Blog Post 9: Fallen Apart
Choose one of the following prompts to answer. 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, from Part 3 (chapters 20 to 24), with a page citation for each; also, use at least 300 words in your answer.
1) How has the tribe of Umuofia fallen apart? What do you think are the three main factors contributing to this falling apart, and which is most important?
OR
2) How does the shift of perspective from men like Okonkwo towards certain white men radically change the narration from the beginning of the book to the end? How does this demonstrate how the sources of information we draw from deeply influence what kind of history we tell?
1) How has the tribe of Umuofia fallen apart? What do you think are the three main factors contributing to this falling apart, and which is most important?
OR
2) How does the shift of perspective from men like Okonkwo towards certain white men radically change the narration from the beginning of the book to the end? How does this demonstrate how the sources of information we draw from deeply influence what kind of history we tell?
Umuofia has fallen apart in several ways. One could say that Umuofia has fallen apart because one of their masked spirts (Okonkwo) due to him being exiled (171). Umuofia has also fallen apart due to the numerous amounts of people being taken into prison due to breaking the "white man's law" (174). One more way Umuofia has fallen apart is that six of their leaders have been "overthrown" by the District Commissioner and his court messengers. "The sic men ate nothing throughout that day and the next. They were not even given any water to drink, and they could not go out to urinate or go into the bush when they were pressed" (195).
ReplyDeleteMany factors could have contributed to the tribe of Umuofia falling apart. The first one was the white men building their own government on top of Umuofia's already established government. "But apart from the church, the white men had also brought a government" (174). A new government would throw off the balance of a society if a government was already established to that particular society. Another factor that contributed to the society falling apart was Mr. Brown. Throughout the chapters, Mr. Brown tried (and somewhat succeeded) to "convert" the people of Umuofia to stray away from their gods and take up his beliefs instead. "'You are afraid of Chukwu. In my religion Chukwu is a loving Father and need not be feared by those who do His will" (181). Similar to the earlier Christians, Mr. Brown tried to transform Umuofia's children by bringing in his school and he was successful.
The last factor that contributed to Umuofia falling apart was Okonkwo himself. Okonkwo was always an aggressive person and was not the most compassionate person throughout the book. Disowning his son, killing the young boy, and being exiled showed Okonkwo that he was somewhat at fault for Umuofia falling apart. In chapter 24, Okonkwo killed a man due to anger. "In a flash Okonkwo drew his machete. The messenger crouched to avoid the blow. It was useless. Okonkwo's machete descended twice and the man's head lay beside his uniformed body" (204).
The most important factor that caused Umuofia to fall was Okonkwo. Before the white men came to Umuofia he was the one who caused some uproar in the society. First, he killed the boy when he was not supposed to, he treated his wives poorly, and he killed the messenger somewhat signifying the last straw. When Okonkwo hung himself, the people of Umuofia continued their rituals by not touching evil bodies and although it was not mentioned, it made it seem like the original Umuofia "returned" to normal even after his death.
Heather Penna
ReplyDeleteIn the book Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, life changes drastically from the beginning of the book till the end for the people of Umuofia. As the title foreshadows, things fall apart for this tribe and life as they know it will never be the same. There are many different factors that contribute to things falling. Three of the most important factors to things falling apart are the introduction of a new religion, no previously decided on unified course of action against newcomers, and converted villagers abandoning their way of life to follow the new religion. The most impactful of these three factors is the new religion in Umuofia, the other factors would not have led to things falling apart without this new religion.
When the missionaries entered Umuofia (pg.143), no one believed that they would have any lasting impacted. Okonkwo was taken back to find that after seven years in Mbanta these missionaries had settled in his homeland and were not going anywhere (pg.171). These missionaries were not going anywhere and even after Mr.Brown had to leave getting sick. Instead of Christianity dying out in Umuofia, another missionary was sent and this one had a very different idea of how to spread Christianity (pg.184). Reverend Brown has harsh, inconsiderate, and expected the Christians in Umuofia to be like those in Europe.
The second factor that led to things falling apart was a lack on unity on how to handle the missionaries amongst the noblemen of Umuofia. This can be seen on page 193 when Okonkwo prepares for war against the Christians urging them to meet the missionaries fully armed. Okonkwo believes that war is important that showing strength leads to power, but the people of Umuofia do not hold as tightly to this belief. Okonkwo often refers to the men of Umuofia as women due to their loss of war-likeness (pg.183).
Lastly, the converts lead to the falling apart of Umuofia. Nwoye had abandoned his family due to his new faith and there were many others like him (pg.182). This broke Okonkwo’s heart but also divided the village. Enoch’s devotion to this new religion lead to him breaking many of his people’s customs and causing distress amongst the villagers gods, such as him killing the sacred Python and one of the masked spirits (pg. 185-187).
Ultimately, all of these factors played into the falling apart of Umuofia.However, most of the factors centered around the new religion in the land.
Neal Vogel
ReplyDeletePage numbers from kindle edition
The social structure in Umuofia quite literally falls apart in that the people are no longer united by their beliefs and values. Whereas once only the marginalized and those considered weak men had converted to Christianity, "sometimes a worthy man had joined it. Such a man was Ogbuefi Ugonna, who had taken two titles, and who like a madman had cut the anklet of his titles and cast it away to join the Christians" (173). What was once a source of pride in Umuofia is now worthless to some as they abandon the camaraderie of their clansmen to join the Christians. The system of law and order has also fallen apart in Umuofia, as they are forced to obey the white man's laws. Umuofians who "had thrown away their twins" or "molested the Christians" were imprisoned (174) even though casting out twins was part of the culture and the Christians were foreigners who had come to Umuofia. Similarly, what was once illegal in umuofia is now accepted by the white man. It had previously been an unimaginable crime to intentionally kill a sacred python, but Enoch is believed to have done just that with no punishment. The same Enoch also commits "one of the greatest crimes a man could commit" which is "to unmask an egwugwu in public" (185). But after he does so he is protected by the white men even though he would be punished if Umuofian society had not fallen apart (187).
