In at least one hundred words, discuss a major internal conflict okonkwo faces in achebe’s things fall apart. use evidence from the text to support your answer.

In "Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe, the greatest internal conflict Okonkwo has is him being what he considered ideal masculinity. He became known as a great fighter, a wealthy farmer, and a highly esteemed man in his clan, but all of this changes when he is exiled for seven years. He downgrades to sharecropping from his mother's family's land, and he immediately begins planning how to regain his status when he returns to Umuofia. "Okonkwo saw clearly the high esteem in which  he would be held, and he saw himself taking the highest title in the land." He feels that his value is attached only to wealth and power.

"the monkey's paw" is a rare story in that the theme is actually stated in the story. sgt. maj. morris tells the whites that the old fakir who put the spell on the paw said, "fate rules people's lives and those who interfere with fate do so to their sorrow." the message is a warning, but mr. white doesn't believe it. even though sgt. maj. morris makes it clear that he tried wishing with unfortunate results and he tries to throw the paw on the fire,   mr. white makes a wish for 200 pounds only to find that he receives the money when herbert dies in a factory accident. according to the fakir, then, because mr. white had wished for something he should not have had, his son lost his life.

the second wish that mrs. white encourages him to make is for herbert's return--one week after his death. when the strange knocking begins at the door during the windy night, mr. white panicks, believing that the previously dead but still mangled herbert could have walked home from the cemetary and is now at the door. because he fears what his wife will find if she opens the door, mr. white makes his third wish--for the noise to stop.

therefore, he uses his three wishes and to his sorrow, loses his son and disappoints his wife, who fervently believed that their son was at the door. she wanted him back, regardless of his condition.

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