Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Violence in Things Fall Apart
For this entry, I want you to find five instances of an act of violence in the novel. Please include a direct quotation regarding the violence as well as the page number from the book where it can be found. Briefly discuss the consequences of these acts directly after your description. Also, you may want to give your classmates that have not posted anything a heads up. The assignments listed in the handout are required and not simply a suggestion.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
"Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought weak." (page 37) Okonkwo killed Ikemefuna, the boy he took into his care. After doing so, he was struck with grief and he didn't eat or sleep. He became a drunk. Ikemefuna's death was also one of the first times Nwoye began to question Ibo culture.
ReplyDelete"And then from the center of the delirious fury came a cry of agony and shouts of horror...a boy lay in a pool of blood." (page 74) Okonkwo had shot a boy during a funeral ceremony. The boy was in fact the dead man's son. Okonkwo was then exiled from Umuofia and forced to spend seven years in another land.
"And so they killed the white man and tied his iron horse to their sacred tree..." (page 84) The people of Abame killed the first white man to visit that area. Unfortunately, this act led to the bloody and brutal shooting that led to the end of Abame.
"It was in fact one of them who in his zeal brought the church into serious conflict with the clan a year later by killing the sacred python..." (page 96) Okoli, a recent convert to the new church, killed the most revered animal in Mbanta. The tribe was thrown into confusion. No one had ever done such a despicable act. They decided to ostracize the church.
"Okonkwo's machete descended twice and the man's head lay beside his uniformed body." (page 126) Okonkwo killed a messenger from the court. This act led Okonkwo to kill himself.
"And when she returned he beat her very heavily." (pg. 19) Okonkwo beat Ojiugo for not cooking his afternoon meal because she was getting her hair done. Typically, this would have been justified, but it was during the Week of Peace. With the beating already in action after Okonkwo realized what week it was, he kept beating her which showed he did not even respect a goddess, and much less a white man later on.
ReplyDelete"“And so they killed the white man and tied his iron horse to their sacred tree because it looked as if it would run away to call the man’s friends.”" (pg. 84) Obierika had come to visit Okonkwo in his time of exile and caught him up on all of the news and word of what was going on. With the word of Abame being wiped out, it set in the fear and judgment of the 'white man' when they arrived in Umuofia.
"Whereupon they all came back and one of them gave Enoch a good stroke of the cane, which was always carried. Enoch fell on him and tore off his mask." (pg. 114) The annual worship had fallen on a Sunday and the Christian women were scared to go home, Enoch then bragged they the "egwugwu" would not dare touch a Christian. When they did, Enoch acted out rashly and tore off his mask which in Umuofia is considered murder. That led them to later destruct the church.
"When the 'egwugwu' went away the red-earth church which Mr. Brown had built was a pile of earth and ashes." (pg. 117) The leaders of Umuofia could not handle having the shrine of an abomination on their land anymore so they burnt it. Of course the tension got thicker and actions got more intense after they destroyed the church and led to worse decisions by both groups.
"Okonkwo's machete descended twice and the man's head lay beside his uniformed body." (pg. 126) Okonkwo was excited because he thought his tribe was coming together to defend themselves again until the messengers showed up demanding that the District Commissioner could meet with them. Out of spite and anger, Okonkwo killed the messenger and then killed himself as well
"Those sons of wild animals have dared to murder a daughter of Umuofia". He threw his head down and gnashed his teeth, and allowed a murmur of suppressed anger to sweep the crowd". (pg. 8)
ReplyDeleteThey automatically reacted by offering war on one hand, or the offering of a young man and a virgin.
"Yes, Umofia has decided to kill him. The Oracle of the Hills and the Caves has pronounced it. They will take him outside Umuofia as is the custom, and kill him there." (pg. 35)
They had decided to kill Ikemefuna, the offering of the neighboring village who had murdered a daughter of Umuofia.
"Last year when my sister was recovering from an illness, he beat her again so that if the neighbors had not gone in to save her she would have been killed" (pg. 54)
Uzowulu beat his wife repeatedly, for no reason sometimes. Odukwe, her brother, tells an egwugwu the story.
