Brown 1

Stefanie Brown
Dr. Baynton
ENGL 2310.10
October 2006
Dialectical Journal
If any money came his way, and it seldom
did, he immediately bought gourds of
palm-wine, called round his neighbors and
made merry.

p. 4

Fortunately, among these people a man

was judged according to his worth and not
according to the worth of his father.
Okonkwo was clearly cut out for great
things.

p. 8

My uncle is very poor at budgeting his

money, and his family has had to suffer
for it. Not having much money while he
was growing up, when he acquired some,
it was immediately spent on frivolous
things. A few years ago, he was injured on
the job, meaning he could not work, but
received a monetary settlement from the
company he used to work for. With the
money, he purchased a new Firebird and
went on a cruise with his wife. He has
been indebted to my grandparents for
years, but has never offered to pay them
back. Instead, he wastes the money he has,
causing my aunt to have to be the primary
bread-winner, and frays family bonds. I
have seen the ill effects upon my mother
(his sister-in-law), my mothers sister (his
wife), my grandparents (his in-laws), and
more.
I find this statement so powerful for so
many who have less than perfect
families. It is inspiring when people are
able to overcome perhaps one of the
greatest obstacles of all, what they were
raised in, and become truly, their own
person. My fathers father was very
verbally abusive to his children. Thus,
when my dad had kids (my sister and I),
he was determined to treat them
differently. As a result of his
encouragement instead of hurtful words,
my sister and I have both commented
hundreds of times that we truly are who
we are because of his encouragement to
us. He is a first-hand example of how we

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Age was respected among his people, but

achievement was revered.

p. 8

Darkness held a vague terror for these

people, even the bravest among them.
Children were warned not to whistle at
night for fear of evil spirits.

p. 9

And in fairness to Umuofia it should be

recorded that it never went to war unless
its case was clear and just and was
accepted as such by its Oracle

p. 12

Perhaps down in his heart Okonkwo was

p. 13

can be better people than our own fathers

were.
I felt like this quote should be used at the
Olympics or on one of those motivational
posters. How true of even our own culture,
that achievement, no matter what age, is
praised, even higher than age. In contrast
to this culture, the western culture does
not prize age as it once did. Age is rarely
equated with wisdom anymore, and thus,
only those with achievements are given
worth. The mindset is very telling of the
culture and is reflected in every aspect of
life. For example, movie stars or rappers
are given much more attention and praise
than most other people. However, nursing
homes have been recorded as some of the
most depressing places to go, and are in
much decay. Nursing homes are filled
with lonely people, while youthfulness is
being bill boarded.
This quote falls more in line with the
reality that most western civilizations
equate with Africa. We have been taught
to believe Africa is a scary place,
especially at night. However, while our
fear in Africa would be of being killed by
someone, their fear is that of evil spirits.
The difference in mindsets is an
interesting observation.
In contrast to the previous quote, this
quote flies in the face of traditionally
accepted views of African mindset. Media
reports on Africas violent killings and
unruly behavior. This quote speaks more
to the civility with which the people make
decisions. They are not just blood-thirsty
men doing irrational killing, although that
probably goes on. Instead, the book makes
it sound like their decision to go to war is
very similar to how our country decides to
go to war. Knowledgeable people actively
weigh the pros and cons in order to make
their decision. In Umuofia, a similar
system is used.
As I read this, I stopped and thought to

Brown 3
not a cruel man. But his whole life was
dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of
weakness. [ ] It was the fear of himself, lest
he should be found to resemble his father.

But he was struck, as most people were,

by Okonkwos brusqueness in dealing with
less successful men. [ ] Okonkwo knew
how to kill a mans spirit.

p. 26

The oldest man present said sternly that

those whose palm-kernels were cracked for
them by a benevolent spirit should not
forget to be humble.

