Book: Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. Title: Things Fall Apart Thesis Paper. Thesis form. Explains how slaying of Ikemefuna, 7 year long exile, murder of a messsanger contribute to his downfall.

In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo is part of a tribe that lives in a village called Umoufia. He wants to become one of the greatest men of the tribe by earning many titles, and not being "weak," as his father was in his vision. Okonkwo's life bodes well until 3 unfortunate events occur, each bringing him closer to his untimely end: Ikemefuna's death, the accidental misfiring of Okonkwo's rifle at Ezeudu's funeral, and the …

…events cumulatively make his life harder, and in the end, when a people obviously state they are better than him, he kills them and then does violence unto himself. Ikemefuna encourages his anger, the exile removes his dream of greatness and crushes how he feels, and the missionaries taunt him like a dog. Had none of these happened, he would most likely be Umoufia's greatest man and be the only one to hold all 4 titles.