"Okonkwos gun had exploded and a piece of iron had pierced the boy's heart." (pg. 74)
Okonkwos gun had accidentally gone off and killed a young boy at a funeral ceremony. He accepted what he knew to be the consequences and his family was exiled for seven years.
"Okonkwos machete descended twice and the man's head lay beside his uniformed body." (pg. 126)
Okonkwo killed one of the messengers from the church. He later kills himself.
"He walked back to his obi to await Ojiugo's return. And when she returned he beat her very heavily." (pg. 19)
ReplyDeleteOkonkwo beat his wife when she had not made him his afternoon meal because she was getting her hair plaited. This was not acceptable because it was their Week of Peace. When he realized that is was this week he didn't stop beating her, not even for fear of a goddess.
"Without further argument Okonkwo gave her a second beating and left her and her only daughter weeping." (pg. 24)
Okonkwo thought that someone had killed the banana tree when only his second wife had cut a few leaves off to wrap some food. He later went on to take aim at her after she murmured about guns that never shoot.
"As the man who had cleared his throat drew up and raised his machete. Okonkwo looked away. He heard the blow." "Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down." (pg. 37)
Ogbuefi Ezeudu pays Okonkwo a visit. He informs Okonkwo that the Oracle has decreed that Ikemefuna must be killed. He tells Okonkwo not to take part in the boy’s death. He tells the boy that he is returning home, and on the walk he is attacked by a man with a machete.
"And they began to shoot. Everybody was killed.." (pg. 85)
Obierika came to visit and caught Okonkwo up with all of the news that was going on. This would set up the fear of the white men.
"Then they came to the tree from which Okonkwo's body was dandling, and they stopped dead." (pg. 127)
They explain that hanging oneself is a grave sin, and no one should touch his body because it is evil. They send for a stranger from a distant town to bring the body down.
One act of violence occurs at Location 679. "Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down." Here Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna. Consequences include heavy drinking, sleeplessness, and lack of appetite for Okonkwo.
ReplyDeleteA second act lies at Location 330. "And when she returned he beat her very heavily." Okonkwo beats one of his wives for braiding her hair rather than cooking his food. In doing so, he has disrespected his gods and ancestors as it is the week of peace.
Act numéro trés sits pretty at Location 1531. "And so they killed the white man and tied his iron horse to their sacred tree..." After this happens, more white men come and wipe out nearly the entire village of Abame.
The fourth act on my list is at Location 1404. "Okonkwo's gun had exploded and a piece of iron had pierced the boy's heart." Okonkwo has killed another kid, the son of Ezeudu. After committing this "female crime," he and his family is exiled for seven years.
Last but not least, we travel to Location 1679. "He siezed a heavy stick that lay on the dwarf wall and hit him..." Okonkwo has beaten yet another member of his family, Nwoye. After this last straw, Nwoye leaves to join the Christians and never comes back.
Clearly this is a very violent novel.
"He walked back to his obi to await Ojiugo's return. And when she returned he beat her very heavily." (pg. 19)
ReplyDeleteOkonkwo beat his wife when she had not made him his afternoon meal because she was getting her hair plaited.
"Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought weak." (page 37)
Okonkwo killed Ikemefuna, the boy that he had taken carwe of for quiet some time. After he had killed the boy, Okonkwo lost his sanity. He was very saddened and bitter.
"And so they killed the white man and tied his iron horse to their sacred tree because it looked as if it would run away to call the man’s friends." (pg. 84)
They killed the first white man that had came to the area.
"Okonkwo's machete descended twice and the man's head lay beside his uniformed body." (pg. 126)
Okonkwo killed the messanger out of anger.
"Then they came to the tree from which Okonkwo's body was dandling, and they stopped dead." (pg. 127)
Okonkwo had killed himself.
"Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down." (Page 61) When Okonkwo killed Ikemefuna's death, Nwoye knew. Something snapped in him and I believe that's one of the reasons he converts to Christianity.
ReplyDelete"Okonkwo's gun had exploded and a piece of iron had pierced the boy's heart." (Page 124) When Okonkwo killed a boy he was banished for 7 years, even though it was an accident.
