Chinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart - 2105 Words

Thesis Its impetrative to analyze and research the novel â€Å"Things Fall Apart† by Chinua Achebe so as to be able to understand what the novel is all about. It involves deciphering all relevant interpretations about how one culture develops in direct competition against the emergence of another foreign culture, such as the colonialist. The novel, together with its various themes and aspects of culture therefore portray deep knowledge about the novel. An Analysis of the Book â€Å"Things Fall Apart† One of the most interesting novels that a person in the contemporary society can read is the novel â€Å"Things Fall Apart† by Chinua Achebe, a prolific writer from West Africa, Nigeria. The novel remains to be an interesting read despite the fact that it was written in the year 1961. The novel is a narration that follows an Igbo tribe’s life during the time when colonization was washing all over Africa. The story is about Okonkwo who was determined to be prosperous and not end up a failure just like his father, but instead follow tradition and rise up the ranks within the tribe. However, Okonkwo’s desire to have a perfect life goes astray just like the novel portrays hence fate has it that he loses the traditions that he so much cherishes as his dear society falls apart (Bloom, 2009). The following is an expostulation of the novel and an in-depth analysis of the novel. Summary of the Novel The novel, â€Å"Things Fall Apart† by Chinua Achebe is about theShow MoreRelatedChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1719 Words   |  7 PagesThings fall apart is a classic novel written around the turn of the century, the novel focuses on the protagonist who we can also call a hero, Okonkwo. Okonkwo is a wealthy and respected leader within the Igbo tribe of Umuofia in eastern Nigeria. Strong individual with a passionate belief in all the values and traditions of his people. Chinua Achebe presents Okonkwo as a particular kind of tragic protagonist, a great man who carries the fate of his people. Okonkwo is a man who is inflexible andRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1033 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Chinua Achebe is a famous Nigerian novelist in worldwide. Things fall apart is Chinua Achebe’s first novel published in 1958, the year after Ghana became the first African nation to gain independence. And this novel is one of the first African novels to gain worldwide recognition. (Phil Mongredien, 2010) This novel presents people a story of an African Igbo tribal hero, Okonkwo, from his growth to death. The fate of Okonkwo also indicates the fate of Africa caused by the colonizationRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart883 Words   |  4 Pagesdehumanize the native population and convince themselves that they are helping. Chinua Achebe’s book Things Fall Apart attempts to correct these misguided views of African societies by portraying a more complex culture that values peace, and the art of conversation. Achebe also tries to portray the idea that not all European people they come in contact with are aggressive, and misconstrued in their view of the African societ ies. Achebe tries to show us the value of his society through repeated views into conversationsRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1410 Words   |  6 PagesTeddy Manfre Ms. Blass ENG 209-001 April 24, 2017 Things Fall Apart In 1958, Chinua Achebe a famous Nigerian author publishes one of his most famous novels Things Fall Apart. The novel takes place in a Nigerian village called Umuofia. During the time that this novel is published Nigeria is being criticized by the Europeans for being uncivilized. In response, Achebe uses his brilliance in this novel to express the valued history of his people to his audience. His focus in the novel is on the pre-colonizedRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1015 Words   |  5 PagesIn his novel Things Fall Apart, author Chinua Achebe utilizes his distinctive writing style in order to accurately capture the culture and customs of the Igbo people despite writing his story in a foreign language. Five aspects of Achebe’s style that make his writing unique is the straightforward diction present in dialogue, the inclusion of native parables convey Igbo life authentically, the inclusion of native Igbo words and phrases, detailed descriptions of nature and the usage of figurative languageRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1702 Words   |  7 PagesTitle: Things Fall Apart Biographical information about the author: Chinua Achebe was born in Nigeria in 1930. He had an early career as a radio host, and later became the Senior Research Fellow at the University of Nigeria. After moving to America, he became an English professor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Achebe has won numerous awards for his poetry and fiction, including the Man Booker prize and