Read through page 154
Respond to the following prompts in complete sentences. You must use quotes in your responses.
DUE: Sunday, October 31st by midnight.
1. Look at page 120, can the opening paragraph be viewed as a foreshadow of what will occur later in this chapter?
2. Argue which one is more of an 'individual,' Obierka or Okonkwo.
3. What event causes Okonkwo's exile?
4. How can water be viewed symbolically in Chapter 14?
5. How is one's "motherland" viewed in Chapter 14? Why is it so important to the characters in the novel?
6. Explain the generation gap one begins to see emerge in Chapter 15.
7. Who were persuaded to join the missionaries? What kind of people were they. Ch. 16.
1. The opening paragraph foreshadows the event that happens later in the chapter, this foreshadows that something violent was going to happen. “Diim! Diim! Diim! Boomed the cannon at intervals” (Achebe 120). This sentence does not mean anything without reading the chapter, but we will be able to say that this foreshadows the event, when Okonkwo’s gun exploded and accidently killed Ezeudu’s son.
ReplyDelete2. I think that Obierika is more of an individual person than Okonkwo is, this is because although he has not showed much of his emotions yet he is described as a complex character. He is wondering why Okonkwo had to suffer so much, but actually Obierika is feeling somewhat responsible for the calamity of Okonkwo which is making Obierika suffer, and be depressed more and more. This then reminds him of “his wife’s twin children, whom he had thrown away” (Achebe 125). Obierika is starting to question his “religion” he believes in.
3. The event which led Okonkwo into exile was the “murder” of a sixteen years old son of Ezeudu. Although it was an accident and a coincident, “it was a crime against the earth goddess to kill a clansman, and a man who committed it must flee from the land” (Achebe 124). This event seemed like an accident but it probably was a punishment from Ezeudu, because the event took place right after when he was asked, “If your death was the death of nature, go in peace. But if a man caused it, do not allow him a moment’s rest” (Achebe 123).
4. Water can be viewed symbolically, and this symbolizes the start of something new. In the villages of Umofia, people believed that when it started to rain, that was the sign for the beginning of farming. The use of the rain was significant in this chapter because it symbolizes that Okonkwo’s new life is starting in this village, and that he was going to start his life from plain white. “When the rain finally came, it was in large, solid drops of frozen water which the people called ‘the nuts of the water of heaven’” (Achebe 130), this sentence probably symbolizes that the God is giving Okonkwo the chance to make up and atone for what he has done.
5. The fatherland in Umofia is viewed as a place where people lived in when their life is good, on the other hand, motherland is where people went when their life was harsh and bad. Uchendu described this situation using the analogy that when a father beats his child, the child goes to his mother’s house to seek sympathy, and this was the reason why the characters of Things Fall Apart viewed their motherland as very important places. “’Your mother is there to protect you’” (Achebe 134), said Uchendu, Uchendu made Okonkwo realize that his kinsman is there to comfort him.
Saya Shimoyama B2
PS For some reason, it does not let me post my full responce, so this is question 1-5, and question 6 and 7 will be posted bellow this post.
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ReplyDelete1. The first paragraph of chapter thirteen can be viewed as a foreshadow of what will occur later in the chapter. "Diim! Diim! Diim! boomed the cannon at the intervals" (Achebe 120). Although this sentence does not fully represent or foreshadows, after reading the chapter you may notice that this opening paragraph foreshadow how Okonkwo accidentally killed a sixteen year old boy. At the same time as cannon was fired, gun was also fired and the iron piece from Okonkwo's gun pierced the boy's body.
ReplyDelete2. Obierika is more of an individual person than Okonkwo. Okonkwo is a person that is faithful to the religion and the religious practices. On the other hand, Obierika is a person that speculate about things. "Obierika was a man who thought about things. When the will of the goddess had been done, he sat down in his obi and mourned his friend's calamity. Why should a man suffer so grievously for an offense he had committed inadvertently?" (Achebe 125). This quote states that Obierika is in a way, asking a question to the religion the natives believe. That means that he does not fully believe in the religion.
3. During the funeral of Ezeudu, cannon and guns were fired. Accidentally, Okonkwo's iron piece had pierced Ezeudu's son's body and 'murdered' him. "In the center of the crowd a boy lay in a pool of blood. It was the dead man's sixteen-year-old son, who with his brothers and half-brothers had been dancing the traditional farewell to their father. Okonkwo's gun had exploded and a piece of iron had pierced the boy's heart" (Achebe 124). Although it was just an accident, to kill a clansman is a crime against the earth goddess. The only path for Okonkwo and his family is to flee from Umuofia and go to his motherland and stay there for seven years.
P.S. This is my third time posting. For some reason, my comment are removed every time I check them. After I post it, I says there are three comments, but when I check it the next day, it says there are two comments and my comment is gone.
4. Water is very valuable source to the natives, since they need water or rain to grow the crops and start farming. "When the rain finally came, it was in large, solid drops of frozen water which the people called 'the nuts of the water of heaven'" (Achebe 130). Water symbolize the beginning of something. When it rains, it is the start of farming, and so in chapter fourteen, it also symbolize the beginning of Okonkwo's life at his motherland.
ReplyDelete5. For the children, father is a person that teaches you and mother is a person that children can rely. "But when there is sorrow and bitterness he finds refuge in his motherland. Your mother is there to protect you" (Achebe 134). Whenever the child felt sad or had a bad experience, usually go to mother's place. That is because mother would protect and comfort children. Motherland is very important for the villagers in the novel, Uchendu told Okonkwo that the motherland is the place where your mother is buried, and mother was always the one that protected, therefore the motherland is an important place for the children.
6. When Uchendu was young, men often visited other villages to see their friends. "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" (Achebe 137). Nowadays, people do not often visit to other villages because they do not have courage to get out your own village. I think what Uchendu wants to tell Okonkwo and Obierika is that Okonkwo's generation does not take friendship as an important thing for their life. That they should appreciate their friends for helping and keeping a contact with you.
