One way of approaching this question is to consider what
Okonkwo might represent or symbolise. Throughout his life he takes upon himself the role
of the preserver of the tribal heritage and culture. Part of his zealous acceptance of
the role that he has taken upon himself comes from the somewhat ambiguous position his
father occupied, which makes Okonkwo determined to embrace masculine behaviour and
values and forces him to view any concession on these and tribal standards as a failure.
Therefore, we can read Okonkwo's suicide as a crushing indictment on the impact on
traditional indigenous values by colonialism and a commentary on what happens in such a
clash of culture. Okonkwo has seen his world as he knew it completely annihilated.
Although he has tried to resist what is happening he recognises the sheer futility of
any efforts to oppose the cultural annexation that is occurring. His choice to commit
suicide serves to prevent the representatives of the colonial order gain their victim,
saves him imprisonment and probably torture, but interestingly also represents a
betrayal of his tribal values through the shocking symbol of independence that
committing suicide is. Thus perhaps his suicide is more of a complex symbol than merely
representing the victory of white supremacy over his culture - perhaps it can also be
said to represent the complete fragmentation or even disintegration of his tribal
values.
Interestingly, the character who is left to
interpret Okonkwo's death is Obierika, who comments "ferociously" to the District
Commissioner:
"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..."
Perhaps this can be
seen as the true symbolism in Okonkwo's death: what was most prized in his culture is
treated like a rotting corpse through the colonial invasion that occurs in the
novel.
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