Before addressing the following question, you should do a bit of research on the following concepts: colonialism and post-colonialism writing.
Once again, the novel Things Fall Apart can be very relevant to the world in which we live today. From conflicts created due to culture clashes to characters that are ruled by a force which ultimately leads to great strife and anguish, Achebe's novel has a bit of everything.
What is the greatest lesson to be learned from Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart and why is that lesson important for students in today's society to learn?
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I must say that I truly enjoyed this novel, mainly because of the emotions it provoked within me. It makes me even more emotional to know that events like this really happened in African colonialism history. What is even more interesting is that the overall message of this novel can be applied to other events in history. The Native Americans were murdered from in-coming Americans, the Jews were murdered by the Nazis, etc. All for control, with the leading force of prejudice and specific beliefs.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, the greatest lesson that is to be learned from Okonkwo is that you should stick to what you think is right, no matter what. Okonkwo believed that the traditional life he was living was the right thing to do, and when the missionaries and other whites came to his town, he still stuck true to what he thought was right. He even committed suicide, because he could not live in what his world was becoming. I think that this lesson is important for students in today’s society to learn because so many people give up or give in to other people. For example, you may not like the idea of wearing fur. However, every single girl in your group of friends is pressuring you to wear a fur coat like the rest of them. Most girls would probably end of wearing the fur coat, even if they didn’t like it, but this lesson teaches that you should stick true to what you think is right and what you feel comfortable with.
Another lesson that I thought this novel taught is the importance of family, and how they are needed for both physical and emotional survival.
In my opinion, the greatest lesson to be learned from Okonkwo is that life is all too often taken for granted. From the very start, Okonkwo spends much time building up his image. He has to be rich and throw big feasts and obtain all four titles. He wants his sons to be strong and for his daughters to marry high. Even when he is in exile, he plans his great return. But he spends so much time worrying about his status that he neglects to see the true impact of the coming of the white people and he does not take action against them soon enough. I do not think that Okonkwo could have singlehandedly stopped the whites from colonizing Umuofia but I feel that there must have been something else he could have done to change his outcome. I also believe that Okonkwo does not enjoy most of his life, even before the white men arrive. Okonkwo criticizes most and treats his family poorly while looking down upon everyone who he believes is lower than himself.
ReplyDeleteJust as Okonkwo tries not to make the same mistakes as his father, I shall try not to make the same mistakes as Okonkwo. My goal is to enjoy life and not worry myself about fame, riches, or status. I will attempt to not take happiness and health for granted. And if I ever feel powerless over my own outcome, I will change the things I can and not worry about everything else.
This lesson is important for students in today’s society because it seems to be all too often that students get caught up in their cell phones, laptops, television, and Facebook. Many overlook the joys of life including reading, the arts, and the time they spend with friends and family. Students should be reminded that life is short and that it is important to spend time doing the activities they enjoy with the people they love. They should savor every wonderful minute and not take life for granted because no one knows when their precious life will be taken out from right under them.
I think there are quite a few lessons to be learned from the novel, which is why I enjoyed it so much. One that sticks out for me is the importance of a mutual respect for others’ values and beliefs. There is a difference between agreeing with someone’s traditions and respecting them. Just because you do not have the same customs, does not mean one is greater than another and should be treated as such. Throughout the novel, I found myself disagreeing with some of the practices of Okonkwo and his people, though I understand where they were coming from. However, I do not think that the Europeans were justified in trying to impose their values on Okonkwo’s village. Each group of people are raised to think, act, and feel a certain way, which causes major problems if they impose it on others—or are imposed upon themselves.
ReplyDeleteThis lesson is one that will always be relevant to society. We’ve seen conflicts between cultures all throughout history. A common understanding amongst people can make such a difference in the world. It does not just apply to religion and race, but also class, gender, age, etc.
There are quite a few lessons to be learned from this novel, however I feel that the best lesson is that change happens, and you cannot force your views on someone. When Christianity came to Okonkwo's village, at first many people rejected and even laughed at the new ideas. Though some people of the village were curious to the new religion, Okonkwo denied and rejected it. When more and more people were changing their beliefs, Okonkwo became more resistant, and was not accepting to other's values, which eventually led to his death.
ReplyDeleteToday, change happens everywhere. It is not just within religion, but within family, friends, school, and the world even. Cultures change to help one another. For example, England could not accept that America wanted their independance from their King, and eventually the American Revolution occured. Now, England and America are allies. Change isn't just with people individually, it happens all over the world.
I thought Things Fall Apart was a very eye opening novel. It was quite interesting to see how cultures are unique in their own ways. I believe that the message of the novel was to learn to respect and appreciate others cultures, even if they are different from our own. Many people in today’s society believe in only their ways of life and are quick to judge others just because they are different. However, it is the differences between our cultures that allow us to learn and grow from one another.
ReplyDeleteIn the novel, when the Christians come to convert Okonkwo’s village, they do not even take their ways of consideration. They believed that only their teachings and religion was right, and that the villages were foolish for thinking many Gods existed and controlled their way of life. It ended up tearing the village apart and caused many unnecessary deaths. It was a disturbing end , but I believe that it allowed the reader to truly understand the message of the novel.
Tolerance is an important concept taught by Things Fall Apart, especially in the second and third parts. When the Christian missionaries began to settle in the Ibo villages, they thrust their foreign ideas and ways of life onto the natives, causing a loss of tradition in a lot of families as they watched their children convert to Christianity.
ReplyDeleteBoth the foreign white men and native men not fully accepting the other, and this intolerance lead to impulsive violence and even death on either side of the argument. The Christian missionaries belittled the natives' ways of life, and were unwilling to truly understand the religion of the Ibo people. They were quick to dismiss the worship of idols, but may not have been if they took the time to know the wood carvings were only representations of the gods, not actual gods to the natives. If the people of the villages took the time to realize the missionaries were also teaching the converts how to read and write, they may have been able to further their civilization.
Students need to learn to tolerate those who are different from themselves because they may benefit from learning of other cultures, and would create a happier world to live in. In today's world, what stands out to me is when people use "gay" as an adjective. The word hasn't lost its meaning in recent years, but has gained a new one on top of it. Interchanging "gay" with "bad" makes it seem as though being gay is wrong and people who are should be looked down upon. Cheesy as it sounds, if people were more accepting of others' differences, the world would be a much more cooperative and peaceful place.
Things Fall Apart was to me one of the more touching books we read this summer. Many of my beliefs and actions are based off of the thing I think is most important in this world; acceptance of one another as we are. I think this is one of the lessons Things Fall Apart was meant to convey. To me it seems like all the evil not only in this book, but also in the world, comes from people from different places/cultures/religions not accepting one another. I'm not saying we all have to get along and go skipping around hand in hand together (because lets be honest, that would never happen) but if completely accepting one another isn't an option maybe try co-existing? It's like when my sister and I get in an arguement over something, she's set in her ways and I'm set in mine, rather than attacking one another and making my parents life annoyingly difficult we try to agree to disagree (sometimes are harder than others) but we co-exist together until we remember all the wonderful things we have in common and appriciate one another again.
ReplyDeleteThings Fall Apart is just an example of the un-acceptance of the world and showns that no one really "wins" in a fight.
Two lessons that students in today’s society can learn from Okonkwo are hard work and the error of having a closed mind.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the novel, Okonkwo is a very consistent and hard worker. From a very young age, the reader learns of Okonkwo's success in his fields as well as his accomplishments as a wrestler. His work ethic is seen and admired through Umuofia.
This is a fantastic lessons for students of today's society, where mediocrity is far too widely accepted and passed as good enough.
Another lesson learned from Okonkwo's actions is tolerance. Frankly, Okonkwo is a very strict and narrow-minded person. A lot of what he does, like beating his family, killing Ikemefuna, disowning Nwoye, hating his father, and hiding his admiration of Ezinma are all due to firm indoctrination of a religion. When the missionaries come towards the end of the story, intolerance is everywhere and it causes unnecessary hatred and deaths from both outside and within the clan.
What students of today's society should learn is to be accepting of others through Okonkwo's flaw, especially when we live in a society when conforming is looked upon as good. We don't have to always agree or even like other beliefs, but we need to learn to accept and agree to disagree.
What humans often times fail to remember is we were created both equally and different. We should embrace our variety, not use it as an excuse for hate.
This novel had to be one of my favorite books of the summer, especially because of the lessons it revealed. I personally feel that one of the most powerful lessons is to respect one another's beliefs, as well as to be tolerant. Two very different cultures are brought together in this story, and with that develops disagreements. Without respecting other's opinions and beliefs things can only get worse. Okonkwo somewhat tolerates the Christians, but as Christianity becomes more popular among the locals, he gets worse and his actions are not respectful. Many men in the white community are disrespectful, too, especially Mr. Smith. Both of these groups of people have different beliefs, and with their unwillingness to tolerate one another serious conflicts develop. With this tension in the community, life becomes to much too bear for Okonkwo- ultimately leading to his suicide. When communities divide, like in this story because of different beliefs, I believe the only way to remain living peacefully is to always be respectful and tolerant of others. This book proves that when people do not do that, things will fall apart.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with others that believe that respecting other cultures values and religion is the main lesson of this novel. Although the Umuofia's ways are different they still deserve to be respected. What makes the world great is all the different cultures in it. Without that everyone would be exactly the same. Who wants that? Before Okonkwo's exile is over he hears of the villages the white men have destroyed. Already making Okonkwo suspicious and threatened by them when they show up in Mbanta to preach the ways of Christianity. The clan doesn't understand it but they aren't too rude and allow the missionaries leader Mr.Brown to stay in the village. Mr. Brown was very strict at respecting the clans beliefs. He would even eat with clan members that weren't Christians and discuss religion. Both groups were able to learn about each other, which is why diversity can be a great thing in the world when respected, it can teach us more about ourselves and others. Some clan members even started converting to Christianity. However, when Mr. Brown passes away things really start to get messy. A man named Reverend James Smith takes the place of Mr. Brown and he is not tolerant of the clans beliefs. This leads to both religons becoming offended somehow and also corruption in the government. Okonkwo is forced to watch as the village he grew up in and the beliefs he has known since he was a child slowly begin to change into Christianity, something new and unusual to him. Okonkwo wants to fight to drive the Christians out but slowly realizes that he would be the only one fighting, so he decides to hang himself. Being tolerant of others needs to come from all groups involved to be succesfull. In order to be different yet still live in harmony we need to respect each other. Or we will be forced to stand helpless as a sure chaos ensues.
