TFAJournal+Yunji

Chapt. 3-6
 * Journal# 2

Text to self:** When I read the part where Ekwefi (Okonkowo's second wife) and Ezinma's (daughter) conversation, I feel a sense of kinship from them. Even though culture, language, or environment were different, I realized relationship between mother (father) and daughter (son) have common characteristics. Whenever Ezinma asks questions to her mother, she doesn't answer. Because Ekwefi wanted her to work it out herself. And I think almost all the parents might also train like that. Thus I always came up with more question and keep asking to parent, then when I keep saying something, my mother reluctantly replied, "Yes," she was too tired or busy talking with me like Eznima and Ekwefi. Okonkow also has common behavior compare to other parents, wanted train his son stronger and learn more knowledge earlier. Although the land is far, have unique traditions and culture, and different life, almost all the parents' wishes are same.

From reading this book I was pretty amazed that one man can have more than one wife. Okonkwo has three wives and many children, so he needs to work more than other normal family does. I can't really imagine having one father and more mother. Probably, at that time Africa was lack of man and more women so it became like this. And I realized from their family's relationship is more like cousin than separated(?) family. (Polygamy)
 * Culture:**

Since Okonkwo has three wives, have he ever fell in real love with his wives and got married?
 * Question:**

Chapt. 7-8
 * Journal# 3**

Text to Self: In chapter 7, Ikemefuna was worried about his mother, she might be dead... he sang the song and if the song ended on his right foot, his mother was alive and if it is left then she is sick. Ikemefuna is doing same things as me, when I get nervous or a bad thought came upon me I always discuss with "If it is left or right" or "if it is go in then or go out". At first time Ikemefuna ended with right foot, then at the second time he ended with left, but he did not count. And I also behave like this whenever I get bad choices, if it happens then I try with other things (change the topic). I repeat that action until what I really want. Even though this idea is not logically make sense, sometimes it helps release your stress from difficult choices.

Close Reading:

Page.33 Inwardly Okonkwo knew that the boys were still too young to understand fully the __difficult__ art of preparing seed-yams. But he thought that one could not begin too __early__. Yam stood for __manliness__, and he who could **feed** his family on **deed**. Okonkwo wanted his son to be a **great** farmer and a **great** man. He would stamp out the __disquieting__ signs of __laziness__ which he thought he already saw in him.

1.Read 2.Keywords Difficult - connoation: Even though preaparing seed-yams are too difficult to Ikemefuna and Nwoye, Okonkwo thinks it is time for them to do it by themself. Early - connoataion: Okonkwo started this job very early (young age), so his son also have to learned things early. Begin too early is better than late. Manliness - connotation: it is most important keywords in this paragraph, Okonkwo keeps saying his son have to grow man and strong. Disquieting - dinoation: worrying about something Laziness - connoation: SInce Okonkwo's father was lazy person, he doesn't want his son to be grown like his father. This is the reason why Okonkwo teaches them (beging) too early.

3.Literary Elements Feed his family on deed. - rhyme Great farmer and a great man. - repetition

4.Questions How difficult to preparing seed-yams? Is is too early for them? What is the way become great farmer and great man? Is Okonkwo is the only one who thinks yam stood for manliness? Or is it also pass on traditionally?

Question: Even Okonkwo doesn't have to kill Ikemefuna with his own hand, why Okonkwo killed Ikemefuna?

Chapt. 9-11
 * Journal** #4

When I first reading, I thought stroy would connected with Ikemefuna (Okonkwo feels so sorry for him or frustrated about care for somebody). However the story was totaly different from what I thought. All the character seems like they forgot Ikemefuna, doesn't care anymore. Atleast Okonkwo would still be concerned... but he didn't. Now I can't figure out why Achebe (author) put Ikemefuna in the story. Until chapter 11, it seems like Ikemefuna was just extra useless character. Anyway I think Ikemefuna will be in the story somehow. Also I was be moved by Okonkwo, when he was with Ekwefi waiting for Ezinma. It was the first time I ever felt he was "Father" and he is. He always use violence to his wives, seems he thinks women is very useless. But from chapter 11, he shows very different side. Therefore I think he is very nice man, but Ikemefuna seems like he is unfamiliar with showing his expression.
 * Text-to-Text**

Question: Do you think Okonkwo still cares about Ikemefuna's death and author will be mention it again in the story?

