Blog Post 6: Things Fall Apart, Chs. 1-7
In Things Fall Apart, Chinua
Achebe makes what is foreign to us seem familiar, and what is familiar to us
seem foreign, by dropping us straight into Okonkwo's world and describing it in
a way that someone from that world would understand it. In short, Achebe helps
us to see a part of nineteenth-century Africa through the eyes of a local. That way of seeing the past touches on
the key historical principle of empathy: to put ourselves in the shoes of others,
to see past events as the people who lived through them would have seen them.
At the very least, we seek to understand the perspective of another person
before evaluating it.
Answer 3 of the the following questions relating to the world told of in chapters 1-7. Use at least three specific pieces of information no one has yet used in their blog posts and at least six specific pieces of information total, with a page citation for each; also, use at least 300 words in your answer.
Answer 3 of the the following questions relating to the world told of in chapters 1-7. Use at least three specific pieces of information no one has yet used in their blog posts and at least six specific pieces of information total, with a page citation for each; also, use at least 300 words in your answer.
1) What parts of this society seem most foreign to you, and which seem most
familiar?
2) How is reputation gained and lost in this society?
3) In what ways are power and influence
expressed through violence, and what are some non-violent expressions of
power?
4) Who is your favorite and
your least favorite character so far, and why?
What I find foreign is the makeup of the families. The Man is allowed to have several wives with however many children. That they all live together in a group, even though the women and children have their separated dwellings (14.) In today’s society this would be looked at as bigamy and frowned upon in our culture. There is a “medicine house” or shrine that kept the wooden symbols of their personal god and ancestral spirits (14). We know in the Mexican culture they have shrines dedicated to their departed loved ones and they celebrate the day of the dead for their ancestors. There are shrines dedicated to worship the Virgin Mary and Jesus throughout the world. The Feast of the New Yams was celebrated once a year. It was an occasion of joy and every man was expected to invite large numbers of guests far and wide (36-37). It reminds me of Thanksgiving Day celebration.
ReplyDeleteReputation was gained by personal achievements, such as throwing Amalinze the Cat and winning (3). Fortunately, a man was judged according to his worth and not according to the worth of his father among the village people (8). Being a wealthy farmer with barns full of yams and having more than one wife. Having titles and showing prowess in the time of war (8). Age was respected but achievement was revered (8). You can lose your reputation/respect if you do not heed warnings, suspicions and follow the ways of the gods or listen to the priest/Oracles (30).
Right now, I find the main character Okonkwo’s character interesting because of his complexity. I do not like his father Unokar because he was not a great provider for his family. He was in his day lazy, improvident and incapable of thinking about tomorrow. He enjoyed drinking, making merry and would spend what little money they had on palm-wine (4).
One part of this society that seems most foreign to me is how heavily dependent the whole society is on a single crop. Usually, a society does not rely so heavily on a crop when it comes to having power and pride but, in this society, it is a single crop, the yam. "Yam, the king of crops, was a man's crop" (23). One part of the society which seems the most familiar is the normalcy of having several wives. In countries outside of the United States, it is not unusual to hear about a man having several wives but rather it shows status. This part of the society was not foreign simply due to the fact how common it is to have multiple wives in different societies. "There was a wealthy man in Okonkwo's village who had three huge barns, nine wives and thirty children…he had taken the highest but one title which a man could take in the clan" (19).
ReplyDeleteReputation is gained and lost in this society in several ways. Like Okonkwo, he gained his reputation by defeating Amalinze the Cat as seen on the first page. "Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond. As a young man of eighteen he had brought honor to his village by throwing Amalinze the Cat" (1). Another way reputation is gained in this society is through one's achievements rather than being punished for their parents' wrongdoing. "Fortunately among these people a man judged according to his worth and not according to the worth of his father. Okonkwo was still young, he was already one of the greatest men of is time" (8). Reputation can be lost when one does not work hard (Unokar) and ultimately, it can have negative effects on that person for a long time.
So far, my favorite character has been Ikemefuna. Despite the situation he was put in (at least in the early chapters) he made the best of it and actually developed as a member of Okonkwo's family. "So Nwoye and Ikemefuna would listen to Okonkwo's stories about tribal wars, or how, years ago, he stalked his victim and obtained his first human head. Am oil lamp was lit and Okonkwo tasted from each bowl, and then passed two shares to Nwoye and Ikemefuma" (54). My least favorite character so far is Ikemefuma simply because of how he treats others. Every time he is angry, he has to take it out on someone no matter what his relation to them is. "…the wife who had just been beaten murmured something about guns that never shot. Unfortunately for her, Okokonwko heard it and ran madly into his room for the loaded gun, ran out again, and aimed at her as she clambered over the dwarf wall of the barn" (39).
The world of Okonkwo is foreign to me for many reasons. First of all, the way their families are set up is very different than the makeup of modern day American families. Okonkwo has three wives who all like in separate huts from him (39). In modern day American society, it is illegal in most places to have more than one wife and it is rare for a couple to permanently live in two different houses. Also, what Okonkwo thinks is important is very different than what American society usually deems important. In Okonkwo’s society, farming is seen as a way to not only amass wealth but also improve one’s social status (23). In modern day society, I think much more emphasis is placed on education and increasing one’s level of education also leads to a higher paying job and increased social status. One of the most literal ways of a violent expression of power in Okonkwo’s society is through wrestling. Okonkwo was a poor farmer’s son who eventually gained a favorable reputation by working hard and “throwing” the Cat who had never been “thrown” before (3). It was because of this act that Okonkwo gained power in the clan. A nonviolent expression of power can be seen when Ikemefuna looked at Nwoye’s younger brothers to make sure that they did not tattle on Obiageli when she broke her pot (43). My favorite character is Ikemefuna because he is very compassionate and I feel bad for him because he had to leave his family and was forcefully relocated to Okonkwo’s village (15). My least favorite character is Okonkwo. He is very arrogant and is very concerned about his reputation and status within the clan. He is abusive and even accuses someone of killing a banana tree so that he has an excuse to take his anger out on one of his family members (38).
