in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart. International Dialogue, 12(1), 4. https://doi.org/org/https://doi.org/10.32873/uno.dc.ID.12.1.1201

Cirlot, J. C. (2006). Dictionary of symbols. Routledge.

Dannenberg, H. (2009). The many voices of Things fall apart. Interventions, 11(2), 176-179. https://doi.org/org/10.1080/13698010903053048

Embler, W. (1956). Symbols in literature and art. College Art Journal, 16(1), 47-58. https://doi.org/org/10.1080/15436322.1956.11466162

Ferber, M. (1999). A dictionary of literary symbols. Cambridge University Press Cambridge.

Ilyas, M. (2020). Traumatic Portrayal of Nativity and Post-Colonial Cultural Hegemony in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart. International Journal of English Language Literature Studies, 9(2), 76-85.

Jweid, A., & Abdalhadi Nimer. (2016). The fall of national identity in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. Pertanika Journal Social Sciences &Humanities, 24(1), 529-540.

Kammampoal, B., & Suuk, L. L. (2019). The Kola Nut: Its symbolic significance in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. International Journal of Studies in English Language Literature. https://doi.org/org/10.20431/2347-3134.0708003

Kenalemang, L. M. (2013). Things fall apart: an analysis of pre and post-colonial Igbo society.

Khan, M., Iqbal, M., & Shah, S. Z. A. (2018). Cultural symbols, identity and meaning formation: symbolic interactionist analysis of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. University of Chitral Journal of Linguistics Literature, 2(I), 1-9.

Mengara, D. M. (2019). Colonial Intrusion and Stages of Colonialism in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. African Studies Review, 62(4), 31-56.

Mostafaee, J. (2016). Investigating the Female Subaltern, Colonial Discourse and False Consciousness: A Spivakian Marxist-Postcolonialist Reading of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart and No Longer at Ease. Advances in Language Literary Studies, 7(5), 222-226. https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.alls.v.7n.5p.222

Nnoromele, P. C. (2000). The plight of a hero in Achebe s" Things Fall Apart". College Literature, 27(2), 146-156.

Okoro, E. (2008). Chi symbolism in achebe’s things fall apart: a hermeneutic understanding. OGIRISI: a New Journal of African Studies, 5, 55-65.

Okpewho, I. (2003). Chinua Achebe's Things fall apart: a casebook. Oxford University Press on Demand.

Olugunle, W. (2018). A comparative reading of domestic violence against African women in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart and Bayo Adebowale's Lonely Days. African Research Review, 12(4), 128-139. https://doi.org/org/10.4314/afrrev.v12i4.13

Strong-Leek, L. (2001). Reading as a woman: Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart and feminist criticism. African Studies Quarterly, 5(2), 29-35.

Ugochukwu, B. (2014). Unpacking the universal: African human rights philosophy in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. African Legal Theory Contemporary Problems: Critical Essays, 199-217.

Umezurike, U. P. (2021). ‘A son who is a man:’receptive masculinity in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. Norma, 16(4), 205-216. https://doi.org/org/10.1080/18902138.2021.1989935

Varadharajan, T., & Ramesh, K. (2016). Okonkwo’s fall: multiple perspectives. World Journal of Educational Research 3(1).

Whittaker, D., & Msiska, M.-H. (2007). Chinua Achebe's things fall apart: A Routledge study guide. Routledge. https://doi.org/org/10.4324/9780203496404

Yu, X. (2021). The use and abuse of manliness in Things Fall Apart. Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of'Things Fall Apart', 89-97. https://doi.org/org/10.1007/978-3-030-50797-8_7