“Obierika with five or six others led the way. The Commissioner and his men followed their firearms held at the ready. He had warned Obierika that if he and his men played any monkey tricks they would be shot. And so they went.
There was a small bush behind Okonkwo's compound. The only opening into this bush from the compound was a little round hole in the red-earth wall through which fowls went in and out in their endless search for food. The hole would not let a man through. It was to this bush that Obierika led the Commissioner and his men. They skirted round the compound, keeping close to the wall. The only sound they made was with their feet as they crushed dry leaves.
Then they came to the tree from which Okonkwo's body was dangling, and they stopped dead.
"Perhaps your men can help us bring him down and bury him," said Obierika. "We have sent for strangers from another village to do it for us, but they may be a long time coming" (270).
As a result of the white inhabitant and the betrayal of his brothers, Okonkwo was fed up with all the changes and the weakness of his clan; thus he committed suicide. He realized that his clan was becoming weak by transferring to a new custom – the fact is he didn’t want to become equal to the whites because in his view he was more superior to them. Even though, it’s clear that the missionaries considered the tribe to be weak and believed the clan to be unequal, they decided not to use force in order to acquire more converts. However, Okonkwo wasn’t willing to give in because he wanted to keep the power in his clan, and since he was powerless to do so which demonstrate his inequality to the whites, he decided not to give in, but to give in through suicide. He wasn’t willing to convert as it was a sign of weakness, however, his suicide contradicted his beliefs because it showed his weakness and powerlessness to fend against the converts and bring back his tribe to fruition.
This is a clear example of how people in the world when they feel that they’re treated wrongly, and looked down upon just because they were raised to believe in something someone else disagrees with will decide to follow their own actions. They don’t want to be seen as inferior just because of how they were raised and what they believe in; obviously people have different views of the world. However, if they’re pressured so much by others, they’ll eventually either give in into something they disagree with or they will consider ending their lives.
In today’s world, those who are discriminated against because of their skin color – if they’re constantly beat up by a certain group; they may acquire hatred for that group and as a result follow through with what those people did to them to gain revenge. Another example is those who are homophobic; thus causing those who are homosexual to hide their sexuality; but once they’re secret is leaked, they decide to commit suicide because they’ll be constantly picked on.
There’s inequality all over the world, all in different forms. Each time no one will be able to fit in because another group will continuously look down upon them.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Blog Phase 2: Things Fall Apart #5
"Does the white man understand our custom about land?"
"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" (230).
This passage demonstrates inequality because the tribe broke apart because they noticed that their customs were bad. Once they were introduced to something superior, they left inferiority because they wanted to be on the side that will clearly win – they wanted to be with a group that isn’t known to be inferior. The tribe threw away all their customs and claimed it was “bad” compared to the new religion they were shown by the missionaries; thus those who stayed with their old customs can’t fight against the new customs. It was their fault that they had allowed these intruders to stay and they now can’t bring fight back because the missionaries now even have more power – their own brothers who left the clan. Clearly, the old tribal systems are inferior and those who are still part of it are considered to be inferior.
This passage is important because when some people/groups known they’re inferior they decide to throw all their customs away – they want to be seen as equals and gain power, while they betray their old systems, who still want to keep their own traditions. The tribe knew that they were unequal to the new customs that were brought into their world; thus they decided to join with their cause in order to become equal. Also, this passage demonstrates that if one sees another’s custom as strange, they want to change it because they want their following to become bigger.
For example, when a person feels like they’re unequal and powerless, they join a group who has power because they want to make themselves known. Even if it was unconscious, the tribe still betrayed their old customs in order to be known. No one was to be in an inequality section of society because they want to be equal, those who are unequal will be looked down upon and wouldn’t be able to do things other groups are able too.
"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" (230).
This passage demonstrates inequality because the tribe broke apart because they noticed that their customs were bad. Once they were introduced to something superior, they left inferiority because they wanted to be on the side that will clearly win – they wanted to be with a group that isn’t known to be inferior. The tribe threw away all their customs and claimed it was “bad” compared to the new religion they were shown by the missionaries; thus those who stayed with their old customs can’t fight against the new customs. It was their fault that they had allowed these intruders to stay and they now can’t bring fight back because the missionaries now even have more power – their own brothers who left the clan. Clearly, the old tribal systems are inferior and those who are still part of it are considered to be inferior.