ReplyDeleteNeal Vogel
ReplyDeletePage numbers from Kindle edition
1. What seemed most foreign to me was the system of justice. After one of their own is killed, the people of Umuofia propose two options for pursuing justice, neither of which directly punishes the person responsible for the crime. “An ultimatum was immediately dispatched to Mbaino asking them to choose between war on the one hand, and on the other the offer of a young man and a virgin as compensation” (11). Either all of Mbaino is to be punished in war, or two individuals are to be punished, but neither of the individuals are responsible for the murder nor is the whole of Mbaino. With a modern western understanding of justice, this indeed seems like a very foreign custom which does not seek action against the wrongdoer but affects other parties instead.
The sense of masculinity, although more pronounced than in our society, is familiar to me. Okonkwo fears letting his emotions show, even to the point of not showing affection to his children even when he is proud of them. As the book says, “to show affection was a sign of weakness; the only thing worth demonstrating was strength. [Okonkwo] therefore treated Ikemefuna as he treated everybody else—with a heavy hand” (28). Even in our own society, I think that some men view themselves this way and would prefer not to show their emotions.
2. Reputation is gained through masculinity and strength, which can be seen in the celebrity status of the victorious wrestlers (50-51) or when an old man “respected [Okonkwo] for his industry and success” (26). Reputation and honor are lost through weakness or laziness as seen when the Oracle chastises Okonkwo’s father and tells him to “go home and work like a man” (18). Offending the gods can also hurt someone’s reputation as it does Okonkwo’s when he beats his wife during a week of peace to appease the gods (29).
3. Okonkwo shows that he has power and influence over his family through the beatings he gives his wives (38) and through his belief that “if he was unable to rule his women and his children (and especially his women) he was not really a man (52). A man that Okonkwo idolizes, however, is Nwakibie who is influential not just because of violence but because of his wealth. Young men frequently come to visit him to seek yam seeds, giving him a position of power and influence in the society (21).
4. My favorite character is Ikemefuna. Despite being taken away from his home and being punished for someone else’s crime, he adapts well to his new environment, loves Okonkwo as a father and treats Nwoye as a brother (52). My least favorite character is Okonkwo who cannot control his temper. Masculinity and violence may be a part of the society, but a character who responds to his wife’s mockery by attempting to shoot her (38) is not a character I can easily cheer for.
Ireland Buckley
ReplyDeleteAn aspect of this society that seems foreign to me is the dynamic of the household. The man is allowed several wives but they all live in their own huts with their children on the compound while the man has his own obi. (18) He is allowed to treat his wives almost as slaves; for example he beats his second wife because she was not home to make him dinner at the proper time. (29) An aspect of this society that seems familiar is the importance of paying attention to the weather and precipitation for farming. The people in this society pay close attention to the weather because they want to plant their yams at the best time for the most prosperity which is what farmers do today as well. (32)
Reputations are interesting in this society because they are gained and improved through actions of almost bribery. To take a high title you have to have resources in exchange. Kola is used frequently as a bargain item or bribery, which is interesting because I would have assumed it didn’t have much value. (6) Another way to gain or lose reputation in this society is to obey and consult with the Oracle about the yam crops. If you disappoint the oracle or do not do what you are told your reputation takes a hit. (17) Another way to gain or improve your reputation has to do with wrestling. If you throw Amalinze the Cat on his back, you gain respect and people look up to you. (3)
At this point in the story my favorite character is Ezinma, Okonkwo’s daughter from his second wife. Ezinma is caring and sweet and tries to please her father by taking him food and starting conversation with him. She also tries to make sure her mother and her are doing the correct things and are on time according to Okonkwo’s wishes. (40) Ezinma is also very curious and asks her mother many questions as her father calls her Egzibo meaning “sweet one” which shows that she is important to her father and the story. (41) My least favorite character is Okonkwo at this point in the story because it seems like all he cares about is his reputation. He does not truly care for his wives, he just beats them when they do something he doesn’t life. (30) He also allows the officials to kill Ikemefuna, the boy that came to his house because of the murder of a young girl in their village. Even though he grew very fond of Ikemefuna and spent a lot of time with him, because he didn’t want to go against the officials and the oracle’s decision he did not even think twice to stand up for Ikemefuna to save his life. (61)
Power and reputation in this society can be gained no matter what age you are. Okonkwo "was still young, [but] he was already one of the greatest men of his time (8). In this society, it did not matter what age you were to be respected. In fact, the elders stated that "if a child washed his hands he could eat with kings" (8). On the other hand, being an unsuccessful, lazy man gives way to losing reputation. For example, Okonkwo's father, Unoka was in massive debt to everyone in the village and he continued to borrow money without obtaining a job. Okonkwo was ashamed of his father and the weakness that he portrayed that he allowed Ikemefuna to be killed for fear of being thought of as weak (61). That leads into the second question, where power and influence were influenced by violence. Okonkwo believed by standing ground with the others to kill Ikemefuna, that he would be seen as stern and powerful. However, he killed someone who he thought of as a child and someone who thought of him as a father. Ikemefuna cried, "My father, they have killed me" (61). But, Okonkwo shamelessly turned away. Another example of violence influencing power is the opening of the story. Okonkwo gained his respect and power by defeating Cat, the undefeated wrestler. This society is built on excessive working and violence to gain respect. Okonkwo non-violently gained respect by becoming a workaholic. He is so concerned with being successful and providing for his family that he does not have time to be happy, which is made apparent during the holiday feast. He stands out like a sore thumb amongst his content family.
ReplyDeleteI would say that my least favorite character so far is Okonkwo. He continuously mistreats his family because of his own personal issues. Specifically, in chapter five when he beats his second wife for cutting off a few leaves off of the banana tree. After he "gave her a sound beating and left her and her only daughter weeping", he walks off without an ounce of guilt (38). His family fears him and he allows it so that no one sees him as weak.