One thing that surely contributed to the collapse of Umuofia was the arrival of Christianity. From Okonkwo’s perspective, “the church had come and led many astray” (173), and the new religion is one of the main sources of division among the people of Umuofia. Another factor that led to the society’s collapse was the departure of Mr. Brown and the arrival of his replacement, James Smith. Mr. Brown had been disruptive of course, but he “preached against such excess of zeal (178)” as Enoch killing the sacred python. He is still trying to convert Umuofians but he understands that there is an established culture that should be accommodated and dealt with in a way that is not divisive. Mr. Smith does just the obvious, and “the over-zealous converts…now flourished in full favor” (185). This further drives division in Umuofia and leads to the unmasking of the egwugwu that causes the major conflict between the tribesmen and the white men (185). Finally, the establishment of a government and prison seems the third major factor which contributes to Umuofia falling apart. As said above, the legal system has been turned upside down where Umuofians are punished for things that were once normal parts of the culture, and gross offenses like unmasking the egwugwu go unpunished. This new government and legal system also allows for the white men to take six Umuofians hostage for their crimes (193) This last factor, the creation of a government and legal system, seems to be the most important in the collapse of Umuofia. Yes, the arrival of Christianity is disruptive, but if the white men could not enforce their ideas, Umuofia could have simply chased them away. But as the white man is protected by his government, the Christians are protected from being “molested” (174) and those who resist the white man’s rule risk imprisonment or hanging (195)
The church had come and led many astray. Not only the low-born and the outcast but sometimes a worthy man had joined it. Apart from the church, the white men had also brought a government. They had built a court where the District Commissioner judged cases in ignorance. The court messengers were greatly hated in Umuofia because they were foreigners and also arrogant and high-handed. They were called kotma, they earned the additional name of Ashy-Buttocks (173).
ReplyDelete“Does the white man understand our customs?” “How can he when he does not even speak our tongue? But he says that our customs are bad; and our own brothers who have taken up his religion also say that our customs are bad. How do you think we can fight when our own brothers have turned against us? The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.” (176-77)
The white man had indeed brought a lunatic religion, but he had also built a trading store and for the first-time palm-oil and kernel became things of great price, and much money flowed into Umuofia (178).
The clan had undergone such profound change during his exile that it was barely recognizable. The new religion and government and the trading stores were very much in the people’s eyes and minds. There were still many who saw these new institutions as evil, but even they talked and thought about little else. Okonkwo was deeply grieved. And it was not just personal grief. He mourned for the clan, which he saw breaking up and falling apart, and he mourned for the warlike men of Umuofia, who had so unaccountably become soft like women (182-183).
Okika began to speak: All our gods are weeping. Our dead fathers are weeping because of the shameful sacrilege they are suffering and the abomination we have all seen with our own eyes.” (203)
This doesn't really answer the questions directly, but simply quotes or paraphrases passages from the book.
DeleteThe tribe in Umuofia has fallen apart due to many factors that have tarnished the unity of the land. In the beginning of the book, the tribe understood that they have specific customs and there is one way of life within the tribe that no one tried to change. The three main factors that contribute to the tribe falling apart are introduction of a new religion, the newcomers that have different customs, and lack of rules or actions in case of invaders or converts. We start to see Umuofia fall apart during Okonkwo’s exile, “The church had come and led many astray. Not only the low-born and the outcast but sometimes a worthy man had joined it.” (174) The new religion has changed a lot of society and people’s status and respect. Joining the church was viewed as the biggest mistake and disloyalty. (175) This attitude towards the converts created a large divide in the tribe leading to no unity and choosing sides. Another factor to things falling apart were the newcomers and their new customs. The white man established the church and a new government overshadowing the government and rules the tribe had already established. (174) This change led to many people ignoring their government and believing it was an “institution of evil” (183) This belief made the white man very angry which lead to taking people captive and torturing them including Okonkwo. The third and most important factor contributing to the tribe falling apart was the lack of protocol when newcomers or other ideas and beliefs are trying to be implemented in Umuofia. This is a major problem because the leaders of the tribe believed that their customs and rules worked perfectly and created a well functioning tribe but they neglected to think of things and course of actions when bad or new things are presented in the tribe. (188) The white man, or Mr. Smith came in to the church and decided that he needed to burn it down for the sake of his beliefs and no one did anything about it said that was not okay. Okeke just stood there and watched Mr. Smith burn the church to the ground. (190) Because of the lack of unity and preparation for newcomers the tribe was taken down easily and fell to the white men and all of their customs. Many people converted to the new religion and abided by the rules set by Mr. Smith including education.
ReplyDeleteThe tribe of Umuofia has fallen apart in many ways. They have collapsed spiritually with the entrance of Christianity and the many converts that it attracted. They have also lost their pride and status as a strong and well-respected village with the imprisonment of its leaders and forced payment. The first factor that leads to the tribe falling apart is the arrival of the white evangelists. The arrival of the white settlers caused issues for multiple reasons. At the beginning, they only wanted to convert the people in the village to Christianity. Later, the narrator says, “But apart from the church, the white men had also brought a government” (174). The white settlers had “built a court where the District Commissioner judged cases in ignorance” (174). This court that was established eventually tries the six leaders of Umuofia and orders the clan to pay in order for the leaders to be released. This leads to the destruction of their reputation as a well-respected village. The second factor that destroys the village was the departure of Mr. Brown. Mr. Brown was a white missionary that “was very firm in restraining his flock from provoking the wrath of the clan” (178). He respected the clan and did not try to forcefully convert them to Christianity. Eventually Mr. Brown leaves and the Reverend James replaces him. Reverend James “condemned openly Mr. Brown’s policy of compromise and accommodation” (184). This refusal to compromise leads to increased tensions with the clan and the village people eventually burn down the church. This leads to a downward spiral with the clan leaders being arrested and the eventual death of Okonkwo. The last factor that contributed to the downfall of the clan was the return of Okonkwo. Okonkwo is very violent and increases tensions in the clan. While the leaders of the clan are in custody, Okonkwo says, “We should have killed the white men if you had listened to me” (195). Eventually Okonkwo’s recklessness and resistance to change leads him to “draw his machete and descend twice on the man” (204). The book ends before we find out the fate of the clan but I am sure that the clan was severely punished by the English settlers for Okonkwo’s actions.
