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Okonkwo's Attempt at Perfection
"To suffering there is a limit; to fearing, none" is a great quote by Francis Bacon, the Renaissance writer. He reveals how important fear is, saying that fear is one of the only emotions that can keep intensifying over time. In Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, Okonkwo is an example of what can happen to a man who allows fear to control his life. It is stated clearly in the novel that Okonkwo is paralyzed by his fears. "His whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and weakness" (Achebe 13). However, the fact that Okonkwo fears anything at all actually contrasts everything he tries to be. He behaves impatiently and is quick to use violence to solve any problem. He never lets anyone know he is afraid, the only emotion expressed openly by Okonkwo is anger. Okonkwo attempts to be the opposite of a coward, but his frequent eccentric outbursts demonstrate that he is actually very afraid, and what leads to his eventual downfall is that......

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Approximate Word Count: 1336
Approximate Pages: 6 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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