Chapters 1-4: When I finished reading these first four chapters and began thinking about what I wanted to write I had a hard time trying to decide on one certain topic. Finally it clicked to me that I really admired something about Okonkwo. Not only is he a very successful man but he did it all on his own. He didn’t need the help from his father nor have things handed to him like some “successful” people done now-a-days. Okonkwo’s father was extremely poor and in debt more than he had even imagined. That in my opinion is what helped Okonkwo get the vision that he wanted to be better then his father and do something with his life. His determination to become a wrestler and gain titles was impressive. I like to see characters that become better and succeed because of there hard work. I admire and create an ambition from hard work equaling succession. Like I said before, Okonkwo created his own harvest, was a warrior, and provided for his families. Okonkwo also doesn’t want to appear or be known as a weakness or as weak. This I believe is a key trait to have when trying to be successful. I think it helps Okonkwo but sometimes shows his poor parenting skills. Even though he isn’t the best parent, I really respect who he is as a character and am glad to see someone succeed by working hard.
Chapters 5-7: In response to my first blog about Okonkwo not wanting to feel weak I think he becomes a man of stupidity. I don’t know how a man with so many titles can just let the son he has been given and whom he admires just be killed like that. I think that I would go into a depression as well. I don’t like the fact that Okonkwo knew about it, let it go and never even thought of a way to allow him to escape. I know that’s a very idealistic thing to say, but you would think that someone who has such great power would be able to do something more than what he did. Especially after watching how much Ikemefuna influenced his son Nwoye, I really wish that he would’ve fought a little harder for his life. I don’t feel bad at all now that Okonkwo is depressed and feels weak. I am hoping that him being knocked down a few notches’ will maybe show him how weakness can maybe bring out the good compassionate side he should have for his family and loved ones. Its one thing to be successful, and hardworking, and tough to those you have to stand up to in order to be successful, but to beat your wives and let your own step-son die is in my opinion cowardly.
Chapters 8-10: In this blog I am going to go off Mary’s a little bit. I agree with her that when I read this I had to remind myself that it was just the Umuofia Clans way of life. I too hate when women are undermined and seen as second-class to the men. I feel that Okonkwo beats his wives to feel superior and have that power over them. I hate it when men act or even think that they are better then woman. There are a lot of times and instances when woman are proven better than men. I think its rude to how during the ceremony where the egwugwu emerge from the house the woman are not even allowed into the house. The men are the only ones who are able to act out the roles of the spirits. Even the dispute that the egwugwu is faced with involves a woman being abused by her husband. I just find it upsetting that women were seen as merely and object that gave men a wealthier status rather then a human who should’ve been seen as caring and valuable.
Chapters 11-13: In these three chapters there is only one thing that keeps running through my mind. I completely agree with Obierika who also feels that Okonkwo shouldn’t be punished for a killing that was accidental. I could see him being punished for it being accidental if they weren’t at an event such as the funeral in which guns are being fired anyways. If he were at home just playing with the gun or even out hunting than that’s a different situation entirely. I just don’t feel that Okonkwo’s punishment was just in this situation. I agree with Diana on this one that I enjoyed the questioning that was being tossed around amongst the clan about their traditions. I haven’t agreed with a lot of there traditions if any at all up to this point and I’m glad to see them thinking about what is truly right and wrong. I really like Nwoye because I think he is cute and very innocent. He tries really hard to impress his father even though he isn’t being himself truly. I just really like Nwoye and I hope he becomes successful like his father and learns that his father is weak even though he tries not to be and that it’s almost better just to admit to being weak and compassionate then to be a coward and try to demand people’s attention.
Chapters 14-18: In this section what I enjoyed most was the fact that to find answers to the questions Nwoye has had throughout his life he turned towards a religion. Not just any religion either but Christianity. I think that most people when in despair or troubled times try and find a way to answer the questions about there difficult time by turning to a religion. Nwoye never understood why Ikemefuna died or why twins were always discarded. By turning to Christianity I think Nwoye was comforted by the fact that these people that were killed, murdered, and abandoned went to a place full of eternal life and happiness. However, Nwoye gets beaten by his father for turning against the religion of the clan. I think that Okonkwo was jealous and annoyed that his son could find justice in the death of Ikemefuna. I don’t think Okonkwo could have come to the fact that he partook in such a murder if he were Christian. Through the gods of the clan, he didn’t feel like his death was his fault because it was ordered of him more or less. I just think that Okonkwo is jealous and envy’s his son for being the man that he wishes he could be.
