The Old Chief Mshlanga: Using concepts from Postcolonial Theory to understand literature

Lois Tyson points out in Postcolonial theory that “Colonialist ideology is based on the colonizers’ belief in their own superiority over the colonized, who were usually the original inhabitants of the lands the colonizers invaded.” In the story The Old Chief Mshlanga the author illustrates how detrimental colonialism and imperialism is on natives.  The story also provides the overall statement that is the realism behind colonialism: as long as it exists, the divisions it creates and maintains are impossible.

In the beginning of the story we can see how displeased the girl was with her culture and surroundings, thus having a strong desire to venture off and see what’s beyond her epicenter. She provides an illustrative depiction of Africa by stating it “as a hostile, undesirable, and unruly place” and by her viewing it in such manner; she needed a means to get away.

 The story separates her from Africa by talking about the natives in the land as “remote as the trees and rocks”. It provides the separation between her and the people of Africa. Lois Tyson alludes a postcolonial theory called ‘othering’ it is defined as “one of the clearest symptoms of colonialist ideology is the practice of othering: judging those who are different as inferior, as somehow less human. For example, the colonizers saw themselves as the embodiment of what a human being should be the proper self; the people they conquered were different, other and therefore inferior and subhuman. In the short story she says, "The white children could tease a small black child as if he were a puppy…" (825). by this quote one can assume that there was a great level of race inequality.

A Doll’s House Using Concepts from Feminist Theory

 Reading Response :
A Doll’s House Using Concepts from Feminist Theory

Throughout history women have been considered inferior to men by law and nature. Some women’s behavior was also limited and kept under male subjugation in ancient times. Unfortunately, discrimination of gender still exists and pervades in our many cultures and societies till this present day. The story “A doll’s House “is associated with feminism. According to Lois Tyson “feminism seeks to understand the ways in which women are oppressed-socially, economically, politically, and psychologically-in order to reduce, if not eliminate, their oppression of gender”. (83) The feminism theory concept by Lois Tyson teaches the reader that patriarchy is any society in which men hold all or most power. This play gives an insight of roles in women in a patriarchal household and helps recognize a system of beliefs and assumptions held by men.

By examining the beginning of the play it is clear that Torvald, her husband was dominating the relationship and pretty much holds a lot of power in their household.  “Has my little spendthrift been wasting money again?"( Ibsen 9)  This text supports that she did not have a right to make her own independent choice financially. With that comment Torvald made one can conclude that he thinks of her as an incompetent female even by calling her diminutive nicknames, it exacerbates her image.

The roles of men and women in the play, A Doll’s House, written by Henrik Ibsen in Norway are very different compared to what they are in the United States now.  It provides what life is like in a patriarchal household and identifies a system of beliefs by examining this play. I will illustrate and analyze why the role of the woman is dominated in the traditional times of society, yet is needed by the man. Throughout the first act, Torvald dominating nature was brought to light and he treated his wife like the inferior woman that she is supposed to be.  Ibsen presents Nora with a childlike enthusiasm for money, love and attention from her family. Torvald forbids her to eat her favorite treat; this is why she sneaks in macaroons. “You couldn’t know that Torvald had forbidden them” (Act I, 48). An adult woman should not have any issues in what she wants.Despite him belittling his wife every chance he gets, this type of behavior is common in the 19th century.

Lois Tyson points out  that "In contrast, traditional gender roles define women as naturally emotional (which, in a patriarchy, usually means irrational), weak, nurturing and submissive" (87). In the story a Doll's House Nora portrayed these characteristics. "Your squirrel would run about and do all her tricks if you would be nice, and do as she wants" (Ibsen 51). Torvald  enforces the power he has over Nora " Aha so my obstinate little woman is obliged to get someone to come to her rescue?" to which Nora replies, "Yes Torvald , I can't get anywhere without your help" (Ibsen 77) She is heavily manipulated by him until the very end of the play.

Tyson claims in Learning for a Diverse World “Feminist theory points out, however that both “good girls” and bad girls are objectified by patriarchy. They are not viewed as independent human beings with their own goals, needs, and desires. Rather, they are evaluated only in terms of their usefulness to patriarchal men” (87).  Nora may have understood that she has gone from her father’s expectations of her to her husband. She has no self-identity other than what the men in her life have expected of her. “I have existed merely to perform tricks for you, Torvald. But you would have it so. You and papa have committed a great sin against me. It is your fault that I made nothing out of life.” Nora knows that a life as a mistress is not a life for her. It also emphasizes that their relationship is more of a father and daughter relationship rather than a husband and wife

Works Cited

Ibsen, Henrik. "A Doll's House".1992. Anchor Books. Ebook.

