David Wallace's Theory about Education

In what ways could Wallace’s theory about education be applicable to the writing of Alice Munro? Justify your conclusion.

In the literary text “This is Water”, David Wallace Foster states that true freedom acquired through education is the ability to be adjusted, conscious, and sympathetic. To further expand on this statement, it grounds the notion that one’s true freedom is expressed through controlled thinking, scrutinized from different perspectives and experiences, as opposed to chaotic thoughts crossing the mind’s limits, which is the natural default setting. Therefore, the act of taking into account the personal history and living conditions of others, breaks this default setting and causes the reader to sense sympathy as their perspective on those individuals are adjusted through consciousness. Even though these generous assumptions might not be true, having such panoramic awareness evokes sympathy, consciousness, and adjustment. Wallace further enhances this by demonstrating that it is a natural default setting of the human race to constantly center themselves around everything. He presents this as a flaw, causing the readers to reflect upon this and relate this flaw to their character.

Therefore Wallace’s theory about education is applicable to Alice Munro’s writing within her short stories. The overarching themes of every short story include human relationships, in which are complex, as well as the theme of coming of the age, which specifically refers to human development and personal enhancement. Sympathy is constantly conjured through characterization; in “Royal Beatings”, Flo is negatively portrayed as a vile, stubborn character, who also has strong feelings of hatred towards Rose. However when an alternative perspective of the story is unravelled, during the occasion of the ‘Royal Beating’, Flo is seen as a loving and caring character towards Rose. Rose’s consciousness of Flo’s love towards her also raises this consciousness to the readers and as a result Rose shows sympathy to Flo when she puts her in a nursing home. This also encourages the readers to be more compassionate towards Flo. In addition, in “Family Furnishings”, Alfrida is characterized as this dominant and big-headed character. However once the narrator discovers Alfrida’s true identity and health conditions as she is placed in a nursing home, The narrator's perspective as well as the readers’ point of view adjusts to become more sympathetic to Alfrida and conscious of her true character and living circumstances.

Therefore through Munro’s strategic writing, in regards to showcasing one perspective and then exposing many other sides of the story, this encourages readers to be more empathetic of the characters within the story, as they are more educated and conscious of their living and health conditions as well as their true intentions. This is achieved through Munro’s incorporation of first person narration, in which she mostly uses within her stories to narrate the story through one lens, focusing on the protagonist, their emotions, and viewpoint. The reader therefore lives through the life of the protagonist, with one side of the story uncovered. Subsequently when the climax or peak arrives, alternative surfaces of the story also unveil that cause the readers to develop feelings of empathy towards certain characters that they did not necessarily favor previous to the climax. This consequently evokes emotional intelligence, as the readers are aware of the emotions of multiple characters within the story; this is evidently present in Munro’s “Moons of Jupiter”. All in all, Wallace’s theory in conjunction with Alice Munro's short stories births the overarching premise of shared humanity.

Chineau Achebe in Things Fall Apart

Prompt: The personal history of an author can have a significant influence on the way meaning is constructed in his/her writing. Comment on specific instances of such influences in Things Fall Apart.

Thesis Statement

Chinua Achebe's personal history was deeply integrated within the core of Things Fall Apart through equally capturing both Igbo and Christian beliefs and customs. This was evident through the potent representation of the Igbo culture and community, as well as the Christian missionaries, to firm the backbone of Achebe's hybridized origin.

Topic Sentences

1. Through Achebe's unveiling of the complexities and hardships of both the Igbo and Christian faith, he is able to publicly voice his conflict in identity as a blend of both cultures

2. The dichotomy of the vulnerable Igbo community rooted by their blind conversion to Christianity, and the contrast of Okonkwo's firm grip to the Igbo ways, combating their surrender, composed Achebe's identity crisis, his depiction as a failed Igbo member, and the bidirectional nature of the Igbo.

3. The representation of Christianity through Reverend Brown and Reverend Smith displayed the positive and negative side of Christianity, in which Achebe converts to. 

Gender in Things Fall Apart

Prompt: With reference to Things Fall Apart, discuss how an understanding of gender influences how the text may be understood.

Thesis Statement:

Gender-related differences in Things Fall Apart cultivates distinct trails for Umuofian males and females, evident through customary Igbo practices such as ritual events, agriculture, child-care, and penalties that delve into societal realities of Igbo time to give the reader appreciation of culture, religion, and prominent themes.

Topic Sentences:

1. Gender in Things Fall Apart implants cultural variation that in turn projects its exclusivity to aid in the understanding of the values of the Igbo culture

2. The distinction of sexual category through gender in Things Fall Apart enhances the understanding of the chain of command within the Igbo government

3. Gender clogs central themes and internal conflicts such as hyper-masculinity, which in turn serves as the backbone for understanding the choices of characters in Things Fall Apart

Thesis Statement

Prompt: With reference to Things Fall Apart, show how sub-plots or secondary characters contribute to the reader’s understanding and appreciation of the work as a whole. 

Chinua Achebe's selective implementation of interweaving plots and prominent secondary characters such as Nwoye, Unoka, and his three wives, cultivates the emergence of Okonkwo's character highlighting his tragic flaws in which cradle his path to downfall, the dilemmas implanted within the Igbo culture, and overarching premises penetrating through the foundation of the plot.

Okonkwo: A Tragic Hero

Why would Achebe, taking into account the cultural context, choose to characterize Okonkwo using the tragic hero archetype?