Commonwealth Poetry Price. He currently teaches at Bard College. Author: Chinua AchebeRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart Essay1347 Words   |  6 PagesCulture is an Important Element of Society Chinua Achebe is the author of when Things Fall Apart while Joseph Conrad authored Heart of Darkness. Conrad and Achebe set their individual titles in Africa; Achebe is an African writer whereas Conrad is Polish-British. The authors draw strength from their backgrounds to validity the authenticity of their fictional novels. Conrad writes from his experiences in the British and French navies while Achebe uses his African heritage. The theme of culture isRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1248 Words   |  5 PagesChris Lowndes Ms. Cook A.P.L.C. 21 October 2015 We Are Family: Hardships in One s Family in Things Fall Apart Specific attributes correlate with each other to help create or not create the ideal strong family. However, through those attributes arise conflicts and major disputes. This issue of trying to achieve and create a strong family is of immense importance in one’s life, especially in Chinua Achebe’s, Things Fall Apart, a milestone in African literature. For instance, the father leaves his legacyRead MoreChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart Essay1682 Words   |  7 Pagescertain degree of the priest class, libation, holidays, creation stories, divine systems of punishments and rewards. In the novel, Things Fall Apart, written by Chinua Achebe, is a story of tragic fall of a protagonist and the Igbo culture. Achebe demonstrates different examples and situations of where an African culture, in the instances of tribal religions, did certain things because of their tradition is and the way they developed into. African cultures pondered life mysteries and articulated theirRead Mo reChinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1314 Words   |  6 PagesChinua Achebe masterpiece â€Å"Things Fall Apart† (1959) is the classic story of Okonkwo, a young man who strives to be revered by his village and family but because of his own internal character flaws meets his own demise. In the Igbo culture, family traditions are an important narrative throughout the novel. Okonkwo, the protagonist character of this story, begins with many attributes of what would be concluded as a hero with his cultural society. He is hard working, a material provider, feared and

My School Uniform And Shoes Essay - 1451 Words

I started buying my own things at the age of 12. During the summer I would work to be able to buy my school uniform and shoes. I currently live off campus in a apartment nearby California State University Northridge and go back to my hometown Los Angeles to work with my parents to have money for my necessities. I didn’t have it easy growing up; nothing was given to me instead I had to work for it. Working at such a young age has positively molded me into a hard worker, being able to manage my time well, and appreciate my possession even more. My childhood was like any other. I played outside and watched cartoons ,but when I turned 12 things began to change.When I was born my parent opened a christian book store. Ever since then my family has worked every day in order to pay their mortgage and other expenses. I didn’t have the typical teenage life. After school I would go home and help my mom by staying in shop so she could cook lunch and then dinner. Somedays I would be on my feet all day bringing out materials and to attend to our customers. There was always something to do from cleaning to organizing. My mother always gave my brothers and I a list to do throughout the day; I always finished early and helped my brothers finish their duties. It then became a habit to finish my task early and see what else I could do. Working hard is a characteristic that I have develop throughout the years working in my parents’ shop. As a teen girl all I wanted to do after school wasShow MoreRelated Mandatory Public School Uniforms are a Good Thing Essay1419 Words   |  6 Pagespants, pajamas, and even spandex shorts in school even though there have been policies about dress codes. Teachers, parents, and other adults feel disgruntled about the way they dress. Many students also complain about difficulties in concentrating on schoolwork because of the same reason. Obviously, what students wear to school has become a very distracting issue in the school environment. Therefore, school uniforms should be required in public schools due to many reasons. There have been manyRead MoreSchool Uniforms in the Public School System Essay example638 Words   |  3 PagesSchool Uniforms in the Public School System Public school systems across the country are now requiring students to wear uniforms. Can uniforms really make a difference in a childs academic performance? Wouldnt uniforms infringe the childs creativity and self expression? The clothes dont make the child right (Hempill A15)? Wrong. School uniforms