Things Fall Apart

Novel | Chinua Achebe
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What made Okonkwo commit suicide in Chinua Achebe's novel Things Fall Apart?

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What made Okonkwo commit suicide? [2019]

Okonkwo is the protagonist in Chinua Achebe’s (1930-2013) “Things Fall Apart” (1958). The novel ends with the tragic death of Okonkwo. His death marks both his personal fall and the downfall of Igbo society. Okonkwo’s suicide is the final result of fear, frustration, and hopelessness. 

Collapse of His Society: Okonkwo’s people once lived with strength, faith, and unity. However, when the white men arrived, they introduced religion, laws, and power that divided the clan. The narrator says, 

“He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.” 

This line shows that the arrival of the Europeans destroyed the Igbo way of life. Okonkwo could not accept the loss of his peo
ple’s pride and freedom.

Loneliness and Disappointment: Okonkwo stood alone against the new forces. He hoped his people would fight back, but they did not. The narrator says, 

“Okonkwo was deeply grieved. ... He mourned for the clan ... for the warlike men.”

His grief shows his sorrow that the brave men of Umuofia had lost their courage. When no one followed him, Okonkwo felt isolated and useless. 

Clash between Old and New: Okonkwo’s beliefs could not fit the changing world. He was ruled by anger and by his love for tradition. The narrator says, 

“Okonkwo was ruled by one passion—to hate everything that his father Unoka had loved.” 

His extreme pride and strict ideas stopped him from adjusting. When he saw his people obeying the British and the missionaries, he felt that life had lost all meaning.

Act of Despair and Defeat: Okonkwo killed a court messenger who tried to stop a village meeting. But the clan did not support him. He realized his world had fallen apart. Feeling powerless, he hanged himself. 

In short, Okonkwo commits suicide because he cannot live in a world that has lost its honor, unity, and strength. His death reflects his inner defeat and the death of his culture. 

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Chinua Achebe
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from Things Fall Apart