Paper 2 Response

Chosen Question:  Show how and to what effect Achebe makes use of myth legend or other stories and tales. 

Things fall apart is a realist fiction book, which mirrors the colonization of Africa. The novel is set in Umuofia, a town comprising of 9 villages in Nigeria. The story is mostly narrated from the main protagonist's point of view, Okonkwo. . Since the story is told from his perspective the cultural ideologies and traditional aspects are written as closely to the Igbo culture as possible. The Igbo culture incorporates many uses of myths and legends and are expressed as fact through the use of their stories and tales. The following analysis aims to show how and to what effect Achebe uses myth and legends through the different stories in the novel. Through the use of proverbs, myths, legends and fables Achebe aims to create an explanation for the Igbo customs and traditions thus enriching the reader's understanding helping them create a closer sympathetic bond between the Igbo characters in the novel.

The art of folklore and storytelling in African literature specifically Things fall apart has become one of the most important forms of literary expression. Through the novel one can see that the Igbo culture is an oral one. Orality is the only form of documentation, meaning that the different myths and legends in the story are explanations and documentations of the past. The use of proverbs in the culture are a form of expressing an obvious truth. For example in Chapter 1 one can see the reference “Proverbs are the palm-oil with which words are eaten." In this example we see a proverb being used to communicate a more refined lifestyle. This way the standards for a lifestyle are communicated through a popular and clear way. Another proverb which is shown in the first chapter is”If a child washes his hands he could eat with kings". As one can see from the novel the culture is very tradition based and the idea of born with a title, and dying with a title are very important. This proverb communicates the values of their society but also a way to "rise from the ashes".  It is basically stating that by removing the dirt of the ancestors you can have a chance of a different future, each one builds his own fame. We can see this proverb communicated and mirrored through Okonkwo's life which hence builds and enriches the meaning of the proverb for the reader.  

Fables are fictitious stories which are often times about animals. The are shared to teach a moral lesson.  Fables are also used to mirror reality and even foreshadow the future. In the novel we can see both examples.  In chapter 11 Ekwefi tells Ezinma a story about a turtle who changed his name to be a part of a feast. In the culture we can see this as a story about teaching patience but it is a very multi-vocal texts. Taking a colonial lens and the by looking at the context of this novel one can see that this story mirrors the idea of colonization, where the turtle had to change his name (language) to be a part of a community. Only by changing his identity was he allowed to feast, thus mirroring that the Igbos fate.  Okonkwo's son Nwoye changed his name to Issac to survive in a society ruled by oppressors similarly to that of the turtle. The use of this story helps one understand the context of the novel but also foreshadow the fate of the Igbo since this fable is told before the colonizers disturb the peace in Umuofia.

Myths and Legends are both types of stories which are handed down from generation to generation serving to explain phenomena or customs.  In the novel they help the audience understand the historical basis of certain events thus enriching the reader's understanding. The coming of the locuses are very destructive but are values since they mark the coming of prosperity. 


In conclusion fables, myths, and legends serve a deeper purpose.  In the story itself it serves purpose for the characters as it provides explanations for cultural and traditional events. For the audience it enriches their understanding of a certain event. This enriches their understanding of the Igbo culture which then overall makes them have a larger appreciation. 

Memoir

Our culture our beloved Umuofia, has fallen. Unravelled like the cultural loin cloth that our people have abandoned for the white man's pants.  Umuofia has been my home for years, I was born and brought up in such a rich cultural environment untouched by white civilization. I have a great appreciation for my fellow Igbo and the fall of my cultural heritage is a pain I do not think I can endure. To say the white man's tool of oppression is the only reason we have fallen would be a lie. Our culture should have evolved, our traditions should have evolved. Okonkwo's banishment for a mistake, mutilating twins, and the death of Ikemefuna should all have been avoided. Our culture should have become stronger, as it is the survival of the fittest in a world with no mercy. Not only should our culture have evolved but our own people should have stayed dedicated to their roots. My own friend Okonkwo has lost his son to the white ashy buttocks and changed his name to Isaac.  Our culture was enriched by our traditions and cutting connection it results in a loss of cultural identity. Umuofia will fall because we are not strong enough to fight what is coming.There is no peace ahead. This path will not end without war.What is coming is bigger than any one of us and to survive it we need to unite and resist. but since our people refuse to do so.. Things will inevitably fall apart.



