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.