Okonkwos tradition drink palm-wine

Okonkwos tradition drink palm-wine Chapter 1 â€Å"He was a man of action, a man of warOn great occasions such as the funeral of a village celebrity he drank his palm-wine from his first human head.† (Page 10) This quote introduces us of to Okonkwos tradition to drink his palm-wine from a human skull. This shows us the difference between Okonkwo and Ibo. This also shows that Okonkwo admires men who are tough fighters as well. He rejected his father, a man who was afraid of the sight of blood, partially because he never became a fighter. Chapter 2 â€Å"Perhaps down in his heart Okonkwo was not a cruel man. But his whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of weakness.†(Page 13) The quote emphasizes that Okonkwo felt that his father was a failure. According to Okonkwo, his father possessed unsuitable feminine qualities. This is one of the fundamental causes which cause him to commit some silly acts. His actions also results in his eldest son in becoming a â€Å"failure† (in Okonkwos opinion) as well. His son possesses none of the qualities that Okonkwo admires. Chapter 3 â€Å"An old woman is always uneasy when dry bones are mentioned in a proverb. Okonkwo remembered his own father.†(Page 21) This Ibo proverb shows how much Okonkwo hates his father. He felt that he was a failure and he basically rejects everything that his father stood for. He is ashamed of his father, primarily because of his coward-like qualities, his failure to rise up in society, and his failure to become a warrior. Chapter 4 â€Å"But he was not the man to go about telling his neighbors that he was in error. And so people said he had no respect for the gods of the clan. His enemies said that his good fortune had gone to his head.† (Page 33) In this quote, Achebe portrays Okonkwos character. Okonkwo clearly shows a lack of thought topped by his pretentiousness. He was not a very likable person. Thus, people hated him and his achievements and was respected by very few. Later on in the novel, we also see another characteristic develop in Okonkwo hypocrisy. In those later chapters, he will reject everything he and his tribesman stand for. Chapter 5 â€Å"The Feast of the New Yam was held every year before the harvest began, to honor the earth goddess and the ancestral spirits of the clan. New yams could not be eaten until some had first been offered to these powers. Men and women, young and old, looked forward to the New Yam Festival because it began the season of plentythe new year.† (Page 36) When we were reading Great Expectations, we were asked to carefully analyze the food present in the novel. The food present in Things Fall Apart is as significant. Yams was the main source of food. In fact, the yams were so highly regarded in the society that they were often called the â€Å"the king of the crops.† Further, people utilized the yams for all traditional celebrations. This food can be linked with the religious and ancestral societal spirits. Certain celebrations such as the New Yam Festival took place to honor certain foods. Chinua Achebe used agriculture to express certain characteristics of each festival and celebration of the Igbo society. Chapter 6 â€Å"The wrestlers were now almost stillin each others grip. The muscles on their arms and their thighs and on their backs stood out and twitched It looked like an equal match.† (Page 50) Although this chapter may seem significant it actually has a very significant common idea the wrestling match. Although wrestling may seem like a brutal sport, it was an integral part of the local culture and society. Tribal customs outline what every member is supposed to do. Without customs, a culture does not exist. Moreover, wrestling matches for the Ibo village signified a boy becoming a man. The only way to prove himself worthy to be a man is to wrestle. This shows the importance of physical strength in the tribe. Chapter 7 â€Å"No matter how prosperous a man was, if he was unable to rule his women and his children (and especially his women) he was not really a man.† (Page 53) Okonkwo, the protagonist of the novel, is a very gender-role oriented man. When women gained the power to trade, we are made aware that their status in society is progressing upwards. Trade changed basic family relations and the ideas upon which Igbo culture was established. It seems the idea that a man should â€Å"rule his women and children† does not perhaps come from Okonkwo himself, but rather from the Igbo culture itself. Overall, however, this quote symbolizes that women were looked upon as being inferior to men at the time. Chapter 8 â€Å"When did you become a shivering old woman, Okonkwo asked himself, you, who are known in all the nine villages for your valor in war? How can a man who has killed five men in battle fall to pieces because he has added a boy to their number? Okonkwo, you have become a woman indeed.† (Page 65) The Ibo culture is very different from modern culture as shown by the novel. One clear difference between most modern societies and the Ibo society was that warfare between different clans or tribes does not occur. The Ibo culture praises manliness and parades fighters. Today, society teaches us to honor warriors who fight against other countries, rather than with regional clans. This quote shows that vast difference between the two time periods. Chapter 9 â€Å"For the first time in three nights,Okonkwo slept.He woke up oncein the middle of thenightand his mind went back to the pastthreedays without making him feel uneasy. He began to wonder why he had felt uneasy at all.