I think this book will continue to be very interesting once I read further. The relationship between Okonkwo and his father Unoka is something a lot of people can relate to. Unoka was a slacking person in most aspects of his life. In short, he was a bum who enjoyed the lazy pleasures of life and sort of squandered any chance of reparations. Okonkwo saw the disappointment and dislike everyone felt for his father, and despised knowing he was his son. This makes him develop into a very angry man. I can't decide which is the weaker man, though. I'm thinking it's Okonkwo, because although Unoka slacked at everything and was very far in debt, he was not an angry person who isolated himself from everyone around him. Okonkwo is bound to follow the same fate as his father even though that's what he's fighting so hard NOT to do. He isn't focusing on his own life. Rather, he's working so hard to be the extreme opposite of his father, that he's actually on the same level of "fate". Society sees him as a real man with great potential. But as I'm sure is ahead, they'll find out (or at least Okonkwo will) that he is no better off that Unoka.
As the book continues, I really start to see the kind of person Okonkwo is. He is the extreme opposite of his father, which will probably lead him to the same unpopular fate. while Unoka loved parties and celebrations and festivities, Okonkwo despises them. The only thing he seems to appreciate from his culture is the male/female roles. It was horrible when he killed Ikemefuna, and thinks no wrong of his abusive acts. He has no respect for the true meaning of his tribe. He's become so obsessed with not being his father, that he's destroying the wonderful life he's capable of having.
When I read this book, I can't help but think of it as an extreme version of today's world. While today men and women are much closer to being equal, there is still a male dominance that is almost accepted by society. In the book, men are clearly dominant over women, and having a man beat his wives is looked over, even accepted. When I think about what could happen in the next chapters of the book, I think there is a big coming out. Maybe something huge will happen that will make the people realize how ridiculous some of their traditions are. Okonkwo definitely has something coming for him. I guess we'll find out what...
What did I tell you! This makes me optimistic about the rest of the book, in some ways. Not for Okonkwo, obviously, but for the rest of the tribe. It seems like people are starting to come around and question their traditions. When Ikemefuna dies, Nwoye questions the traditions and if they're really how they should be. I think the tortoise story is a forshadowing of Okonkwo's future. Something big is going to happen and he is going to fall hard. Maybe his tribe will embrace him and care for him, and he will realize how selfish and wrong he has been. I love how Ekwefi is so protective of her daughter, and that they have such a special bond. I believe that their relationship will somehow play on Okonkwo's mind, and will help him in his fall.
As I was reading this section, I couldn't help but try to simplify it into a more understandable situation. In present day, in terms of the War on Terror, the US *the Christians* are trying to reform the Muslims *I'm not very up to date on the war, so I'm just going based on what I know, no assumptions, just lack of info*. This can be compared to the Christians moving into Okonkwo's clan and trying to help them, but the people are upset at the audacity they have to intrude upon their lives. As for Okonkwo, we're finally seeing him crumble, and lose everything he once had, or thought he had. He's lost his passion for the things he once loved. In the next series of chapters he's probably going to hit his all time low, or close to it. This isn't my typical style of book, but I admit it's got my attention so far!!
This is becoming more and more like the War on Terror we're living in today. Things are being restructured, knocked down, and changed. The Christians are pushing into the clan and changing their beliefs. This is a good thing but at the same time horribly bad, because the people themselves are being separated, not just their beliefs. Okonkwo is finally coming out of his exile in Mbanta, and throws a big feast for his mother. His selfish side is still there, because he wishes he could have built up a bigger status, and not have stayed with "unmasculine" people. In the seven years he's been gone, his reputation has dramatically changed, and he's upset even though his two daughers have attracted many men. He's mad at the Christians invading his tribe and taking over, building hospitals and school and teaching his tribe to read and write.
Okonkwo and his men gather together to try and defend themselves, but were arrested when they thought they were having a friendly meeting. they were put into jail and bail was set at two hundred fifty cowries, and the tribe decides to gather the required bail. They are again to meet and Okonkwo decides to wear his war uniform. I love this idea because even though Okonkwo has been selfish throughout the book, he's finally sticking to something he believes in, and wants to defend his people. What I did not like, was the bitter ending of Okonkwo. I knew that he was going to have a similar downfall to his father, but I did not expect him to kill himself. His people cannot even touch him or give him a proper burial because his body is now considered an evil sin. I liked this book. It took me into a culture I knew little about, and explored the minds of different styles of people. It wasn't a typical war book, or self-finding or "lesson to be learnt". It showed the compromise and the destruction that two separate kinds of people can have on one another. While change is good at times, too much change can have a drastic ending.
Didn't the passage of background information say that Antigone was a victim of Creon's hubris? Some of you are suggesting that Antigone is the tragic hero. Thoughts on that.
