English

Things Fall Apart.
First Reading Journal:

The first chapter, in my opinion is a great introduction to the main character and the setting. The fact that Okonkwo is described as a violent character, could be a sign that this is his fatal flaw, and the detonator of the tragedy that is yet to come.

Okonkwo's father is also mentioned. The fact that this childhood issue, of the disappointment in his father is brought up could be the way the author tries to justify and/or explain the character's personality, this includes his flaws. The character of his father, Unoka, is presented as a person with flaws and virtues. The description of this character could also be an indicator of the way our main character Okonkwo is going to turn out to be. Because he feels such recentment towards his father, one can consider the possibility of Okonkwo being the exact opposite of Unoka. The fact that he had such poverty as a child contrasts with his way of living in the present ( according to the book) "his wife and children had barely enough to eat" (p.4) *talking about Unoka*.

The setting is also presented nicely in the first chapter. The living enviroment is specified as a hut "pointing at the far wall of his hut" (p.6).The fact that they live in huts, and the tradition of wrestling, mentioned at the begining of the chapter, can give the reader a clear view or idea of the enviroment that surround Okonkwo.
Questions:
1. Consider gender roles the community and discuss the status and expectations of women and men:

What I can observe from the community in which the story takes places, is the fact that is in its mayority male centered. The men in the community have the role of providers and leaders of the village and the household. This position of power, allows men to develop quite a sexist attitude and view themselves as superior to women.  The men of this village are pressured and there is much expected from them. This is why Okonkwo is so disappointing by his father. Laziness is quite frowned upon in this community

The male role in the village, is the one of a provider. This can be appreciated through Okonkwo's way of living. He plants the yams and is in charge of feeding his family. Even though his family helps him, he is the one in charge. An example of this, is the fact that all of his three wives cook for him. Each one cooks one meal, and he eats all of them. This shows that they tend to him, and serve him in which ever way they can, which is a clear indicator of power in the household.

The male characters are also quite sexist, as mentioned before. This is proved by their attitude towards the female characters, as through the fact that polygamy is acceptable for men, but unthinkable for women. Even more so, the fact that a man had multiple wives, made him a richer man, in a way implying that women are objects. "There was a wealthy man in Okonkwo's village, who had three huge barns, nine wives and thirty children" (p.15) In the quote, the intention is clear, because the wives and the children are listed next to the man's farms or wealth.

2. How does the novel meet the author's aim of portraying a vision of pre- colonial Nigeria?

The novel serves as quite a good indicator of the reality of this African village before the colonization. The enviroment in which the characters are positioned by the author, the realities surrounding them as well as the traditions of these people help the reader paint a picture of this ancient community

The story takes place in a village, Umofia, which is surrounded by more villages. The way the characters live is also important. They don't have proper houses, they live in huts, which they call "obis" " Enzima took it to him in his obi" (p.33). This allows the reader to get a deeper understanding of the time in history the story develops in. The huts, the harvesting, and the villages paint a rural community, in a pre- technological time. Another element which helps, are the traditions. The New Yams Festival is mentioned, as a holiday of their religion, some sort of new years for them. The way the women get ready, and the excitement of the village shows the culture of these people. " They had drawn patterns on them in white, green and yellow" (p.28). In the quote the preparations for the festival are mentioned, showing a little bit of the traditions in this village, and portraying the reality.


Part 2 Reading Journal:

Okonkwo's exile, is heart breaking for him, because of all the time he spend making a name for himself in Umuofia. His life purpose had been to gain the respect and power his father was never able to accomplish inside the clan. His soul wish was to obtain all of the titles available in his clan. All of the effort and suffering he has gone through is in vain once he is exiled. " His life had been ruled by one great passion-to become a lord of the clan"(p.96). Okonkwo thinks he has been forsaken by his personal chi, because no matter how much work he put into his life in Umuofia he had still been cased away, as if he was nothing to them. Although he feels accepted in Mbanta, he has lost the will to work hard, to get recognition "Work for him no longer had the pleasure it used to have" (p.96) The quote shows he has lost the hunger for success that used to characterize him.

