One of the first things I took notice of when I started reading "Things Fall Apart" is that it is very much a patriarchal society that is displayed in this book. There is a strong separation between men and women, especially shown through the treatment of wives. This separation is not only evident between men and women but also between men and children. Okonkwo best displays this relationship with his three wives and many children. Obviously our culture and society runs in a much more different manner, and while I found some difference very interesting, I found others pretty shocking. A prime example being how people blindly follow what the oracles say, as it can lead to gruesome outcomes best shown when Okonkwo kills Ikefuma because it was prophesied. While I don't necessarily agree with some of the cultural beliefs it's important to still be tolerant, which leads to me my next point, Diana Aker Rhoads essay. She mentioned that the Umofian people being tolerant of other cultures is prevalent throughout the book, the following passage displays it very well.
Passage Analysis:
"But what is good in one place is bad in another place"
This very short spoken passage by Obierikas elder brother displays that while the people of Umofia can be critical of other clans and their traditions, they are still tolerant of their cultures though they might not be the same as theirs. This directly relates to the point in Diana Aker Rhoads essay, that the Umofian's are tolerant of other cultures.
First Glance:
Overall, the book is pretty good, at least so far. I've already managed to learn a lot about the Umofian people as details about their culture, society and economy have developed greatly of the course of the book. To say the least, their culture and belief system is vastly different from ours, which can be a good and bad thing at the same time.
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