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This is an extension of our classroom. You will use this blog to communicate as a class, either in response to an assignment or in the aftermath of a seminar discussion when class flew by too quickly and there simply wasn't time to make all of your points. These posts are graded, and must use appropriate language.
Welcome to our class blog!
You should use this space for engaging in academic and school related conversations for which you will receive a grade. You should be respectful and intelligent in your posts. Treat this space, and what you say here, as if it were the classroom. Inappropriate, derogatory, and inflamatory remarks will not be tolerated.
About Me
- Ms. Soderquist
- That's me with Ishmael Beah at the writing workshop he taught with his mom, Laura Simms!
Night
Dante's Inferno
The event that I found most compelling was when Chielo comes to take Ezinma to see the Agbala. When Chielo entered the Okonkwo's home to take Ezinma to see him, everyone notices that she is acting very strange, not like the kind woman that she can be, but rather like the oracle. When she takes Ezinma to the caves, Ekwefi follows and so does Okonkwo, for fear that they might harm the girl. In the end though, Chielo brings her out of the cave and takes her back to the hut, and acts like nothing has happened. It seems strange to me why they would have wanted to take her there in the first place, if they were not going to kill her like Ekwefi thought. The I thought, that this could be foreshadowing a more important event to come later in the story.
ReplyDeleteWhen Chielo took Ezinma, I found it very compelling that Ekwefi follows Chielo despite her warnings. Since the oracles and the oracles messengers are held in ssuch high regards in Umuofia and Chielo warned Ezinma not to follow them, I found it shocking that Ezinma still follwed her daughter. She followed her maternal instinct rather than the cultural norm that would have been accepted. I also found it very compelling that Okonkwo expressed the same concern and hid by the cave to see when Ezinma came out that she got home alright, and that when Chielo came for Ezinma that she was defending her from being taken, and that he pleaded with Chielo to just let her rest since she had been sick. It seems that even people who follow their culture so closely will still follow their instinct when someone or something they truly love and care about is in potential danger.
ReplyDeleteSydni Arnett
I found it compelling when Chielo becomes Agbala. When she becomes Agbala she is no longer human;she has a mind of her own. I find it very interesting that she just comes to Okonknwo's house and takes Ezinma. She then carries Ezinma to nine villages on her back the whole way, which seems impossible. After running the whole night she brings Ezinma to the cave and then carries her out again on her back while Chielo laid on her stomach. Later on she finally returns Ezinma back to her home without saying a word. It was almost as if nothing had just happened. When Ekwefi follows Chielo in the woods, she becomes very afraid. However, she is unable to ask for the help and guidance on Chielo because she is Agbala at the moment, and she is not in a "human" state on mind. I find it very interesting that one can act normal during the day and then totally change at night
ReplyDeleteThe event that I found most compelling was after Ikemefuna's death that Okonkwo felt remorse for killing him. He was presented him as a brave, brutal man but after this incident you begin to see the real Okonkwo. After Ikemefuna's death he doesn't eat for two days, he sits in his hut and does nothing. He thinks of Ikemefuna and how he viciously murdered and is baffled by the fact that he did this. When he sits in his hut for those days you begin to see the sensitive and fatherly side of Okonkwo. Which is very different then he usually acts towards his wife and children. Although Okonkwo does not show this side of him very often, the compelling part was that the reader now knows that it exists.
ReplyDeleteWhen Ekwefi was trying to reverse her curse that kept killing her children, the answer was a cruel inhumane answer that i feel strongly about. Every child Ekwefi has given brith to has died, but she tries to enlist help to stop this curse. The man she goes to for help is convince the spirit keep revisiting her womb. The final decision was to not give her last dead child a burial, instead the man brutally stabbed the corpse and threw it into the woords. This act was done in the mind set that it was not only acceptable but a good idea! This clearly reflects the ideas in the culture that spirits do exist and they have such strong faith in the spirits and those medicine men that even the brutal stabbing of a woman;s dead child can seem acceptable and helpful.