This passage is important because when some people/groups known they’re inferior they decide to throw all their customs away – they want to be seen as equals and gain power, while they betray their old systems, who still want to keep their own traditions. The tribe knew that they were unequal to the new customs that were brought into their world; thus they decided to join with their cause in order to become equal. Also, this passage demonstrates that if one sees another’s custom as strange, they want to change it because they want their following to become bigger.
For example, when a person feels like they’re unequal and powerless, they join a group who has power because they want to make themselves known. Even if it was unconscious, the tribe still betrayed their old customs in order to be known. No one was to be in an inequality section of society because they want to be equal, those who are unequal will be looked down upon and wouldn’t be able to do things other groups are able too.
Blog Phase 2: Things Fall Apart #4
“Ekwefi knelt beside the sick child, occasionally feeling with her palm the wet, burning forehead.
Ezinma was an only child and the centre of her mother's world. Very often it was Ezinma who decided what food her mother should prepare. Ekwefi even gave her such delicacies as eggs, which children were rarely allowed to eat because such food tempted them to steal. One day as Ezinma was eating an egg Okonkwo had come in unexpectedly from his hut. He was greatly shocked and swore to beat Ekwefi if she dared to give the child eggs again. But it was impossible to refuse Ezinma anything. After her father's rebuke she developed an even keener appetite for eggs. And she enjoyed above all the secrecy in which she now ate them. Her mother always took her into their bedroom and shut the door.
Ezinma did not call her mother Nne like all children. She called her by her name, Ekwefi, as her father and other grownup people did. The relationship between them was not only that of mother and child. There was something in it like the companionship of equals, which was strengthened by such little conspiracies as eating eggs in the bedroom.
Ekwefi had suffered a good deal in her life. She had borne ten children and nine of them had died in infancy, usually before the age of three. As she buried one child after another her sorrow gave way to despair and then to grim resignation. The birth of her children, which should be a woman's crowning glory, became for Ekwefi mere physical agony devoid of promise. The naming ceremony after seven market weeks became an empty ritual. Her deepening despair found expression in the names she gave her children. One of them was a pathetic cry, Onwumbiko--
"Death, I implore you." But Death took no notice,- Onwumbiko died in his fifteenth month. The next child was a girl, Ozoemena--
"May it not happen again." She died in her eleventh month, and two others after her. Ekwefi then became defiant and called her next child Onwuma--
"Death may please himself." And he did.
After the death of Ekwefi's second child, Okonkwo had gone to a medicine man, who was also a diviner of the Afa Oracle, to enquire what was amiss. This man told him that the child was an ogbanje, one of those wicked children who, when they died, entered their mothers' wombs to be born again.
"When your wife becomes pregnant again," he said, "let her not sleep in her hut. Let her go and stay with her people. In that way she will elude her wicked tormentor and break its evil cycle of birth and death."
Ekwefi did as she was asked. As soon as she became pregnant she went to live with her old mother in another village. It was there that her third child was born and circumcised on the eighth day.
She did not return to Okonkwo's compound until three days before the naming ceremony. The child was called Onwumbiko.
Onwumbiko was not given proper burial when he died. Okonkwo had called in another medicine man who was famous in the clan for his great knowledge about ogbanje children. His name was Okagbue Uyanwa. Okagbue was a very striking figure, tall, with a full beard and a bald head. He was light in complexion and his eyes were red and fiery. He always gnashed his teeth as he listened to those who came to consult him. He asked Okonkwo a few questions about the dead child. All the neighbours and relations who had come to mourn gathered round them” (101-103).
The relationship between Ekwefi and Ezinma shows not inequality, but the effects of it. Ekwefi who is one of Okonkwo’s wives shows a close relationship with her only daughter. This close relationship isn’t typical because their relationship is rather close because Ekwefi had so many children who previously died during infancy. Because Okonkwo has multiple wives and he’s barely ever there for Ekwefi, she values her daughter because they have each other, in which they must survive together. It’s basically the championship that Ekwefi loves about Ezinma. Not to mention she’s the only child that managed to survive; but because Ekwefi is basically scared of that Ezinma’s sickness may cause death – she’s scared that she’ll lose her only true friend in the world she can depend on. Since Okonkwo has multiple wives and children, whenever a new wife was introduced, the other wife did not hold animosity towards the other. This is because Okonkwo is known for power, he beats his wives whenever he’s angered causing them to have to band together in order to tell each other everything will be fine. This demonstrates the inequality and powerless Okonkwo’s wives have because they had no choice but to marry Okonkwo and they all have to face his abusiveness. They can’t run away because Okonkwo is the chief of the tribe and nor can they go against him or they’ll be murdered. They’re basically trapped since they depend on Okonkwo to survive.