"And when she returned he beat her very heavily." (Page 29) Okonkwo beat his wife in the Week of Peace and therefore disrespected his gods.
"Okonkwo's machete descended twice and the man's head lay beside his uniformed body." (Page 204) This act led Okonkwo to killing himself.
"So when the daughter of Umuofia was killed in Mbaino, Ikemefuna came into Okonkwo's household." (Page 14) Because his father had killed a daughter of Umuofia, he had to leave his household and move in with Okonkwo.
"And when she returned he beat her very heavily." (pg 29) Okonkwo disrespected his gods and beat his wife in the Week of Peace.
ReplyDelete"Without further argument Okonkwo gave her a sound beating and left her and her only daughter weeping." (pg 38) After pointing a gun to his wife Okonkwo had the town talking about him. And not well. It was during a celebration week.
"Okonkwo's machete descended twice and the man's head lay beside his uniformed body." (pg 204) He killed a messenger and then killed himself.
"In the center of the crowd a boy lay in a pool of blood." (pg 124) Okonkwo's gun exploded and he accidentally killed a boy. He was banished for 7 years.
"And so they killed the white man and tied his iron horse to their sacred tree because it looked as if it would run away to call the man’s friends." (pg 137) Killing the white man lead to the massacre at Abame.
"And when she returned he beat her very heavily. In his anger he had forgotten that it was the Week of Peace." (Page 29) Ojiugo went to get her hair plaited, and that angered Okonkwo so when she returned he beat her. It was the Week of Peace so he disrespected the gods.
ReplyDelete"Okonkwo's machete descended twice and the man's head lay beside his uniformed body." (Page 126) Okwonko's anger got the best of him and killing the messenger was pretty much his breaking point towards him committing suicide.
"Okonkwo's gun had exploded and a piece of iron had pierced the boy's heart." (Page 74) Okwonkwo was banished for seven years.
"Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought weak." (Page 37) Okonkwo was so upset that he started drinking, and he couldn't eat or sleep.
"And so they killed the white man and tied his iron horse to their sacred tree..." (Page 84) That led to the end of Abame.
“Without further argument Okonkwo gave her a second beating and left her and her only daughter weeping.” (page 24)Okonkwo thought that the banana tree was killed, but what really happened was that Ekwefi, his second wife, had cut a few leaves off to prepare some food.
ReplyDelete“Unfortunately for her, Okonkwo heard it and ran madly into his room for the loaded gun, ran out again and aimed at her as she clambered over the dwarf wall of the barn.” (page 24) After beating Ekwefi, Okonkwo decided to go out hunting. Ekwefi made a comment about guns that never shoot. So to prove that he was not to be talked about in that way, he decided to make it to where nobody would talk about him like that again.
“Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought weak.” (page 37) After Okonkwo killed Ikemefuna, he was struck with great grief and he didn’t want to eat or sleep. The death of Ikemefuna was the first time that Nwoye started to doubt the Ibo culture.
“And they began to shoot. Everybody was killed, except the old and the sick who were at home and a handful of men and women whose chi were wide awake and brought them out of that market.” (page 85) Obierika went to visit with Okonkwo and caught him up with everything that was happening. This event set the fear for white men.
“Okonkwo's machete descended twice and the man's head lay beside his uniformed body.” (page 126) This is what led Okonkwo to kill himself.
"Without further argument Okonkwo gave her a sound beating and left her and her only daughter weeping." (Page 24) Okonkwo thought someone killed his banana tree because Ekwefi took some of the leaves to wrap some food. The argument went as far as using his gun to get his point across.
ReplyDelete"Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down." (Page 37) After killing Ikemefuna Okonkwo didn't eat for two days and drank palm-wine all day. He didn't sleep at night and when he got up from his bed he was so weak he could hardly support himself.
"Okonkwo's gun had exploded and a piece of iron had pierced the boy's heart." (Page 74) When Okonkwo killed the boy his entire family as well as himself had to leave their home for seven years. Okonkwo lost his titles, his home, his barn, and his animals. The people weren't mad at Okonkwo for what he did it was their beliefs that made them do what they did to him.