can drastically reduce school violence and help a student to focus on school work. In 1996, President Clinton endorsed public school uniforms inRead MoreStudents Should Wear Uniforms Debate Essay910 Words   |  4 Pageswhether students should wear uniforms or not. Many schools agreed with the idea and have already required school uniforms, while others are still considering it. Some say that school uniforms represent discipline and instill school pride, but others think that it is not creativity and comfortable. Despite that there are still arguments about it; school uniforms have increasingly demonstrated their importance and influence in many ways. Students should have to wear unifo rms because it will help studentsRead MorePros And Cons Of School Uniforms1206 Words   |  5 Pages School uniforms have been around for a long time in k-12th grades along with even some colleges, while most private schools have uniforms, now some public schools are trending toward uniforms as well. There are two sides to this argument, with pros and cons to both. I have interviewed Dale Patnode, Kelly Patnode and Patricia Patnode, they bring a first hand experience with what uniform show and what they do for students. Dale Patnode went to catholic schools throughout his whole life, experiencingRead MoreSchool Uniforms777 Words   |  4 PagesMost teenagers think that wearing uniforms is a waste of time and that it shouldnt be mandatory. There are many positive and negative effects but I believe that school uniforms should be mandatory. There are many advantages such as peer equivalency, self esteem, easier for parents, and also stress reducing. There are also some questionable disadvantages such as lack of self expression, demeaning morale, and lack of diversity. Teenagers of this day and age belong in the age group where peer pressureRead MoreThe Debate over School Uniforms1277 Words   |  6 PagesAfter several not-so-great experiences I have had in the school district, I think I have come up with a long-term solution to increasing amounts of disrespect and subordination both among the students and the faculty. I grew up in a parochial school in New York City. In St. Andrews we had to wear school uniforms. The memories of my childhood arent filled with unforgivable actions towards me, and people picking on each other about what clothes they are wearing. The most trouble I ever rememberRead MoreJudged by Clothing1281 Words   |  6 Pagesfancy dress and nice shoes that person would automatically be the one that everyone looks at and will judge. Everyone has judged a person this way and will continue to do so, it’s just human nature. Sad but true. In this day and age we have several ways to judge a person by their appearance. If a young lady or man were wearing dark clothing, had lots of earrings and tattoos that person is gothic. A person wearing baggy jeans and long t-shirts and a certain brand of tennis shoes are perceived to beRead MoreEssay about Arguement Against the Use of School Uniforms710 Words   |  3 Pages School Uniforms Many kids at their school do not like their uniforms or rules on school clothes.50% of students and parents on Debate.org say no to school uniforms.â€Å" Uniforms ugh, this is by a TEN YEAR OLD. Uniforms,you can be a bully target with uniforms.† This was by a real person on debate.org stating their opinion on uniforms. I personally agree because i have seen kids at the school I go to be bullied because they have a stain on their shirt, but they have to wear it because it’ schoolRead MoreEssay on I Became a Model Cadet890 Words   |  4 PagesSlidell in the summer of 1998. It was a start of my tenth grade year at Northshore High School. I remember going to enroll the week before school started. I followed my mom into the school library like a lost puppy. There were new kids all over who were just as scared as I was. The room was filled with administrators sitting at tables asking millions of school-related questions to parents who were fumbling through papers to find a retort. Two people caught my attention in the room. They were a girl andRead MoreSchool Dress Codes : One Of The Most Enforced School Policies957 Words   |  4 PagesSchool Dress Codes: one of the most enforced school policies of all time for students of any age and gender. Of course, everyone has their opinion about what is too short or too long, what is too low or too high, and what is too tight or too loose; however, according to schools, middle school and high school girls are all â€Å"indecent†, or how the students put it, whorish. Because of this, there are very specific rules, right down to the T, about what girls can and cannot wear while on s chool grounds

What’s Wrong in Marrying Free Essays