7. People that has no title and people who are totally different from Okonkwo were all persuaded to join the missionaries. "None of his converts was a man whose word was heeded in the assembly of the people. None of them was a man of title. They were mostly the kind of people that were called efulefu, worthless, empty men" (Achebe 143). Not like Okonkwo, people that joined the missionaries were kind of people that were in lower class.
P.S. This is my second half of the answer.
Risa Yamada B2
1.”Diim! Diim! Diim! Boomed the cannon at intervals” (Achebe 120). This quote foreshadows the accident that will happen later in the chapter. When Okonkwo accidently killed Ezeudu’s son, cannons and guns were fired like it is shown in the first paragraph of this chapter. “Guns fired the last salute and the cannon rent the sky. And then from the center of the delirious fury came a cry of agony and shouts of horror. It was as if a spell had been cast. All was silent. In the center of the crowd a boy lay in a pool of blood” (Achebe 124).
ReplyDelete2. Obierika is more individual person than Okonkwo. Obierika takes care of his friend by helping Okonkwo sell yams and comfort him when he is in a depression. “When the will of the goddess had been done, he sat down in his obi and mouned his friend’s calamity” (Achebe 125). Obierika tries to manage everything so that people will not suffer and thinks and works hard by himself. On the other hand, Okonkwo always relies on something, mainly on religion and oracles. He always makes something the oracle’s fault and when he needs to make a choice, he follows by the belief he has.
3. An accident during Ezeudu’s funeral brought him to be in an exile for seven years. Since Ezeudu was a great warrior, his funeral was huge. Many people beat drums and fired guns. Okonkwo was one of them who were firing the gun. Accidently, the gun Okonkwo fired kills Ezeudu’s sixteen years old son. “Okonkwo’s gun had exploded and piece of iron had pierced the boy’s heart” (Achebe 124). Killing a clansman, no matter if it is an accident or not, is a crime against the earth goddess so Okonkwo and his family had to go into an exile. According to the tradition, his buildings and all his animals were killed to clear the sin.
4. Water is a really important element in their lives. In chapter 14, rain signals the beginning of the farming season. “For as soon as the first rain came framing would begin” (Achebe 130). Since it is his first year of exile, it also symbolizes his new beginning. Though, he had to start everything from the very first, he did not have much enthusiasm like the time in Umiofia since his dream to become one of the lord of the clan has been destroyed by a single mistake he made in Ezeudu’s funeral.
I couldn't post the whole answer so this is my first half.
5. Men is supposed to be in their fatherland and stay there as long as their life is good. But as soon as they have some problem, they rely on their motherland for protection. “But when there is sorrow and bitterness he finds refuge in his motherland. Your mother is there to protect you” (Achebe 134). Fatherland in this chapter is shown as a place where they grow and challenge and Motherland as a place where they get comfort. Since Okonkwo is in his motherland right now, Uchendu advises him to get comfort and go back to his fatherland after seven years to start everything over. Since motherland is the place where they can be calm and comfortable the most, it is shown as a very important place in the novel.
ReplyDelete6. We can see a generation gap when Uchendu meets Obierika. “He had many friends here and came to see them quite often. Those were good days when a man had friends in distant clans”(Achebe 137). We can tell by this quote that people in these region does not interact with other neighboring villages anymore. They do not have any courage to meet new people and they are starting to become close-minded. This close-mindedness is also shown in the village of Abame. When the white men came to Abame, they got afraid of the whites and people reacted violently ending up killing one of the whites. This shows that people in Abame weren’t used to interacting with outsiders and welcoming new people.
7. People who didn’t have any title and were not recognized in the village were persuaded to join the missionaries. “None of his converts was a man whose word was heeded in the assembly of the people. None of them was a man of title. They were mostly the kind of people that were called efulefu, worthless, empty men” (Achebe 143). These people that were ignored by the clan were called efulefu. Since efulefu was the one who joined the missionaries, people thought the belief of white man’s god
this is my second half.
Hikari Mizuno B2
1) “Diim! Diim!! Diim! Boomed the cannon at intervals” (Achebe 120). This sentence would be an example of how this paragraph would foretell what was about to happen. After reading the chapter the result of this first paragraph is reveled. Okonkwo accidentally shoots a sixteen year-old boy.
ReplyDelete2) I would have to say that Obierika is more of an individual compared to Okonkwo. The reason is because the book explains Obierika as a deep thinker. “Obierika was a man who thought about things” (Achebe 125). That’s not to say that Okonkwo isn’t a deep thinker also, but the book explains Obierika’s complex thoughts more vividly then Okonkwo’s. Leading me to believe that Obierika has more inward stability.
3) The accidental explosion of Okonkwo’s gun causing a death of a sixteen year-old boy is what caused Okonkwo’s exile. “Okonkwo’s gun had exploded and a piece of metal pierced the boy’s heart” (Achebe 124). This traumatic event is what caused Okonkwo to be banished from his own clan.
4) The “rain” mentioned in chapter fourteen could simply represent the time of year it was or the season in which the following actions take place. But the “rain” mentioned in chapter fourteen could also be understood as the beginning of something new. “When rain finally came, it was in large, solid drops of frozen water which the people called ‘the nuts of heaven’” (Achebe 130).
5) The fatherland is for one to live in when life is going good while the motherland is for those who have had tragedies and need comforting. “’But when there is sorrow and bitterness he finds refuge in his motherland’” (Achebe 134). This quote demonstrates the roll of the motherland in this society.
6) “’People traveled more in those days. There is not a single clan in there parts that I do not know very well’” (Achebe 137). In this quote Uchendu says that people in his day traveled more often. This is one difference that would put a gap between the generations.
7) All of the converts to Christianity were men of no titles. “None of his converts was a man whose word was heeded in the assembly of the people. None of them was a man of title” (Achebe 143). In other words the people who were converted weren’t politically important people.
