The reasons of Okonkwo in Committing Suicide as seen in Chinua Achebe`s Things Fall Apart.

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AS SEEN IN CHINUA ACHEBE’S THINGS FALL APART

ASARJANA PENDIDIKANTHESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain theSarjana PendidikanDegree

in English Language Education

By

Bonaventura Jiwantara Adhi Nugraha Student Number: 051214042

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA

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The most important thing is not about the choice,

but how to live it.

–iwanbagoez-This thesis is dedicated to:

Jesus Christ, Saint Mary and Holy Spirit Myself

My Beloved Mother, My Grandmother, and My Girl. My beloved family: Bapak, Iyok, Alex

Yang bertanda tangan Nama

Nomor Maha Demi pengembangan Universitas Sanata Dh

THE REASONS O IN CH beserta perangkat yan kepada Perpustakaan mengalihkan dalam data, mendistribusika media lain untuk ke maupun memberikan sebagai penulis.

Demikian pernyataan

Dibuat di Yogyakarta Pada tanggal: 30 Juni

Yang menyatakan,

(Bonaventura Jiwanta

an di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sa : Bonaventura Jiwantara Adhi Nug Mahasiswa : 051214042

an ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul:

OF OKONKWO IN COMMITTING SUICID HINUA ACHEBE’STHINGS FALL APART ang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian sa

an Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam be kan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya

kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta n royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantum

an ini yang saya buat dengan sebenarnya.

ta uni 2012

ntara Adhi Nugraha)

Sanata Dharma: ugraha

ada Perpustakaan

ICIDE AS SEEN RT

saya memberikan untuk menyimpan, bentuk pangkalan ya di internet atau nta ijin dari saya umkan nama saya

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Jiwantara Adhi Nugraha, Bonaventura. (2012). The Reasons of Okonkwo in Committing Suicide as Seen in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart,

Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program, Department of Language and Arts Education, Faculty of Teachers Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University

This thesis discusses Chinua Achebe's novel, Things Fall Apart. It is a story about a great warrior of Igbo in accommodating his fear and anger. He tries hard to expel his fear of failure and weakness. His unhappy childhood causes these fear and anger. Then, his inability in accommodating his fear and anger finally causes a conflict not only for himself, but also for other people. This is a very interesting story since it gives information to the readers that something can always go wrong in life.

There are two questions to answer in this thesis. The first is to know how Okonkwo's personalities are described, and the second is to find what reasons that motivate Okonkwo to commit suicide.

The method employed in this study is library research encompassing the novel ofThings Fall Apartwritten by Chinua Achebe as the primary data, books of literature, psychology and also data from the internet as the secondary sources. The approach used in the study is psychological approach because this study is related with the main character's motivation and personality to commit suicide.

The findings of the first analysis show that Okonkwo has negative characteristics. Okonkwo's characteristic is described as fear of failure and weakness, stern, bad temper. His personalities are formed by his unhappy childhood.

In the second analysis, the findings reveal that Okonkwo finds difficulties to face his life with his condition, which there are nobody to support him against British people. He is frustrated about his condition. Then, he decides to commit suicide.

Finally, besides giving suggestions to future researchers concerning possible future research on Things Fall Apart, the writer also suggest the implementation of the novel in teaching English in English Language Education Study Program. The novel ofThings Fall Apart can be used as the source for teaching Reading II for the second semester and Prose II for the fifth semester.

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Jiwantara Adhi Nugraha, Bonaventura. (2012). The Reasons of Okonkwo in Committing Suicide as Seen in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart,

Yogyakarta: Program Studi Bahasa Inggris, Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa dan Seni, Fakultas Keguruan and Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

Skripsi ini membahas tentang novel Chinua Achebe, yaitu Things Fall Apart.Ini adalah cerita tentang seorang pejuang tangguh dalam mengatasi rasa takut dan amarahnya. Dia berusaha keras untuk membuang rasa takut akan kegagalan dan kelemahan. Kehidupan masa kecilnya yang kurang bahagia menyebabkan rasa takut dan amarahnya ini. Kemudian, ketidakmampuannya mengatasi rasa takut dan amarahnya ini membawa dia ke dalam konflik tidak hanya terhadap dirinya sendiri, namun juga terhadap orang lain. Ini merupakan cerita yang menarik karena memberikan wawasan kepada pembaca bahwa segala sesuatu dalam hidup ini dapat terjadi tidak seperti yang kita harapkan.

Ada dua pertanyaan dalam rumusan masalah, yang pertama yaitu untuk mengetahui bagaimana kepribadian Okonkwo digambarkan, dan yang kedua untuk mencari alasan-alasan apa yang memotivasi Okonkwo untuk melakukan bunuh diri.

Metode yang digunakan dalam studi ini adalah penelitian perpustakan meliputi novel Things Fall Apart yang ditulis oleh Chinua Achebe sebagai data utama, buku-buku mengenai literatur, psikologi dan juga data dari internet sebagai sumber pendukung. Pendekatan yang digunakan dalam studi ini adalah pendekatan psikologi karena studi ini berhubungan dengan motivasi dan kepribadian tokoh utama dalam melakukan bunuh diri.

Hasil analisis pertama menunjukkan bahwa Okonkwo memiliki kepribadian yang negatif. Kepribadian Okonkwo digambarkan sebagai seorang yang takut akan kegagalan dan kelemahan, keras dan bertemperamen buruk. Kepribadiannya ini terbentuk karena masa kecilnya yang kurang bahagia.

Hasil analisis yang kedua mengungkapkan bahwa Okonkwo menemukan banyak kesulitan dalam menghadapi hidup dengan situasinya dimana tidak ada seorangpun yang mendukung dia melawan Orang Inggris. Oleh karena itu, dia merasa frustasi dengan kondisinya. Kemudian, dia memutuskan untuk bunuh diri.

Akhirnya, di samping memberikan saran-saran untuk penelitian yang akan datang mengenai novelThings Fall Apart, saya juga memberikan saran-saran mengenai penerapan novel ini dalam pengajaran bahasa Inggris di Program Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris. Novel Things Fall Apart dapat digunakan sebagai sumber dalam pelajaran membaca II untuk semester dua dan pelajaran prosa II untuk semester lima.

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First of all, I would like to give my biggest gratitude to my Lord and my Savior,Jesus Christfor His blessing, love, and guidance.

I would like to give my gratitude to Henny Herawati, S.Pd., M.Hum. as my thesis sponsor, for her guidance, patience, and time in guiding me to finish my thesis. I really do appreciate her patience, guidance and brilliant ideas. She also always encourages me in finishing my thesis when I feel tired to finish my thesis. I am sorry that I cannot accomplish her target date to finish my thesis.

I would like to thank all the lecturers in English Education Study Program who have given me knowledge about English. The knowledge is very meaningful for me. I would also like to thank theRomo Lucianus Suharjanto, SJ.for lending me the novel. It means a lot to me. I thankall secretarial staffs of English Education Study Program and the library staffs of Sanata Dharma University who gave me a big help in processing and completing my administrative stuff.

My deepest gratitude goes to my beloved mother, Yohana Endang Sunarningsih,for her prayer, love, guidance, support and kindness. Thanks for saying “Le, piye skripsimu?” She always awakes me with her patience every

morning to remind me and ask about the progress of my thesis. I would like to thank my father, Yustinus Agus Riyanto, my little brothers, Stephanus Prasetya Nugraha and Callictus Kuncoro Adhi Nugraha, My grandmother,

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would also like to give my gratitude to all my families in Bantul.

I thank my best friends, Itok, Indra, Aan and Danconkfor being my best friends during my study. I cannot forget every single moment that we passed on and also every single thing that they gave to me. I also thank Kia, Pandhu, Ella, Sigit, Bu Uut, Bu Ana, Bu Heni and my Ex Seminary Friends (Shinchan, Sonthol, Mbahto, Pethuk, Deci, Bamboex, Nyonyah)for keeping forcing me to finish this thesis as soon as possible.

I would like to thank my friends,Kia, Pandhu, Leo, Shodiq, Deni, and Bondan who have always accompanied me here until my last breath. We are the last men standing, guys!

Special thanks to drh. Bibiana Krisanti for her great and pure attention, love and time. I am sure my world will incomplete without her presence. I thank God for His grace to have her in my life.

Last but not least, I thank the others who have helped me in any way, whom I cannot mention one by one. At last, may God bless us in every part of our life. Amen.

