In one way or another, parents always have some influence on their children, big or small The most ideal relationship is when the child looks up to their parent and aspires to be like them. However, Chinua Achebe shows us with his main character, Okonkwo, that the influence received by a child is not always from modeling their parents. In the novel, Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo’s success comes from trying to be as little like his father, Unoka, as possible. Okonkwo is obsessed with success which is one attribute that his father never possessed. In the eyes of the village, Unoka is a failure. Okonkwo’s recipe for success is to be completely opposite from his father. Okonkwo makes it a point to hate everything that his father loves. An example for this is gentleness and idleness, both of which are personified by Unoka. Okonkwo is rough with his children and wives and he scorns laziness. Unoka’s failure is what brings about Okonkwo’s success. Instead of showing Okonkwo what he would like to achieve, Unoka raises him in what he despises. This provides Okonkwo with the motivation to build a good life for himself. With this father-son relationship, Chinua Achebe displays the science of child-rearing along with the magnitude and versatility of a parent’s influence on a child’s life.
I am upset that Ikemefuna dies. I am even more upset that Okonkwo had a hand in killing him. He justifies this savage act by telling himself that he did it so as to not look weak in front of the other men. Instead, he showed even greater weakness because he would not stand up for what he loved and what is right. I even take into account the fact that he cannot go against Ikemefuna’s death sentence because, being a religious man, he does not want to disobey the gods. However, this religious submission does not require that he have a hand in killing Ikemefuna. Cutting him down is an act of cowardice and I am glad that he is losing sleep over it.
This incident brings about a serious question. Can we trust those who serve as messengers between us and the otherworldly powers above? It is unsettling to wonder whether these people are truly relaying the will of Gods. In Okonkwo’s case, what choice does he have but to succumb to the power instilled in those who supposedly communicate directly with the gods? Even if he disagrees in the necessity to murder Ikemefuna, he is condemned to comply and forever wonder whether it was just. I believe that this lack of control over his life instills some fear in him and he acts on this fear by aiding in Ikemefuna’s death.
8-10 I am beginning to wonder whether the people in the village really believe in their religion. They often show blatant disregard for the wishes of the gods who are expected to punish them. This promise of punishment never seems to stop them. For example, Okonkwo knows that he cannot beat his wife during the week of peace but he proceeds anyways even after being warned. Also, he kills Ikemefuna out of fear of his reputation rather than fear of the gods. However, what really brings about this suspicion for me is the ceremony with the egwugwu. This method of settling disputes is very serious and respected. The power that it holds over the people leads me to believe that the village may have faith in it, but now I wonder if it is true faith or if it is all an act. Okonkwo dresses up as Evil Forest and pretends to be his spirit coming back to give advice. How can he fool everyone into believing in this ritual and still believe in the rest of the religion when it is bound to be fake also? It is like when a child finds out that the tooth fairy isn’t real. After that you know about one, you can’t help but know that all the others aren’t real either, even though you prefer not to recognize it. I think that Oknkowo is going along with the religion just to keep the village at peace. And I do not think that he is the only one doing this. His wives have suspicion that he is the Evil Forest at the ceremony but they voice this to no one. At this point I believe that most of the villagers hold at least some doubt in their religion and rituals but for one reason of another they go along with the tradition.
I see many similarities between the ceremonies after Ezeudu’s death and Catholic funerals. The most obvious one is that everyone who knew Ezeudu takes part in the rituals to honor his passing. They also recognize his accomplishments like we do to our deceased. For example, since Ezeudu was a warrior they fire guns like we do to our men in the service. Another similarity between our two civilizations is the way that we view life. Both of us see it as a preparative road to something else. The people in Okonkwo’s village call life a series of transition rites that bring you nearer to your ancestors. Catholics view life as a time to prepare ourselves for heaven and earn our place among God. This similarity is most striking to me. It is amazing that these two religions that are more different than similar still share this basic foundation. Over all this time man has still maintained an accepted purpose of life. One can only wonder whether this accepted view is correct or whether it has only endured due to the fact that we can find no other purpose. Even in death will man ever discover the true meaning of life?