Our culture our beloved Umuofia, has fallen. Unravelled like the cultural loin cloth that our people have abandoned for the white man's pants.  Umuofia has been my home for years, I was born and brought up in such a rich cultural environment untouched by white civilization. I have a great appreciation for my fellow Igbo and the fall of my cultural heritage is a pain I do not think I can 

Paper 2 Analysis

Guided Question: 

To what extent has an awareness of context enriched or enhanced your understanding of Things Fall Apart?

Things Fall apart by Chinua Achebe is a novel that depicts the colonization of Nigeria in a different light. Written through the perspective of the oppressed the novel explores the different themes of power and colonization Umuofia, a town comprising of 9 villages in Southeast Nigeria. The novel follows the story of Okonkwo, the protagonist who is the clan leader. As the plot progresses one is able to understand the different aspects of the Igbo culture through the interactions he has with different characters. One understands the different culture values and traditions as well as different social statuses. Gender roles also come in to play here, where in the Igbo society the portrayal of men and women are very different to that of the modern world. When examining this novel one must also keep in mind the context and setting of this particular novel, since their cultural values are much different from other parts of the world. The following will be discuss how understanding the context of the Igbo culture helps better understand the text Things fall apart when it comes to the understanding of the different gender roles in their society.

The portrayal of women has changed immensely over time, from a time where women were not allowed to vote, to a time where women hold high stature in the social world.  Achebe aims to portray a traditional Igbo family as best as he could considering the social acceptance during the time period of colonization. The stereotypical view of women was prominent where their jobs included housekeeping, tending to the children and the well-being of the household.  Women were not seen as strong in an independent fashion but physically strong enough to carry out the manual labor of crop harvesting. Another practice which was common in referral to women, was physical abuse. Men often times used women as a way to control their anger and show stature through physically harassing them. Often times women were seen as prizes rather than human beings, and their marriages included a dowry. Although women were seen prizes they were respected in a certain way because they were seen as the more spiritual sex, hence closer to god. There were also special cases when it came to war counseling. The priestess Chielo of agbala was a woman who would take the role of the Oracle and advise the men of the village in further actions when it came to combat and areas of difficulty. By looking at these examples one can see the true nature of the civilization, where women were given a different type of respect but would have to be bestowed special gifts to be respected.

Men in the Igbo tradition were portrayed as complete opposites from women. Their power was determined by their accolades and were seen more powerful than woman. Through the characterization of Okonkwo one can see the traditional beliefs the culture has. Okonkwo is a very narrow minded character who has the fear of becoming like his father, so much that he has ensured that he is the complete opposite by creating an image for himself where he is put across as strong and brutish. The first time he gains social credibility it is for winning a physical fight against Amalizine the cat. The ideology of titles are translated quite literally where a man is made from "the robes he buys".  In the novel we see many examples of this, one of which being polygamy. Okonkwo has many wives and only because they are titles. He does not show our modern day examples of love out of fear of being seen as weak. Another example we see is the physical labour men partake in. 

Based on this information when taking on different perspectives for example a modern day lens, this novel would be seen as "offending (racist) and sexist" since the cultural values and beliefs the Igbo have are very stereotypical in relation to exactly what the world does not want to see in media today. It is important to understand and accept the fact that this is what was common in the 1890's time period and does not depict or mirror our modern day society in any way. It is easier for Africans to understand the purpose of this novel and look past all the modern day "quirks" of it than westerners, or europeans because this was their culture and essentially their roots until europeans changed because they saw it as offensive. Therefore reading things fall apart with a colonial lens in mind is important because it helps with understanding then novel for the reason it was written, telling the story of the oppressed. 

Paper 1 Analysis

Paper 1 Practice:

The Prince of Tides is an article published in Stardust Icon magazine in 2010 by Piyush Roy.  This article uses different stylistic devices, tone, to help convey the purpose in relation to theme to convey Saif Ali Khan’s as a successful Bollywood icon growing similarly to that of tidal waves.

Saif Ali Khan is a Bollywood celebrity who has become very popular over the years for his different roles in Bollywood cinema.  Since his medium of films is Bollywood, one can state that the target audience for this article are Bollywood fanatics.  In the text the author refers to films such as “Love aaj kal” which mostly only Bollywood moviegoers will understand. Also people who have watched his films and enjoyed them would be drawn to this article since it promotes him in a positive image. The article talks about his career as a serendipitous ride calling it “unpredicted” again something which will interest Bollywood fans.  The care-free attitudes and lifestyle choices which Khan Makes helps the audience eager to learn more about he grew famous from such an “unplanned” journey.

