Despite his love for the culture he was born into, Okonkwo, an esteemed member and warrior of the Ibo peoples of Africa, goes through a difficult time conforming to the traditions of his tribe. Although he respects the customs of the tribe and the decisions of the elders, Okonkwo often makes rash decisions that cause him and his family unnecessary trouble. He strives to gain the respect of the tribe, as well as to compensate for his father's "failed" life by presenting himself as the perfect man and warrior; however, his efforts toward honor always seem to result in dishonor. In a way, the reasons for his behavior come from deep within Okonkwo himself, not the culture he is a part of. Compensation for character flaws turns into overcompensation, which puts him out of touch with his community. In short, his sense of and obsession with self-image acts as a catalyst for his actions throughout the book. There are many examples of Okonkwo's failure to adhere to Umuofian customs, i.e. beating his wife, Ojiugo, during the Week of Peace (28-31); beating his wives and children for the smallest of reasons; and speak out every time he should remain silent. However, the one custom he breaks that causes the most difficulty to him and, one might argue, his family, is the murder of his adopted son, Ikemefuna. Although the murder is prescribed by the Oracle of Hills and Caves and condoned by the village elders, neither the Oracle nor the other men of the village expect Okonkwo to participate in the murder; in fact, Ogbuefi Ezeudu, a highly respected warrior and elder of the tribe, suggests that Okonkwo stay behind when the other warriors lead Ikemefuna to slaughter. “. . . Umuofia decided to kill him,” Ezeudu says,...... middle of paper...... his insistence on proving himself, as shown in Ikemefuna's murder and his other discreditable actions, are the result of her constant desire to kill him. need to impress. His desires to prove himself, become a respected member of the tribe, and maintain his image as a strong warrior combine with an inability to adapt to a changing world in the second half of the book. “Okonkwo [is] deeply saddened” (183) by the arrival of Europeans and the changes they brought to Ibo culture. Thinking he can be the one to lead the effort to drive Europeans from the country and restore the tribe's traditions, he commits another rash act; each time he fails to obtain the expected results, he commits his final transgression against tribal tradition: suicide. Works Cited Achebe, Chinua. Things are falling apart. New York: Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc., 1994. Print.