On reading Catherine Newman essay â€Å"I Do. Not. : Why I Won’t Marry? ,† the first point that arises in the mind is the amount of power and choice that women enjoy today. We will write a custom essay sample on What’s Wrong in Marrying? or any similar topic only for you Order Now One cannot simply imagine this kind of freedom of thought or expression from a woman say, a hundred years back. Those were the times when most women didn’t even have the liberty to analyze or acknowledge their needs and desires. While the freedom that women enjoy today is a welcome change, Newman’s essay is wrought with a number of misconceptions and apprehensions. It appears that she hasn’t gotten over the fear of slavery that people experienced centuries ago, especially the one brought by the institution of marriage. The invisible bond that keeps together any relationship is trust. It may a bond between a child and its mother or father, between friends, between a student and a teacher, between two life partners, or between husband and wife. In today’s world a man and a woman have every freedom to choose their life partners. And, they can also choose on how they wish to live—whether they want to formalize their relationship by marrying or simply carry on until they are sure of each other. Prudent people will use their wisdom in weighing the pros and cons of any relationship that they may get into. Newman’s objection to marriage is the way in which a bride is â€Å"given away† by her father to her husband in the altars. She argues that the number of gifts that the father bestows on the daughter and the heavy money that he spends on the wedding make the bride look like a â€Å"commodity† that is being transferred from one to another for a sum. By this argument she overlooks the love and care that the father has for the daughter, and the last thing that will be in the father’s mind at the altar will be the welfare of his daughter and her new family and definitely not the money that he is spending on the occasion. There are many marriages that take place in a very simple manner and there are many that take place in a pompous manner. It all depends on the spending capacity of the families concerned and that doesn’t have any relation to the bondage and goodwill that goes with the ceremony. Newman mocks at the ritual where the bride blows the candle from her father by telling that the bride blows away her â€Å"naughty old independent self. † This straw man argument totally misrepresents the bride’s position and it is a negative way of looking at things. It would have been healthier if she had looked at the ritual from the point of view of the bride lighting up one for her husband and had said that it portrays that beginning of a new life. This only goes to strengthen Newman’s misconceptions of marriage. Another lame argument that Newman puts forth against marriage is by projecting the gay people. She argues that married people fail to acknowledge gay people and even humiliate them. This is a gross generalization and her fear of marriage is further proved when she asks the readers to assume marriage as a â€Å"fragile and gasping little injured bird† in trying to promote the cause of the gay community. She acknowledges that she had had gay relationship in the past until she found her partner, Michael. Her thoughts are baseless when she argues that she will be doing injustice to her gay friends â€Å"if I put on a beaded cream bodice and vowed myself away in front of all our gay friends. † She assumes that they will be â€Å"gossiping wickedly† against her and even goes to justify that â€Å"what they’re snubbing should certainly be a viable option. † Newman states out loud and clear that she doesn’t believe in monogamy. The argument that closely follows this statement is purely sensual in nature. She argues if â€Å"climbing onto the same exact person for fifty years† will maximize our â€Å"brief fling on the earth. She argues for variety and says that â€Å"it seemed cruel and unusual that one should have to give up so much in order to commit to a man. † She agrees that she and her partner do not practice monogamy and doesn’t seem to have any regrets about it. This doesn’t justify her stand against marriage nor are her arguments sound enough to rationalize polygamy. Some fears that Newman expresses towards marriage are the fear of losing her individual identity and the life-long commitment that wedlock demands. She conveys that neither she nor her partner ever felt the need to get married. She argues that strongly held beliefs on marriage and commitment can be aloof â€Å"from the world where people actually feel things†¦ The best life partner is exactly the sort of person who doesn’t crave possession. † She claims that marriage brings with it the baggage of possession of one’s wife or husband! This argument is feeble in today’s world. People are quite independent to do what they want, and what keeps a family together is not â€Å"possession† but simple caring, and love and take. Newman seems to enjoy the fact that she gets to choose and be chosen to continue her relationship with her partner every day. She says that when a couple is not married and when they remain partners, they have to constantly keep choosing each other. She seems to take