Tyson, Lois. “Learning for A Diverse World.” New York: Routledge, 2009.  Print.                                                                                                                       

A Downfall In Fatherhood: Things Fall Apart

The Collapse in Fatherhood in Things Fall Apart

One of my closest friends had an extremely unstable and difficult relationship with his father. He said that his father would put on a public display praising him among family and friends but behind closed doors he was often berated. These insults were so hurtful that he referred to them as land mines. The consequences of these hurtful “land mines” left mental scars that resulted in a deep schism between father and son. This also led to an emotional collapse with his father causing irreparable damage that affected his life to this today. In Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, we see a breakdown between a father and son relationship which created a very detrimental effect. A relationship between a father and son can have a decidedly profound impact on each other’s lives. Whether this relationship is bifurcated, the psychological effects of having intimate or inadequate parenting skills can have a nurturing or depriving effect on a child's personality from birth all throughout adulthood. The carved figure of a son that Okonkwo had hoped for was erased due to his egoistic character and terrible parenting skills.

The most prominent and compelling theme in the novel originates from the main character Okonkwo and his ongoing battle to be different from his own father. "And no Okonkwo was ruled by one passion- to hate everything that his father Unoka had loved. One of those things was gentleness and the other was idleness" (Achebe 28). This quote implies that Okonkwo’s father had a negative impact on him, which resulted in Okonkwo himself constantly trying to avoid his father’s character traits. His extreme hatred towards weakness was heightened by his father, who didn’t uphold these ideals the way he felt he should have. According to Achebe, the main character detested his father at a very young age, “Even as a little boy he had resented his father’s failure and weakness, and even now he still remembered how he had suffered when a playmate had told him that his father was agbala.”(28). The Igbo tribe uses the term “agbala” which is used to describe “woman”. Okonkwo considered his father to be weak, effeminate, poor, disgraceful, and always in debt to his fellow tribe people. Okonkwo’s life rotates around the fear of becoming a failure and adopting the pitiful misfortune which had befallen his father. Due to this self-rooted perception of failure there are indications that he tries to rise above his father’s pathetic legacy.

The breakdown of Okonkwo’s relationship with his son is evident throughout this novel. The reason for this tumultuous relationship is, Okonkwo is too engrossed in maintaining his status quo and the relationship was governed by his own beliefs, principles and his “right way to do right things”. He abided by and treated his family in a strict manner as he believed that showing affection revealed a sign of social weakness. Consequently, the disheartening lack of respect and love was malnourishing on the social fabric and cohesiveness of the family.This story maintains a constant theme of conflict. Nwoye lives in perpetual fear of his father. Okonkwo constantly chastises his son and finds fault with everything he does. He threatens his son and does not hesitate to verbally abuse him. For example, when he is teaching Nwoye to manage seed-yams, he threatens Nwoye with physical abuse if he does not cut up the yams properly: “If you split another yam of this size, I shall break your jaw. You think you are still a child. I began to farm at your age. I will not have a son who cannot hold up his head in the gathering of the clan. I would sooner strangle him with my own hands'" (Achebe 59). This is an inappropriate and harsh way for a father to discipline his son.

Whether corporal punishment was accepted in the Ibo culture or not, Okonkwo’s verbal and physical abuse weakened the relationship with Nwoye until he left for the missionaries. Although Okonkwo seems to want what was best for his son Nwoye to prosper as a real man, I believe that it is immoral to impose control through violence or threats thereof. When it comes to parenthood, Okonkwo has tunnel vision which inevitably led him disgracing his son and making mistakes as his own father did. “I will not have a son who cannot hold his head in the gathering of the clan. I would sooner strangle him with my own hands. And if you stand staring at me like that,” he swore, “Amadiora will break your head for you!” (Achebe 60). This iterates the brutal way that Okonkwo treated his son and reinforces Okonkwo’s deplorable parenting skills.

In the story there was also an atrocious and tragic incident where Okonkwo killed his adopted son, Ikemefuna. He heard Ikemefuna cry, “My father they have killed me! As he ran towards him. Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being though weak” (Achebe 106) .He was in a dilemma at a point in time but it all ended up with the murder of an innocent kid. I pondered if Okonkwo can kill a child he was very close to, what would stop him from killing Nwoye, his own flesh and blood? He was so consumed with the clan’s customs and portraying toughness that he actively participated in committing this immoral act. Because of this action, his biological son grew a tinge of anger and hatred towards him day by day. He did not love his children enough or show them compassion.

