Okonkwo

Why does Achebe choose a tragic hero for his protagonist in his colonial counter narrative? 

I think the reason that Achebe chooses a tragic hero for his protagonist in his colonial counter narrative because he wanted to show cultural value and practice of Igbo people. As we can see from the beginning of the story that Okonkwo’s desire was to be successful which he gradually achieved along the story. However along the way to his goal, which to gain his title in the clan – considered to be a hero of the village, he had to pass my challenges such as death of Ikemefuna. Igbo’s society practice is mostly based on the power of masculinity, showing and acting strong without any fear – as a fierce warrior. Death of Ikemefuna did actually interrupt Okonkwo’s journey to be a hero in his clan. Okonkwo did show some of his weaknesses which was usually not accepted by Igbo’s culture. Meanwhile talking about colonial counter within the story along with tragic hero – Okonkwo, I think Achebe wanted to express his thought and idea about colonization through this particular character. Achebe used Okonkwo as a tool to act and resist European colonizer, which perhaps portrays Achebe’s feeling. At the same time Okonkwo was to pursue his journey to gain title or the clan, which he had to follow Igbo’s culture, tradition and practice in order to receive the name, but his hero journey as well as Igbo’s tradition was stopped and disrupted by European. Achebe wanted to show the cultural and political system of Igbo’s culture where we can see that everyone is packed and built the culture. By using Okonkwo’s hero journey, it shows that the destruction of African culture was something that cannot be accepted. The suicide of Okonkwo shows Achebe’s notion that African tradition culture was gone at the same time when Okonkwo died because Okonkwo was a character that strongly obey and believe in his own culture. His death means that there is no one to resist colonization – lost of Igbo culture. Hence, I think Achebe is trying to represent African culture though Okonkwo’s action.

How does Achebe use Okonkwo to develop specific themes in Things Fall Apart?

I think the most obvious theme in Things fall apart is colonization, collapse of culture and acceptance. Achebe used Okonkwo to encounter the theme of culture where we see that Okonkwo strongly believe and obey in Igbo practice. He believes everything from the way used to gain title, oracle, and tradition believe about killing clansman. Meanwhile, the theme of colonization and acceptance is perhaps merged because Okonkwo didn’t accept European colonizers at all. Okonkwo is used to show that colonization is harsh and tough to accept especially for people who strongly believe in their culture. Okonkwo also provides the other perspective of colonization that if the colonizers come with peace, they might conquer and change local’s notion easily. However they did not come with peace in the story, therefore it is hard to accept because losing culture is hard to grant. 

Paper #1 Speech Analysis

 Elizabeth Glaser

1992 Democratic National Convention Address

I'm Elizabeth Glaser. Eleven years ago, while giving birth to my first child, I hemorrhaged and was transfused with seven pints of blood. Four years later, I found out that I had been infected with the AIDS virus and had unknowingly passed it to my daughter, Ariel, through my breast milk, and my son, Jake, in utero.

Twenty years ago I wanted to be at the Democratic Convention because it was a way to participate in my country. Today, I am here because it's a matter of life and death. Exactly – Exactly (ANAPHORA) four years ago my daughter died of AIDS. She did not survive the Reagan Administration. I am here because (DIACOPE) my son and I may not survive four more years of leaders who say they care, but do nothing. I -- I am in a race with the clock. This is not about being a Republican or an Independent or a Democrat (METAPHOR). It's about the future -- for each and every one of us.

I started out just a mom -- fighting for the life of her child. But along the way I learned how unfair America can be today, not just for people who have HIV, but for many, many people -- poor people, gay people (PARALLELISM), people of color, children. A strange spokesperson for such (ALLITERATION) a group: a well-to-do white woman. But I have learned my lesson the hard way, and I know that America has lost her path and is at risk of losing her soul. America wake up: We are all in a struggle between life and death.

I understand -- I understand (ANAPHORA) the sense of frustration and despair in our country, because I know firsthand about shouting for help and getting no answer. I went to Washington to tell Presidents Reagan and Bush that much, much more had to be done for AIDS research and care, and that children couldn't be forgotten. The first time, when nothing happened, I thought, "They just didn't hear me." The second time, when nothing happened, I thought, (ANTISTROPHE) "Maybe I didn't shout loud enough." But now I realize they don't hear because they don't want to listen.

When you cry for help and no one listens, you start to lose your hope. I began to lose faith in America. I felt my country was letting me down -- and it was. This is not the America I was raised to be proud of. I was raised to believe that other's problems were my problems as well. But when I tell most people about HIV, in hopes that they will help and care, I see the look in their eyes: "It's not my problem," they're thinking. Well, it's everyone's problem and we need a leader who will tell us that. We need a visionary to guide us -- to say it wasn't all right for Ryan White (ALLITERATION) to be banned from school because he had AIDS, to say it wasn't alright for a man or a woman to be denied a job because they're infected with this virus. We need a leader who is truly committed to educating us.

