The use of context

It is impossible to look something impartially. You will always have an opinion on the matters at hand.That is why it is so important to understand the context of creation, and the context of reception. The latter is how the text is received based on your particular set of circumstances. It is important when reading and interpreting a text to be able to put yourself the context of the time. Without the ability to do so, the text loses most of its meaning and purpose. That being said, learning about the context of creation help me significantly in understanding several moments in the text.

The greatest example of this was Ikemefuna’s final moments. In chapter seven, page forty four, “’My father, they have killed me’ as he ran towards him. Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his matchet and cut him down.” When I read this for the first time, I put the book down and walked away, on the brink of tears. When it came up in class no else seemed to share my reaction. It occurs to me now that I put that scene into my own context, not that of the book. By making the scene similar to the biblical story of Abraham and Isaac, Achebe sought to soften the blow, make it seem as though Okonkwo was trusting a higher power. In my case, when the scene occurred in both instances, my reaction remained constant. Weather this is due to my beliefs I cannot say. However, I did not grow up reading the stories in the bible.

Another instance where the context of the book was necessary to understand was the locusts. In chapter seven, page forty, “’Locusts are descending’ was joyfully chanted everywhere…” Personally, I hate bugs. So needless to say the fact that they caught and ate them was revolting at the time. Though I still would not eat them, I actually understand why they did what they did. Throughout the rest of the book, you see very little variety in the food. So when this new and exotic food goes to sleep all over the village, it makes sense that they decided to eat them.

Page 98 presents yet another mystery to modern thinking. In it, we see the family of Okonkwo’s uncle, and Okonkwo himself, unable to say why “Mother is Supreme”. Now, women have an equal role is society. So saying something along those lines is common place, not only that, it is widely believed.  So their inability to express why mother is supreme, or even important, is shocking. However, where many may see sexism, is present only ignorance.

The final example was the twins. On page 144 it mentions several of the less desirable peoples of the village joining the church. The concept of the undesirable is understandable to a degree. Though you cannot contract their luck from them, several ailments that go along with poor nourishment and poor living conditions can. However the fact that they are considered this because of who they are makes no sense, unless taken in the context of the culture. They have neither land nor title, and they do not act as society says they should. Sounds familiar? The gays went through something similar. Bu they were able to overcome the adversity, not these people in the book. So they sought refuge in faith. What makes even less sense is the people reaction to twins. They believe them to be evil, one is a demon the other the real child. Instead of risking getting the demon, they throw them out. Until you realize that this is what they believe, their reaction is completely uncalled for.

In conclusion, in order to really understand a text, you must look at it in its context.

A Tragic Hero

There is no doubt that Okonkwo is a tragic hero. His inability to swallow his pride and loose his power end up costing him all of his worldly possessions, and his life. But the question remains, why? What purpose does he have for killing the embodiment of the old society. Of course there are the obvious reasons. Such as, to make the story more interesting. Also because, just as I said, he represents the culture. But I believe it is more than that.

Throughout the book, in carrying out his duty to his tribe, people, and religion, we see him tear himself apart. This is most prominent when he deals the final blow to a young boy who he had sheltered for two years. With that boys last words being "Father, help me!" it is hard even for the reader to keep from tearing up. Additionally, when he beats his wife, we see a bit of the rage and instability shine through. Okonkwo represents something more. The self-war we see him engaged in throughout the book is a reflection on the culture of his time. It is an acknowledgement that the system had flaws. This actually makes a lot of sense. As a person, Chinua comes from a repressed cultural background, and a confused heritage. His culture was demonized for centuries. This just fuels his writer's desire for the truth more. But not just truth for himself. He wants the world to know the truth, to make judgements based on what is real. This is reflected in his work. In Things Fall Apart, he does not overly demonize the Europeans of old. To do so would be to doom others to the same fate he and his people have suffered. And as people who have suffered, they know how it is nearly impossible to deserve. And he does not represent his peoples past as perfect. Because it was not.

Paper 1 speech analysis

http://www.bartleby.com/124/pres56.html
This is the inaugural speech of Former President John F. Kennedy. It is a speech because he read it aloud in front of the nation. This speech is one that is well known for the various rhetorical devices present.
The target audience is fairly broad. Really anyone could listen. to be more specific, the American people were highly likely to listen to this speech as it was the speech given by the new president. Its purpose is far more open. Likely, it was meant to inform, reassure, and persuade. He makes reference several times to the actions he will be taking in the near future. The persuasive elements occur mostly in the rhetoric, as he create an emotionally charged message. He attempts to reassure those who had voted against him by mixing conservative and liberal veiws.

Surprise

We discussed An African Voice today. It is a transcript of a interview with author of Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebe.  Though the biggest surprise came from the text itself. One of the questions and its answer really stood out to me. "You have been called the progenitor of modern African novel, and things fall apart has maintained its resonance in the decades since it was written. Have you been surprised by the effect the book has had?". The response was something along the lines of yes, the wide variety of people surprised me. This may just speak louder than the book. Chinua Achebe, an author whose whole purpose is to write against the demonization of the colonized, was surprised that it was not only his people who had experienced this sort of oppression and demonization. The demonization is so thorough that even those who are oppressed don't realize there are others. That is why people like Chinua Achebe, and works like Things Fall Apart are so important. The humanization of all people and their pasts are necessary to help up move forward, because once we forget the mistakes of the past we open ourselves to remake them.