On the other hand, my favorite character is Ezinma because she is the daughter of Okonkwo. Although it says that no one dares to interfere with Okonkwo, it seems that this little girl does not fear to speak her mind. I noticed that she called her mother by her first name, Ezigbo meaning "the good one" (41). However, she is still obedient to her and follows her orders. It goes to show that the young girl is willing to speak up but still be respectful in the appropriate manner.
Haley Melita
ReplyDeleteThe part of this society that seems most foreign to me is the idea of dominance and Okonkwo having three wives. This idea of dominance is visible through all of Okonkwo’s actions, “He walked back to his obi to await Ojiugo’s return. And when she returned he beat her very heavily” (29). The part I am most familiar with is the idea of wanting to build a better life and succeed despite the social ranking of your parents. This is somewhat similar to capitalism in America meaning if you work hard, you will succeed. Okonkwo possess this quality, wanting to better himself and provide more than his father did, “Okonkwo did not have the start in life which many young men usually had. He did not inherit a barn from his father. There was no barn to inherit” (16). My least favorite character so far is Okonkwo. This is because he is portrayed as intimidating and impatient, “He was tall and huge, and his bushy eyebrows and wide nose gave him a very severe look...He has a slight stammer and whenever he was angry and could not get his words out quick enough, he would use his fists” (4). He also is very controlling and dominant when it comes to his family. In total, he has three wives who report of living in live fear of him, “Okonkwo ruled his household with a heavy hand. His wives, especially the youngest, lived in perpetual fear of his fiery temper, and so did his little children” (13). Although Okonkwo works very hard in order to not be like his father, who was lazy, he is portrayed as a threatening person, “Okonkwo was ruled by one passion--to hate everything that his father Unoka had loved...During planting season Okonkwo worked daily on his farms from cock-crow until the chickens went to roost. He was a very strong man and rarely felt fatigue. But his wives and young children were not as strong, and so they suffered” (13). My favorite character in the book so far is Ikemefuna. This is because I feel bad for him that he is forced to live with Okonkwo. Although he is well liked for the most part in the household, he had a hard time adjusting at the beginning, “At first Ikemefuna was very much afraid. Once or twice he tried to run away, but he did not know where to begin” (27). Okonkwo expresses power through violence by frequently beating his son, “At any rate, that is how it looked to the father, and he sought to correct him by constant nagging and beating” (13-14). Power is also shown non-violently through Okonkwo’s home and three wives.
Dalton Shettle
ReplyDeleteA part of this society that seems familiar to something that would do as a kid is on page 5 when it says, "He would remember his own childhood, how he had often wandered around looking for a kite sailing leisurely against the blue sky" (5). And a thing that seems foreign to me about this society are some of the things they have and use. An example of this also comes on page 5 when it says, "He was reclining on a mud bed in his hut playing on the flute. He immediately rose and shook hands with Okoye, who then unrolled the goatskin which he carried under his arm, and sat down. Unoka went into an inner room and soon returned with a small wooden disk containing a kola nut, some alligator pepper and a lump of white chalk" (5-6). In the society that is in "Things Fall Apart", one can lose their reputation for instance by not being able to provide for your family, and accumulating large debts to people. An example of this comes from page 5 when it says, "Unoka, the grown-up, was a failure. He was poor and his wife and children had barely enough to eat. People laughed at him because he was a loafer, and they swore never to lend him any more money because he never paid back. But Unoka was such a man that he always succeeded in borrowing more, and piling up his debts" (5). One can gain a good reputation in this society by being a good wrestler; an example of this comes on page 8 when it says, "He was still young but he had won fame as the greatest wrestler in the nine villages" (8). My favorite character so far would have to be Okonkwo because he is very mature at a young age in that he has done everything he can to give his family a good life and provide for them. An example of Okonkwo's strong heart is after having two of the worst harvesting seasons ever; Okonkwo says, "'Since In survived that year,' he always said, 'I shall survive anything' He put it down to his inflexible will" (24). Another thing that I like about Okonkwo and respect about him is that he wants what is best for his son, Ikemefuna. An example of this comes from page 33 when it says, "Okonkwo wanted his son to be a great farmer and a great man" (33).
The family dynamics and speech in Umuofia are foreign to me. Firstly, Okonkwo has three wives; to our society, that is bigamy (8). In Umuofia, it is a mark of power to have multiple children with multiple wives, but for us that is both adultery and a sign of instability. Unlike in our culture, the African people also use proverbs a great deal in their speech, for “proverbs are the palm-oil with which words are eaten” (7).
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, another aspect that is similar to my culture is the social limitation placed on gender roles. Okonkwo needs to show strength and heaviness, like a man (28). The women are expected to be completely subject to their husbands, and Okonkwo’s wife is beaten when she does not return in time to make dinner (29). Gender roles are common in American society, but women now have much greater upward mobility, and gender constraints are less common. Secondly, people in Umuofia are superstitious and always looking for the spiritual aspect in life, as Americans often do too. The Africans believe in their “chi,” their own personal god, for guidance, just as Americans might believe in their own guardian angels (27). Africans also visit the “Oracle” for wisdom, just as an American visits a pastor or priest (12).
Reputation is gained and lost in the Umuofia society mostly through a person’s wealth: how many wives does he have, how many barns, how many children? For example, when Okonkwo wants to begin his own farm, he goes to the man most reputable for his affluence; the wealthy Nwakibie is powerful and has “taken the highest but one title which a man could take in the clan” (18-19). Okonkwo’s father, Unoka, has no yams and no riches because of his idleness, and is considered “a failure,” and “people laughed at him because he was a loafer, and they swore never to lend him any more money because he never paid back” (5). Nwakibie is rich and therefore powerful; Unoka is poor and therefore an outcast.
