Blog Post #2 - Things Fall Apart

Well, that last half of the book was quite the ride. I'm going to talk about the parts in the book that stood out most for me (and the fact they remind me most of Ong's book). First that caught my eye is the folk stories that the woman swap with their children. There is no written books or documents to read from, but they pass on tales through word of the mouth. In the story that Ekwefi told Ezinma, a turtle attempts to reach to the sky and eat with the birds. The story emphasizes on the turtle's cleverness and his "sweet tongue". He made it up to the sky with his words and "was soon chosen as the man to speak for the party because he was a great orator". It seems that there is no trace at all of writing or literacy in their culture, as their folk tale is based all around the skill of orality.

Later in the book Ezinma is kidnapped by the priestess, who was chanting madly to her god. Ekwefi was deathly frightened for her child and ran after them. However she was in reconnaissance and did not want to be seen. Even then, when Ezinma sneezes her mother whispered "Life to you." I LOVE THIS. Think about it, they haven't fully conformed to the ways of the Christians, so "Bless you" does not exist for them. I just have to say that I love "life to you" so much. It's lovely. No attachment to Christianity.

Now the last part of the book is when things truly falls apart. In the end, Christianity had gained the upper hand and not only did they bring religion, but also government. However neither of these bodes well for the village. The book says that they appreciate the things that they brought such as the trading posts. However, when Mr. Brown came into town, he convinced (frightened) the village people to send their children to his school to learn. It described Mr. Brown as someone who listened and understood more than his successor, and the people liked him enough. However, in the book it says that "Mr. Brown learned a good deal about the religion of the clan and he came to the conclusion that a frontal attack on it would not succeed". He may have been a listener, but not for the right reasons. Eventually his school and presence in the village began to take effect, people began going to the school and new churches began rising up. The quote "From the very beginning religion and education went hand in hand" really raises some interesting insights, if the people wanted anything that can benefit them, they have to do it with a God attached. Moreover, not their own. The way Christianity spread was through what appeared to be out of pure good faith from humans to a quest to conquer "primitive" lands with God.

Orality is important in Okonkwo's village. He was talking to Obierika when this popped up.
"Does the white man understand our custom about land?"
"How can he when he does not even speak our tongue?"
The Christians were never interested in cooperating with the natives, instead they came with the purpose to conquer and "help" the "savages". If they had, like Obierika says, then they would have learned to speak their tongues, rather than hire interpreters to speak for them.

Another thing to note, is that as a literate culture, although they see themselves as higher up than Okonkwo's oral culture, Okonkwo shows frustration with their haughtiness. "One of the most infuriating habits of these people was their love of superfluous words". It's pretty much true to this day, I believe, the more we become literate, the more we find ourselves finding intelligence connected with vocabulary, essentially, superfluous words. Is this true though? I can't say.

Last thing I want to talk about, is the Commissioner, his thoughts in the end is definitely an insight for things to come: imperialism and colonialism. "The story of this man who had killed a messenger and hanged himself would make interesting reading"..."He had already chosen the title of the book, after much thought" The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger". I feel that these are the first of the many books to come where it convinces its Christian readers that they are the superior religion, superior people, and they have the power to change primitive tribes to fit their mold.