† (Page 75) In this quote, we see that Okonkwo is noticing something wrong. He feels that something is simply not right, yet he cannot figure what it quite is. Later on in the novel, we will learn that â€Å"things fall apart.† This quote is an indication that something wrong will happen. This shows Achebe using foreshadowing to provide insight into what might happen next. Chapter 10 â€Å"Okonkwos wives, and perhaps other women as well, might have noticed that the secondegwugwuhad the springy walk of Okonkwo. And they might also have noticed that Okonkwo was not among the titled men and elders who sat behind the row ofegwugwu. But if they thought these things they kept them to themselves.† (Pages 89-90) This quote portrays a scene in much detail while also using humor. The â€Å"thoughtful silence† of the women is extremely ironic. The quote reveals the attitude of women on the topic of power. Here, the women also reveal that they posses more knowledge of reality as compared to what they wish to reveal. Therefore, Achebe seems to recognize the importance and equality of women, something which was not usually regarded in a male dominant society. Chapter 11 â€Å"Go home and sleep, said Okonkwo. I shall wait here.† (Page 108) Okonkwo seems to genuinely love his family. He also seems to have genuine concern over the welfare and wellbeing of his children. In this quote, Okonkwo demonstrates his concern over the safety of his family. Although some would argue that Okonkwos â€Å"iron fisted† rule clearly shows no love for his family, I would differ. Perhaps, these beatings, instead, represented the way people acted in the society at that time. Physical punishment was very common in the era. Therefore, it is possible that Okonkwo was only using the beatings as a method to teach his children discipline. Basically, Okonwo loves his family, however, he is afraid to show this quality since her fears that it might portray him as being feminine. Chapter 12 â€Å"Okonkwo was also feeling tired, and sleepy, for although nobody else knew it, he had not slept at all last night.† (Page 112) Chapter 12 marks the first time that Okonkwo seems to be tired. This was a quality that he detested. Achebe shows Okonkwos tiredness to conflict with his earlier beliefs. This shows Okonkwos hypocritical nature. The fact that Okonkwo broke his vow is crucial since they were the foundation of his life. This will cause problems for him further on in the novel. Chapter 13 â€Å"The only course open to Okonkwo was to flee from the clan.† (Page 124) In the second part of the novel, Achebe uses several incidents that hold back Okonkwo from the commendation of his tribesman, establishing asimilarity towards his own father. This was surprising considering his own hatred for his father. In this quote Okonkwo accidently kills the tribesmans son and then escapes from the village to hide from any punishment. This shows his cowardness, a characteristic possessed by his father. This also shows Okonkwos hypocrisy. After all, he, himself, looked down upon cowards. Chapter 14 â€Å"It was like beginning life anew without the vigor and enthusiasm of youth, like learning to become left-handed in old age.†(Page 131) Okonkwo, after noticing change in his society, felt difficult to go on with his life. He had to start a news chapter in his life. This quote illustrates Okonkwo as a person who seems to have lost his will to live life. Okonkwos qualitys and his goal in becoming a fighter, unlike his father, fade away and he becomes a different man. Chapter 15 â€Å"Those were good days when a man had friends in distant clans. Your generation does not know that. You stay at home, afraid of your next-door neighbor. Even a mans motherland is strange to him nowadays.† (Page 137) In this quote, Unchendu is telling Okwondo about the past. Although, the quote refers to men interacting within their classes, on a deeper level, it shows the change that has occurred within the society. People are changing and tradations are changing as well. The traditions that the people of the society want to stay the same are changing as well. This will eventually be the â€Å"things† that fall apart. Yet, all of this was expected. After all, the title of the novel is â€Å"Things Fall Apart.† Since everything was going so perfectly, something was bound to happen. Chapter 16 â€Å"The missionaries had come to Umuofia. They had built their church there, won a handful of converts and were already sending evangelists to the surrounding areas and villages.† (Page 143) The invasion of the Europeans of Africa was expected. Achebe mentions that the missionaries were moving there. Although, I do not endorse the Europeans coming into Africa, the Europeans coming into the village illustrated a very interesting idea the clashing of cultures. Their invasion of the villages illustrated how the traditional values of the Umuofia society could be so easily changed by this modern theology. This gives everyone a chance to think for themselves, rather than simply following what was traditionally thought of to be right. It gave the people a choice. This choice was taken by Nwoye who made his own path in life. Chapter 17 â€Å"Living fire begets cold, impotent ash.