Things Fall Apart. Author: Chinua Achebe. Question: "Ultimately it is difficult to feel sympathy for Okonkwo. He was violen, barbaric and unable to change with the times." Discuss

In the novel Okonkwo was violent, barbaric and unable to change with the times, thus it is difficult to feel sorry for such a man. However, if you look deeper into Okonkwo's character you may feel differently. Okonkwo has an inflexible will, which makes it difficult for him to accept change and in some ways he is "restricted" or "limited" as a result, being unable to portray his softer side. It is possible to feel …

…feel sympathy for Okonkwo because of his harsher, rudimentary qualities. Perhaps, it could be said that he did not express his softer side. So in a way he remained part of the traditional construct what it is to be a man, being unable to fully express himself, and in some ways he lost out as a consequence, as did many who knew him and this evokes some sympathy from readers for what might have been.