Religions and Superstitions

• Analyse 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 does one’s belief affect the nation in terms of politics and culture?

In the novel ‘Things Fall Apart’ by Chinua Achebe, superstitions and religions play in a way that it benefits the society and in some aspects, it harms the society. In this novel, they kill people to fulfill the order of the Oracle. The killing of the young lad is not a decent action because humans must not take other human’s life. Life and death are God’s plan. Besides that, members of the tribe that suffered from illnesses were seen as unclean. These people would not be buried, but being cast away into the Evil Forest. It would have been better if the society helps to cure the illness rather than casting away the sick people. However, values such as respecting and obeying the eldest are implied in this novel which gives a good lesson to the society.

Superstitious beliefs and religion do affect the development of a country. There are both good effect and bad effect of superstitious beliefs and religion. If a ruler rules his country by referring to the religion, he can produce a society that does not easily commit crime. Believing in God and applying moral values in one’s life will restrict him from committing wrong doing. But, relying on superstitious beliefs may give negative effect towards a country because superstitious beliefs sometimes are not based on religion principles. For example, superstitious beliefs affect the way of Filipino living. The Filipino becomes limited as to what already exists now such as the technologies that will make the impossible become a bit possible. Filipinos are quite dependent on their beliefs that somehow hinder them to achieve the success. For instance, an individual should go back home when a cat crosses his path as this is a bad omen. Thus, a person must return back home when a cat crosses his path on his way to work. If this situation happens every day, how would he gain income for his family? This will bring no benefit to him. Moreover, the Filipinos do believe that their superstitious beliefs is useful and thus helping them to have a happier life. They should be open as to the new generation. Their beliefs have been passed from generation to generation. They should respect their superstitious beliefs, but why would you stick on your belief if it isn't lead you to a better life? They should get to work and make themselves successful.

One’s belief will affect the nation in term of politics in a way that a leader will rule his country justly based on the religious view. He will not make any decision that benefits him only. From what we can see today, most of the ministers worldwide and their family live a wealthy life meanwhile; some of the citizens live in a poor condition. If a leader really emphasizes the teaching of religion in his administration, citizens would not be facing the poor life anymore.

Each belief emphasizes on togetherness and respecting each other. If the society applies these values in their life, the nation may live peacefully. Practicing your faith will make your culture last longer. However, some beliefs which include too many taboos do give problems to a nation that their participation are limited in many aspects.

Reference: http://cebuanawithlove.wordpress.com/2011/04/04/superstitious-beliefs-of-filipinos/

By: Nur Izzah Zawani bt Boher @ Bujang Amri

          In things Fall Apart, superstitions and religions are strongly practiced by Ibo people.  Their believe are mostly based on their relationship with nature and its elements. For instance, they worship the goddess of the earth and are always careful to avoid committing sins against nature. This is because they afraid of punishment that might wipe out an entire generation.  For instance, one cannot do harm during the sacred week.

          Superstitious beliefs and religion do affect the development of a country.  This is because, religion helps us to set our goal of life. Without it, we might lifeless and do not know why we are living in this world. Everything happens in this world has their own reason.  The development of a country depends on the society of the country.  If the society do not proactive and have a motivation of life, the development of that country will decline. So this is important for a person to have a religious faith in order to help him to set his goal of life. Indirectly, the country will develop well as the society knows reason of life. Nevertheless, superstitious might bring a negative  influence as some of the superstitious believes are not relevant with religion. People must know how to balance their life so they will not influence by negative ways of living and cause the country cannot develop well.

          One’s belief can affect the nation in term of politics and culture. It can be positive and it can be negative. For example. If the leader practices the positive values that had been taught in his belief he will rule the country well. He will learn to respect others opinion although that person is from different belief. Besides, he also will alert with other’s belief sensitivity. Indirectly, the country will live in harmonious.  But if the leader too obsess with his belief and culture he might neglect others belief. 

By: Nur Afiqah bt Abdul Manap =)

Men vs. Women

• 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 women’s roles in this present world?

