Blog Post #3 Macy Levicoff

What should a man do when his life beings to crumble? There are ultimately two paths he can go down. This man can fight through tough times and survive, or become so overwhelmed that he commits suicide.

Okonkwo's life is sprinting down the mountain it was once on. He took pride in the empire he built for himself, but the higher the mountain, the harder the fall. His already unstable life began its tumble downward when Ikemefuna was killed. Something had "given way"(pg.62) inside Okonkwo; he didn't sleep or "taste any food for two days"(pg.63). When he starts to feel like his old self again, life thrusts itself faster down the mountain. Ezinma, one of his daughters, becomes gravely ill. In chapters nine to eleven the main focus is Ezinma and her mother, Ekwefi. Okonkwo shows worry towards Ezinma's sickness. When she is taken by the priestess to the caves in the mountains, her mother and Okonkwo follow behind to make sure she is not in danger. Does this reveal that Okonkwo is trying to salvage parts of his life? By going after his daughter to make sure she is safe, he shows emotion and care, which are deadly poisons to Okonkwo. The wearing away of his outer shell gives a sense of vulnerability.

In chapter twelve the news about Ezinma is quickly forgotten when Okonkwo's friend celebrates his daughter's uri. At the end of the party, "guns fired the last salute" and Okonkwo's gun explodes. This causes a piece of iron to "pierce" a sixteen-year-old boy in the heart. Since this murder was "female", or"inadvertent" it is known that Okonkwo and his family must flee the land for seven years. After they sneak away, the tribe destroys his home, his animals, and his pride.(pg.124)

This fast descend down Okonkwo's man-made mountain is sure to bring out his true inner strength. Will he prove to be internally strong as well as physically, or will he give up when things fall apart?

  (Me=Okonkwo)