The killing of Ikemefuna is a demonstration of how the tribe has these beliefs and rituals that are often detrimental and illogical. According to the quote, “Okonkwo did not taste any food for two days after the death of Ikemefuna. He drank palm wine from morning till night, and his eyes were red and fierce like the eyes of a rat when it was caught by the tail and dashed against the floor” (109). Although Okonkwo feels he is doing the right thing in raising Nwoye, his harsh treatment drives his son further away from him. “At any rate, that was how it looked to his father, and he sought to correct him by constant nagging and beating. And so Nwoye was developing into a sad-faced youth” (Achebe 16). Nwoye felt no love or attention from his father. This naive and amiable twelve year old struggled in the shadow of his powerful and demanding father. Nwoye’s relationship with his father progressively deteriorates because he is unable to tolerate his father’s dictatorial attitude.

In chapter 17, Achebe gives an insight into how displeased the main character became when he found out his son was mingling with the Christians. To Okonkwo, that was a sacrilegious act and a profound personal and cultural betrayal. Yet it was the wretched relationship between them that forced the son to follow the missionaries. Nwoye had to make a life-changing decision of converting from the Ibo culture to Christianity. “Nwoye turned round to walk into the inner compound when his father, suddenly overcome with fury, sprang to his feet and gripped him by the neck ” (Achebe 240).  This incident provides further proof of the father’s antipathy and impatience with his son which could have resulted in his death was it not for the uncle’s intervention.

Analyzing this story, it can be perceived that Nwoye was estranged from the folklore and creed of the clan. He undermines his father’s social approval and rejected everything that he stood for. Okonkwo’s death came exactly as Nwoye was becoming cognizant of his function within the clan and started to develop a sense of self- awareness. Overall, Okonkwo failed in his quest to raise his son uprightly lost his son by virtue of his own shortcomings. His rejection of his father’s lifestyle formulated a strange parallel rejection of his own son. Should Okonkwo have placed less emphasis on his title, Nwoye would not have ran away to pursue an alternative lifestyle, separate and alien to his clan. As exhibited in the anecdote, good parenting abilities are vital to maintain a viable relationship with children. The value of a father in children’s life should never be miscalculated or underestimated.

Works Cited

 Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York: Anchor Books, 2010. E-book.

Paper 1

Psychoanalyzing "The Short Happy Life Of Francis Macomber"

Many people encounter a scenario where their path will be intermingled with someone that they may not know, thus causing a major paradigm shift in the lives of both individuals forever. Others can encounter a situation or a circumstance that will cause traumatization or a positive benefit that reassess their life. Ernest Hemingway's short story, The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber, the way a person valuate their life can change completely in one satisfying moment, if only for an instant.
Jon Tolkien said it best in a quote “A man that flies from his fear may find that he has only taken a short cut to meet it.” According to Lois Tyson, “we all experience some sort of psychological problems over the course of our lives”. Psychoanalytic theory aids people interpret problems we go through by the dysfunctional behavior they portray. Through the exploration of this reading it would be reckoned easy to apply various psychoanalytic theories to the same characters along with the development of the story. Francis is an affluent married man who suffers with the fear of abandonment. According to Louis Tyson, “fear of abandonment is defined as the nagging belief that our friends and loved ones are going to desert us (physical abandonment)." Francis is caught in a predicament with fear of his wife walking out on him thus convinces himself that she would not leave him because of his wealth. “He was very wealthy, and would be much wealthier.” (Hemingway). He accepts as the truth that he is less than what he is and she underestimates him just the same; a man supremacy lies within his soul, not his possessions. His fear of abandonment may have arise for several reasons; partly because when an individual is really attracted to someone, it arouses a fear of losing that person. This fear causes you to become clingy and needy.
One of the most important symptoms of this disorder is that the person will have a very low sense of self-worth and self-esteem. There is evidence that infidelity was going on “Macomber’s wife had not looked at him. While they sat there, his wife had reached forward and put her hand on Wilson’s shoulders. He turned and she had leaned forward over the low seat and kissed him on the mouth. (Hemingway). Also, the moment she sneaked into the tent in the waning hours of the morning and made up an excuse saying that she went out to get a breath of air. These are clues supporting the idea of Margot and Wilson having an affair she seems to be licentious. She takes vengeance of the poor guy’s cowardice by flirting with the hunting guide, Wilson. This reinforces reasons that led to Macomber’s fear of abandonment; he refused to question his wife about her affair with the other guy. Throughout the story he remained nonchalant about her “modus operandi.”

