Things Fall Apart

does the plot of Things Fall Apart and the character of its protagonist Okonkwo adhere to the conventions of Western tragedy and the tragic hero?

does the plot of Things Fall Apart and the character of its protagonist Okonkwo adhere to the conventions of Western tragedy and the tragic hero?

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A tragic hero is a person of power and responsibility who has a major flaw in his or her character. This flaw or weakness brings about the demise of this character and often characters close to that person. Okonkwo's tragic flaw is his fear of weakness. He kills his adopted son, Ikemefuna, and estranges his natural son, Nwoye, over perceived weakness. Okonkwo's rage is always on display because he is so afraid of looking weak. This eventually puts him in exile when he kills one of his wives. When Okonkwo returns, he sees that he cannot fight the arrival of the white man. Okonkwo cannot accept this weakness so he takes his own life.