Tempest Thesis Statments

Text and Genre

How does the text conform to, or deviate from, the conventions of a particular genre, and for what purpose?

     The Tempest defies genre classification. It incorporates elements of tragedy, comedy, and romance using an autobiographical aspect. It starts with an awful tragedy befalling a noble vessel. As one reads further however, aspects of different genres come into play. We see the loved-soaked gazes of a romance, the bumbling idiots of a comedy, and the ominous themes of a looming tragedy. The Tempest is autobiographical, as Prospero's power is over the mind, like a playwright. Throughout the play, Prospero adeptly manipulates the actions of his fellow characters. It is as if he is himself a playwright. The unorthodox additions of the romantic and comedic elements provide opportunities to unveil facets Prospero's character. But ultimately, The Tempest is a tragedy without the actual tragic end.

Power and privilege

How and why is a social group represented in a particular way?

     The Tempest has several intriguing characters. Specifically however, Prospero, Caliban, and Ariel are of a different sort. The Tempest, along with many other themes, has an imperialistic aspect. Ariel and Caliban can be equated to the native peoples of the English colonies. This is predominantly seen in Prospero’s treatment of Ariel and Caliban, his equivalent to slaves. It accurately represents how colonial matters work. It does this by showing, not only resentment and bootlicking on the parts of the colonies, but also an unwavering superiority and sense of entitlement from their oppressors. Prospero truly believes his treatment of his slaves is correct. The use of two desperate slaves is supposed to give insight into the two possible reactions to oppression, and the justifications for that oppression. Caliban is represented as barbaric and impulsive. He is portrayed as no better than a beast of burden. He and his appetites must be kept in check by Prospero, a more civil being. Ariel is obedient and kind. He is grateful to his master for being taken in. The natives of Britain’s colonies are represented in the Tempest as either barbarians or simpletons because this reflects Shakespeare’s opinion of the colonies and their native people.

Reader, culture and text

How could the text be read and interpreted differently by two different readers?

     The Tempest is very reflective of the day and age of its creation.  Because of this, its themes change from person to person.  A man from Africa, in the 1700’s, might sympathize with the slaves and the life that has been forced upon them as it is similar to the lives of those around him. While a Victorian aristocrat from England might applaud the claiming of the remote island as a colony, and the general enlightenment of the barbaric islanders because of his own experience as a land holder.  Interpretation and opinion are seen through the lens of our personal experiences.  

Reflections

Recently we have read the articles Woman Warrior, How to Tame a Wild Tongue, and The Language of Power. The one that resonated the most with me was The Language of Power by bell hook. In this text, a few elements jumped out at me. For one, the repetitive use of "the oppressor language" in reference to english. It is first mentioned in reference to a poem called "The Burning of Paper Instead of Children". When I heard this way to refer to English, I began to actually think of the implications. And I realized, though english is my native tongue and i know few others, it truly was a language with a "shady" past. I thought of all the places all over the world, once colonized by the English, that had few to no other languages. Certainly none of the languages spoken by the ancestors of the native people had survived. Even worse, the places that had never had this mode of oppression ousted upon them that willingly threw away what is arguably one of the biggest parts of not only culture but also identity for this foreign tongue. Language is an important facet of social and cultural identity.  For the promise of a brighter future that may never come in a wider world that shrinks every time a language disappears. And wondered, is it worth the loss of diversity? Though I would argue avidly against I also realized it is not my place to say. Many of the great achievements of the past were possible because of the large widely spoken languages. Without these, the ideas and cooperation necessary could not have occurred. If someone wants to put there native tongue into a little box in the back of your mind, its there decision. Though they risk the loss of their past, they gain a promise for the future. ONe that many underprivileged people want and need.

English Declared Emperor

Thats right ladies and gentlemen, the emperor of language is english. And no I don't mean the sort of emperor that ruled in Japan or the emperor who ruled a long long time ago in a galaxy far far away, I mean a linguistic emperor. And yes i made the term up so what. What I am really saying is english is a prime example of linguistic imperialism. Linguistic imperialism is a term used to describe the process of one langue pushing another to extinction. Usually the native language is the one being extinct. And in this case extinct, means the language is no longer used in common situations. The languages are driven to death by another language that is used more widely, and thus is seen as superior to the native speakers. A good analogy is either the empire or and invading species. There are many reasons a language dies. Those reasons include; migration to and from a certain country, economic stability/strength, superior education, diplomatic prowess, popular pop culture, and modernization. Most of the time the new language is imposed on the people.  For example many of the former colonies of Britain now speak english as one of, if not the only, primary language. This is a direct result of the British colonization. If the French had held the territory then they might speak French. It is estimated that a language dies every 14 days. The loss of a language is like losing a huge facet of culture. And even the cultural identities of thousands. We lose much knowledge of the past, and an even greater deal about ourselves. The loss of language is an abhorrent act. But the worst of it is, many do not see another way to help their children prosper. So they abandon their culture in favor of a bright future in the corporate, social, and uncertain world.