Things Fall Apart: Chapter 15

The chapter begins as Obierika pays Okonkwo a visit during his second year of exile. Obierika brings not only bags of cowries, but bad news as well; the village of Abame has been destroyed. According to Obierika, a white man arrived in the village on an "iron horse." It was prophesied by the Oracle that this man would be followed by others, and therefore bring along with him destruction. Afraid of the repercussions of their actions if they did not do something about this matter, the villagers killed the white man and tied his "iron horse," or bicycle, to their sacred tree in hopes of getting rid of any of the ties he had with the whites. One day, a group of white men discovered this and expected the worst. As "revenge," the Abame market was destroyed as well as the Abame community. Uchendu adds to the story that the white man said nothing, or that he said things that the villagers did not understand. He then criticizes the people of Abame, saying, "There is nothing to fear from someone who shouts. Those men of Abame were fools" (140). Okonkwo agrees that the villagers were fools, but that they should have listened to the Oracle and armed themselves. What does Okonkwo's view on this topic now show us about his character that we wouldn't have realized earlier? Are the qualities that make up his character commonly used to describe those of the fundamental Igbo values? (245)

One Day in the Life of Crystal Aichi

“A-choo! A-choo!” is what her brother wakes to almost every morning. “Those darn allergies,” says Crystal as she stumbles out of bed, almost running into the door, trying to find her Kleenex box. As soon as she has awakened, Crystal is aware of her differences. She finds herself constantly wishing she could change these things, and when she was younger, she clearly remembers trying her hardest to believe in the power of magic, because that would be the only thing that could maker her normal. Stepping out of bed, she automatically feels her shortness. Having a bed so high up from the ground definitely doesn’t help a short person’s self esteem. Walking from her bed to the bathroom, Crystal feels the whole sole of her feet touch the ground. This reminds her of her uniqueness, yet also of her “rare condition.” Everyone in her family was born with flat feet, and when she was younger, she saw it as a “cool fact.” But you know the feeling, where you realize that something that you once thought was cool turned out to be completely weird, and possibly bad? Well, that is how she felt about her feet. When a child grows up, her views on her surroundings and herself dramatically change and she begins to worry more than she should. She’s finally made it to the bathroom, a long twenty seconds after hopping, no, forcing herself out of bed, but failing and having to roll over onto the ground (talk about a painful fall). She looks in the mirror. What does she see? Well, nothing. Reaching for her glasses and putting them on, Crystal again lifts her head to look at herself in the mirror. “Wow, I definitely do not have morning glow today. Bummer.” She reaches for her Clinique products and begins her day.

***

“Throw it in the bag…” she sings on the way to school. Her brother shakes his head at her; she knows that he is secretly wishing his sister would “put a sock in it” before he’d have to do that himself. Making gestures with her hands and mouthing her lips to the song, Crystal finds happiness somehow, meanwhile still pondering the reason why she is awake so early. What an exciting moment in the day. Every second she realizes her mind is racing with thoughts- what if I never went to school? I have a car and money. Could I just keep going to wherever I wanted? Oh, no. If my parents found out…

***

It is now English class and Crystal sits there wondering, “How do these people come up with ideas so fast? How do they understand what the text is really saying? I don’t understand. Is there something wrong with me?” Her father always did have this conversation with her- that not everyone thinks alike. He said that Crystal wasn’t entirely an analytical thinker, rather an “artistic, free-willed thinker.” Although this seems like a good excuse as to why she doesn’t think like the others, there seems to always be another thing that is stopping her from feeling normal. She just sometimes feels like she doesn’t fit in. And, it’s hard for her. She has always felt separated from this school. Although she has her own group of friends, she feels like their opinions, their fashion interests, their ways of thinking don’t pair up to those of the rest of the school. “Why am I here?” Crystal asks herself, still unfortunately not having come up with an answer. Maybe a couple more sneezes, a couple more songs, and a couple more English classes may do the trick. If not, then there’s always magic, right? (612)

You can’t change your “super powers”

 

            Over the years during middle school, I clearly remember trying to change myself. I’d tell myself who I’d “be” the following year, what I would wear, how I would talk, etc. Yes, you can say I was a very interesting girl. But, the thing is, that I was always afraid of not being accepted and of being considered different than other people. I wanted to conceal my “weirdness” so that I could assimilate into a “normal” society. This kind of reminds me of the Disney movie, “The Incredibles”, in which a family of super heroes hide that they have special powers by refraining from using them outside of their household. I felt like an Incredible most of the time. It was almost as if I was trapped inside. Only my thoughts expressed my true feelings and the outside was a mirror that reflected my confused mindset.