My favorite character is Ikemefuna, because he adapts easily to his situation and wins the favor of his new family; even Okonkwo becomes very fond of him (28, 34). My least favorite character is Okonkwo, for he is violent and oppressive to his dependents and believes that no man is truly a man who cannot lord over his household (53).
There are some parts of this society that seem extremely different from the society that we live in today. Many of the cultural values that are present would seem out of the ordinary in our society today. For example men are allowed to have more than one wife. This is known as dwelling in polygamous relationships. “ At the opposite end of the compound was a shed for the goats, and each wife built a small attachment to her hit for the hens.” (pg.14) Polygamy is frowned upon in societies today and is not considered respectable. “Each of his three wives had her own hut, which together formed a half moon behind the obi.” (Pg. 14). An aspect of society that is familiar is working hard to attain wealth and status. Our society today gives respect to those who work hard, and Okunwas society is similar. Although, there idea of gaining status and working hard has to do with farming the concept is similar to our society (pg.24). Farming was extremely important because yams were a prominent part of the society they had the “The New Yam Festival was thus an occasion of joy.” (pg.37) There are multiple ways that power is shown in this society. One form of showing power in a violent manner, yet non-violent manner is wrestling. Wrestling is a sport of combat, which entails violence, but it requires strategy and is a sport. Power and influence is spread through the violent, yet controlled mannered. “ Okonkwo was a well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond. His fame rested on solid personal achievement.” (pg.3) This quote goes to show that power and influence are gained through the art of Wrestling. A way in which reputation was gained and lost in the society is centered on the yam crop and the oracle. If you are not compliment with or conforms to what the oracle says your reputation suffers (pg. 17).
ReplyDeleteHeather Penna
ReplyDeleteThe society in Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is very different than that of modern day America. The most foreign part of this society, to me, is the amount of violence and the fact that society not only approves this violence, but also encourages it. Okonkwo was a powerful member of society and much of this power was achieved through his strength (pg. 3). Wrestling was a common way to show of strength and gain power within this society. Everyone went to watch the violent wrestling matches, even the women. Ekwefi fell in love with Okonkwo after watching him win a wrestling match, but this violence played a significant role in his everyday life. On page 39, Okonkwo shot at his wife after beating her horribly out of anger, but his violent nature was not looked down upon.
Violence also plays into how reputation is gained and lost. As previously mentioned, Okonkwo is powerful because of his strength. In this society, strength lead to wealth and power. Due to Okonkwo's strength he is well known in the community and Nwakibie gives him yam seeds to help him build his wealth (pg. 18-19). Physical strength is equated to character which is why Okonkwo is able to gain much of his wealth and prestige. Unlike many other societies, family reputation does not play a role in personal reputation. Unoka, Okonkwo's father, had a horrible reputation and could not be trusted, but this did not play into Okonkwo's reputation (pg. 8).
My favorite character at this point is Ezinma, the daughter of Okonkwo and Ekwefi, because she stands by her mother after she is abused by her father (pg. 38-39), but she is still loyal to her father (pg.44-45). My least favorite character at this point in Okonkwo. He is my least favorite because of his violence and the fact that he killed Ikemefuna, who he took in and considered a son (pg.62).
This book outlines a society that is similar to ours but at the very same time, different. I believe that the methods of displaying masculinity are of a more traditional sense (save the act of polygamy!). I can somewhat understand having the women be in other building, so as to not show favorites. (14) With this foreign territory of Polygamy on the playing field, one can also assume that it is well within the Husband’s rights to be able to discipline his wife in the form of beatings and verbal scolding. A good example of this is when one of Okonkwo’s wives “killed” a banana tree, he shot directly at her with a makeshift gun. (39) In this day in age, one worldly way of measuring success is material possessions. At the time of this story, Okonkwo has three barns full of Yams (the main crop of this region). (8) Reputation is another point of interest in this society. Okonkwo also was an accomplished wrestler of whom was known to be as such in the eight surrounding tribes. (1) This of course led to the receiving of the Titles of his village. With all of this being held in high esteem, it was also the sweat of a man’s brow that made it all the better. An easy way for someone to fall from grace was to be lazy or to have a great deal of debt. Okonkwo’s father was one who filled that bill heartily. (4) Another thing I found rather similar to our societal norms would be the use of verbal degradation upon those who challenge the manhood of another. One example is when Okonkwo called out another tribe member by saying that a meeting that they were currently attending was for men only. He of course was insinuating that the other man was a woman. (26)
ReplyDeleteThe make-up of the society in Okonkwo’s clan, Umuofia, seems to be built on the strength of the men and the work of the women of the clan. Men who do not provide for their families are looked down upon and are called ‘agbala’ or woman. “And so Okonkwo was ruled by one passion–to hate everything that his father Unoka had loved. One of those things was gentleness and another was idleness” (13). It is familiar in that the patriarchal societies of other countries are much like the society of Umuofia, led and controlled by men. The most unfamiliar aspect, to me, is the idea of having multiple wives and a non-traditional family life. In Umuofia, reputation is shown to be of utmost importance in their culture and once made or gained, must be fought for so that it is never lost. In my opinion, due to his father, Okonkwo sees himself as needing to prove himself to his clan early in life so that his father’s lack reputation does not reflect on him in any way. “Unoka, the grown-up, was a failure. He was poor and his wife and children had barely enough to eat” (5). Okonkwo plans for his future early-on and sets his sights on obtaining one or more of the titles of his clan, beginning with going to Nwakibie. “I have come to you for help…I have cleared a farm but have no yams to sow…I am not afraid of work” (21). By looking to his future, he was able to set himself up as a wealthy man and a leader in the clan. In this society it seems reputation is lost if a man is lazy, like his father, or is effeminate, choosing not to take part in violence. So far, my least favorite character is Okonkwo. His hard nature and the fact that he beats his wife and children make it difficult for me to appreciate his plight, even if it is based on a difficult childhood. “Okonkwo ruled his household with a heavy hand. His wives, especially the youngest, lived in perpetual fear of his fiery temper, and so did his little children” (13). My favorite character, so far, is his second wife, Ekwefi. “She was Okonkwo’s second wife, Ekwefi, whom he nearly shot…she was the village beauty and Okonkwo had won her heart by throwing the Cat in the greatest contest within living memory” (39). I think she loved Okonkwo in her younger years; however, he had caused great suffering in her life because of the way he treated her. She is a strong woman in her own right and follows her own will, even if it means suffering at the hands of Okonkwo. “…the wife who had just been beaten murmured something about guns that never shot. Unfortunately for her, Okonkwo heard it and ran madly into his room for the loaded gun, ran out again and aimed at her as she clambered over the dwarf wall of the barn” (39). She didn’t let her fear of him outweigh her own self-identity.
