Journal Entry #1 How did Unoko, Okonkwos father, play a role in making Okonkwo who he was?

? Okonkwo discouraged his father. Unoko (his father) was a lazy slacker who borrowed money and never paid back the depts. Unoko never worked hard and sat around all day doing nothing. Okonkwo was mad at his father and decided to do everything different than him. He will never show emotion and beats people who dont work hard. Unoko basically destroyed Okonkwos life. When Unoko died he had taken no title at all and he was heavily in debt. Any wonder then that his son Okonkwo was ashamed of him? (Achebe 8) Now Okonkwo shows no emotion and beats everyone he sees. When Okonkwo got banished to his mothers village, he started to act like his father. He was lazy and sat around all day like when he killed Ikemefuna. Journal Entry #2 How did Okonkwos relationship with Ikemefuna play a role in making Okonkwo who he was? Ikemefuna played a role in making Okonkwo who he was. Ikemefuna encouraged Okonkwos son to be a hard worker and look up to his father. Okonkwo loved Ikemefuna even more than his own son because Ikemefuna was a very strong and was a hard worker. Okonkwo was beginning to be proud of Nwoye, and he knew it was due to the help of Ikemefuna (Achebe 52). Okonkwo wanted Nwoye to be able to rule his fathers house when he was dead, and Ikemefuna helped Nwoye reach his fathers goal for him. Journal Entry #3 How did Okonkwos relationship with Ekwefi, and her daughter Ezinma, play a role in making Okonkwo who he was? Okonkwo has a wife, Ekwefi, and a daughter, Ezinma. Ezinma and Ekwefi make Okonkwo who he is. Okonkwo really likes Ezinma. When Ekwefi came in and nocked on the door of Okonkwos room and she said that Ezinma was dying, Okonkwo didnt beat Ekwefi he just ran to get to Ezinma and gather her supplies. Okonkwo remembered when, one day as Ezinma was eating an egg Okonkwo had come in unexpectedly from his hut. He was greatly shocked and sword the beat Ekwefi if she dared to give the child eggs again, (Achebe 76). But it was impossible to refuse giving Ezinma anything, like eggs, so he let her eat her eggs and keep eating them all she wants (Achebe 76). When Okonkwo heard those words, Ezinma is dying Okonkwo showed true emotion to Ezinma and Ekwefi. Journal Entry #4 How did Okonkwos banishment to his mothers village for seven years play a role in making Okonkwo who he was? Banishment is shaping Okonkwo a lot. Okonkwo doesnt have as much rage as he had before. When Obierika told Okonkwo about the attack at a neighboring village, Okonkwo didnt explode and destroy all the tables, he just sais, they should have brought their weapons to the market. When Nwoye got home one day after

being at the British Church, Okonkwo sat at the fire and just stared at him. A few seconds later, Okonkwo charged at Nwoye and lifted him up by the neck. Okonkwo beat him with a stick to try to get him to talk, but he didnt. Then Okonkwos uncle yelled from outside the compound to let Nwoye down so he did, and Nwoye ran away and never came back (Achebe 151) Journal Entry #5 How did Okonkwos conflicts with the British play a role in making Okonkwo who he was? The British are affecting Okonkwo greatly. Okonkwos son, Nwoye, got taken into the British religion and left his family and Okonkwo. Next half of Okonkwos village gets taken over to the religion. The elders and Okonkwo were finally fed-up with the British, so they went and burned down the church. Two days later Okonkwo and the elders got invited to a British meeting. During the meeting while someone was telling a story, the British handcuffed the elders and Okonkwo. The village had to pay 250 bags of cowries to get their elders back. What really set Okonkwo off was when they shaved his hair and through him in jail. While he was in jail Okonkwo stated that they should have killed the white men right when they came, but the guard heard what Okonkwo said and came in and beat Okonkwo with a heavy stick. Okonkwos rage was so built up, that he is plotting to kill all the white men. But when Okonkwo tried to revolt, the whole village fled and Okonkwo hung himself. Finally in the last pages of the book it stated this about the British leader, As he walked back to the court he thought about (his) book. Every day brought him some new material. The story of this man who had killed a messenger and hanged himself would make interesting reading. One could almost write a whole chapter on him. (Achebe 208)