Things Fall Apart blog

The Ibo people’s response’s arrival and settlement of the white man was okay at the beginning. At first, the Ibo people couldn’t care less about the British. When Mr. Brown came the people liked him because he was kind and was helpful to the people of Umoufia. Also there was a trading post so the Ibo people could trade with other towns to get more money. Some of the Ibo people like the people from Abame were totally destroyed by the British. This shocked the people because they learned that if you kill a white man, then you would be killed. Then when the missionaries came, the Ibo people didn’t want to harm them because tey didn’t want to end up like Abame. The Ibo people weren’t paying much attention to the missionaries because they still believed very firmly in their religion. When Rev. Smith came, almost everyone didn’t like him as much as Mr. Brown. In the prisons, the people had to travail like doing stuff that they would never do, like getting rid of all of the weeds. Also, the court messengers (kotma) were very strict and didn’t like any of the people in the tribe.  These kotma beat the prisoners. The British were beating all of the native people who didn’t convert. The British view of Africans and their way of life was that their way of life is wrong because they (the British) were successful, so they thought that their way of life was the only right way. Also, they believed that their religion is that only real religion and that everyone should have the same religion. At the end, all of the Ibo tribes had fallen apart due to the British.

Ibo proverb "Mother is Supreme"

Okonkwo ignores/refuses to acknowledge the “female” virtues in himself and others in several different ways. This one-sidedness creates several problems in his life. Some ways that he refuses to acknowledge the “female” virtues in others because he thinks that everyone should be like him and have the same values and virtues. Also, he thinks that he cannot show any “female” virtues in himself or else he will look like a woman. This one-sidedness causes huge problems in his life, like how to be compassionate to others. Also, he ignores the “female” virtues, and that everyone should work hard everyday. His one-sidedness create problems with his is so one-sidedness makes him think that everyone should work hard everyday and shouldn’t every have a break. Also he thinks that he shouldn’t be compassionate. This is how Okonkwo ignores/refuses to acknowledge the “female” virtues in himself and others, and how his one-sidedness creates problems in his life. 

Opinion of Okonkwo

After I read the first four chapters my opinion of Okonkwo is that he is becoming somewhat crazy and not that smart. I think this because he broke the Week of Peace. In the Week of Peace, no beating, killing, or anything that is harmful. This is one reason why Okonkwo is becoming crazy. Another reason why Okonkwo is becoming crazy is that he is taking out his anger on his kids, wives, and Ikemefuna. An example when he beat them was in the Week of Peace (his third wife) and when Nwoye and Ikemefuna couldn’t successfully plant yams. A third reason why I think that Okonkwo is somewhat crazy is that for important events that he uses his first human head to drink his palm wine. This is why I think that Okonkwo is becoming somewhat crazy.

            I think that Okonkwo is not that smart for several reasons. The first reason is that he broke the Week of Peace just because his third wife was getting her hair done, and not making him lunch. The second reason why is that he stammers when he is upset and has to use his fists to settle arguments and not finding an agreement. This is why I think that Okonkwo is not that smart. This is my opinion of Okonkwo after reading the first four chapters.