I responded to Claire's question:** what is it about Ezinma that leads Okonkwo to reveal his other facet – the caring father? **

Chpat. 12-14
 * Journal #5**

In this chapter, Okonkwo showed many different side of his face like caring father and also weakness.Back to the beginning of chapter author already told us that he would become miserable, "The ill-fated lad was called Ikemefuna." (pg.8) I think this phrase predicted not only Ikemefuna's death but also Okonkwo's life becoming difficult. He has a guilty conscience to Ikemefuna's death. And now Okonkwo expelled from his hometown, because he killed the boy by accident. He lost all the passion and lives life no joy and hope. All the unfortunate things were related to Ikemefuna, such as Ikemefuna's death, stressed by his death, and killed Ezeudu's (old man who told Okonkwo. "That boy calls you father," he said. "Bear no hand in his death." (pg.121)) son.Therefore if Okonkwo had not met Ikemefuna then his life might different from now.
 * Text-to-Text**

I think he would Okonkwo's life become more and mroe difficult and rough, because by reading the chapter until 14 they have some shoking situations happened. They never leave him alone, and it would arrive soon again. His family might leave him alone in his motherland, because tiring of Okonkwo's miserable life (bad chi) or killed somebody again. Even though it is wrong, his life won't go smoothly.
 * Prediction:**

Question: Do you think if you say "yes" then chi also affirmed? or its not?

Chapt. 15-19
 * Journal #6**

From these chapter I saw many culture/religion differences. Their language of worship showed clear difference between Umuofia clan and the white men, such as beliving many gods or God, the way how they pray, and rules. It seems Umuofia clan's religion is more strict than the white men's chunrch, looks more free. Whenver they want it is easier to join or go out from the church group than Umuofia clan. I think from the Umuofia's side it will be difficult to adapt to new culture and religion. People can't suddenly change their mind, all the more it was traditional. And I realized from part 2, it is process of building white men's power, they are starting to imperializing Umuofia using their own culture, tradition, and religion. However the fact that Umuofia having difficult time living with white men showed culture shocked, thus the culture differences really affects their life, so it is easier to imperlized from others if they are forcing them.
 * Text-to-World**

At first, I thought Okonkwo was changing, became softer and caring father face. However at Part II, he showed stronger side more than showing weaker side, so he didn't change. **Okonkwo still using violent to people - violent word, violent reaction, violent words.** He chocked Nwoye's neck and shouted at him. The result became tragedy, his son ran away from Okonkwo and never came back. Nwoye moved to church, he wants learn new culture. And Okonkwo thinks church people is like a woman. He still thinks a woman is weak and useless, living motherland is not manly. Therefore Okonkwo didn't change and I think he won't be changing because he is fussy over manly things.
 * Okonkwo is Changing?**

Do you think Umuofia clan would move to the church and start to obey only one God?
 * Question**


 * Last Chapter**

Did Okonkwo make the right decision? (Did he have any other options? What should he have done?)

I think Okonkwo made the right decision, even though giving up his own life by himslef... he didn't have any other options. If Okonkwo didn't decided to suicide, still white men will kill him. And I thought leaving from village one of the best option, but I knew it from the book Okonkwo's characteristics. He won't leave village, because Okonkwo shows so much effort and more importantly even he was kicked out from village, Okonkwo came back again. Therefore Okonkwo has manly characteristics, so he doesn't want to kill by others and he doesn't want to leave his village. Which means suicide was the only one decision that Okonkwo can satisfied.