Yam stood for manliness, and he who could feed his family on yams from one harvest to another was a very great man indeed.Okonkwo is grounded in an older style, in which traditional masculinity, action, violence, and hard work are valued above all else.
![]() This brief passage both establishes one of the main plot elements of the book and provides a look into Umuofias system of law and justice. After a man from Mbaino, a neighboring clan, kills a girl from Umuofia, his village is given an ultimatum to deal with the situation: they must choose between violence or a human offering. The event reveals the highly masculine nature of this society, as the only way to account for violence is to rip the community even further apart. Additionally, the punishment, whichever one is chosen, is not directly vested upon the crimes perpetratoreither the town as a whole is attacked, or the lives of two innocent young people are forever changed against their will. Justice, then, as represented here, is much more about vengeance than it is about rehabilitation. Moreover, it is interesting that the (human) compensation is not a straightforward one-to-one swap, but that two individuals must be given over to Umuofia. This seems reasonable enough as a sort of payback of principle and interest, but it is of note that one of the people traded over must be a virgin. This further highlights the masculine focus of this verdict and sexualizes the situation as a whole. In fact, we see this gendering of crime again later in the book, when Okonkwos unintentional murder of Ogbuefis son is referred to as a feminine crime. This moment, therefore, establishes early on in the novel several key elements of this communitys underpinnings. Okonkwo never showed any emotion openly, unless it be the emotion of anger. To show affection was a sign of weakness; the only thing worth demonstrating was strength. He therefore treated Ikemefuna as he treated everybody elsewith a heavy hand. Chapter 4). In this moment, we get a rare glimpse of Okonkwos softer side, though he is careful to make sure that nobody around him sees it. Things Fall Apart With Page Numbers Code Isnt ToOf particular interest is that Okonkwos code isnt to repress or hide all emotionsjust all those that arent anger. This reaction stems from his ever-present need to appear strong, as highlighted by his thought that to show affection was a sign of weakness; the only thing worth demonstrating was strength. What is also of note, though it is not mentioned in this passage, is that Okonkwos fondness for Ikemefuna, the boy given as compensation from Mbaino, stems from the latters industriousness, which stands in contrast to Okonkwos own sons disposition. Regardless, Okonkwo treats his adoptive son the same way he treats everybody elsewith a heavy hand. ![]() He also was adamant on his desire not to become like his father, who was weak and couldnt take care of himself. Though brief, this passage provides a rare moment of psychological insight into the novels otherwise very guarded protagonist.
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