The Second Coming
Ibo Culture
Style of the novel
Imagery
Proverbs
Folk Tales
Characters we meet
Questions to consider
1. Describe Unoka, Okonkwo’s father. How does Unoka shape Okonkwo’s character and actions?
2. Describe Okonkwo. Consider him as an Igbo heroic character: how does he work to achieve greatness as defined by his and culture? Does he have a tragic flaw? Think of Odysseus. Does Okonkwo has a balance of good and bad traits? How do we bring our present day morals and codes to Okonkwo's character?
F block
ReplyDeleteImagery: Helps the listener/reader to enter into the story that's being told. Helps to understand whats going on, gain a deeper understanding. Expects reader to be somewhat clueless about Ibo culture. Show culture to outsider in a realistic way.
Proverbs: sayings that have lessons behind them, representative of larger meaning, have moral meaning. "If a child washed his hands, he could eat with kings" (8). "An old woman is always uneasy when dry bones are mentioned" (21). "A man who pays respects to the great paves the way for his own greatness" (19). "A toad does not run in the day time for nothing" (20).
Folk Tales: Stories with lessons/morals used to pass down values. Uses metaphor.
F block:
ReplyDeleteOkonkwo: protagonist, son of Unoka, goal in life is to be exact opposite of his father, wants to be successful leader, wants respect from tribe, wrestler (threw the Cat).
Unoka: Okonkwo's father, failure, plays the flute, in debt, drinks, can't be trusted, lazy, gentle, dies of disease, coward.
Okoye: wealthy, tries to get money back from Unoka to gain title, good speaker, spoke using proverbs, successful, musician.
Nwakibie: Wealthy guy with lots of wives, good farmer, one of the highest titles in the village
Ikemefuna: from Mbaino, sacrifice for the murder of Ibo woman, lives with Okonkwo, Nwoye's mother (okonkwo's wife) takes him in as her own.
Nwoye's mother:
Nwoye: Okonkwo's son, lazy, sad faced youth, very similar to Unoka in Okonkwo's eyes.
G Block
ReplyDeleteImagery: Makes the reader more connected to the people and the place in the novel. Makes writing more interesting rather than repeating ideas. Makes the writing more visual, allows reader to picture things. Sets the tone.Helps gain a deeper understanding of the scene or the way people live. p. 11, p. 4
Proverbs: phrase that imparts some greater knowledge about a culture, culturally specific, offers guidance, teaches values. "A toad does not run in the day time for nothing" (20). "The lizard that jumped from the highest Iroko tree to the ground said he would praise himself if no one else did" (21). "An old woman is always uneasy when dry bones are mentioned" (21). "Eneke the bird says that since men have learned to shoot without missing, he has learned to fly without perching" (22). "The sun will shine on those who stand before it shines on those who kneel under them" (8). "A proud heart can survive a general failure because suc a failure does not prick its pride" (24-25). "When the moon is shining the cripple becomes hungry for a walk" (10).
Folk Tales: Stories with a common moral, fables, passes down through oral tradition, told to teach morals and culture.
G block
ReplyDeleteOkonkwo: protagonist, big brute, hot headed, strong, wrestler (beat The Cat), resents his father, is prosperous, impatient, farmer, entire life dominated by fear of failure.
Unoko: Okonkwo's father, failure according to Okonkwo, plays the flute, doesn't repay his debts, had some wisdom to share, simple man, lazy, doesn't want a lot out of life.
Priestess: reads the oracle
Imekefuna: A boy of 15 from Mbaino, given to Okonkwo to care for, taken care of by Nwoye's mother
Nwoye: Okonkwo's eldest son