ReplyDeleteThis lesson is very relavent in life today for a student because in life we will encounter many different kinds of people. We may not always agree with what these people believ in or the actions or choices they choose to make but they still deserve to be respected. Every human deserves at least that.
This novel was very powerful. It indirectly hit many of the major conflicts in the world today. The biggest thing, I feel, we can learn from this novel is how to share your views and beliefs. Many times I found myself almost disgusted with Okonkwo and his tribe. The men abused their wives, couldn't show affection, and their ultimate goal was to reach the highest title. So when the Christians came, I got excited because I thought everything was going to change for the better, but it didn't. The Christians flat out said that their gods were false and that worshipping more than one God is idolatrous. Saying this right off the back confused and angered the villagers. In the end the villagers burn down their church. Then the church leaders capture, handcuff them, throw them in jail, and torture them. There is a right and a wrong way to share your beliefs, and I feel this way, was the wrong way.
ReplyDeleteOkonkwo spent each day of his life hidden behind a thick mental armor. His story teaches a lesson we can all relate to. It is very rare that someone doesn't care what others think. Although some make pushes towards individuality, most try to be what people want them to be. In order to make up for the remiss and lazy ways of his father, Okonkwo spends his life deeply immersed in hard work. In his eyes, his father was a failure. In order to make up for this "failure," Okonkwo will not show weakness, no matter the situation. He is afraid his whole life to look weak. Because of the opinions of others, he lives his life differently. In the end, he cannot please them and he takes his own life. We can all learn a lesson from his mistakes. In order to be happy, your actions must reflect who you are. Living according to popular opinion is lying to them, and to yourself; and if you can't trust yourself, you are very lost.
ReplyDeleteAll in all, i really liked this book. I've only really heard the colonial perspective of this type of thing, and it was refreshing to see another view.
I think that the most important lesson in this novel is acceptance of other people's religious and cultural views. When the Christian missionaries came to Mbanta, they wasted no time in telling the villagers that all their beliefs were wrong. The Christians told them that all their gods were false and that the Christians’ God was the only true god to be worshiped. Obviously, the villagers were confused and insulted by these white men’s accusations, so they resented and distrusted them. Despite the villagers’ feelings towards the Christians, they allowed a church to be built. Mr. Brown had been respectful to the views of the villagers, and had even sat and talked often with a man named Akunna about religion. For this reason, he was respected by many villagers. When Mr. Brown became ill and had to return home, his successor was the Reverend James Smith. Mr. Smith was not like Mr. Brown, he did not see the situation as an opportunity to learn from the villagers and find the best way to understand each other. Mr. Smith thought the Christian way was right and all other ways were evil, leading his congregation to step over certain lines that Mr. Brown tried not to disturb. In the end, the church is burned down by villagers who get put in jail and later released, a court messenger is killed, and Okonkwo takes his own life. Tolerance could have spared lives, and kept tragedy at bay. The Christians were so determined to convert the villagers that they didn’t stop to think that they were going to a different land and trying to change customs and beliefs that had been instilled in these people. Okonkwo was also blinded by hatred, which lead to him taking his own life. If he could have tried to accept the Christians, I feel that he could have changed his outcome. These groups could have tried to live in co-existence if they had not tried so hard to intrude on each others’ lifestyles. This applies to today’s society as well. Many people cannot accept that other people lead different lifestyles than themselves. They are quick to judge other people based on their culture and religion. In turn, these judgments turn into hate and sometimes violence towards others. I feel that if people could accept others better, the world would be a much more peaceful place.
ReplyDeleteI would say the most important lesson I learned from Things Fall Apart is to stand up for what you believe in. Although I was not a huge fan of Okonkwo nor did I agree with his ideas and ways, I feel that is was important the he remained true to himself and stood firm in his beliefs. I feel that all too often adolescents do not act true to themselves for fear of being made fun of. Often people do not stand up for what they believe in because it may not be the popular belief and they want to fit in. I believe it is important to stand up for yourself and not fall into pressure so having this lesson the novel was nice.
ReplyDeleteI think the most important lesson that Okonkwo teaches us is that of acceptance. Okonkwo's rejection of everything that is not in line with his traditional beliefs leads him down a path of self-isolation and destruction beginning with his inability to accept his father's character and ending with his own suicide. Along this treacherous path, Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna, rejects his own son and loses his village to a group of white missionaries all as a result of his intolerance. He could not accept the fact that Ikemefuna, his own father, and Nwoye were different than he was, and so, he either killed or forgot each of them. If Okonkwo was more accepting, he would have been much happier with his father, foster son and real son's decisions and characters. Okonkwo refuses to accept the Christian missionaries into his society, and as a result, he must kill himself in order to maintain his beliefs. If Okonkwo would have recognized the fact that the white missionaries were not going to leave and therefore must be somewhat accepted into Umuofia, he would have lived.
ReplyDeleteTeenagers can learn a lot from Okonkwo's mistakes. We can all remember times when we should have been more inviting or more accepting of a certain person. If we had been, perhaps we would have gained a new friend. Instead, our biases were probably based on something material and our intolerance serves only to limit our circle of friends. We could all do well to be more accepting of others.
I believe that the major lesson to be learned from Okonkwo is that you work with what you’ve got. What you receive doesn’t matter, as long as you work with it and get the most out of it. He was born to a family where the father was lazy and extravagant, yet Okonkwo works his way up without a head start. He didn’t give up when his very first harvest ended up being the worst in years. He didn’t give up completely when he was exiled from the land he loved so well and sent into his motherland. He didn’t even give up to the head messenger of the Commissioner, beheading him as he tries to lower the moral of the rebellion which was forming.
ReplyDeleteI believe this is a good lesson for students to know nowadays because life is not always like dessert. One such story would come from Abraham Lincoln, who suffered many defeats and losses in his life before finally being elected president. Many of the greatest people known to society were forged from determination to overcome their defeats. Especially in the down economy of today, students need to know that one must try to succeed, even if he or she fails more than once. This determination is a good lesson to learn from Okonkwo.
I believe that there are two important lessons within this novel. One is that in order to succeed or obtain what you desire, you must be willing to dedicate yourself to working hard. Okonkwo had to fend for himself, as his dad relied on others to provide for him. Okonkwo wanted to make something of himself, as he did not want to end up like his pathetic father. Using this motivation, Okonkwo gained the trust of others, and they lent him seeds. He hit a few bumps his first year, but with his dedication, he managed to successfully farm his harvest. He kept this work ethic, which lead to him being considered very powerful and wealthy in his village. He was able to accomplish all of this because of his motivation and dedication to working hard.
ReplyDeleteThe other lesson learned in this novel is to stand up for what you believe in, but accept some change, because not all change is bad. Okonkwo kept true to his African beliefs, and was the only one who was not warming up at all to the colonists. In the end, Okonkwo feels he is the only one left who still stands strongly on all of their beliefs, so he kills himself. While one should never cower down and abandon their beliefs, not all change is bad. If Okonkwo would have been more welcoming to change, the colonists could have stayed and kept their beliefs, while Okonkwo and others could keep their African beliefs. It is basically a lesson of sharing, and sharing is caring!
Teens could learn to stay strong in their beliefs and not back down in the face of pressure. While keeping their beliefs, they have to be respectful of the beliefs of others, and consider both sides of the argument. Also, they could learn that all hard work pays off in the end. Take out Okonkwo's stubbornness leading to his death, and he lived a successful life of hard work. All of his motivation and dedication allowed him to succeed, and teens could apply that to working hard in school and just life in general in order to achieve what they want and more importantly, raise themselves up.
This novel gained a high level of interest from me. It made me very angry because of what happened to Okonkwo at the end. I think the main lesson that people should learn from this book is that we need to be accepting of others. Everyone has different customs that deserve to be respected. It is okay to share your beliefs with others, but not to force them upon others.
ReplyDeleteIn Things Fall Apart Okonkwo's village worships many God's and have customs that are a lot different from the white people. White missionaries come to the village and try to convert people to Christianity.At first, under Mr. Brown, the Christians are pretty respectful and fair. However, when Reverend Smith comes along everything changes. The Christians are forceful and lie to the people. They trick the village leaders into having a meeting with them, but instead they lock them up. They charge the villagers to release them. Upon their release, Okonkwo and the village leaders hold a meeting to discuss what should be done about the missionaries. The Christians barge in trying to stop the meeting so Okonkwo ends up killing one of them thinking that other villagers will follow his lead. However, no one helps him out so he runs away and hangs himself disgusted with everything. The missionaries led him to his death because they did not accept that he wanted to stick to his own customs and did not respect the villages boundaries.