Daniel Snow B1
Mai Hiroyama
ReplyDeleteB2 History
1. Chapter thirteen starts with the sound of the instrument, ekwe. "Go-di-di-go-go-di-go. Di-go-go-di-go. It was the ekwe talking to the clan" (Achebe 120). Later in the chapter, Ogbuefi Ezeudu’s death is announced. The death foreshadows with the announcement.
2. I would say that Obierka is more individual. "'But someone had to do it. If we were all afraid of blood, it would not be done. And what do you think the Oracle would do then?' 'You know very well, Okonkwo, that I am not afraid of blood; and if anyone tells you that I am, he is telling a lie. And let me tell you one thing, my friend. If I were you I would have stayed a t home. What you have done will not please the Earth. It is kind f action for which the goddess wipes out whole families.'" (Achebe 67). This quote is the conversation between Okonkwo and Obierka after Okonkwo has murdered Ikefuna. The murder of Ikefuna is not Okonkwo's will, he just commits because the oracle tells him to. Then later Obierka tells Okonkwo, that this isn't right. Which pretty much tells that Obireka has more "self" than Okonkwo does.
3. Okonkwo kills the son of Ogbuefi Ezeudu’s by the accident. The gun of Okonkwo has expoded and the piece of the metal went through the boy. "The only course open to Okonkwo was to flee from the clan. It was a crime against the earth godddess to kill a classman, and a man who comitted it must flee from the land" (Achebe 125). He has killed a classman, and this is a crime against the goddess. Okonkwo has to atone for this crime, and takes his family into exile for seven yeas.
4. On page 130, the water is indicated. The water of rain. I'm not sure but I think the water symbolizes life, or the gift. "When the rain finally came, it was in large, solid drops of frozen water which the people called 'the nuts of the water of heaven.' They were hard and painful on the body as they fell, yet young people ran about happily picking up the cold nuts and throwing them into their mouths so melt" (Achebe 130). "The earth quickly came to life and the birds in the forests fluttered around and chirped merrily" (Achebe 130). Villagers is glad about the water from the sky, and as this come, beautiful nature view are indicated.
5. In the chapter, motherland is described as the place where people go to refuge / have comforts. The motherland is somewhat viewed in a negative way from men. Men considers that the fatherland must be the right place, therefore the motherland is not the right place to go.
6. "'I knew your father, Iweka. He was a great man. He had many friends here and came to see them quite often. 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 man's motherland is strange to him nowadays'" (Achebe 137). The quote shows that there are difference between nowadays and a time ago. People used to explore to the new territories and make friends in other villages, but now people are not doing that. Being afraid for going to the outside world.
7. Most of the people who are persuaded are efulefu, worthless men. "They were mostly the kind of pople that were called efulefu" (Achebe 143). Those who converted to christianity are the ones who has not granted the title and are ignored from the clan.
First of all, yes, the first paragraph of page 120 could be used to foreshadow the rest of the chapter, but only if you thought very very hard. "Diim! Diim! Diim! boomed the cannon at intervals" (Achebe 120). This does foreshadow that there will be something to do with cannons or guns or such like later in the chapter.
ReplyDeleteObierka is definitly more of an indivisual than Okonkwo. Okonkwo, though great, does step in line with all of the society's beliefs and rules etc. Obierka however has more of a rebellious feel, and apparantly sometimes thinks wrong of their culture's customs. "Why should a man suffer so grievously for an offense he had committed inadvertently?" (Achebe 125).
There was just one event that resulted in Okonkwo's exile, and that was an accident. At Ezeudu's funeral there was alot of gunshooting, not at anything but because Uzuedu was a braze warrior. Then one bullet that Okonkwo shot accidently hit Uzuedu's son, and thus was sent into exile for 7 years. "Okonkwo's gun had exploded and a piece of iron had pierced the boy's heart" (Achebe 124).
For the natives of this time, the rain was a hugely important sign to start the farming season. Without the rain, there would be no argiculture, so they depend on it as if it's their direct life source, which it is. In Things Fall Apart, the first rain of the farming season is expressed with much thought and emotion, italicizing the huge importance the rain had on Ibo culture. "At last the rain came. It was sudden and tremendous....And then came the clap of thunder. It was an angry, metallic and thirsty clap, unlike the deep and liquid rumbling of the rainy season" (Achebe 130).
I believe that all the talking about motherlands in chapter 14 is going agaisnt the basic culture of the Ibo that we have seen until this point. Although until now the book has been stressing the point that women are in a lower status than men, now Okonkwo's uncle is telling him that women are actually superior, and that you can get confort from them. This probably shocked Okonkwo quite a bit. "But when there is sorrow and bitterness he finds refuge in his motherland. Your mother is there to protect you. She is buried there. And that is why we say that mother is supreme" (Achebe 134).
In the older days, apparantly, people would know any village in the civilization very well. Okonkwo's uncle said that in his day, people would travel alot more to other villages. THis is a major difference in generation. "I knew your father, Iweka. He was a great man.He had many friends here and came to see them quite often. Those were good days when a man had friends in distant clans" (Achebe 137).
Basically all of the people who converted to christianity were untitled men who didn't have anything else to do. This isn't all though, there were also some people who had problems with their old customs, and so converted. "Nneka had had four previous pregnancies and child-births. But each time she had borne twins, and they had been immediately thrown away. Her husband and his family were already highly critical of such a woman and were not unduly perturbed when they found she had fled to join the Christians. It was a good riddance" (Achebe 151).
Kiran Dixit A4
First of all, yes, the first paragraph of page 120 could be used to foreshadow the rest of the chapter, but only if you thought very very hard. "Diim! Diim! Diim! boomed the cannon at intervals" (Achebe 120). This does foreshadow that there will be something to do with cannons or guns or such like later in the chapter.
