Nigeria

Can you imagine what life would be like if a large group of foreigners moved to your area and tried to change the traditions you have been practicing for years into their own traditions? Anytime two groups of people have their own views and beliefs, they cannot coexist in one area peacefully. In the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, the Igbo tribe is going through several issues due to cultural clashing. During all of this cultural clashing, Okonkwo, a clan leader who has earned a…

Introduction The apartheid government implemented Bantu Education Act of 1952 so to limit non-white (Ocampo, 2004). Dr Hendrik Verwoerd (1950s), South African minister for native stated that in the European community the Bantu’s place was to do certain form of Labour. He continued to say “What is the use of teaching Bantu child mathematic when it cannot use it in practice?” This can be linked to Sibusiso Bengu (1996) statement “A nation's struggle to...strengthen its democracy and build a…

Acts of Activism: Human Rights as Radical Performance by D. Soyini Madison obviously brought up questions of the situation in Africa, specifically that of Ghana. The book also brought to mind questions of other religions and my privilege when it comes to my access to water and the right to defend myself when it comes to domestic abuse. Though I had some issues with the stylistic choices of the book, I thought the topics and acts of activism that Madison highlighted were quite shocking and pushed…

Ezinma’s Eulogy For Okonkwo It’ s a shame that my father went out the way he did, a disgrace even. However we must look past his suicide and towards the true meaning of his life. Okonkwo started with nothing, and became one of the greatest rulers in Umuofia. He was raised by his lazy father, who had received no title in his long lifetime. I remember Okonkwo telling me stories about the people who would laugh at his father and call him a loafer. I believe watching his father’s life wear away…

The portrayal of irony is shown in two literary texts, a short story titled “Jacob's Chicken," by Milos Macourek and a poem titled “Porphyria’s Lover," by Robert Browning. Irony is an expression that is used to insinuate sarcasm; it typically signifies the opposite of what is said. In other words, irony is seen as appearance versus reality. The short story “Jacob’s Chicken” is about a passionate child who draws a unique chicken that others do not initially appreciate due to its unusual…

In Things Fall Apart, the reader is introduced to a main by the name of Okonkwo. Okonkwo is hardworking and aggressive, traits that bring him fame and wealth at the beginning of the novel. This same fear also causes Okonkwo to be impatient and brash, however, leading to his eventual downfall when he can't adjust to the changes occurring in the clan. Though Okonkwo is a respected leader in the Umuofia tribe, he lives in fear of becoming his father, a man known for his laziness and cowardice.…

The title of this book is “Zebra” and it was written by Chaim Potok. The main character in this story is Zebra (Adam). There are many different settings in this story. Some of them are the art class, the school courtyard, the hill where he breaks his arm, and Mrs.English’s office. Zebra breaks his arm when running because a car hits him. He becomes dull and depressed and starts telling sad stories in his English class. In the meantime, he meets an armless man named John Wilson, who is teaching…

“Blindly following ancient customs and traditions doesn’t mean that the dead are alive, but that the living are dead” (Ibn Khaldun). There are the benefits and costs that come along with any religion or custom, but as seen in the novel Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe demonstrates how the consequences of the customs of the Umuofia tribe outweigh the benefits. While many of the tribe members of Umuofia all follow the tribe’s customs, one member in particular who is well respected, lives by the…

The story "The Man to Send Rain Clouds," demonstrates two elements of cultures between Father Paul and Native American protagonists. In the Christian world, only God can cause rain, but for the Pueblo world, it is a task to every man to communicate to the cloud people to initiate rain. The characters in this short story show the power struggle between the white world made of Christians and the Pueblo community. There is the struggle between integration of the two cultures. The central theme here…

Blood Diamond and The Constant Gardener are two Western movies each attempting to utilise the idea of Africa as a mysterious continent with an exotic, but Western dependant population, as a setting. The Constant Gardener does make an attempt at avoiding Hollywood-Africa stereotypes, however it fails to completely exclude them. Blood Diamond’s entire plot, on the other hand, revolves exclusively around stereotypes. In The Constant Gardener, Ralph Fiennes as Justin Quayle, plays the lead role as…