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TITLE PAGE ... i

APPROVAL PAGES ... ii

DEDICATION PAGE... iv

STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY ... v

PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI ... vi

ABSTRACT... vii

ABSTRAK... viii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ... ix

TABLE OF CONTENTS... xi

LIST OF APPENDICES ... xiii

CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ... 1

1. 1. Background of the Study... 1

1. 2. Problem Formulation... 4

1. 3. Objective of the Study... 4

1. 4. Benefits of the Study ... 5

1. 5. Definition of Terms ... 5

CHAPTER II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ... 7

2. 1. Theoretical Review ... 7

2. 1. 1. Theory of Critical Approach ... 7

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2. 1. 5. Theory of Suicide ... 17

2. 2. Theoretical Framework ... 19

CHAPTER III. METHODOLOGY ... 21

3. 1. Object of the Study... 21

3. 2. Approach of the Study... 23

3. 3. Method of the Study... 24

CHAPTER IV. ANALYSIS ... 25

4. 1. The Description of Okonkwo's Personality ... 25

4. 1. 1. Fear of Failure ... 26

4. 1. 2. Stern and Bad Temper ... 27

4. 2. Okonkwo's Motivation in Commiting Suicide... 29

CHAPTER V. CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS... 46

5. 1. Conclusions ... 46

5. 2. Suggestions... 48

5. 2. 1. Suggestions for Future Researcher ... 48

5. 2. 2. Suggestion for Teaching... 48

5.2.2.1. The Implementation of Teaching Reading II ... 49

5.2.2.2. The Implementation of Teaching Prose II ... 50

BIBLIOGRAPHY ... 52

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The Summary ofThings Fall Apart... 55

The Author and His Work... 57

Syllabus of Reading II... 59

Syllabus of Prose II ... 60

Implementation of Teaching Reading II ... 61

Implementation of Teaching Prose II... 64

1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

In the introduction, the writer divides the chapter into five parts, they are background of the study, problem formulation, objective of the study, benefits of the study, and definition of terms. Background of the study explains the reason why the writer chooses Things Fall Apart, a novel by Chinua Achebe, to discuss. Problem formulation formulates the problem into a clear description in a form of question. Objective of the study states the purpose of writing this thesis. It is also related to the benefits. Benefits reveal the advantages of this study for the students who learn literature and also everyone who wants to study literature especially Chinua Achebe’s novels. The last part of this chapter, which is definition of the terms, is meant to avoid ambiguous interpretations of the terms used in the study.

1. 1. Background of the Study

Literature is one of the sources that reflects human’s life. Although the word is common, it is difficult to reveal what literature is. There are many sources and experts mentioning the various definitions of literature itself. This basic problem should be answered before we discuss this thesis further. Therefore, the writer quotes definition of literature fromA Glossary of Literary Termsthat :

Literature work as an imitation, or reflection or representation of the world and human life, and the primary criterion applied to

a work is that of the truth of its representation to the objects represents, or represent (Abrams, 1981: 36).

Nowadays literature has been developed in many ways. It produces variety of literature. There are three modern literary genres. They are prose that contain short story and novel, poem, and play. Each has its own form. Novel is one of literary genres. As Moody (1968:2) said that “the primary aim of literature is to give pleasure”, novel can satisfy its readers by reading it. Novel can be judged through its content or meaning toward human life (Harvey, 1965: 14). Although some people say that reading and studying novel is just wasting time, it can teach us about some values of daily life. We will enjoy studying literature when we understand that we can learn something from it.

Therefore, the writer chooses a novel because novel has a close relationship to human life. On the other words, we can see that many people enjoy reading literary works because some literary works represent their lives, for example, in a novel, there are conflicts that make the story more interesting. The conflicts as in a novel are usually faced by people in real life.

In a real life people always deal with conflicts or problems and they may have different views in facing their problem. Some people are able to face it patiently and wisely until they can find the best solution to their problems. On the other hand, some people cannot face their problem well. They cannot think rationally to solve their problem. Since they cannot find the best solution, they will feel depressed. They even want to end their life because they cannot hold their problems anymore.

Suicide, among people nowadays, is a common thing. We often hear news about suicide in our environment. In Solo on Wednesday March 3rd 20011, a girl committed suicide after jumping from the fourth floor Solo Grand Mall. She decided to commit suicide after quarreling with her boyfriend (http://regional.kompas.com/read/2011/03/03/00533957/Perempuan.Bunuh.Diri.di.M al.Usai.Pacaran, Accessed on March 16th,2011). Another case happened in Jakarta. Agus Subekti died after hanging himself because of depression, thinking about his illness. He had suffered from tuberculosis for 9 months. Agus hanged himself with a piece of electrical wire at the front door of his house (http://www.detiknews.com/read/2011/03/10/174827/1589028/10/stres-idap-tbc-agus-gantung-diri-di-cakung, Accessed on March 16th,2011). In Korea, within a period of four years (2005-2009), there were seven artists who committed suicide because of depression. They were depressed due to several things. They are divorce, loneliness, sexual harassment, and drugs (http://lawan.us/2011/7-artis-korea-yang-bunuh-diri-dan-penyebabnya, Accessed on March 16th,2011).

Suicide has become a trend in this world from ancient times until now. Becoming a trend here means that people will commit suicide if they are not able to solve their problem. Suicide is considered as one of the easiest ways to get out of trouble. This is as reflected in the novelThings Fall Apart. This novel tells us about the condition, problem and conflict of African people before and after the British colonialism. The British arrival in African traditional societies changes and influences the natives' way of life. This new culture does not only influence the natives'

commitment to their custom, but also starts to replace their traditional custom. This novel presents Okonkwo as the main character who faces a lot of problems that trigger the conflict between he and himself, he and his surroundings, and also between he and the British imperial culture. Therefore, finally he commits suicide to end his distress in life. Problems that Okonkwo faces until he comes to the final decision, to commit suicide, motivate me to analyze the reasons behind his decision to commit suicide.

1. 2. Problem Formulation

The writer formulates the problem into two questions:

1. How is Okonkwo characterized in Chinua Achebe'sThings Fall Apart? 2. What are the reasons of Okonkwo to commit suicide?

1. 3. Objective of the Study

In order to focus on the major topic deeper, the writer divides the general objective into two specific objectives.

First, the writer discusses the action, attitude, and behavior of Okonkwo, the main character, to know what kind of person Okonkwo is in the novel. Second, this thesis discusses Okonkwo’s life experiences and also the reasons that lead him to decide committing suicide.

1. 4. Benefits of the Study

The writer hopes the readers can recognize Chinua Achebe's greatness as a novelist. He is considered as one of the best novelist. The readers can also recognize the greatness of Chinua Achebe's novel which none of others has attained the richness and success like Things Fall Apart through the award of Margaret Wong Memorial Prize in 1959.

Besides, the writer hopes that this study can give better understanding about the reasons that can lead people to do disorder behavior. Thus, the writer hopes this thesis will be useful in our daily life. We can recognize the positive and negative motivations that lead to good or bad behaviors.

1. 5. Definition of Terms

In order to avoid misunderstanding of the content of this thesis, there are three terms that must be clearly defined. That terms that must be clearly defined are

1. Reason

According to Oxford Learner's Pocket Dictionary (1995:344), reason is fact or situation that explain why something happens..

In this study, the writer specify the term of reasoon. Thus, the reason here refers to the Okonkwo’s reasons to commit suicide.

2. Suicide

Smith (1982:129) states that suicide is the act of intentionally destroying oneself, a violent self-inflicted destructive action resulting in

death, and the act of killing oneself. Thus, in this study, the term of suicide refers to Okonkwo’s action to kill himself by hanging in the tree.

7 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

This chapter includes theories and reviews on related literature that support the analysis of the novel. It consists of the theoretical review, review of related studies and the theoretical framework. Theoretical review will explain and discuss further the basic theories needed for the analysis. As the basis of problem solving, some theories are required to analyze the problem formulation established in Chapter 1. Review of related studies will review other previously done studies on similar topics. It will show how this study is different from them. The theoretical framework will explain how the theories mentioned answer the problem.

2. 1. Theoretical Review

2. 1. 1 Theory of Critical Approach

This analysis used an approach based on Rohberger and Woods. Rohrberger and Woods Jr. (1971: 3) define in Reading and Writing about Literature, there are five approaches that can be applied to analyze a work of literature. They are the formalist approach, the biographical approach, the sociocultural-historical approach, the mythopoeic approach and the psychological approach.

The writer will not use all of the approaches mentioned by Rohrberger and Woods. The writer will only use the psychological approach since it is closely relate to the study. As stated before, psychological approach is used to discover and

demonstrate certain repetitive patterns, while the knowledge of psychology will help me to explain and understand the human motivation, personality and behavior pattern written in the novel.