            I am the kind of person who is heavily influenced by what is around me. I have had definite phases of my life in which I wanted to completely change my identity. The shows I watched determined the way I spoke, dressed and acted; sometimes so much, that these qualities became my own. After watching “That’s So Raven” so much, the phrase “snap!” became a common vocabulary word for me. After seeing the movie “Freaky Friday,” I was inspired to learn to play guitar and developed a sort of “rock star” persona. I felt like I was playing a role; that I had to wear dark eyeliner and listen to all of these bands to truly be a guitarist. I had to prove to people that I was for real. Years later, I look back at these awkward stages in my life and realize that they helped me. After a year or so, the rock image faded away and I slowly became myself again. I still play guitar to this day, but I don’t go “all out” to feel like I have proven what I am or that I am true about my hobbies.

            About two years ago, I realized that I am Spanish. Now, I know this may sound a little weird, but it is true according to my Hispanic friends. In the past years, I have dedicated myself to learn and become part of their community; not because I felt as if I had to but because it seemed to be my true calling. Deep inside I feel a connection with the Spanish language, it’s culture, people, and food. I couldn’t get rid of this quality of mine no matter how hard I tried. I’ve realized that this will always be a part of me; it will never change. Unlike the other habits I forced upon myself to obtain and perform, my Spanish identity is true. When reading this poem, Maybe Dats Your Pwoblem Too, I thought of what super power I’ve “had” or “have” and what comes with it. Unlike all the other “personalities” I’ve possessed, there is one that will never be erased. That personality is my fwame wesistent suit. Spanish is my super power. No matter how hard I try, I cannot stop liking that language and its people. I cannot disconnect myself from them no matter what. So, in conclusion, those parts of us which are fwame wesistent are those that last longer than an in-the-moment feeling and cannot be faded by consistent washing like blue jeans. Things that are part of us like freckles that are part of the skin, or for example, the way we think. They can’t be rid of because they are so concrete. I have learned to love who I am and to not put on airs. I cannot be somebody I am not though I may want to. I know how Spiderman feels but we all have qualities that make up who we are and we know without them we’d be indefinable. Like he said in the poem, I can’t just quit being Troutwoman. I’m Troutwoman for life. Fowever. (674)

Standing up to adversity but bending to glory

Are we unaware as to when we are going to far with something? Sometimes, when writing an essay it is hard not to keep everything succinct and down to the point when you have a good example or good explanation behind it all. When put this way, it is hard not to think of Antigone’s actions as solely trying to prove a point and get her opinion out there. But without trying to understand the motives to her actions, they can be seen as rash, impulsive and rather rebellious. To make other people understand her point, Antigone does whatever possible. She goes against government, society norms, and even her family values. And, in this process, Antigone manages to separate herself from her family; her uncle Creon, fiancée, Haemon, and sister, Ismene.
As metaphorically described before, Antigone’s acts are similar to those of an essayist who is thrown “off-path.” The ideas seem to flow together less, and are intertwined with other ideas, resulting in complicity and misunderstanding. Antigone, in trying to provide her brother with the appropriate burial service, gets carried away in her acts, when her motives and reactions are questioned by her family. Her uncle Creon asks her why she does not “give up” and just face reality, while her sister says that she needs to “down.” In trying to give a proper burial to her brother, Antigone has started to look into things and see what good it can do for her; a sort of look into it as “what is in this for me?”
What is in it for her; glory, pride, or perhaps a feeling of contentment? Antigone is so “sick” of her life on earth that is surrounded by government and society-formed barriers that she wants to leave in search for a sort of glory that may only be attained after death in an “after-life.” And with so much of her attention focused on her brother’s death and burial, it seems as if she cares more and more about merely the dead rather than the living. If one only cares for self-righteousness and so-called glory, does that make her conceited? So much can be assumed and read from the actions of this one character. Her uncle Creon once called into question Antigone’s ability to bend before adversity, meaning did Antigone have the capability to bend or submit to authority. I feel that Antigone definitely has a problem with admitting or letting a high official’s power determine what she can and cannot do. And, considering this, she has no problem bending to glory because she sees positive outcomes from “disobeying” the law and staying true to her own perspectives (451).

Mis Cincos Favoritos

I am honestly not a big fan of reading, but if there’s one thing I love, it's language. It doesn’t take much to get me to do something language oriented. I can spend a whole day in front of a television watching Mexican telenovelas and looking up words in my Larousse Spanish dictionary. So, if you really know me, it should come to no surprise that most of the books listed below have some sort of relation to language and culture. They are the books that have left a lasting impression on me, influencing my opinions and opening my eyes to lives I never thought I could just understand by reading a book. Take a look. These stories may encourage you to learn more about the different cultures around you!

 

1.     Before we were Free by Julia Alvarez

This is a story about twelve year old Anita de la Torre, a young girl who is growing up in the Dominican Republic in the 1960s. Someone in her family has been accused of plotting with other Dominicans to rebel against the government, and so throughout it all, Anita has been struggling to live a newly, more complicated life. The secret police of her country start terrorizing her family and she realizes how hard the struggle is toward freedom. What I loved so much about this book was not only the insertions of the Spanish language, but also how personal it was. I felt like I had just learned so much about the country of the Dominican Republic by solely reading about its government and the political opposition of its citizens.