ReplyDeleteHaley Melita
ReplyDeleteThe tribe, Umuofia, has fallen apart because it is no longer unified. This is specifically conveyed through Okonkwo’s exile. Chapter twenty starts by discussing Okonkwo’s exile and how long he has been away from his tribe for, “seven years was a long time to be away from one’s clan” (171). Additionally, it is stated that the tribe has lost their leader and that Okonkwo has lost his position in the clan, “a man’s place was not always there, waiting for him. As soon as he left, someone else rose and filled it” (171). Furthermore, the tribe has suffered because of Christianity, “it is already too late...Our own men and our sons have joined the ranks of the stranger” (176). This quote shows the disunification of the tribe and the contrasting religion that the younger generation has chosen to follow. This is also seen in the following quote, “he has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart” (176). Along with Christianity, the tribe has become increasingly violent and engaging in revolts. This is seen when the church is burned to the ground, “they are strangers and they are ignorant...But this shrine which he built must be destroyed. We shall no longer allow it in our midst” (190). Additionally, this violence highlights the contrasting beliefs among these groups, “we cannot leave the matter in his hands because he does not understand our customs, just as we do not understand his” (191). Ultimately, the three factors that led to the disunification of the tribe was Okonkwo’s lost of power and exile, the influx of Christianity, and the violence that came along with it. However, the most important factor that led to the tribe falling apart was the spread of Christianity. This is because Umuofia is rooted in faith and tradition, two things which are no longer being carried out and practiced by the younger generation.
Tess Song
ReplyDeleteThe community of Umuofia has fallen apart in many ways. As Okonkwo has returned from his banishment he has come to realize that the Christians have gained a lot of support from the people. Many of the high-ranking official have converted to the faith. Okonkwo believes that the white men should be driven out of the community, however, "there were many men and women in Umuofia who did not feel as strongly as Okonkwo about the new dispensation" (178). In fact, the people appreciated the white men because they "built a trading store and for the first-time palm-oil and kernel became things of great price, and much money flowed into Umuofia" (178). Therefore, there was economic benefits and the people were beginning to believe that the religion had some meaning to it after all. This divide between the people, Okonkwo, and those who still hold their ground have released some tension among the people.
Secondly, the transition from Mr. Brown to Mr. Smith portrays the issues amongst perspective on personal faith. Mr. Brown emphasized on his Igbo faith while Mr. Smith opposed all of those ideas. Smith "saw things as black and white. And black was evil" (184). Reverend James Smith served as a more aggressive position on his attack to convert people. He tried to unify people under the same belief by using punishments. He "suspended a young woman from the church from pouring new wine into old bottles" (185). I find it rash that he punishes this woman for such a small mistake, but this causes the community to be further from unity.
Most importantly, the community discusses the possibility of going to war against the white men and those who are like them that have joined them. The breaking up of the people has hit an all-time high. As the meeting as commenced, the people have communicated that those "who are here this morning have remained true to our fathers, but our brothers have deserted us and joined a stranger to soil their fatherland" (203). Also, they acknowledge the fact that the people before them would never attack a fellow clansman, but they know they must do so for the sake of the community. White people were not there back then to destroy the unity of the community. The clan has "broken…and gone their several ways" (203).
Dalton Shettle
ReplyDeleteDuring the time Okonkwo was in exile, many things had changed in Umuofia and the tribe. Something that will result in the fall of the Umuofian tribe is the rise of the Christian church. An example of this is on page 174 where it says, "Umuofia had indeed changed during the seven years Okonkwo had been in exile. The church had come and led many astray. Not only the low-born and the outcast but sometimes a worthy man had joined it" (174). Another thing that the white men had brought with them to Umuofia other than the church was a government. On page 174 it says, "But apart from the church, the white men had also brought a government. They had built a court where the District Commissioner judged cases in ignorance. He had court messengers who brought men to him for trial" (174). This government was not liked by the Umuofian tribe because "they were foreigners and also arrogant and high-handed. They were called 'kotma', and because of their ash-colored shorts they earned the additional name of Ashy-Buttocks. They guarded the prison, which was full of men who had offended against the white man's law" (174). This piece of evidence is important because it shows how the white men now have control over the Umuofian tribe opposed to how the Umuofian tribe originally told the white men where they could and could not build their church. The tides have changed in the control between the two groups. Another thing that has greatly led to the downfall of the Umuofian tribe is the fact that some of the tribes very own people have adopted the religion and government of the white man and are working to uphold those standards. On page 176 Obierika says, "Our very own men and our sons have joined the ranks of the stranger. They have joined his religion and they help to uphold his government" (176). Obierika also says, "The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart" (176). In the end I believe that the most important thing that led to the official falling apart of Umuofia is when Okonkwo killed the head messenger and afterwards when he hanged himself. On page 204 it says, "In a flash Okonkwo drew his machete. The messenger crouched to avoid the blow. It was useless. Okonkwo's machete descended twice and the man's head lay beside his uniformed body" (204). And on page 207 where it says, "Then they came to the tree from which Okonkwo's body was dangling, and they stopped dead" (207). The reason that I believe Okonkwo hanging himself lead to the ultimate downfall of Umuofia is because all along throughout the book; Okonkwo seems to be the backbone for the Umuofian tribe because of his fiery attitude and leadership qualities he gave to the tribe. When he was gone in exile, Umuofia completely changed. Now with him being gone for good, the Umuofian tribe is falling apart.