Chapters 19-21: Christianity is now beginning to take over he lives of the Umuofia people and Okonkwo doesn’t like it at all. He doesn’t want the white people to take his power away from him or have any superiority above him. In my opinion he is a very selfish man and should have it all taken away from him. When Okonkwo returns from exile he wants to win titles for his sons and marry off his beautiful daughters so that he makes himself look even more high-class. I am beginning to really not like Okonkwo because I think he is very selfish and completely into himself. I feel bad for his son Nwoye who at the beginning of the novel was one of his dads’s favorite and now is completely shunned by his father. I think Okonkwo is only after his own succession and doesn’t really care about anyone else in his family. I despise his selfishness and am glad that he was sentenced to exile for seven years because I feel that he deserves it and I am still hoping he will have learned a lesson from the exile.
Chapters 22-25: The depression that Okonkwo was going through is what killed him and let down the clan that he belonged too. They always say that depression doesn’t just hurt the person suffering from it but it hurts everyone they are associated with as well. In a way I feel really bad for Okonkwo because the main reason he went through the depression was because his step-son had to be killed and unfortunately by himself and then when he was about to face the lose and move on he accidentally shoots Ezeudu’s son. All of his depression came because he believed that he couldn’t be weak for so long that nothing could bother him because no one he had ever really loved had ever been taken from him and no one from his clan had ever really betrayed him until now. Now he realizes that when things fall apart, you can either pick yourself up or try to search out the answers to your problems like Nwoye or you can be bitter and angry and stay depressed that will eventually lead to suicide like he chose to do. However I don’t feel bad for Okonkwo because throughout the whole novel he was the one that was influencing everyone else and demanding that his way be the right way or else, so I was glad to see him be put in his place more or less and someone else showing him that being strong and superior doesn’t always get you everything you want, sometimes when things fall apart you learn and become the best person that you ever thought you would be.
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.
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Chapters 1-4: When I finished reading these first four chapters and began thinking about what I wanted to write I had a hard time trying to decide on one certain topic. Finally it clicked to me that I really admired something about Okonkwo. Not only is he a very successful man but he did it all on his own. He didn’t need the help from his father nor have things handed to him like some “successful” people done now-a-days. Okonkwo’s father was extremely poor and in debt more than he had even imagined. That in my opinion is what helped Okonkwo get the vision that he wanted to be better then his father and do something with his life. His determination to become a wrestler and gain titles was impressive. I like to see characters that become better and succeed because of there hard work. I admire and create an ambition from hard work equaling succession. Like I said before, Okonkwo created his own harvest, was a warrior, and provided for his families. Okonkwo also doesn’t want to appear or be known as a weakness or as weak. This I believe is a key trait to have when trying to be successful. I think it helps Okonkwo but sometimes shows his poor parenting skills. Even though he isn’t the best parent, I really respect who he is as a character and am glad to see someone succeed by working hard.
Chapters 5-7: In response to my first blog about Okonkwo not wanting to feel weak I think he becomes a man of stupidity. I don’t know how a man with so many titles can just let the son he has been given and whom he admires just be killed like that. I think that I would go into a depression as well. I don’t like the fact that Okonkwo knew about it, let it go and never even thought of a way to allow him to escape. I know that’s a very idealistic thing to say, but you would think that someone who has such great power would be able to do something more than what he did. Especially after watching how much Ikemefuna influenced his son Nwoye, I really wish that he would’ve fought a little harder for his life. I don’t feel bad at all now that Okonkwo is depressed and feels weak. I am hoping that him being knocked down a few notches’ will maybe show him how weakness can maybe bring out the good compassionate side he should have for his family and loved ones. Its one thing to be successful, and hardworking, and tough to those you have to stand up to in order to be successful, but to beat your wives and let your own step-son die is in my opinion cowardly.
