Carlica Tolentino

Period
January 29, 2016

Nature vs Nurture Essay

Are people more influenced by nurture than by nature? In the novel, Things
Fall Apart, the author, Chinua Achebe, explores the idea of people either being
impacted by nature or nurture. I believe that people are more affected by nurture
than nature because how they act, and how they respond to others are based on
how the person was raised and not by who the person is scientifically and
biologically.
One reason I maintain this position is that Nwoye, Okonkwos son, is more
influenced by how he was raised and now he has rebelled against his father. In the
novel, As soon as his father walked in, that night, Nwoye knew that Ikemefuna
had been killed, and something seemed to give away inside him, Nwoye
thought,(61) . This means that Nwoye may have lost respect for his father and his
culture because he let his best friend die because of the orders from the clan, and
Okonkwo has taken a hand in his death. Additionally, He would return later to his
mother and his brothers and sisters and convert them, (152). This shows that
Nwoye has rebelled against his father by joining the Christians and he thinks about
converting his family members to the new religion but excluding his father. By
Nwoye rebelling, this shows that his nurture and the stuff he was shown by his own
father made him who he is later in the book.
Another reason I maintain this position is the character, Ezinma, because
even though shes Nwoyes half-sister, its obvious they were both raised and
nurtured differently. In the novel, She understands things so perfectly. Who else
among his children could have read his thoughts so well,(173) Okonkwo thought.
This means that Okonkwo thought of Ezinma differently and he favored her over
his other children. Furthermore about how Ezinma was raised and how she was
nurtured, a text from the book states, Ezinma is dying, came her voice and all the
tragedy and sorrow of her life were packed in those words. Okonkwo sprang from
his bed, pushed back the bolt of his door and ran into Ekwefis hut,(76) the text

states. This shows that he had immediate worry over Ezinma, and Okonkwo
wouldnt have cared as much if it were his other children.
In conclusion, I contend that the characters are more impacted by nurture
than of nature. Nwoye was more of a gentle person and didnt reach his fathers
expectations, and later in the book he rebelled against his father by joining the
religion that his father despised so much. Ezinma always listened to her father and
did everything he asked, so therefore she was Okonkwos favorite and he wished
that Ezinma was a boy. Nwoye and Ezinma are both genetically related to
Okonkwo, but as individuals they are total opposites because of how they were
nurtured individually.