The writer will use the psychological approach in analyzing Okonkwo's reasons in committing suicide. Okonkwo has some problems with his life, which are formed by his personality. His personalities become the starting points that motivate him to commit suicide. Therefore, the psychological approach is the most suitable theory to explain and describe the analysis of Okonkwo’s motivations. On the other side, the writer finds it easier to analyze and to understand the novel deeply.

2. 1. 2 Theory of Character

Characters play important role to the story in literary work. So, the readers need to know the characters in the story in order to understand the story. Every person in the story has their own character. Therefore, the readers have to know the definition and the kinds of character.

Abrams (1981: 23) states that characters are the persons presented in a dramatic or narrative work. Characters are interpreted by the readers as being endowed with moral, dispositional, and emotional qualities that are expressed in their dialogue. The basic of character’s emotion, desire, and temperament called motivation.

Rohrberger and Woods (1971: 20) state that characters are the persons who act in a story. They said that characters must be credible, which means that the readers must accept them as believable people.

Henkle (1981: 88-97) states two kinds of character. First character is major character in which he also calls as protagonist. The readers are able to identify the major character from the complexity of characterization, the amount of attention given to him, and the intensity that a character seems to transmit. He says that major character always fascinates the readers with his words or behavior so that major character deserves the readers’ fullest attention. On the other hand, the second character, secondary character, does not have full attention from the readers. This kind of character functions as a foil to the major character. Secondary character is generally less complex, less sophisticated, and less interesting.

Forster (1974: 46-51) divides characters into flat and round. He says that flat character is built by a single idea or quality. It is not represented by much individualizing detail. Therefore, it can be described in a single phrase or sentence. A round character is complex in temperament and motivation. This character is as difficult to describe as people in a real life. A round character is able to surprise the readers.

2. 1. 3 Theory of Characterization

Character and characterization is a unity. In real life, we will use characterization if we want to judge someone’s characters. According to Rohrberger

and Wood (1971: 20), characterization is the process by which the author creates a character. This is used by the author to decide the characters of the story. Kenney (1988: 34) in his book How to Read and Write about Fiction also defines characterization as “the method by which the characters will be presented to the readers”. Characterization in the novel helps us to know what the character in the story like. Characterization is used in order to give better understanding about the character of the story. The readers of the literary work will experience the course of the story or it seems that he reads the story of a person not an imaginary person.

Rohrberger and Wood (1971: 20) state there are two principal ways the author can characterize. He can use direct means to describe physical appearance and dramatic meansthat place the character in the situation to show what the character is through behavior or speaking.

The characterization itself according to Perrine (1974: 68-69) can be presented in two ways, direct and indirect. It is calleddirect presentation because the author tells the reader about the characters in his story directly using some expositions. The author describes the character's physical appearance. For example, the character is fat, slim, black, white, handsome, beautiful, ugly, etc. or the author explains the personality of the character. For example, he is shy, obedient, fearful, mercenary, etc. However, inindirect presentation method, the author tells the reader about the character through character’s behavior or speaking. Then, the readers infer what they are like from what they think, they say, or they do.

Murphy (1972: 161-173) mentions nine methods of how the author reveals the character's traits. They are personal description, character as seen by another, the character's speech, the character's past life, conversation of others, the character's reaction, the direct comment from the author, the character's thoughts and mannerism. There are some important points according to Perrine (1974: 69) to make the characterization more convincing. The characters should show attitude that is not changing as they want or easily change. It means that the characters may not develop their characteristic until they gain a clear reason for their changes. The characters should have a clear reason of their action so the reader will understand why the characters act in that way or why they do the action. The last point is that the characters must be drawn as human beings. It means that the characters have similarities to human being such as feeling, appearance, way of thinking, etc. If the characters have the aspect of human, the reader will feel that they are alive or the reader's experience the course of the story.

To analyze Okonkwo's personality, besides the theory of characterization, the writer will need some theories of personalities to help understanding his personalities in the novel. These theories will be useful to know the factors can be use to personalize somebody.

Allport as quoted in Hurlock's, defines that personality development is a stage in growth of a constantly changing and evoking process within an individual. The process becomes more complex, in the patterning of one self-concept, habits, attitudes, emotional states, sentiments, and motives. Furthermore, it determines his or

her uniqueness in speech, in reactions to people and things, in mannerism, in fantasy, and in other ways directed toward the specific goal to adjust his or her environment (Hurlock, 1974: 7).

To make it understandable and clearer about personalities, Hurlock has eight determinants, which can determine one's personality pattern (1974: 137-354). These determinants are very useful when the writer analyzes the personalities of Okonkwo. Yet, it is also important because Okonkwo's personality traits also influence his decision to commit suicide. The first determinants of personalities is physical determinant that shows physic and body functioning are obviously responsible for personality development. The physical factor influences self-concept when the person compares his physique with his ideal and the standard in his social group, especially when he is conscious of the other reaction.

The second determinant is intellectual determinant that shows intellectual capacities influence on person's adjustment to his environment, to people, to himself. When one intellectual capacity develops, the person will be aware of the worlds and his perceptions of people, of situation, and of himself. There are many conditions that can determine one's intellectual growth, such as motivation, physical condition, education and emotional states.

The third is emotional determinant where the intensity and duration of an emotion determines how it will affect the personality. Emotion affects the individual's physical and mental functioning and his attitudes, interests, and values. With advancing age, the affects of the emotions on physical well being increase.

Then the fourth determinant is social determinant that indicates that a person can earn in accordance with his developmental level because the social group sets developmental tasks or learning experiences, which expect the person to master them at a certain age. Social rates one learned and internalized by the person to become self-expectations as well as social expectations. It implies that when we enter a society and let ourselves plunge into its internalization we have to be ready to determine our steps in deciding whether we will take or leave that society expectations, norms and idealisms.

The fifth is aspiration and achievement determinants that include the ego-involved goals of a person and the success or failure of a person related with his training, experience, past achievement, flexibility, independence, risk taking, and motivation. The aspirations and achievement certainly can result good or bad effects in one's self-concept or even one's personality.

Next is sex determinant that shows the attitude of the society toward sex differences, and awareness of sex differences can determine a person to show his or her academic abilities, interests and aptitudes. The direct influence of sexuality on personality comes from the effects of the sex hormones, which influence body form and functioning and the quality of a person's behavior. The indirect influence is from the effect of cultural influences on the sex drive, the attitudes of significant people, and their treatment toward the person cause of his sexuality.

The seventh is educational determinant that considered as an important determinant in affecting one's personality, because parents, schools and colleges, and

teachers have great roles in shaping one's early personality. The emotional climate of an institution affects one's self evaluation and the evaluation of others made on him.

The last is family determinant that shows the relationship a person has with his family is the most important factor in his personality development. The child-training method and the communication of interests, attitudes, values between family members, person's identification with a family member he admires, respects, and loves can highly influence one's personality development.

2. 1. 4 Theory of Motivation

When a person is doing something there must be a reason to do it, which is called motivation. The motivation will influence someone to behave in a specific way. There are some definitions of motivation from different experts.

Motivation, according to Smith (1982:282), is defined as “an internal process that influences the direction, persistence, and vigor of goal directed behavior”. Motivation can be seen as an internal factor that moves human beings and animals to the achieved goal. Motivation also leads human to behave in specific behavior which can support them in the process of achieving their goal. Therefore motivation always influences someone's behavior. An individual always behaves in certain manners, because of his motivation, in order to adapt to the condition or to gain something. Wright, Taylor, Davies, Sluckin, Lee and Reasor (1975: 206) also say that

Motive is a particular class of reasons for doing something as when we talk about motives for a crime. In a broader or looser sense the word

motive simply refers to that which causes an individual to behave in anyway at all.

Bootzin, Loftus, Zajonc Black, La Piccolo and Holahan (1983: 367) state that "motive is the dynamic property of behavior that gives it organization over time and that defines its end states". Someone's behavior is conducted by some purpose and it leads to some end state, which may be goal or the satisfaction of some need. They (1983:368) also divide motivation into two kinds; they are external motivation and internal motivation. The external motivation called incentils, motivation that comes because of the environment influences. The internal motivation called drives that come from the person himself. They also called extrinsic motivation for the behaviour that is motivated by external reward, while behaviour, which is motivated by an individual's established persons, called intrinsic motivation (1983: 383).