Umuofia has fallen apart after Okonkwo returns after being banished for seven years. When he returned to his fatherland he thought he would once again take his role as a powerful part of his clan. This was not proven when Okonkwo returned to Umuofia “Seven years later was a long time to be away from one’s clan. A man’s place was not always there, waiting for him. As soon as he left, someone else rose and filled it. The clan was like a lizard, if it lost its tail it soon grew another.” (171) Christianity had taken a toll on the village and had incorporated more than the lower heathens of village. This was one of the main factors that contributed to the falling apart of Umuofia. Well-respected men had converted and joined the reigns of Christianity, which encouraged more conversion. “ The church had come and led may astray. Not only the lowborn and the outcast but also sometimes a worthy man joined it. Such a man was Ogbuefi Ugonna, who had taken two titles, and who like a madman had cut the anklet of his titles and cast it away to join the Christians.” (174) Another aspect that led to the falling apart of Umuofia was not only the rise of Christianity but also the introduction of a government system. “ But apart from the church, the white men had also brought a government. They had build a court where the district Commissioner judged cases in ignorance.” (174). The adding of a government system brought much more conflict between the clan and the white men. If someone fought against the white men they were sent to prison. “ They guarded the prison, which was full of men who had offended against the white men’s law.” (174) Another aspect that has caused the tribe to fall apart is that the youth began joining the Christian white men. “ Our own men and our sons have joined the ranks of the stranger.” (176) Having the youth especially sons joining the opposing side is a huge breaking point for the Umuofia tribe. The most important aspect that led to the turmoil of the Umuofia tribe was the increased prevalence of Christianity. Having another faith counteracting the Umuofia gods and accepting people of all ranks allows the religion to gain much power within the community. This causes internal conflict within the clan, as well as conflict between Christians and the Umuofia. Their leaders fight for justice and are punished and put into jail for their retaliation. Okonkwo believed his clan was in turmoil “ He mourned for the clan, which he saw breaking up and falling apart, and he mourned for the warlike men of Umuofia, who had so unaccountably become soft like women.” (183) The people of Umuofia began to resist fighting against the white men and this allowed for Christianity to spread even more.
ReplyDeleteThe shift in Okonkwo’s perspective from the beginning of the book to the end is one of extremes. In the beginning of the book, Okonkwo is a proud warrior leader of Umuofia, fully engaged in the society and leadership of the clan (8); however, in the end of the book, Okonkwo’s spirit is broken and replaced by hate and bitterness toward the changes brought upon his culture by the white men (195). He mourned the former leaders of his clan, such as Isike, and the many victories they had won on the battlefields. “Worthy men are no more…we killed twelve of their men and they only killed two of ours. Those were days when men were men” (200). When he and his family are sent into exile, the tides begin to turn in his homeland with the arrival of missionaries. Until his return to Umuofia, he had only heard of the actions of the white men from Obierika, but upon his return, he was able to fully take in all of the changes that happened while he was away. The white men had not only brought in a new religion, but a new government, as well (174). I perceive his views began to take a turn when he saw how passive the people of Umuofia had become toward these changes. They were no longer standing strong against the influence of the white men and upholding the ways of their ancestors (178). Mr. Brown, the first missionary of the church, made inroads with the people of Umuofia; however, his replacement’s beliefs were heavy-handed and began to divide the people against the white men. When Okonkwo hanged himself, I believe it was because he saw his way of life being destroyed and he felt the men of Umuofia would not stand with him (207).
ReplyDeleteThe information provided to Okonkwo during his exile was told to him by Obierika. Since Obierika held essentially the same views as Okonkwo, it makes sense that his view of the white men would be a negative one. And with his son Nwoye becoming a Christian, he was angered at the actions of his son. The sources one uses to research or learn about events has a big impact on the history that is told. In the book, we only read about the viewpoint of the clansmen and never read about the viewpoint of the missionaries and government leaders. This causes a skewed view of the white men and makes the history that would have been passed down very negative when referring to the arrival of white men to Umuofia.
Umuofia declined because of three main factors: a lack of unity in religion, a change in the culture, and the apathy of many clansmen. The shift in religious beliefs affected Umuofia’s harmony. Not only had the lowly converted to Christianity, but so did “worthy” men—leaders of the tribe (174). Furthermore, Christianity began to spread outside the village and permeate other societies—churches and schools were built in the surrounding villages (182). Christianity was affecting the leaders of Umuofia and the nearby villages. Perhaps the leaders were encouraged to accept Christianity because it established peace among the tribes, since the faith was becoming prevalent in adjacent societies. The lack of religious unity in Umuofia (Christianity vs. the tribal religion) created a crisis in Umuofia and contributed to its downfall.
ReplyDeleteSimilarly, the change in culture, brought by the white men and Christianity, impacted Umuofia’s strength. Obierika stated to Okonkwo that their own kinsmen, who had taken up Christianity, said that Umuofia’s customs were bad (176). Okonkwo therefore mourned for his people, and he grieved over “the warlike men of Umuofia, who had so unaccountably become soft like women” (183). The white men’s intervention altered the culture of Umuofia and shifted the Africans' views of their customs.
Lastly, many people in Umuofia were apathetic to its demise. Some citizens “did not feel as strongly as Okonkwo about the new disputation,” because the white men brought trade and money into Umuofia (178). Okonkwo wanted Umuofia to go to war with the white men but knew that his people would not engage in war, because “they had let the other messengers escape” (205). Many citizens in Umuofia stopped caring about the influx of a new race, religion, and culture into Umuofia. The disunity in religion, culture, and zeal among Umuofia’s people contributed to their civilization’s collapse.
Okonkwo thinks he is going to return to Umofia after his exile rising to the top and compensating for the seven years he lost; however, the tribe of Umofia has fallen apart in many ways (171). Bringing religion, government/education, and trade into Umofia are the three main factors to this community falling apart. I think that the government/education is the most important factor because many different rules, ideals, and customs stem from it.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, the Christians came into this city and converted, or “led many astray” (172) to Christianity. There was no church body before this, but now the Christians are changing the lives of this community. Not only is the Church converting normal, everyday people, they are also converting high-ranking people with respective titles (174). Unlike before, where the Igbo people ruled and handled themselves, the white foreigners brought a government to Umofia (174). The white men have taken over Umofia, and the people are unable to fight back because even their own people fell into these new ideals of the Christians. They are clever and recruited people of color native to Umofia to help govern it (176).