†(Page 153) This quote is metaphor for a very important idea. This comes after Nwoyesrejection of traditional Igbo values and conversion to Christianity. Nwoye, the oldest son of Okonkwo, is lazy and weak (according to Okonkwo). This quote emphasizes the realization of Okonkwo that his behavior leaves powerlessness in others, especially his son. Okonkwo believes the Nwoye and his father posses the same weakness. Chapter 18 â€Å"In the land of his fathers where men were bold and warlike. In these seven years he would have climbed to the utmost heights. And so regretted everyday of his exile† (p.163). This excerpt also emphasizes Okonkwos desire for power and status. During his exile, Okonkwo got in touch with the feminine side inside him. Okonkwo is a man who loves courage and Umuofia was full of men who fit that description. It seems that Okonkwo will go back to Umuodia and everything will have changed. After all, the title of the novel is â€Å"Things Fall Apart.† Nothing has â€Å"fallen apart,† yet so something is bound to happen. This idea shows that Achebe, like Charles Dickens, too, uses the idea of foreshadowing. Chapter 19 â€Å"I fear for you young people because you do not understand how strong is the bond of kinship. You do not know what it is to speak with one voice.† (Page 167) This quote is told by an elder to Okwondo. Kinship and connections, which have been crucial parts of the Ibo culture, seem to â€Å"fall apart† as the novel progresses. This quote sparks questions in my mind. Was there any fragmentation amongst the Ibo people from colonization? The Ibo people gathered for wrestling matches and other festivities. Okonkwo clashes with his culture very often. Chapter 20 â€Å"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.† (Page 176) Obierika mourns over the white man coming to Africa. However, at the same time, he believes that it is the Africans fault for letting the white man come. Mr. Brown, the first white missionary, believes that it is necessary to act peacefully in order to convert people. When Reverend Smith replaces him, he goes against the indigenous tribes and treats them badly. Chapter 21 â€Å"He mourned for the clan, which he saw breaking up and falling apart and he mourned for the warlike men of Umuofia, who had so unaccountably become soft like women† (Page 183) Okonkwo wanted that the ideology of his clan should survive. The society to have several violent attributes. By giving into the Christians, Umuofia broke up and fell apart and turned as â€Å"soft as women.† I believed that Okonkwo did not pay the consequences because he killed the messenger. Okonkwo had killed others before. Okonkwo died because he did it for himself and the beliefs of the clan.The quote above not only shows Okonkwos dismay at the fall of the clan, but also his hatred of feminine qualities, a controversial topic in the novel. Chapter 22 He saw things as black and white.And black was evil.He saw the world as a battlefield in whichthe children of light were locked in mortal conflict with the sons of darkness. (Page 184) Mr. Smith speaks against the god Baal. Many struggles against Baal have been mentioned in the Bible. This shows Achebes criticism of racism. Achebe criticizes the â€Å"black and white† idea. Most racism is based on stories rather than any practical events. Therefore, this view has modified reality, something which Achebe seems to be very against. Chapter 23 â€Å"For the first time in many years Okonkwohad a feeling that was akin to happiness. The times which had altered so unaccountably during his exile seemed to be coming round again. The clan which had turned false on him appeared to be making amends.† (Page 192) This quote symbolizes a change, something which has happened very rarely in the novel. The status of the clan remains somewhat the same in various portions of the novel. However, at this time, the tribe is prosperous which is unlike the norm. However, this happiness will not last for long. After all, the novel has to live up to its expectations which are clearly revealed in the novel something must fall apart. This indicates that perhaps the tribe will disintegrate in the last few chapters. This might lead to a drastic turn in the novel. Chapter 24 â€Å"He knew that that Umuofia would not go to war. He knew because they had let the other messengers escape† (Page 205). Okonkwos suicide meant more than his own tragedy. It symbolized the finish of his society and all the values that prevailed. I think he killed himself because he felt there was no more hope in believing that his tribe would survive and defend itself. Okonkwo tried to represent that everything his tribe wanted. If the tribe wasnt going to survive with the way people were growing up, then he wanted to die too. If the societys life was going to be taken, his was going to be taken too. Chapter 25 â€Å"He had already chosen the title of the book, after much thought:The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger.† (Page 209) This quote indicates the racist attitude that the District Commissioner has towards the local tribes. He is a pompous man who thinks he understands the indigenous culture and tribes, while he clearly does not. While he feels that he is bringing peace to the region, he is clearly doing nothing of the sort. He also seems to be very shallow. He makes remarks on â€Å"love of superfluous words† of the villagers. In this, he mocks the language of the villagers.

