Prompt: With reference to Things Fall Apart, discuss how an understanding of gender influences how the text may be understood.
Thesis: To a reader with a contemporary Western understanding of gender, the rigidly established gender roles both by the Igbo society and Okonkwo, and his relationship with secondary characters i then interpreted as profound hatred.
Topic sentence 1: Through the precise decoration of the Igbo society in the first part of the book, the readers are presented a story and setting that challenged their former thoughts on Africa. Through this candid decoration and presentation, the readers are almost disgusted by the gender inequality.
Topic sentence 2: Through the use of such places such as Mbanta, Chinua Achbe also emphasizes that women were also valued, and that gender inequalities within the book were merely anomalies
Topic sentence 3:Through the use of Igbo proverbs and other evidences of orality, Achebe demonstrates the difference in Okonkwo's and the Igbo ideals of gender despite the evidence of rigid gender roles in both.
2017년 6월 10일 토요일
Thesis practice
Promt: The personal history of an author can have a significant influence on the way meaning is constructed in his/her writing. Comment on specific instances of such influence in Things Fall Apart.
Thesis
Topic sentence 1: The author's style of writing is a reflection of the duality of Chinua Achebe as both a Christian-western influenced person- and also an Igbo.
Topic sentence 2: The introduction of the irrational Igbo customs suggest as to why the members of the society so readily accepted the Western ways.
Topic sentence 3: Okonkwo's inflexibility juxtaposes with the Igbo duality, which may insinuate the flaws and the eventual fall of Igbo society.
Thesis
Chinua Achebe, a Christian but also an Igbo-originated writer presents a text highlighting the complexity and duality of his identity and also the Igbo society. This presentation of complexity and duality servers as a backbone for how the Igbo civilization fell apart.
Topic sentence 2: The introduction of the irrational Igbo customs suggest as to why the members of the society so readily accepted the Western ways.
Topic sentence 3: Okonkwo's inflexibility juxtaposes with the Igbo duality, which may insinuate the flaws and the eventual fall of Igbo society.
Thesis statement
Prompt: With reference to Things Fall Apart, show how sub-plots or secondary characters contribute to the reader’s understanding and appreciation of the work as a whole.
The thorough characterization of Unoka, Nwoye and Enzima exists to underscore the inconsistencies and contradictions of the Ibo society, constructing the idea that the Ibo society was not a perfect one. This idea is the overarching theme which presents the flaws that have existed within the Igbo society and how those flaws were a chance for the western people.
The thorough characterization of Unoka, Nwoye and Enzima exists to underscore the inconsistencies and contradictions of the Ibo society, constructing the idea that the Ibo society was not a perfect one. This idea is the overarching theme which presents the flaws that have existed within the Igbo society and how those flaws were a chance for the western people.
Okonkwo
1. What is the significance of Okonkwo’s character?
Okonkwo continuously strives to achieve success and condemns laziness. He displays hyper-masculinity as well as extreme inflexibility. He has solely one vision of what it means to be a man. Okonkwo's character is significant in that he is a tragic hero archetype, displaying hubris, peripeteia, hamartia, and anagorisis.
Also, some of his values are reflective of Ibo values. For example, his obsession with titles and recognition is reflective of the hierarchal nature of the Ibo society.
He represents the old. He is the one holding on to the old values, as evidenced by how he tries to get the tribesmen to drive away the Western influences. Therefore, he is symbolic of the old ways of Ibo life.
His life falling apart is emblematic of how the Ibo society fell apart, town by town, while the Ibo people themselves weren't fully realizing.
As a tragic hero archetype, he meets his tragic end. The last hold-on to the old is gone, and so is the old way of life, and the new reality called Nigeria emerges.
2. What is the purpose of Okonkwo’s character within the text?
One would be to contribute to the themes as mentioned in the answer to the next question.
Another is already discussed in the first question, which is to work as a symbol.
3. How does Okonkwo’s character contribute to themes or meaning
Okonkwo's character contributes to the theme of gender. His inflexible nature exposes the social structure of the Ibo society based on gender to an exaggerated and extreme extent. He calls out on men without titles for being a woman, and is pained by the fact that Enzima is a daughter. It is arguable that this is reflective on the Ibo society as it did have some gender roles. Even in agriculture, there were female crops and male crops. There were female sins, and male sins. Okonkwo's character further highlights this theme of gender already prevalent in the novel.
Also, his tenacious and inflexible nature leads to adding to the theme of the clash between old and new.
Okonkwo continuously strives to achieve success and condemns laziness. He displays hyper-masculinity as well as extreme inflexibility. He has solely one vision of what it means to be a man. Okonkwo's character is significant in that he is a tragic hero archetype, displaying hubris, peripeteia, hamartia, and anagorisis.
Also, some of his values are reflective of Ibo values. For example, his obsession with titles and recognition is reflective of the hierarchal nature of the Ibo society.
He represents the old. He is the one holding on to the old values, as evidenced by how he tries to get the tribesmen to drive away the Western influences. Therefore, he is symbolic of the old ways of Ibo life.
His life falling apart is emblematic of how the Ibo society fell apart, town by town, while the Ibo people themselves weren't fully realizing.
As a tragic hero archetype, he meets his tragic end. The last hold-on to the old is gone, and so is the old way of life, and the new reality called Nigeria emerges.
2. What is the purpose of Okonkwo’s character within the text?
One would be to contribute to the themes as mentioned in the answer to the next question.
Another is already discussed in the first question, which is to work as a symbol.
3. How does Okonkwo’s character contribute to themes or meaning
Okonkwo's character contributes to the theme of gender. His inflexible nature exposes the social structure of the Ibo society based on gender to an exaggerated and extreme extent. He calls out on men without titles for being a woman, and is pained by the fact that Enzima is a daughter. It is arguable that this is reflective on the Ibo society as it did have some gender roles. Even in agriculture, there were female crops and male crops. There were female sins, and male sins. Okonkwo's character further highlights this theme of gender already prevalent in the novel.
Also, his tenacious and inflexible nature leads to adding to the theme of the clash between old and new.
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