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are used to find how the characteristics of Okonkwo revealed in the story. The writer uses certain dialogues and statements in the novel that explain the characteristic of
Okonkwo. By studying the characteristics of the character will support the writer to analyze the second problem.
Theory of motivation is used to analyze the reasons of the Okonkwo when he committed suicide. This theory helps the writer in observing and finding reasons
behind Okonkwos action in committing suicide. While the theory of suicide is used in analyzing the suicide that Okonkwo committed. Those theories also help the writer
to explain and understand the personalities of Okonkwo, furthermore his motivations to commit suicide.
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CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY
This chapter consists of three parts, namely object of the study, approach of the study, and method of the study. Object of the study describes
the work studied along with its physical description. This part also gives the summary of the novel. Approach of the study explains the approach used in
conducting the research. The last is method of study which explains the steps taken by the writer in conducting this research.
3. 1. Object of the Study
The subject of analysis in this thesis is a novel. The title of the novel is Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe. This novel was first published in United
States, in 1959 by Anchor Books. The story of the novel is divided into twenty five chapters with 209 pages totally.
The story is about a man named Okonkwo. He is hard hearted. He has this characteristic because of his past experience of his father. His father is considered
as a failure by villagers. He cannot tolerate his fathers failure and he does not want to be like his father. Therefore, he works so hard and everybody in his
village knows him as a hard worker. In the development of the story, he becomes a great man. He has title and everybody respects him. He is trusted by the elders
of his tribe.
One day, a man from the neighboring village of Mbaino have killed a girl from Umuofia. Because of his great esteem in the village, Okonkwo is chosen as
emissary. He goes and is treated with respect, and he returns with the young boy and the virgin girl as a peace settlement between two villages. The girl goes to the
man whose wife was murdered. As for the boy, Ikemefuna, the village is in no hurry to decide his fate. Then, he lives with Okonkwo and his family until the
oracle instructs the elders on what to do with the boy. For three years the boy lives with Okonkwos family and grows fond of Okonkwo, he even considers him as his
father. Then the elders decide that the boy must be killed, and the oldest man in the village warns Okonkwo to have nothing to do with the murder because it
would be like killing his own child. Rather than seem weak and feminine to the other men of the village, Okonkwo kills the boy despite the warning from the old
man. In fact, Okonkwo himself kills Ikemefuna as he begs Okonkwo for protection.
After the death of Ikemefuna, everything begin going wrong to Okonkwo. One day, when everyone in the village gathers for the funeral ceremony, he
accidentally kills a boy of his own clan when his gun fires the last salute to the dead man. Okonkwos accidental killing is considered as a crime against the earth
goddess. As a result, he and his family must leave Umuofia for seven years. During Okonkwos in exile, the British Christian missionaries arrive in
Umuofia. When Okonkwo knows they come to his village, he cannot accept it. He believes that it is not good for the villagers.. He works so hard to refuse
Christianity. He does not want his culture to be replaced with new belief and