Katelyn Scott
I believe that the greatest lesson from Things Fall Apart is that you should never let things fall apart. I believe that Okonkwo taught me that if you believe in something, and you do not want them to change, then you should take a stand. If standing up for what is right leads to a tragic ending, then you know that you ended like this only for the right reasons. By giving up, then you will never learn the lesson. I believe this is important for the students in today's society to learn because no one should quit. Today, many people are struck with laziness and sometimes giving up seems like the easiest way out, but not the right way. Many people are afraid to stand up for what they believe. Okonkwo was scared to become like his lazy father. In the end, Okonkwo came out a powerful leader who showed his beliefs. True leaders have qualities like this. I believe that if we showed as much dedication as Okonkwo, we would not be a lazy society and come out victorious.
ReplyDeleteSomething I was thinking about when finishing this novel was how Achebe ended it. The entire book is consistent of Okonkwo's struggles throughout his life and how he strives to overcome his father's obious flaws and the best he can be. In the end when he murders the messenger, knowing Umuofia wont go to war he commits suicide. Suddenly, however, his life is made insignificant by the District Commissioner whom inquires nothing more into his life other than for him to be a paragraph in his book. Okonkwo was one of the greatest men in Umuofia and yet all of his accomplishments and struggles are nothing more than a footnote in the Commissioner's book. The Commissioner does not even want to be seen cutting the body down in risk the other members of the tribe will look down on him.
ReplyDeleteI guess my question is then, why did the author decide to end the book this way?
I also agree with Jack that this novel teaches us to stand up for what we believe in but also accept change. A flaw found in Okonkwo was his strict and stubborn personality that hurt him on many occasions.
i really enjoyed reading this book, it gives a very accurate description and a very emotional look into what the tribes in africa went through during the colonization periods. Okonkwo's problem is that he doesnt share any of his emotions, he is either calm, or violently angry, he just bottles it all up and never talks to anyone about it, which eventually drives him to commit suicide because he felt alone in his struggle against a seem-ably unconquerable enemy that is destroying everything he has know since he was a child. not only was it a physically trying period on okonkwo, but even more so mentally because he kept everything to himself.
ReplyDeleteIf I learned anything from Things Fall Apart it would be to stand up for your culture and beliefs. I am Italian and Catholic, and there have been times when who I am was frowned upon, but I said nothing, in doing that I accepted something I didn’t believe in, which is wrong. Okonkwo didn’t give up his religion or give in to the technological advances the white men gave to him; instead he fought for who he was. I respect that, I don’t know many people in today’s society who would be that proud and willing to do what Okonkwo did.
ReplyDeleteI didn’t like the ending of this novel. I felt it went against Okonkwo’s morals and religion to commit suicide, I understand that he did it because he could not stand living in a world that was against him, but he died in a shameful way, much like his father who he didn’t want to be like in anyway.
Although there are multiple lessons to be learned from Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart, the most obvious and timeless seem to be tolerance and respect. More specifically, I think that in Things Fall Apart, respect for human life, culture, family and nature are all emphasized. For example, had Okonkwo respected his son, perhaps his son would not have left the family to follow a church that was, in his father's eyes, destroying his homeland, family and culture. Also, had Okonkwo respected his mother's family, who generously opened their home to the exiled family, the seven years would have passed in peace as opposed to the strife and discontent described in the book. Tolerance is also a strong and recurring theme that can be seen in the way that the missionaries as well as the traditional tribe behave when conflict arises. Neither party had tolerance for the outlandish beliefs of the other, therefore, neither party could live in harmony or even ignorance of the other. I believe that in the absence of respect, tolerance and compromise, that is when things do fall apart.
ReplyDeleteIn this blog, many people have said that the greatest lesson to be learned from Things Fall Apart is tolerance of differences, but in my opinion the greatest lesson is that at times one must accept change and not revolt against it because revolting may cause more harm than accepting the change. Okonkwo did not want to accept the missionaries and tried to start a revolt against them when he killed one of the messengers who came to one of the meetings. After he killed the messenger, no one else joined in the revolt and Okonkwo realized that the cause was lost. Okonkwo did not want to accept the missionaries since they broke the traditions. He should have shown gentleness and not anger and aggression towards others and change. This problem was caused by the fact that he constantly tried to be different than his father, who he considered a failure. Okonkwo's aggression did not help his cause of saving his culture, it only intensified the hostility between the natives and the missionaries. It would have been better for Okonkwo to accept the missionaries and accept the fact that the Igbo traditions were dissappearing. Okonkwo's intolerance of the missionaries ended up hurting him because he committed suicide when he realized that no one else wanted to revolt against the missionaries. This lesson is important for students in today's society to learn because change is happening rapidly in the world and people must know when they should accept change instead of resisting it and when revolting may cause more consequences.
ReplyDeleteSorry Liz, but I totally disagree with you. Okonkwo's rebellion of the white man did cause his eventual demise, but I don't believe accepting change blindly is the message. Things Fall Apart is a fictional account of the oppression of traditional African tribal life. It's also a tragedy. The reader is supposed to identify with Okonkwo as his culture is being destroyed and sympathize with him as his life collapses around him.
ReplyDeleteI believe this novel is mainly a precautionary tale. It is meant to make you think about the consequences of your actions. It says "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should". The white man came in and forced the Igbo society to submit to European ways. This story is supposed to make you look at the invasion of Africa from a different perspective.
Someone once said "History was written by the victors", but Things Fall Apart is meant for you to look at history from the other side. I think the main theme of it is that you should always try walk a mile in someone else's shoes before you oppress them.
I think the most important lesson to be learned from Okonkwo is that we all need to learn to accept our differences and get along. The missionaries came into Umuofia believing that their way was the only way. They took over and never gave the people a chance to explain their views on religion, and because of this a lot of tension was created among the two groups. If the missionaries had tried to learn about the Umuofia tribe’s culture and had eased them into the idea of a different religion, while still respecting their culture, Okonkwo and the others would not have been as angry, and the leaders of the tribe would not have needed to be held hostage and starved. Things would have worked out better as well if Okonkwo had respected the missionaries too. He might not necessarily have agreed with their views, but he could have been understanding of Nwoye’s wishes to join the missionaries and tolerant of Mr. Brown and Mr. Smith.
ReplyDeleteIt is very important for students to learn how to get along with all different types of people and cultures. The world has become more and more of a melting pot, and the media coverage has allowed us to share and know even more about different cultures. Students are going to have to be tolerant of one another and accept each other’s differences if the world is going to continue to progress and grow. We might not always agree with other people, but we still need to get along with them.
I really enjoyed Things Fall Apart because I liked learning about African culture and what their beliefs are and how that really changed for most of the tribe once Christianity was introduced. I understood now what the title meant after reading the book because when the "white people" come in to play with this whole new religion it was like everything fell apart.
ReplyDeleteAfter being banished from his village for seven years, he was finally able to go back and he was excited because he would gain back his status as a very powerful man. But when he arrived at his village the white people had already taken over their culture and changed everything. Okonkwo hated that. He hated that is son had left their family and joined them. He had everything about the new faith because his beliefs still lied with his own culture.
The white people taking over his village drove Okonkwo to suicide.
In agreement with many of the other posts, I feel that the greatest lesson to learn from Things Fall Apart is tolerance. With tolerance, people like Okonkwo's tribe and the Christian missionaries could live harmoniously. Neither group would have to change their beliefs. I feel that the reason these groups clashed so badly was that they both expected the other to fold to their own beliefs. They would accept no happy-medium. The Christians insisted that the tribe's gods were fake, and their single god was right. The tribe insisted that they were right, and cooperated as little as the Christians did. If they had learned to coexist with and tolerate each other, there could have been no bloodshed.
ReplyDeleteI feel that tolerance is best expressed with an African word, Unbuntu. It is tolerance at its best. It means to accept others, to be a whole community, to be one. It means that we affirm our humanity when we acknowledge that of others. This word can be employed in many other situations, not just that of Things Fall Apart. High school is one of many of these situations. Often times in high school, as we all know, things that make you different are the things that often cause us conflict amongst our peers. If we learned to cherish these differences instead of frown upon them, life could be much easier for many.
You can easily disagree with someone, but to except that your opinions or beliefs differ is something that takes work and initiative. Tolerance is something that everyone should practice in their life, as Things Fall Apart teaches us.
This book had NUMEROUS, amazing themes, but I'll try to stick with just one. :)
ReplyDeleteOne of the greatest themes of this book that greatly stuck out to me was the relationship between Okonkwo and his father. This relationship shapes and molds Okonkwo long after his father passes away, and there is a great lesson in this strained relationship. Okonkwo grew up hating his father. His father was a debtor, only had one wife (considered a great failure in the Ibo society), and did not take very good care of his family. Because of this, Okonkwo had no respect for his father, and decided to become the EXACT opposite of his father. He grew up believing that showing any emotion or sign of love at all was a bad, weak, womanish thing to do. In reality, he was just trying to escape the shame of his father being a failure. Because of his fear of becoming weak, Okonkwo makes numerous mistakes. For example, when the oracle commands the men of Umuofia to kill Ikemefuna, Okonkwo takes part in Ikemefuna's death, because he does not want his fellow clansmen to think he is weak. The main lesson in this relationship is that a father's personality or weakness can often affect his own son's personality. In this book, it was in a negative way.
I can relate to this story very well. My Dad's Dad, (my Grandpa) was an alcoholic, and my Dad had to live (and still lives) with the shame that his own father was (in a nutshell) an epic failure. I have noticed that my Dad sometimes becomes obsessed with being a standup Dad, and he worries way too much about being able to provide well for his family, which is exactly opposite of what his own father did. (Sorry for that side note; I just thought it connected perfectly to the story.)
It is extremely important for students to understand this relationship between Okonkwo and his father. Obviously, Okonkwo became obsessed with not being weak, or "womanish". Students can realize that it is no shame to show emotion; it is a natural thing for humans to go through.
