Things Fall Apart

What can you infer this father son relationship to have been if Unoka had acted similar to when he played his flute?

Unoka was happiest when he played his flute. He cherished it, for it was his pride and joy. Though when he was not with his band or his flute, he was known as the village bum. Achebe describes Unoka as “lazy”, “improvident” and overall, “a failure”(Achebe 4-5). Growing up, Okonkwo watched how his father took advantage of others, robbing them of their money, and sitting at home day by day drinking his life away. This gave Okonkwo an example of what not to be.

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Perhaps Okonkwo would not have been so ashamed of his father. If his father had not borrowed money and become so lazy, Okonkwo might have had a stronger bond with him. His father might have avoided his humiliating fate. Okonkwo might have been different too. Okonkwo might not have been so overcompensating to be a "man" and a success. He might have not had his burning temper and inferiority complex.