Secondly, along with the new government, Mr. Brown aided in Umofia’s destruction. He became friends with the Igbo people, therefore earning trust and respect from this (179). He slowly and successfully gets his message across to the Igbo people, and they start believeing him. He did this mainly through urging the people to send their children to school to become educated (181). He tricked them in a way by telling them that school is the only way their children can become leaders; otherwise foreigners will come in to rule (181).
Finally, the 3rd reason why Umofia is falling apart is that the Christians have brought trade with them. Achebe writes that, “palm oil and kernel became things of great price, and much money flowed into Umofia” (178). Since the Umofians are profiting from this trade, it is hard to dislike it. The Umofians start to accept the white people because of this. It an easy way in for the Christians.
Katie Lebo
ReplyDeleteUmuofia has fallen apart due to the fact that the church had come in and “led many astray” (174). The church took “not only the low-born and the outcast but sometimes a worthy man had joined it.” (174) Ogbuefi Ugonna, who had two titles, joined the church and received Holy Communion. The church also set up a government, they built a government where the District Commissioner judged cases in ignorance (174). The white man came in peacefully with their religion and the villagers were foolish enough to let them stay and accept their ways. Now the white man has control over the villagers and the clan can no longer act like one (176). Mr. Brown was also a contributing factor to the downfall of Umuofia. Mr. Brown strayed the people of Umuofia away from their beliefs of their being multiple gods (179). He also persuaded the people to go to school and learn how to read and write (181). The last factor that caused Umuofia to fall apart was the death of Okonkwo (207). Okonkwo was a very influential member of the village of Umuofia and his death was driven by the influence of the white man. The white man took away his one, Nwoye, and made him into a sophisticated citizen. They also took away his religion and the way they govern their society. Obierika said “that was one of the greatest men in Umuofia. You drove him to kill himself.” (208) The most important factor that contributed to Umuofia falling apart was the arrival of Christianity. The ideals of Christianity appealed to a lot of the villagers and caused them to convert to Christianity and follow the ways of the white man.
In the foreshadowing title, Things Fall Apart, Achebe illustrates a multitude of events that contribute to Umuofia falling apart. A few of these events include the construction of British establishment and control through, first, church (Part Two), government (174-177; 192-198), and then trade of palm-oil and kernel (178). These attributes contribute to the fall of Umuofia as like Obierika said about how “He [white men] has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart,” (176) which in translation solidifies how the traditions and customs were being overruled by the new beliefs of the British in not only Umuofia, but also in other tribes. These other tribes were being affected as the British collected and employed translators and court messengers, or kotma, that were among other African tribes that exhibited differing values, customs and languages from the Umuofians. Through this, it expressed the existing tensions among these tribes and pushed further division and corruption (195-197) between the non-Christian Umuofians and the converted.
ReplyDeleteAnother event that depicted the theme of “falling apart” was when Enoch, an Umuofian convert, demasked an egwugwu in public during the annual ceremony in celebration of the earth deity. Based on the Umuofia tradition, in the unmasking of an egwugwu, Enoch killed an ancestral spirit. (186) After the unmasking and death of the ancestral spirit, the Mother of the Spirits wept a foreshadowing cry that exemplified the following death of Umuofia. (187) This tribal wept symbolized this sort of warning for the reader to take notice to the destruction and downfall of the traditional Umuofia as this unmasking of the egwugwu and also the existence of Christianity in this tribe created shockwaves of confusion leading to conversion amongst Umuofians.
The most important event that occurred that symbolized the falling apart of Umuofia would be the rise of British ruling as it expressed an advantageous effect on Umuofia as it allowed the unseen to be seen and allowed trade in the country, but also was a major contribution to the destruction of the Igbo traditions, the tearing apart of families and rise of major violence and division amongst Umuofians and many other tribes alike.
In Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart,” there are various changes in the society that leads Umuofia to fall apart. One of the main factors that contributed to the demise of this culture was the transfer of power from Umuofia’s leaders to the white men in both religious and government aspects in this society. Power has always been an important feature of this African culture and within the culture, power was present in every aspect of society. In a way, this is what shaped and constructed order in Umuofia. Rather than earning their positions as leaders, as was the usual for Umuofia leaders, the white men came and took power without being earned, which led this culture to crumble. The establishment of the church already caused turmoil, but the establishment of government and economic opportunities with palm oil for example, led to an even greater conflict, which was the divide of the Umuofian people. “The new religion and government and the trading stores were very much in the people’s eyes and minds” (182-183). As Obierika states: “If we should drive out the white men in Umuofia we should find it easy…There are only two of them…But what of our own people who are following their way and have been given power?” (176). I think this is one of the most important quotes in the book because it highlights the greatest factor that contributed to Umuofia’s demise, which is the divide of the people. It would be easy to just drive out the white men, but at this point they are unable to do that without hurting their own people. The white people’s culture began to gain influence and although it may be easy to drive out two men, it is a lot more difficult to do the same to an ideology or new culture. The second most important factor that led to Umuofia’s demise was the differences in cultures. Rather than trying to assimilate the western culture with this African culture, the white men instead wanted to replace this culture that they considered bad, but that was very much so misunderstood. Respect was another major part of Umuofia’s culture and the white men held none for the clan. This is present when Mr. Brown was still around, but even more so when his successor, Mr. Smith arrived. “Mr. Smith was greatly distressed by the ignorance which many of his flock showed even in such things as the Trinity and the Sacraments” (184). This shows how the white men wanted this culture to let go of their own customs completely without even understanding the culture itself. Even the people the converted to Christianity were still not “white” enough or Christian enough for them. Rather than the spread of a new culture, this became the destruction of one to be replaced with another completely. The third factor that contributed to the demise of Umuofia was when “Enoch had killed an ancestral spirit, and Umuofia was thrown into confusion” (186). During this final attack, “it seemed as if the very soul of the tribe wept for a great evil that was coming—its own death” (187). This quote foreshadows the ending but also shows the extent the converts and white men would go to destroy this tribes culture, even killing their most sacred thing. In the end of the novel after Okonkwo hangs himself Obierika says to the District Commissioner: “that man was one of the greatest men in Umuofia…You drove him to kill himself, and now he will be buried like a dog…”(208). This quote is a reflection of what the white men did to this culture, it drove it to its own death. At this point, the tribe has fallen apart since respect among and within each culture has also been lost. Okonkwo’s death represents one of the most powerful beliefs in the survival of this culture has been lost, and that the white men’s drive to dissolve this culture had become inevitable.
