He acts before he thinks. This turns out to be its main flaw. Throughout the story, Okonkwo offends many of the Igbo, their traditions and their gods. For example, the Oracle tells Okonkwo not to help in killing Ikemefuna, but he decided to actually take part in killing Ikemefuna because, as Achebe writes, "He is afraid of being thought weak." all his life so as not to be considered weak like his father was before him. And this ultimately leads to his death, when he goes against the tradition of the culture and beats his wife during the week of peace to the man to stop beating someone halfway, not even for fear of a goddess" (30) The impulsiveness of Okonkwo ultimately leads to his downfall occurs when Okonkwo decides to kill one of the British messengers, unfortunately the people of Umuofia do not act; he realizes that none of them support him "He heard voices saying why he did this ? He cleaned his machete in the sand and left" (205) In the end he cannot save his people from the settlers. In the end he commits suicide, which in Umuofia society is a shameful and shameful death, just like his father's. Exactly as he had promised not to let his life happen