Many African cultures including the Igbo, have faith in the principle that life prolongs from ancestral grounds and chains through the current community to the yet unborn; this insinuates the strong belief in communal rituals of life with their descendants. Thus African literature revolves around the destruction of these traditional, cultural, and economic systems through external forces, in which is disputed by the protagonist who adheres to the old traditions despite the benefits of the new modification. Consequently, this leads to their overthrow and the birth of a "tragic hero": a virtuous character in a dramatic tragedy who is destined for downfall, suffering, or defeat.

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe exhibits a tragic hero by the name of Okonkwo. Okonkwo withheld a high position within Umuofia due to his outstanding victory against Amalinze the cat at 18 years old. Suitably, he was idolized and equally classified as a hero. Then over the gradual years, he gained the trust of the Igbo people and became relied on in times of troubles. Therefore the occurrence accidental shooting, in which lead to his exile, spoiled his name within Umuofia and all his accomplishments that he built, block by block; this was the start of his downfall. As quoted by Achebe: "His life had been ruled by a great passion to become one of the lords of the clan…Then everything had been broken. He had been cast out of his clan like a fish onto the dry, sandy beach, panting". This reversal of events is traceable to Okonkwo's character traits and personal flaws that include fear of failure and femininity, rooted by his shame towards his father. Furthermore, since Okonkwo witnessed the conversion of the Igbo people to Christianity during return to his motherland, after British colonization, this lead to his sanity and his eventual death. 

Achebe strategically implements the tragic hero archetype to characterize Okonkwo, a community-oriented hero, who is strongly attached to the ancient Igbo ways. But as a result of the hero's strict adherence to Igbo traditions and religion, personal and moral flaws, and the external forces of the British, some reversible actions lead to the construction of the tragedies and Okonkwo's downfall in Things Fall Apart. This however deeply rooted emotions within the novel that as a result taught the readers about the Nigerian colonization of the British and its effect on the members of the community.

Igbo Background Assignment

Persuasive Speech to the Royal Colonial Institute:

Good morning,

I am Rob Smith, speaking on behalf of the Igbo people, an ethnic group situated in Nigeria. It is unfortunate to say that this vulnerable group of people are soon to be victims of colonialism due to the ignorance of the European and British; yes, it is indeed people like me and you that are disrupting the harmony and synchronization of such a distinct and unique community.

Despite having a positive mindset for colonialism in regards to supporting the Igbo people economically and socially by ending the enigma of twinship, women abuse, and supplying with European resources, there are more superior factors such as religion, traditional customs, and culture that are more potent in their lifestyle; it is easy to say that their life hinges on it. As a result, through colonizing their territories and the Igbo themselves, this is tearing apart their society bit by bit, consequently leading to the loss of their identity. Therefore it is necessary for us to consider and evaluate the consequences of colonialism on the Igbo, whom retain their own distinct religion, social and political structure, associations, and way of life; as opposed to neglectfully seizing such possessions of theirs and converting them to ours, let us learn more about them and their standard of living.

Firstly, a major product of colonialism that needs to be mentioned is the loss of diversity, specifically cultural diversity, to this planet. The adoption of European culture is a threat to the Igbo culture, as it leads to its extinction. Secondly, an additional product of colonialism is the destruction of religious backgrounds by attempting to convert the Igbo people to Christianity; this shift in religion is destructive to their sanity, as their entire lifetime they grew up believing that their god is Chukwu. This sudden change in belief may result in dangerous confusion and a change in many of their religious and cultural practices, that all in all will have a detrimental impact on the close-minded people. Moreover, the social and political structure is destroyed since it is the foundation of relationships between families, tribes, the elderly, and chiefs; specifically it could result to loss of value and authority of the elderly and chiefs, which the Igbo community is greatly built upon. Furthermore, associations such as the Igbo women association, in which have been previously built and evolved are fully disordered. Why rupture such strong attachment to the well-built Igbo culture? I would simply like for everyone to take a moment to rethink their standpoint on colonialism. Do u accept for the Igbo culture to turn to ashes as a result of setting the wild fire of colonialism?

Chinua Achebe Interview Shared Inquiry Discussion

Through the presentation of factual, interpretative, and evaluative questions within the in-class discussion, much about the cultural and literary context of Achebe's work was studied. In summary, African literature reveals a variety of perspectives of a story, as opposed to focusing on one, while linking to a world-wide issue of oppression; consequently a mutual global chain is formed to tie the author, the characters, and the international readers all together. Furthermore, Achebe clearly outlines his position on the exporting of American culture that is highly concentrated within literature. He believes that excess exporting of American culture initiates imbalance of stories, as one side of the story is highlighted through the excessive focus on America's culture, ideas, and behavior. Moreover he considers it to be toxic as people are limiting themselves to one side of the world.

In reference to the interviewer's excerpt of a quote said by Nadine Gordimer in an Atlantic Unbound interview this past winter: "English is used by my fellow writers, blacks, who have been the most extreme victims of colonialism. They use it even though they have African languages to choose from. I think that once you've mastered a language it's your own. It can be used against you, but you can free yourself and use it as black writers do -- you can claim it and use it."

The quote stated above clears the air for black writers, in regards to their extensive use of the English language, as opposed to African languages, within their writing. I most definitely agree with Nadine Gordimer that the African's lack of administrative power lead to the colonization of many African countries. As a result English, in which is the universal language, was spread throughout, claimed by them, and used in order to strengthen their success within the writing industry to be reached to a larger and global audience; and through the use of English arises internal liberty within the black authors, which is positively demonstrated within their pieces of writing.