(Krista Kruszewski)
ReplyDeleteThe lesson that really caught my attention dealt with intolerance. Changes and different beliefs can be scary to those who only know their own ways, but it's inevitable that people will never be exactly the same which is why tolerance should be stressed from childhood until one's dying days.
The Umuofia villages were caught off guard by the "white men" and missionaries and had never dealt with change before. They went from dry season, to rainy season, to harvesting season, then resting season and back again. They were intolerable of other customs and religions so much so that people were killed and many sought for a war as the answer. In an extreme case, Okonkwo killed himself because he could not accept the changes in his village.
On the other hand, the missionaries forced their way into the villages with no warning and separated families which was unheard of before. Instead of trying to explain, the basically just stood their ground as if to be an opposing force to the angry villagers.
I believe that intolerance is one of the top things that students struggle with in high school. Some students break free of the crowd and move on into college and the rest of their lives tolerating everybody and their beliefs. Others keep developing intolerance throughout their adults lives which leads to hate and violence just like in the novel. I myself have been a victim of intolerance as well as an advocator, but in time i have learned my lesson and am still learning with each day. It is important to accept others so we can learn from one other and create unity in our world.
I believe the most important lesson to be taken away from Things Fall Apart is the ability to have an open mind. Okonkwo is the exact opposite of a person with an open mind. It is his way no matter what. Now I do think that it is important to stand up for what you believe in, but not necessarily the way Okonkwo does. He is by far too stubborn – never hearing anybody out, constantly trying to get across his point only, and never even attempting to see the other side of an issue. It is also probably not a great idea to constantly try to fight any opposition since it will lead to a downfall in the end. That said, I think a lot can be learned from Mr. Brown and Akunna. Both were considered the foremost leaders of their religions at the time in their region. Although neither ended up converting to the other’s teachings, they were constantly in discussion about their beliefs and ideologies. Whether it was simply out of curiosity or respect, both were open-minded and at least gave the other side a chance. In the end, this kept the relationship between the African heritage and Christianity peaceful for the time being. Students today can learn from this and show it by being more accepting, less judgmental, and overall more open-minded.
ReplyDeleteThe greatest lesson to be learned from Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart is that no matter how hard you try, you can't stop things from changing. Okonkwo tried to be as strong as possible, he wanted to be indestructible. However, everyone has a breaking point. Okonkwo loved his village. It was the strongest and most respected village. Okonkwo thought this wouldn't change in his lifetime. Fate had another idea, though. When Okonkwo accidentally killed his clansman, he was forced to flee. Then the white men came and everything changed. You can't count on anything. The white men brought religion and government which appealed to many people of Okonkwo's clan. The white men didn't abide by the clans rules and traditions. The clan started falling apart. Okonkwo had been beaten, humiliated, and disrespected. It pushed him over the edge. He took his revenge but he had finally reached his breaking point. Okonkwo learned that you can't stop things from changing. However, if the clan acted together, like a family, things could have gone a lot differently.
ReplyDeleteThis lesson is extremely important for students in today's society to learn. Things will change, no matter what. However, instead of fighting change, it's important to stick to your beliefs and with your friends and family. You can't predict what's going to happen next. All you can do is stick together and try to get through whatever happens.
For me, I think the message to be learned from Okonkwo and really the novel as a whole, is that every person has flaws, and sometimes in order to do what makes sense, you have to be your own village (so to speak). For example, part of why the book is so tragic is that this village full of characters that you have come to empathize with lose their culture and their bonds which had held them together for so long. The white Missionaries had come into their village and set up a church and a government and basically taken over. But if you really stop to think about it, that's not entirely a bad thing. A large part of Umofia's culture was murder. They would leave twins in the Evil Forest to die, they would kill without mercy, they would beat their wives and children. Losing that mentality is not something I would cry over. Obviously the message of the book was not surrounding the bad parts of their culture, but I believe that it was the author's intention to make the story have two sides with redeeming qualities for both, thus causing you (the reader) to feel that the decision is not as easy as just having everyone live in peace together.
ReplyDeleteWhat I meant by "you have to be your own village" is that each person has to take a look at their lives and think: do I want to be a part of this brutal village, do I want to be a part of this Missionary group who conquers caring nothing for people's lives, or do I want to be in my own group away from the insanity of it all, in my own village. Obviously that's metaphorical, and could not be applied to any of the characters, but it CAN be applied to each and every one of us, because at least once in everyone's life they have to make their own person choice of how they want to live and conduct themselves.
The greatest lesson to be learned from Okonkwo is the importance of showing emotion and feelings. Okonkwo was unable to show emotion throughout the entire novel because he thought it would show and represent weakness. He also believed that it would reflect how his father acted, and he wanted to be a completely different person than his father.
ReplyDeleteIt is important for students in todays society to show feelings and emotions because, if not, people would start becoming heartless and acting like Okonkwo. It is not wrong to try and act strong and brave in some situations, but when you obsess over trying to hide emotions, issues start arising and you do not know how to react to situations anymore.
While reading the novel Things Fall Apart I took notice of MANY important themes and lessons that I personally could relate to, but as I continued to read, there were two themes that especially stood out in my mind. These themes were that of tolerance and change. It is hard for me to narrow my choice to only one of these themes because for me they went hand in hand. Change, as I have learned from this novel, is inevitable. In one's lifetime, there will be many bumps in the road that will ultimately change the course of things. As hard as we try, we cannot prevent these bumps in the road from occurring, or these changes from happening. It is simply a part of life. In order to overcome these changes and make the best of these bumps in the road, one must tolerate change. One must learn to accept the changes in their life or what would come of life but unhappiness?
ReplyDeleteThis lesson of dealing with change and learning to become tolerant is demonstrated extremely well in the novel Things Fall Apart with the people of Umuofia. Okonkwo in particularly, goes from being the most well respected and successful man of his tribe to being exiled because of a fluke accident. No matter how hard he tried, Okonkwo could not reverse this change that suddenly occurred in his life. He could only accept it and make the best of the situation. Also, when the white men showed up to try to convert the tribe to Christianity, Okonkwo wanted nothing to do with this change. He did not tolerate the idea of another religion and because of that intolerance, Okonkwo went mad. He felt his tribe was falling apart and in fact it was because they could not accept or tolerate the change that was occurring. It was an unfortunate event that happened to the people of Umuofia, but because they knew no differently than their own traditions and religions, it was difficult for them to tolerate and accept the white man's ideas. If they had done so it is possible they could have lived their lives peacefully.
All in all, having the ability to tolerate others and accept change will take you far in life. In this day and age, diversity is great and life is constantly changing. A current example of this is the dirty dancing we experience at our high school dances. I do not necessarily agree with the dancing but the fact is, THE DANCE STYLE HAS CHANGED! We are in a different generation then that of our teachers, parents, and other elders. Maybe they need to learn to tolerate this change? As hard as they try, they might not be able to stop it from happening..
I thought that the greatest lesson to be learned from this novel is to be able to respect other cultures. Just because some one looks differently from you, talks differently, and believes in different things than you doesn’t mean that your ways are right and they should act more like you. If everyone in the world all acted like the same person, life would be boring. If someone is different don’t change them or try to be like them because that is what makes them who they are and different from you. Who ever said that being different was bad? I think the main lesson is to be able to learn and respect from different cultures and not judge them on what you think is normal in life.
ReplyDeleteThis is especially important for students today because to many people go through life comparing themselves to others. Especially girls, who are always judging people on the way they look or who they hangout with. If everyone would just be their own person and not worry about what others think, then everyone could learn something from the people around them.
The most important lesson learned by Okonkwo in the novel Things Fall Apart, he learned at the very end. When it came to the meeting of the Tribes to decide how to handle the continued threat by the white men, Okonkwo learned that in this new world the white men brought with them, he could not fight in the way which was his normal response. He could not fight using his physicality, that a physical fight would not win them the victory which they sought.
ReplyDeleteThis same lesson could be learned by the young people in today's society. In large cities today, such as Chicago, many of the young people result to violence to get what they want.
There was a documentary on the problem with violence comes from the fact that they want to fit in somewhere...so they do that by fighting in gangs.
Things Fall Apart, a tragic novel by Chinua Achebe, contains numerous lessons that should be followed by students in our society today. As several of my peers have stated above, the most prominent of these thematic messages is the idea of tolerance. According to Webster's Dictionary, tolerance is defined as, "a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, practices, race, religion, nationality, etc., differ from one's own; freedom from bigotry.” In my opinion, this novel stresses the importance of accepting those who surround us. If everyone in the world could practice tolerance, then we would live in a world of complete peace and harmony. However, some people are incapable of accepting the ideas of others, such as Okonkwo.
ReplyDeleteAs the Caucasian missionaries begin to settle in the Ibo villages, they try to spread their Christian religion to the natives. While many of the natives are drawn in by the white men, Okonkwo cannot take it. Okonkwo cannot handle seeing the ancient traditions, customs, morals, and religions of his people vanish. The thought of learning the foreign ideas of the missionaries makes him sick, especially because the white men denounce Okonkwo’s own beliefs. Because of the reluctance to accept each other’s values, violence was the last resort. Had each side been more open-minded towards one another, perhaps both sides could have benefited and settled serenely.
I strongly believe that students today need to be more tolerant of one another. Many people these days, adults included, are very closed-minded. There are so many people who are looked down upon simply because they are part of a minority, whether it be religious, racial, or political. I am in the process of applying to eight colleges and universities. One thing I have noticed on almost every application is a section for the applicant to write about experiences dealing with diversity and people of other cultures. This shows how extremely diverse our world is, and if these habits of bigotry continue, the idea of world peace will diminish forever. As Helen Keller once stated, “The highest result of education is tolerance.”