       In the novel Things Fall Apart, some of the women are treated as less important. For example, Okonkwo’s wife herself, Ojiugo was beaten by Okonkwo because she went to her neighbor to plait her hair. Ojiugo might do this for the purpose of beauty but Okonkwo accused her of negligence as she did not prepare Okonkwo’s meal. Okonkwo severely beat Ojiugo, but his other wives did not have the courage to stop Okonkwo’s action. Besides that, Okonkwo loves his second wife, Ekwefi the most and his child with her, Ezinma. This proves that he is not being fair towards his other two wives.

         However, some women also have a high position in the community. For example, the oracle, Ezeani was seen as a priest to counsel the community of Umuofia. She was respected because the society believed that she knew how to please the goddess of Earth, Ani.

          Some members in the community did not really agree with the status quo but some did agree with the status quo. For example,  Okonkwo agrees with the status quo because he has societal status in his community.  His sense of self-worth was dependent upon the traditional standards by which society judged him. Some members who did not agree with the status quo embraced Christianity. These outcasts found protection in the Christian value system compared to the Igbo cultural values that placed them below everyone else.  These converts enjoyed a more elevated status when they joined Christianity.

           The Igbo women contributed to their culture by inculcating the good moral values in their children. For example, Okonkwo’s wives taught their children folk tales to demonstrate good values. Folk tales give many beneficial lessons to children.  Besides that, they never forgot about their duty such as to prepare meals and decorate the hut when there are festivals take place in their village.

        Most African women now enjoy the same status as men. They get an equal right at education, economy, politic, workplace and in the society just like other women all over the world. However, their participation is not really acceptable because of the view of the society who is biased toward the female.

FEEDBACK 

In other parts of the world such as America, cultural changes were shifting the role of women in American society in the 1960s. Before 1960s, most women are suppressed because they are experiencing unwanted pregnancy. This restricts them from getting jobs. They spend a lot of time managing the housework and looking after the kids. After the federal government in 1960 approved a birth control pill to free women from unwanted pregnancy, they have more choices and freedom in their personal lives. More females are getting job and this increase the dissatisfaction among women regarding the huge differences in pay and advancement between males and females. According to an article by Kenneth T. Walsh, gradually, Americans came to accept some of the basic goals of the Sixties feminists: equal pay for equal work, an end to domestic violence, curtailment of severe limits on women in managerial jobs, an end to sexual harassment, and sharing of responsibility for housework and child rearing. 

Reference: http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2010/03/12/the-1960s-a-decade-of-change-for-women

- Nur Izzah Zawani bt Boher @ Bujang Amri-

Woman in Things Fall Apart

          Women in Things Fall Apart novel (TFA) are mostly treated unfair. They view women as weak and frail. For example, Okonkwo’s main character  father, Unoka are called as agbala which mean a man who had taken no title or “woman”. Okonkwo hated anything weak or frail, and his descriptions of his tribe and the members of his family show that in Ibo society anything strong was likened to man and anything weak to woman. (June Chan '94 (English 32, 1990)) . Besides, in Ibo culture they allowed wife beating. For instance, Okonkwo beats his third wife when she did not prepare his meal. For him, a wife must respect, obey and listen to her husband. Due to that, he beats her severely and get a punishment because he beats her during the Week of Peace.  In addition, women in TFA are viewed as a person that has to take care of children, house and fulfill their husband needs. On the other hand, men are viewed as the breadwinner. 

          In my point of view,  most of the men are agree with the status qua but women are not. This is because, due to the status quo men can do anything towards their wives and women do not have a right to speak loud and suppressed by a man.

          Nevertheless, women also contributed to the survival of their culture.  For instance, women painted the houses of the egwugwu. Furthermore, the first wife of a man in the Ibo society is paid some respect. For example, during the palm wine ceremony at Nwakibie's obi . Anasi, Nwakibie's first wife, had not yet arrived and "the others [other wives] could not drink before her". This means they do pay a respect towards the older woman.