The purpose of this article is to highlight Khan’s rise to stardom and the different internal and external obstacles he had to face to maintain his success. The theme of Khan’s carefree attitude is seen throughout the article where he faced struggles with his family, insignifant roles, and most noted his surface as a producer. He opens saying “he was just having fun” showing his carefree attitude. This only continued as his career did.  The author expresses that this attitude was both helpful as becoming successful and a struggle when it came to his early stages of acting.  The author states that Kahn was prone to the risk of letting stardom hit his pride. , “The challenge now lies in how he steers clear of the demons of smugness that tend to so seamlessly corrupt good actors tending to lose themselves to the trappings of stardom.”

The themes in this article are shaped around Khan’s personality. He is portrayed as a carefree actor whose rise to stardom was serendipitous. The themes developed are mainly happy and light as life for him is portrayed as a road rather than a struggle. This in turn helps the audience build towards understanding that the article mainly attempts to promote him. Themes in this article are often used in relation to literary devices. Tidal waves are highlighted here where the coming and going of waves are represented as a metaphor to mirror Khan’s career. This emphasizes the idea of what is supposed to happen will happen.

The tone and mood of this article are generally light as Roy promotes Khan in a positive light. The author comes across as highly opinionated but the article is kept light because it is an opinion he is expressing rather than a critique. His use of highly opinionated language “starting a distant last, struggling” shows that the tone is happy. Since this text convention mirrors to that of a magazine the viewer’s expect an insight in Khan’s lifestyle and like most magazines show the article conveys a positive message.

In conclusion Roy uses a combination of stylistic figures, themes, and tones to help convey the purpose of the passage. He aims to promote Khan in a positive light for an audience of fans. He uses the metaphor of tidal waves to emphasize the serdepitious way of Khan’s career. 

Okonkwo Character Analysis

Okonkwo is considered to be the main protagonist in the novel Things fall apart by Chinua Achebe.  Achebe has written Okonkwo as a tool of resistance as way to show the true story of colonized countries. Okonkwo has been categorized as a tragic hero by some but not by others. It is a controversial topic because he relates with some of the archetypes of the tragic hero and not with others.

Okonkwo like an most tragic heroes has a major flaw, the "fear of weakness and failure". He is so worried that he will becomes like his father he ensures that he show no signs of weakness. He also has a large pride and ego. Its so big that he lets it cloud his judgment. This incredibly large pride later leads to his downfall and eventual death. Unlike most tragic heroes Okonkwo never realizes his flaws and again this is due to his pride.

Chinua Achebe Group Discussion

A point of information taken from our group discussion was the fact that Chinua Achebe was surprised that his book impacted other locations which had been colonized. In his interview with African Voice he expressed that he had received letters from South Korean girls who stated they shared the same feeling of oppression Nigerians had. This made him realize the actual impact his book had, opening up the spectrum from his audience. The idea of suppression and oppression through colonization is well understood worldwide but by writing the oppressors side of the story helps one understand the entire story, not just the suppressor's story.

Ronald Reagan Paper 1

The following in an analysis of the speech "Address to the nation" by former President Ronald Reagan. This speech was delivered on national television in the United States on January 8th 1986 after the failed Challenger Space ship launch.  The incident rattled the entire country since this was the first time a shuttle combusted while in flight.

This text is a political speech. The audience is clearly stated in the first line; "Ladies and Gentlemen... on the state of the union". The text is clearly targeted towards the citizens of the United States of America. This can be deduced since President Reagan is speaking on behalf of the great union hence the United States. Also the incident itself concerns the US space station which is funded through US citizens. By clearing stating the audience in the first line the passage helps the audience emotionally connect with the speech as well as the speaker since the situation was a tragic accident.