To show affection was a sign of weakness;

the only thing worth demonstrating was
strength

p. 28

myself, Wow, this is a really powerful

statement. I think it hits a nerve within so
many people. Truly, I believe this fear
perpetrates more people than any other
fear in the world. This fear of failure
crosses generations, borders, cultures.
This is a connecting fear to all of
humanity and no man, as some point in his
life, has completely escaped this fear. It is
as tiring and crushing as it is motivating
and driving. It is as dangerous as fire and
leads, like Okonkwo, to a faade of
cruelty, insincerity, an Im too busy for
you mentality, and many more.
So often, those who are so driven to
succeed forget where they came from, and
pride themselves so heavily in their
accomplishments. This attitude, which
helped them get where they are, is also
destructive. Treating people as beneath
you because they do not live up to your
ideals is both shallow and judgmental. In
todays world, so many sons find
themselves in this position with their
fathers. Their fathers were so driven and
have such high aspirations for their
children that, when the children dont
follow their plan, they try to motivate
them, when usually, their words are so
harsh, and they crush the childs spirit
instead. This is a classic Dear Abby
problem, especially between fathers and
their sons.
I actually grew up with this mentality, not
because it was explicitly taught to me, but
perhaps I learned through observation of
the things I did and did not want to
become. I was nice, but impenetrable, and
as a result, I suffered for it alone. I felt
like any other emotion was a burden to
people. Strength- now that was something
people envied in other people. That was
the thing I envied in my father, and the
thing that made me not envy my mother. I
was determined to not be the typical
emotional girl. As a result, I jerked to the

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The drums were still beating, persistent

and unchanging. Their sound was no
longer a separate thing from the living
village. It was like the pulsation of its
heart. It throbbed in the air, in the
sunshine, and even in the trees, and filled
the village with excitement.

p. 44

Behind them was the big and ancient silkcotton tree which was sacred. Spirits of
good children lived in that tree waiting to
be born. On ordinary days young women
who desired children came to sit under its
shade.

p. 46

The air, which had been stretched taut

with excitement, relaxed again.

p. 48

other extreme. As I have gotten older, I

see the necessity of a person who is able
to feel things both for herself and for other
people. There are pros and cons to both
sides, and it is better to avoid both
extremes.
Reading this portion of the text, I realized
that this is one of the things I love about
African cultures. I love that they are so
connected with the earth. While I am not
of the new-age following, I think there
is something so core to all of humanity
about being connected with the earth. In
the age of fast food and skyscrapers, it is
refreshing to the soul to get away and go
hiking or fish, or canoe, or even garden.
America is trying to tap back into this by
means of organic foods, promoting parks,
and encouraging children and adults alike
to plant or work with their hands. It is
really a beautiful picture, and something I
find so beautiful in cultures that have
embraced this concept.
I really loived the imagery of these
sentences. At first it sounded like
something from Peter Pan, the tree
swarming with fairies. Then, I thought
about how beautiful the mental picture of
young women coming to dream under the
tree, believing unborn good spirits were
fluttering about it. Beautiful.
I really appreciate Achebes ability to
implement newer imagery into his writing.
His critics described his writing quite
accurately, and metaphors such as these
enforce his natural talent. People use
metaphors in their writing all the time, but
it is when authors are able to create newer
ones into their writings, it keeps the
readers attention. Additionally, at this
point in the book, Achebe has described
the drums being played to increase
intensity amongst the people. Using
stretched taut in his metaphor also ties
back to the drums, which were created by
something stretched taut.

Brown 5
The drummers took up their sticks and the
air shivered and grew tense like a tightened
bow.

p. 49

The crowd had surrounded and

swallowed up the drummers whose frantic
rhythm was no longer a mere disembodied
sound but the very heartbeat of the
people.

p. 50

No matter how prosperous a man was, if

he was unable to rule his women and his
children (and especially his women) he
was not really a man.

p. 52

Nwoye knew that it was right to be

masculine and to be violent, but somehow
he still preferred the stories that his mother
used to tell

p. 53

Whenever Nwoyes mother sang this song

he felt carried away to the distant scene in
the sky

p. 53

And for many days this rare food

[locusts] was eaten with solid palm-oil.