ReplyDeleteNathalia Goncalves
ReplyDeleteIn “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe what seems most foreign to me are the gender roles present in their society. Women are clearly subjected to the private, domestic lifestyle, whereas the men are active in fulfilling their public civil duties. This is most certainly a patriarchal society although it is interesting how they do worship a lot of female deities. For example, when Okwonko disrupts the Week of Peace by beating his youngest wife, he does not stop even though it was the sacred week because he “was not the man to stop beating somebody half-way through, not even for fear of a goddess” (30). Even though the priest and everyone were disappointed in him, he still did it in order to assert his masculinity. In this society, “no matter how prosperous a man was, if he was unable to rule his women and his children (and especially his women) he was not really a man” (53). Another example that emphasizes the role of gender in this society is Okwonko’s desire that Ezinma, his daughter, “should have been a boy” (64). This emphasized the disappointment he felt about his other male children, besides Ikemefuna. One of the most subtle yet prominent examples of how power is expressed through violence, besides the beating of women and children, are the wrestling matches. Okwonko gained one of his titles by being one of the best wrestlers around. The thought of wrestling made him “tremble with desire to conquer and subdue… it was like the desire for women” this symbolizes how violence and aggression is not only present during times of war, or toward women and children, but in the culture as a whole (42). A non-violent expression of power present in this society is the planting of yams. In the novel it states that “yam stood for manliness, and he who could feed his family on yams from one harvest to another was a very great man indeed” (33). My favorite character in the novel so far is Ikemefuna because even though he was taken away from his mother and three year-old sister, he still manages to make the best of his situation. He becomes a part of the family making Okwonko proud and being an older brother to Nwoye. Ikemefuna “still thought about his mother and his three year-old sister, and he had moments of sadness and depression…but he and Nwoye had become so deeply attached to each other that such moments became less frequent and less poignant” (34). Not only did Ikemefuna adapt to his circumstances, he also became part of the family and began seeing these people as such. My least favorite character is Okwonko because he puts his own pride before anything and anyone to the point that he even killed Ikemefuna, who he saw as one of his own. He also uses his daddy issues to excuse every single one of his behaviors and also to set goals for every single one of his accomplishments.
Katie Lebo
ReplyDeleteThe parts of their society that seem foreign to me is the fact that Okoye has three wives (6). In our society, it is only acceptable for men and women to have one spouse and we look down at the people (mostly men) who take multiple spouses. Another part of their society that is foreign is the construction of their families. On page 14, it also mentions the fact that the Man is allowed to have several wives and as many children as he wants. It also says that they all live together in a group. This concept of all these wives and children living together is foreign to me because in our society we only live with family unit and that includes our mother, father, and siblings. People in our culture don’t really approve of polygamy.
Reputation in this society is gained by performing positive actions, such as Okonkwo defeating Amalinze the Cat (1). Amalinze was undefeated for seven years, but Okonkwo defeated him and his fame grew like a bush fire in the harmattan (1). A way to lost reputation in this society is by being the man of the household and not being able to provide for your family. For example, Okonkwo’s father was poor and his wife and children barely had enough to eat (5). “People laughed at him because he was a loafer, and they swore never to lend him any more money because he never paid back. (5)” The people of this society that Unoka was a joke because he never took anything seriously and his family was suffering because of it.
So far, my favorite character is Okonkwo. I think his situation if very interesting because he wants to be better than his father, “Okonkwo worked daily on his farms from cock-crow until the chicken went to roost.” (13). Okonkwo wants to work hard so he doesn’t repeat what his father did and he wants to be able to provide for his family. My least favorite character so far is Unoka, because he was unable to provide for his family. He would spend all of his money on drinking instead of his family who had barely enough food to eat. (4)
1. “Among the Ibo the art of conversation is regarded very highly, and proverbs are the palm-oil with which word are eaten,” (7) stands out as a familiar concept for me (especially as a journalist). It seems too simple to say that words are important in a culture but they are incredibly valuable to pass on our history and navigate conflict- that’s become more evident in today’s political climate. Virtually everyday holds some sort of proverb to live by, especially among Christian followers. I do understand it, as it happens here on occasion, but the ability to have multiple wives is foreign to me. It coincides with their value of owning land but it’s a strange concept, especially since stateside, it’s only Mormons and extremists like David Koresh that have polygamous marriages. (13)
ReplyDelete2. A male-dominated society (i.e. being told to “work like a man” (18)), respect is earned through strength and finances. Age also gains respect, as the elders are closely listened to for advice and the inability to listen has the opposite effect (30). Okonkwo also loses respect for his father because of his laziness and his growing debt, never taking on a job, ultimately making Okonkwo the success that he is.
4. My favorite character at the moment is Okonkwo. He’s a self-made man to avoid becoming like his father. It’s also one of his weaknesses but narratively speaking, that’s great form setting up a good arc for later. I’ll cheat and say he’s also the least favorite character because of his temper that strikes fear in his wives and children (13). I’m a fan of morally complex characters, so my favor should not be confused with approval. In that sense, Ekwefi, the second wife, is the more traditional favorite character for standing up to such an oppressive figure (39).
