1. What are the distinguishing features of Ibo culture as presented in the novel? How do these features compare with what you learned from your search?
The distinguishing features of the Ibo culture seem to be the importance of farming and the yams, religion, respecting the elders, hospitality, and family structure. The yam is one of the major themes throughout the novel. Ibo life revolves around farming, and that is their major crop. Many of the proverbs that the people say include something about yams. The religion is polytheistic, and the worship of multiple gods really interests me. When the white men and their “iron horses” (bicycles) began to flood into Umuofia, I knew that their religion and culture was going to be pushed to the limits. As the missionaries told the people that what they believed was wrong, and that there was only one thing to believe, I felt a pang of grief for the Ibo culture as it would never be the same again.
2. Which elements of that culture are most comfortable to us? Which most resemble elements of our (your) culture? Which seem more foreign, more difficult to accept?
The elements of the Ibo culture that are most comfortable to me are most of it. I highly respect their hard working mentality. I love the fact that the people have such high respect for the people around them. Their system of justice seems extremely fair to me, and I love the fact that the punishment for killing another clansman is being banished. This eliminates a lot of cases of murder, even if the clan in Umuofia is a warring tribe.
3. In what ways does Okonkwo embody the values and principles of Ibo culture? What are the strengths of his character?
He is a man who makes his own way in the world. Though he grew up in poverty, he still was able to make his way to being one of the leaders of the tribe. He is one of the hardest workers in the tribe; he constantly is tending to his farm, having two barns full of yams each year. He is able to support multiple wives, making him a man of power, and has many children. He is accepted into the spiritual world and the justice system as he is one of the egwugwu spirits. Okonkwo is an excellent wrestler, and he is also a very good warrior. All of these traits are what the Ibo culture would consider excellent.
4. In what ways does Okonkwo deviate from traditional Ibo values? What are his weaknesses as a character?
Okonkwo is so afraid of being weak that he steps over the line in many places. He kills Ikmenefuna, who calls him father. He beats his wife and children during the week of peace. Okonkwo does not control his temper, and often beats his family members more than what normal people in the Ibo culture do. He is rash, and he makes decisions too quickly, and this leads to his suicide. (505)
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Cultural Similarities
As I began to read Achebe’s novel, Things Fall Apart, I was completely entranced by the Ibo (or better known today Igbo) culture. To me, this almost pastoral lifestyle is very picturesque, and extremely attractive. As I began to research different aspects of the Igbo culture online, something kept popping up that caught my attention every time. The most common search result on Google always had something to do with Achebe’s novel. It seems to me that the culture of the Igbo people was captured almost perfectly in his writing – especially if you consider that he was a member of an Igbo tribe himself. No matter what my search, whether it be on the people, food, religion, whatever, Things Fall Apart was constantly being sited.
The religion of the Igbo people is polycentric. There are many different gods, but the highest of them all would be Chukwu. There are three different levels of gods in the Igbo religion. For the most part, the gods in the lowest group are the trouble makers. This was really the only thing in my research that I found to be different from the novel. In Things Fall Apart, the most important gods include those of the earth, and the sky. I have a feeling that it was after the colonization that many things have also changed for the Igbos, and it is difficult to obtain proper information pre-colonization state.
Food was one of the closest related issues to Things Fall Apart, which is completely centered on the farming community of yams, and other tubers. I was very surprised to find out that fufu in fact has a more dough-like consistency than like that of a mashed potato. To eat fufu, the Igbos roll the fufu into a ball, then make an indentation in the fufu to scoop whatever stew or soup they are eating into the fufu. It serves as a utensil and a starch for the Igbos.
For me, the majority of customs in Things Fall Apart were not difficult to accept. I understood the difference between men and women because mostly of the time period. The people were farming to keep on surviving, there was no other point to life than to become a good farmer, and that was what made a man. The issue of polygamy does not really bother me in this situation either, because again it was in an effort to continue life, and for the most part, these large family groups did very well as they were. The only thing that really bothered me in the entire story was how the Igbo people discard twins. In my mind that is the single thing that I can not except. Though I understand it is the Igbo culture, I can not bring myself to be alright with abandoning babies in the woods to die, completely alone, cold, and most likely starving.
Things Fall Apart is an incredible story that opens the Western eye to a different point of view. It is interesting to see the variety in cultures that occur, and especially to see that even with as many differences between us, there is still one major goal. That is to raise a family, be prosperous, and above all to leave a legacy for yourself. (545)
The religion of the Igbo people is polycentric. There are many different gods, but the highest of them all would be Chukwu. There are three different levels of gods in the Igbo religion. For the most part, the gods in the lowest group are the trouble makers. This was really the only thing in my research that I found to be different from the novel. In Things Fall Apart, the most important gods include those of the earth, and the sky. I have a feeling that it was after the colonization that many things have also changed for the Igbos, and it is difficult to obtain proper information pre-colonization state.