ReplyDeleteWhen he comes back after his exile he finds that his tribe is changing. The white missionaries have come to convert them to Christianity. He believes that they should fight and remove them from their village, but the others do not think that it would be a good idea. “How do you think we can fight when our own brothers have turned against us?” (176).
ReplyDeleteHe says that his village has turned into a bunch of women and he then hangs himself. “He knew he had lost his place among the nine masked spirits who administered justice in the clan” (Okonkwo) (page 171).
We see this in life, when a person dies of a fatal illness, or tragic accident. Achebe, through the Okonkwo’s death, illustrates that expectation usually far exceeds reality. Upon his return to Umuofia, he expects his clan to have driven away the white man, and eradicated this Christian nuisance, but to his surprise, he finds the church coexisting with the villagers. He was “deeply grieved” by his clan, who “had so unaccountably become soft like women” (183). Upon his arrival, he also discovers that his son has just gone to “the new training college for teachers in Umuru” (182). It’s as if the villagers’ conversion to Christianity isn’t bad enough, Okonkwo finds that his son has also become feminine. He thought he could mold his son into a masculine figure, but again, he is disappointed.
Okonkwo believes that hard work is the answer to all problems (being that luck so often failed him, for example during his first few harvests while he was Sharecropping) and has stated several times his distrust of the Chi and the actions of the Gods. However, when faced with the seemingly unstoppable dismantling of his tribe and culture, Okonkwo begins thinking about his afterlife, and trusting more to the Gods of his ancestors (as seen in the dismantling of the Christian church by the masked spirits). Despite this, Okonkwo seems defiant to the very last (not necessarily of the village, as Alex suggested, but of the white man), determined "[to] fight alone if [he should] choose"(p.201) and to " avenge himself" (p.199), which makes no sense in the context of his rather pitiful death by hanging.
Much like the title suggests, everything has quite literally fallen apart. We return to the story at the end of Okonkwo’s seven-year exile. It seems as though his home tribe has completely turned away from the ways of his youth and their culture. He mentions this when he is summing up the situation that he is currently facing upon his return. He lost the chance to rise up militarily against the colonist missionaries, lost the chance to gain more titles and the position in while he held with the masked ancestors. (171) Okonkwo also mentioned that out of his five actual sons, he now had only four due to his eldest son committing the abomination of becoming a Christian and siding with the white man over his own tribe. (172) This in his mind was not necessarily a large blow, but it was something that weighed on his mind.
ReplyDeleteWhen he returned, he laid his eyes upon how much the tribe of Umuofia had changed. The missionaries had set up the court system that the British had set up. This dealt a further blow to the downfall of the old tribal culture by slowly eliminating the old judiciary system that was in place for as long as the tribe was present. (174) With the installation of the District Commissioner, the missionaries/British could slowly eliminate the old ways and the methods of “ignorance”. With this new judiciary system in place, the D.C. put in place enforcers of sorts, to help carry out the policing that needed to be done. These court messengers were called Kotma. (175) These men were given rods to beat the prisoners with and basically anyone that acted out of turn. The worst part of this was that these were other tribesmen, not foreigners.
In addition to the court house, the British had also put a new trading post in place that placed a premium on palm-seed oil and the kernels. (178) This new trade system made things better economically for the tribe of Umuofia and made the locals bend slowly to the will of the missionaries. The best analogy I could possibly give would be putting a crab in slowly warming water; it is slightly uncomfortable at first, then it gets to where there is no escape, then death. This describes perfectly what happened to the tribe of Umuofia.
The final nail in the coffin (as it were) was Mr. Brown, the initial missionary. With his docile stance of acceptance and slow, steady growth; the locals grew to enjoy the presence of the missionary church. He brought schools, clinics and trade. All of the items came into being and were not initially accepted, but after gifts were given in exchange for participation, many fell for the kind ways of the man. (179)
Over all, the aforementioned analogy still stands as accurate to me. The people of Umuofia should have initially stood up against these “heretics” and drove them out, but due to the fact that Okonkwo was gone, they stood no chance. While I must admit, I proceeded to the final chapter, I found this book to be interesting until the absolute horrid ending.
When Okonkwu returns to Umofia from his motherland, he realizes that it has fallen apart. It is so different compared to the way that he left it. The three main reasons that changed this tribe were schools, the government, and most importantly the church. Mr. Brown’s implementation of schools gave the tribe the opportunity to educate themselves extremely quickly and become a “court messenger or even a court clerk (182).” With this new system, many new churches, along with schools, were “established in surrounding villages” providing opportunity for others (182). The white men also brought a governmental system along with them. A court was created that judged “cases in ignorance (174).” There was also a prison that was filled with people who defied the laws of the dominant white men. People from the tribe of Umofia had left to help with this government, going against their beliefs and their tribes. Their tribe is furious and believes that they have “joined the ranks of the stranger” (176). Most importantly though, it was the church that came and “led many astray”, even “worthy” men from the Umofia tribe (174). The church and schools go “hand in hand,” since they were commonly built alongside each other (182). The church divided the tribe with many of them following Mr. Brown, and his faith that most thought was absurd. This caused a lot of debates between not only the church and the tribe, but the people within the tribe. They all had people that were once close to them leave to this unheard religion that they did not trust. Onkonkwu was astounded by the major change that had occurred in his seven years of absence. All of the turmoil within the church eventually this led him to commit suicide in the last chapter, “dangling” from a tree (207). Okonkwu cracked and did not want to deal with the church any longer.
