Throughout this course, I have been exposed to a myriad of places, stories, and opinions. The theme of confronting tradition has been interwoven into the plots, dialogues, and belief systems of the characters. Despite the commonality of this theme, the characters ' responses to these inclinations stand in a long continuum, from strict adherence to open refusal, which lead to antagonist reactions. This paper will illuminate how and why characters in Lu Xun 's, Upstairs in a Wine Shop, and Chinua Achebe 's, Things Fall Apart, confront or are reluctant to confront tradition. While Upstairs in a Wine Shop displays characters who are unwilling to confront tradition, due to feelings of futility and disenfranchisement, Things Fall Apart presents the
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Well-educated teachers, both individuals understanding how tradition is hampering the country 's growth, socially and economically. However, their rebellious spirits are weighed down by the demands of a traditional society. Wei-fu 's recognition of this transformation is evident as he recalls to the narrator, "I still remember the time when we went together to the Tutelary God 's Temple to pull of the images ' beards, how all day long we used to discuss methods of revolutionizing China until we even came to blows. But now I am like this, willing to let things slide and compromise" (Xun, 6). Whether it 's due to alienation or futility, Xun 's main characters refuse to actively confront the traditions they recognize as society 's ball and …show more content…
While Xun 's characters revealed a lack of decisiveness to act upon deeply held values, Achebe 's characters always acted decisively in whatever belief system they follow. In essence, the theme of confronting tradition dives into how and why people act the way they do. These two authors in their stories not only paid testament to the complexity of human drive, but also the myriad of responses people have to their
Well-educated teachers, both individuals understanding how tradition is hampering the country 's growth, socially and economically. However, their rebellious spirits are weighed down by the demands of a traditional society. Wei-fu 's recognition of this transformation is evident as he recalls to the narrator, "I still remember the time when we went together to the Tutelary God 's Temple to pull of the images ' beards, how all day long we used to discuss methods of revolutionizing China until we even came to blows. But now I am like this, willing to let things slide and compromise" (Xun, 6). Whether it 's due to alienation or futility, Xun 's main characters refuse to actively confront the traditions they recognize as society 's ball and …show more content…
While Xun 's characters revealed a lack of decisiveness to act upon deeply held values, Achebe 's characters always acted decisively in whatever belief system they follow. In essence, the theme of confronting tradition dives into how and why people act the way they do. These two authors in their stories not only paid testament to the complexity of human drive, but also the myriad of responses people have to their