Everybody is always motivated when they are going to do something whether it is good or not in any condition of life. Motivations also influence one's life in different way. Related with that, In McClelland’s book, Abraham Maslow states that motivation has a close relation with basic human needs. He also says that man is initially motivated by a series of basic needs; as these are satisfied, he moves toward the higher level of needs and becomes motivated by them. There are five basic needs according to him (1985:42).

a. Psychological needs (need for food, water, and sex).

b. Safety needs (need for security and protection from pain, fear, anxiety and disorder); need for order, lawfulness and discipline.

c. Needs for belongingness and love (need for love, tenderness, and togetherness). Maslow (1970) as quoted in Petri (1979: 303) states that when the physiological needs and the safety needs are satisfied, needs for love, affection, and belongingness emerge. He also says that the evidence that we need love is the same as we need iodine or vitamin C. The lack of love stifles the growth and the development of potential.

d. Esteem needs (need for achievement, respect, and approval). According to Maslow (1970) as quoted in Petri (1979: 303), there are two esteem needs. They are self-esteem and respect from other people. He says that self-esteem includes needs such as desire for confidence, and freedom. Person who has self-esteem, usually more confident, capable and thus, more productive, but if it is absent, the individual has feelings of inferiority and helplessness, which may result in discouragement and possible neurotic behavior. The second esteem needs is self-respect from others includes such concepts as prestige, recognition, acceptance, attention, status reputation, and appreciation.

e. Self-actualization needs (need for self-fulfillment, for realizing one’s potential, for understanding and insight). Maslow (1970) as quoted in Petri (1979: 301) states that it is the desire to become more and more what one is to become everything that one is capable of becoming. Self actualizing people do not feel anxiety-ridden, insecure, unsafe, do not feel alone, ostracized, rootless, or isolated, do not feel unlovable, rejected or

unwanted, do not feel despised and looked down upon, and do not feel deeply unworthy, nor do they have crippling feelings or inferiority or worthlessness.

This theory of motivation of basic needs is needed in order to help the writer in analyzing Okonkwo's reasons to commit a suicide since there are some of his basic needs that are not fulfilled.

2. 1. 5 Theory of Suicide

It is shocking to know Okonkwo commits suicide although nowadays that action is not a new thing anymore. Many people do that action as the way out of their problems. Therefore, suicide is considered as one of the easiest ways to get out of problem.

Redestam as quoted by Sue (1986: 403) states that suicide is the taking of one's own life, with repugnance, and there are strong religious sanctions against it as well. Suicide is both a sin in canonical law and an illegal act according to the laws of most countries. However, Smith (1982: 129) defines suicide as the act of intentionally destroying oneself, a violent self-inflicted destructive action resulting in death. Based on the findings of modern psychology, Baumeister (1990) as quoted in Baron (1995: 558) suggests that suicide is the result of efforts by individuals to escape themselves, to escape from awareness their own faults and shortcomings.

Suicide has many categories, according to Durkheim (1897) as quoted in Sue (1986: 408) there are three categories of suicide. The first is egoistic suicide, which

results from an inability to integrate oneself with society. A failure to keep close ties with the community deprives the individual of the support systems that are necessary for adaptive functioning. Without such support, and unable to function adaptively, the individual becomes isolated and alienated from other people. The second isaltruistic suicidewhich motivated by the need to further group goals or to achieve some greater good. One's life is given up for a higher cause (for example in religious sacrifice or the ultimate political protest). The third is anomic suicide, it is happen when a person's relationship to society is unbalanced in some dramatic fashion. When an individual's horizons are suddenly broadened or constricted by unstable conditions, he or she may not be able to handle the change or cope with the new status and may choose suicide as an 'out'. The suicides of individuals who lost their personal wealth during the Great Depression are of this type. Similarly, a person who suddenly and unexpectedly acquires great wealth may be prone to suicide.

According to Geo Stone in his book,Suicide and Attempted Suicide, there are three ways used to study suicide. They are Sociology, Psychology and Psychiatry, and also Biology (1999: 23). The writer will only use the psychological and psychiatrically approach since it is closely relate to the study. Psychological and psychiatrically approach emphasizes and examines the individual, and the conflict within a particular mind that may lead to self-destructive behavior. It is stated in Stone's book that while people with diagnoses of depression, schizophrenia, or psychosis have suicide rates five to fifteen times that of general population whereas hopelessness about the future seems to be a better predictor for suicide (1999: 24-25).

There are always causes in doing something, even in commit suicide. Generally, the causes in doing suicide are about family, job, money, self-esteem, job or carrier. Coleman (1976: 606-607), categorized the causes of suicide into four factors. The first is interpersonal crises. Interpersonal conflicts and disruptions-associated with marital conflict, separation, divorce, or the loss of loved ones through death-may result in severe stress and suicidal behavior. The second cause is failure and self-devaluation. Many suicides are associated with feeling of having failed in some important enterprise with resulting feeling of self-devaluation. The third is inner conflict. Here the stress situation is characterized by an inner conflict and debate in the person’s own mind. The last is loss of meaning and hope. By losing hope and meaning, an individual may feel that life is useless. As a result, he may give up trying and take his own life. As quoted in Coleman (1976: 607), Melges and Bowlby (1969) find that of all the symptoms correlated with suicide, hopelessness predominated. As long as they see meaning in their lives, most people continue to work toward valued goals. By losing hope and meaning, an individual may feel that life is useless. As a result, he may give up trying and take his own life.

2. 2. Theoretical Framework

The theories that are explained in the previous section are useful to solve the two problems formulated in the problem formulation, and to help the writer understand the whole story in the novel and to answer the problem. To answer the first problem, the writer uses the theory character and characterization. Those theories

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 Okonkwo's 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.

21

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 father's 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.

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 Okonkwo's 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. Okonkwo's 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 Okonkwo's 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

accept Christianity because they believe that this religion has ability to fulfill their needs.

In the end of the story, when the people of Umuofia gather, Okonkwo kills one of the messengers of the white government who wants to try and stop their meeting. He realizes that the people of Umuofia are not going to fight to protect themselves because they let the other messengers escape. When the local leader of the white government comes to Okonkwo's house to take him to court, he finds that Okonkwo has hanged himself. Ironically, although he has been a respectful leader, the people of his village do not want to put his dead body from the tree because his body polluted their sacred land.

3. 2. Approach of the Study

This research analyzes the motivation of the main character, Okonkwo, to commit suicide. Considering that motivation is one of psychological aspects of human being, the writer used psychological approach. As stated in Reading and Writing about Literature (Rohrberger and Woods, 1971:13), psychological approach emphasizes on the human psychology, which contains thought, behavior, human personality, motivation, and other aspects, which are related to the human psychology that give influences in literary work.

In this case, the writer tries to find the motivation from the psychological aspects of the main character. By using this approach, the writer tries to find out what the reasons of the main character to commit suicide.

This thesis uses library study as the gathering data method. There are two main sources that support the writer in conducting this thesis. The first is the novel itself as the primary data. The second is the data that are used to support the analysis, such as theories and the data that the writer takes from the library and the electronic sources.

In conducting this research, the writer takes some steps. The first step is the writer read the novel several times to get better understanding. Second, the writer decided the topic that the writer wanted to discuss, that is the reasons of the main character, Okonkwo, to commit suicide. Third, the writer looked for some references and theories that are related to the topic that the writer wanted to discuss. The fourth step was analyzing the novel. The writer analyzed the characterization of Okonkwo as the main character of the novel. Besides discussing Okonkwo's characteristic, the analysis also discussed about reasons of the main character, Okonkwo, to commit suicide. The last step was drawing the conclusion of the study based on the result of the analysis.

25 ANALYSIS

This chapter discusses two problem stated in chapter one. The first analysis deals with the descriptions of Okonkwo's personalities. The second analysis is conducted to know the reasons of Okonkwo in committing suicide.

4. 1. The Description of Okonkwo's Personality

There are some conditions that influence Okonkwo's personalities in the novel. Chinua Achebe, the author of the novel, describes the personalities of Okonkwo through his personal description, character as seen by another speech, past life, conversation of others, reactions, thought and mannerism (Murphy, 1972: 161-193). The personalities of Okonkwo were described very clearly by using the theory of characterization. In order to determine Okonkwo's personalities, the writer also uses the theory of Hurlock (1974: 137-354). This theory is employed to determine Okonkwo's personalities. Okonkwo's personalities are formed by his physical, intellectual, emotional, social, aspiration and achievement, educational and the last is family determinant. Not all of Hurlock's theory will be used to determine Okonkwo's personalities, but only the theories that have the closest understanding to Okonkwo's personalities.

The fear of Unoka's failure and weakness has covered Okonkwo's life since he was a boy. The domination of this fear in his life is so great. Then, it makes he grows to be a very stern man. He is willing to rule his life rigorously in

success and fame. He wants other people to admire and appreciate his success. The conflict against his father's misfortune also makes him as a man who cannot accept any failure and weakness. He is a superior man in his village, especially in his family.

