A character with a tragic flaw is one who consistently makes a particular mistake in his actions, which ultimately leads to his downfall. Okonkwo, a perfect tragic character, is motivated by his fear of not being manly, which drives him to act harshly towards his countrymen, his family and himself. He judges all people according to their manhood. In Okonkwo's eyes, a man is a violent, hardworking, and wealthy person and anyone who does not meet these standards is considered weak. Okonkwo's fear of not being manly is fueled by his father, who was a lazy and unaccomplished man. Okonkwo strives for high status from a young age and eventually achieves it. He has a large family, many yams and is well known throughout the village for his courage. He raises his family with his mentality of virility and is ...