In the name of religion :: essays research papers

The issue of war itself has been debated, published and broadcast on prime time news, but the current national crisis' are multifaceted and have many dimensions that are neither explored at lenght , nor adequately ananlyzed by the vast majority of those who support the political arena that wage them. Are the actions of our government ethically justifiable? Can it be said that we as a nation, have engaged in a "just war". The war in Iraq as well as The War on Terrorism, have undeniable religious undertones and subsequent implications. If we are to fight this war with any true intent of winning it, these issues can simply not be overlooked. We owe it to ourselves, as well as each other, to understand what it is that we fight for and against, and to be clear in those convictions. The concept of violence in the name of religion, seems to be a difficult pill for most to swallow. Without a doubt, war in the name of God, is an incomprehensible contradiction of terms. Yet, this is exactly the motive backing those who oppose us today. The horrific attacks on the World Trade towers and on the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, leave little room for arguement regarding the jusfiable reason for action on the part of US military forces. Of course the concept of war is not a new one, nor are the ethical dilemias that it brings. Our current situation is unique though, in the sense that it has raised some new concerns. Deep to the issues of political agenda and the facades that they create, are the ethical issues at the heart of religious philosphy, which may have provoked the attacks in the first place.There have been on rare occassions, excluding the christian crusades of course, in which religion has played such a centralized role in the conficts of nations. It may not be transparent upon first exam, but deeply embedded in the core of the beliefs held by those who oppose us, is an extemist's veiw of religion. Religious ideology is typically not the salesman for violent behavior. Historically speaking , it has been abundantly clear that man is quite capable of inventing various ideologies to justify their injustices aganst mankind, without finding the need to do so in the name of God. However, when religion is an underlying factor, the conflict takes on a particularly violent tone.

Hester Prynne and her Subconscience Essay

The mind is by far one of the most intriguing and unknown parts of the human body, but it has been broken down into three distinguishable parts by Sigmund Freud. He has broken the mind into the id, ego, and superego. These are all parts of the human mind that control each and every action or thought that a person has. The id is the pleasure part, and it controls actions that occur without thought of punishment. The ego controls all actions that occur consciously and with knowledge of the consequences. The superego is the part of the brain that holds a person back from committing an action. Both the action and consequences are thought about before the act is done. These three mental states occur in all people, but especially within Hester Prynne from The Scarlet Letter. Throughout the story her mindset changes many times. It starts out in the id phase and works its way to the superego and finally retreats back to the ego. Hester shows that it is possible for all three parts of the brain to work in close proximity to one another. The id phase of Hester’s actions is one of the most important to the progression of the book. Her actions in this id phase are committed before the book even begins. She is a married woman and she ends up sleeping with the young minister of her town after many years of waiting for her husband to come over to America from England. Hester wanted to wait for him, but she did not really ever love him and she felt she needed to find someone else. This is when she committed her act of adultery. She did not think about the consequences that would come with her actions. The act was done in a spur-of-the-moment situation. This was all because of Hester’s id part of the brain. Hester went through the superego stage after the id. This was when she decided she was not going to tell anyone the identity of either Pearl’s father or of Chillingworth. She was conscious of what could result if this information was given out to the public, and she did not want to go through anymore shame or punishment. This demonstrates the aspect of the superego working in her brain. She could have gone out and put all the blame that she was receiving on Dimmesdale and revealed the truth about Chillingworth and his past. She did not do this however, because she did not want to blame  anyone else and she did not want to hurt the one person she really did love. All of these actions and thoughts that she had show how her superego played a large role in how she handled her everyday life after receiving the â€Å"A.† The last phase that Hester goes through in the story is the ego phase. This is when she decides that it is no longer worth it for her to hold back Chillingworth’s real identity from Dimmesdale and also when she encourages Dimmesdale to tell the truth about himself. She new perfectly well what the consequences to her actions would be, but she was willing to go through with them. This is a great example of someone working in the ego phase. The only problem with her thought process was that both Dimmesdale and Chillingworth ended up dieing. Dimmesdale had nothing left to live for and Chillingworth was alive, because he wanted to torment Dimmesdale. All of Hester’s actions show how the three mental phases in everyone’s minds are very closely related to one another. Every person is under the control of the three parts of the human brain, but in the case of Hester Prynne, all three work in a very close relation to one another. She started out in the id and eventually worked her way through to the superego and finally ended in the ego state. It was her lust for a man that put her in the id state, her denial of the truth that allowed her to be in the superego state and her openness and love that placed her under the ego. All three cases show how closely the mind’s separate functions work.

