Outline for Things Fall Apart essay Thesis: Achebe defines Things Falls Apart as a tragedy through Okonkwo, who is a tragic hero, and by the pity and fear aroused in the reader. IntroductionA. Author's last name and Book titleB. Aristotle's definition of tragedyC. Function of a tragedy, according to AristotleD. Thesis II. Okonkwo as tragic heroA. Okonkwo is high-ranking -- part of the egwugwus (87-94)B. Okonkwo is dignified - Wrestled and won "The Cat" (3)C. Courageous - went many times into battle and "earned his first head" (54)D. Downfall1. By Tragic Flaw - inadaptability2. By uncontrollable events3. Wisdom gained - realized he must adapt, but cannot--so he hangs himself III. The pity aroused by AchebeA. The people do not like Okonkwo for his treatment of less successful men (26).B. Death of Ikemefuna (87)C. Okonkwo beats Nwoye, due to his attraction to the Christian faith.(148-153) IV. The fear aroused by AchebeA. When Okonkwo learns that Ikemefuna must die, the reader fears that he will die, and how he will end up dying. (87)B. When the priestess says that Agbala wishes to speak to Enzima, we wonder (also due to Ekwefi's fear)C. Fear is aroused when the conflict develops between Okonkwo and Nwoye over the argument of Nwoye's desire to be a Christian V. ConclusionA. Restatement of ThesisB. Concluding Remarks...