These are two of Okonkwo's personalities, which dominate his reasons why he commits suicide in the end of the story.

4. 1. 1. Fear of failure

Achebe never reveals Okonkwo's character when he was a kid since the very beginning of Things Fall Apart. The story is opened when Okonkwo has achieved all his glorious moments. As a very successful man, Okonkwo needs a long process to achieve his glory. Okonkwo's turning point is his past time when he has a conflict against his father. It is his hatred and fear toward his father's failure and weakness. This conflict also has a significant role in making Okonkwo's character.

Little Okonkwo was treated so badly just because of his father's failure and weakness. He lost his happy childhood. He was very sad because most of his playmates did not accept him friendly. As an innocent boy, he had to take all mockeries just because he was a son of an empty man, an agbala. That is why Okonkwo promises to himself that he does not want to be like his father. He hates his father and everything that represents his father's failure and weakness.

told him that his father wasagbala.That was how Okonkwo first came to know thatagbala was not only a name for a woman, it could also mean a man who had taken no title. And so Okonkwo was ruled by one passion— to hate everything that his father Unoka had loved. (p.13)

The fear of Unoka's failure and weakness has covered Okonkwo's life sin he was a boy. The domination of this fear in his life is so great. Therefore, by hard working Okonkwo can achieve his success and fame. The conflict against his father's misfortune also makes him as a man who cannot accept any failure and weakness.

Perhaps down in his heart Okonkwo was not a cruel man. But his whole life was dominated by the fear, the fear of failure and weakness. (p.13)

4. 1. 2. Stern and Bad Temper

Okonkwo's unhappy childhood makes him grow to be a very stern person. He is willing to rule his life rigorously in order to avoid his father's mistake. He spends most of his time only for working. He realizes that hard working is the key of his success. He wants to end his miserable life by choosing his own life. He is tired of living under his father's shadow. His strong intention, to achieve a success, is shown when he succeeded in defeating Amalinze the Cat, a tough and famous wrestler, in a wrestling match. Suddenly, his life changes from a poor young boy into a very well known wrestler. This victory leads him to achieve another success that awaits him in the years to come.

His obsession, to avoid his father's mistake and to be a successful man, in fact changes him to be a very temperamental man. He is too strict in managing

expectation. He always uses his harsh and cruel actions every time he sees laziness and weakness in their life. He often gives them punishment if they disobey his orders.

Okonkwo ruled his household with a heavy hand. His`wives, especially the youngest, lived in perpetual fear of his fiery temper, and so did his little children. (p.13)

His superiority can be on the way he treats unsuccessful men. He is so strict with the condition of being weak or lazy. This condition always makes him upset. He does not care of such thing although his wives or children do those kinds of thing. He always uses his strength and harsh action to teach his wives and children in avoiding laziness or weakness.

Okonkwo never showed any emotion openly, unless it be the emotion of anger. To show affection was a sign of weakness; the only thing worth demonstrating was strength. (p.28)

Although Okonkwo is described as a great warrior but he also has some weaknesses. Besides his strong and well-built body, Okonkwo cannot say what he thought quickly. He is a little bit stammer. He is also a man who cannot accommodate his anger. Every time he gets angry and cannot express it by his words, he will use his fists to satisfy his anger. He often uses his fists to weakness and unsuccessful men like his father.

And he did pounce on people quite often. He had a slight stammer and whenever he was angry and could not get his words quickly enough, he would use his fists. He had no patience with unsuccessful men. He had no patience with his father. (p.4)

Okonkwo's harsh actions actually show his inability in overcoming his fear. He covers up his weakness behind his harsh and rude actions. He cannot

Moreover, he spreads his "fear" to everybody and prevents them to recognize his weakness.

4. 2. Okonkwo's Reasons in Committing Suicide

In the first part of this analysis, I have explained about Okonkwo's personalities, which are negative. However, Okonkwo's reasons in committing suicide are closely related to his negative personalities. They are connected each other because Okonkwo's personalities has activated his motivations to commit suicide. Therefore, in this part the most important point I would like to explain is Okonkwo's reasons to commit suicide as result of his personalities.

Before explaining more about his reasons to commit suicide, the writer would like to discuss about Okonkwo's past life that forms his negative personalities that support him to commit suicide. These parts are divided into three parts. They are the main conflicts that Okonkwo faced, how Okonkwo deals with the conflict and how conflicts change Okonkwo’s character.

In the very beginning of Things Fall Apart, Achebe gives two different conditions of Okonkwo's and his father's life. It seems that Achebe wants to contrast them. The differences can be seen on the way Okonkwo and his father (Unoka) face their lives and achieve their goals. Okonkwo is described as a very successful man, while his father is described as the opposite. Those differences became a trigger that causes a conflict not only between Okonkwo and his father, but also Okonkwo and all unsuccessful men.

brought honor to his village by throwing Amalinze the Cat the wrestling match. That was many years ago, twenty years or more, and during this time Okonkwo's fame had grown like a bush-fire in the harmattan. (p.3). Young Okonkwo starts his success by throwing Amalinze the Cat in the wrestling match. It suddenly changes his life because he had defeated a tough wrestler who is unbeaten for seven years. At first, Okonkwo gets his fame as the greatest wrestler, and then he gets everything.

He was still young but he had won fame as the greatest wrestler in the nine villages. He was a wealthy farmer and had two barns full of yams, and had just married his third wife. To crown it all he had taken two titles and had shown incredible prowess in two inter-tribal wars. (p.8)

On the other hand, Unoka, his father, spends his lifetime in laziness. He does not want to work. He gets his money by borrowing from his neighbors. Unoka is a man who is incapable in organizing his money and his life. He spends all of his money to have a party and buy some wine.

Unoka, for that was his father's name, had died ten years ago. In his day he was lazy and improvident and was quite incapable of thinking about tomorrow. If any money came to his way, and it seldom did, he immediately bought gourds of palm-wine, called round his neighbors and made merry... Unoka was, of course, a debtor, and he owed every neighbor some money, from a few cowries to quite substantial amounts. (p.4)

Different with Okonkwo, Unoka grows in his failure. He brings his family into a great poverty. He does not have any money to feed his wife and children. Moreover, people do not give any respect to him because he is such a lazy person. People do not respect Unoka's fear in taking any war. He is a coward who cannot stand to see the bloodshed. In his death, Unoka left a bad memory, as he had never

all is considered as a woman oragbala.

Unoka, the grown-up, was a failure. He was poor and his wife and children had barely enough to eat. People laughed at him because he was a loafer, and they swore never to lend him any more money because he never paid back. (p.5)... Unoka was never happy when it came to wars. He was in fact a coward and could not bear the sight of blood… (p.6)... When Unoka died he had taken no title at all and he was heavily in debt. (p.8)

The differences of Okonkwo and his father's life cause a conflict not only between Okonkwo and his father, but also Okonkwo and all unsuccessful men. In this conflict, Okonkwo does not fight against a real opponent. His opponent is inside his mind. He is in a conflict against the memory of his father. He has to force out the fear of his father's failure and weakness that haunts his life. Okonkwo's inner conflict has appeared since he was a kid, but it grows bigger after the death of his father.

After the death of his father, Okonkwo is haunted by his father's failure and weakness. This haunting memory becomes Okonkwo's biggest fear. It influences the way he rules his life and treats other people. Moreover, this fear has dominated his life. He hates everything that signifies his father's failure and weakness. As the result, he works hard to achieve his success and to avoid any condition for being weak. He will never give any respect to lazy and weak people. He does that in order to show his hatred to unsuccessful men.

Perhaps down in his heart Okonkwo was not a cruel man. But his whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of weakness. It was deeper and more intimate than the fear of evil and capricious gods and of magic, the fear of the forest, and of the forces of nature, malevolent, red in tooth and claw. Okonkwo's fear was greater than these. It was not external but lay deep within himself. It was the fear of himself, lest he should be found to resemble his father. (p.13)

scare to his father. In fact, he scares to his father's misfortune. He does not want to be like his father. So, he does everything to avoid his father's misfortune. That is why he tries to expel his fear of his father's failure and weakness every time. Okonkwo can only expel his fear for a while, but not keep it away forever. So, it is obvious if this fear appears again when he deals with his first son, Nwoye. As a great man, Okonkwo is easy to give the mark of 'weakness' to every person who does not resemble him. In his point of view, those who do not work and live as well as him will be considered as lazy and weak people.

His second conflict is with his son, Nwoye. It is stated in the novel that Nwoye starts showing his laziness and weakness. Okonkwo is dissapointed to see the development of his first son because Nwoye does not do the same thing as what Okonkwo did in his childhood. Moreover, he often makes a lot of mistake in dealing with men's business. Based on those things, Okonkwo considers his first son as a lazy and weak person.