Chapters 8-10: In this blog I am going to go off Mary’s a little bit. I agree with her that when I read this I had to remind myself that it was just the Umuofia Clans way of life. I too hate when women are undermined and seen as second-class to the men. I feel that Okonkwo beats his wives to feel superior and have that power over them. I hate it when men act or even think that they are better then woman. There are a lot of times and instances when woman are proven better than men. I think its rude to how during the ceremony where the egwugwu emerge from the house the woman are not even allowed into the house. The men are the only ones who are able to act out the roles of the spirits. Even the dispute that the egwugwu is faced with involves a woman being abused by her husband. I just find it upsetting that women were seen as merely and object that gave men a wealthier status rather then a human who should’ve been seen as caring and valuable.
Chapters 11-13: In these three chapters there is only one thing that keeps running through my mind. I completely agree with Obierika who also feels that Okonkwo shouldn’t be punished for a killing that was accidental. I could see him being punished for it being accidental if they weren’t at an event such as the funeral in which guns are being fired anyways. If he were at home just playing with the gun or even out hunting than that’s a different situation entirely. I just don’t feel that Okonkwo’s punishment was just in this situation. I agree with Diana on this one that I enjoyed the questioning that was being tossed around amongst the clan about their traditions. I haven’t agreed with a lot of there traditions if any at all up to this point and I’m glad to see them thinking about what is truly right and wrong. I really like Nwoye because I think he is cute and very innocent. He tries really hard to impress his father even though he isn’t being himself truly. I just really like Nwoye and I hope he becomes successful like his father and learns that his father is weak even though he tries not to be and that it’s almost better just to admit to being weak and compassionate then to be a coward and try to demand people’s attention.
Chapters 14-18: In this section what I enjoyed most was the fact that to find answers to the questions Nwoye has had throughout his life he turned towards a religion. Not just any religion either but Christianity. I think that most people when in despair or troubled times try and find a way to answer the questions about there difficult time by turning to a religion. Nwoye never understood why Ikemefuna died or why twins were always discarded. By turning to Christianity I think Nwoye was comforted by the fact that these people that were killed, murdered, and abandoned went to a place full of eternal life and happiness. However, Nwoye gets beaten by his father for turning against the religion of the clan. I think that Okonkwo was jealous and annoyed that his son could find justice in the death of Ikemefuna. I don’t think Okonkwo could have come to the fact that he partook in such a murder if he were Christian. Through the gods of the clan, he didn’t feel like his death was his fault because it was ordered of him more or less. I just think that Okonkwo is jealous and envy’s his son for being the man that he wishes he could be.
Chapters 19-21: Christianity is now beginning to take over he lives of the Umuofia people and Okonkwo doesn’t like it at all. He doesn’t want the white people to take his power away from him or have any superiority above him. In my opinion he is a very selfish man and should have it all taken away from him. When Okonkwo returns from exile he wants to win titles for his sons and marry off his beautiful daughters so that he makes himself look even more high-class. I am beginning to really not like Okonkwo because I think he is very selfish and completely into himself. I feel bad for his son Nwoye who at the beginning of the novel was one of his dads’s favorite and now is completely shunned by his father. I think Okonkwo is only after his own succession and doesn’t really care about anyone else in his family. I despise his selfishness and am glad that he was sentenced to exile for seven years because I feel that he deserves it and I am still hoping he will have learned a lesson from the exile.
Chapters 22-25: The depression that Okonkwo was going through is what killed him and let down the clan that he belonged too. They always say that depression doesn’t just hurt the person suffering from it but it hurts everyone they are associated with as well. In a way I feel really bad for Okonkwo because the main reason he went through the depression was because his step-son had to be killed and unfortunately by himself and then when he was about to face the lose and move on he accidentally shoots Ezeudu’s son. All of his depression came because he believed that he couldn’t be weak for so long that nothing could bother him because no one he had ever really loved had ever been taken from him and no one from his clan had ever really betrayed him until now. Now he realizes that when things fall apart, you can either pick yourself up or try to search out the answers to your problems like Nwoye or you can be bitter and angry and stay depressed that will eventually lead to suicide like he chose to do. However I don’t feel bad for Okonkwo because throughout the whole novel he was the one that was influencing everyone else and demanding that his way be the right way or else, so I was glad to see him be put in his place more or less and someone else showing him that being strong and superior doesn’t always get you everything you want, sometimes when things fall apart you learn and become the best person that you ever thought you would be.
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