IOP Presentation

· Reputation is extremely important to the men in the novel. · Personal reputation is publicly shown by the ankle bracelets men wear (they signify the number of “titles” they have earned.) · Reputation is based on merit – men gain reputation through bravery in battle, skill at wrestling, and hard work as seen through the size of their yam harvest.

· One way of gaining others’ respect is through possession of material goods like barns, many yams, and even multiple wives. · Gaining a title, a sign of honor from the clan, is one of the highest forms of mutual respect a man can earn. · Reputation earns men positions of power and influence in the community as well as numerous wives.

Questions: · Is Okonkwo’s desire for a strong reputation positive? Does it ever get in the way of his obligations, especially to his family and to the gods?

Tragic hero: Okonkwo: · Is extremely concerned with reputation because he grew up with a father who was shameful and lazy. · Okonkwo overcompensates by working tirelessly on his farm and taking every opportunity available to prove his bravery and strength. · His hard work has earned material wealth for his family out of nothing. He has a large living compound, several wives, and many children.

Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond. His fame rested on solid personal achievements. As a young man of eighteen he had brought honor to his village by throwing Amalinze the Cat. Amalinze was the great wrestler who for seven years was unbeaten, from Umuofia to Mbaino. (1.1)

Okonkwo gains respect for himself and his village by proving his mettle in a physical contest – wrestling

[…] during this time Okonkwo’s fame had grown like a bush-fire in the harmattan […]. He had a slight stammer and whenever he was angry and could not get his words out quickly enough, he would use his fists. He had no patience with unsuccessful men. (1.3)

Okonkwo equates reputation with physical prowess and courage. He is so proud of his own reputation that he cannot stand less successful men. Though he is a highly ranked man in his village, you can’t help but wonder if such an aggressive and prideful man merits the good reputation he has.

When Unoka died he had taken no title at all and he was heavily in debt. Any wonder then that his son Okonkwo was ashamed of him? Fortunately, among these people a man was judged according to his worth and not according to the worth of his father. Okonkwo was clearly cut out for great things. He was still young but he had won fame as the greatest wrestler in the nine villages. He was a wealthy farmer and had two barns full of yams, and had just married his third wife. To crown it all he had taken two titles and had shown incredible prowess in two inter-tribal wars. And so although Okonkwo was still young, he was already one of the greatest men of his time. Age was respected among his people, but achievement was revered. (1.16)

Reputation in Okonkwo’s clan isn’t inherited. Each man earns his own reputation – good or bad – based on his own behavior and actions. Even though Okonkwo has the ability to earn respect like every other man, he still acts as if he’s somehow tarnished by his relationship with his father. Much of his behavior is motivated by a desire to separate himself from his father’s reputation.

All its neighbors feared Umuofia. It was powerful in war and in magic, and its priests and medicine men were feared in all the surrounding country. Its most potent war medicine was as old as the clan itself… And so the neighboring clans who naturally knew of these things feared Umuofia, and would not go to war against it without first trying a peaceful settlement. (2.8-9)

One way a tribe gains respect is to boast powerful magic in the form of a mysterious medicinal figure. This intimidates other tribes from warring with Umuofia and leads them to attempt peace treaties before declaring war. Thus a fearful reputation serves an important purpose for Umuofia.

With a father like Unoka, Okonkwo did not have the start in life which many young men had. He neither inherited a barn nor a title, nor even a young wife. But in spite of these disadvantages, he had begun even in his father’s lifetime to lay the foundations of a prosperous future. It was slow and painful. But he threw himself into it like one possessed. And indeed he was possessed by the fear of his father’s contemptible life and shameful death. (3.9)

Okonkwo has a relentless drive improve his reputation. He’s completely a self-made man.

[Nwakibie]: “Many young men have come to me to ask for yams but I have refused because I knew they would just dump them in the earth and leave them to be choked by weeds…But I can trust you. I know it as I look at you…I shall give you twice four hundred yams. Go ahead and prepare your farm.” (3.26)