Monologue

Mgbafo (The beaten wife)

I don't know why he does it. I know I am an unworthy wife. I should just get used to it, I mean it's been going on since the day we got married. I've tried, I really have, but I've suffered for the last nine years. I don't know how much more I can take. I begged and pleaded, even trying to appeal to his sense of compassion and love which apparently doesn't exist anymore. He has fooled me brother. At sixteen, he sought me. His words were soft, his touch even softer. Now his voice is just merely an echo in my memories, and his touch is filled with hate. Remember when he appeared that day with a bountiful supply of yams? Father ensured me he would provide me with a good life with strong and healthy children. I would have never imagined father lying to me. Everyday I fight for my life, even my unborn child had to fight. But one touch, and my child's battle was lost. I want to run and disappear past the village, but I can't take away his two children, or "property", as he views them. What am I saying? My words are crazy. Maybe he will stop? I can't leave, it will cause too much trouble. I'm being selfish. I know plenty of other wives who have gone through what I have. I don't believe you when you say my beatings are the worst in all of Umuofia. He can beat me once or twenty times, more and I won't feel anything. This is my life now. I'm fine, I really am... but keep this a secret between you and I my brother.

Superman>Okonkwo

After getting back and looking over my essay on whether Okonkwo is a hero, I realized my opinion hasn't changed at all. Finishing the novel just gives me more evidence to support why I feel he is not a hero. Just for fun, I searched the definition of a hero and all the results were similar to the definition below:


A person of distinguished courage or ability, admired for brave deeds and noble qualities.


Even though Okonkwo does possess some of the qualities listed above, he uses tactics such as fear and violence in exchange for respect and power. A real hero would not demand and crave power like Okonkwo does, but instead earns it. Since Okonkwo was young, he fears becoming a failure like his father. To prevent this from happening, Okonkwo strives to be the best and control those below him. His wives are perfect examples of this because he beats them when they don't do as he pleases and they live in constant fear. Heroes should not strike fear to those who look up to them.


Courage is another trait I feel Okonkwo lacks. When the Christians started to push into the lives of the people of Umuofia, Okonkwo expresses many of the opinions others share with him, however, he never steps up and does anything about it. Even when he did decide to step up, he resorts to the only thing he knows which unfortunately is violence. I'm sure we were all told as children that violence does not solve anything. Okonkwo clearly never learned that. Slicing off a missionary's head, running away from the crime, and then taking the easy way out by killing yourself instead of dealing with the problem, does not make one heroic at all. I think it makes Okonkwo rather cowardly and selfish. He has only made the situation worse for those in his village and by killing himself, he runs away from the consequences... something a real hero would never do.

Does Love Always Conquer All?

In Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, we watch the protagonist as she grows past her difficult childhood and into an independent young woman. Upon finishing her schooling at the very strict and proper Lowood school, she decides to accept a teaching position at the very school she spent eight years in. At first she is comfortable in her settings, however, she changes and starts to despise the very walls which has kept her confined from the outside world for all of her life. Being a strong minded and curious individual, Jane sets out to Thornfield for a new position as the governess for a young French child by the name of Adele. She is content her new life, until she meets the peculiar but alluring master of the house, Mr. Rochester. They enjoy each other's company and grow quite close, however, strange occurrences in the house and a dying aunt in need, forces Jane to return to her childhood home.

Though I am only beginning to see the main conflict and have yet to finish reading it completely, it is clear that Jane's main conflict is love. Her heart desires Mr. Rochester but her mind tells her otherwise. With the recently discovered, but previously unknown engagement of Mr. Rochester, Jane feels betrayed and attempts moving on. Jane faces a conflict within herself and the choices she needs to make.

I don't feel the need to give any specific examples due to the fact love is so cliched and examples of "the heart vs. the mind" can be found everywhere. Movies, books, and just people's lives are often built around this idea of following your heart or doing what is right. Endings follow a similar trend, with most solutions being to follow how you feel.
But, will love really conquer all at the end of this novel? I guess I will need to keep reading to find out!

Don't mess with those who are friends with the President..

The dictionary definition of post-colonialism is "a set of theories or ideas found in philosophy, film, political sciences, and literature that deal with the cultural legacy of colonial rule".

However, post-colonialism is not limited only to the areas stated in the dictionary definition above. Post-colonialism can also be a belief, both consciously and subconsciously, amongst a person or even a view shared by society as a whole.

An example of post-colonialism can be found in an article from The Guardian UK. In the article, it describes a situation between the Cambridge police and a prominent Harvard Black History professor by the name of Henry Louis Gates Jr. After returning home from his trip to China to record his latest documentary, Gates came home to find his door tampered with. Having difficulty opening his door, he entered his home through the backdoor. Once inside, Gates and his taxi driver (also African American) attempted to repair the damaged front door. It was then a bystander (a Caucasian woman) witnessed the two men banging the door in an attempt to repair it. Yet, the woman did not see things the way they were. She immediately called the police who quickly, and without any questions, arrested Gates who made every effort to prove to the police this was in fact his home. News spread quickly to Gate's friends; which included icons such as Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama, sparking a media uproar. Charges were eventually dropped and Gates was released.


This relates to the idea of "Black is bad, and White is good". Though the bystander's intentions were meant for good, subconsciously this idea made her feel alarmed. Even the police had the same view, despite Gate's pleas. Ironically, despite Gates being one of the most respected scholars of African-American history, he had been subjected to the very treatment that he had been researching over the years. This goes to show that, sadly, who you are as a person or your contributions to society can easily be overlooked because of race.


Full Article:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/21/henry-louis-gates-jr-arrest-harvard