ReplyDeleteReputation is gained by physicality and strength in this society. Right away, Achebe describes how “Okonkwo’s fame had grown like a bush-fire in the Harmattan (3).” He describes him as a huge man with a big nose and a severe looked like he was about to pounce (3-4)” Another way of gaining respect and reputation is how much wealth through material goods one has. Time and time again it is emphasized that yams are a sign on wealth. Page 23 says yams are the king crops. Achebe says Unoka was a failure because he was poor (5). On the other hand, he explains Okonkwo as thriving because of how many yams and wives he has (8).
Power and influence expressed through violence can be seen in a couple ways in Things Fall Apart. One example is with Okonkwo and Ikemefuna, and Okonkwo and his wives. He uses a stick to scare Ikemefuna into eating (27-28), and He beats his wives senseless (30). Secondly, power through violence is seen in the wrestling matches in this society. Wresting is a big part of their society, and more respect is earned from winning these fights. Some non-violent expressions of power would be the number of yams one harvests, and the number of wives one has.
My least favorite character is Okonkwo. I like some of his qualities; He is a hard working man who came from nothing (26). However, he is a man of pride with a unkind heart towards those who are not at his status. He is rude towards others with no title like himself, calling other men, “women” (26). It is said that Okonkwo “knows how to kill a man’s spirit (26).” It doesn’t matter how successful or higher one is in status, in my opinion that is not a good quality to have in any circumstance. He has a stern and brutal personality, and beats his wives (28-29). I don’t care how hard working he is, these qualities are not good qualities to have. As of now, Nwoye’s mother is my favorite character. While she isn’t named, she is described as a generous and caring person. She cared for Ikemefuna like her own son, and comforts him when Okonkwo is being harsh (28). She seems like a nice lady.
Pages from The African Trilogy (2017) Edition
ReplyDeleteThere are actually many similarities between that of the society in Umuofia and the U.S. For example, one of the ways to gain respect, in both systems, is through one’s own actions (“His fame rested on solid personal achievements,” (5) for example, when “It was [the champion fighter] that Okonkwo threw in a fight” (5)). These views of work both ways, such as Unoka who is described as “a failure” (6) due to his laziness and “piling up his debts” (7), which culminate in a philosophical view of life and work similar to that of the Modernist movement (that truth derives from work, and that work and achievement is the meaning to human life). Also, the phrase “the sins of the father do not pass onto the son” is true here as “among these people a man was judged according to his worth and not according to the worth of his father” (8). In some ways, similarly to that of our society too, a tight grip on one’s life is respected (although there it can get rather oppressive: “Nwoye would feign annoyance and grumble aloud about women and their troubles. Okonkwo was inwardly pleased at his son's development” (41)). In U.S.A. that’s usually just chalked up to financial security and health, while here it’s to the extent of ruling over your family with an iron first, something that may’ve been true for some time (especially that of 40’s through 60’s America), but is now something that, if Okonkwo did what he did to his wife just for making a snide comment (“ran madly into his room for the loaded gun, ran out again and aimed at her as she clambered over the dwarf wall of the barn” (32)), there’d definitely be, at the very least, criminal charges.
With all this said, though, I do like Okonkwo’s character right now, as he’s a troubled man who hides behind a mask of strength; he’s not perfect. The book frequently refers to what he feels “inwardly” (23, 25) and mentions that his greatest fear “was the fear of himself, lest he should be found to resemble his father” (13). So, truly he has a troubled past, but in the present, he is the trouble most of the time. As mentioned above, he’s abusive, and clearly unstable, and he works all the time (as a distraction?), so this duality and inwards fragility is what interest me with him. I am not a fan, however, over Okonkwo’s antithesis (Unoka). Even though I value postmodernism as a outlook on life, he really doesn’t contribute anything that interesting on his own merits (he’s “piling up his debts” (7) and, in general, “was a failure” (6)). That’s not to say I hate his character, but more of he’s my ‘least’ favorite. He is, also, killed off before much could come of his story other than that to explain Okonkwo’s compulsive nature, so he’s not really one to get attached to, either.
In “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe, society is very different compared to how we live here in America today. For example, when one of Umofia’s daughters was killed by a neighboring society, their two choices were to either create a war or offer a “young man and a virgin as compensation” (11). To them, there was no other option, while to us, this seems completely insane. There are also interesting ways that they would deal with the sick. When there was “swelling in the stomach and the limbs”, they were not allowed to die in the comfort of their own household, but in a forest, called the Evil Forest, and were left there to rot (18). Although their society is mainly different, there are some similarities. Here, we worship our God through acts such as going to church or prayer. In this society, they have rooms where they go to worship their own gods with sacrifices (14). Reputation is very important in this society that is run by men. Thankfully for Okonkwo, men were not judged by the success of their fathers, but what they did and earned themselves (8). No matter how successful a man was, the success meant nothing if he could not control his women and children (53). He would need to have both prosperity in life and authority over his family in order to have a high and mighty reputation. My favorite character in this book is Ikemefuna because he has greatly helped and led along Nwoye. Nwoye became very fond of Ikemefuna who “kindled a fire” in him (52). I think he acts as a positive male figure in his life unlike Okonkwo who is my least favorite character in the book. I do not like Okonkwo because he has so much emotion that he hides, most of which roots from the unsuccessful nature of his father that he is running from. His goal is “to hate everything that his father unoka had loved” (13). I also do not like that he beats his wives “heavily” (29).