Even after reading it thoroughly, it is difficult to select a single lesson from Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart to label as the most important. This is perhaps in part because the novel encompasses a fairly wide variety of genres, all of which encompass conflicting emotions and tones. Additionally, it is because one's opinion on which lesson is the most important varies depending on which characters one can best empathize with or relate to. For instance, while reading about the festivals which occur before the dark times the white men bring with them, one may be tempted to say that the most important lesson is to celebrate happiness and joy while they last. However, while reading about Okonkwo's anger and unhappiness at the changing ways of his clan, one could say that the most important lesson is to hold on to tradition. But if one empathized with Nwoye, one might say instead that the most important lesson is to change with the times and accept the future.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the novel and examining many lessons from a variety of perspectives, I have decided that the most important lesson is the universal golden rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. If all of the characters followed this one simple rule, the lives of many of the characters in the book would be improved, from the wives who are beaten by their husbands, to Nwoye and his siblings who are mistreated by their father, to all of the people of Umuofia who are threatened or hurt when the white men come. I feel that this lesson is particularly fitting, because, as Things Fall Apart is a novel with elements from many different genres, it makes a great deal of sense to have a most important lesson which is applicable in any situation.
Like a lot of my peers, I think that the greatest lesson to be learned from Okonkwo is that of respect for others. Okonkwo does not respect anyone but the good-fortuned elders. He shames himself by beating his wife during the Week of Peace, which is a dishonor to the gods. He kills Ezeudu's son during his funeral, too. How disrespectful can you get? Maybe he would have had a better chi if he treated others the way they deserved to be treated.
ReplyDeleteI do not know what to think of his actions towards the white men. Okonkwo was wrong to kill the messenger at the market place, but he did it to save his people from the missionaries' intentions and influences. There are better ways to get a point across, but I guess beheading is one of the most brash and expressive ways. It's not like Mr. Smith (and most of the white men/converts) respected the Africans, as depicted in past events like the Herero genocide and colonialism (spreading "the white man's" values). So, I guess I don't know if Okonkwo's actions were justified/right or not.
Respect for others and their views is a lesson that students today should take to heart. We are all equal, so it's a give-in that we should respect others. But some people don't see it that way, which causes problems. They think that certain physical/emotional traits do not deserve respect, which isn't right (duh).
So, I just want to say, this book definately took some getting used to, but i did end up really enjoying it!
ReplyDeleteI believe many things can be learned from Okonkwo's experiences. To me, the most important one is that life isn't always perfect and we should always embrace what we have rather than dread on what we lack. For instance, Okonkwo despised his father for his "womanly behavior" and likewise disapproved of his own son for his simliar behavior. Rather than being active and helping his son, he ignored him and favorited his other children, especially his daughter. However, when it came to his daughter, all Okonkwo could think was "I wish she had been a son." I think, had Oknokwo been more porud of his daughter rather than more disappointed in his son, he would have been a happier and more proud father. Also, had Okonkwo had this outlook through out his entire life, even during capitvation, he may not have hung himself at the novel's end.
I also agree with the many who said that tolerance is an important lesson to be learned in this novel. Tolerance of his son's, and between the different religions and cultures may have also porduced a 'happy ending' for the characters. :)
Okonkwo's greatest lesson learned in the novel is to do what is important to you. He begins his life immediately as a young man trying to improve his image and grew into a man who is nothing like his fathers. As he gains three wives and children, he never allows himself to love them or care for them because he feels it is not important. He puts his crops and his belongings in front of any relationship he has. As he searches through personal belongings for things to make him happy, he only achieves sadness and pain. Page 24. –“Okonkwo never showed any emotion openly, unless it be the emotion of anger. To show affection was a sign of weakness; the only thing worth demonstrating was strength.” This quote shows why he does not do what is important to him because he fears if he shows affection he will show weakness. Okonkwo also connects weakness to his father which he spends his whole life trying to not become. I feel this lesson is also important for students because you will miss out on life if you do not do what is important to you, and what will benefit you when you’re on your death bed.
ReplyDeleteI think that the most important lesson we can learn from Okonkwo is that violence is never the solution. I know, it sounds like a kindergarten rule, but his violent behavior is what causes his tragic downfall. First, when he accidentally kills a young man and fellow clan member he is exiled for seven years. Also, in the end of the novel Okonkwo lets his anger control his actions when he kills the court messenger. This act of violence ultimately leads to his suicide, which also makes him an abomination to the clan and he cannot be buried by his own people.
ReplyDeleteLooking back on history, the most influential leaders of the civil rights movement realized that nothing could be solved with violence. They, too, were suppressed by racism and intolerance of the white race. However, when riots and violent demonstrations failed to have any affect, many leaders felt that there was a different approach that would have a greater impact at a lower cost. Strong and courageous people like Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks were most influential because of their passive behavior and peaceful protests.
The students of our generation can learn from Okonkwo’s mistake and realize that taking matters into our own hands does not mean using violence. By using the brave leaders of the civil rights movement as role models, we can act together as a society to resolve problems, no matter how big. As long as we do not let anger control our actions as Okonkwo did, I am confident that we can fight issues as big as the racism and intolerance that still exists today.
Today's society is cutthroat. You often need a master's degree to even be considered for a job position. If Okonkwo is right about anything, laziness will get you nowhere. Only the hardworking and persistent obtain what they want and work hard enough to keep it. In Achebe's novel, they're all farmers and if they decided to be lazy and just lay about like Okonkwo's father, they would die of starvation or debt within the first few chapters. Perseverance and hard work will make you independent and self-reliant and that means when something goes wrong, you can clean up the mess yourself and not make work for other people. Luck and charm will only get you so far, at some point you have to help yourself out.
ReplyDeleteThe main idea that Achebe is trying to get across is that waht happened there was wrong, and easily avoidable. Cultures are inherently equal but seperate, and should not be viewed as inferior to your own. the Igbo give the White Man plenty of oppurtunity to live peacefully and seperately in their own way, but their aggressive assimilation of the Igbo people lead to the breakdown of the peoples moral and way of life.
ReplyDeleteI think that the most important lesson to be learned from this book is that everything is interpreted differently by different people and that we should be tolerant of our differences . This is especially true in cases of culture clash. For example , Mr. Brown comes to tell Okonkwo that Nwoye is going to college to become a teacher thinking that Okonkwo would be proud of Nwoye. According to Mr. Brown's cultural perspective why wouldn't he be? Nwoye is the first in his family to pursue a higher education , which in European culture is something that is very honorable. But in the eyes of Okonkwo , that further proves how much of a disappointment that Nwoye truly is to him because Nwoye completely abandoned all of the standards of his native culture. But then again Nwoye never fit into them in the first place and the beatings and anger of his father didn't help much either. Okonkwo probably pushed Nwoye over the edge when he threatened to kill Nwoye after Nwoye refused to disclose whether or not he had attended the church . If Okonkwo would have sat him down asked if what his uncle said was true without any sort of death threats , maybe they would've came to a better understanding even if they don't hold the same religious beliefs . Okonkwo knew all along that Nwoye wasn't the same ambitious warrior that he was so he would have understood that it would be better for Nwoye not to pretend that he was. The same works in today's society . We shouldn't try to force others to be something that they are not.In our schools and our societies we are always going to have to get along with those who are different from us and it would serve us well to see in their perspectives as well as ours. If we refuse we will fight an uphill battle and lose everything just like Okonkwo did.
ReplyDeleteAlthough there were many lessons in this novel, I think one of the most important lessons we learn from Okonkwo is to accept others for who they are. Since the beginning, it is easy to see that Okonkwo is quite narrow-minded and doesn’t have a lot of acceptance towards weaker people. This is shown when talking about his father who was a gentle and nice man, but he was very lazy. Okonkwo’s greatest fear in life is to become like his father and because of this he works extremely hard to become a good leader of his clan. It is also shown through his son, Nwoye, who is also somewhat lazy. He is beaten and rejected from his father because of this. When he chooses to convert to Christianity, Siddhartha cannot accept this fact and they no longer communicate. Upon returning to his village after seven years of being away in exile, he realizes that a lot has changed. White men have also come to his village to try to convert people to Christianity and instead of trying to accept this, he becomes violent and kills the leader of the white men. Because he is not able to accept these Christians and their beliefs, he chooses to hang himself. If he were to have been more open about tolerating these Christians, he still could have been living and could even have learned a lot from them.
ReplyDeleteThis lesson is important for students in today’s society to learn because there are many different types of people in this world and it is important for people to be accepting of them. By choosing not to, they could miss out on a lot of opportunities to learn about other people, their cultures, and their beliefs.
Kelsey Wisser
ReplyDeleteI think the most important lesson from this book is accepting the beliefs of others. While I do not agree with everything Okonkwo’s village did, I do not agree with the way the white men went about converting them. The white men didn’t try and teach their beliefs to the villagers, but tried to force them upon them. They told the villagers their gods were fake and to worship more than one God was wrong. And while Mr. Brown understood, Reverend James Smith did not. He was very strict and forceful, and some of his actions ended up tearing the village apart. While some of the villagers may never have changed their beliefs, if the white men had went about converting them in a different way, it could have been more peaceful.
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ReplyDeleteI think that the most important theme in this book is to accept other people’s differences without denouncing their ways or sacrificing your own beliefs. When the Christian missionaries came, they did not respect the tribe’s culture and set up their own government and began to take control. In return, Okonkwo gave the missionaries no respect for their ways, and only wanted them dead or gone. If the two had accepted that they are different, and realized that being different and believing different things are okay, then all may not have fallen apart.