Okonkwo is exiled for seven years and goes to live in his motherland. After a few years he receives word of the arrival of the white man. Ufomia is invaded by the white man first so it seems good fortune that he left. Unfortunately this does not last long and the white men spread their influence in Mbanta. The white men challenge the gods and the ways of the people, instilling doubt in the villagers. Most people stay true to their roots, but a good number convert. Among these converts is Okonkwo’s son Nwoye. From the time Nwoye was a child Okonkwo labeled him as weak. The catalyst for Nwoye’s conversion can be attributed to hatred for his father’s attitude toward him and also the misfortunes brought to him by the rules of the clan. Ikemefuna’s death is the most crippling of there events. Okonkwo thinks that Ikemefuna helped Nwoye to become more of a man. While living in exile Nwoye slips back into his feminine ways, at least in Okonkwo’s eyes. Okonkwo wonders how he can be father to someone so weak. He thinks that his desire, strength and work ethic should carry over to his sons. Achebe builds a metaphor to explain this. “Living fire begets cold, impotent ash.” With the realization of natural process Okonkwo realizes that his son is doomed to fail. The success achieved by Okonkwo’s hard work makes it affordable for Nwoye to slack. However if he was forced to work hard in order to survive he might have obtained a better work ethic. Okonkwo is devastated by his son’s ways but he realizes that it was he himself who pushed Nwoye to his betrayal.
Okonkwo is exiled for seven years and goes to live in his motherland. After a few years he receives word of the arrival of the white man. Ufomia is invaded by the white man first so it seems good fortune that he left. Unfortunately this does not last long and the white men spread their influence in Mbanta. The white men challenge the gods and the ways of the people, instilling doubt in the villagers. Most people stay true to their roots, but a good number convert. Among these converts is Okonkwo’s son Nwoye. From the time Nwoye was a child Okonkwo labeled him as weak. The catalyst for Nwoye’s conversion can be attributed to hatred for his father’s attitude toward him and also the misfortunes brought to him by the rules of the clan. Ikemefuna’s death is the most crippling of there events. Okonkwo thinks that Ikemefuna helped Nwoye to become more of a man. While living in exile Nwoye slips back into his feminine ways, at least in Okonkwo’s eyes. Okonkwo wonders how he can be father to someone so weak. He thinks that his desire, strength and work ethic should carry over to his sons. Achebe builds a metaphor to explain this. “Living fire begets cold, impotent ash.” With the realization of natural process Okonkwo realizes that his son is doomed to fail. The success achieved by Okonkwo’s hard work makes it affordable for Nwoye to slack. However if he was forced to work hard in order to survive he might have obtained a better work ethic. Okonkwo is devastated by his son’s ways but he realizes that it was he himself who pushed Nwoye to his betrayal.
The village is faced with more problems brought about by the white men. They start out as peaceful missionaries but they quickly become power hungry and try to dominate the clans. Okonkwo returns to Ufomia hoping to reestablish his old life, but this is impossible because of all the changes made by the white men. These changes gradually become more serious and the white men begin to take away the power of the clan. They demean their authority and rank by imprisoning leaders and disrespecting them. Okonkwo wants to fight back. He wants to go back to the old ways where the men let no one push them around. He tries his hardest to restore the old Ufomia because he knows he cannot be content in the new one. Okonkwo still has hope for this restoration until the day that their meeting is broken up by the Direct Commissioner’s messengers. When no one but himself fights back against the messengers attempting to control them, Okonkwo realizes that the clan has lost their will to resist. The time of the warriors has passed. The time where the men of the clan always stick together is over. They no longer have the courage to defend themselves. Okonkwo knows that he cannot live in a land like this. Rather than continuing to fight a losing battle, he decides to move on to the afterlife with his ancestors. These are the kind of men he can be happy among. Okonkwo’s suicide is not an act of cowardice or submission. He knows where he belongs and the world is no longer a place where men of his kind can live and be content.
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.