When the missionaries first come to try to convert the villagers in Mbanta,Nwoye is captivated by this new religion, which is a complete opposite from the pagan religion in which he has been raced. The aspect that shocks him the most, is the fact that his new religion treats aspects such as the disposal of twins or human sacrifices as sins. The fact that catholisism frowns upon the unnecessary assassination of human beings is an important aspect in the conversion of Nwoye, because of the death of Ikemefuna. " It was the poetry of the new religion(...) the question of the twins crying in the bush and the question of Ikemefuna who was killed" (p.108) The quote shows the literal thoughts going throught Nwoye's mind while listening to the words of the catholics.  Nwoye tries to hide his appreciation for the new faith, because he is frightened by how his father will react. " He dared not go near the missionaries in fear of his father"(p.110) In the quote,one can appreciate that Nwoye still fears the reaction of his father. This shows that there's still some amount of respect for the father figure of Okonkwo.

Okonkwo's relationship with Nwoye changes completely in part 2 of the book. The presence of the catholic missionaries is the detonator of this drastic change in their dynamic. Once his father learns about Nwoye's religious tendencies, the bond is broken forever. "¨how is your father¨Obierika asked(...)¨I don't know, he is not my father¨said Nwoye, un happily" (p.105) the quote shows that the comunication is completely cut off, between Okonkwo and his son, and this unpleases Nwoye.

My prediction for the end of the book, is a confrontation between the missionaries and the villagers. The foundations for said confrontation are already grounded. The altercations between the catholics and the villagers are already starting to stir up. An example is the rumor of the killing of the sacred python, and the extreme reaction of the clansmen. I predict that the power of the missionaries will grown continuously, when they start obtaining more followers. Their power will not only be religious, but maybe even political. I believe they have been sent to gain the trust of the clansmen and throught religion they will spread out their political ideas. Once the mayority of the clan is on board with the presence of the missionaries, white men will come to conquer them, once and for all, leading up to an epic confrontation. I also predict that once Okonkwo goes back to Umuofia, it won't be the same. I believe it will be full of missionaries, just as Mbanta was.

Literary Wold's Visit: First Impressions

The images viewed in the website and the way the village was distributed, gave me mixted impressions. On one it did include every space mentioned in the novel, but on the other hand when I pictured it in my mind there was a much more compact distribution of houses and overall spaces in the village. Another factor that didn't coincide with the way I imagined it would be, was the pictures. In the website the photographs were taken in black and white giving the images a dark tone. When I thought of the village, I always imagined a colorful, vibrant palet.

I visited the cave mostly, but it didn't seem as scary to me as it would be in a different situation, specially considering that the villagers are quite superstiscious. The image I examinated was the man with the mask, protesting against the missionaries. The fact that he covered up his face made me think of the protests that take place nowadays, and the meaning of this embelished mask.

I thought, the village was quite faithful to the overall description presented in the book. The descriptions of each character was useful, because of the unusual names, sometimes its hard to remember which character is which. The visit was successful in my opinion and I would visit the page again to browse around the village even more.

http://www.literaryworlds.wmich.edu/umuofia/umuofiamap.html

Character: Enzima

My character, Enzima, is the daughter of Okonkwo, the main character. Because of the society she lives in, her priorities revolve around the role a woman is supposed to play in the community that surrounds her, like attending to her father, taking his food, obeying him, etc. But, because of her personality, which is quite similar to her father’s, being hard-working, perseverant and astute are also important parts of her personality.

My character has a very strong relationship with her father. Okonkwo, that in most cases shows a very strong opinion about gender roles, makes an exception when its about his daughter. As a man, Okonkwo believes that men are far superior to women in all aspects, but Enzima is different for him. He even expresses his wish of her being a man, so she could be his heir, because he sees his son Nwoye unable to honor his legacy.

Enzima stands on the side lines, regarding the changes in the village. Unlike her brother Nwoye she doesn’t disobey her father, more so, she connects with him even further during his exile. She becomes a really beautiful woman, and is courted by several men of Mbanta, but she refuses, because her father asks her to do so.

The relationship of Enzima and Okonkwo is one of the strongest in the novel. She reacts rapidly when she knows her father has been incarcerated, and leaves her husband’s family in order to go see if something is being done to safe him.