p. 56

That boy calls you father. Do not bear a

hand in his death. [] Yes, Umuofia has

p. 57

Like his metaphors, Achebe is able to

create powerful similes that target the
emotion of the moment. I love how the
author uses imagery based on things from
his culture- like the reference to a bow.
The people in this tribe probably hunted
with a bow or had access to them,
continuing the theme while making a
successful simile. He truly is a talented
author.
Wow. I felt like these sentences
immediately drew me into the action.
Suddenly, I was right at the sidelines, no
longer observing the characters observing
the wrestlers, but standing amongst them,
lost in the actions and the scents and the
dust myself, elbow to elbow with all the
main characters Ive been reading about.
This mindset is so common amongst so
many cultures. Even American culture has
accepted this mentality for so many
generations. It seems that in African
cultures, this is more prevalent, but
perhaps American culture has just done a
better job of masking it.
How sad that Nwoye had to give up the
sweet, innocent stories his mother told in
lieu of becoming the man his father would
be proud of. I felt like this trading of
innocence was an error.
I liked this part because it reminded me of
when my mother used to sing to me at
nights. That truly was a soothing sound to
me growing up, and offers sweet
memories in reflection.
I think the socially-acceptable food of
other cultures is so interesting. This was
their great delicacy, while most other
cultures consider locust something to be
killed, and find other things to eat as
delicacies. I like looking at other cultures,
not to see what is wrong with them, but to
see what is different about the way they
do things and the way we do things.
I found this part to be so powerful. This
guy is giving Okonkwo an out, telling him

Brown 6
decided to kill him. The Oracle of the Hills
and the Caves has pronounced it. They will
take him outside Umuofia as is the custom,
and kill him there. But I want you to have
nothing to do with it. He calls you his
father.
Then from the distance came the faint
beating of the ekwe.

p. 58

One of the men behind him cleared his

throat. Ikemefuna looked back, and the
man growled at him to go on and not stand
looking back.

p. 60

He was afraid of being thought weak.

p. 61

He felt like a drunken giant walking with

the limbs of a mosquito.

p. 63

She should have been a boy, Okonkwo

said to himself again. His mind went back
to Ikemefuna and he shivered.

p. 64

But I can tell you, Obierika, that my

children do not resemble me. Where are the
young suckers that will grow when the old
banana tree dies?

p. 66

the right thing to do. Based on Okonkwos

pride, the reader understands that he could
go either way. Here, I was eager to read on
because there was no way of knowing
which decision he would make. It was the
boy versus his clan.
I think it is significant to point out that
every important even, whether joyful or
dismal, is initiated through music.
I actually found this to be a little
prophetic. Telling the boy to not stand
looking back could have a double
meaning. Reading this sentence
figuratively makes the mans word almost
symbolic that the boy is about to lose
everything he left back there, and he
should not look back.
I got so angry at Okonkwos actions here.
I the control his fear of being thought
weak by the other men had upon him,
causing him to kill his son against his will,
was a more certain sign of weakness than
if he had not killed him. The injustice and
distorted thinking made me so angry. The
fact that this act was in many ways
glorified was also very infuriating.
Again, Achebe creates new similes that so
accurately paint the situation, but have not
been overused by thousands of writers.
This man is truly a master writer.
I find this statement from Okonkwo
equally disturbing. Here is his daughter
who truly is an original and unique, and he
is wishing her to be a man. Okonkwo sees
being a man as superior and implies it is a
waste that the spirit of this child was put
inside a woman. Recalling Ikemefuna in
the next thought translates to me that he
was looking for a replacement and sad it
couldnt be found in his daughter.
As Okonkwo expresses his sadness that
his children, especially his sons, are not
more like him, I was glad. Who needs
some people in the clan that would shoot a
son they loved in order to please someone
else and beats his wives?. Okonkwo, to

Brown 7

It was like a man wondering in broad

daylight why a dream had appeared too
terrible to him at night.

p. 75

The relationship between them was not

only that of mother and child. There was
something in it like the companionship of
equals, which was strengthened by such
little conspiracies as eating eggs in the
bedroom.

p. 77

The medicine man then ordered that there

should be no mourning for the dead child.
He brought out a sharp razor from the
goatskin bag slung from his left shoulder
and began to mutilate the child.