ReplyDeleteFor me, this story struck close to home. When I read this book I had just returned from a trip to Palestine and Israel. In that area of the world, the Israeli’s do not respect the Arab culture or religions of either the Muslims or Christians remaining in Palestine. Instead, they take over homes, build on their land, and oppress them until they can no longer live in the land they have called home for thousands of years. After setting up their own government and military in someone else’s land, they began to steadily take over of the Holy Land and have caused much pain, strife, and poverty among the Arabs in that land. They have built a wall twice as long and twice as high as the Berlin wall, and yet most of the world supports them in their regime. What is important for students to learn is that these culture clashes are not only a thing of the past, but are just as relevant today as they were in the time of Okonkwo.
One of the important lessons to take away from this novel is that change can actually be beneficial. Most people hate to deviate from their daily routines or ways of life, but it is important to remember that not everyone lives as you do and that embracing others thoughts and beliefs can be eye opening. One does not have to agree with others beliefs but they should be willing to listen and try to understand. The missionaries in the book bring new and innovative ideas to the town. The villagers should be willing to listen and hear about these new beliefs and ways of life, but that doesn't mean that they have to follow suit. They should see the changes as a learning experience, but if they find that their methods of going about aspects of life work better then they can continue with them. However, if they find the missionaries ways of say, farming, work better, then they should be willing to embrace the changes and innovations. It could be very beneficial to their society.
ReplyDeleteStudents today should not be so set in their ways that they won't even consider doing something a different way. At least give everything a chance and if it doesn't work, then move on. There is no harm in trying different ways of going about the same things.
I feel that one of the greater lessons being taught is to not fear affection; it isn’t a sign of weakness, but rather shows that you’re human. Every person can relate to this lesson because many people fear showing weakness and many people believe that showing affection is showing weakness. Okonkwo takes this fear to an extreme by refusing to show any affection whatsoever. In this way Okonkwo is being narrow minded which won’t help him learn or experience things. This fear is keeping him from experiencing the joy of being able to express one’s love or affection for another. Okonkwo believes with his whole being that showing any affection is a weakness. This is proven when he kills Ikemefuna because he doesn’t want to show that he loves or cares for him, which he considers a weakness. If each person lived in fear of being considered weak, everyone would seem like mindless, merciless robots. And, what is weakness anyway? To show some weakness, shows that there is strength there as well, the strength to stand up for what you care for.
ReplyDeleteA side comment would be that Okonkwo has the tragic flaw of fear of showing weakness (obviously). Although this helps him in harsh times and to succeed, it hurts him more greatly by getting him into trouble. His temper and determination toward not appearing weak blinds him from seeing what is truly important which is appreciating life for what it is and not to take it for granted (which so many people do).
Things Fall Apart had many great messages and lessons that we could learn from. In my opinion, I think the most important lesson is that we must respect one another's beliefs and appreciate other cultures. Who said diversity is a bad thing? Having different opinions and ways of doing things makes the world interesting. Not even in just our country but around the world, people are very quick to pass judgement on one another. This has become more of a prevailing problem today, espcecially in our youth. I think that is wrong and we can learn from each other. We should all learn to be more accepting of each other and of different ideas. Once we learn to get along with each other and set aside our differences, I believe we can accomplish great things together.
ReplyDeleteIn the novel, two very different cultures are brought together. The white missionaries make their way to a small African village where they hope to spread their Christian ideals. The way the missionaries went about this was very wrong. Many of them had no respect or appreciation for the village's culture. The white men forced their beliefs and ideas on the villagers. This caused the village to get torn apart and they suffered greatly.
Mary Wojtala
ReplyDeleteI think the main thing we can learn from Okonkwo is to never let anyone else decide who you are, or how you should be. Okonkwo was a respected man in his village, but he always thought he had to do better because of peer pressure. For example, when Ikemefuna was sentenced to death, Okonkwo was devastated because he had really grown to like the boy. But when the time came for him to die, Okonkwo helped because he didn’t want to seem like a coward in front of the other men. Then he became depressed because Ikemefuna was like a son to him. Well then maybe you shouldn’t have helped kill him Okonkwo!
Another example would be how he is always ashamed of Nwoye because he acted like a woman, and wasn’t like the other boys. I have a feeling that if Okonkwo accepted Nwoye for who he was, then he never would have lost him to the missionaries. Lastly, I think if Okonkwo would have just stood tall and truly believed in his own religion, the missionaries never would have driven him to kill himself. He should have accepted the fact that the missionaries were there to stay, and just because they are there does not mean he has to give up what he believes in to follow them. I think Okonkwo was suffering a huge identity crisis throughout the whole novel. He just needed to listen to his heart, and not let others decide for him.
I believe that one of the biggest lessons conveyed in this novel is to be tolerant of other peoples beliefs, as well as respectful. Two very different cultures are brought together and with that develops disagreements due to peoples lack of acceptance. There is no need to be mean to someone just because they look different than you, talk different, or believe in different things. Those things are what make life interesting. If everyone were the same no progress in society would be made. The best thing you can do is voice your own opinion, and not put down someone else's. Everyone is entitled to believe in what they want to. Who are we to say they are wrong just because it isn't what we think? Today, diversity is an act that is being encouraged around the world. People are learning to be accepting of change, and learning that it can really help a society grow.
ReplyDeleteI agree with @Sam, one of the greatest lessons that can be learned from Things Fall Apart is to not mask your emotions, because affection isn't a sign of weakness, instead, it can bring people closer together. I think that Okonwo could have lived a much happier life if he let the people he cared for know what he really felt. He tried to hide his emotions because it made him feel weak, just like his father. He does not show his true feelings toward Ikemefuna or Ezima. Because he keeps his feelings bottled up all of the time, this causes him to be very angry and aggressive. Today, many people still have trouble communicating their feelings with each other.
ReplyDeleteI think the greatest lesson to be learned from Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart is the dedication and work ethic he showed. When Okonkwo first started working his own fields, he had nothing. He inherited nothing from his father and had to start from scratch. He had to borrow seeds from other farmers to get started. Even with these handicaps, he still managed to be one of the greatest men in his village through all of his hard work.
ReplyDeleteStudents today could learn from Okonkowo's work ethic. Too many people these days would rather be average and not have to work than be excellent and put forth some effort.
The novel Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, was not only relevant in the time period it was written in, as the British Empire was expanding: “the sun never sets on the British Empire”, but in the society we live in today. Today, students should learn from the novel that imposing their own beliefs on others often leads to resentment and conflict. We learn from the character Okonkwo to stand up for your beliefs, and not let them be taken over, mixed up, and changed by someone else. It is important that students learn these lessons today because what it all boils down to is acceptance. Now that the world has become smaller with all our communication and transportation devices and with the global marketplace, most of us will have many interactions with people of different countries, cultures and religions. It is important that we respect each others’ beliefs and that we do not impose our ethnocentric beliefs on people of different cultures. Instead, we should learn to understand and respect others’ beliefs even if they are different from our own.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading Things Fall Apart, I believe that the greatest lesson to be learned from Okonkwo’s journey is that tolerance is the key to peace. Everyone may have different beliefs and want different things, but there must be that underlying respect for other’s beliefs. Without tolerance, violence ensues, as seen in the novel. Okonkwo, instead of trying to accept other’s views, wants to use violence to expel the Christians from his community. This tactic only leads to Okonkwo’s demise. Therefore, tolerance and respect for other’s beliefs is the most important lesson that I took away from this novel.
ReplyDeleteThis lesson is also important for students in today society to understand. Today’s world is full of diversity with many different customs, religions, and ways of life. In order for all of these different people to intermix, tolerance must be shown. People need to take the time to understand other people’s beliefs and learn that though they may be different from your own, they are still worthy of your respect.
The greatest lesson to be learned from Okwonkwo is to never stop believing in what you think is right. Throughout the entire novel Okwonkwo believed that living as his people have always lived was the correct thing to do. Even when the missionaries came to his village and started to win over people of the Igbo community, he still refused to change his views. This mindset even got him arrested and beaten by the missionaries. In the ultimate form of protest Okwonkwo hung himself so that he wouldn’t be forced to live in the world that was quickly taking shape around him. Now I’m not saying that when pressured to change your views the best thing to do is cut peoples heads off or commit suicide but still, it is important to never change your mind simply because somebody else wants you to.
ReplyDeleteThis is especially important for students in today’s society. Everywhere you go in America you see students who give in to peer pressure, and it usually doesn’t work out to well for those being pressured. Students are convinced by their friends that drinking makes them look cool and that drugs are the way to roll. If people could learn to stand up for what they believe in the world would be a much better place.
Although this novel seemed to be a quick, simple read, it proved itself hard for me to finish. In my case, some of the story's content provoked a lot of harsh emotion, especially that of the treatment of women throughout the novel. Having to read through the parts of Okonkwo crudely beating his wives and disrespecting the other women in the village began to anger me as the story went on. I understand that one of the main messages of the novel was that one must learn to respect and tolerate the customs of others, but I must admit it was even hard for me to honor the values of a clan that would subject women to such suffering.
ReplyDeleteWhile respect and tolerance was viewed to be one of the main lesson's of the novel, I also believe that being true to yourself acted as a core message as well. Throughout the story, Okonkwo is constantly worried about what other people think of him in the clan. Because of this, Okonkwo builds up a wall between himself and his true emotions, refusing to show any sign of weakness. This results in Okonkwo pushing away the people who he cares for the most, like Ikemefuna. We see that Okonkwo views Ikemefuna as his own son, and cares greatly for him, but he refuses to show this. Instead, Okonkwo ultimately takes part in the boys murder for he is afraid to show weakness. Through all of this we learn that one of Okonkwo's deepest fears is in fact showing any fear or weakness. All of us can relate to him in this area though, even in High School today. The pressure put on by us by our peers and friends to be the most "popular" or "cool" causes us to sometimes lose ourself, and become somebody else. We see in Okonkwo's case, though, that all of your feelings can build up to a certain point and eventually lead to your downfall and destroy you.