This is important because women were known as inferior and in some countries still are, they are forced to come together because they have nothing else. Men who had the power could constantly abuse them because they could. Also, women couldn’t do anything about it because society had disallowed them from acquiring any source of power; thus they were belittled into following everything they were told to do. No matter how much they wanted to talk back or go against their husbands, they couldn’t because they would be killed. As a result, women needed to form together in order to go against the regime and fight for their freedom – they all had the same cause and purpose for doing so, which indicated that their only choice was to have faith in each other, not hatred.
Inequality had negative effects on women because they wanted to have jobs and roles just like men had. They were capable of doing the same things, and yet they were looked down upon. In some places today, they still are because men don’t want them to acquire power. In fact, it took so long for America to finally allow them to work in places considered too masculine or a man’s job. Thus, they create their own unions and meetings in order to establish their own power and role in society – clearly they want to be equal to men, not discriminated against because they’re weak – when in actuality they’re not.
Ezinma was an only child and the centre of her mother's world. Very often it was Ezinma who decided what food her mother should prepare. Ekwefi even gave her such delicacies as eggs, which children were rarely allowed to eat because such food tempted them to steal. One day as Ezinma was eating an egg Okonkwo had come in unexpectedly from his hut. He was greatly shocked and swore to beat Ekwefi if she dared to give the child eggs again. But it was impossible to refuse Ezinma anything. After her father's rebuke she developed an even keener appetite for eggs. And she enjoyed above all the secrecy in which she now ate them. Her mother always took her into their bedroom and shut the door.
Ezinma did not call her mother Nne like all children. She called her by her name, Ekwefi, as her father and other grownup people did. The relationship between them was not only that of mother and child. There was something in it like the companionship of equals, which was strengthened by such little conspiracies as eating eggs in the bedroom.
Ekwefi had suffered a good deal in her life. She had borne ten children and nine of them had died in infancy, usually before the age of three. As she buried one child after another her sorrow gave way to despair and then to grim resignation. The birth of her children, which should be a woman's crowning glory, became for Ekwefi mere physical agony devoid of promise. The naming ceremony after seven market weeks became an empty ritual. Her deepening despair found expression in the names she gave her children. One of them was a pathetic cry, Onwumbiko--
"Death, I implore you." But Death took no notice,- Onwumbiko died in his fifteenth month. The next child was a girl, Ozoemena--
"May it not happen again." She died in her eleventh month, and two others after her. Ekwefi then became defiant and called her next child Onwuma--
"Death may please himself." And he did.
After the death of Ekwefi's second child, Okonkwo had gone to a medicine man, who was also a diviner of the Afa Oracle, to enquire what was amiss. This man told him that the child was an ogbanje, one of those wicked children who, when they died, entered their mothers' wombs to be born again.
"When your wife becomes pregnant again," he said, "let her not sleep in her hut. Let her go and stay with her people. In that way she will elude her wicked tormentor and break its evil cycle of birth and death."
Ekwefi did as she was asked. As soon as she became pregnant she went to live with her old mother in another village. It was there that her third child was born and circumcised on the eighth day.
She did not return to Okonkwo's compound until three days before the naming ceremony. The child was called Onwumbiko.
Onwumbiko was not given proper burial when he died. Okonkwo had called in another medicine man who was famous in the clan for his great knowledge about ogbanje children. His name was Okagbue Uyanwa. Okagbue was a very striking figure, tall, with a full beard and a bald head. He was light in complexion and his eyes were red and fiery. He always gnashed his teeth as he listened to those who came to consult him. He asked Okonkwo a few questions about the dead child. All the neighbours and relations who had come to mourn gathered round them” (101-103).