ReplyDeleteIn Chapter one, we view that Okonkwo gains his reputation by wrestling Amalinze the cat. I was very confused until I read that he wasn’t actually a cat. “He was called the cat because his back would never touch the earth” (Page 3). What seemed foreign to me was the fact that you would have to prove your reputation by wrestling Amalinze. Another strange thing to me was how Okonkwo is a big fierce fighter known to be aggressive where as his father couldn’t bear the sight of any blood. “Whenever he was angry and could not get his words out, he would use his fists” (Page 4). Something I found very strange was when the village of Mbaino kills Umuofia wife while she was shopping, Okonkwo goes to that village to discuss getting him a new wife… I don’t know if this is just how it was back then but that’s just messed up. He claims that the village of Mbaino must give Umuofia a virgin wife. “…Choose between war on one hand, and on the other the offer of a young man and a virgin as compensation” (Page 11). For Power, Okonko is describes as taking human heads after battle and bringing them back. Knowing that his father is Agbala, Okonkwo fears weakness and the fear of the forest. “Even as a little boy he had resented his fathers failure and weakness” (Page 13). My character of choice would be Okonko. I like him for his power and success but have to say he can also be least favorite character at the moment. In chapter four, he beats his wife (youngest wife) because she didn’t cook dinner. “And when she returned he beat her very heavily” (Page 29). And lastly, he beats his wife (a different one). “He nearly shot her” (Page 39).
ReplyDeleteCarrolline Kickhoefer
ReplyDeleteHistory 1307
02/13/18
Blog #6
A couple things that I noticed that was very different from everyday life is that Okonkow has 3 wives (8) generally in American culture polygamy is frowned upon today. Another difference I saw in Okonkow’s life is that he shows a lot of dominance over his wives and on page 29 the books tells us how when his wife “returned he beat her heavily” (29) in American culture now men and women are on more equal plane fields so its almost like it was in America very long ago when men viewed women as property.
According to the book You can lose your reputation/respect if you do not heed warnings, suspicions and follow the ways of the gods or listen to the priest/Oracles (30). In this society I believe that peoples reputation is based off of their achievements. On the first page of the book the readers are told, "Okonkow was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond. As a young man of eighteen he had brought honor to his village by throwing amalinze the Cat" (1). Also the book makes a great point that the people aren’t judged by their parent’s lack of achievements. It says men are “judged according to his worth and not according to the worth of his father”(8).
As for my favorite character I really like Okonkow because he seems like a very true person that is very hard working and wants to be seen as more than his father has ever been seen. That being said my least favorite character is his dad. I just think he comes off as a dead beat who didn’t do much as a father. One page 4 it says that he drank a lot and spent what little money he had on alcohol which would lead me to believe that he also didn’t provide much for his family.
ReplyDeleteHannah Fluegel
It seems reputation is gained and lost through showing strength or weakness and work ethic or laziness. This is shown through Unoka in his death, because he was known to be an embarrassment to his whole village due to the fact he was lazy and weak and could not support himself and his family without “borrowing” money from his friends: “Unoka, grown up, was a failure” (5). His son, Okonkwo, was so burdened by this embarrassment that he was determined to work hard enough to never be considered a failure, he kept up this reputation by becoming super hard and stern in his actions. He was so inclined to protect his work ethic and power that he ended up killing a boy, named Ikemefuna, who he had closely considered his son: “He was afraid of being thought weak” (61).
Power and influence are very much expressed through behavior towards belongings and others. As for Okonkwo, he showed his power and dominance by demeaning others and putting them down. Ultimately, he had done this so his sons would not turn out like his father, but he is taking the dominance to a whole other level: “without further argument, Okonkwo gave her a sound beating and left her and her only daughter weeping” (38). There are other ways power is expressed non violently, the fear that others have of the past I think is a way that power is exerted non violently. This is shown out of their effort to do every action nonviolently, because they did not want to go to war: “And so the neighboring clans who naturally knew of these things feared Umuofia, and would not go to war against it without first trying a peaceful settlement” (12).
My favorite character right now is definitely Ikemefuna, because of how he seems to take light of the situation he is in, and how he innocently assumed the good over the bad, especially at the end of his life with his “father”: “he could hardly imagine that Okonkwo was not his real father (59). I appreciate his perspective and how he is well liked because of his character and spirit around the household. I really do not like Okonkwo, even though he acts badly due to the issues he has from his childhood. I am not a fan of his outlook of what it means to be a man, “No matter how prosperous a man was, if he was unable to rule his women and his children (and especially his women) he was not really a man” (53). I understand why he is the way he is, but I still do not see this as an excuse to be dominant with cruelty to his household.
In “Things Fall Apart”, reputation is gained through acts of excellence. For instance, Okonkwo’s past and connection to his father was forgotten when he defeated the seven-year champ Amalinze the Cat. (1) Another way reputation and recognition are gained is based on your achievements, continuing to what I said above, and not based on your family’s position in society. For instance, Okonkwo’s father, Unoka, was a drunk who lived a debt-filled life, putting his family in strugglesome situations. Yet Okonkwo didn’t allow his father’s mistakes and downfall be his downfall. He rose above it and made a name for himself. (4-8) For his father, on the other hand, is a perfect example in this book on how your reputation can be tainted by your actions. Unoka lived a cowardly life, consumed with drinking and/or “borrowing” money to continue this problem he has. He was on this continuous cycle of self-sabotaging with this life and didn’t even bother to realize nor truly care how his decisions impacted others. It was honestly sad to acknowledge that Unoka was most likely remembered as the man who abandoned his family financially instead of this man who loved music and expressed his talent to many villages. (5-8)
ReplyDeleteMy least favorite character so far is Unoka mainly because his coward behavior honestly reminds me of the character Kichijiro from “Silence” because they were both on this cyclic ride of destructive behavior and although they continuously did idiotic things, they didn’t realize until afterwards what they had done and how it impacted others. (6-7) My favorite character right now is Okonkwo because he exhibits this brave, strong man who overcame his battles and made a name for himself and became this dominating figure in multiple villages. (8)
Power and influence is clearly expressed through violence in this book. First when Okonkwo gained recognition through
Ryan McConnell
ReplyDeleteReputation is gained through working hard. If you work hard and provide for your family you gain respect. You lose respect if you are lazy and don't try your hardest. This can be seen through the character of Unoka, Okonko's dad. Unoka "was a failure," (5) he spent all of his money on alcohol and he "owed every neighbor some money (4). But ultimately "people laughed at him because he was a loafer" (5). This shows blatant disrespect towards Unoka and displays his bad reputation amongst his neighbors. In Okonko's case he has gained respect and a good reputation through being a "wealthy famer" and "the greatest wrestler in the nine villages" (8). With all these acomplishments he has become "one of the greatest men of his time" (8).