I believe in America (ANAPHORA),, but not with a leadership of selfishness and greed -- where the wealthy get health care and insurance and the poor don't. Do you know -- Do you know (HYPOPHORA) how much my AIDS care costs? Over 40,000 dollars a year (LOGOS). Someone without insurance can't afford this. Even the drugs that I hope will keep me alive are out of reach for others. Is their life any less valuable? Of course not (HYPOPHORA). This is not the America I was raised to be proud of -- where rich people get care and drugs that poor people can't. We need health care for all. We need (ANAPHORA) a leader who will say this and do something about it.

I believe in America (ANAPHORA), but not a leadership that talks about problems but is incapable of solving them -- two HIV commission reports with recommendations about what to do to solve this crisis sitting on shelves, gathering dust (METAPHOR). We need a leader who will not only listen to these recommendations, but implement them.

I believe in America(ANAPHORA),, but not with a leadership that doesn't hold government accountable. I go to Washington to the National Institutes of Health and say, "Show me what you're doing on HIV." They hate it when I come because I try to tell them (ALLITERATION) how to do it better. But that's why I love being a taxpayer, because it's my money and they must feel accountable.

I believe in an America (ANAPHORA), where our leaders talk straight. When anyone tells President Bush that the battle against AIDS is seriously under-funded, he juggles the numbers to mislead the public into thinking we're spending twice as much as we really are. While they play games with numbers, people are dying (METAPHOR).

I believe in America (ANAPHORA), but an America where there is a light in every home. A thousand points of light just wasn't enough: My house has been dark for too long.

Once every generation, history brings us to an important crossroads (METAPHOR). Sometimes in life there is that moment when it's possible to make a change for the better. This is one of those moments. (HYPOPHORA)

For me, this is not politics. This is a crisis of caring. (ALLITERATION)

In this hall is the future -- women, men of all colors saying, "Take America back." We are -- We are (ANAPHORA) just real people wanting a more hopeful life. But words and ideas are not enough. Good thoughts won't save my family. What's the point of caring if we don't do something about it? A President and a Congress that can work together so we can get out of this gridlock and move ahead, because I don't win my war if the President cares and the Congress, or if the Congress cares and the President doesn't support the ideas (HYPERBOLE).

The people in this hall this week, the Democratic Party, all of us can begin to deliver that partnership, and in November we can all bring it home.

My daughter lived seven years, and in her last year, when she couldn't walk or talk, her wisdom shone through. She taught me to love, when all I wanted to do was hate (AMPLIFICATION) . She taught me to help others, when all I wanted to do was help myself(AMPLIFICATION). She taught me to be brave, when all I felt was fear(AMPLIFICATION). My daughter and I loved each other with simplicity. America, we can do the same.

This was the country that offered hope. This was the place where dreams could come true, not just economic dreams, but dreams of freedom, justice, and equality. We all need to hope that our dreams can come true. I challenge you to make it happen, because all our lives, not just mine, depend on it.

Thank you.

Analysis 

This text is a speech by Elizabeth Glaser at the Democratic National Convention Address 1992. It is mostly talking about AIDS virus relating to the movement and work of government in trying to solve the problem. The speech is relatively powerful and hitting the government’s work by showing and illustrating the quality of life of people especially poor.

The targeted audiences of this speech is clear – the government. By looking at many paragraphs, the author usually begins the point with “I believe in America, but not with a leadership..” . She is using Logos such as “over 40,000 dollars a year.” to back up her point about government’s work. She is trying to persuade people to look at this problem as well as to raise a movement from the government. She is informing crisis to the government and the public.

The content is straightforward as we can see from the beginning of the speech that the author is starting with small problem within family – talking about her own experience with AIDS virus. She is talking about heartbreaking feeling and her struggle without any help and support from government health care.  The death of her daughter from AIDS virus was one of the reasons that she wanted to raise the movement and gain support from the government to all the people. The author is also talking about equality of value of people – no matter how poor you are, you have your right to get decent healthcare. She says that she wants old America back where there was some justice. Meanwhile, the theme of the speech is justice and equality between poor and those who can afford decent healthcare – expensive one. We can see that the point she makes is simply that people don’t gain support from the government even though there is money in the budged.

The tone of this speech is critical to the government as we can see that she is mostly commenting on them; for example “I believe in an America, but not a leadership…” and “ It’s not my problem (said by the people she asked for help).”  The tone also objective as we can see that she uses Logos (“ Over 40,000 dollars a year) to support her point which comments on the government. The mood is quite fierce and sad at the same time. She is sad because of her daughter’s death and fierce because government’s response.

There are many uses of literary devices in this speech such as Anaphora, Diacope, Metaphor, Alliteration, Parallelism, Antistrophe, Hypophora, Hyperbole, Amplification and Logos. All these literary devices can be seen in the speech above in the brackets.

Overall, this speech is mostly comment of the role of government of America about AIDS virus. There are many uses of literary devices in the text in order to create particular mood and feelings. The effect from this speech is effective when reading because of the uses of language the content itself.