Why was Okonkwo exiled?

Why was Okonkwo exiled?

Okonkwo is a fictional character from the 1958 novel Things Fall Apart written by Chinua Achebe. The character Okonwo portrays a leader and local wrestling champion in the village of Nigeria. The story centers on the life of Okonwa, how he deals with his family, three wives and children, the villagers around him, and the white men who colonized their village.

Okonkwo had a lazy father that’s why he despised him. To get over his emotional depression, he built is status by being the best wrestler in the village. He was hardworking, courageous, powerful, and wealthy just the total opposite of his father.

Okonkwo struggled much to reach his highest esteem. Because he was chosen as the best man in the village, he was assigned as the guardian of Ikemefuna, a boy who was imprisoned as a peace settlement between two villages. The boy lives for three years with him until one day, the elders decided to kill the boy as part of the settlement. The elders told Okonkwo not to take part in the murder but to show his strength and power, Okonkwo helped in killing the boy.

After the boy’s death, Okonkwo met a lot of misfortunes leading to his family’s exile. He accidentally killed fellow clan member in a ritual ceremony when his gun exploded. Because of this, this family was exiled for seven years to repent the sins he had done.

While Okonkwo was exiled, white men came to his village to introduce a different religion. After 7 years, Okonkwo returned and was surprised that the village was a changed place. The white men began to colonized the place and this caused an uprising in the village.

A lot of villagers in Umuofia were imprisoned but Okonkwo did not want to be overpowered by these people.

When he was searched to appear in court, they found Okonkwo hanging himself.