8 comments:
In one way or another, parents always have some influence on their children, big or small The most ideal relationship is when the child looks up to their parent and aspires to be like them. However, Chinua Achebe shows us with his main character, Okonkwo, that the influence received by a child is not always from modeling their parents. In the novel, Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo’s success comes from trying to be as little like his father, Unoka, as possible. Okonkwo is obsessed with success which is one attribute that his father never possessed. In the eyes of the village, Unoka is a failure. Okonkwo’s recipe for success is to be completely opposite from his father. Okonkwo makes it a point to hate everything that his father loves. An example for this is gentleness and idleness, both of which are personified by Unoka. Okonkwo is rough with his children and wives and he scorns laziness. Unoka’s failure is what brings about Okonkwo’s success. Instead of showing Okonkwo what he would like to achieve, Unoka raises him in what he despises. This provides Okonkwo with the motivation to build a good life for himself. With this father-son relationship, Chinua Achebe displays the science of child-rearing along with the magnitude and versatility of a parent’s influence on a child’s life.
5-7
I am upset that Ikemefuna dies. I am even more upset that Okonkwo had a hand in killing him. He justifies this savage act by telling himself that he did it so as to not look weak in front of the other men. Instead, he showed even greater weakness because he would not stand up for what he loved and what is right. I even take into account the fact that he cannot go against Ikemefuna’s death sentence because, being a religious man, he does not want to disobey the gods. However, this religious submission does not require that he have a hand in killing Ikemefuna. Cutting him down is an act of cowardice and I am glad that he is losing sleep over it.
This incident brings about a serious question. Can we trust those who serve as messengers between us and the otherworldly powers above? It is unsettling to wonder whether these people are truly relaying the will of Gods. In Okonkwo’s case, what choice does he have but to succumb to the power instilled in those who supposedly communicate directly with the gods? Even if he disagrees in the necessity to murder Ikemefuna, he is condemned to comply and forever wonder whether it was just. I believe that this lack of control over his life instills some fear in him and he acts on this fear by aiding in Ikemefuna’s death.
8-10
I am beginning to wonder whether the people in the village really believe in their religion. They often show blatant disregard for the wishes of the gods who are expected to punish them. This promise of punishment never seems to stop them. For example, Okonkwo knows that he cannot beat his wife during the week of peace but he proceeds anyways even after being warned. Also, he kills Ikemefuna out of fear of his reputation rather than fear of the gods. However, what really brings about this suspicion for me is the ceremony with the egwugwu. This method of settling disputes is very serious and respected. The power that it holds over the people leads me to believe that the village may have faith in it, but now I wonder if it is true faith or if it is all an act. Okonkwo dresses up as Evil Forest and pretends to be his spirit coming back to give advice. How can he fool everyone into believing in this ritual and still believe in the rest of the religion when it is bound to be fake also? It is like when a child finds out that the tooth fairy isn’t real. After that you know about one, you can’t help but know that all the others aren’t real either, even though you prefer not to recognize it. I think that Oknkowo is going along with the religion just to keep the village at peace. And I do not think that he is the only one doing this. His wives have suspicion that he is the Evil Forest at the ceremony but they voice this to no one. At this point I believe that most of the villagers hold at least some doubt in their religion and rituals but for one reason of another they go along with the tradition.
11-13
I see many similarities between the ceremonies after Ezeudu’s death and Catholic funerals. The most obvious one is that everyone who knew Ezeudu takes part in the rituals to honor his passing. They also recognize his accomplishments like we do to our deceased. For example, since Ezeudu was a warrior they fire guns like we do to our men in the service. Another similarity between our two civilizations is the way that we view life. Both of us see it as a preparative road to something else. The people in Okonkwo’s village call life a series of transition rites that bring you nearer to your ancestors. Catholics view life as a time to prepare ourselves for heaven and earn our place among God. This similarity is most striking to me. It is amazing that these two religions that are more different than similar still share this basic foundation. Over all this time man has still maintained an accepted purpose of life. One can only wonder whether this accepted view is correct or whether it has only endured due to the fact that we can find no other purpose. Even in death will man ever discover the true meaning of life?