ReplyDeleteObierka is definitly more of an indivisual than Okonkwo. Okonkwo, though great, does step in line with all of the society's beliefs and rules etc. Obierka however has more of a rebellious feel, and apparantly sometimes thinks wrong of their culture's customs. "Why should a man suffer so grievously for an offense he had committed inadvertently?" (Achebe 125).
There was just one event that resulted in Okonkwo's exile, and that was an accident. At Ezeudu's funeral there was alot of gunshooting, not at anything but because Uzuedu was a braze warrior. Then one bullet that Okonkwo shot accidently hit Uzuedu's son, and thus was sent into exile for 7 years. "Okonkwo's gun had exploded and a piece of iron had pierced the boy's heart" (Achebe 124).
For the natives of this time, the rain was a hugely important sign to start the farming season. Without the rain, there would be no argiculture, so they depend on it as if it's their direct life source, which it is. In Things Fall Apart, the first rain of the farming season is expressed with much thought and emotion, italicizing the huge importance the rain had on Ibo culture. "At last the rain came. It was sudden and tremendous....And then came the clap of thunder. It was an angry, metallic and thirsty clap, unlike the deep and liquid rumbling of the rainy season" (Achebe 130).
I believe that all the talking about motherlands in chapter 14 is going agaisnt the basic culture of the Ibo that we have seen until this point. Although until now the book has been stressing the point that women are in a lower status than men, now Okonkwo's uncle is telling him that women are actually superior, and that you can get confort from them. This probably shocked Okonkwo quite a bit. "But when there is sorrow and bitterness he finds refuge in his motherland. Your mother is there to protect you. She is buried there. And that is why we say that mother is supreme" (Achebe 134).
In the older days, apparantly, people would know any village in the civilization very well. Okonkwo's uncle said that in his day, people would travel alot more to other villages. THis is a major difference in generation. "I knew your father, Iweka. He was a great man.He had many friends here and came to see them quite often. Those were good days when a man had friends in distant clans" (Achebe 137).
Basically all of the people who converted to christianity were untitled men who didn't have anything else to do. This isn't all though, there were also some people who had problems with their old customs, and so converted. "Nneka had had four previous pregnancies and child-births. But each time she had borne twins, and they had been immediately thrown away. Her husband and his family were already highly critical of such a woman and were not unduly perturbed when they found she had fled to join the Christians. It was a good riddance" (Achebe 151).
Kiran Dixit A4
1) I’m not sure how the first paragraph will foreshadows later in story, but from the onomatopoeia used in last part of the first paragraph, I can tell intensity of the chapter. It might foreshadow the accident that Okonkwo killing Ezeudu’s son, and the fact that Okonkwo’s gun fired when the cannon fired. “One of the things every man learned was the language of the hollowed-out wooden instrument. Diim! Diim! Diim! boomed the cannon at intervals” (Achebe 120).
ReplyDelete2) I think Obierika is more individual than Okonkwo. While Okonkwo is suffering with culture rules, Obierika is not trapped with the rules and have his own opinion about how his culture works. For me he seems stronger and more individual than Okonkwo. “Why should man suffer so grievously for an offence he had committed inadvertently?” (Achebe 125).
3) Okonkwo’s exile is because he killed Ezeudu’s son, and he was a class man, so he have to take his family into exile for seven years. He has to loose every thing like his animals and his house. “It was a crime against the earth goddess to kill a clansman, and who committed it must free from the land” (Achebe 124)
4) Rain symbolizes beginning of new life. In chapter fourteen, it seems like everyone was waiting for this rainy season to come. When rain suddenly rains, people start farming, nature comes arrive, they all use the energy they gather from the sun previously, and start new lives. “For two or three moons the sun had been gathering strength till it had long been scorched brown…like strange and fantastic coiffure” (Achebe 130).
5) ‘“A man belongs to fatherland when things are good and life is sweet. But when there is sorrow and bitterness he finds refuge in his motherland. Your mother is there to protect you”’ (Achebe 134). Like in quote, motherland means protection. For Okonkwo, his life is not good right now, but there is always someone to protect him in motherland.
6) ‘“Those were goo 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”’ (Achebe 137). The quote tells that younger generations are not interacting with outside world very well and less active. Trapped in one way of thinking and own village being afraid of others.
7) Umofia man who is invisible in the assembly, and have no title and most of them are called efulefu meaning worthless, empty man. “None of his converts was a man whose word was heeded in the assembly of the people. None of them was a man of title” (Achebe 143).
Kai Watanabe B1
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete1) The opening paragraph foreshadowed the ominous even that happens later on in this chapter. “Diim! Diim! Diim! Boomed the cannon at intervals” (Achebe 120). The sound Diim seems like the explosion sound that leads to Okonkwo’s deadly accident, his gun exploding.
ReplyDelete2) I think Obierika is more individual than Okonkwo. “Obierika was a man who thought about things. When the will of the goddess had been done, he sat down in his obi and mourned his friend’s calamity” (Achebe 125). Obierika insist to be more individual by solving the conflicts by himself while Okonkwo tends to always rely on something.
3) During Ezeudu’s funeral, Okonkwo makes deadly accident that later on changed his life. “It was the dead man’s sixteen-year-old son, who with his brothers and half-brothers had been dancing the traditional farewell to their father. Okonkwo’s gun had exploded and a piece of iron had pierced the boy’s heart” (Achebe 124). Okonkwo accidentally kills a clansman, which is Ezeudu’s son. Whoever kills a clansman, the murderer must be exiled from the village according to the tribe’s traditions. Therefore, Okonkwo forced to be exiled.
4) Water is symbolically viewed as new life. “When the rain finally came, it was in large, solid drops of frozen water which the people called “the nuts of the water of heaven.” They were hard and painful on the body as they fell” (Achebe 130). Water is essential to the livelihood. As water is new life to farming letting crops to grow, similar to that, it foreshadowed to Okonkwo’s new life in his motherland. Water shows the effects to its spiritual implications.
