In the novel things fall apart, Okonkwo, the protagonist, can clearly relate to Amy Tan’s situation in her essay, Mother Tongue, despite the jarring contrast between them. The both of them struggle with being stuck in two worlds. Okonkwo ruled his family with a iron fist. He constantly disciplined his wives and children, physically on multiple occasions, and suppressed any affections he had of them. Amy, on the other hand, balances between two languages, eliciting entirely different personas out of her. Okonkwo’s father was a notoriously lazy and weak man, which caused Okonkwo to resent everything he stood for. Okonkwo prided himself on his manliness and strength, and refused to show the slightest bit of weakness, consequently, his anger manages to take it too far sometimes. During the Week of Peace, an Ibo custom where the clansmen are not allowed to even “say a harsh word to their neighbor” (Achebe 30), Okonkwo beat his third wife because she forgot to prepare dinner.
Also, during the New Yam Festival, Okonkwo accuses his second wife of killing a banana tree so he beats her as well. Later, Ekwefi, the second wife makes a snide remark on Okonkwo’s hunting skills and he shot at her but missed.during a sacred week, which demonstrates Okonkwo
