Thursday, February 7, 2008
Chapter 20
I knew that Okonkwo would not be happy upon his return, but I didn't think that it would have been this bad. The christians have basically torn apart his fahterland. I think this really has pushed Okonkwo over the edge. All the big plans he has made in exile are ruined. I think he might end up doing something radical. I mean, if his fatherland who is known for its warriors will not even stand up and fight the white man, than nobody will in Okonkwo's eyes. I think that he will eventually take things into his own hands and try to convert the village back to the original religion. I don't think he is going to be the slightest bit successful, and I think he will just get himself in trouble. Things are really beginning to fall apart in Okonkwo's world. He does still have his two daughters to marry off, but I don't believe that he will let a man who is sided with the white men marry his daughters. I wonder if he will find a man suitable to marry his daughters.
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2 comments:
I don't think that the missionary was all THAT bad for the village. It did sort of split the village in two but it also did wonders for the trade of the town and brought lots of wealth into the village. I definately see where you are coming from though.
I think Achebe uses the "banishment' 7 year period to insert the white tribe into the village, so that when Okonkwo returns it's already "after-the-fact". What can he do? The village has already resigned themselves to their presence.
The church does start to split the village, and I do think the title "Things Fall Apart" doesn't just apply to Okonkwo's crumbling world as it also does his tribes. The tribe's world is also "falling apart" and we see this unfold in the remaining chapters. It's sad that a once proud tribe is reduced to this, as you point out.
As for his daughters, I'm sure that by getting married puts them outside of their father's reach, which is a good thing!
Mr. Farrell
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