ReplyDeleteThe tribe of Umuofia has fallen apart in the sense that the original mechanics of the tribe have changed enough to the point where it is starting to look like a completely different community. The customs and rituals of the tribe were unraveling and the people seemed to start following the white men’s instructions and examples instead of their own traditions. There are several reasons that the tribe of Umuofia has fallen apart. think that the first reason is the implementation of the new government over the people. The second reason that I believe contributed to the falling apart of the new religion placed upon the people. The last reason that I think the tribe has fallen apart is almost because the way the white men would disrespectfully treat their tribal rituals and beliefs.
ReplyDeleteThe first factor that I think had a major contribution to the tribe’s falling apart is the implementation of the new government. “But apart from the church, the white men had also brought a government. They had built a court where the District Commissioner judged cases in ignorance” (144). This is a big change for the tribe because it directly affected their judicial system. Their judicial system was something that contributed a big part to their tribe because It incorporated a lot of rituals representing their religion and other formalities of the people (145). By the white men coming in and changing it, they have almost unintentionally changed one of the main factors of the foundation of the tribe.
The second factor that I see that had a major influence on the people is the forceful way that the white men brought their religion to the people. The conversation between Akunna and Mr. Brown shows how the religion is described to the villagers (150). The religion was also changing the way the people acted. Since the frontal attack on the villager’s religion was not so successful, so it was the slow approach by using schools and other methods that subjected the tribe to the new knowledge (150).
The third factor that affected the tribe’s falling apart was the disrespect of the rituals by the white men. One example of this was when Enoch de-masked one of the egwugwu, “killing” him (154). This act showed no respect to the tribe’s rituals, and also caused a falling out between the people. It caused a rebellion amongst them because they felt as if they had been disrespected, but this led to an eventual falling out (150).
Hannah Fluegel
ReplyDeleteI think it is almost impossible not to have bias in most situations, especially when it comes to history itself and the information given. When it comes to events in the past, it seems as though it is rare to have all sides of the story, which allows for bias to creep into our thoughts about the event and then eventually our writing. This same bias seems to have happened in Things Fall Apart, under Okonkwo, as well. As Okonkwo’s perspective towards the Christians starts to shift, so does the narration of the story. In the more early parts of the book, the Christians seemed to be very distant and referred to as the ‘White men”: “”Have you heard how the white man wiped out Abame?” asked Oberieka” (175). Another example of this is when it is written that, “The white missionary was very proud of him” (174). As Okonkwo becomes more familiar with the white man, the reader does as well. By the end of the book, the “white man” reference turns into “Christian” and the book includes the names and stories of them as well: “Mr. Smith was greatly distressed by the ignorance which many of his flock showed even in such things as the Trinity and the Sacraments” (184). The Christians start to become more familiar until the narrator almost shifts his opinion about the two cultures. I would say in the earlier stages of even this section that the Christian men seem more brutal than the tribe, “They were beaten in the prison by the kotma and made to work every morning.." (175). Then by the end, it seems as though Okonkwo’s tribe is the savage and unnatural tribe, “This woman had allowed her heathen husband to mutilate her dead child” (185). This is a different depiction than how this detail was spoken first. I know that this is due to the fact that the narrator is showing James Smith’s perspective, but it is still a shift in the writing. This is also when the narrator depicted the death of the ancestral god, “Not even the oldest man in Umuofia had ever heard such a strange and fearful sound” (187). The Christians, by the end, are depicted as more moral than the tribe, in contrast from the beginning where the tribe’s rituals seemed natural. This shows that the details given about history greatly affect how we tell the history. This affects our perspectives and the details and little opinions shared. It determines our opinion on an event and that affects if we negatively or positively describe it in writing.
The tribe of Umuofia has fallen apart in the sense that their customs are destroyed. Okonkwo was “one of the greatest men in Umuofia” (208) who was now “an abomination” (207) via the taking of his own life after his clan failed to answer his call to arms. Similarly, the sacred egwugwu were desecrated after “Enoch murdered an egwugwu” (194) by unmasking it in public. These show how the white missionary influence lead to the murder of the Igbo (Umuofia) culture as they either null traditional cultural statuses (like Okonkwo or elevating that of the osu who were welcomed into the Christian faith). The tribe itself is allowed to assimilate, insofar that they are allowed to ‘physically’ live, but culturally they must reflect that of the European idea of culture (this was not a choice given evidence by “He [rev. Smith] condemned openly Mr. Brown’s policy of compromise and accommodation” (184).
ReplyDeleteThe factors of which contributed to this decline were of these: the increase of the contempt of those within the tribe (“Enoch boasted aloud that they would not dare to touch a Christian” (186) and the subsequent tearing of the egwugwu mask), the enticement of the idea of equality and that of a better quality of life (“...a frontal attack on it would not succeed. And so he built a school and a little hospital in Umuofia” (181) and subsequently “More people came to learn in his school” (181), and the destruction of the sanctity and renown of the high spirits (Enoch and the egwugwu, the ‘leaders’ of Umuofia being “handcuffed and led into the guardroom” (194) and having to pay the bounty of 250 cowries). It appears that the most effective method was that of the ‘foot-in-the-door’ style persuasion of the early church by the acceptance of persecuted classes in Umuofia. Sure, this did stunt initial growth as the reputation of the missionaries were decreased by taking in ‘abominations’ (osu), but this friendly, non-threatening facilitated the expansion of the church through that of Mr. Brown’s passive use of opportunities to entice enrollment and conversion. Sure, the violence did get some people (Enoch) but overall, the converts were those saw the benefit of the treatment and quality of life of the missionary (and thereby European) style infrastructure and class system.
