Nwoye Symbolism In Things Fall Apart

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Chinua Achebe uses the characters in his controversial novel, Things Fall Apart, as many different symbols. In the fictional tribe of Umoufia, Nwoye is Okonkwo’s first son and is expected to uphold the duties of an Igbo man and follow in his father’s footsteps. Nwoye is not keen in doing this so, he is often degraded by Okonkwo. Nwoye is the embodiment of a positive reaction and this gave us a fresh and naïve perspective of the Igbo Culture.
Before the missionaries caused cultural collision in the tribe of Umoufia, Nwoye was often emasculated and seen as very sensitive by his father and the tribe. He was often compared to ash, which was a symbol for impotence and femininity. For example Achebe states, “Nwoye knew that it was right to be masculine …show more content…
He was influenced by their preaching and agreed with their ideals. In one case Achebe states, “But there was a young lad who had been captivated. His name was Nwoye, Okonkwo's first son… It was the poetry of the new religion, something felt in the marrow” (Achebe 53). This shows Nwoye’s enchantment with the new and interesting culture, and his open-mindedness towards new ideas.
Achebe uses Nwoye to symbolize the innocence and sympathy that is found in the Igbo people. Nwoye’s youth and curiosity leads him to question the views of the Igbo. The introduction of Christianity gives him a new view on the customs of his people. In a specific section Achebe states, “Nwoye had heard that twins were put in earthenware pots and thrown away in the forest, but he had never yet come across them. A vague chill had descended on him…It descended on him again, this feeling, when his father walked in that night after killing Ikemefuna” (Achebe 22). In this paragraph, Achebe shows Nwoye questioning the customs of his people. Nwoye is the opposite of Okonkwo in that he is youthful and open-minded so Achebe uses Nwoye to contrast Okonkwo.
In conclusion, Nwoye is used to give the views of the open-minded people of Umoufia and the very contradictory views of his father. His inquisitiveness makes him vulnerable to new ideology which helps build his strong
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