"Nwoye turned round to walk into the inner compound when his father, suddenly overcome with fury, sprang to his feet and gripped him by the neck." (Page 92) When Okonkwo was told by a family friend that Nwoye was with the Christian people he was furious. Okonkwo held Nwoye by his neck in an attempt to get Nwoye to tell him where he was. When he let him go Nwoye left and never came back.
"Okonkwo's machete descended twice and the man's head lay beside his uniformed body." (Page 126) This incedent led to Okonkwo killing himself.
"So when the daughter of Umuofia was killed in Mbaino, Ikemefuna came into Okonkwo's household." (Page 14) Okonkwo being assigned to watch over Ikemefuna eventually leads to more violence and heartache.
ReplyDelete"It was unheard of to beat somebody during the sacred week." (Page 30) Okonkwo beats his wife for being neglectful. The whole village is shaken by his actions. For his indiscretion, Okonkwo must pay tribute to Ani.
"He heard Ikemefuna cry,'My father, they have killed me!' as he ran towards him. Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought weak." (Page 61) Killing Ikemefuna greatly unsettled Okonkwo. He couldn't eat or sleep for the first few days following Ikemefuna's death.
"[Obierika]'Their clan is now completely empty. Even the sacred fish in their mysterious lake have fled and the lake has turned the color of blood. A great evil has come upon their land as the Oracle had warned.'" (Page 140) White men destroy the village of Abame. Okonkwo's clan doesn't push out the white men for fear of the white men's wrath.
"In a flash Okonkwo drew his machete. The messenger crouched to avoid the blow. It was useless. Okonkwo's machete descended twice and the man's head lay beside his uniformed body." (Page 204) Okonkwo killed a Christian messenger. The next day Okonkwo hung himself from a tree.
"He was a man of action, he was a man of war. Unlike his father he could stand the look of blood" (p.10). Okonwo want to be the polar opposite of his father. He was a violent man and wanted to shed the influence of his lazy father. "And when she returned he beat her very heavily. In his anger he had forgotten it was the week of peace". (P. 29) Okonkwo was angry with one of his wives. He beat her for not having dinner ready for him. This shows that he is a violent man and has a short temper. "But I cannot understand these things you tell me. What is it that has happened to our people? Why have they lost the power to fight?" (p.175) Okonkwo is questing his tribe. Through out the book he is imovable in his belief and refuses to give in to the white settlers that are changing is world. "Okonkwo drew his machete. The messenger crouched to aviod the blow. It was useless. Okonwo's machete discended twice and the man's head lay beside his informed body". (P.204) Okonwo kills the messanger because he feels that he is distrupting tribal business and his last chance to keep the white people out. "That man was one of the greatest men in Umuofia. You drove him to kill himself, and now he will be buried like a dog". (p.208) Obierka speaks about his friend after he kills himself. Okonkwo felt he had no way out and he knew that the white man was coming to get him.
ReplyDelete"Then they came to the tree from which Okonkwo's body was dandling, and they stopped dead" (127). The ultimate violent act a human being can do to themselves is taking their own lives. An easy way out, in my opinion, because anybody can do it at anytime.
ReplyDelete"Without further argument Okonkwo gave her a second beating and left her and her only daughter weeping" (24).
Okonkwo misunderstood and thought someone had killed the banana tree. In reality, his second wife had cut a few leaves off to use to wrap some food with. Later, he went on to take aim at her after she had made a comment about guns that never shoot.
"He walked back to his obi to await Ojiugo's return. And when she returned he beat her very heavily" (19).
Okonkwo beat one of his wives during the week of peace, which is not traditional, because she got her hair braided instead of cooking his meal.
“Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought weak” (37). After Okonkwo killed Ikemefuna, he was struck with great grief and he didn’t want to eat or sleephe became depressed and found it hard for him to eat or sleep. After this happened, Nwoye was looked at as if there was no hope for him, in his father's eyes.
"Okonkwos machete descended twice and the man's head lay beside his uniformed body." (126) Okonkowo had committed the act of murder and not too long after, he killed himself.