Perfect Character A Delusion or Reality

In the novel Animal Farm, the hope for a better world remains unattainable. Even with the change of governance, the animals are eventually mistreated. How is it possible that the longing for good can turn awry when the person is in power for long?

In the case of Okonkwo, he is not painted as someone who is without fault. In fact, he is in many ways a tragic hero. Neither is he a person who is evil despite his part in killing Ikemefuna. Based on your understanding of him in the novel, reflect on the following questions:


1. How has Okonkwo been a figure of inspiration and disappointment to his people?

    First, Okonkwo is being the source of inspiration for being a man who had defeated Amalinze the Cat. Thus, he has earn his respect from the people and proved to be more worthy than his father Unoka. Besides that he is also being the source of inspiration for his bravery in upholding their beliefs. For example is the killing of Ikemefuna. Although Okonkwo began to feel Ikemefuna as his own son, he still priorities his culture and tradition by maintaining the ritual of sacrificing Ikemefuna. On the other hand, Okonkwo is also a figure of disappointment to his people when he actually breaks the tradition during the “Week of Peace”. During that week, one must never commit any violence. However Okonkwo happened to beat his wife Ojiego for not preparing food for him. This has indirectly made him as a figure of disappointment. Besides that, at the end of the novel, Okonkwo was appeared to be a disappointment when he actually raised his machete and cut the head messenger of the Commissioner. All the other people started to whisper among them about his action because his action has indirectly cause a severe consequence, which is declaring war between the Igbo society and the Commissioner. 

2. What are the characteristics of Okonkwo that you can find in your nation’s leader?

    One of the characteristics of Okonkwo that I can find in my previous nation’s leader, YAB Allahyarham Tunku Abdul Rahman is good sense of leadership. One of the main principles in becoming a leader is to uphold the culture and tradition above everything. YAB Allayarham Tunku Abdul Rahman, he was the first Malaysian Prime Minister.For example, in his party (UMNO), he protects and preserves the right of Malay people during the British colonisation. This can also be seen in Okonkwo where he priorities his culture and belief by sacrificing Ikemefuna though he began to consider Ikemefuna as his own son. Besides that, the second characteristic is bravery to fight for freedom. YAB Allahyarham Tunku Abdul Rahman is also known as the “Father of Independence”.  He fought for the nation’s independence and protecting his people from being colonized by the British through peaceful negotiation. This is similar to Okonkwo who tries to protect his people from being colonized by the British and influenced by the Christianity.  The only thing that differs between both of them is that Okonkwo tried to protect his people through violence while YAB Allahyarham Tunku Abdul Rahman tried to free his people through peaceful negotiation. 

Reflection Question 2

Karl Marx, one commented that "religion is the opium of the people". Do you agree with him? In the case Umuofia, do you think their native religion stunts their development? Is the "new" religion seen as a way of bringing development to Umuofia?

Apart from religion, superstitions play an important part in the Ibo culture. Do you have your own sets of superstitions which you find difficult to discard?

The following points can help you as you write your reflective post on the role of religion and superstition in the novel and in your life:

• ·         Analyze how superstitions and religions play in the life described in the novel.
• ·         Do superstitious beliefs and religion affect the development of a country? How?
• ·         How do one's beliefs affect the nation in terms of politics and culture?

          Karl Marx said that religion is the opium of the people. Is that true? For me, its question me back. Opium is a kind of drug that actually an extraction of a plant called poppy. And this kind of drug can be used in a good way, for example, in the industry of medicine, this powerful juices help people to reduce pain and sleep. But in the wrong way, people can use it to get ‘high’ and addicted to it. So, its questioned me back whether Marx said state that ‘religion is a good thing for people’ or ‘religion is a bad thing for people’. For me, religion is a good thing for people but culture sometime can be a bad thing for people. Religion and culture is not the same. Religion is the belief in the existence of god or gods ad activities that are connected to worship them. While culture is simply customs, beliefs and way of life that are not connected to the god.

           I believe that the native religion able to stunts their development. With the gender differences mind set and the people-killing taboo, of course the society won't develop. And Christianity is what I believe, the savior of the people at that particular time. With the changes they brought in, people will live in harmony where blood spilling is no longer allowed and women can also help men in planting yam. Besides, in Christian, no one will be neglected or outcasted, twins are allowed to live and sick people can die peacefully on their bed, not in the forest.

         For me, my religions and my culture did not offer any sets of superstitions which I find difficult to discard. And I am happy to live with it. Superstitions and religions play important roles in the life that described in the novel probably because people at that time is not exposed to the media mass compare with us today. Media mass able to act as agent that fuels us to do things without the limitation of religions and culture.

Reflection Question 1

Based on your reading (gender differences), reflect on how these women are treated in the novel. The following questions can help you as you write your reflective piece:

• How are the women treated in the novel? Do all members in the community agree with the status quo? Why?
• What contributions are made by the Igbo women to the survival of their culture?
• What are the changes in the women's roles in this present world?

Based on the novel we discussed entitled ‘Things Fall Apart’, by ‘Chinua Achebe’, I discovered how women are treated. They are treated like they are owned by a man. Once you able to ‘buy’ or afford a woman, then it's all yours. You can even beat them if they are making mistakes to show that a man possessed a greater power over a woman. In this novel, Okonkwo beats up his third wife, Ojiugo for being late to prepare meal. Probably, not all of his members in the community agree with the status quo because it is unfair to receive such treatment. But women mostly decided just to follow the mindset of the people at that time and just obey the their culture. But still some women possessed a higher position in the society such as Ezeani, the priest of the goddess of earth. Even Okonkwo, the great warrior bow to her. In order to preserve the survival of the culture, the women tend to just follow the every rule and taboos inside the culture itself. Even it crushed their dreams. For example is the twin killing. Women prefer just to do what they are asked to do without complaining.

Now, women have changed. They no longer sit under the pressure of men and culture. They are free to do or to choose whatever they wanted to do. Compared to the Igbo’s time, only men allowed to plant because it represents the manliness and manhood. Today, women can plant anything they like in their backyard. Besides, in the Igbo’s culture, when Okonkwo accidentally killed a kid, it was mentioned that "The crime [of killing Ezeudu's son] was of two kinds, male and female. Okonkwo had committed the female, because it had been inadvertent. He could return to the clan after seven years." We can see here that they even have gender differentiation in Igbo classification of crimes.  Okonkwo fled to the land of his mother, Mbanta, because a man finds refuge with his mother. And the last point is that Okonkwo and his family are required to go to his motherland. Why motherland? It is because they believe that if you are happy, you must go to your fatherland, but if you sad or sorrow, you must go to your motherland. It's just similar to what happened to a child, when they happy and proud of something, they will do and share with his father. But if they are happened to be bullied there, they intend to go and tell their mother. Now a day, whether you are happy or mad, you can go anywhere and no one would even care.