14-18
Okonkwo is exiled for seven years and goes to live in his motherland. After a few years he receives word of the arrival of the white man. Ufomia is invaded by the white man first so it seems good fortune that he left. Unfortunately this does not last long and the white men spread their influence in Mbanta. The white men challenge the gods and the ways of the people, instilling doubt in the villagers. Most people stay true to their roots, but a good number convert. Among these converts is Okonkwo’s son Nwoye.
From the time Nwoye was a child Okonkwo labeled him as weak. The catalyst for Nwoye’s conversion can be attributed to hatred for his father’s attitude toward him and also the misfortunes brought to him by the rules of the clan. Ikemefuna’s death is the most crippling of there events. Okonkwo thinks that Ikemefuna helped Nwoye to become more of a man. While living in exile Nwoye slips back into his feminine ways, at least in Okonkwo’s eyes. Okonkwo wonders how he can be father to someone so weak. He thinks that his desire, strength and work ethic should carry over to his sons. Achebe builds a metaphor to explain this. “Living fire begets cold, impotent ash.” With the realization of natural process Okonkwo realizes that his son is doomed to fail. The success achieved by Okonkwo’s hard work makes it affordable for Nwoye to slack. However if he was forced to work hard in order to survive he might have obtained a better work ethic. Okonkwo is devastated by his son’s ways but he realizes that it was he himself who pushed Nwoye to his betrayal.
19-21
Okonkwo is exiled for seven years and goes to live in his motherland. After a few years he receives word of the arrival of the white man. Ufomia is invaded by the white man first so it seems good fortune that he left. Unfortunately this does not last long and the white men spread their influence in Mbanta. The white men challenge the gods and the ways of the people, instilling doubt in the villagers. Most people stay true to their roots, but a good number convert. Among these converts is Okonkwo’s son Nwoye.
From the time Nwoye was a child Okonkwo labeled him as weak. The catalyst for Nwoye’s conversion can be attributed to hatred for his father’s attitude toward him and also the misfortunes brought to him by the rules of the clan. Ikemefuna’s death is the most crippling of there events. Okonkwo thinks that Ikemefuna helped Nwoye to become more of a man. While living in exile Nwoye slips back into his feminine ways, at least in Okonkwo’s eyes. Okonkwo wonders how he can be father to someone so weak. He thinks that his desire, strength and work ethic should carry over to his sons. Achebe builds a metaphor to explain this. “Living fire begets cold, impotent ash.” With the realization of natural process Okonkwo realizes that his son is doomed to fail. The success achieved by Okonkwo’s hard work makes it affordable for Nwoye to slack. However if he was forced to work hard in order to survive he might have obtained a better work ethic. Okonkwo is devastated by his son’s ways but he realizes that it was he himself who pushed Nwoye to his betrayal.
22-25
The village is faced with more problems brought about by the white men. They start out as peaceful missionaries but they quickly become power hungry and try to dominate the clans. Okonkwo returns to Ufomia hoping to reestablish his old life, but this is impossible because of all the changes made by the white men. These changes gradually become more serious and the white men begin to take away the power of the clan. They demean their authority and rank by imprisoning leaders and disrespecting them. Okonkwo wants to fight back. He wants to go back to the old ways where the men let no one push them around. He tries his hardest to restore the old Ufomia because he knows he cannot be content in the new one. Okonkwo still has hope for this restoration until the day that their meeting is broken up by the Direct Commissioner’s messengers. When no one but himself fights back against the messengers attempting to control them, Okonkwo realizes that the clan has lost their will to resist. The time of the warriors has passed. The time where the men of the clan always stick together is over. They no longer have the courage to defend themselves. Okonkwo knows that he cannot live in a land like this. Rather than continuing to fight a losing battle, he decides to move on to the afterlife with his ancestors. These are the kind of men he can be happy among. Okonkwo’s suicide is not an act of cowardice or submission. He knows where he belongs and the world is no longer a place where men of his kind can live and be content.
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