Question

3. Kenyon literary scholar Simon Gikandi suggests that the narrator's and "Achebe's sympathies...are not with the heroic character, Okonkwo, but with a witness or storyteller who refuses to endorse Okonkwo's commitment to the central doctrines of his culture or the European colonizer's arrogant use of power". Do you agree? Why or why not? Another way of thinking of this question is, to what degree do you think the narrator sympathizes with Okonkwo?

Answer 1

inal answer:

The sympathies in Achebe's Things Fall Apart are complex and suggest an alignment with a narrator who challenges both the protagonist's cultural dogmatism and colonial arrogance. Caryl Phillips's realization after discussing with Achebe highlights the importance of representing accurate African perspectives in literature and critiquing the colonial narratives that have influenced historical writing.

Step-by-step explanation:

The debate over Chinua Achebe's placement of sympathies in Things Fall Apart is complex but reflects the nuanced engagement with both the Igbo culture and the disruptive forces of European colonialism. Simon Gikandi suggests that Achebe's sympathies lie not with the protagonist Okonkwo, but rather with the narrator, who refrains from fully endorsing either Okonkwo's adherence to Igbo culture or the European colonizers. The narrative perspective in Achebe's novel is critical in understanding the multiplicity of colonial impacts and the response of the indigenous community to such pressures. Caryl Phillips's account of his own epiphany after talking with Achebe reinforces this standpoint, acknowledging the Eurocentric bias present in works like Conrad's Heart of Darkness and the value of indigenous perspective in literature. Phillips's realization amplifies the importance of Achebe's critique and offers a valuable lesson on the effects of colonialism in literature and history writing.

In summary, Achebe's insistence on portraying an accurate African perspective and critiquing the dehumanization presented in colonial narratives represents a shift in focus towards the valorization of indigenous history.

Answer 2

I agree with the Kenyan literary scholar Simon Gikandi in his suggestion "that the narrator of Things Fall Apart and Achebe's sympathies...are not with the heroic character, Okonkwo..."

Nor, should their sympathies be with "... the European colonizer's arrogant use of power."

Why should a stranger to a foreign land use raw force to impose his will on a people and their culture? By foolishly doing so, there are bound to exist unending conflicts. To conquer, one needs to stoop low, creating understanding and peacefully reconciling differences. At least for some time , initially "when in Rome, do as the Romans."

Step-by-step explanation:

The narrator, Obierika, does not sympathize with Okonkwo. For one, Okonkwo was forewarned against killing Ikemefuna, and the consequences of rascal and macho-actions were clearly spelt out. Like the housefly, he refused to listen to a prophet, no wonder, "he followed the dead to the grave". In the Bible, it is stated, "if you kill by the sword, you will die by the sword."

Okonkwo, the main protagonist, dramatically failed to recognize the signs of the time. Changes happen with the passage of time. Sticking to tradition and culture without making allowance for dynamic growth of same is a recipe for disaster. Moreover, Okonkwo could have listened to the warnings not to lay his hands on Ikemefuna. He could have acknowledged that mercy prevails over justice at all times. The repercussions of killing someone who calls you "father" are devastating indeed.

Given these circumstances and his propensity to act like a man driven by physical strength alone, unlike a man who thinks things, he eventually "murdered sleep." If one paraphrases Achebe, "when sleep is killed, things would definitely fall apart, leading the centre of culture to scatter, and nothing will be at ease again."