At Ease

Nigerian author Chinua Achebe is often considered to be the “father of modern African literature” (Alam, 102). He grew up in a time when Africans first began to challenge the power of the European colonists and their intrusion into African life (Sadeghi, 49), which is reflected in his first novel Things Fall Apart. A recurring theme in Achebe’s works is the representation of native African cultures and values before, during and after the colonial era. According to Achebe, “African peoples did…

You cannot co-exist with a second entity threatening to take over in a spur of the moment rage without learning a few tricks. When total separation isn’t enough to protect the world from the Hulk, Bruce has adapted a few techniques to counterbalance his hidden anger. Most of his earlier years, before the surface of the Other Guy, Bruce devoted his entire existence in avoiding the “monster” raging beneath his skin. In his father’s words, the monster was in him, in them both, burdened to never…

In Umuofia, a city in the novel Things Fall Apart, masculinity is highly regarded as a moral. It’s comparable with words such as courage and power, and with just about any other quality that proves a person in being self-reliant. Actually, it’s considered an insult if a man is called an agbala, a woman. In the novel it says, “no matter how prosperous a man was, if he was unable to rule his women and his children he was not really a man”. There is a sharp contrast between femininity and…

Okonkwo’s choice of suicide is a result of his fear; he would rather die than admit to sure failure, than live in a village and world of weakness. During the novel, Okonkwo and his fellow villagers struggle with a new change that has come to their clan, Christianity and its believers; the white men. Slowly, throughout the story the villagers succumb to the influences of the missionaries and, to Okonkwo’s horror, his son is among those who convert. “Okonkwo was deeply grieved. And it was not…

Okonkwo’s Cultural Collision Many people experience a cultural collision when Western ideas are introduced into their culture. They experience a cultural collision because they have to choose between two cultures: the culture they have always known and the culture that is being introduced to them. Okonkwo is an example because he is exposed to both the Ibo culture and European culture. In the novel, Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, Okonkwo experiences a cultural collision, which is caused…

Obi Okonkwo, the once upon a time ‘prodigal son’, is in many ways the reason for his own downfall. He is seen by the reader as a wasteful, self-absorbed young man who acts runs away from his problems. Achebe reveals that Obi doesn’t have right values. Along with his own wants, Obi values image and Clara above all else. Achebe first reveals this when Obi refuses to study law in England, which is what Umofian people – who taxed themselves heavily to give Obi this opportunity – needed. Rather, by…

Childhood Trauma to a Problematic Adulthood Zadie Smith portrays Samad Iqbal as troubled man. With all the life changing events that could put Samad’s life on hold, Samad chooses to let the little things dominate him. Samad has the idea that he is the head of the family, but with all of his decisions there comes big consequences. In White Teeth, Samad Iqbal distracts his family’s “destiny” by his selfish actions impact Magid and Millat’s psychological behavior into different paths following into…

The novel, Things Fall Apart, showcases the life of the Igbo people, a group in Nigeria that possess unique customs and traditions. The novel also follows the story of the main character, Okonkwo, and his village of Umuofia. As the story progresses with minor tribulations and problems primarily caused by Okonkwo, the arrival of white mercenaries is the main conflict of the plot, due to the threat they pose to the Igbo culture. The mercenaries eventually even lead to the shocking death of Okonkwo…

Things fall apart In the novel “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe the main character Okonkwo had a fear of being looked down upon by his clan. His fear of his clan created a path for destruction, in Okonkwo’s life this is his fate. Okonkwo gain his respect and proves he is a very powerful warrior to be reckoned with. Okonkwo had two sons Nwoye and Ikemefuna, between these two his favorite was Ikemefuna, this is unfortunate for Okonkwo because in the end he only ends up with one…

Troy Maxson, the central figure of Fences, is a self-centered and stubborn man. He wasn’t a completely awful person, he did have some good qualities, but he just wasn’t a good man. In the play we see that does take very good care of his family and takes his position as the provider as the house very seriously. Although, his behavior and the way he talks to his family comes off as very cruel. Troy cares a lot about his family in the way that he just wants to keep them safe and provide them with…