pleasure in the choice that she and her partner make every day to keep the relationship going. This way they feel more wanted and the â€Å"unmarried space† helps them to move forward and keeps them going she says. Dr. Neil Clark Warren in The Cohabitation Epidemic sums up this attitude beautifully well: â€Å"The fundamental agreement upon which live-in relationships are based is conditional commitment. This attitude says, â€Å"I’ll stick with you as long as things go well. But if we run into problems, all bets are off. † Relationships that begin with a quasi-commitment carry the same mind-set into marriage. When things become trying, as inevitably they will from time to time, the spouses say goodbye. † Newman says that they are quite devoted to each other, and with the birth of her child the bond between them has only grown stronger. She feels that there cannot be anything more â€Å"permanent soul binding than the sharing of the child. † She proudly confesses that her partner has taken on to his duties as a father like a fish to water. But somehow, the fear of getting married seems to linger on and she continues arguing against marriage. Newman’s fears are purely psychological in nature and they do not have any solid reason behind them. In putting forth pseudo intellectual arguments she does not offer clarity of thought. Her thoughts are distorted views coming from an immature person with some kind of a psychological fear for commitment. It is natural that a person who seems to have a fear psychosis towards marriage objects to it. Wedding or live-in relationship—it all depends upon the individuals. As Nancy L. Van Pelt and Fleming H. Revell put it, â€Å"Whatever happiness is achieved results from personal effort, knowledge, love, and commitment. † No magic happens with marriages in making individuals better. There are men and women who walk out of marriages even after having children. So, Newman’s argument that kids are â€Å"permanent soul binding† is void. However, with marriage, the commitment becomes legal and the people involved in the break up are legally bound to fulfill certain obligations to each other. So even while the break up is painful, there is still a legal protection offered. In a live-in relationship, this protection doesn’t exist. How to cite What’s Wrong in Marrying?, Papers

Examine the Construction of Masculinity in a Streetcar Named Desire free essay sample

In both A Streetcar Named Desire and Death of a Salesman there is a male figure at the head of both families who assert and express their masculinity in quite dissimilar ways. Referring to the screen adaptations of both plays, Stanley Kowalski is a strong, aggressive and forthright individual whereas Willy Loman through stature as well as speech is a bumbling, weak and nervous fool, driven by his own delusions. As well as through the male protagonists, the construction of masculinity occurs through the women of the play, and how they act towards the men in both productions, as stated through Arthur Miller’s initial stage directions about Linda (Willy’s wife) ‘she more than loves him, she admires him’. Likewise with Stella and Stanley, after he attacks her (seen through stage directions ‘There is a sound of a blow. Stella cried out) ‘her eyes go blind with tenderness as she catches his head and raises him level with her’. We will write a custom essay sample on Examine the Construction of Masculinity in a Streetcar Named Desire or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Suffice to say, Stanley and Willy’s respective spouses love them unconditionally and this is certainly an integral contributory factor when considering the theme of masculinity in the plays. This essay will pay particular focus to the issue of money that is a recurring theme and certainly influences the construction of masculinity. Furthermore, a close look at the stage directions will be explored as well as the social, political and economic contexts in which both plays were constructed. Fundamentally, A Streetcar Named Desire and Death of a Salesman are two very different plays set in geographically as well as socially dissimilar environments. With regards to masculinity, Arthur Miller wastes no time in depicting Willy Loman as a foolish and delusional old man who is, albeit with futility, constantly pacified by his wife. Focussing on Willy, money is central to the shaping of his masculinity, and owing to the fact that he is clearly struggling financially, his masculinity is left in tatters. His exhaustion is apparent’ is how he is initially described by Miller in his stage directions, whereas Stan Kowalski is the polar opposite and arguably expresses his masculinity in the most primitive way at the end at the of Scene X, â€Å"Oh! So you want some rough-house! All right, let’s have some rough house! † Although Stanley and Stella live in the relatively dilapidated surroundings of Elysian Fields, Stanley doesn’t appear to be shackled by debt and it is inconsequential for Stella to