 

2.     Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton

This book may have possibly been the one I’ve identified most with because of its’ plot. Alan Paton was one of South Africa’s greatest writers who wrote numerous collections of short stories, all regarding his homeland. He was well known for uplifting the spirits of the Africans. His works always talked about realizing the beauty of one’s country and not being ignorant to the troubles that corrupt it also. This particular story deals with poverty and the different financial statuses in South Africa, as well as the racial injustice. Not all people realize that the discrimination of races is not only in our country. Even in Africa there is discrimination and stereotypes of the people. The book was influencing because it teaches you to never lose courage and hope.

 

3.     Enrique’s Journey by Sonia Nazario

You have probably heard of my love for this book. Earlier last year when I was an ensayista, or essay writer, on the Spanish newspaper staff, I wrote a story about how much of an impression this story had on me. It’s more of a documentary work. Sonia Nazario was a reporter to traveled to Mexico to look into and publicize the difficulty of taking care of one’s family on little salary and poor living conditions. She documents the life of a young boy, Enrique, and his struggle to be reunited with his mother who has moved to America to make more money to provide her family with the essentials-food, clothing, etc. This was such a hard book to get through. I do remember tearing up and almost not being able to make it through a few chapters.

 

4.     The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

This is one of the books I read a few weeks after school ended last year. A couple years ago while watching PBS, I saw the author speaking of this new book. I kept her name in my mind and made sure I never forgot about it. What made it seem so interesting to me was that it was a compilation of Chinese narratives. People from China who had moved to America and started a new lifestyle told their stories and their children told their own. It was so fascinating to see how different American beliefs are from the Chinese. This gave me a good idea of how important it is not to lose your culture, because once its’ gone its’ actually pretty difficult to “re-learn.”

 

5.     Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

This particular book reminded me of Amy Tan’s writing style a bit. It is also a Chinese cultural book that puts more emphasis on older Chinese traditions. In a way, this novel reminded me of Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden, in the sense that the older rituals practiced in these Asian countries were being exposed and genuinely defined. This book is a journal-like composition. The main character recalls years and years ago when she meets her family matchmaker and gets her feet bound. It’s a truly depressing but comprehensive story that reveals how much the human perception and ideal view of beauty has changed over the years. That it’s not only in America, but also around the world.

It's not about the Bees

People tell me this time and time again; that I “judge.” Maybe it’s the look in my eyes, my posture, or my facial expression that gives off that vibe. I don’t know. I never really believed them up until this summer when I started my summer reading. My mother handed the reading list and I scanned through the list of books until I found an interesting one, so it seemed; The Life of Pi. I loved the title; it was so “out there” and different. But, then I went to the bookstore and saw the cover, the thickness of the pages, the font (size and color). It may just be my OCD, but I just couldn’t get the book.  The next on the list was The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. I thought, well, I don’t care too much for bees, but I’ll give it a shot.

The way Sue Monk Kidd writes in this book amazed me. She had some of the best descriptions of sentiments that I have ever read in a book. Even though she was talking about bees for most of the beginning until the plot really started to give way, Kidd continued to surprise me and hold my attention. So much, that what I paid more attention to was the bees than where the story was actually going, so when I had begun to realize the true theme behind the book, I was astonished at how well she brought up the topic. It’s something we are all intrigued about but somehow can never really talk about; race. Ironically enough, the main character, Lily doesn’t say too much about it either. What makes this such an interesting take on questioning race and its purpose is that all the talk about it went on in Lily’s mind. I did not exactly feel that I could relate to this character, but, being an African-American myself, her questions encouraged me to ponder if that is really how some people thought of my race back then, even now. I feel as if Lily is afraid to have a mindset of her own that is not influenced by society. At one point in the book it seems as if she’s upset with herself for wanting to ignore society’s view of blacks; “It was foolish to think some things were beyond happening, even being attracted to Negros.” I’d honestly thought such a thing couldn’t happen…” (125) Lily’s complicated views and emotions are almost too much for the reader. They form a sort of chaos that resembles the buzz of the bees.

Here I am rambling again. At times I feel like Lily’s character has rubbed off on me by how I think, and perhaps, her curiosity too. I am more aware of things after having read this book. I feel more open and understanding. And finally, after 302 pages and hours of reading I feel as if know what the secret life of bees is. Or maybe what it could be. We are the secret life of bees. Well not all of us; in this case it’s African-Americans. Though there is so much complexity surrounding the topic of race, Sue Monk Kidd cleverly compares it to the life of bees, which is so equally intricate and misunderstood. What is a person’s first instinct reaction when a bee flies around or near them? To swat it, or move his or her hand in a fan-like motion hoping to “shoo” it away. Imagine that the bee is now a symbol of race. This is what we are doing when we ignore what’s happening. If we all open our eyes to what every person contributes to our country, we would realize that we aren’t as united as we think; that we all have our own Secret Life.