Hubris in Time of the Hero and Thing Fall Apart Essay

In the novels The Time Of The Hero (TTOTH) by Mario Vargas Llosa and Things Fall A take leave (TFA) by Chinua Achebe, twain writers focus on the thought of hubris and the excessive pride of causalityful characters. In occurrence twain the Jaguar (TTOTH) and Okonkwo (TFA) atomic number 18 characters, which represents this humor of Hubris, as theyve been regulate by their social environment and the notion of partfulness and hierarchy. In TFA, Okonkwo oppose to the Igbo federation through his obsession of creation hyper-masculine.In TTOTH, the Jaguar adapts himself to the untamed environment of the honorary society and the struggle to choke, and even raises himself above the different cadets. In both character references, the writer lay downs to the subscriber that the characters manliness leads him to the idea of hubris, by creating the put-on of an perfect power base around the Jaguar and Okonkwo. just in both novels, the writer excessively engage the idea of femininity as an restraint for both characters pride. Further more(prenominal)(prenominal), hubris is also think to the idea of determinism, as the complete pride of each character leads him to his own downfall.In TFA and TTOTH, The idea of Hubris seems to be linked to the pressure of society. In both scales, characters are born into a hierarchical society in which the glorification of manliness and the passion of survival, leads any(prenominal) male characters to excessive pride. In TFA, Chinua Achebe shows the hierarchical looking at mingled with genders in Igbo society. This idea of hierarchy amidst genders is shown with the distinction between crops, as the yam, which is exclusively conjure upn by men, symbolising the familys respect for mens physical strength.This same idea of separation of genders is also shown with the difference between men and women crimes, which shows the distinction between powerful men and weak women. This intelligibly shows a hierarchical so ciety in which women are seen as weaker, and men are defined by their physical prowess. be try Okonkwos obsession for masculinity shows the inescapable stuff of society in shaping a human character. Okonkwo then seems to be linked to the idea of hubris, as his perception of manliness is far more extreme than the clans, as he links masculinity with aggression, and devalues everything feminine.This shows that through his excessive perception of manliness, Okonkwos expectations of himself as a masculine power, far exceeds the backcloth of ane being. In TTOTH, the violent environment of the academy is also linked to the glorification of manliness. Like in TFA, in that respect is the idea that one man is respected for his physical prowess, and his will to survive in this vicious gradable system, which is foreshadowed by the metaphor of the Circle One dog as to survive the ill-treatment of older generations, to finally express his own frustration oer the next generations.In positio n the metaphor of young generations to dogs is itself relevant of the require that one has to show and to prove his power. This hierarchical system seems to be related to to the idea of survival of the fittest, as the Slaves lack of manpower results in his death. However, the example of the Jaguar in TTOTH is quite similar to Okonkwos in TFA, as the Jaguars needs to hold power over the opposite cadets is more extreme than it is for his comrades. In accompaniment the Jaguar is clearly linked to hubris through his need to expand his power in the whole academy over the dogs, the older generations or his own comrades.The notion of pride also seems to be fairly curved by the maternal(p) relation that characters have with fathers. In TFA, Okonkwos relationship with his father surely shapes his violent and ambitious spirit. Okonkwos fear of becoming as weak and effeminate as his father, clearly influences the character to become the complete antithesis of all that his father was, ma king him the extreme hyper-masculine figure. In TTOTH, the writer uses a different compass of the father, which is more the symbol of authority, and of the pressure that society has over male characters, to make them grow as men.However the fact that the Jaguar is the son of a myopic widow, shows how his relation with Skinny Higueras, is used as a substitute for the paternal relation he didnt had. This shows how his relation with Skinny and his criminal past, has an influence on his rather violent temperament, and his need to feel superior. It seems that both writers fire to show the Jaguar and Okonkwos extreme pride, to the reader by position in place an john of supreme power. In TFA, the writer seems to show the idea of hubris by putting the reader into an illusion in enrapture Okonkwo is seen as superhuman, or above other human characters.This is shown through the standstill of Okonkwo to burning fire, and flame throughout the novel. This creates an illusion as the reader then associates Okonkwo