The Protagonist’s Masculine Perceptions in Things Fall Apart as the Sign of Igbo Society Breakup

Abstract

Things Fall Apart (TFA) is the novel written and published by Chinua Achebe in 1958 for recounting all social and cultural life and beliefs as well as the arrival of British Colonizers in the Igbo society of Nigeria. This paper aims at identifying the effects of the protagonist’s masculine perception in Things Fall Apart as the sign of Igbo society breakup. Okonkwo, the protagonist of the TFA is said in the whole novel and his different behaviors are still analyzed until now. This study elucidates the Okonkwo’s resistance against the British colonizers where he refuses to submit himself to them after slaying their messenger and prefers to die as a man by hanging himself, the act the Igbo society consider like an abomination. Along with that, the research analyzes how much Okonkwo scorns the women by considering them like weak people. Based on the analytical findings, this research reveals how his masculine perceptions portray the breakup of Igbo society socially and culturally as it has been noticed from TFA where he often blames those who behave like a woman among his clan members. The protagonist’s suicide openly exhibits the end of traditional Igbo society for the benefit of the British colonizers.

Keywords: Masculine, perception, Protagonist, Gender Abuse, Society breakup

DOI: 10.7176/JLLL/75-02

Publication date: January 31^st 2021