5) Okonkwo fled to his motherland, Mbanta, because a man finds refugee with his mother. “It’s true that a child belongs to its father. But when a father beats his child, it seeks sympathy in its mother’s hut. A man belongs to his fatherland when things are good and life is sweet. But when there is sorrow and bitterness he finds refuge in his motherland. Your mother is there to protect you” (Achebe 134). Motherland leaves a significant importance where people can feel the comforts and sympathy unlike fatherland.
6) There is a growing gap between the young and the old. “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” (Achebe 137). It tells that in old times, there were peace and nothing really much to fear about. But as generation change people started to have less courage to visit their neighbors and tend to have fear interacting with others.
7) Mothers and outcasts joined the church because they were treated equally.
Nwoye had been moved by the missionary’s beliefs. “But there was a young lad who had been captivated. His name was Nwoye, Okonkwo’s first son. It was not the mad logic of the Trinity that captivated him. He did not understand it. It was the poetry of the new religion, something felt in the marrow” (Achebe 147). Their words seemed to have sympathy with Nwoye’s callow mind. He felt like it gave answers to his questions towards Ikemefuna’s death and twins crying in the forest.
Farah Okada B1
1. Yes, it does foreshadows the story that will be coming soon in this chapter. ""Diim! Diim! Diim! boomed the cannon at intervals" (Achebe 120). This quotes eventually show the thing that Okonkwo did. This sound can be shown as a sound of gun shot, that Okonkwo accidentally pulled the trigger and killed Ezeudu's son.
ReplyDelete2. I think Obierika is more individualized than Okonkwo. "Obierika was a man who thought about things" (Achebe 125) Obierika supported Okonkwo since other people burnt his house down, and that was the message from the earth goddess, and so the people didn't have hatred. Although this time, people lived along by obeying the laws and the message from the god, but Obierika supported him because he thought that was better for Okonkwo and him self.
3. "It was a crime against the earth goddess to kill a clanman, and a man who committed it must flee from the land" (Achebe 124). This quote answers the question. Okonkwo killed clansman who is also a son of Ezeudu. Which must leave the village and his house, bar, yams and other things were burnt down. And so Okonkwo must be exiled from Umoufia.
4. Water represents as a new life, in Ch. 14."The earth quickly came to life ..." (Achebe 130). Hard rain continued three days and so the animal and plants came to life, and I think in this quote, earth can represent as their life or them selves. And then I think their family wen back to the basics to get their life back from their miserable life with no money.
5. They go to their mother land to refuge. "... But when a father beats his child, it seeks sympathy in its mother's hut" (Achebe 134). This quote is an example of people who are depressed or heart broken goes to their mother's place or where they really suits.
6. "Your generation does not know that. You stay at home, afraid of next-door neighbor" (Achebe 137). This was when a old man telling a story about his old friend who had lots of friends in distance clans. The old man told them that in his old good days, they traveled around and made lots of new friends in different clans. But now, much people doesn't go traveling and stay at home, afraid of outside world, and he even says that now a days, they even be scared of their mother lands.
7. They took efulefu, which is mostly worthless mens and who has nothing to do in his life. "They were mostly the kind of people that were cold efulefu, worthless, empty men" (Achebe 143). I think they went to church to get equality with other people who is living happily. Nwoye was one of them and he betrayed his father to became christian.
1. Look at page 120, can the opening paragraph be viewed as a foreshadow of what will occur later in this chapter?
ReplyDeleteI have a different opinion than the others who already commented on this question. “Di-go-go-di-go-di-di-go-go floated in the message-laden night air” (Achebe 120). I did not think the opening was foreshadowing what will occur later in this chapter, because the Okonkwo’s accident was so sudden and nothing in the previous texts gave hints of that particular event. I only sensed that something was going to happen in the village, because Nigerians use drums to send messages and news to each other.
2. Argue which one is more of an 'individual,' Obierika or Okonkwo.
Guessing from the quote, I say Okonkwo is less individual then Obierika. “His life had been ruled by a great passion – to become one of the lords of the clan. That had been his life-spring” (Achebe 131). Also from the previous chapter where Okonkwo visited Obierika after Ikemefuna’s death, Obierika made it clear that he would of not done the killing no matter who says, which gives a impression of individuality of Obierika.
3. What event causes Okonkwo's exile?
Okonkwo was exiled because of his gun went off by accident and shot Ezeudu’s son and killed. “It was a crime against the earth goddess to kill a clansman, and a man who committed it must flee from the land” (Achebe 124). Following the villages rules Okonkwo and his entire family needed to leave the village and live in a strange land for seven years.
4. How can water be viewed symbolically in Chapter 14?
In chapter 14, water symbolizes the joy of life. “The earth quickly came to life… refreshed and thankful” (Achebe 130) All plants, animals, and humans feel alive especially in places with little rainfall. People of Umofia even call it the nuts of the water of heaven, which indicates the respect and appreciation to the rain and their gods.
5. How is one's "motherland" viewed in Chapter 14? Why is it so important to the characters in the novel?
Motherland is shown as the where one’s is nurtured, and feels peace and security. “But when there is sorrow and bitterness he finds refuge in his motherland. Your mother is there to protect you” (Achebe 134). It was important for Okonkwo and his family, who have been exiled from their village, because by definition for them motherland meant the place to go when there was sorrow and bitterness in life.
6. Explain the generation gap one begins to see emerge in Chapter 15.
The quote clearly states the gap between generations. “Even a man’s motherland is strange to him nowadays” (Achebe 137). Okonkwo’s uncle, Uchendu, has said in the conversation with Okonkwo and Obierika that the younger generations tend to stay only in the village they live and do not have that much interaction with people outside the village.
7. Who were persuaded to join the missionaries? What kind of people were they. Ch. 16.
People with title were not the ones who converted to Christianity brought by the white men. “They were mostly the kind of people that were called efulefu, worthless, empty men” (Achebe 143). People who were the lowest of the society joined the new faith and was laughed at by the other villagers.