ReplyDeleteThe character that I find most compelling is Ekwefi. Ekwefi is faced with her only daughter, Ezinma, becoming very ill, which must be very difficult for her because she has already lost many other children. Also, she has to watch Chielo come and take Ezinma away from her. When Chielo comes to take her, Ekwefi begs for her to let Enzinma stay and rest because of her illness, which shows the worry Ekwefis had of losing her daughter. As Chielo takes Ezinma to the caves, Ekwefi decides to follow after her to make sure that no harm is put on Ezinma. The bravery that Ekwefi displays in following Chielo to the caves truly shows how devoted she is to her daughter and the strive she has to keep Ezinma out of danger. The unconditional love that Ekwefi has for her daughter, Ezinma, is quite compelling to me.
ReplyDeleteThe event that I found most compelling was when Okonkwo felt sorrowful about the death of Ikmefuna. He laid around for multiple days and would not eat a thing.He could not believe that he actually killed him and he does not show his emotion because he does not want to feel weak.
ReplyDeleteThe most compelling event, in my opinion, was when Chielo came to take Ezinma away from Ekwefi. Even though she knows it may not be a safe thing to do, Ekwefi follows Chielo through the forest and waits for Ezinma at the mouth of the Cave. What surprised me was that okonkwo came to the Cave after a time as well. This shows Okonkwo's sympathetic side. Though he is a strong, and sometimes "mean-spirited" mad, this shows that he greatly cares for his child.
ReplyDeleteI think that the most compelling event was at the beginning of Chapter nine when Ekwefi woke Okonkwo because of Ezinma. Okonkwo was angry at first because it was the first time he had slept since killing Ikemefuna. However, as soon as he learned that Ezinma was sick he thought only of her. He then went about collecting what he needed to create the medicine for iba. This shows how much Okonkwo cares for Ezinma even though he tries to hide it.
ReplyDelete-Andy Durkee
The most compelling person in my eyes in Things Fall Apart is Okonkwo. He is a man that is presented as strong brave and sometimes cold hearted. However when his "son" Ikemefuna is killed Okonkwo is sadden and feels remorse for what has just occured. Okonkwo is so sadden about Ikemefuna's death that for two days straight he is in his house not eating anything but is there to let his sadness out. He wanted no one in his family to see the man of the house looking and feeling sad. looking and feeling sad made the man look weak, and he wanted nothing to do about looking weak to others. However like us, Okonkwo is human and like any other parent that lost its child subbcumbs to the pain and sadness of his sons death.
ReplyDeleteC.Dayal
The event I found most compelling was when Chielo takes Ezinma to see Agbala. Chielo was acting differentely, she was acting like the oracle. Chielo takes Ezinma to the caves and Ekwefi follows her. Ekwefi, thinking that she might lose her daughter because of her sickness, Chielo brings her out of the cave so she can rest. This is very compelling to me because it shows the bravery that Ezinma has and the love that Ekwefi shows to her daughter.
ReplyDeleteThe event that I thought was most compelling was the scene at court. The fact that the Evil Forest told the man to go back to his wife and practically beg for her to come back to him was astounding. this was interesting to me because women were often considered as property, and in this case, the man was begging for his wife to be with him.
ReplyDeleteI believe the most compelling event was the remorse okonkwo showed after killing ikemefuna. After the murder he does not eat for 2 days and just sits around doing nothing and thinking. this shows okonkwo felt bad about what he did and it shows a softer side to the tough okonkwo of the earlier chapters.
ReplyDeleteWhen Ezinma is taken to see Agbala, both her mother and Okonkwo become nervous. I found this event most compelling because once again Okonkwo shows true emotion. When Ikemfuna is killed Okonkwo shows his sorrows. He can not eat or sleep for days because he was so upset. When he thinks about losing his daughter he gets anxiety all over again. I think that it is compelling to see Okonkwo feel worried for Ezinma just as much as Ekwefi is.
ReplyDeleteThe most compelling event for me was when Okonkwo killed Ikemefuna. Ikemefuna was like an adopted son to Okonkwo. To be taken in and cared after for by the man than was soon to kill you is truly a touching event. I was rather suprised to see the sorrow that Okonkwo shows after the killing. Okonkwo comes off as a tough guy but here he shows us his softer side. It is a rather nice and reassuring feeling that such a seemingly harsh man can have feelings too. Due to this event i am more curious to see the actions of Okonkwo throughout the rest of the story.
ReplyDeleteThe character I founhd most compelling was Okankwo. Okonkwo is a brave boy who is faced with the challenges from his family, but is able to overcome greatly. He has seen things he should not have and experienced the same problems, but he has not let these things bother him.
ReplyDelete