p. 78

I thought you were going into the shrine

with Chielo, he mocked. Ekwefi did not
answer. Tears of gratitude filled her eyes.
She knew her daughter was safe. Go
home and sleep, said Okonkwo. I shall
wait here. I shall wait too. As they
stood there together, Ekwefis mind went
back to the days when they were young.
But it was really a womans ceremony and
the central figures were the bride and her
mother.

p. 108

p. 110

me, does not display qualities of a man

that should be duplicated. I understand it
is a different culture, but these actions
often rattle their own culture.
Again, I really love the similes Achebe
uses, because they are so vivid and
applicable. I, the reader, have experienced
the simile he wrote about, and felt it
helped in my understanding of the
moment.
I really loved this detailing of their
relationship because I felt it brought some
humanity to the story, a gentleness,
something that I could really relate to
from my own life. I felt that the author did
a brilliant job of telling the story of how
the daughter was such a gift to the mother
after all her miscarriages, and encouraged
the intensity of the moment when the
priestess of Agbala later comes for the
daughter late one night.
I was recently reading the Anne of Green
Gables series. In one of the books, she has
a miscarriage and mourns for several
months, and frequently visits the
gravesite, even after she has several
children. This is such a stark contrast to
this culture that is forced not to mourn for
this child because of their background
beliefs. If feel sorrow for these mothers
because I believe no matter what culture,
if mothers were free to express their
feelings, there would be much mourning
and genuine signs of deep maternal love.
This was actually one of my favorite parts
from the first part of the book. I felt it was
the first crack in his hard shell. I felt this
part of the book was a sweet moment
between Okonkwo and his wife that is so
rare.
I found this statement so interesting. In a
culture where the women play second, or
even third fiddle to the man, the fact that
there was an event where women were

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He had felt very anxious but did not show

it [] It was only on his fourth trip that he
had found Ekwefi, and by then he had
become gravely worried.

p. 112

Ezeudu is dead. A cold shiver ran down

Okonkwos back as he remembered the last
time the old man had visited him. That
boy calls you father, he had said. Bear
no hand in his death.

p. 121

Whenever one of these ancient men

appeared in the crowd to dance unsteadily
the funeral steps of the tribe, younger men
gave way and the tumult subsided.

p. 122

Okonkwos gun had exploded and a piece

of iron had pierced the boys heart [] The
only course open to Okonkwo was to flee
from the clan.

p. 124

The crime was of two kinds, male and

female. Okonkwo committed the female,

p. 124

more central than the men is startling, but

also rearranges my mindset slightly about
this culture.
Again, I love to see some humanity in
Okonkwo. Here, the author says that
Okonkwo was worried and made several
trips to ensure the welfare of his daughter.
My opinion of Okonkwo is being shaken.
There is always more to a person than we
perceive. It is evidenced also in this book.
I really found this part of the book to be so
powerful, and although Achebe did not
have to remind the reader of Ezeudus
words to Okonkwo, it helped to add to the
intensity of the moment and the mans
death. Here was a man that spoke to
Okonkwo what I was thinking, and he has
now died. The only man who spoke up for
what was right and had the gumption to
tell Okonkwo is now dead. It was
depressing for me.
I really love the recounting of methods
this culture uses to bury their dead. I could
sense the amount of respect that the
people had for the elderly. They are
perceived as wise and are respected by all.
There is something really powerful in
something that can cause crowds to part
when a person arrives. I like that their
funerary methods are so different from my
culture, and yet are able to accomplish the
same amount of sincerity and mourning
that other cultures do with different
actions.
Wow. This was an incredible turn of
events and a striking irony. I didnt see it
coming and the unexpectedness of it
added to the shock of the irony. Okonkwo
had killed the son of the man who had
warned him not to kill his own son. This
was a truly ironic course of events, but in
some ways, it seems justified in the
greater scheme of things, that he should be
punished through this irony.
The irony continues! What are the odds
that this prideful man who really held so

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because it had been inadvertent.

