First recognized by Francis Galton in 1874, birth order remains a psychological theory within the social sciences today. The theory itself states that the birth order of siblings establishes certain predetermined traits for each child. According to psychologist Frank Sulloway, as explained in his publication Born to Rebel: Birth Order, Family Dynamics, and Creative Lives, firstborns tend to be more conservative, sympathetic to existing authorities, and “stubborn” than their younger siblings (Freese , Powell and Steelman 208). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Throughout The Fishermen, Chigozie Obioma's novel, birth order is a clear underlying theme that influences family dynamics within the Agwu clan. How do the roles and expectations of the various Agwu brothers Ikenna, Boja, Obembe and Benjamin, delegated according to their ages, influence their relationships and personalities? A significant part of Benjamin Agwu's identity and behavior in Fishermen can be explained through birth order theory and its evolution relative to Ben in the novel, particularly examining the overall role he plays within his family and through interactions with his siblings, both as a middle child and when the responsibilities of an older child are entrusted to him. In most fishermen's eyes, nine-year-old Ben Agwu is a quiet observer of his family, and particularly his older brothers. The third youngest in a family of six children, he technically occupies the position of middle child. Ben's familial role evolves numerous times over the course of the novel, originally introduced, however, as the youngest of the four protagonist brothers. His older brother, Ikenna, serves as a leader and example to the rest of his siblings. Boja, the second son, is presented as Ikenna's close confidant, even though he is younger and still considered lower in rank: “they had mutual respect” (Obioma 43). Obembe is treated much like Ben in this fraternal hierarchy, seen as a younger child, although he still possesses influence over Benjamin because he is older. Ben, the youngest of the four older brothers, hardly has any say in what to do or when, and is often left simply to follow where his older brothers lead. If Ikenna and Boja ask him for an opinion, it is often out of obligation and his suggestions are rarely taken into serious consideration due to his youth comparable to the other males in his family. Ben recounts, “I almost never saw [Ikenna and Boja] argue, unlike the way they answered my questions with a clear 'no' or 'wrong' or 'wrong'” (Obioma 43). A sort of "pack" mentality is prevalent, as the four brothers travel together constantly, acting on orders from Ikenna, who their father declared to be their leader. “They do what you do and go wherever you go. It is to their credit the way you all follow each other” (Obioma 39), says Eme Agwu, summing up the brotherhood of his sons. Together they fish, plan and execute revenge missions, and embark on general adventures. Evidence of the influence of birth order is extremely evident in examining the Agwu brothers' relationship. Ikenna (prior to Abulu's harmful prophecy) exhibited several traits noted by Freese, Powell, and Steelman as characteristic of a firstborn, including academic ability (Obioma 9), support from existing authorities (Obioma 60-61), and greater responsibilities (Obioma 39 ). In contrast, Ben, who is the youngest of the Agwu children capable of venturing independently from his parents, reliesseemingly completely under the guidance of his older brothers. Ben alludes to this when he states "I depended mainly on Obembe to help me clarify things" (Obioma 20), and he puts it into practice when he struggles to understand his father's thought manipulation of the term “fishermen”: “grasping the meaning, I looked Obembe” (Obiome 37). In their article “Rebel Without Cause or Effect: Birth Order and Social Attitudes,” Freese, Powell, and Steelman conduct a general examination of birth order theory, particularly in relation to the Sulloway studies. In general, “later” children are expected to be more liberal thinkers, have lower academic achievement, and act less responsibly than their firstborn siblings (Freese, Powell, and Steelman 209). In a study of more than 3,800 scientists, however, Sulloway determined that later-born scientists are twice as likely to adopt radical new ideas early than scientists who were the eldest children. This willingness to embrace new ideas was echoed by Benjamin in his similarly rapid (and sometimes blind) acceptance of his brother's designs. An example of this point can be found in Ben and Obembe's beginnings as fishermen. "Then one day, Ikenna said to me and Obembe, 'Follow us, and we will make you become fishermen!' - and we followed him" (Obiome 12) shows the rapid acceptance of the forbidden concept of fishing by Ben and Obembe, the youngest of the four protagonist brothers, at the simple call of their older brother. Ben and Obembe's behavior and responses towards their older brothers show the internal drive that later brothers possess to please Ikenna and Boja. In the acutely felt absence of their father, Ikenna and Boja, to a lesser extent, represent the delegated male authority of the Agwu family. Therefore, Ikenna and Boja are granted a certain amount of power, resulting in a fundamental internal desire expressed by both Ben and Obembe to please their older brothers. Ben in particular, being the youngest of the four, was conditioned to naturally follow in the footsteps of his older brothers, so much so that he became a key component of what Sigmund Freud identified as an individual's “id”. Ben's basic human desire for acceptance, affirmation, and belonging seeks satisfaction through relationships with his older siblings. As the novel progresses, Ben's world becomes more and more tumultuous as he loses each of his older brothers. Initially, Ikenna's death and Boja's simultaneous disappearance (later discovered to be a suicide) cause Ben to move from a position of trust within his family to a position of influence, leaving both Benjamin and Obembe with greater responsibilities, as Obembe must take responsibility. the leadership of his relatives, and Ben must become his brother's supporter in this task. Ben describes the feeling of losing his brothers as “the feeling that an awning or umbrella we had been sheltering under the whole time had torn, leaving me exposed” (Obioma 175). He reveals: "I had never lived without my brothers... I simply followed their example... I had lived with them, relied on them so much that no concrete thought ever took shape in my mind without first floating in their heads" ( Obiome 272). The first time Ben truly attempts to assert himself, in fact, comes when he questions Obembe's insistence on killing Abulu, although he ultimately admits to assisting his brother in his murderous plot (Obioma 200). Furthermore, when Obembe decides to flee the consequences of his and Ben's murder of Abulu, Ben suddenly finds himself not only in a position of greater power, but also fully 4.