Power is expressed nonviolently through the amount of things you have. For example, Okonko is viewed as powerful because he has three wives and he produces a lot of yams. Okonko is also viewed as powerful through violent actions too. This can be seen through him being the best wrestler and also being a scary guy. For example Okonko "was not the man to stop beating somebody half-way through, not even for fear of a goddess" (30).
My least favorite character so far has to be Okonko. Even though I do respect him for coming up from poverty and becoming a very successful and wealthy man, I still do not like him because he is too up tight and very violent. My favorite character is Unoka because he lives life to the fullest. He takes it easy and isn't materialistic. I respect him for that.
In “Things Fall Apart”, reputation is gained through acts of excellence. For instance, Okonkwo’s past and connection to his father was forgotten when he defeated the seven-year champ Amalinze the Cat. (1) Another way reputation and recognition are gained is based on your achievements, continuing to what I said above, and not based on your family’s position in society. For instance, Okonkwo’s father, Unoka, was a drunk who lived a debt-filled life, putting his family in strugglesome situations. Yet Okonkwo didn’t allow his father’s mistakes and downfall be his downfall. He rose above it and made a name for himself. (4-8) For his father, on the other hand, is a perfect example in this book on how your reputation can be tainted by your actions. Unoka lived a cowardly life, consumed with drinking and/or “borrowing” money to continue this problem he has. He was on this continuous cycle of self-sabotaging with this life and didn’t even bother to realize nor truly care how his decisions impacted others. It was honestly sad to acknowledge that Unoka was most likely remembered as the man who abandoned his family financially instead of this man who loved music and expressed his talent to many villages. (5-8)
ReplyDeleteMy least favorite character so far is Unoka mainly because his coward behavior honestly reminds me of the character Kichijiro from “Silence” because they were both on this cyclic ride of destructive behavior and although they continuously did idiotic things, they didn’t realize until afterwards what they had done and how it impacted others. (6-7) My favorite character right now is Okonkwo because he exhibits this brave, strong man who overcame his battles and made a name for himself and became this dominating figure in multiple villages. (8)
Power and influence is clearly expressed through violence in this book. First when Okonkwo gained recognition through his win against the “great wrestler”, Amalinze, that allowed his to stray away from the reputation his father corrupted. (1-2) It’s also shown through the violent acts in war. For instance, it was considered a reward or a sign of triumph when you brought back a human head from war and with this mentality, Okonkwo was considered “a man of action, a man of war.” (10)
Ashton Peckinpah
ReplyDeleteRight from the beginning of the book, one's reputation deems an almost unhealthy amount of importance. Okonkwo, he was raised in an environment that heavily influenced his later ideas of life. His father, Unoka, feared the sight of blood and was always losing other's money borrowed. Okonkwo explained how his father never lived for anything, but he wasn't going to allow for the same to happen to himself (8). Okonkwo had a fierce reputation of being a skilled warrior and very wealthy. He wanted to lead an army against those who "sons of wild animals have dared to murder a daughter of Umuofia" (11). It was very important for him to sustain is reputation as well as gain others satisfaction with his expected success upon this quest for justice. Ukonkwo feared weakness, a trait he mainly associates with his father, and wants to live out his life fighting it(11). Okonkwo feels slowly turn into judgements of signs of power and weakness. Violence is obviously quite celebrated amongst the people in these clans. "Umuofia was feared by all its neighbors. It was powerful in war and in magic" (11). Fear was a sign of power and expected respect from others in the clan. For Okonkwo, he worked for hard to become the best warrior he could so that he could prove his title (19). Even when Okonkwo grows to really enjoy Ikemefuna company, he does not show any emotion because he considers it a sign of weakness. He refuses to tolerate an act of some sort in himself (28). He specifically never showed any emotion unless it was "emotions of anger" (28). As Okonkwo character develops throughout the beginning chapters, I've realized that I do not prefer his character. He is an individual that is absorbed in his masculinity and wealth. He overall is shaped into begin a stern man but also a man who has gone through trials to get where he is. Personally, I have grown to like Ikemefuna the best because of how his character has developed thus far in the book. He has become "like a member of the Okonko's family" and has learned to live with Okonko (34). I am very curious to see how their relationship will develop, or not develop, since he will be moving.
Austin Greene
ReplyDeleteThe book Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe shares an interesting perspective on another culture in our world. The society we as the audience get to explore is filled with magic and war (6). However, the society has parts that seem distant to me at some points. One instance is when the narrator is talking about Umuofia, and addresses the fact that they use magic and, in fact, are very good at it (6). I find this interesting because it raises the question what exactly is defined as magic to these people? Another aspect I find that is distant is when Okonkwo is angered by his second wife’s decision to cut some leaves off a tree (32). Okonkwo beats her and basically moves on as if this is a common occurrence (32). Something that I can find familiar in this story is the theme of companionship that we can see throughout the people when they band together in order to defend themselves (14). One way reputation is gained and lost in this society in the very physical competition of wrestling (1). We are told the tale of Okonkwo defeating the Cat, and how in turn he is now very respected (1). Power is expressed through violence by the very act of wrestling. This competition for power is filled with violence. So far in this story, my favorite character is Okonkwo. I like this character this most because of the depth of insight we as an audience are granted. Alough he may not be the most humane or likeable character at all, it brings out interesting thoughts to the reader’s mind. I find it fascinating how we see his internal thought process being something simple and him wanting the best for someone, but how he puts those thoughts into actions is completely different than what we would consider normal.