Okonkwo cannot tolerate Nwoye's behavior. He never understands to his first son's'condition. He is very worried if his first son grows to be like his father, Unoka. That is why Okonkwo has to eliminate laziness and weakness from Nwoye's mind. The only reason that made his father live in a great poverty until his death was his own laziness.

Okonkwo's first son, Nwoye, was then twelve years old but was already causing his father great anxiety for his incipient laziness. At any rate, that was how it looked to his father, and he sought to correct him by constant nagging and beating. And so Nwoye was developing into a sad-faced youth. (pp. 13-14)

Okonkwo only judges people based on his own point of view.

The conflict of Okonkwo against the British is opened with the British's arrival in Ibo land. The story of the white men's arrival is widely known after the incident of Abame people. There is a physical contact between the natives and the British that kills a lot of Abame people. The British spreads threats and fear among the natives by using this tragic incident. It seems that their arrival is the fulfillment of the prophecy. By guns, the British shows that their arrival cannot be considered as temporary.

"... The elders consulted their oracle and it told them that the strange man would break their clan and spread destruction among them. ... It is said that other white men were on their way. They were locust, it is said, and that first man was their harbinger sent to explore the terrain. And so they kill them." (pp. 138-139)

Actually, the reason Of British people's arrival is for spreading Christianity in lbo land. In fact, this new religion is used as a means to control the natives' mind. Instead of building a church, the British builds some public services, such as school, market place, hospital, court, etc. to attract the natives' attention. In Okonkwo's point of view, there are two reasons why he wants to declare war against the British. First, he cannot stand to see his people go into the British's hands and finally fall apart. Second, he cannot tolerate his first son's decision to join the Christians. He blames the British as the source of all terrible things in Ibo land.

When Okonkwo has a conflict with his father, his father is not actually his real opponent. His real opponent is in his mind, how he deals with his fear of

with his fear. He keeps his fear by himself. He never allows other people, even his wives, to help him solving his problem. He is so worried if other people know that the greatest wrestler like him also has fear. He does not want to ruin his own reputation by admitting his fear in front of his wives and other people. As the result, his fear always appears every time he deals with any failure and weakness. He always relates other people's mistakes with his father's misfortune. Moreover, it influences Okonkwo's behavior to be more cruel and harsh. He is willing to give his fists to his family and other people if he sees their weakness or failure. He sometimes uses harsh words to underestimate them. He never realizes that his father's misfortune has nothing to do with other people's life or his success.

He had no patience with unsuccessful men. He had no patience with his father (p.4)... And so Okonkwo was ruled by one passion—to hate everything that his father Unoka had loved. One of those things was gentleness and another was idleness. (p.13)... And indeed he was possessed by the fear of his father's contemptible life and shameful d.eath. (p.18)

The way Okonkwo solves his problem is very common. Like what people always do, he takes the easiest way he known. He does not want to spend his energy only to eliminate his fear. Moreover, this solution is very effective to keep his fear away from his mind. He does that over and over again to fight his fear.

But he had long learned how to lay that ghost. Whenever the thought of his father's weakness and failure troubled him he expelled it by thinking his own strength and success. And so he did now. His mind went to his latest show of manliness. (p.66)

solution. What he does is only distracting his mind from his father's failure and weakness into his glorious past time.

Moreover, he does not bring his inner conflict to an end. So, it is obvious that his fear remains silent in his head. His life is stuck in the past, in his glorious moment and his father's misfortune.

Then, while he tries to expel his fear, he must face a conflict with his first son, Nwoye. Nwoye starts showing his laziness and weakness and Okonkwo cannot tolerate his son’s behaviors. The way Okonkwo deals with Nwoye's laziness and weakness is very rude. He uses his strength and fists to correct Nwoye's misbehavior. He never tries to handle his children's mistakes in a more constructive way. He never uses his affection to approach his children. He tends to destroy his children's self confidence by giving them fists or underestimating words. He never uses his love to solve his problem with them. What he always does is showing his strength and rude actions.

Okonkwo never showed any emotion openly, unless it be the emotion of anger. To show affection was a sign of weakness; the only thing worth demonstrating was strength. (p.28)

The existence of a boy named Ikemefuna in Okonkwo's family actually solves the conflict temporarily. Ikemefuna's arrival does not only bring a good impact to Okonkwo, but also to Nwoye. Okonkwo is happy seeing his first son's development. Nwoye starts listening and understanding what his father says and orders. He starts loving and doing a man job. Together with Ikemefuna, Nwoye feels enthusiastic to work in the farm. He is more diligent than before. He also

with his father. Now, there is nothing can please his heart than do a man like job. Nwoye has succeeded in making his father glad. He has solved his conflict with his father.

Okonkwo was inwardly pleased at his son's development, and he knew it was due to Ikemefuria. (p.52) ... he knew that his father, wanted him to be a man. And so he feigned that he no longer cared for women's stories. And when he did this he saw that his father was pleased, and no longer rebuked him or beat him. (p.54)

This happy condition, does not last forever. Everything changes after Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna. He has to kill Ikemefuna because he has to obey what his custom/the oracle says. In fact, he kills lkemefuna because he does not want people consider him as a weak man, just because he is unwilling to kill his 'step' son. Nwoye starts questioning his father's reason for killing Ikemefuna, but he never dares to ask him directly. He never thinks his father would do such kind of thing, because he knows his father loved Ikemefuna very much. It can be shown after Okonkwo kills him,he fells a deep sadness.

Okonkwo did not taste any food for two days after the died of Ikemefuna. He drank palm-wine from morning till night, and his eyes were red and fierce like the eyes of a rat when it was caught by the tail amd dashed against the floor… he did not sleep at night. He tried not to think about Ikemefuna, but the more he tried the more he thought about him (p.63)

After drowning in a deep sadness because of Ikemefuna's death, Okonkwo starts treating Nwoye in a harsh way again. In fact, Okonkwo's abusive approach does not solve his conflict against Nwoye. It indeed grows to be more complicated. Okonkwo's conflict against his son reaches its peak when Nwoye decides to leave his family and to join the Christians. It is a very surprising

enemy? The reason is very simple. Nwoye wants to end his conflict with his father.

He cannot stand to live in the shadow of his father's fame and success. He wants to escape from his father's domination and control. He wants to leave his irrational custom that has taken Ikemefuna's life. He wants to choose his own path by joining the Christians.

Mr. Kiaga's joy was very great. "Blessed is he who forsakes his father and his mother for my sake," he intoned. "Those that hear my words are my father and my mother." Nwoye did not fully understand. But he was happy to leave his father. He would return later to his mother and his brothers and sisters and convert them to the new faith (p.152)

After this tragic incident of his first son, Okonkwo starts to teach his other five sons more carefully. He has learned a valuable lesson from his past time and does not want to be drowned for the second time. His father's misfortune has taught him a very important lesson. He cannot change people from not having mistake and weakness. Although he regrets his first son's decision, he cannot blame his son for all these messes. He realizes that he takes part in Nwoye's mistake. Nwoye's leaves and Okonkwo's consciousness in taking care of his sons' life ends this conflict.

Then the tragedy of his first son had occurred. At first it appeared as if it might prove too great for his spirit. But it was a resilient spirit, and in the end Okonkwo overcame his sorrow. He had five other sons and he would bring them up in the way of the clan. (p.172)

The last conflict with the British people is the most complicated problem for Okonkwo to solve. There are so many difficulties that hamper his effort in bringing this conflict to an end. Most of difficulties come from the circumstances

into exile in his motherland, Mbanta. Okonkwo and his family have to spend their seven years in exile in order to purify Okonkwo's crime in killing a boy in a funeral. Actually it was not Okonkwo's mistake because his gun exploded accidentally and the bullet killed the boy. According to Ibo's custom, Okonkwo had done a female crime because he did that by accident. That is why he has to go to his exile to purify his female crime.

The only course open to Okonkwo was to flee from the clan, it was crime against the earth goddess to kill a clansman, and a man who committed it must flee, from the land. The crime was of two kinds, male and female. Okonkwo had committed the female, because it had been inadvertent. He could return to the clan after seven years. (p.124)

Although he knows the British's arrival in the second year of his exile but he cannot do anything. He does not use his manly action in dealing with the new religion. He is indeed worried to his motherland's unity, but he tends to do nothing. The only reason that prevents his manly action during his exile is his responsibility to take care of his family. He does not want to do anything that may jeopardize his wives and children's safety.

