TFA Reading Response Journal #3
Claire Yang, 9F
April 2, 2010
Text Reflection
Especially in chapters seven and eight, the conflict between Ibo society and its customs
was strongly emphasized through Obierika and Okonkwo’s murder of Ikemefuna.
Although Obierika does not question the Oracle’s authority, he believes that if he were
in Okonkwo’s position, he wouldn’t have gone to kill his own son. Obierika also
sympathizes the destruction of palm trees done “in the name of tapping” (p. 69), the
paradox of such custom (“Here we say he cannot climb the tall tree but he can tap the
short ones standing on the ground.” p. 69), and how they’ve come to have such law.
Okonkwo unlike Obierika has his full heart and mind into Ibo customs (or at least
strives to as we have seen): even though he was very much fond of Ikemefuna, he killed
him – quite voluntarily when he didn’t have to – under the orders of the Oracle (and his
struggle to preserve manliness and become less like Unoka). After the slaughter of
Ikemefuna, Okonkwo didn’t eat for two days, and went through severe mental
breakdown: “He did not sleep at night. He tried not to think about Ikemefuna, but the
more he tried the more he thought about him…his mind went back to Ikemefuna and he
shivered.” (pp. 63, 64) It’s clear from these evidences that they (and many others I’m
sure) are silently cornered to practice Ibo customs even when they don’t necessary
favor or understand the rationale behind them; it’s like they’ve been passively keeping
these customs for the very few elders and conservative authorities who do support
them. However, another paradoxical facet – tragic if you would like to call – about
them is that the Ibo people would truly be torn if these customs were taken away from
their lives.
Close Reading
Page 68
“You are right,” Ofoedu agreed. “But you ought to ask why the drum has not beaten to
tell Umuofia of his death.”
“Why?” asked Obierika and Okonkwo together. “That is the strange part of it. You
know his first wife who walks with a stick?”
“Yes. She is called Ozoemena.”
“That is so,” said Ofoedu. “Ozoemena was, as you know, too old to attend Ndulue
during his illness. His younger wives did that. When he died this morning, one of these
women went to Ozoemena’s hut and told her. She rose form her mat, took her stick and
walked over to the obi. She knelt on her knees and hands at the threshold and called her
husband, who was laid on a mat. ‘Ogbuefi Ndulue,’ she called, three times, and went
back to her hut. When the youngest wife went to call her again to be present at the
washing of the body, she found her lying on the mat, dead.”
“That is very strange, indeed,” said Okonkwo. “They will put off Ndulue’s funeral until
his wife has been buried.”
“That is why the drum has not been beaten to tell Umuofia.”
“It was always said that Ndulue and Ozoemena had one mind,” said Obierika. “I
remember when I was a young boy there was a song about them. He could not do
anything without telling her.” “I did not know that,” said, Okonkwo. “I thought he was
a strong man in his youth.” “He was indeed,” said Ofeodu. Okonkwo shook his head
doubtfully. “He led Umuofia to war in those days,” said Obierika.
1. Keywords/Phrases
* Keywords/phrases are bolded within the text
“…Tell Umuofia of his death.”
Connotation: In Ibo culture, the land seems to be more emphasized and valued than the
actual inhabitants: The announcement of Ndulue’s death was directed/addressed to the
land rather than the people of Umuofia. Also the granting of humanistic qualities to
Umuofia the land portrays their special affection and respect towards nature.
“First wife who walks with a stick”
Connotation: The fact that she was referred to as a wife “who walks with a stick” shows
that living until Ozoemena’s age was uncommon: during this period, Africa did not
have the developed medical technology to better/treat illnesses and thus prolong the
years of life. Living this long was such an uncommon occurrence (there weren’t many
who lived this long) that such commonality or supposed ambiguity in identification
(“first wife who walks with a stick”) was obvious and clear to the people of Ibo.
“It was always said that Ndulue and Ozoemena had one mind”
Connotation: The story of Ndulue and Ozoemena’s deaths had mythical, fantastical
elements, and my question to this was, “why at such a serious, glum moment would the
author care to mention these mythical deaths of two people?” Thinking about it for a
while it occurred to me that the tale was not to provide some facts, but to deliver a
message. A message addressed to Okonkwo’s forced hardiness towards him killing
Ikemefuna, a boy whom he was fond of.
“I thought he was a strong man in his youth.” “He was indeed”
Connotation: While Okonkwo believed Ndulue’s reliance/bond with Ozoemena to
contradict his (Ndulue’s) reputation as a strong man, Ofeodu naturally considered these
two things to be separate – that reliance on woman did not hurt/diminished a man’s
strength.
2. Literary Devices/Elements
Personification
“That is why the drum has not been beaten to tell Umuofia.”
“He led Umuofia to war in those days,”
Umuofia – the land encompassing multiple villages/clans – is personified: Umuofia is
told and led.
Foreign Words
Obi: large living quarters of the head of the family
Questions
a) Will Okonkwo have a more difficult time than others in the future years of European
missionaries’ abuse? If yes/no, why?
b) Will Okonkwo’s heaviness and strictness with Ibo customs become his downfall?