Abraham Lincoln And The Great Emancipator - 2143 Words

Abraham Lincoln, â€Å" The Great Emancipator,† was the president of the United States from March 1861 to April 1865- when he was assassinated. Lincoln is known world-wide for the Emancipation Proclamation, which accomplished the freeing of the slaves, or so the they taught at the school. What schools don’t teach is that the Emancipation Proclamation had many restraints within it. Slaves were only to be freed in â€Å"rebellious states†: Southern states,(Graham);slavery remained untouched in the states that supported the Union: Northern states, California, and New Mexico territory. The school’s portray Lincoln as an affectionate, gentle, and pure man; but he has all but those characteristics. Lincoln had many opportunities before, and during the Civil War to free all of the slaves, whether they were enslaved in a Southern or Northern state, but he chose not to. Abraham Lincoln was a deceitful president who used the facade of emancipation, and the disregard ment of the constitution as political tactics to gain followers and receive more power in order to advance his secret agenda. â€Å" I have no purpose; directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the states where it exist...,†(DiLorenzo 21) stated Lincoln, in his First Inaugural address. Slavery existed in eighteen states; there were about 3,950,528 slaves living in those states, (Einstein). He backed up his statement in his First Inaugural Address by saying that he has no purpose to interfere withShow MoreRelatedThe Great Emancipator : Abraham Lincoln894 Words   |  4 PagesThe Great Emancipator Abraham Lincoln became the president of the United States of America in March of 1861. While he led the country through one of the worst wars in the history of America, he is most known for abolishing slavery through the Emancipation Proclamation, thus giving him the nickname of â€Å"The Great Emancipator.† There are a great amount of debates on whether Lincoln was worthy of this title, one reason being that the Emancipation Declaration was limited and did not abolish slavery,Read MoreAbraham Lincoln : The Great Emancipator1590 Words   |  7 PagesSarmiento 6 Abraham Lincoln: The Great Emancipator During Abraham Lincoln’s presidency, the United States was divided into North and South, who were at war with one another. Recognizing the nation needed a determined leader to guide them into prosperity, Lincoln devised his plan for success. Lincoln’s attempts to preserve the North, while uniting them with the South seemed to be failing as the war continued throughout his first term. Once Lincoln got reelected in 1864, he set out to succeed inRead MoreThe Great Emancipator By President Abraham Lincoln947 Words   |  4 PagesThe Great Emancipator While in office, President Abraham Lincoln led the country through the Civil War, he is most known as being responsible for the abolishing of slavery through the Emancipation Proclamation, thus giving him the nickname of â€Å"The Great Emancipator.† Technically speaking, the Emancipation Declaration did not actually abolish slavery in itself, rather it led to the 13th Amendment, which did end slavery in January of 1865. At brief glance, the Emancipation Proclamation’s sole purposeRead MoreAbraham Lincoln: Great Emancipator or Common Politician?1487 Words   |  6 PagesPresident Abraham Lincoln has been revered as one of the greatest presidents in the history of the United States. He is known for his great effect on slavery and served his terms during the civil war in a time of great controversy. 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