Women of Umuofia: Opinion on Missionaries
We, the women of Umuofia, think the white missionaries should compromise and settle for whatever we offer. They came into our land, causing damage and destruction. Its obvious that our gods are angry and want revenge upon those who doesn't stop them. We offer them the oportunity to stay, but they shall remain in their side of the village, and stop trying to convert the clansmen into their twisted religion. If they choose not to accept this, they must leave. If they refuse this as well, then war is imminent, and our clansmen will show no mercy.

Visit to Umuofia- Virtual Portal

My impression of the virtual portal was quite a positive one. I had fun, talking to the other characters  and channeling the traits of the character that was assigned to me. It helped me understand a bit more of the personalities of the characters, because of the interpretation of the other people in the online portal. It was a good experience, for the most part. I found the techonological side a bit confusing, considering that the outline of the village was a bit random, and I wasn't quite sure which path lead to what destiny. It was still a minor misshave.

Sympathy :The poem Sympathy, is quite a touching and profund literary text. The style used by the author, Paul Dunbar, is oriented to emotionally captivate the reader and influence their point of view, as a form of pathos.

The first stanza, con concentrates on the aspects that the caged bird craves, and cannot have. The author uses imagery, to paint the picture of nature and freedom, which the caged bird desperately wants. “When the wind stirs soft through the springing grass “ The author present the ideal environment for the caged bird, and the contrast between those who can get what they want, and the incapability of the caged bird to be free. The presence of the chorus at the end of the stanza, is repeated throughout the poem

The second stanza has a darker tone to it. Emotive language is used to show case the imprisonment of the caged bird, and the torture he endures while being trapped and denied of its freedom. The pain of the caged bird becomes obvious in this stanza. “And a pain still throbs in the old, old scars “ The use of repetition remarks the fact that the pain the bird experiences is familiar to him, but it doesn’t fade,  no matter the time. The fact that the author states “he knows why the cage bird sings” means that he has experienced that pain himself, and understands.

The desperate cry for freedom, the caged bird sings, is another form of emotive language, causing pathos in the reader, and presenting a hopeful bird, that wishes his plea would or be heard, someday. The author uses adjectives and description “ It is not a carol of joy or glee”. Heaven is also presented as a symbol of comfort and faith, because its stated the the bird hopes his cry will be heard in heaven.

 The poem represents an extended metaphor, representing the oppressed population as the caged bird. The poem possess 3 stanzas, each contains 7 verses each, including the chorus. The rhyme scheme, is constant, with consonant rhyme.

Characters in the novel so far:
The characters presented in the novel are Grandma Henderson, Uncle Willie, Bailey and Marguerite

Grandma Henderson, is Marguerite's onlyr maternal figure, due to the fact that her mother shipped her of to where she lives. She is presented as a hard working lady, with strong values and that holds a house hold while she attends to her son who has a disability. She is really religious and level-headed. 

Uncle Willie,as mentioned before has a disability, but he works hard on disciplining Marguerite and Bailey. He was strong headed and proud, but also sensitive towards others and  himself "He was also proud and sensitive" p.10. He tries to seem as if his disability doesnt affect him, but others realize he struggles. 

Bailey, is Marguerites brother, and her source of support. He her companion and every important aspect in her life, includes him. His sister worships him, and loves him over everyone and everything. "I loved more than anything in the world, except Bailey". 

Marguerite is an insecure young girl, that isn't happy about her appearance or her black skin. She is shy and embarrassed of who she is. "If growing up is painful enough for the Southern Black girl, being aware of her displacement is the rust on the razor that threatens the throat" p.3. She knows she has the disadvantage of being black, as she views it, but being as awkward as she is is even more terrifying. Her dream is being white and she hopes one day she will wake up to find that to be true. 

The society in ST. Louis is portrayed as a typical southern environment  It is quite segregated and the image of the white person is glorified. " I was gonna look like one of the sweet little white girls who were everybody's dream" p.1. Black culture is present, as so are culture, such as religion, which is quite an important part of people's life in the South. The church they attend is called " Colored Methodist Episcopal Church" p.1 The fact that they attend a different church from white people, marks the difference between caucasian and African American.