Each of Uchendus five sons contributed

three hundred seed-yams to enable their
cousin to plant a farm.

p. 130

But it was like beginning life anew

without the vigor and enthusiasm of youth,
like learning to become left-handed in old
age.

p. 131

Clearly his personal god or chi was not

made for great things.

p. 131

He was not an albino. He was quite

different [] and he was riding an iron
horse.

p. 138

There is nothing to fear from someone

who shouts.

p. 140

little esteem for women would commit a

crime considered a female that would
get him banished from the clan for seven
years?
This moment is reflective of the years,
long ago, when Okonkwo was striving to
make a name for himself. His passion then
was not to be like his father. He wanted to
be successful and would do anything to
achieve it. He was at the mercy of kind
people who would donate some plants for
his farm, and he is at that place once
again.
I was really torn here regarding
Okonkwos situation. In some ways, I
would not wish ill-will upon people, but I
can also see how this situation could bring
about positive changes in Okonkwos life.
If it changed him for the better, especially
respecting his family and loving his kids
better by having his selfish pride stripped
from him, it could be something for the
better. I have seen people broken this way
and have seen it go in both directions.
People in his situation have either gone
downhill or have become better for it.
This is truly a test of his manhood.
Earlier in the book, Okonkwo believed in
his good fortune. Things were going his
way and he had either overcome his bad
chi or was born with good chi (aka:
defeating the Cat). How often we all feel
like we are no longer in Gods good
graces when things go poorly for us, but I
really do believe it is either for changing
us for the better.
When I read this sentence, I immediately
went back to the movie we watched in
class, where the man referred to the men
as different. This is a constant theme.
This part of the story was so interesting to
me. The reasoning why there is nor reason
to fear someone who shouts when
something bad happens to them means
there is something worse coming behind
it. I thought about this for a while. How

Brown 10

I do not know how to thank you. I can

tell you, said Obierika. Kill one of your
sons for me. That will not be enough,
said Okonkwo.
The missionaries had come to Umuofia.
They had built their church there, won a
handful of converts. [] That was a source
of great sorrow to the leaders of the clan.

p. 142

p. 143

Chielo [] called the converts the

excrement of the clan, and the new faith
was a mad dog that had come to eat it up.

What moved Obierika to visit Okonkwo

was the sudden appearance of the latters
son, Nwoye, among the missionaries of
Umuofia.

p. 143

Then the missionaries burst into song. It

was one of those gay and rollicking tunes
of evangelism which had the power of
plucking at silent and dusty chords in the
heart of an Ibo man.

p. 146

It was the poetry of the new religion,

something felt in the marrow. The hymn
about brothers who sat in darkness and in

p. 147

true. If you know justice will be done to

this person, it is a lot easier to take what
they dish out to you.
Irony is such an interlaced thread within
the power of this story. Here, perhaps the
visitor is speaking to the frivolity with
which Okonkwo killed his son.
This quote hit particularly hard to me
because I have given money to support
these missionaries. My heart is for Africa
and the injustices being done there. I want
to see people know this God they make
out to be so foreign. I understand there are
differences between these missionaries
and the work being done today, but to see
it from a different perspective is eyeopening. However, I also think it is good
not to shield yourself from these things.
Understanding how others see things helps
me understand other people better and
know how to meet them where they are at.
I was equally shocked to read this. In
many ways it reminded me of a friend of
mine whose Muslim father disowned him
after converting to Christianity. While I
have seen the situation from my friends
point of view, Okonkwo helps me see it
from a different perspective.
Music is such a theme within the book.
Instruments sound important events, and it
seems ironic that the music from the
missionaries would be the thing that
helped cross over to the people of the
tribe. Music plays similar roles in other
cultures. People who have very little in
common can usually overcome differences
by finding similarities in how music
touches them. The power of music is one
of the things that my father and I bond
over. We may have differences in
preferences in what we listen to, but we
both agree that music has the power to
greatly affect us.
I really love the description about how the
beliefs of the white people affected
Okonkwos son. I like that he did not

Brown 11
fear seemed to answer a vague and
persistent question that haunted his young
soul- the questions of the twins crying in
the bush and the question of Ikemefuna
who was killed.
They did not really want them in their
clan, and so they made them that offer
which nobody in their right senses would
accept. [evil forest]

believe because it was forced on him, but

because it answered some of his most
disturbing questions. The beliefs met him
at his deepest core.
p. 148

