TFA_MOJournal4

Reading through chapters 9, 11, and 12, the part where egwugwu appeared for the problem between a wife and a husband who were "estranged". This was another cultrual aspect of the Ibo traditions, and how women were not welcomed to this event. The Evil Forest was the ehad of all the nine egwugwus, and this made it seem that the nine villages were ruled under one powerful soul or spirit. Since these people of Ibo took their religion and belief seriously, they were even ruled by their religion. When the decision of the debate between Mgbafo, the wife who was taken by her brothers from the husband, and Uzowulu, the husband who was complainin that he was beaten, and his wife had been taken by her siblings. This scene reminded me of our society now, in a court, like a trial judged by the judge. Instead a judge who judged according to the law, in Ibo culture, they were ruled and accorded with the spirits they believed in. The fact that women was not allowed in the secret hut, of the "Egwugwu house", reminded me again of women's role in Ibo, and how women were restricted to some ceremonies. However, it shook my perspective of Ibo culture when The Evil Forest actually respected Mgbafo's side, and agreed with her.

As I read these three chapters, I wondered why the author tended to talk about Ezinma and Ekwefi in chapter 9, and chapter 11, but not 10? What probably was the author's intention to skip one chapter talking about Ezinma? Did the story/tale that Ezkwefi told Ezinma have any relation with the priestess of Agbala took Ezinma to the cave? If not, then what does it relate to?

//I responded to Minji's question.//

__Why do you think Ezinma was one who survived among the ogbanje? Was it because of Ekwefi’s earnest caring or simply medicine man’s solution?__:

I think that Ezinma was the one who survived among the ogbanje not only because of Okonkwo's and Ekwefi's care, but also because it was fate. Speaking of fate, fate is the happenings that are caused by a supernatural power. I believe that fate is planned before a person's life, and I believe that the whole fact that the ogbanje was in every baby Ekwefi gave birth to was a fate that she had to face. Therefore, I think the fact that Ezinma made through the ogbanje was simply fate. If I were to particularly answer the question: __Was it because of Ekwefi’s earnest caring or simply medicine man’s solution?__ I would say that it was because of both Ekwefi's earnest caring and the medicine man's solution. Without any one of them, it would have been hard for Ezinma to survive through it. However, as I said before, I personally belive this was fate. Even though Ekwefi and Okonkwo put the same effort into the child before, Ezinma, they have failed.