1. I think the opening paragraph can be viewed a foreshadowed of later in this chapter. “Diim! Diim!! Diim! Boomed the cannon at intervals” (Achebe 120). This quote showed what it will be happened that someone shoot.
ReplyDelete2. I would say Obierka is more individual than Okonkwo. "When the will of the goddess has been done, he sat down in his obi and mourned his friend's calamity" (Achebe 125). This quote shows that he is thinking something more than Okonkwo.
3. "It was a crime against the earth goddess to kill a clansman, and a man who committed it must flee from the land." (Achebe 124). This quote represented what Okonkwo had to follow because he accidentally shooted 16 years old son.
4. Water can be viewed symbolically in chapter fourteen as new world. "They were hard and painful on the body as they fell, yet young people ran about happily picking up the cold nuts and throwing them into their mouths to melt." (Achebe 130) This quote shows how rain was that important for them.
5. "And that is why we say that mother is supreme"(Achebe 134). Motherland is really important to have comfortable place for someone is needed.
6. "Uchendu had been told by one of his grandchildren that three strangers had come to Okonkwo's house" (Achebe). This quote shows the generation gap. This is because one of "grandchildren" and Uchendu talked.
7. “None of his converts was a man whose word was heeded in the assembly of the people. None of them was a man of title” (Achebe 143). I think converts is not that important for Umuofia
1. Although at first it seemed like there was no foreshadowing but after reading up to Okonkwo's accident, I thought about it and "Diim! Diim!! Diim! Boomed the cannon at intervals"(Achebe 120) seemed to foretell that something major was going to occur with the firing of cannon. However, I think it was a weak foreshadowing.
ReplyDelete2. Although Okonkwo is mighty and respected in his village, Obierika is much more of an individual judging from his thoughts. "Why should a man suffer so grievously for an offense he had committed inadvertently?"..."He remembered his wife's twin children, whom he had thrown away. What crime had they committed?"(Achebe 125). From these, you can clearly see that Obierika thinks like an individual and even questions the customs and traditions that they had been following from the time of their ancestors. He does not just follow them for the fear of earth god or because everyone else does it but he tries to find the reasons and right in his actions.
3.Okonkwo was forced to exile the clan because he accidentally killed a boy during the funeral of Ezeudu."Okonkwo’s gun had exploded and a piece of iron had pierced the boy’s heart”..."It was a crime against the earth goddess to kill a classman, and a man who comitted it must flee from the land"(Achebe 124). Since this calamity was inadvertent, it had to be paid back by Okonkwo leaving the clan for seven years with his family before returning to the village.
4. Water-rain-in this chapter seemed to symbolize life and a new beginning. It was the start of Okonkwo's new life in Mbanta and to regain his achievements he had before, he had to start by farming which depends heavily on rain. Rain also washed away the earth's heat and people's agony. "The earth quickly came to life"..."and all were happy, refreshed and thankful."(Achebe 130)
5.I think that Okonkwo's uncle, Uchendu is the wisest person that has appeared in the book so far because he is not a sexist and explains the importance of mother and motherland. "But when there is sorrow and bitterness he finds refuge in his motherland. Your mother is there to protect you. She is buried there."(Achebe 134) Uchendu explains this to Okonkwo to cheer him up from his despair and unhappiness of being in his motherland and to remind him that he should not let his mother down because he is not the greatest sufferer in the world and should still try hard.
6. The generation gap can be seen when Obierika visits Okonkwo who is in his motherland and meets Uchendu. Uchendu is the eldest in his village and when he sees Obierika, he is very pleased to find that he had come all the way from another village. He starts telling him how people traveled more in his days. "'Those were the 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 man's motherland is strange to him nowadays.'"(Achebe 137). This showed that the new generation is more alert and people seems to be more afraid of each other, whereas in the old days, everyone were quite close and friendly.
7. The people who were persuaded to join the missionaries were mostly considered efulefu, who were worthless, empty men. "None of his converts was a man whose word was heeded in the assembly of the people. None of them was a man of title."(Achebe 142). Out of all these people, Okonkwo's son, Nwoye was moved and joined because he felt like he finally found the answers to the questions he had in his mind all along, about the killing of Ikemefuna and the cries of the twins in the bush.
1. The first paragraph of chapter thirteen could be viewed as foreshadow of the events that will happen later on in this chapter. “Diim! Diim! Diim! boomed the cannon at intervals” (Achebe 120). All the sound effect in the first paragraph tells me that there will be something physical happening later on. Toward the end of the chapter, Okonkwo’s gun had exploded and killed Ezeudu’s son.
ReplyDelete2. To me, Obierka was more individual the Okonkwo. The way author describe Okonkwo’s ways shows that he doesn’t really uses his head that often on situations. Obierka was more of a calm and thinking type, not so much a man in action. “Obierika was a man who thought about things” (Achebe 125). This quote support my point of Obierika is more of thinking guy and the book also described him that he has a complex mind.
3. The reason why Okonkwo was exile was because of the gun explosion that had happened before. “The only course open to Okonkwo was to flee from the clan. It was a crime against the earth goddess to kill a clansman” (Achebe 124). The explosion had killed Ezeudu’s son, the quote tells us that killing a clansman was rule in their religion, even though it was an accident.
4. In this chapter, the water or the rain are symbolized as the beginning of the planting season. But the book also described that the rain brought the earth back to life, it could also symbolized happiness to nature. “The earth quickly came to life and the birds in the forests fluttered around and chirped merrily” (Achebe 130).
5. In a family, the child belongs with their father and his family and not the mother. The people think that a man belongs to his fatherland. But in this chapter, Okonkwo went to his motherland instead. Okonkwo’s mother’s kinsmen describe as it’s because Okonkwo feel sorrow and bitter. “A man belongs to his fatherland when things are good and life is sweet. But when there is sorrow and bitterness he finds refuge in his motherland” (Achebe 134).
