Character Analysis of Okonkwo

In Things Fall Apart, a predominant concept is the consequences of European colonization has on African civilization. It deals with the social and psychological conflicts created by the invasion of the white man and his culture into the former self-contained world of African society, and the disarray of the African consciousness that has followed. Achebe shows the disintegration of the tribe, their 'falling apart'. Achebe parallels this in the rise and fall of Okonkwo, who represents the internal weaknesses within the native structure and the divided nature of Igbo society and culture. Thus, Okonkwo himself becomes a symbol of this disintegration. This is further developed when there's not only the weaknesses and mistakes of the hero, but also the weakness of the tribe, who despite their power among the local clans, cannot resist the colonizing effort. 

When the Europeans invade, Okonkwo is one of few who resist and he ends up dead at the end of the novel. His refusal is a form of resistance to conforming to the ways of the white man as well as a rejection of his own culture as he has made a terrible transgression in committing suicide and will not be buried in the warrior style that he deserved. In this way Okonkwo rejects his own tribe members for their cowardice and lack of support. He took his life when he realized he did not have any more power. Ironically, Okonkwo loses his standing in both value systems despite his life desire to be successful and recognized.

Practice Paper 1 Analysis (Political Speeches)

 Tryst with Destiny was a speech made by Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of Independent India. The speech was made to the Indian Constituent Assembly, on the eve of India's Independence, towards midnight on 14 August 1947.

The purpose of the speech was to capture the essence of the triumphant culmination of the hundred-year Indian freedom struggle against the British Empire in India. It was an inspirational speech made to the members of the Constituent Assembly who had to take their pledge to serve India.The audience of “Tryst with Destiny” included members of the Constituent Assembly and the interim government. The credibility of the speaker influences our acceptance of the person's message. His sociability, appearance, character, reputation, personality, sincerity, dynamism and composure all added credibility to the great speech. The purpose of the speaker was to inspire the people to build a new India which had gained its freedom recently. India no doubt had its strengths and weakness and this message was to inspire the people as well as their representative rulers to build India into a democratic and successful nation. It was a call to the members of the Constituent Assembly to take a solemn pledge to serve India and her people.

The speech also employed certain strategies to persuade the audience.It provided
Logos, about India's struggle to freedom and how freedom and power bring responsibility. It talks about the future of India and how the members of the assembly should "strive to fulfill the pledges to serve the millions who suffer and bring an end to poverty, ignorance, disease and inequality of opportunity."

It provides Pathos which appeal to the feelings of the audience, here the members of the Constituent Assembly. It states "A new star rises, the star of freedom in the east, a new hope comes into being, a vision long cherished materializes. May the star never set and that hope never be betrayed!" It appeals to the emotions of the members to never lose hope and as freedom brings in responsibilities and burdens they have to face them in the spirit of a free and disciplined people. Satyagraha was a major root for success of the seemingly never-ending struggle for freedom in India and this is deeply acknowledged in Nehru’s speech. The reference made to the concept and its pioneer, coupled with particularly effective pathetic appeal would only cause fierce patriotism and love in the heart of any Indian who listened to it because of the fervor with which they respected and idolized the Father of the Nation and his ideas.

The speech provides Ethos, by building of source credibility by making a reference to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, who "held the torch of freedom and lighted the darkness that surrounded us." It also makes a reference to the "unknown volunteers and soldiers of freedom who without praise or reward had served India even unto their death." Also to "the people who had been cut off from us by political boundaries." It demonstrates the intelligence,character and good will.

The speech is paced well, slow enough to be comprehensible and concise. Yet, he also makes the necessary pauses to exaggerate. His tone is authoritative and believable rather than commanding. He starts of with "what is" and "what could be" at the phrase level. Tells audiences about the "long quest of India, but have opportunity for greater triumph." Then "acknowledge pain and sorrow and believe the suffer of India would end." He jumps between the past and present constantly. "Before it was a fragment country but now they have united and become a joined country." "Past that clings on India then having a new hope that rises." This further motivates the audience. They remember the misery and problems they faced, and they look to the present as a chance for change. "Difficult problems they have to solve" then telling audiences to "face those problems with a spirit of discipline." He goes to the darkest history of India and then ends with the new bliss of what the future going to be.

The speech uses a plethora of literary devices to persuade the audience. In the line: "It means the ending of poverty and ignorance and disease and inequality of opportunity.",polysyndeton is used to stress the significance of each and every word spoken. An allusion is present in: "...and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially." to refer to the agony of partition. An anaphora to stress the importance of what he is saying."Peace has been said to be invisible; so is freedom, so is prosperity now, and so also is disaster in this world that can no longer be split into isolated fragments."An antithesis uses parallel ideas to let the assembly and the people of his country know what is and what could be. "The future is not one of ease or resting but of incessant striving so that we might fulfill the pledges we have so often taken and the One we shall take today.He omits conjunctions to make his speech fluent and meaningful, which is an asyndeton. "A new star rises, the star of freedom in the East, a new hope comes into being, a vision long cherished materializes."