Monday, March 21, 2011
TFA Threaded Discussion: Chris, Molly, Milee
Select and cite one criticial quotation or passage from Things Fall Apart. Next, respond to your peers (identify whose passage you are responding to) with insight regarding why each passage is critical. Once everyone has responded to your passage, you have the last word; add an additional comment stating why you chose the quotation you did. We'll review some in class.
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Power Passage:
ReplyDeleteAnd at last the locusts did descend. They settled on every tree and on every blade of grass; they settled on the roofs and covered the bare ground. Mighty tree branches broke away under them, and the whole country became the brown-earth color of the vast, hungry swarm (56).
"But his whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of weakness. It was deeper and more intimate than the fear of evil and capricious gods and of magic, the fear of the forest, and of the forces of nature, malevolent, red in tooth and claw. Okonkwo's fear was greater than these. It was not external but lay deep within himself. It was the fear of himself..." (13)
ReplyDelete"Seven years was a long time to be away from one's clan. A man's place was not always there, waiting for him. As soon as he left, someone else rose and filled it. The clan was like a lizard; if it lost its tail it soon grew another" (171)
ReplyDeleteIn response to Milee's power passage, this seems to be an element of foreshadowing. The locusts seem to represent the white man and his new religion who "swarms" over all of the country and "devours" all of the people and the old ways in his wake.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Molly's power passage, this also appears to be an element of foreshadowing. This passage demonstrates how fate will play out for Okonkwo. If a person's whole life is ruled by his "fatal flaw," they will fall from grace quickly, and never return to grace fully.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Chris's power passage:
ReplyDeleteThis passage is a perfect example of how Okonkwo must have felt while leaving his clan. His greatest fear is to fail or let someone else be better than him. And he realizes that in the seven years that he's going to be absent, it is highly likely that someone will take his place and his titles. He also fears that once he returns, he will not longer be needed and respected. In short, he fears that the clan will forget about him.
In response to Molly's power passage:
ReplyDeleteThis passage sums up Okonkwo's character. His whole life revolves around his fear of not being the best and becoming lazy like his father. This passage also shows how Okonkwo is a paradox. The last two lines of the passage show that he is seen as a strong man by the clan but he secretly lives in fear of becoming anything but perfect in everyone's eyes.
And at last the locusts did descend. They settled on every tree and on every blade of grass; they settled on the roofs and covered the bare ground. Mighty tree branches broke away under them, and the whole country became the brown-earth color of the vast, hungry swarm (56).
ReplyDeleteIn Response To Milee's passage, I also read this as forshadowing. The locusts do represent the white man overpowering the tribe and outnumbering them. However, the locusts were a good thing to the tribe. I found this ironic considering the dirty thirties here, which has no real connection I just wanted to point it out:)
"Seven years was a long time to be away from one's clan. A man's place was not always there, waiting for him. As soon as he left, someone else rose and filled it. The clan was like a lizard; if it lost its tail it soon grew another" (171)
ReplyDeleteIn Response to Chris's passage. This too I read as forshadowing. I feel that this explains why being forced to leave was such a harsh punishment, the clan does not wait, just like the world does not wait.Okonkwo's fate seems inevitable after reading this passage, and so does the fate of the clan.
I chose my power passage because I believe it fully describes Okonkwo. This sealed his fate for me and this is the passage I turn to that redeems Okonkwo in my eyes. I cannot hate him when I read this, and this provides the strongest argument for Okonkwo. I think fear of failure is a universal theme which makes this novel accesible to all audiences.
ReplyDeleteI chose this my passage because it clearly foreshadows the missionaries coming in and taking over the values and traditions of the Ibo people. I completely agree with Molly and Chris. I also thought it was really weird for Achebe to describe the arrival of the locusts as a joyful event for the Ibo people, even though it clearly is a foreshadowing of the missionaries coming.
ReplyDeleteI chose my comment for exactly the reason Molly and Milee described. It is an element of foreshadowing of Okonkwo's fate, but it also goes deeper than that. One man cannot prevent change from occuring; it takes everyone in a group to even delay change for a few weeks or years. This passage shows the theme that change is inevitable.
ReplyDeleteHooray, you trio! Each response and passage is meaningful, and I am pleased to see you coming back to theme! I plan to share your discussion in class tomorrow. Nice work.
ReplyDelete