7 comments:
I think this book will continue to be very interesting once I read further. The relationship between Okonkwo and his father Unoka is something a lot of people can relate to. Unoka was a slacking person in most aspects of his life. In short, he was a bum who enjoyed the lazy pleasures of life and sort of squandered any chance of reparations. Okonkwo saw the disappointment and dislike everyone felt for his father, and despised knowing he was his son. This makes him develop into a very angry man. I can't decide which is the weaker man, though. I'm thinking it's Okonkwo, because although Unoka slacked at everything and was very far in debt, he was not an angry person who isolated himself from everyone around him. Okonkwo is bound to follow the same fate as his father even though that's what he's fighting so hard NOT to do. He isn't focusing on his own life. Rather, he's working so hard to be the extreme opposite of his father, that he's actually on the same level of "fate". Society sees him as a real man with great potential. But as I'm sure is ahead, they'll find out (or at least Okonkwo will) that he is no better off that Unoka.
As the book continues, I really start to see the kind of person Okonkwo is. He is the extreme opposite of his father, which will probably lead him to the same unpopular fate. while Unoka loved parties and celebrations and festivities, Okonkwo despises them. The only thing he seems to appreciate from his culture is the male/female roles. It was horrible when he killed Ikemefuna, and thinks no wrong of his abusive acts. He has no respect for the true meaning of his tribe. He's become so obsessed with not being his father, that he's destroying the wonderful life he's capable of having.
When I read this book, I can't help but think of it as an extreme version of today's world. While today men and women are much closer to being equal, there is still a male dominance that is almost accepted by society. In the book, men are clearly dominant over women, and having a man beat his wives is looked over, even accepted. When I think about what could happen in the next chapters of the book, I think there is a big coming out. Maybe something huge will happen that will make the people realize how ridiculous some of their traditions are. Okonkwo definitely has something coming for him. I guess we'll find out what...
What did I tell you! This makes me optimistic about the rest of the book, in some ways. Not for Okonkwo, obviously, but for the rest of the tribe. It seems like people are starting to come around and question their traditions. When Ikemefuna dies, Nwoye questions the traditions and if they're really how they should be. I think the tortoise story is a forshadowing of Okonkwo's future. Something big is going to happen and he is going to fall hard. Maybe his tribe will embrace him and care for him, and he will realize how selfish and wrong he has been. I love how Ekwefi is so protective of her daughter, and that they have such a special bond. I believe that their relationship will somehow play on Okonkwo's mind, and will help him in his fall.
As I was reading this section, I couldn't help but try to simplify it into a more understandable situation. In present day, in terms of the War on Terror, the US *the Christians* are trying to reform the Muslims *I'm not very up to date on the war, so I'm just going based on what I know, no assumptions, just lack of info*. This can be compared to the Christians moving into Okonkwo's clan and trying to help them, but the people are upset at the audacity they have to intrude upon their lives. As for Okonkwo, we're finally seeing him crumble, and lose everything he once had, or thought he had. He's lost his passion for the things he once loved. In the next series of chapters he's probably going to hit his all time low, or close to it. This isn't my typical style of book, but I admit it's got my attention so far!!
This is becoming more and more like the War on Terror we're living in today. Things are being restructured, knocked down, and changed. The Christians are pushing into the clan and changing their beliefs. This is a good thing but at the same time horribly bad, because the people themselves are being separated, not just their beliefs.
Okonkwo is finally coming out of his exile in Mbanta, and throws a big feast for his mother. His selfish side is still there, because he wishes he could have built up a bigger status, and not have stayed with "unmasculine" people. In the seven years he's been gone, his reputation has dramatically changed, and he's upset even though his two daughers have attracted many men. He's mad at the Christians invading his tribe and taking over, building hospitals and school and teaching his tribe to read and write.
Okonkwo and his men gather together to try and defend themselves, but were arrested when they thought they were having a friendly meeting. they were put into jail and bail was set at two hundred fifty cowries, and the tribe decides to gather the required bail. They are again to meet and Okonkwo decides to wear his war uniform. I love this idea because even though Okonkwo has been selfish throughout the book, he's finally sticking to something he believes in, and wants to defend his people.
What I did not like, was the bitter ending of Okonkwo. I knew that he was going to have a similar downfall to his father, but I did not expect him to kill himself. His people cannot even touch him or give him a proper burial because his body is now considered an evil sin.
I liked this book. It took me into a culture I knew little about, and explored the minds of different styles of people. It wasn't a typical war book, or self-finding or "lesson to be learnt". It showed the compromise and the destruction that two separate kinds of people can have on one another. While change is good at times, too much change can have a drastic ending.
Post a Comment