TFAJournal+Ms.+Porter

Text to self, text to text, text to world Respond to daily assignment Question

L. Porter April 1, 2010

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Today -- Respond, look for something in the culture (expected, unexpected, what do I think about that?) Read to the end of chapter 6.

L. Porter March 27, 2010 Chapter 3 – Chapter 6

1. Text-to-text: My seniors have recently read [|Oedipus Rex summary] by Sophocles, and Okonkwo reminds me heavily of this play. First I think about the characteristics of a Greek play and then the particular characteristics the two characters have. A [|tragic hero] must be a person of stature, be intelligent, have a tragic flaw, and have an understanding of the world. Sophocles also plays with the concept of hubris, or a arrogance or pride that causes the fall.

Okonkwo, like Oedipus, is a person of stature (he works hard to make sure he is), has intelligence (he knows how to grow yams, how to wrestle, and how to follow the proverbs like the one about paying respect to great men), and has a flaw or two (whether tragic at this point or not, we’ll have to see). He also seems to demonstrate hubris. Even his father comments that he is a man that is proud, and as such he will not fall. Others think he shows too much pride and when the rains come, this is his punishment.

Oedipus experiences a downfall because it seems fated. However, he also doesn’t listen to the oracles, behaves rashly and kills a stranger which turns out to be his own father and believes in his own position in society too much, so doesn’t seem to realize that the gods could punish him.

Okonkwo has a bad temper, has had several places where he doesn’t really seem to respect his elders (or wives) and rashly moves forward such as beating his wife during Peace Week. A kindred respects his hard work, “but he was struck, as most people were, by Okonkwo’s brusqueness in dealing with less successful men” (24).

2. Culture: I don’t want to write too much about culture before the students write. I can say that I am following what is happening with the women. I find it interesting to hear about the second wife’s concern about her daughter living, the fact that the wives all live in different huts, that they plait their hair, and that the second wife left her first husband for a wrestler.

3. Question: Where does pride help us in life? Where can it be a hindrance? Is Okonkwo too proud or is this an ambition that takes him where he needs to go?