          In this present world, women’s role having a great changes. The glass ceiling has been broken. Nowadays, women are involved in men sectors too. For instances, in business, politics, technology, entrepreneurship and leadership. Here is one of the successful women of Africa “Isis Nyong’o, 35, is the Vice President and Managing Director of the African operations of InMobi, the world’s largest independent mobile advertising network.” (www.forbes.com)

Links:

http://www.postcolonialweb.org/nigeria/women.html

http://www.forbes.com/sites/mfonobongnsehe/2012/06/12/africas-most-successful-women-isis-nyongo/

 by:  Nur Afiqah bt Abdul Manap ^_^

FEEDBACK:

Yes, there are some men who don’t agree with the status quo. For instance, Okonkwo’s father and son who are Unoka and Nwoye.  Both of them do not act like other men did. For them, life is not based on status only. For Nwoye, he does not agree with the status quo because of the dumpling of the twin babies. For him, this is not fair to the mother and the babies themselves.  From this, we can say that Nwoye does not agree with the status quo because women cannot speak out loud their feelings and opinion.

Women in Ibo’s society do not only practice the culture but they are also ensuring the survival of their culture. For example, during the palm wine ceremony at Nwakibie's obi . Anasi, Nwakibie's first wife, had not yet arrived and "the others [other wives] could not drink before her".  This is to ensure that the next generation will also respect the elders by watching their parents act. Children are not learning from words but from what they see. Apart from that, mother tells a folk tale to their children. But why? When they story about the folk tale, their children can learn the moral values from the story. Women in Ibo’s society not only do a house chore they also helping in educating their children.   

-Afiqah-

The Women's Role 

1.         In Things Fall Apart,from the view of female nature, husbands are allowed to beat their wives. This can be seen from the novel when Okonkwo beats his second wife because she did not come home to make his meal. He also beats her during the Week of Peace. He beat her again when she referred to him as one of those "guns that never shot." For me, based on the novel, the community accept and agree with the status quo although it is very unfair for women. This is because men are the one who support the family's life, so without them, it is difficult for the other family member to live.

2.         Despite of being the minority group, women are also very important to the Ibo society. Women painted the houses of the egwugwu. Furthermore, the first wife of a man in the Ibo society is given some respect. This can be seen during the palm wine ceremony at Nwakibie's obi. The other wives of Nwakibie cannot drink before the first wife arrived at the ceremony. The importance of woman's role also can be seen when Okonkwo is exiled to his motherland. His uncle, Uchendu, explains how Okonkwo should view his exile: "A man belongs to his fatherland when things are good and life is sweet. But when there is sorrow and bitterness he finds refuge in his motherland." A man has both joy and sorrow in his life and when the bad times come his "mother" is always there to comfort him. Thus comes the saying "Mother is Supreme".

3.         For the present world, women are now known as the gender who have the same opportunities in jobs like man. Women nowadays are not like the women in the previous time where they used to only work as a housewife. Now, most of women have their own successful careers such as doctors, teachers, businesswomen and others, and at the same time they can look after their family, the husband and also the children without having any problem or clash with their own work.

Feedback

Firstly, I want to state that the men in the clan may be agree with the status quo but definitely most women do not agree with it. It is normal for women to be beaten by their husbands during that time but it was totally unacceptable as it hurt the women. I knew about female nature when I searched the information about women versus men in Things Fall Apart through internet.  It is supposed to be “Ibo view of female nature”. I feel female nature from the Ibo people view is thing which is natural for women to do at that time. For example, cook for the family, taking care of kids, clean the house and others. Since women are considered as the predominant group, men feel that they have the right to beat their wives if they want to do it so. That is basically the meaning of female nature. Next, I feel that there is such a concept as male and female nature. As I stated earlier, the female nature is the thing which is natural for them to do and male nature is the thing that is always be done by that dominant group such as being the leader of the family, work for the family so that he can support them and others. 

Fatin Syazana  binti Yahya