The irony about this story on abandonment issues is that we gravitate to people who will abandon us, in this case the main character was trying to get attention from his wife which evidently lost her edge in their marriage . And so fear of abandonment causes abandonment. Francis Maccomber also displays insecurity because he lets his wife take control of the relationship. According to Tyson, insecurity “makes us very vulnerable to influence—for good or ill—of other people”. He shows insecurity when he fled away from the lion instead of killing it. “The next thing he knew he was running: Francis’ faint-hearted approach switched to a dauntless one as this story unraveled. By this time, for Francis, the core issue “fear of abandonment” and
“Insecure or unstable sense of self” were synonymous with his character. According to Tyson “this core issue makes us very vulnerable to the influence for-good or ill-of other people, and we may have a tendency to repeatedly change the way we look or behave as we become involved with different individuals or groups”. Macomber made constant efforts to perfect himself when he is around his beau. He changed from his recreant demeanor into a tough hunter. Moreover, Francis was “vulnerable to the influence for good of the other people” (Tyson) and that influential individual was Wilson. The quote in support of Francis’ change was “you know I don’t think I’d ever be afraid of anything again” (Tyson).By gathering all of the evidence in the story, and from an objective analysis of the narration and dialogue, it is reasonable to make the conclusion that she killed her husband intentionally.

'A Rose for Emily' by William Faulkner

In many respects, life is what we make it; people have the responsibility to mold and create their paths in life. By having a good understanding of yourself, helps you apprehend those around you better and it also amplifies efficacious relationships.

In the story “A Rose for Emily", it provides an unalterable, retrospective combat and illustrates how class-ism can bring upon separation. According to Karl Marx, classism is defined as beliefs that our value as human beings is directly related to the social class which we belong to. Classist attitudes can segregate people from one another and keep individuals from personal fulfillment or the means to survive.

Being in a particular high social class can cause people to invade your privacy if there is a failure to measure up to some standards. This is the reason why Emily kept the lid on her personal life and was ostracized in the small town she was born and raised in. Marxist viewpoint centered on the hierarchy between rich and poor and capitalism. From the perspective of the Marxist Theory, we see how Emily’s class later falls from the economic ladder.

 Emily used to be a part of one of the town's affluent and most prominent families. There is evidence to support in the second paragraph that she was up the social ladder. This story gives a very truculent mind frame of Emily being in the privileged class and considered an elitist. As the story progresses, there a bit of irony that reveals itself. Emily feared falling backward but yet showed an interest in Homer Barron, a laborer from the north and not someone who is aristocratic. The townspeople frowned upon Emily and her beau as a result of the barriers set up by social class. This gave them the impression that he is beneath her.

While Emily used her economic status to her advantage, she still tried desperately to retain her social rank. Could it be her unfulfilled expectations, struggles, regrets or was she preserving her public image to be still a part of her born socioeconomic class? William Faulkner shows how she overcomes some factors that gave her problems throughout her life and how she chooses to end things dramatically and surreptitiously.

“The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber” by Earnest Hemingway.

Many people encounter a scenario where their path will be intermingled with someone that they may not know, thus causing a major paradigm shift in the lives of both individuals forever. Others can encounter a situation or a circumstance that will cause a traumatization or a positive benefit that will reassess their life. Ernest Hemingway's short story, "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber", the way a person assesses their life can change completely in one satisfying moment, if only for an instant. An author named Jon Tolkien said it best in a quote ‘a man that flies from his fear may find that he has only taken a short cut to meet it.” According to Lois Tyson, “we all experience some sort of psychological problems over the course of our lives”. Psychoanalytic theory aids people interpret problems we go through by the dysfunctional behavior they portray.

Francis a thirty five year old man is being described as a very tall, well-built man known as a weakling whereas his wife is portrayed as the epitome of beauty. Francis and Margot’s marriage completely deteriorates after Francis fled from a lion instead of killing it on the safari. Margaret, his wife, despised the fact that he was not lion-hearted or not manly enough thus the reason why she mocks him. Like some norms suggest men should be brave, fearless and invulnerable when meeting danger or difficulty. This story captivates and supports common human behavior and it is something that people can relate to. Francis is an affluent married man who suffers with the fear of abandonment. According to Louis Tyson, “fear of abandonment is defined as the nagging belief that our friends and loved ones are going to desert us (physical abandonment)." Francis is caught in a predicament with fear of his wife walking out on him thus convinces himself that she would not leave him because of his wealth.  “He was very wealthy, and would be much wealthier.” (Hemingway). 

            There is evidence that infidelity was going on “Macomber’s wife had not looked at him….While they sat there his wife had reached forward and put her hand on Wilson’s shoulder’s. He turned and she had leaned forward over the low seat and kissed him on the mouth.” also the moment she sneaked into the tent in the wee hours of the morning and made up an excuse saying that she went out to get a breath of air. These are clues supporting the idea of Margot and Wilson having an affair she seems to be licentious. She takes vengeance of the poor guy’s cowardice by flirting with the hunting guide, Wilson. This reinforces reasons that led to Macomber’s fear of abandonment; he refused to question his wife about her affair with the other guy. Throughout the story he remained nonchalant about her “modus operandi.” He also seems really vulnerable and exhibits lack of self esteem.