Uchendu said, "Your duty is to comfort your wives and children and take them back to your fatherland after seven years. But if you allow sorrow to weigh you down and kill you, they will all die in exile." (p.134)

Okonkwo does not have any power to encourage his mother clansmen to fight back the British. Here, he does not have any capacity to decide what the Mbanta people should do. He cannot get involved in his motherland's political matters. Okonkwo is nobody here, although the people of Mbanta still respect him as the greatest wrestler among the villagers. As a man of action, Okonkwo cannot

good thing for him. Everything can change in Mbanta and especially in his clan, Umuofia, while he is away.

Okonkwo starts showing his participation in dealing with the British when his first son, Nwoye, leaves him to join the Christians. Covered by his anger, he provokes his mother's clansmen to expel the British coercively. He wants the people of Mbanta to declare war against the British imperial rule, but the elders of Mbanta tend to do another thing. They want to expel the British in a softer way. They avoid any physical contact that may jeopardize their people's lives. Okonkwo realizes that his clansmen's action hampers his effort in solving his conflict. He is indeed disappointed.

The spirit of wars was upon them. Okonkwo. who had begun to play a part in the affairs of his motherland, said that until the abominable gang was chased out of the village with whips there would be no peace... Everybody in the assembly spoke, and in the end it was decided to ostracize the Christians. Okonkwo ground his teeth, in disgust. (pp. 158-159)

After coming back from his exile, Okonkwo is surprised by the change of his clan Umuofia. Umuofia has a church, school, hospital and district court. The British government has controlled the natives' life. Many people become the converts of Christianity. Some of them are people who have high title. Okonkwo is very sad seeing this reality. He and his best friend, Obierika, have a plan to drive away the British, but it is a little bit too late because some of his clansmen have joined the Christians. Now, they have a dilemmatic problem. If they want to attack the British it means that they have to deal with their own people. It is not an easy problem for Okonkwo and he does not want to deal with his own clansmen

of Umuofia have lost their spirit of war.

"... How do you think we can fight when our own brothers have turned against us? The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won. our brothers, and our clan no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart." (p.176)

He never wonders that his people will join the Christians. They have turned to be like women indeed. They do not have any strength to defend their own belief, their dignity. They let the new religion ruins their traditional belief and their unity as a member of Umuofia clan. In fact, Okonkwo is a man of action and he will never let his emotion control his mind. He then tries to gather his clansmen who are willing to fight the British with him. He is very glad when some of Umuofia people ostracize the converts. Moreover they burn the Christians' church to show their struggle toward the British's invasion. Okonkwo cannot hide his happiness although his people do not want to kill the British as he always hopes.

After the church destruction, Okonkwo and the other elders are arrested to take the responsibility of their crime. They are put behind bars and have to pay the fine for their crime. This condition does not soften Okonkwo's spirit against the British. His anger grows even worse when he and his friend are treated very badly in the prison. Now, he does not only hate the British, but also the court messengers (kotma). Okonkwo has to wait for his freedom in order to satisfy his

while.

The day Okonkwo gets his freedom is they day he confirms his intention. His punishment does not soften him. He is still a man of war. He will fight the British with or without his clansmens' help. Wearing his war-dress, he starts gathering his clansmen again. In the meeting Okonkwo and his clansmen agree to fight the British with all efforts they have, although they will deal, with their own people. The clansmen of Umuofia are sorry if they have to fight their own people in attacking the British.

Okika said, "... We who are here this morning have remained true to our fathers, but our brothers have deserted us and joined a stranger to soil their fatherland. If we fight the stranger we shall hit our brothers and perhaps shed the blood of a clansman. But we must do it... And if our brothers take the side of evil we must root them out too. And we must do it now..." (pp. 203-204)

In fact, their plans are not running smoothly. It is disturbed for a while when a band of court messengers suddenly come to the place where the great men hold the meeting. The kotma wants Okonkwo and his friend to stop the meeting. Led by his anger and hatred Okonkwo suddenly withdraws his knife and kills one of the kotma.

In a flash Okonkwo drew his machete. The messenger crouched to avoid the blow. It was useless. Okonkwo's machete descended twice and the man's head lay beside his uniformed body. (p.204)

He does that because he knows that there will be no war against the British. The people of Umuofia have fallen apart and they do not have enough

kills himself.

Okonkwo stood looking at the dead man. He knew that Umuofia would not go to war. He knew because they had let the other messengers escape. (p.205)

There are some of the basic needs that cannot be fulfilled by Okonkwo, which may motivate him to commit suicide. Okonkwo is lacking of safety, belongingness and love, self-esteem, and self-actualization. He needs the safety when he has killed a colonial official with a machete. At the time, his people have been divided by loyalties to the colonial regime and their own religion and culture. They actually could have risen up and defended Okonkwo's actions, but they do not. They do not jump in to help him. They just let the rest of the men escape. In letting them escape, Okonkwo was left with the realization that the "white men" conquered his tribe. This makes Okonkwo feels that he has nobody to support him. Then, his need of safety is not fulfilled.

The waiting backcloth jumped into tumultuous life and the meeting was stopped. Okonkwo stood looking at the dead man. He knew that Umuofia would not go to war. He knew because they had let the other messengers escape. They had broken into tumult instead of action. He discerned fright in that tumult. He heard voices asking: "Why did he do it?"

He wiped his machete on the sand and went away. (p.205)

In this occasion, Okonkwo also feels that he is lack of belongingness and love and also self-esteem. It can be seen when his son leaves him to become a Christian, the tribe will not go to war against the British, and he faces execution for killing the white man. He cannot accept the change of his people. He cannot accept the new belief. Moreover, he cannot accommodate himself to the change of his society. It is his way of bringing his conflict to an end. He is unable to solve

There is no possibility to defeat the British single-handed. His opponent's power is indeed greater than his quality as a human being. Okonkwo's self-actualization is fail too. Since the beginning of the story, Okonkwo is described as a successful man. He will do anything to show his manliness and Igbo people do appreciate what Okonkwo does. He does not want to be like his father, an empty man. But, at the end, Okonkwo feel that he is fail. He does not have any power to encourage his clansmen to fight back the British. Okonkwo's suicide is also the answer of his fear of his father's failure and weakness. He spends his life to avoid his father's shadow, but in the end he dies as what his fathers did. By his suicide he makes people judge him like his father. Both of them are not worthy to be buried properly like a man. Okonkwo is not a great warrior anymore. He is not strong enough to face the reality. Like a coward he runs away and escapes himself from hard and painful matters.

Obierika, who had been gazing steadily at his friend's dangling body, turned suddenly to the District Commissioner and said ferociously: "That man was one of the greatest men in Umuofia. You drove him to kill himself; and now he will be buried like a dog..." He could not say any more. His voice trembled and chocked his words. (p.208)

Okonkwo's decision to commit suicide is followed by his action to hang himself on the tree to kill himself. Smith said that suicide is the act of intentionally destroying oneself, a violent self-inflicted destructive action resulting in death, and the act of killing oneself (1982: 129). Someone who has the decision to commit suicide usually has a combination between a wish to live and a wish to die which maybe a cry for help. Okonkwo maybe needs help from somebody from

enough to understand Okonkwo's difficulties and problems. At the end, he comes to his decision to commit suicide because nobody helps him.

If only Okonkwo had friends and family understand his feeling and problems, maybe he would not take that decision. However, he thinks that his decision is the right decision for him since there are nobody wants to help him making up his life. Okonkwo commits suicide also as results of his inability to integrate with his new society. Durkheim (1897) as quoted in Sue (1986: 408) states that this act is categorized as an egoistic suicide. Okonkwo thinks that he should defend his Igbo religion and belief, rather than join them. It is shown from the actions that he takes against the British people.

Okonkwo's reason to commit suicide is caused by his unsatisfied on life. He wants to end his life and hopes that he will get a better life after death or at least he will not live in a world that neglecting him. James et.al. (1990: 350) states that whenever we want to do something, we always have causes that motivate us to do it, and so it does when we want to commit suicide. Okonkwo has an unsatisfying life that causes him to commit suicide. Commonly, so many causes motivate someone to do suicide. He categorizes the causes of suicide only into three, they are interpersonal crises, failure and self-devaluation and loss of meaning and hope. Here, Okonkwo's causes of committing suicide are categorized as a loss of meaning and hope. According to Melges and Bowlby (1969) as quoted in James et. al, if someone has loss of hope and meaning, he may give up trying

life and he does not want to struggle his life anymore.

Okonkwo's decision to commit suicide is strongly related to his personalities, especially his way of thinking. He always thinks about how to be a successful man who never shows weakness. He never approves every single weakness. Okonkwo's personalities become the reason that motivates him to commit suicide.

details. He had already chosen the title of the book, after much

thought:

The Pacification

of

the Primitive

Tribes of the Lower

Niger

.

