The novels Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe and Moby Dick by Herman Melville present two strikingly different characters who similarly struggle to find fulfillment in the midst of uncertainty and danger, completely devoid of moral scruples about the extremes adopted to achieve this objective. At first glance, the two appear to blaze distinct paths as Things Fall Apart's tribal leader Okonkwo craves dominance and respect among his people while Moby Dick's Captain Ahab seeks revenge for his lost leg; however, when examining their backgrounds, the behaviors and thoughts that ultimately contribute to their outcomes, they surprisingly share more commonalities than not. As their stories unfold, Okonkwo and Ahab cultivate destruction from their own turmoil and obsessions, ultimately succumbing to the oppressive nature of their characteristics as they embrace its dominion over their lives. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Despite the fact that the exact intentions of Okonkwo and Ahab differ, parallels are noted when comparing the development of their characters. Growing up, Okonkwo was denied an adequate father figure by his tribe's standards, having been raised instead by a "failure" (Achebe 9) of a father: a shameless beggar, but one who loved his son. This sincerity, contradicted by his father's inability to demonstrate it in wealth, power, and physical strength, "[had] tested Okonkwo's patience beyond words" (Achebe 27), and from then on his resentment begins to show , ultimately resulting in his embodiment of hypermasculinity as a means of overcompensation. Evidence of this mindset and the cruel behavior it entails is seen when he personally kills his beloved adopted son, Ikemefuna, because "affection [is] a sign of weakness" (Achebe 30) and he "[fears] being thought weak" (Achebe 59). Okonkwo's decision here is, paradoxically, more a reflection of his desperation to appeal to the conditions of his society than of genuine masculinity itself. Obierika, one of the most powerful men in his tribe, confirms this, exemplifying how one can maintain power while remaining virtuous by confessing that "neither would he contest [the killing of his son] nor be the one to do so" (Achebe 65 ). With him as the symbol of morality within their tribe, Okonkwo's darkened view of masculinity is reinforced and his fear of failure is introduced when he is seen resorting to such extremes simply to avoid emulating any efficiency typical of his father. His "fear of himself" (Achebe 17), and any regression from power to poverty, controls Okonkwo's life, just as Ahab's obsession with revenge controls his. Captain Ahab from Moby Dick had lost a leg to a whale that is often perceived as an immortal, mythical and untouchable being: Moby Dick. For this one action, Captain Ahab abandons his responsibilities as a commercial whaler and instead conducts a whale hunt, scouring all the oceans in a frantic search for a whale that can only be identified by its whiteness, an "atheism in all colors ” (Melville 212 ) which is especially symbolic of disquiet as the purity of the color masks the wickedness of the whale. Both this circumstance and this belief contribute to Ahab's monomania, a form of madness of which he is all too aware. In essence, Captain Ahab recognizes that he is "on the dark side of the earth" (Melville 575), but continues to indulge his madness because he believes it is more advantageous as a forcedriving that harmful to his mental well-being. , openly admitting that it is his “most desired health” (Melville 580). This awareness is exemplified by Ahab's inclination to parent the strange and depersonalized Pip. In attempting to root himself in monomania, Ahab not only deprives himself of reality, but consequently immerses himself in detachment. Careful to manipulate his influences, however, Ahab makes sure that no one distracts him from his hunt, even concluding that Pip can be "too healing [for his] illness" (Melville 580) at times. Okonkwo is not as aware of this behavior, but like Ahab, he longs for the virility and stoicism of his homeland, Umuofia, during his exile in his motherland. He is confident that such qualities will secure his "great passion" in life: "to become one of the lords of [Umuofia]" (Achebe 121), so Okonkwo ignores his uncle's advice to "find refuge in the motherland" and protect himself from pain and bitterness (Achebe 124), an act comparable to Ahab's dislike of Pip's sensitivity. Without a doubt, both characters seek solace in their pursuits, as seen in Okonkwo's previously elaborated desires and Ahab's decision to "embark calmly" rather than "throw himself upon a sword" like the Greek legend Cato (Melville 3). These traits, however, are not the only thing they have in common. Comparable to Okonkwo's overly compensatory actions in his effort to meet the expectations of others, Ahab reveals an arrogance also stemming from a desire for fulfillment, wanting to achieve his self-perception of a determined and experienced captain during his hunt. The fiery “triumph” in Ahab's eyes is validated by his instinctive sense of direction, but in reality, this direction is simply a subconscious path to “fatal pride” (Melville 564). At this point, it is clear how such arrogance influences Ahab's end, and for Okonkwo, the countless omens and messages he ignores imply the same thing: death. Throughout Moby Dick, narrator Ishmael maintains the belief that the ocean is mysterious and majestic, observing its “evil splendor and beauty” while considering the “subtlety” outside juxtaposed with the “feared creatures” that glide beneath it ( Melville 299). These vivid descriptions convey only a fraction of Ahab's point of view, as he finds all four seas - Moby Dick's harbor - to be more confusing and far more unfathomable than what is described. That said, Ahab's death is dignified by the very fact that he died at sea. He ends his monomania at the very point where it had developed, "[spitting his] last breath at Moby Dick" before being killed by his own harpoon, a manifestation of Ahab's utter hatred. Although he never killed the whale, there is a kind of satisfaction in the fact that hatred and madness, the driving force of his purpose and the cause of his demise, are swallowed up by the merciful sea. Alas, his “fatal pride” (Melville 564) ends his torment, and Ishmael emphasizes Ahab's dignity by carrying the legacy of the Pequod. In contrast, Okonkwo's fate was not in the hands of the universe, but in his own hands. Umuofia's culture of fighting, fortitude, and tenacity had been the epitome of masculinity, and this gave him purpose: "those were the days when men were men" (Achebe 184). His obsession with domination and control would be his undoing, and while Okonkwo maintains his pride, he rejects the cowardice of pacifists, believing it "drives [...] men to helplessness" (Achebe 184), and He predictably lashes out at the first white man to order peace despite Okonkwo's call for war, killing him. "[Discerning] the fear in [the] turmoil" that he had)