6. Throughout their generation, a lot of things had changed. “Those were good days when a man had friends in distant clans. Your generation does not know that” (Achebe 137). This quote tells us that in the old days people were afraid of each other, even their own neighbor. So there was some generation gap between now and back then.
7. The missionaries could only persuade those who are weak and worthless to other people. Nwoye was one of the people that got persuaded by the missionaries, he had had some question about Ikemfuna’s death and question about the twins crying in the bush. And somehow the missionaries had helped him find the answer to those questions. “The hymn about brothers who sat in darkness and in fear seemed to answer a vague and persistent question that haunted his young soul---the question of the twins crying in the bush and the question of Ikemefuna who was killed” (Achebe 147).
A4
Seiya T. B2
ReplyDelete1. The first paragraph surely foreshadows the accident that would happen later in the chapter. “Diim! Diim! Diim! Boomed the cannon at intervals” (Achebe 120). This foreshadows the explosion of Okonkwo’s gun. Resulting to kill Ezuedu’s son.
2. I would say that Obierika is more of an individual compared to Okonkwo. Achebe describes how Obierika is more of a deep thinker. “Obierika was a man who thought about things” (Achebe 125). Okonkwo is faithful to the religion and religious practices of the village. But Obierika questions the decisions and commands of the religion. These factors make me think that Obierika is more or an individual thinker that can question anything.
3. Okonkwo’s gun exploded and accidentally killed Ezuedu’s son during Ezuedu’s funeral. “It was a crime against the earth goddess to kill a clansman, and a man who committed it must flee from the land” (Achebe 124). The murder of the clansman causes Okonkwo seven years of exile.
4. "When the rain finally came, it was in large, solid drops of frozen water which the people called 'the nuts of the water of heaven'" (Achebe 130). The first rain was sign of the beginning of farming. Which symbolizes the beginning. Also the water symbolizes the beginning of Okonkwo’s life at the Mbanta.
5. “A man belongs to his fatherland when things are good and life is sweet. But when there is sorrow and bitterness he finds refuge in his motherland. Your mother is there to protect you” (Achebe 134). Motherland is where people can go when their life is harsh in the fatherland. Motherland is very important for the villagers in the novel, giving them protection and comfort. This also goes to Okonkwo.
6. There is a generation gap between Uchendu and Okonkwo. Uchendu mentions “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” (Achebe 137). This tells that back in that time there was more peace and interaction between villages freely. As the change of generation this changed and people started to fear the neighboring villages.
7. Those who converted are men who had no title. “They were mostly the kind of people that were called efulefu, worthless, empty men” (Achebe 143). They were not the only ones who converted, also the people who questioned the customs and sought answer.
1. In the first paragraph. “Diim! Diim! Diim! Boomed the cannon at intervals.”( 120) I think this can be the example to show us what it goanna happen after this paragraph.
ReplyDelete2. I think Obierika is the most person who individual than other people, because he was really nice to his friend and always helping other people. “His greatest friend, Obierika, was among them. They were merely cleansing the land which Okonkwo had polluted with the blood of a clansman.”( 125) This short paragraph show Obierika’s personality.
3. The event because Okonkwo kills Ezeudu’s son, so he have to bring his family in to the exile seven years, and he will losed everything about him.
4. The water is really important for their life, “When the rain finally come, it was in large, solid drops of frozen water which the people called “ the nuts of the water of heaven. “ They were hard and painful on the body as they fell, yet young people ran about happily picking up the cold nuts and throwing them into their mouths to melt.”(130) this show how important for the water for them.
6. “But when a father beats his child, it seeks sympathy in its mother's hut." (Achebe 134) I think this is the good example to show generation gap one begins, show their broken hearts to find their mom.
7. The people in there are not really important people, and “None of his converts was a man whose word was heeded in the assembly of the people. None of them was a man of title.” (143) they are the persuaded to join the missionaries.
sandy chen B２
1. “Go-di-di-go-go-di-go. Di-go-go-di-go. It was the ekwe talking to the clan” (Achebe 120). This sounds like someone was ordering to do something, announcing the death of Ezeudu. “Diim! Diim! Diim! boomed the cannon at intervals (Achebe 120). These words describe that someone is going to die. Later, someone actually died.
ReplyDelete2. Obierika is more independent than Okonkwo. Okonkwo always follows the Oracles of the Hills and the Caves. He can barely make his decisions; that is why Okonkwo killed Ikemefuna. On the other hand, Obierika was different. “Obierika was a man who thought about things” (Achebe 125). This means, Obierika makes decisions by himself, not by others.
3. The murder led to Okonkwo’s exile. “Guns fired the llast salute and the cannon rent the sky… It was the dead man’s sixteen year old son…” (Achebe 124). Violent deaths were frequent, but nothing like this had ever happened” (Achebe 124).
4. Water seems to be extremely impotant. It is used a lot for agriculture. “Each of Uchendu’s five sons contributed three hundred seed-yams to enable their cousin to plant a farm, for as soon as the first rain came farming would begin” (Achebe 130).
5. People believed that mother is where people live peacefully. Motherland is really safe. “Your mother is there to protect you. She is buried there” (Achebe 134).
6. People have change changed a lot those days. “People traveled more in those days. There is not a single clan these parts that I do not know very well…’” (Achebe 137). It seems like people didn’t or barely traveled before.
7. People who converted to Christians were people who had not titles. “None of his converts was a man whose word was heeded in the assembly of the people. None of them was a man of
1, In this chapter, Ezeudu's death is announced to the nearby villages and his funeral was held in Umuofia, during funeral Okonkwo's gun had exploded and piece of iron had pierce the sixteen years old son. “ Di-go-go-di-go-di-di-go-go floated in the message-laden night air.”(Achebe 120) I think this quote foreshadows the funeral happens in this chapter.