A GLOSSARY OF IBO WORDS AND PHRASES

agadi-nwayi

: old woman.

Agbala:

woman; also used of a man who has taken no title.

Chi:

personal god.

efukfu

: worthless man.

egwugwu

: a masquerader who impersonates one of the ancestral

spirits of the village.

ekwe

: a musical instrument; a type of drum made from wood.

eneke-nti-oba

: a kind of bird.

eze-agadi-nwayi

: the teeth of an old woman.

iba

: fever.

ilo

: the village green, where assemblies for sports, discussions,

etc., take place.

inyanga

: showing off, bragging.

isa-ifi

: a ceremony. If a wife had been separated from her husband

for some time and were then to be re-united with him, this

ceremony would be held to ascertain that she had not been

unfaithful to him during the time of their separation.

iyi-uwa

: a special kind of stone which forms the link between an

ogbanje

and the spirit world. Only if the

iyi-uwa

were discovered

and destroyed would the child not die.

jigida

: a string of waist beads.

kotma

: court messenger. The word is not of Ibo origin but is a

corruption of "court messenger."

kwenu

: a shout of approval and greeting.

ndicbie

: elders.

nna ayi

: our father.

nno

: welcome.

nso-ani

: a religious offence of a kind abhorred by everyone,

literally earth's taboo.

nza

: a very small bird.

obi

: the large living quarters of the head of the family.

obodo dike

: the land of the brave.

ochu

: murder or manslaughter.

ogbanje

: a changeling,- a child who repeatedly dies and returns to

its mother to be reborn. It is almost impossible to bring up an

ogbanje

child without it dying, unless its

iyi-uwa

is first found and

destroyed.

ogene

: a musical instrument; a kind of gong.

oji

odu achu-ijiji-o

: (cow i.e., the one that uses its tail to drive flies

away).

osu

: outcast. Having been dedicated to a god, the

osu

was taboo

and was not allowed to mix with the freeborn in any way.

Oye

: the name of one of the four market days.

ozo

: the name of one of the titles or ranks.

tufia

: a curse or oath.

udu

: a musical instrument; a type of drum made from pottery.

uli: a dye used by women for drawing patterns on the skin.

umuada

: a family gathering of daughters, for which the female

kinsfolk return to their village of origin.

umunna-

. a wide group of kinsmen (the masculine form of the

word

umuada)

.

Uri

: part of the betrothal ceremony when the dowry is paid.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chinua Achebe was born in Nigeria in 1930. He was raised in the

large village of Ogidi, one of the first centers of Anglican

missionary work in Eastern Nigeria, and is a graduate of

University College, Ibadan.

His early career in radio ended abruptly in 1966, when he left his

post as Director of External Broadcasting in Nigeria during the

national upheaval that led to the Biafran War. He was appointed

Senior Research Fellow at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and

began lecturing widely abroad.

From 1972 to 1976, and again in 1987 to 1988, Mr. Achebe was

Professor of English at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst,

and also for one year at the University of Connecticut, Storrs.

Cited in the London

Sunday Times

as one of the "1,000 Makers of

the Twentieth Century" for defining "a modern African literature

that was truly African" and thereby making "a major contribution

to world literature," has published novels, short stories, essays, and

children's books. His volume of poetry,

Christmas in Biafra

,

written during the Biafran War, was the joint winner of the first

Commonwealth Poetry Prize. Of his novels,

Arrow of God

is

winner of the New Statesman-Jock Campbell Award, and

Anthills

of the Savannah

was a finalist for the 1987 Booker Prize in

England.

Mr. Achebe has received numerous honors from around the world,

including the Honorary Fellowship of the American Academy and

Institute of Arts and Letters, as well as more than twenty honorary

doctorates from universities in England, Scotland, the United

States, Canada, and Nigeria. He is also the recipient of Nigeria's

highest award for intellectual achievement, the Nigerian National

Merit Award.

At present, Mr. Achebe lives with his wife in Annandale, New

York, where they both teach at Bard College. They have four

children.

i

ABSTRACT

Jiwantara Adhi Nugraha, Bonaventura. (2012). The Reasons of Okonkwo in Committing Suicide as Seen in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart,

Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program, Department of Language and Arts Education, Faculty of Teachers Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University

This thesis discusses Chinua Achebe's novel, Things Fall Apart. It is a story about a great warrior of Igbo in accommodating his fear and anger. He tries hard to expel his fear of failure and weakness. His unhappy childhood causes these fear and anger. Then, his inability in accommodating his fear and anger finally causes a conflict not only for himself, but also for other people. This is a very interesting story since it gives information to the readers that something can always go wrong in life.

There are two questions to answer in this thesis. The first is to know how Okonkwo's personalities are described, and the second is to find what reasons that motivate Okonkwo to commit suicide.

The method employed in this study is library research encompassing the novel ofThings Fall Apartwritten by Chinua Achebe as the primary data, books of literature, psychology and also data from the internet as the secondary sources. The approach used in the study is psychological approach because this study is related with the main character's motivation and personality to commit suicide.

The findings of the first analysis show that Okonkwo has negative characteristics. Okonkwo's characteristic is described as fear of failure and weakness, stern, bad temper. His personalities are formed by his unhappy childhood.

In the second analysis, the findings reveal that Okonkwo finds difficulties to face his life with his condition, which there are nobody to support him against British people. He is frustrated about his condition. Then, he decides to commit suicide.

Finally, besides giving suggestions to future researchers concerning possible future research on Things Fall Apart, the writer also suggest the implementation of the novel in teaching English in English Language Education Study Program. The novel ofThings Fall Apart can be used as the source for teaching Reading II for the second semester and Prose II for the fifth semester.

ii

ABSTRAK

Jiwantara Adhi Nugraha, Bonaventura. (2012). The Reasons of Okonkwo in Committing Suicide as Seen in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart,

Yogyakarta: Program Studi Bahasa Inggris, Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa dan Seni, Fakultas Keguruan and Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

Skripsi ini membahas tentang novel Chinua Achebe, yaitu Things Fall Apart.Ini adalah cerita tentang seorang pejuang tangguh dalam mengatasi rasa takut dan amarahnya. Dia berusaha keras untuk membuang rasa takut akan kegagalan dan kelemahan. Kehidupan masa kecilnya yang kurang bahagia menyebabkan rasa takut dan amarahnya ini. Kemudian, ketidakmampuannya mengatasi rasa takut dan amarahnya ini membawa dia ke dalam konflik tidak hanya terhadap dirinya sendiri, namun juga terhadap orang lain. Ini merupakan cerita yang menarik karena memberikan wawasan kepada pembaca bahwa segala sesuatu dalam hidup ini dapat terjadi tidak seperti yang kita harapkan.

Ada dua pertanyaan dalam rumusan masalah, yang pertama yaitu untuk mengetahui bagaimana kepribadian Okonkwo digambarkan, dan yang kedua untuk mencari alasan-alasan apa yang memotivasi Okonkwo untuk melakukan bunuh diri.

Metode yang digunakan dalam studi ini adalah penelitian perpustakan meliputi novel Things Fall Apart yang ditulis oleh Chinua Achebe sebagai data utama, buku-buku mengenai literatur, psikologi dan juga data dari internet sebagai sumber pendukung. Pendekatan yang digunakan dalam studi ini adalah pendekatan psikologi karena studi ini berhubungan dengan motivasi dan kepribadian tokoh utama dalam melakukan bunuh diri.

Hasil analisis pertama menunjukkan bahwa Okonkwo memiliki kepribadian yang negatif. Kepribadian Okonkwo digambarkan sebagai seorang yang takut akan kegagalan dan kelemahan, keras dan bertemperamen buruk. Kepribadiannya ini terbentuk karena masa kecilnya yang kurang bahagia.

Hasil analisis yang kedua mengungkapkan bahwa Okonkwo menemukan banyak kesulitan dalam menghadapi hidup dengan situasinya dimana tidak ada seorangpun yang mendukung dia melawan Orang Inggris. Oleh karena itu, dia merasa frustasi dengan kondisinya. Kemudian, dia memutuskan untuk bunuh diri.

Akhirnya, di samping memberikan saran-saran untuk penelitian yang akan datang mengenai novelThings Fall Apart, saya juga memberikan saran-saran mengenai penerapan novel ini dalam pengajaran bahasa Inggris di Program Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris. Novel Things Fall Apart dapat digunakan sebagai sumber dalam pelajaran membaca II untuk semester dua dan pelajaran prosa II untuk semester lima.