The relationship between Ekwefi and Ezinma shows not inequality, but the effects of it. Ekwefi who is one of Okonkwo’s wives shows a close relationship with her only daughter. This close relationship isn’t typical because their relationship is rather close because Ekwefi had so many children who previously died during infancy. Because Okonkwo has multiple wives and he’s barely ever there for Ekwefi, she values her daughter because they have each other, in which they must survive together. It’s basically the championship that Ekwefi loves about Ezinma. Not to mention she’s the only child that managed to survive; but because Ekwefi is basically scared of that Ezinma’s sickness may cause death – she’s scared that she’ll lose her only true friend in the world she can depend on. Since Okonkwo has multiple wives and children, whenever a new wife was introduced, the other wife did not hold animosity towards the other. This is because Okonkwo is known for power, he beats his wives whenever he’s angered causing them to have to band together in order to tell each other everything will be fine. This demonstrates the inequality and powerless Okonkwo’s wives have because they had no choice but to marry Okonkwo and they all have to face his abusiveness. They can’t run away because Okonkwo is the chief of the tribe and nor can they go against him or they’ll be murdered. They’re basically trapped since they depend on Okonkwo to survive.
This is important because women were known as inferior and in some countries still are, they are forced to come together because they have nothing else. Men who had the power could constantly abuse them because they could. Also, women couldn’t do anything about it because society had disallowed them from acquiring any source of power; thus they were belittled into following everything they were told to do. No matter how much they wanted to talk back or go against their husbands, they couldn’t because they would be killed. As a result, women needed to form together in order to go against the regime and fight for their freedom – they all had the same cause and purpose for doing so, which indicated that their only choice was to have faith in each other, not hatred.
Inequality had negative effects on women because they wanted to have jobs and roles just like men had. They were capable of doing the same things, and yet they were looked down upon. In some places today, they still are because men don’t want them to acquire power. In fact, it took so long for America to finally allow them to work in places considered too masculine or a man’s job. Thus, they create their own unions and meetings in order to establish their own power and role in society – clearly they want to be equal to men, not discriminated against because they’re weak – when in actuality they’re not.
Blog Phase 2: Things Fall Apart #3
“And at last the locusts did descend. They settled on every tree and on every blade of grass, they settled on the roofs and covered the bare ground. Mighty tree branches broke away under them, and the whole country became the brown-earth colour of the vast, hungry swarm” (72).
The locusts symbolize the inevitable faith of the Igbo people. Their faith is sealed once the missionaries settle within their colony and change their whole society. This is basically foreshadowing of the colonists who attempt to take over and change every culture the Igbo people are accustomed too. “Mighty tree branches broke away under them, and the whole country became the brown-earth color of the vast, hungry swam” is the foreshadowing of this change of culture and religious views. The world as the Igbo people know will come to an end. When locusts destroy crops, back then there was no way to get rid of them; so their destructive nature demonstrates the powerless of the Igbo who cannot do anything against the new colonists who clearly have more advanced technology.
Inequality is demonstrated as the “locusts” destroy and eat everything in their paths. While the missionaries want to convert the Igbo into Christianity. In order to do so, they must destroy everything that the Igbo is accustomed too; however, even if the Igbo want to fight back, they can’t because they’re only used to using wooden weapons compared to the more advanced guns that the missionaries use. The Igbo can’t fight back because they’ll die, thus most turn over to the churches being built and convert to Christianity. Since Nwoye couldn’t meet his father’s standard, he acquired power to satisfy his father wishes. However, after the death of Ikemefuna who taught Nwoye to become strong in his own way, Nwoye decided to convert. This action had angered his father which he eventually disowned Nwoye. Obviously, Nwoye was never treated right because he was pressed to live in his father’s footsteps – something he did not want to do; as a result, he severed their father-son relationship by converting to Christianity.
Nwoye’s actions show how inequality will affect people. Okonkwo thought nothing of his son until he acquired the power his father wanted for so long. However, Nwoye was powerless to go against his father because he was always beat and nagged; thus he gained power which pleased his father. But after the death of Ikemefuna who was basically an older brother figure to Nwoye, he decided that his father was wrong all along and reverted back to his normal self, but this time holding a grudge against his father.
Inequality today is still amongst society. People aren’t treated right because they don’t meet others standards or views. When one group hates on another, the group that is hated will eventually hate on them as well. It’s a never-ending cycle which continues to drive humanity. Nwoye demonstrated that he was unequal to his father and since his father kept abusing him, he decided to turn against his father without any thought because he wanted to be equal.
The locusts symbolize the inevitable faith of the Igbo people. Their faith is sealed once the missionaries settle within their colony and change their whole society. This is basically foreshadowing of the colonists who attempt to take over and change every culture the Igbo people are accustomed too. “Mighty tree branches broke away under them, and the whole country became the brown-earth color of the vast, hungry swam” is the foreshadowing of this change of culture and religious views. The world as the Igbo people know will come to an end. When locusts destroy crops, back then there was no way to get rid of them; so their destructive nature demonstrates the powerless of the Igbo who cannot do anything against the new colonists who clearly have more advanced technology.