Food was one of the closest related issues to Things Fall Apart, which is completely centered on the farming community of yams, and other tubers. I was very surprised to find out that fufu in fact has a more dough-like consistency than like that of a mashed potato. To eat fufu, the Igbos roll the fufu into a ball, then make an indentation in the fufu to scoop whatever stew or soup they are eating into the fufu. It serves as a utensil and a starch for the Igbos.
For me, the majority of customs in Things Fall Apart were not difficult to accept. I understood the difference between men and women because mostly of the time period. The people were farming to keep on surviving, there was no other point to life than to become a good farmer, and that was what made a man. The issue of polygamy does not really bother me in this situation either, because again it was in an effort to continue life, and for the most part, these large family groups did very well as they were. The only thing that really bothered me in the entire story was how the Igbo people discard twins. In my mind that is the single thing that I can not except. Though I understand it is the Igbo culture, I can not bring myself to be alright with abandoning babies in the woods to die, completely alone, cold, and most likely starving.
Things Fall Apart is an incredible story that opens the Western eye to a different point of view. It is interesting to see the variety in cultures that occur, and especially to see that even with as many differences between us, there is still one major goal. That is to raise a family, be prosperous, and above all to leave a legacy for yourself. (545)
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Cockroach, Dust, and Death.. Oh My!
It was a dark, Friday night. I found myself on the family room couch beginning to devour Kafka’s short story, The Metamorphosis, page after page turning before my eyes. As soon as I had finished rushing through the pages, I drifted into a light sleep. All of a sudden, something on my face began to twitch. The image of Gregor’s disgusting legs flailing in the air flashed through my mind. Twitch, twitch, twitch… I felt like something was crawling across my face. I jumped, trying to rid myself of the revolting, crawling cockroach that had invaded my personal bubble. I squirmed, I fidgeted, I jumped, and then I realized… it wasn’t a bug. It had been my dog, Princess, trying to wake me up, barely tickling my face with her whiskers. My mother was almost in hysterics, laughing at my reaction, my brother was embarrassed. Kafka had made an impression on me like no other author. He scared the bejeeters out of me!
In general, I stay away from horror, whether it be in films or novels or even short stories. I do not normally like to be scared from fiction. So to say that Kafka gave me the heebie jeebies is to say the least. The first few pages of description were what really did me in. Especially the legs that had a mind of their own. After I had come to terms with the whole “one morning I turned into a giant cockroach” thing, I thoroughly enjoyed the short story. The creepy crawlies began to die down after Gregor had rolled out of bed, and made himself known to his family. It fascinated me that his family could still understand him in the morning, making me wonder if he had not completely finished his transformation, or if his family simply wandered through their daily lives, expecting Gregor’s hard work to continue to support them. In this way, I am in complete agreement with the fourth expert in Mr. Coon’s blog.
As the fourth expert says, Gregor’s family hates him, but is also using Gregor as their single source of income, making him still an important wheel in their family life. My favorite character throughout the short story other than Gregor had to be his sister. She is the only one who shows the slightest bit of compassion throughout the story for Gregor. Unfortunately, this attention to her brother is only short lived. When she loses hope that he will not return to his normal form, she loses interest, and leaves him completely on his own to starve to death.
In all, though I did enjoy the story, I do not feel that I can really shed any light on a closer in depth analysis, for in truth I am still completely confused. Yes, I understand the predicament, but I can not really grasp what the Kafka is trying to tell us with this story. Maybe he just had a nightmare and this is what he came up with. I don’t really believe that, but I cannot really think of any other good reason for writing about turning into a giant bug over night! (525)
In general, I stay away from horror, whether it be in films or novels or even short stories. I do not normally like to be scared from fiction. So to say that Kafka gave me the heebie jeebies is to say the least. The first few pages of description were what really did me in. Especially the legs that had a mind of their own. After I had come to terms with the whole “one morning I turned into a giant cockroach” thing, I thoroughly enjoyed the short story. The creepy crawlies began to die down after Gregor had rolled out of bed, and made himself known to his family. It fascinated me that his family could still understand him in the morning, making me wonder if he had not completely finished his transformation, or if his family simply wandered through their daily lives, expecting Gregor’s hard work to continue to support them. In this way, I am in complete agreement with the fourth expert in Mr. Coon’s blog.
As the fourth expert says, Gregor’s family hates him, but is also using Gregor as their single source of income, making him still an important wheel in their family life. My favorite character throughout the short story other than Gregor had to be his sister. She is the only one who shows the slightest bit of compassion throughout the story for Gregor. Unfortunately, this attention to her brother is only short lived. When she loses hope that he will not return to his normal form, she loses interest, and leaves him completely on his own to starve to death.
In all, though I did enjoy the story, I do not feel that I can really shed any light on a closer in depth analysis, for in truth I am still completely confused. Yes, I understand the predicament, but I can not really grasp what the Kafka is trying to tell us with this story. Maybe he just had a nightmare and this is what he came up with. I don’t really believe that, but I cannot really think of any other good reason for writing about turning into a giant bug over night! (525)
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