The greatest lesson to be learned from Okonkwo would be to show affection more often. He always saw love as a weak thing. If he had shown more love for Nwoye, Nwoye might've stayed with his family instead of running to the church. He also believed that one should show strength at all times. This view also made it hard for him to co-exist with the church, because he refused to show friendliness to them. This is what lesson can be learned from Okonkwo.
ReplyDeleteThe most important lesson that i have taken away from this novel is that we as people need to respect other peoples beleifs and how they work. The book demonstrates this very well with the change over from Mr. Brown to Reverand James Smith. When Mr. Brown was in Charge he would let the locals go about and do what they normally did only changing the people who had joined the church and even then he would allow those people to be christian and still make sacrifices to other gods. Then when the reverand was in charge the other religion was not respected and his religion was all that was there. It was his way or you were wrong. So learn this lesson and respect others beliefs and ways as long as they dont harm you.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the greatest lesson to be learned from Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart and why is that lesson important for students in today's society to learn?
ReplyDeleteThe greatest lesson we can learn from Okonkwo is accept change, because it is inevitable, but also hold on to traditions. Often today the younger generation ignores their roots and culture traditions, but in order to never lose these traditions it is important to hand them down from generation to generation.
I didn't like this one, but at least it takes 3rd. These types of stories are just predictable and depressing, which don't suit me. Also, this book took too long to get to the point where anything interesting (in my opinion) happens. The white men are missing for the first half of the story.
ReplyDeleteThe greatest lesson to be taken from this novel is to be polite. If you come across a new land and someone is already there, it's theirs. Simply because you CAN take something doesn't mean you SHOULD. People react better to politeness than force, especially for the return visit.
I believe the most important lesson from this novel is as many have said before: Tolerance. The manner in which our socety is constructed rarely allows for students to experiment with cultures outside of their own. Livingston County, for example, is a highly conservative community. With the majority of people thinking conservatively, differing opinions are often times roughly shut down. This lack of political diversity means less practice with tolerance. However, a community cannot expect to grow and flourish if every member is not on the same page. It is impossible for everyone to agree one solution, yet respecting the opinions of others is within grasp.
ReplyDeleteIn the book, the Christian missionaries believe that their cause is just. Though it may be, their approach should have been modified. Introducing a new religion is a delicate process and force is the worst method choice. Respecting each others' beliefs, even though they didn't agree with them, was the key they ceased to find. I find diversity to be one of the most beautiful parts of life, and eliminating it, even though you believe it's for the better, is wrong.
I think the most important lesson to be learned from this novel is that change is reality and we need to tolerate it. In the novel, Christian missionaries want to change clan member's hearts, invoking inward change and outward change, as well. I believe they tried to invoke this change much too forcefully, but the clan members could have also been more tolerating of the change that was coming about. Students need to learn to tolerate change. Most of the students that I have talked to this summer hate the fact that a lot of changes are being made at BHS this year like not being able to pick our own lockers as seniors and not getting out earlier than the rest of the student body in the Spring. Quite frankly, these are really minor changes that should be very easily tolerated, but a lot of students are fed up. That is just a minor example of students' low tolerance level in Brighton. Yeah, change sucks sometimes, but it must be tolerated and carried with a good attitude.
ReplyDeleteThe most important lesson to be learned from Okonkwo is to not act so irrationally, especially when you are not as aware of the other you are acting against and the response in society. I think this can be used by students today in that actions should always be thought throught then going on a whim.
ReplyDeleteThe largest lesson from the tragedy, "Things Fall Apart" is that we should be tolerant of cultural differences. When Missionaries tried to colonize Africa, it was completely arrogant of them to forcefully try to alter the lives of the natives. The novel stresses the misery the village faced once the missionaries came. If people were accepting of the differences between cultures, the clan would've never fallen apart. Today, Many people assume anyone who wears Muslim attire must be a terrorist. They are targeted for ridicule just because of their dress. In Pakistan, our very own government is trying to establish American customs. We all must understand to accept eachother as who they are, and not try to change them.
ReplyDeleteThe greatest lesson to be learned from Okonkwo in this novel is that change is inevitable. This world is continuously changing, positively and negatively. I don't make this point in an attempt to persuade everyone to accept every change blindly. There is an appropriate time and place to resist change for noble reasons. But there is also a point when it is out of your hands and change must be accepted. You can spend all your life trying to relive the past or you can adapt and move on. I wholeheartedly admit these thoughts are much easier to type, than to live out. If students could grasp this concept, there would be much less social strife in today's schools.
ReplyDeleteI feel the lesson that is meant to be learned from Things Fall Apart is that people will always be different. Furhtermore, people will always hate people that are different, because they are different. There are alot of people who are stuck in their ways, and will do anything to destroy what is different. I feel the lesson is that two cultures will always be clashing, and there will never be a winner. There will always be uneasiness. Another important lesson is that there are always two sides to every story. The white men didn't see the Africans' side, and the Africans didn't see the white side. Another modern day example is the Middle East conflict. Most of our problems with the Middle East started when the United States decided to side with Israel, rather than Palestine, in the conflict for land. Most people see the Israeli people as having the right to the land, claiming that it was their land first, and believe that it was justified to steal Palestinian land. The same people, however, tend to believe that the Native Americans don't deserve to have their land back. It's the same idea, that the ancient people should have their land back, but they take a completely different side. I personally believe that since the Israeli people are of a Euopean descent, the different nations look at them in a different way. I believe, in a much similar way, that Things Fall Apart professes the idea of race oriented lack of comprehension of the other's view.
ReplyDeleteThe greatest lesson to be learned from this book is you cannot control all that is before you. You may have a plan, but do not expect it to play out as you have in your own head.
ReplyDeleteOkonkwo had his own deal. He had worked hard for it and had completely earned it. The only problem was that his plan was not what was going to happen. His ideal future was dashed at the intrusion of the "white man." He had not accounted for this and tried to stop it with his own hands from ruining his desires. The only problem is, no one can predict the future or control it. You may alter it by your decisions, but never are you able to write down a overview of what will happen and expect it to occur. There are things, unexpected things, that will jump out and rip up that paper, destroying all that you had planned out. You can't control this no matter what you try to do. It is apart of humanity.
The importance of an absolute and peaceful tolerance and respect for other’s culture, religion, and way of life is an important lesson taught in Achebe’s Things Fall Apart that still remains prevalent today. In the novel, the foreign missionaries and the natives failed to see the worth in respecting and learning one another’s cultures. If the white men hadn’t pressed their ideals and religion onto the Ibo people so violently and insolently, and the natives hadn’t been so quick to dismiss the missionaries’ positive attributes and helpful skills, the two cultures could have shared with each other a wealth of new knowledge.
ReplyDeleteStill today, we observe people who see others who are different from themselves quickly and immediately forming opinions and judgments that exude bias disrespect. Our society has yet to learn that a tolerance for others of different backgrounds and cultures can benefit humanity as a whole in numerous ways.
I must say that this was my least favorite of the selections that we were assigned this summer. I agree with what most people said and that is the most important word is tolerance. There are 196 countries around the world and each one has there own traditions and cultures. There is no culture that is superior to all others, each one has a different set of values and prorities and there for we have different laws based on those values. In order to embrace eachother's belifs we must accept that change is unavoidable, and we must be willing to cooperate with one another to strive to benift for humanity as a whole. This is much easier said then done however and I reconize that, but through our tolerance of one another and the willingness to accept change then we could unify as a race of humans like it has never been done before in history.
ReplyDeleteI personally thought one of the biggest lessons to be learned in Chinua Achebe’s novel, Things Fall Apart, is that there are consequences for one’s wrongdoings. This idea was expressed throughout the story. Doing the right thing and strictly following the clan’s many customs is highly stressed. Okonkwo is exiled for seven years for only accidently killing a fellow clansman during a ceremony. Obviously murder should not be taken lightly, but seven years?-seems pretty harsh to me. But Okonkwo takes his punishment like a man, which I find very honorable. Also, when he beats his youngest wife, Ojigo, he must sacrifice a female goat, a hen, some cloth, and 100 cowries in repentance to the shrine of Ani. He also does this immediately. In today’s world this does not seem to be the case. We hear all the time through the media about celebrities being charged with this crime or that crime. However, they never seem to have to serve their full time. Paris Hilton, for example, was originally sentenced to 45 days in jail, and after only serving 23, she was released to her home. Yet another celebrity, Lindsay Lohan, was sentenced to 90 days in jail. After only serving 14, she was released to rehab. With these stories constantly in our face, it’s no wonder why our generation is having such a hard time with facing punishment. We need to learn that when we do something wrong, we WILL be punished, and we WILL have to face our consequences. End of story.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to agree with most people that the main lesson we can learn from THE BOOK is tolerance, but people clrearly misread the question because it asks what we can learn from Okonkwo, duh. After reading that book, I don't think Okonkwo tolerated a damn thing. Anyway, I feel that HE can teach us is not to let others define us. He is so afraid that people might say that he's like his father that he throws himself to the polar opposite side of the spectrum. Okonkwo may not have agreed with his father's life style, but I think Nwoye doesn't exactly like his father's either. Being deep in debt may be bad, but beating your wife on peace week isn't exactly angelic. To sum it up, be who you want to be, don't let other peoples choices define you.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit, this was my least-favorite book of the summer, but I still learned a lesson from Okonkwo. One has to be flexible and be willing to change his or her opinions and views. Okonkwo is too rigid, and because he will not or cannot change his views, he no longer fits in what his world has become. He is forced by his own beliefs to commit suicide. He should have tried earlier to organize the village to oppose the white missionaries, but since he didn't and his way of life changed, he should have tried to adjust or, if unable to accept things, find somewhere else. I'm not saying that we should abandon all our beliefs at the slightest hint of peer pressure, but rather that we need to be willing to change with the times.