The narrator also conveys the impression of her as a woman who adores a man who possesses qualities of intrepidity and fearlessness I believed he made an effort to hunt for a buffalo the next day in an effort to recoup his wife’s respect and viewed it as an opportunity to prove his masculinity. By hunting the buffalo he demonstrates his bravery and does not hold back any fear from acting on his mission. Initially, I thought of him as someone who is weak and disheartened by his marital relationship with his significant other. His cheerfulness and excitement after the buffalo hunt unnerves her therefore she feels like she is no longer dominant.

Wilson, their hunting guide, demonstrates a fear of intimacy. The clienteles “did not feel they were getting their money’s worth unless they had shared that cot” with Wilson, a sexual implication (Hemingway). He goes for a sort of clientele because he knows they are looking for his affection and consideration they are most likely not getting from their husbands. Wilson does not establish an intimate relationship between them because he understands that it won’t last and that’s how he makes his money.　

Macomber shows bravery when hunting the buffalo. He loses his fear and thus gains authority in the situation: he is now an equal to Wilson, as they are both "true" men, while Margaret is no longer dominant over Macomber. She states: "'You've gotten awfully brave, awfully suddenly,' his wife said contemptuously, but her contempt was not secure. She was very afraid of something'". After this incident it rasises my suspicion, there are many clues that supports that she had the right target and wanted her husband dead. My observations and analysis have led me to believe that she indeed shoot her husband intentionally. She was disappointed for not being the man he should have been.

Joanne Joseph
　
　
          Alice Walker's Everyday Use helps me to understand the definitive role of culture, discovering personal values, family traditions and heritage. This story also made me recall situations in my life and others, where people have to find an apical balance between embracing their own identity and/or becoming consumed by someone else's artistic, musical, culinary and other social elements that they would so imitate. In other words, everyone is raised within a culture; a set of customs and morals handed down by generations before them.
In today's society, many are unaware of their heritage because of what is portrayed by the media that may forcefully define themselves. Society also loses sight of their roots and favors an alternate identity from another class or socioeconomic group.
This story is narrated by a mother with two daughters. The narrator describes herself as a “large, big boned woman with rough man-working hands.” She goes into further detail of her strong character by describing some of her routine attributes. “In the winter I wear flannel nightgowns to bed and overalls during the day… I can kill and clean a hog as mercilessly as a man.” The description of her character shows a hard-working woman who is enraptured with her lifestyle and a wealth of cultural traditions and tough roots.
     Walker describes the differences in her daughters, for there is a clear distinction as the story unravels. The sisters Dee “Wangero” and Maggie, share the same background and were raised in the same household, however they think and act distinctly different. Furthermore, their clashing characteristics serve as symbols to convey the overall theme of the story. Dee's name change to “Wangero Leewankia Kemajo” was the first thing that struck me. Dee explained to her mother that she couldn't bear it any longer being named after people that oppressed her. I believe that Dee has alienated herself and wasn't too fond of the idea of her name being traced back to the times of slavery, or even being named after her aunt and grandmother.
The narrator of the story thought that perhaps she would have a profound appreciation and acknowledge the legacy of her name. Dee is ashamed of where she came from and feels like her family's manner of living is not up to par or substandard to hers. That is evidently shown in the passage; “burned us with a lot of knowledge we didn't necessarily need to know and she will never bring in her friends to see where her mom lives'. These negative connotations in this story show that Dee is ashamed of where she came from. Maggie, on the other hand, is the stay-at-home daughter who tends to be timid, naïve and insecure. She feels inferior and “thinks her sister has held life always in the palm of one hand, that 'no' is a word the world never learned to say to her”. Higher education has hindered the relationship between Dee and her family.
     The narrator is sort of in the middle of this awkward and conflicting relationship with her beloved two daughters. Dee wants an old quilt her ancestors made because she was impressed by the generational art work but the narrator promised to give it to Maggie when she gets married. She believes that her so called less fortunate daughter doesn’t deserve it and won’t show any appreciation for having it in her possession. She had to decide between one or the other; One who would display the quilts and household items as pieces to be viewed and admired as a way of the old life, or to the other daughter who would use them in the way they were meant to be used, to continue the family tradition by quilting and using them every day . This story centers on Maggie even if she had a low self esteem and was insecure, she surely grasped her heritage.