Reflection

 The book I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by the American author, Maya Angelou can be described as a harmonious hybrid between the genres of autobiography, memoir and novel. The mixture of text types creates a dynamic, fluent experience for the reader. The topic treated in this literary piece revolve around segregation for the African American race, midst 1960’s, and the theme of agency, which means the capacity to control the situation you are presented with considering your personal wisdom. The literary, almost poetical way in which this themes are treated make this book a complete, interesting text. The author uses literary devices such as description, imagery and emotional language to narrate the story from the main character’s point of view, while taking the reader through Maya’s growth process.

I personally found this book to be a deep, reflective and meaningful book. It contains such a strong message for any kind member of society. It teaches important values such as courage, self-worth, strength, equality and s beating stereotypes  through Maya’s misfortunes and achievements. It’s a relatable, endearing book, which causes the reader to become hooked on the text. It was also easily understandable, without being too simple, and a rich analysis subject in both theme and technique aspects. The description of the society surrounding Maya is quite accurate, and the conflict between races portrayed give the book an angle from which the author criticizes which she believes is fair or unfair in the time and place in which she grew up. 

Hamlet Analysis - Femenist Critism

The following text will be a feminist- oriented analysis on Shakespeare’s classic play Hamlet. Said critical essay will be focused on the female characters presented on Acts 1 and 2, the description given of such characters and the way in which they can be interpreted from a feminist point of view.

Act I presents the two main, and possibly only female characters of the play; Ophelia and Gertrude in a demeaning and inferior way, when comparing to the male characters of the play. Ophelia is portrayed as an innocent, naïve teenage girl, who bends her will gladly to please the male characters that surround her, Laertes and Polonius, her brother and father. “Perhaps he loves you now, but now no soil nor cautel doth besmirch the virtue of his will” The quote presented, is an extract of the dialogue between Ophelia and Laertes in which he expresses that Hamlet’s proclaimed affections towards Ophelia may prove to be volatile and fleeing. By feeling like he has a need to warn Ophelia, Laertes expresses his opinion on his sister in an indirect way. The fact that her own brother feels the urge to advise her against taking any kind of action shows that she is perceived as an incapable human being.  This idea is also reinforced by the way in which Polonius treats Ophelia, and controls her every move. “Affection? Pooh, you speak like a green girl” The term “green” in these circumstances refers to the lack of experience or capability to make a decision. Polonius use of language is quite dry and direct. He uses the word “girl” in an almost humiliating tone, which is also connected to the use of a rhetorical question. Both are aspects that allow Polonius to mortify and degrade Ophelia. The language use also is an important factor that determines the way in which Ophelia is perceived throughout the play. “I shall obey, my Lord”. The quote presented shows the submissive and passive way in which Ophelia reacts to her father’s commands. Because the language Ophelia uses is limited and reserved, the characters shows that she has no freedom to speak her mind or even express more than a couple of syllables. This, once more, contributes to the inferior and compliable way that the feminine figure is portrayed.

Gertrude is presented as a concerned and warm figure at the beginning of the play. This can be appreciated through her encounter with Hamlet during Claudius’s coronation. “Good Hamlet, cast thy night colour off, and let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark”. The passage from the original text shows the caring nature of Gertrude, due to the fact that she is concerned for her son’s wellbeing and urges him to become part of the family once again by returning to Denmark. Gertrude’s vocabulary is rich and colorful, which shows a high degree of education. While contrasting the interesting use of vocabulary on both female characters presented, one can appreciate the large scale generalization that is being made. While Ophelia represents the upper class ideal maiden, Gertrude is the personification of royalty. Because of the freedom that Gertrude possesses it’s safe to assume that her opinions and ideas are feely accepted because she wears the crown.

On Act II, Ophelia’s character takes a bigger role on the play itself. Her interaction with Hamlet and her active role in Polonius and Claudius’s schemes to figure out what’s the real problem with Hamlet, show the feminine figure as a peon of a male-centric regime that doesn’t hesitate to use women as means to an end. This is another exteriorization of the misogynist and dominant way in which women are put in second place over male ambitions and ideals.

Gertrudes characters on Act II, is much more complex than at the beginning. The truth about Old Hamlet’s death is now out in the open, which changes the original opinion the audience or reader may have developed about Gertrude, drastically. The fact that Old Hamlet’s ghost doesn’t even try to get Hamlet to impose his revenge on her as well, dismisses her as a character. Because of the new knowledge on Gertrude’s character the perspective one may have on her changes drastically and instead of representing a powerful woman, with morals