TFA+Journal+6+(Sarah+B)

Text-to-World:

Towards the end of Part 2 of //Things Fall Apart//, we see Christian missionaries being set up in Mbanta as well as Umofia. As I was reading about the missionaries, I automatically made connections to my World History class, where we read briefly about European missionaries around the world.

I read in World History that the white people, or Europeans, felt as if because they were born superior to the colored people, it was the white people's duty to spread the word of Christianity. I also get this type of vibe from the missionaries when the white man tells the people that "they worshipped false gods, gods of wood and stone" (pg. 145). The white man is trying to replace the local religion in order to spread Christianity, which was the common practice during those days.

Another connection to my textbook reading that I made was the unwillingness of most of the villagers to join the missionary. My World History reading stated that most people were forced to join the church. That is obviously the case in Mbanta. Although it says that the Christian community was growing, everyone in the assembly has decided to ostracize the Christians.

With my background knowledge about European missionaries during this time period, I could make deeper connections to the book and understand it better. And the book helped me understand the concept of European missionaries in Africa better by showing me a point of view of the local villagers and how they felt.

I honestly don't think that Okonkwo has changed much in Part 2. __He was a stubborn man, unchanging his stubborn ways, and stubbornly ignoring Uchendu's wise words.__ Okonkwo had gained more respect for his mother's land and relatives, but his main principles have not changed.

Okonkwo still has limited view on what makes something "manly". He is constantly comparing Umofia and Mbanta, and in conclusion, he finds that his fatherland, Umofia, is much more manly: "Umofia, in the land of his fathers where men were bold and warlike" (p. 162). I also believe that his sexist views on life has not changed. Okonkwo states that he named his son Nneka, which means "Mother is Supreme", but only out of " politeness to his mother's kinsmen". Even after Uchendu has given him his talk, Okonkwo still remains stubborn and firm to his own beliefs.

Question: Why do you think it was important for different cultures to convert to Christianity for Europe?