English Honors 1-10, Part 3

1. Achebe felt that by telling Okonkwo's dramatic decision of suicide, would the readers have been told correctly only if they knew exactly what kind of pain Okonkwo had already gone through. So by the end of the book, Okonkwo had suffered enough to once again deal with such huge rage, as to be present when his beloved fatherland, become dramatically different. The reader finishes the story well aware that Okonkwo chose to end his life knowing that sooner or later he would have been killed by the ones he most despised, the white men. Achebe may have also brought the European colonial presence in the end of the book because since he was basically telling the life of Okonkwo and his most memorable actions, that the reader should also be informed with the knowledge of Okonkwo's ending of his title along with his life, ending with such a brutal fate.

2. Umuofia had changed in many ways during Okonkwo's exile. Many people now couldn't wait to go to the markets each week doing the mornings for it had received greater meaning. Since the white mans' customs had spread rapidly there was also new churches along with schools being built. More housing and creations meant more people switching to the Christians' faith. A new government was also built for the Christians also had top leaders that made all the decisions including the final word of a criminal's fate. The Christians also took it upon themselves to punish whom ever (acted badly-sinners) even though they were not in their same religion. The value of things also started to be worth more. Making some gain wealth and others gain poverty. Many of the Umuofia's spirits and gods started to be forgotten for there was less and less who believed in their powers. Because of the Christians', knowledge was becoming "a thing to have", for the church had combined school and education together as one. Some more advanced in knowledge lead on to become teachers and others happily had the gift of knowledge to themselves. For those few who did not switch in to the Christians faith, their anger had only become more hostel. They themselves knew that the "whites" or Christians were in Umuofia to stay and they were only to widen with followers. Okonkwo had also dramatically changed through out his exile years living in Mbanta. From that first day of his appearance, he started planning his return to Umuofia. Each year that passed he gained more self esteem for he knew he was going to need plenty. For when he returned back to Umuofia, he had to show his leadership once more, but this time with more power. His return only led for him to be in the presence of Umuofia becoming a thing of the past and changing rapidly.

3. The court messengers in Umuofia have tasks as to be the ones who tell and punish those who have sinned. Their decisions are of great power but not as great as those who governed Umuofia. The white men's ways of law denies any religion/faith one might have to intervene. Their decisions come by reasoning things logically and fairly. The Christians' actions only punish them selves for they are the only ones to blame for such foolish crimes. Punishment was done by imprisoning, hanging, or loss of money. When they punish someone it is for they have disobeyed the law, not because they have sinned. If a white man kills a snake it would be for self-protection but when a true Umuofian kills a snake, their punishment would be unheard of for it to this day, is so severe it's unknown. In Umuofia, their leaders would be men with titles and of great honor and importance. They would decide ones punishment by knowing what god had been "rudely awakened". They felt that by repaying what ever had gotten mistreated (most of the time being an object) be repaid with such value, as if it would had been able to strike/harm one back for their actions. The Umuofia's punishment was mainly done with violence and gore. If one committed suicide or caused a death, it would have been done by hangings. Umuofia citizens resolved everything by confronting their spirits and making them decide for such great actions. The reader could say the white men were complete opposites of the Umuofia people, one believing in logic and the other in spiritual guidance.

4. Obierka says it is already too late to drive the white man out of the land because they have already spread their religion so far that fighting against them would be like asking for a tragedy to come along their paths. Along with their new piece of land where they have become very powerful. They white men might have thought as to be cleaver because they first come as visitors, then as residents who only 'asked' for a piece of land to build their community. As for the Ibo people, they had no clue that the Christians would take that to their advantage and spread their Christianity as well as their government, soon becoming a problem. Later on demanding to stay and changing the ones who first let them stay. The Igbo might see Obierka as an honorable man, full of knowledge and past experiences. They seek to him for guidance and approval. When such new things happen in Umuofia, he sees them both as good and as bad things. Since he is one of the few living of his generation that has been apart of Umuofia's past, his experience with good things that have happened in Umuofia are abundant. As for when the white men have taken over, he now knows that these new changes were bound to happen. That Umuofia one day was going to change so that a new territory could make its way. So now that there is no possible way of retrieving Umuofia to normality, he now only has its memories of its history. For Obierka, Umuofia was the ending to a new and bigger beginning.

5. Mr. Brown through out Umuofia was respected by the clans. His logical way of thinking gave him ways to think things thoroughly and carefully with precision. Even though by the end of part 3 Mr. Brown was loosing his health, many still thought he had the best overall spiritual strength than others. His arguments never seized when he knew something wasn't being taken care of correctly. Some Igbo might have also seen him as a nice/good man, for he was always open for new learning and different customs. Even though Mr. Brown and Mr. Smith are both men of god, they are very different in their own ways. Mr. Smith is more of a simpler thinker, who at times is very determined to get his ways even though in the end it might not always go his way. His braveness only adds to the decision making of the Christian leaders to decide on the war. He speaks his mind, making what he thinks of anyone known just as everyone is well aware of his plans for the war. Mr. Smith also disapproves of anyone's beliefs if they do not join along his. Some can say that he relies on the district commissioners at times of desperation. In the discussion of Akunna along with Mr. Brown, it is known that all gods, send 'messengers', that take care of the smaller things that are to be worshiped. For the smaller things are apart of the bigger things that the one god once made. Enoch had ways of always starting fights, yet who new that his last argument would cause such great conflicts. One Sunday, Enoch dared to tell an egwugwu that they dare not touch a Christian, soon to be hit by their cane, he fell. Carrying along an egwugwu's mask. From then on, Umuofia had lost one of their ancestral spirits. With that loss, Okonkwo could not have held his anger any longer, and had decided to do something about the Christians and get his tribe to peace once again. Later on as Okonkwo figured he had no way of saving his fatherland, he took his life for he couldn't accept to see his fatherland be taken over so disgracefully. The thought that Umuofia was being over run by the Christians had the Ibo angered, but the Christians also knowing that the Igbo were planning to wipe them out, they held their ground with more power making it known that they were there to stay. Allowing both to start the beginning of an unending hostility.