to the idea of extreme power, and dissociates him to other human characters. In fact the fire clearly symbolizes Okonkwos destructive and animalistic personality, as he destroys everything he consumes. In TOOTH, the metaphor of the jaguar is used as an illusion to the reader who no longer sees the character as purely human.This dehumanisation of the character is at some point like Okonkwo in TFA, as the reader sees the character as an emotionless, powerful, destructive figure. Furthermore, the writers use of the first person singular, and the fact that it is the jaguar who named himself that way, highlights to the idea of hubris, as on some direct, its seems like the illusion of extreme power is in fact the perception that the character has of himself. In both novels, the writer demonstrates at some point that each man has something feminine inside him, which in the shimmy of a hyper masculine figure, acts as a panic to his extreme pride.In TFA, Okonkwos exile to his motherland, in response to his women crime, clearly represents an obstacle to the characters pride. This is not only an issue for Okonkwos image as a virile warrior this is even more a threat to the characters personality, as it is the opportunity to get in touch with his feminine side. In fact Okonkwos pride in his masculinity, seems to be challenged throughout the novel, by his hidden femininity. In fact his son Nwoye, is used by the writer as a unremitting reminder of Okonkwos feminine part that he cannot get rid of.In TTOTH, the Jaguars impuissance also seems to be symbolised by the feminine figure of Teresa. In fact the scene on the beach is relevant to the Jaguars lawful personality, as he is no longer seen as an emotionless character, precisely rather as a more human character, through the green-eyed monster he feels toward Teresa. Therefore the writer uses the female figure as a rupture between the image of the powerful Jaguar of the academy, and the sensibl e teenager. However when the Jaguar insults Teresa after he sees her with some other boys, this also shows how the jealousy he feels is in fact seen as an enormous threat to his pride.Therefore both writers use the idea of femininity as a constant reminder of the hidden weakness that the character tries to reject. Finally, in both novels on that point is the idea that hubris is linked to determinism, as both characters seems to lead themselves to their own downfall. In TFA, Okonkwos prize of a life of anger, dominated by his obsession of being a hyper-masculine figure, is what makes him a character, which is quite unbalanced. In fact in chapter 17and 24 the writer shows that Okonkwo is not blind but rather painstaking as he acknowledge that the fire inside him destroys everything it consumes, including him.Furthermore, by destroying himself physically at the end of the novel, it can be argued that on some level he has also destroyed close to of his pride, as the act of self-destr uction shows the emasculation of the character on some level. In TTOTH the Jaguars tyrannical demeanour over the other members of the academy, is finally reflected on himself at the end of the novel, as he is beaten by a group of cadets. Therefore there is an idea of a reverse situation in each case on one baseball glove, Okonkwos act of suicide is quite impress and deceiving for such a character who kept showing himself as the extreme figure of manliness.On the other hand, there is the imagery of the tyrant being overthrown. However, even though that both characters seems to end up revealing their mystic and truer nature (in comparison to the image that they have of themselves), they still keep most of their pride. In TFA, Okonkwos suicide can be seen on one side as an act of emasculation, however on the other hand Okonkwo still keeps most of his pride by refusing to submit himself to the Christians until the end of his life. In TTOTH, the Jaguar never submits himself to the ot her cadets, even when everyone is against him.In fact when the other cadets falsely accuse the Jaguar, he still keep his pride, and still sees himself as better than them, even know that he no longer has power over the others. Furthermore, it can be argued that the final act of both characters has a heroic dimension, which still makes them proud character until the end. In conclusion, in both novels the writer focuses on the idea of hubris by showing characters whose expectations of themselves far exceeds the mise en scene of one being.In fact both, Okonkwo and the Jaguar are characters shaped and extremely well adapted to their social environment, which is surely a main cause of their excessive pride. However, both writers also seems to link the notion of hubris to determinism as the choice of both characters to live in hubris, leads them to their own social downfall, and in the case of Okonkwo to his own destruction. Nevertheless, both characters still hold to their pride, as th ey remain fold to their own opinion, even during their downfall.