Answer me! he roared again. Nwoye

stood looking at him and did not say a
word. The women were screaming outside,
afraid to go in.

p. 152

Living fire begets cold, impotent ash.

p. 153

He would return with a flourish and

regain the seven wasted years.

p. 171

Of all his children she alone understood

his every mood. [] she would snap at
everybody like an angry dog. These moods
descended on her suddenly and for no
apparent reason. As long as they lasted,
she could bear no other person but her
father.

p. 173

Irony after irony is introduced into the

book. I found this part really inspiring
though. The people gave the men their
worst land, and it was not only successful,
but helped those who were outcasts in the
community to find acceptance. It showed
me a different aspect of the teachings of
the Bible.
Earlier, the book said never to fear those
who scream or raised a fuss in the face of
injustice. It was those who did not oppose
their injustice that were to be feared. The
son did not scream. Reading further into
this, perhaps Nwoyes lack of response at
his fathers outrage meant he knew
something the others did not.
This quote is so complex. So often, fathers
push their children to be as successful as
they are, but end up thinking they will
never add up. I liked how Okonkwo
looked at the log that seemed to sigh when
he did. The log knew all his flame would
birth ashes. Okonkwo knew all his work
would still produce unsuccessful, lazy
children.
This part reminds me of the part in the
Bible which talks about the Lord restoring
the years the locusts have eaten. How
ironic that similar language was used even
though the beliefs are in conflict with each
other. It made me think of how I used to
think we are so different from each other,
but really, all of humanity is more closely
interconnected than we think we are.
I think it was interesting that the daughter
Okonkwo always wished had been born a
son was just like him. Sometimes,
children acquire things they see in their
parents, some good, and some bad. From
my parents, I picked up both good and bad
habits. It seems sad to me that Okonkwo

Brown 12

And so, Mr. Brown came to be respected

even by the clan, because he trod softly on
his faith.

p. 178

He saw things in black and white. And

black was evil.

p. 184

There was a saying in Umuofia that as a

man danced so the drums were beaten for
him. Mr. Smith danced a furious step and
so the drums went mad.

p. 185

It is an abomination for a man to take his

own life.

p. 207

Perhaps not a whole chapter, but a

reasonable paragraph [].

p. 209

prides himself in the fact the daughter

picked up one of his worst characteristics.
Okonkwo does not see the destructive
qualities his daughter has picked up from
him, but for me, seeing it in another helps
me see flaws in myself.
I have been on several mission trips. There
are all different ways people express what
they believe. My approach has always
been to care about people and express who
Christ has been to me to other people.
Some, however, come loudly, shouting at
people on street corners and making a
fuss. I liked Mr. Brown for coming quietly
and meeting needs. I related to him a lot.
How striking that color would come to
play. Achebe used irony again in using
color to describe evil. Here, the white man
thought black as evil. The people this man
was ministering to were black, so thinking
black as evil is very telling.
I loved this statement. It made me think
about the drums of my own life. What do
they beat for me? When people meet me,
what impression do I give off? I want to
dance a beautiful dance, one of
peacemaking and joy. I want life to radiate
from me, helping others embrace and love
life. I pray my dance makes a beautiful
drum beat.
What an incredible twist of irony.
Okonkwo will be buried disrespectfully
just like his father was. In trying so hard
to be nothing like his father, he swung
back around to being just like him. It
makes me think of what I am running
from. What things do I see about others
that, in a knee-jerk reaction, go directly in
the opposite direction?
Here I have just finished reading about the
life and death and struggles of this man,
Okonkwo, and this man, who knows
nothing of him, is so blinded as to think
this mans whole life can be summed into
one reasonable paragraph. Achebe was
truly brilliant to end the story this way. He

Brown 13
allowed me to understand, if only for a
brief glimpse, how his people felt about
the white man coming into their culture
and imposing themselves on it. I felt anger
at the injustice and disrespect for this
mans life in light of their assumed
superiority. It was truly moving and my
mindset has been permanently changed.
As I expected, this is wonderful, Stefanie. I loved your insights and the quotes you singled
out to connect to were awesome. 100/100