6. Even though Okonkwo had followers that hated the white men as much as he did there were still many who disagreed with such hatred. Many felt that the whites' also helped the community become stronger. It gave a new meaning to the market and made it into a trading store giving palm oil and kernel more significance. Having those items worth more, money began to flow into Umuofia like never before. The people even gave the new religion some thought and started seeing and thinking equally as the Christians. From that day more and more people started joining in with the white men's activities, they also got in touch with their educational beliefs as well. The churches built their own classrooms beside each other so teaching could also be acknowledged within the Christina's ways. Once people started to go to school and actually learn, as the white men had guaranteed, it attracted more and more people. Soon not only children but also adults came to school. The schools had given many learners the opportunity to get better jobs and gain power towards other cities. Since the white men were showing others that what they had guaranteed had worked, it only made them stronger spiritually, and brought them closer as a community.

7. When the district commissioner showed up into Umuofia, the men did not think of it as any importance. When the district commissioner sent his sweet-tongued messenger to invite the six leaders of Umuofia for conversation with the commissioner himself, they seeing nothing bad agreed. The men fully armed arrived at the headquarters, feeling very welcomed they hung up their weapons to have a calm chat with the district commissioner. As he spoke he told the six men that he wanted to be informed with what had happened during his absence. Using it as a conversation starter to lure the men into his trap. Ogbuefi Ekwueme rose and before he began to speak, the commissioner brought in his men who he also wanted to "hear say "their side of the story." As soon as twelve men entered the courtroom, Ogbuefi E. began to speak his part of the story once again, speaking with such calmness. Without a moment to spare all six Umuofian leaders were handcuffed to the wall. Okonkwo's reaction was of pure hate. He hadn't seen it coming but knew some how that it was bound to have happen. He was disgusted for the white men, his enemy, had tricked him. All that passionate hate he had towards them had gathered up onto the messenger. With such anger he killed him, almost as to repay the white men for their harsh actions. Okonkwo later on knowing that the white men were soon to find out, made up his mind with the solution to the his problem. To hill himself, as he later on did. He knew that death was already awaiting him for his crime. The thought of Umuofia becoming such a distinct place drowned him in agony. In the end of the book Okonkwo had no one for comfort, and nothing to be proud of (towards himself). He didn't even have the respect he deserved as to be buried by strangers' hands. For it was looked down upon to his culture. Okonkwo being is a great example of a tragic hero because throughout his childhood he earned himself the fame and power that he worked hard for. Even though problems came his way he overcame them. If his life ended with such shame, his name still lived(s) on as a legend of Umuofia throughout his people.

8. The district commissioner would of had to use words of strength, power, honor, and anger to describe Okonkwo. He would of course start out with his childhood and how it soon lead him to prosperity. Then describing with details all the winnings and honorable titles he had tremendously won through his years. Leading into his marriages and many children. The conflicts leading into his death would be the last main sentences of the commissioner's detailed paragraph. The paragraph would inform the reader of Okonkwo's achievements and conflicts. Understanding how Okonkwo decided to end his life. One must say Okonkwo's complete life, couldn't be told correctly in a singe paragraph. Achebe made it his task to write an entire novel about such an honorable man. His lifetime achievements were to great to have been forgotten in comparison with such worthless subjects. That's why Achebe wrote a book telling Okonkwo's life living in Mbanta and Umuofia. He well understood that a man who at a point in his life, gained much honor as he did was not only a man, but a heroic legend. The life of any legend couldn't be well told even in a single book were to be written by the best writer. For some ones life's memories and learning's could have given a writer the inspiration to create hundreds of novels, plays, dramas, sculptures, paintings ect. and still not come close to telling some ones life as it really was in words. As the writer Achebe did a wonderful job of telling a man's life, but if he would write a book about your life, would he know every action you've made? Letting yourself be the judge, would a writer seeing your life in his own point of view, write a story so accurate as to have been your true life?

9. In the book written from Achebe, things all fell apart in ways that no one could really help but let happen. A small tribe was departed from their usual ways and style of living by strange outsiders who brought their religion. They quickly changed a totally stable religion. Economical changed also happened as well as providing a new way of protection, a government. Many lives had transferred with such determination that they didn't realize they were ignoring their spiritual guidance, that they lived by at one point of their lives. The Umuofian tribe got used to the fact in which their new neighbors had a better communication with a god then they had. The white men took advantage of their new location and one by one began to invite many to Christianity. The Christians had everything to gain from their well establishments, when the Ibgo decided to change, they put their Umuofia into the past. A major theme had to be that when one realizes a new living style, they also change what once formed them. Even though one's homeland ways bring comfort to one, others' way can also give new meaning to a happier future while still appreciating beloved home.

10. The Igbo culture found a language that suited their way of living as well as beliefs. Since many parts of the world are so diverse, one can see their distinct ways in any related places. As people change and migrate into different and new countries, so do their customs. As the African culture gave itself a new way of communicating and transforming itself as time changes. Any African culture has bits of ways to them that had once been apart of their African ancestors' way of living. Producing many of the language, terms, and slang words we hear even to this day and changing within time.