Inequality is demonstrated as the “locusts” destroy and eat everything in their paths. While the missionaries want to convert the Igbo into Christianity. In order to do so, they must destroy everything that the Igbo is accustomed too; however, even if the Igbo want to fight back, they can’t because they’re only used to using wooden weapons compared to the more advanced guns that the missionaries use. The Igbo can’t fight back because they’ll die, thus most turn over to the churches being built and convert to Christianity. Since Nwoye couldn’t meet his father’s standard, he acquired power to satisfy his father wishes. However, after the death of Ikemefuna who taught Nwoye to become strong in his own way, Nwoye decided to convert. This action had angered his father which he eventually disowned Nwoye. Obviously, Nwoye was never treated right because he was pressed to live in his father’s footsteps – something he did not want to do; as a result, he severed their father-son relationship by converting to Christianity.
Nwoye’s actions show how inequality will affect people. Okonkwo thought nothing of his son until he acquired the power his father wanted for so long. However, Nwoye was powerless to go against his father because he was always beat and nagged; thus he gained power which pleased his father. But after the death of Ikemefuna who was basically an older brother figure to Nwoye, he decided that his father was wrong all along and reverted back to his normal self, but this time holding a grudge against his father.
Inequality today is still amongst society. People aren’t treated right because they don’t meet others standards or views. When one group hates on another, the group that is hated will eventually hate on them as well. It’s a never-ending cycle which continues to drive humanity. Nwoye demonstrated that he was unequal to his father and since his father kept abusing him, he decided to turn against his father without any thought because he wanted to be equal.
Blog Phase 2: Things Fall Apart #2
“Nwoye, was then twelve years old but was already causing his father great anxiety for his incipient laziness. At any rate, that was how it looked to his father, and he sought to correct him by constant nagging and beating. And so Nwoye was developing into a sad-faced youth.
Okonkwo's prosperity was visible in his household. He had a large compound enclosed by a thick wall of red earth. His own hut, or obi, stood immediately behind the only gate in the red walls. Each of his three wives had her own hut, which together formed a half moon behind the obi. The barn was built against one end of the red walls, and long stacks of yam stood out prosperously in it. At the opposite end of the compound was a shed for the goats, and each wife built a small attachment to her hut for the hens. Near the barn was a small house, the "medicine house" or shrine where Okonkwo kept the wooden symbols of his personal god and of his ancestral spirits. He worshipped them with sacrifices of kola nut, food and palm-wine, and offered prayers to them on behalf of himself, his three wives and eight children” (16-17).
Okonkwo is strong; therefore he fears weakness – this “anxiety” was caused by his father whom would always run away from fights and gamble away all his money leaving little food to supply his family. Because of this, Okonkwo hates weakness and because he finds Nwoye his twelve year old son to be lazy and weak, he’ll beat him indefinitely in order to make him stronger. Nagging and beating is Okonkwo’s way of making his family strong, he obviously has great wealth and power. With wealth and power, no one is going to stand against him because of fear. Notice how he has multiple wives, a common practice back in the day, however, his wife isn’t going to against him for beating their son because she can’t – if she does, she’ll be beat in return. This action demonstrates the high hierarchy where the head of the family is the husband. Since Okonkwo is the manifestation of strength, his family will also need to demonstrate this or his status will be looked down upon amongst the other 12 tribes that are interconnected. As a result, he plans to make Nwoye powerful. Nwoye is a symbol of Okonkwo’s father – who Okonkwo hates with a passion – Nwoye, who shows feminine traits clearly does not want to become like his father – a tyrant. Although, if he doesn’t, he’ll be repeatedly beaten and disowned causing his mother whom he loves to be in a terrible situation; thus he’s trapped in this cycle of remaining himself or a struggling conflict of following his father’s footstep.
