Paper Two Practice

 Discuss the significance of social status in Things Fall Apart, and comment on its contribution to characterization.

The novel Things Fall Apart offers an exclusive insight into the world and lives of the Igbo people which highlights the values and significant aspects of their culture. One of the main aspects which is emphasized in the story is social status and the role it has within their society. Throughout the story there is a constant reminder of social status and we see how this becomes relevant when looking at how this aspect of the culture plays a large role in shaping the character of Okonkwo. Social status is usually representative of the amount of titles a man has taken in his lifetime. A man must be very successful in order to take many titles and therefore these individuals are highly respected in the community. Contrasting with this, a man who has taken very few or no titles is considered very lazy and unsuccessful. Another name for a man who has taken no titles in his lifetime is agbala which is a word meaning "woman". In the Igbo society, the amount of titles a man possesses influences how the other members of the clan treat him and the amount of influence he holds in matters involving the clan such as whether to go to war or not.

Okonkwo's ambition to be respected and recognized by his clansmen is driven by his fear of not wanting to end up as a failure like his father who claimed no titles within his lifetime. He is strongly aware his social status and that of those around him and this affects his actions. One example of his awareness of status is during a meeting when a man begins to speak but is quickly silenced by Okonkwo who makes it very clear that since the man has no titles, he does not have a say in the conversation. As stated before Okonkwo is driven by his ambition and it is very clear that he takes great pride in his status among the clan members. This obsession with his social status and power ultimately contributed to his demise. After Okonkwo's gun explodes and he's forced into exile for seven years his main focus is still on his social status. As punishment for his crimes, the clan must burn down Okonkwo's property and kill his livestock in order to appease the earth goddess. This sets Okonkwo back many years and prevents him from gaining the highest title in the clan as he will have to rebuild his entire life and gain back the respect of the clan. During the seven years he's continually making plans for his return in order to once regain his place among the clan. When he finally does make his return he's disappointed to discover that it does not quite have the impact he hoped. He rejoins the clan but does not hold the same status and respect that he once had. In order to regain the status he lost he tries to show his dominance and masculinity however this only leads to the clan losing even more respect for him as they no longer agree with his overly-aggressive attitude and way of life. At the end of the book Okonkwo kills the messenger but soon realizes that his clansmen no longer agree with him and do not view his actions as wise and this lowering of social status and respect brings him to the realization of his downfall. In conclusion, Okonkwo's obsession with social status along with his fear of ending up like his title-less father drives him to be overly-ambitious and aggressive and plays a key role in shaping his character and actions.