Carrolline Kickhoefer
ReplyDeleteHistory Since 1500
March 12th, 2018
Blog Post #9
The tribe of Umuofia has fallen apart for multiple reasons such, as Mr. Brown was also a contributing factor to the downfall of Umuofia. Mr. Brown strayed the people of Umuofia away from their beliefs of their being multiple gods (179). Mr. Brown became friends with the Igbo people, therefore earning trust and respect from this (179). There were also several issues with the church that have been found throughout the book like the book telling us that the church has “led many astray”(174). Another really big reason was the white man coming in and building their government on top of their church. (174). The book also tells us that the white settlers had “built a court where the District Commissioner judged cases in ignorance” (174). But, I think the biggest and most major reason that the tribe Umuofia is because of Okonkwo. Through the book he has done several things that go against his tribes beliefs such as disowning his son and killing a young boy. He also is a very untamed person. The book tells us "In a flash Okonkwo drew his machete. The messenger crouched to avoid the blow. It was useless. Okonkwo's machete descended twice and the man's head lay beside his uniformed body" (204). Because of this I think people in the tribe had to choose sides and they had to make very difficult decisions that led them to fall apart. With all of these factors combined I think it made it very tough on the tribe. It seems like there was a ton of difficult choices to be made. I think they tried to not fall apart as a tribe but some things just can not be helped.
Ryan McConnell
ReplyDeleteThroughout the book the tribe of Umuofia has slowly fallen apart. At the beginning of the book the tribe followed strict rules and everyone seemed to obey the long tradition that the tribe had upheld. But as the book goes on the tradition and the integrity of the tribe start to come apart. The reason for this can be seen through the three factors of: influential members of the tribe leaving, the spread of Christianity and the unfair class system that existed within the tribe
The factor of influential members leaving the tribe can be seen through Okonkwo's departure. When he left it left the tribe vulnerable. It is always tough to replace an important member of the tribe even if "as soon as he left, someone else rose and filled" his spot (171). Then when Okonkwo comes back he states that "perhaps I have been away too long," meaning that too much has changed in the tribe and the tradition is no longer being correctly upheld (175). With Okonkwo's leave of absence it allowed for outsiders without the understanding of their "customs about land," amongst other customs, come in and take control (176).
Secondly, the spread of Christianity helped cause the tribe of Umofia fall apart. The spread of missionaries caused many people in the tribe to convert to Christianity. These people "who have taken up [this] religion also say that [their own] customs are bad" (176). This shows how many people in the tribe, especially those who don't hold power in it, were easily persuaded to join Christianity even though they used to be loyal to Umofia's traditions. The missionaries also decided it be easier to convert people by not sing a "frontal attack" on the people of the clan (181). So they started building churches and hospitals and converted people, and the especially the youth, that way.
Lastly, this class system within the tribe, which saw that only people who possessed certain thing were powerful and important, helped "[see] the breaking and falling apart" of the tribe (183). Many people wanted an equal opportunity to become wealthy, so they either converted to Christianity or joined the "white man" in their endeavors to modernize the tribe.
Ashton Peckinpah
ReplyDeleteThe immediate subject of Chinua Achebe’s novels is the tragic consequence of the European encounter with African civilization. His novels deal with the social and psychological conflicts created by the invasion of the white man and his culture into the hitherto self-contained world of African society, and the disarray of the African consciousness that has followed.
In Things Fall Apart, the theme is the colonization of Africa by the British and the negative and violent changes this brought about in the lives of the African tribes. Along with colonization was the arrival of the missionaries whose main aim was to spread the message of Christianity and to convert people to their religion. Okonkwo knew that he had "lost his chance to lead his warlike clan against a new religion" (172). Once the white settlers began to make an influx within the tight community, there was no longer room for two differing ideals. Missionaries eventually establish a strong foothold in the tribe which then allows a government as well as law court for administering justice to become part of the indoctrination of native peoples to Western ways. Okonkwo feels as though they are not manly and that he himself will not be manly if he consents to join or even tolerate them (174). Achebe does not gloss over the cruelty and superstition that prevails in the tribe, and even shows that it was this element that opened the way for the disintegration of the tribe and their ‘falling apart.’ This theme is best shown in the rise and fall of Okonkwo, who represents the best and worst of his culture. Thus, Okonkwo himself becomes a symbol of the disintegration. Achebe shows how dependent such traditions are upon storytelling and language and thus how quickly the abandonment of the Igbo language for English could lead to the eradication of these traditions(182). The most important factor is the unity of the members of the tribe and their absolute obedience to the ruling of the elders as well as the gods and goddesses. Okonkwo notices a disturbance once "his brothers and clan no longer act like one. He has to put a knife on the things that held the community together..thus falling apart" (176). This is lost when some of them accept contrasting values brought to them by the missionaries. This leads to an increasing openness to Western thought and religion and allows for the eventual exploitation and assimilation. Okonkwo is one of few who resist and he ends up dead at the end of the novel. His refusal is a form of resistance to conforming to the ways of the white man as well as a rejection of his own culture as he has made a terrible transgression in committing suicide and will not be buried in the warrior style that he deserved. In a way Okonkwo rejects his own tribe members for their cowardice and lack of support. This tragedy is one that is shared by the entire tribe, which has ‘fallen apart.’ This thus is a double tragedy, due to the weakness and mistake of the hero, but also the weakness of the tribe, who despite their power among the local clans, cannot resist the colonizing effort. Okonkwo continuously faults his people for their preference of negotiation, compliance, and avoidance over anger and bloodshed brought by Okonkwo(180).
Ashton Peckinpah...point continued...
ReplyDeleteAchebe has used tragedy as a medium in handling this theme. This involves a particular dramatic ordering of events in which each of the situations is linked to another, thus revealing a tragic pattern (190). Achebe thus succeeds in striking a profoundly sad and ironic note in his novel Things Fall Apart. When Achebe chose to write Things Fall Apart in English, he clearly intended it to be read by the West at least as much, if not more, than by his fellow Nigerians. His goal was to critique and emend the portrait of Africa that was painted by so many writers of the colonial period. Doing so required the use of English, the language of those colonial writers. Through his inclusion of proverbs, folktales, and songs translated from the Igbo language, Achebe managed to capture and convey the rhythms, structures, cadences, and beauty of the Igbo language.
This book was quite profound and eye-opening to better understanding the misjudgment of so many at the time.