Hierarchy is a classic example of inequality. The men in the family are higher up in which the women depend on them for money and basic survival. Even the sons who are supposed to have power as well when they take over the family are treated with disrespect because power engulfs everything. Okonkwo is an example of power and thus he brings forth inequality – for both genders. He sees Nwoye as weak because he shows no interest to become like him. As a result, he’ll beat him until Nwoye realizes that he has to become like his father – Nwoye is his eldest son; so he wants him to become strong. In reality, you can’t force someone to become like you – they want to create their own life, their own destiny, and their own path. Everyone is different in the world and has different views, trying to create a clone of yourself isn’t exactly a great idea. Inequality, is treating someone has inferior; but the important notice is that Okonkwo is beating his own son, who doesn’t want to become like his father; but rather like his grandfather. No matter how hard Nwoye tries, his father will always see him as inferior because he’s worthless to Okonkwo’s family if he continues to remain weak. In other words, he’s not the right candidate of being heir, but since the tradition of eldest son takes over remains, Okonkwo will continuously beat Nwoye until he becomes strong; however, what will this powerless cause Nwoye to do? Inequality will continue to cause problems as it’s basically a struggle between groups of people – one group discriminates against another just because their views, actions, religion, skin color, etc. are all different from their own views.
An example of hierarchy and inequality still remains in the Indian caste system, although it’s now as definite as it was hundreds of years ago. Each group who has little wealth are not allowed to marry, associate, be seen with, befriend, or live amongst those who are higher in the caste system. Although it’s now abolished, a reminiscent of it is still being used today; though not as bad. However, people are still being mistreated in India because of lower status.
In current day society, there are still parents who expect their children to become what they want. The high achievement is becoming a doctor or lawyer. However, their child doesn’t necessarily want to study these professions. It’s important that if you don’t like your job and what you do for a living, even if it provides wealth and status – that doesn’t mean anything, you have to like what you do or you’ll just be bored and tired of it in a matter of days. The child doesn’t want to upset their parents by simply disagreeing; but they’re not creating their own identity. This is a form of inequality because the child will be forced to either anger their parents or ruin their own path in life – demonstrating powerless – they’re parents nurtured them; thus they wouldn’t want to go against them.
Okonkwo's prosperity was visible in his household. He had a large compound enclosed by a thick wall of red earth. His own hut, or obi, stood immediately behind the only gate in the red walls. Each of his three wives had her own hut, which together formed a half moon behind the obi. The barn was built against one end of the red walls, and long stacks of yam stood out prosperously in it. At the opposite end of the compound was a shed for the goats, and each wife built a small attachment to her hut for the hens. Near the barn was a small house, the "medicine house" or shrine where Okonkwo kept the wooden symbols of his personal god and of his ancestral spirits. He worshipped them with sacrifices of kola nut, food and palm-wine, and offered prayers to them on behalf of himself, his three wives and eight children” (16-17).
Okonkwo is strong; therefore he fears weakness – this “anxiety” was caused by his father whom would always run away from fights and gamble away all his money leaving little food to supply his family. Because of this, Okonkwo hates weakness and because he finds Nwoye his twelve year old son to be lazy and weak, he’ll beat him indefinitely in order to make him stronger. Nagging and beating is Okonkwo’s way of making his family strong, he obviously has great wealth and power. With wealth and power, no one is going to stand against him because of fear. Notice how he has multiple wives, a common practice back in the day, however, his wife isn’t going to against him for beating their son because she can’t – if she does, she’ll be beat in return. This action demonstrates the high hierarchy where the head of the family is the husband. Since Okonkwo is the manifestation of strength, his family will also need to demonstrate this or his status will be looked down upon amongst the other 12 tribes that are interconnected. As a result, he plans to make Nwoye powerful. Nwoye is a symbol of Okonkwo’s father – who Okonkwo hates with a passion – Nwoye, who shows feminine traits clearly does not want to become like his father – a tyrant. Although, if he doesn’t, he’ll be repeatedly beaten and disowned causing his mother whom he loves to be in a terrible situation; thus he’s trapped in this cycle of remaining himself or a struggling conflict of following his father’s footstep.
Hierarchy is a classic example of inequality. The men in the family are higher up in which the women depend on them for money and basic survival. Even the sons who are supposed to have power as well when they take over the family are treated with disrespect because power engulfs everything. Okonkwo is an example of power and thus he brings forth inequality – for both genders. He sees Nwoye as weak because he shows no interest to become like him. As a result, he’ll beat him until Nwoye realizes that he has to become like his father – Nwoye is his eldest son; so he wants him to become strong. In reality, you can’t force someone to become like you – they want to create their own life, their own destiny, and their own path. Everyone is different in the world and has different views, trying to create a clone of yourself isn’t exactly a great idea. Inequality, is treating someone has inferior; but the important notice is that Okonkwo is beating his own son, who doesn’t want to become like his father; but rather like his grandfather. No matter how hard Nwoye tries, his father will always see him as inferior because he’s worthless to Okonkwo’s family if he continues to remain weak. In other words, he’s not the right candidate of being heir, but since the tradition of eldest son takes over remains, Okonkwo will continuously beat Nwoye until he becomes strong; however, what will this powerless cause Nwoye to do? Inequality will continue to cause problems as it’s basically a struggle between groups of people – one group discriminates against another just because their views, actions, religion, skin color, etc. are all different from their own views.