ReplyDeleteShortly after reading TFA, I read a short story called "Black Heart and White Heart" by Henry Rider Haggard. It was about the Zulu people during the colonization period, and I enjoyed it much more than TFA.
Being honest this was not my favorite book this summer to read. It was ok but i wasn't really drawn to reading it. It was nice to see an African look on colonialsism in Africa though. I did learn a lot from this book though. There were many different messages to be learned, though I thought one really stood out. That would be that one should have tolerance or respect for others. Okonkwo only had respect for the strong manly figures in his life. He only tolerated the best, or what he thought was the best, out of everybody. He did not respect that others thought differently then him, and this in the end led to his demise. He didn't respect his family besides a select few, and this led to his son running away. He didn't respect the other religion like Akunna or Mr. brown did. They respected each other, even though they thought each other wrong and funny.Okonkwo didn't. He also didn't respect the people from his village after they decided that violence was not the answer. He learned that he was alone in the world in his beliefs so he took his own life. Okonkwo didn't have respect or tolerance for people and this made him feel alone and unhappy. If he had a little bit of tolerance or respect maybe this story would have had a happier note. So i think the one thing that we can learn from Okonkwo is that we should have a little bit more respect for one another and stop the hostility.
ReplyDeleteWhen I look at this novel and how its plot plays out, I can see one only one lesson to be learned from the actions of the story's main character, Okonkwo. This lesson is that one must be able to adapt to the world around them. Yes, I realize I sound like a broken record and that many others have already said this, but that doesn't make it any less true. Okonkwo dwells on his hate for his father throughout the entire novel, and this causes him to lose sight of what is really going on around him. His way of life is collapsing before his eyes. His burning hate for his father has caused many of the downturns in Okonkwo's life. It caused him to kill Ikemefuna, causes strife in his household, makes him socially displaced, drives away his son, and ends up killing him. Okonkwo cannot bear to see his life, which is full of strength and pride and being a man, be destroyed by the Christians, who are weak in his eyes, so he commits the ultimate act of weakness: suicide. And this all stems from Okonkwo dwelling on the past and not accepting the future. The people of today must grasp this idea and be able to move on and adapt lest they be swept up by the waves of time. Essentially, we must evolve. And those able to evolve are those able to survive, and vice versa, i.e. Okonkwo.
ReplyDeleteThere were several great lessons to be learned from this novel, such as stay true to yourself and not dwell on the negative things in life, but the greatest lesson that I took from this novel is that everyone is different and although you may not like what another person likes or believe in what they believe in, we should all be tolerant of everyone else. You don't have to like someone or like what someone does to be tolerant of them. You should just accept the way they do things, even if it's different from how you do things. Not everyone has to be just like you so you shouldn't force anyone to be who you want them to be. Everyone should be able to peacefully exists together, even if they have a different religion, personality, etc. Tolerance is a quality that everyone should have in life.
ReplyDeleteThe one lesson to learn from Things Fall Apart is the varieties of cultures and learning to live among one another in peace. The key to peace is tolerance. So many people judge others based on their religion and say that what they believe in is wrong, but honestly it is your belief and know one else’s. We should all be able to live amongst each other and get along. We don’t need to agree on everything but being able to co-exist is important. In Things Fall Apart Okonkwo was so determined to get the whites’ out of their village because he didn’t agree with the whites’ religion and judged them based on their skin color. Soon some of his people were interested in their teachings. So driven with anger he killed one of the whites not realizing the consequences that led to the reason of why he killed himself. There was no way that his tribe could go to war with them because more than likely they would lose and the others just wanted peace. If Okonkwo could have had tolerance for the whites his outcome would have been different. We still have this problem today where people are judged based on their appearance and religion. Instead of fighting each other we should live happily with one another in acceptance.
ReplyDeleteMany major lessons are sprinkled through the chapters of this novel, creating a challenge of picking just one. Swallowing pride in order to allow oneself to be humbled was the most prevalent theme in my eyes. Okonkwo will go to any lengths to remain on the pedestal he has built for himself, hoping others see no likeness of his father in him. Seeing nothing but weakness in women as a whole, he beats his wives to prove his dominance, and even beats his son in attempts to spark some of his own discipline into Nwoye. If Okonkwo was simply capable of forgiving Unoka for shaming him, he could overcome his pride of his great successes and the dominant masculine image he had created for himself, allowing him, for intstance, to heed Ogbuefi Ezeudu's warning not to take part in Ikemefuna's murder. Rather than taking his words to heart, Okonkwo does quite the opposite, Ikemefuna dies at his hand because he is too proud and does not want to appear weak, though that is far from how his fellow clansmen view him. Okonkwo's pride goes hand in hand with his lack of acceptance, both constant until his death, despite his flawed actions. He has labored away his life and cannot seem to get over his desire to become lord of the clans, for he feels he's earned it.
ReplyDeleteAs his seven years are paid off and he returns to his home village to discover the progress of the white men, Okonkwo resolves to drive them out with war. War, yet another field he prides himself in, is not supported by his men. Being unable to accept the changes forced upon his village, due to the pride he cannot release, in order to work with the white men, Okonkwo commits suicide. He is incapable of living when he can't advance his status, and instead will be forced to watch everyone around him convert to a religion he views as womanly.
One thing I took from China Achebe’s Things Fall Apart is to not think so much about what other people perceive of you. Okonkwo is too worried that other members of the tribe will view him as weak or mock him as an ‘agbala’ if he shows any sort of emotion. He is extremely harsh on his son, Nwoye, who is very emotional. This harshness leads to the loss of his son. Nwoye doesn’t want to be like his father the same way Okonkwo didn’t want to be like his own father, so he leaves and converts to christianity. Also when the time came for Ikemefuna to be killed he was too afraid of what the other men would think of him if he did not participate or go along with them. He ends up killing the boy he loved like a son. Okonkwo tries to hide his emotion from everyone which isn’t good because when he tries to hide it he ends up acting out the opposite of what he feels. When Ezinma is taken away and his wife goes after her Okankwo can’t handle not knowing if they are okay, so he goes out in the middle of the night four times to try to look for them because he is so worried. When he finds his wife he tries to act all tough and tells her to go back and he can wait for their daughter instead of showing a sigh of relief that his wife is alright. Life ends up falling apart because Okonkwo takes action without thought and tries to run away from his emotions. He is a different person on the inside, yet no one knows that. Maybe if he shared a bit of who he was on the inside with the people he loved his life could have turned out better. So what I took from this story is that life isn’t always about impressing everyone around you, it is about being who you are and letting the people that are close to you know the real you.
ReplyDeleteI believe that two main lessons came out of the novel Things Fall Apart. The first being that if you want respect you have to give respect and we know that this could've been very helpful to Okonkwo. For instance, Onkonkwo was a mighty warrior and was feared by all his family members. People of the clan knew what he was capable of and knew what kind of person he was and he straight up invoked fear in people, never giving respect. If he was a little more respectful to the other people of Umuofia then his ideas might have been listened to a little more and the clan could have united to defeat the white people rather than Okonkwo just killing one messenger. The second lesson coming out of this book is that you should stand up for what you believe in, no matter what. We do see Okonkwo throughout the novel stand up for what he believes in, but there are times when he should have and did not. For instance he didnt believe he should participate in killing Ikemefuna, and agreed with the old man that told him not to do so. However he did not want his image to look bad, so he killed him. If he would have stood up for what he believed in, he would not have felt so bad the next three days. Also it is clear towards the end, that Okonkwo does not appreciate the white people coming to the villages and he expresses so. However, no one joins in his opinion, so he kind of sits back and watches what happens. He then, when the church becomes to strong to take down, decides that the people of Umuofia need to fight. And so he kills a messenger after they lock him and five other leaders in prison. His people did not have his back, they did not share as strong beliefs about the white people as Okonkwo did. If he could have expressed himself more publicly and sooner, he might have been able to convince everyone that the traditional ways are better than what was coming. Instead he did not stand up for what he believed in at the proper time, and this eventually led to his downfall. Standing up for what you belive in is always important no matter what the circumstance.
ReplyDeleteI believe that one of the greatest lessons to be learned from the novel Things Fall Apart, is that respecting each other is key to peace. In our world, there are so many different cultures and beliefs that people live by. Not everyone is going to agree and have the same morals as each other. You do not have to believe in the same things that others believe in, but you should respect them and their beliefs. If everyone could do this, there would not be as much war over religions and other disagreements. People should not force someone into unwillingly changing their beliefs. Many white colonists did not respect the tribes beliefs and thought that they were superior with their beliefs. they need to learn to accept and respect one another.
ReplyDeleteI believe the most important thing learn, like many, is the importance of tolerance. I like that this novel took the reader into the eyes and society of Okonkwo. We were able to see the logic in their way of life and structure of society. When I started reading this, many of the aspects of the society frustrated me and had my head shouting, "that's not right!" For instance, the way men were allowed multiple wives and could do with them and their children what they pleased. I'm not saying I have now seen the light and want to live in that kind of society, but I was able to see how it is just part of their life. I do believe there were other aspects of Okonkwos society that maybe shouldn't be tolerated though. Like the way women and children could be beat, and children can be taken and murdered for punishment of their parent's crime, but I also see that every society has it's bad parts to it. So I think yes, tolerance is the most important lesson, however some things aren't bad to change.
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