As stated before this speech was presented by President Ronald Reagan after the Challenger 7 Space ship combusted after breaking the sound barrier killing all 7 crew members. The purpose is clear,  to address the incident and console the United States public. This incident put the public on edge because Nasa one of the most technologically and scientifically advanced companies in the world had once again failed in space travel. Not only was this a tragic incident but for the American public it was an embarrassment. All these factors made the public seriously question the trust they were putting in its government which is one of the reasons this speech was delivered: "We don't hide our space program. We don't keep secrets and cover things up. We do it all up front and in public".  This helps citizens regain trust in its government. The speech was presented in a way which acknowledged the failure but also ensured success in the future. "were aware of the dangers..overcame them". An idea of a positive future was surfaced causing the public to once again trust its country. Another main purpose found in the speech was its emotional relation to the incident. President Reagan uses personal pronouns and connections to his family to communicate the loss he felt when this incident occurred. " Nancy and I are pained to the core by the tragedy of the shuttle Challenger. We know we share this pain with all of the people of our country". He uses his family to portray an image across America, to pose a united front to the country so that they are able to cross this bridge. This speech is based around the idea of connecting with the public on an emotional level so that America can look past this incident and excel in the future. "Yes, more volunteers, more civilians, more teachers in space.. nothing ends here our journey continues". 

The content is very similar to the purpose since both work concededly to convey a message to the public. The content is put across in a very balanced environment since there are no "two sided arguments" therefore there is generally no biased. This speech uses many persuasive appeals (ethos, pathos, logos) but the passage mainly revolves around the theme of  pathos. Since this incident was a tragedy it only seems best suited to use pathos as a main connector. Using an emotionally approach helps widen the audience as it connects with people nationwide. "Today is a day for mourning and remembering.". By using this statement in the speech the public nationwide is able to accept the incident as a tragedy but also a way to keep this incident as a reminder. Also by connecting emotionally the statement will have a stronger message and help unite the public under a similar front. This theme is used throughout the passage to address the events. There is also a theme of acceptance, which is used in order to help the public move past this incident: "We'll continue our quest in space". This theme helps build to the overall purpose of the speech. 

This event was a tragedy and this speech is a response to this tragedy therefore the register is based around the idea of mourning and revival. The speech starts out with a sad tone and mood keeping a very serious register as President Reagan recounts the events. He clearly shows that he is in mourning by constantly referring to the "pain" he feels for his country.  The mood also at this point is very dark as the names of the dead are recounted. The tone slowly shifts as the speech continues by pointing out the nationalism and bravery of the fallen heroes: "They wished to serve, and they did. They served all of us".  Using they and us helps the audience emotionally connect with the victims. As the speech continues the ideas of bravery resurface causing the tone and mood to change into a lighter happier instance. The speech only continues in this fashion as President Reagan continues saying "We've grown used to wonders in this century". By highlighting on the nations achievements the tone and mood become very nationalistic making the audience proud of their country. The tone and mood progress until the very end of the speech where President Reagan again talks the victims of this incident. He compares them to a great explorer implying that they were heroes leaving the audience with this day as a remembrance of success not failure. 

The text uses many stylistic features in order to further emphasize the purpose. Personal pronouns are used throughout the text to build towards the theme of pathos:" Nancy and I.. I'll meet it with joy". It helps hook the audience as it helps them connect on a basic level: human to human. This also impacts the way President Reagan is broadcasted to the country.  There is also a wide range of literary devices used in this speech. " Your loved ones were daring and brave, and they had that special grace, that special spirit that says, "Give me a challenge and I'll meet it with joy."Alliteration and assonance are used in this speech to further accentuate the deaths on the Challenger but it also helps the statement become memorable since it helps recapture the audience's attention (special spirit). Another literary device which was found is allusion: "There's a coincidence today. On this day 390 years ago..." By connecting two tragedies President Reagan implies that they will be remembered the same way the great explorer so many years ago was remembered. Anaphora is used in this passage to further develop the idea and theme of revival: "There will be more shuttle flights and more shuttle crews and, yes, more volunteers, more civilians, more teachers in space. Nothing ends here; our hopes and our journeys continue". By using more repeatedly and also in front of different group of people he stores a balance between the communities as form of  "equal importance" to help state that the quest in space will not stop. Finally apostrophe is used in the speech: "And I want to say something to the schoolchildren of America who were watching the live coverage of the shuttle's takeoff. I know it is hard to understand...". By stopping the speech President Reagan attempts to help the future generation of America understand the importance of this event but continue to be fearless and continue on the road to discovery. 

In conclusion this entire speech focuses on the tragedy of the Challenger 7 but rather than just addressing the events President Ronald Reagan helps America move past this tragic incident and strive for a better future.