ReplyDelete2, Obierka is more individual than Okonkwo, “Obierika was a man who though about things. Whenthe will of the goddess had been alone,he sat down in his obi and mourned his friend's calamity” (Achebe 125) this quote shows that Obierka is individual and makes his own dicision, on the other hand, Okonkwo follows rules made by elders.
3, During Ezeudu's funeral, Okonkwo's gun exploded and piece of iron had pierce the sixteen years old son and killed him, because of this accident he had to flee from clan. “The only course open to Okonkwo was to flee from the clan”(Achebe 124)
4, Rain is very important constituent in this village, it signals the beginning of the farming season arrives and Okonkwo's new life in the village “ When the rain finally came, it wass in large, solid drops of frozen water which the people called “the nuts of the water of heaven.”(Achebe 130) They were hard and painful on the body as they fell, yet young people ran about happily picking up the cold nuts and throwing them into their mouths to melt” which supports the signal the beginning of the new farming season.
5, Villagers believed that people belong to fatherland when things are going well and life is good on the other hand, if things are not going well people find refuge in their motherland for protection “Bit when there is sorrow and bitterness he finds refuge in his motherland. Your mother is there to protect you.”(Achebe 134) Okonkwo is now in the motherland, Uchendu tells that his duty is to comfort his wives and children and take them back to the fatherland after seven years.
6, The generation gap that I could see was travel between villages. “people traveld more in those days. There is not a single clan in these parts that I do not know very well. Aninta, Umuazu, Ikeocha, Elumelu,Abame-Iknow them all”(Achebe 137) this quote shows that people often travel to other villages.
7, “ None of his converts was a man whose word was heede in the assembly of the people. None of them was a man of title.”(Achebe 143) This quote shows that people with no title converted to Christians.
1) I think it sets the tone for the chapter by the "Diim! Diim! Diim1 boomed the cannon intervals"(Achebe 120). from reading that it sounded like a start of a war, and someone is going to get hurt.
ReplyDelete2)Obierika is more an individual to me because he cared about others. Like Okwonko he is violent, but Okonkwobrieka is caring and more human. "In the second year if Okwonko's exile that his friend, Obierika, came to visit him"(Achebe 136). For me he sounded nice to come visit his friend that is alone.
3)Okwonko was exile because " Okonkwo 's gun had exploded and a piece of iron had pierce the boys heart"(Achebe 124). Okonkwo committed a crime causing him to be exile. This is almost the same system to day by as a person does a crime they are sent to jail, but in this case, Okonkwo are exiled.
4)"All the grass had long been scorched brown, and the sands felt like live coals to the feet(Achebe 130). The reason why i chose this quote because the people was suffering by all the crops arent getting any water, and as the rain came, the plant started to get better. So in all the water represent life because it restored the people to their health.
5)the mother land is important is because for women because, there they have their peace and a happy life, but when a male goes there, it is a place of sorrow therefor they go to father land because it a place for happinest for them. and Okonkwo mother is buried there.
6)The gap of the generation is really showing by the old generation area a group,and the new are a group. From that, it is making the gap of the generation by the new generation doesnt now the things from the new generation.
7)The missionaries are more to persuade the normal people. In the missionaries group, there was a white man, making people more atractive to him. " And so everybody came to see the white man" (Achebe 144). So they are attracting local people to join the religion.
The first paragraph is talking about the ekwe(musical insrument; a type of drum made from wood.). "Diim! Diim! Diim1 boomed the cannon intervals"(Achebe 120). This quote is talking about cannon. Cannon's sound often symbolize war. Therefore, I think this paragraph forshadows the dark age of Okonkwo and his village.
ReplyDeleteI think Obierka is more individual than Okonkwo. What I meant individual was, thinking deeply. According to some quotes, we could see that Obierka was a person who thinks alot and questions about things. "Obierka was a manwho thought about things"(Achebe 125). "Why sould a man suffer so grievously for an offense he had committed inadvertently?"(Achebe 125). Therefore I think Okierka is more individal.
Now, this event will change Okonkwo's whole life and lead into new life. In the book, right after Okonkwo was exiled, part one ends and part two begins. That means something really big event had occured, and very new things going to be happen. The reason why Okonkwo was exiled from the village, was he 'accidently' killed one of clan member. It was during the funeral of Ezeudu, and Okonkwo shot his gun as traditional way. But unfortuanately, his gun exploded and the piece of iron pierced sixteen year old boy. "Okonkwo 's gun had exploded and a piece of iron had pierce the boys heart"(Achebe 124). And according to rule, they have to leave the village if they kill clan member whether it is accidental or not.
In chapter 14, I have two opinion about what the rain symbolize. Usually water symbolize something that purify dirty thing, so I kind of think maybe rain in here is symbolizing washing out Okonkwo's crime. But after I read this quote, "And then came the clap of thunder. It was an angry, metallic and thirsty clap, unlike the deep and liquid rumbling of the rainy season" (Achebe 130). Maybe this quote symbolize the hard life that Okonkwo will suffer from now on.
"A man belongs to his farherland when things are good and life is sweet. But when there is sorrow and bitterness he finds refuge in his morherland"(Achebe 134). According to this quote, motherland is somewhere that is safe. It s important to Okonkwo and children because it is the where that they can be protected.
“Those were good days when a man had friends in distant clans. Your generation does not know that” (Achebe 137). This quote shows the difference between old generation and new generation. According to the book, old generation was more likely to go out side and hunt and make friends that lives far. But new generation doesn't do it and they are just afraid of going outside.
People who were persuaded, were efulefu. Efulefu means worthless people. “None of his converts was a man whose word was heede in the assembly of the people. None of them was a man of title”(Achebe 143). This quote shows that no one who converted, didn't have any titles, which menas they didn't really have power.
LMAO im 9 years late
ReplyDeleteim a young nigga sucking pickles no lie
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