An example of hierarchy and inequality still remains in the Indian caste system, although it’s now as definite as it was hundreds of years ago. Each group who has little wealth are not allowed to marry, associate, be seen with, befriend, or live amongst those who are higher in the caste system. Although it’s now abolished, a reminiscent of it is still being used today; though not as bad. However, people are still being mistreated in India because of lower status.
In current day society, there are still parents who expect their children to become what they want. The high achievement is becoming a doctor or lawyer. However, their child doesn’t necessarily want to study these professions. It’s important that if you don’t like your job and what you do for a living, even if it provides wealth and status – that doesn’t mean anything, you have to like what you do or you’ll just be bored and tired of it in a matter of days. The child doesn’t want to upset their parents by simply disagreeing; but they’re not creating their own identity. This is a form of inequality because the child will be forced to either anger their parents or ruin their own path in life – demonstrating powerless – they’re parents nurtured them; thus they wouldn’t want to go against them.
Blog Phase 2: Things Fall Apart #1
"Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things Fall Apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.
--W. B. Yeats, "The Second Coming" (Achebe 2).
Achebe uses the opening of W.B. Yeats’ “The Second Coming” as an epigraph to his novel. This isn’t added just because Yeats’ poem is famous. Instead, it actually serves a purpose – chaos is established in the African tribal system due to the hostile takeover of the imperialist bureaucracies. Also, white missionaries enter to convert Africans into Christians – this is the “second coming” in Achebe’s story. It’s important to note that Achebe intentionally leaves out the rest of the poem – this eradicates the potential foreshadowing of the dangers the missionaries will bring upon the tribal systems. The whole struggle is between the Okonkwo – the main protagonist and the whites who attempt to destroy everything Okonkwo’s tribe is known for, no matter how hard he tries to keep the current regime/system going, his clan begins to give in.
It’s evident that in the beginning poem by Yeats is the foreshadowing of destruction – the “chaos” that is to come to Okonkwo’s tribe. Even though, Okonkwo strives for power and strength, he’s simply no match for the whites in his current state. This demonstrates inequality since the tribe can’t fend off the white missionaries who symbol current technology and destruction. “Anarchy” is the introduction of something new, though it’s not a new government in a sense, but a new religion. No one is going to respond to a new change with respect or positivity, instead they see it as negative; however, what can one do when they are clearly inferior? – In their (African tribe) current state they can’t do anything until later when the story begins to reach its falling action. Obviously, the missionaries see the tribe as inferior and due to the widespread of religion in the 1890s, they wanted to capture Africa for themselves and continue spreading Christianity. “The Falcon cannot hear the falconer” is a classic example of the difference the tribe will face when they’re face with new churches being built – they have to watch the burning of their current systems – they’re clearly trapped in a new world, with no hope. Even Okonkwo who’s known as strict and continues to examine power as his father was weak – he wants to demonstrate that he’s superior to his father (who in his opinion destroyed his tribe with his weakness), he’s powerless in the face of the missionaries.
Though this novel isn’t set in the future, it does tell us currently that if one society was to take over another, for example, missionaries attempted to take over the African tribe system. We’re a world filled with war, every country attempts to acquire power in their own way – but what would happen to all those undeveloped countries who are powerless? – They’ll be engulfed in cycle of war, and obviously if they don’t follow the commands of others, they’ll be murdered or incarcerated. In order to establish order – the people with power will treat those who were conquered through inequality – this is evident during WWII where the Japanese who lived in America were accused and imprisoned as being spies. Also, again in the Holocaust where the Jews were imprisoned because of their religious views – they were prosecuted for their beliefs and inferior belief of God. This reveals that the present still has examples of inequality – gender roles, racism, hatred, etc. In the world, these things will never be destroyed because a group of people will continue to follow through with the cycle of hatred and continue that cycle throughout – this is seen in war, everyday life, etc.
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