Relating Foster and Achebe In both How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas Foster and Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, the idea is presented that violence is added to literature to help develop characters and plot through the actions of characters in the novel. In How to Read Literature Like a Professor, Thomas Foster talks about types of violence and reasons for violence to occur, while Chinua Achebe utilizes the types of violence in his texts to help carry out the plot. How to Read Literature Like a Professor reviews why violence is important to stories and why writers include it in literature in chapter 11 of the guide. Thomas Foster writes, “ writers kill off characters for the same set of reasons- make actions happen, cause
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Things Fall Apart has many examples of symbolism that can be viewed in different way depending on each reader's’ thoughts and beliefs, as Thomas Foster explains in his guide. According to Foster, people expect symbols to have one defined meaning, while symbols can actually mean anything, depending on how the reader perceives it. He wrote, “ some symbols do have a relatively limited range of meanings, but in general a symbol can’t be reduced to standing for one thing” (Foster 105). In literature, the reader’s imagination and interpretation of the symbol varies,therefore causing symbolism to leave different impressions on each person. In Things Fall Apart, symbolism plays a strong role in representing personalities and how people are perceived in Okonkwo's clan. Okonkwo, one of the strongest and most respected people of his clan, "was popularly called the 'roaring flame'. As he looked into the fire he recalled the name. He was a flaming fire" (Achebe 153). Fire is a symbol in this situation, where it is seen as being strong, passionate, cruel- although it is difficult to pin down a single meaning of the symbol, it proves Foster's idea that a symbol illustrates different thoughts. Foster' s outlook on symbolism can be further seen in Things Fall Apart,
Things Fall Apart has many examples of symbolism that can be viewed in different way depending on each reader's’ thoughts and beliefs, as Thomas Foster explains in his guide. According to Foster, people expect symbols to have one defined meaning, while symbols can actually mean anything, depending on how the reader perceives it. He wrote, “ some symbols do have a relatively limited range of meanings, but in general a symbol can’t be reduced to standing for one thing” (Foster 105). In literature, the reader’s imagination and interpretation of the symbol varies,therefore causing symbolism to leave different impressions on each person. In Things Fall Apart, symbolism plays a strong role in representing personalities and how people are perceived in Okonkwo's clan. Okonkwo, one of the strongest and most respected people of his clan, "was popularly called the 'roaring flame'. As he looked into the fire he recalled the name. He was a flaming fire" (Achebe 153). Fire is a symbol in this situation, where it is seen as being strong, passionate, cruel- although it is difficult to pin down a single meaning of the symbol, it proves Foster's idea that a symbol illustrates different thoughts. Foster' s outlook on symbolism can be further seen in Things Fall Apart,