Okonkwo and Eugene Part II

After reading further into the book, it seems like Eugene is trying to prove me wrong about him being the same as Okonkwo. Sure, both are still important leaders in a very religious community. And both are still violent towards their family and care more about their public image than personal relationships. The major difference was that Okonkwo was likable despite his flaws. He had a few redeeming qualities that allowed the reader to think "that was bad but I understand where he's coming from." With Eugene there seems to be no redeeming quality. He runs his family like a dictator then criticizes the government. He is a devout Christian but he still beats his children. In summary, he is a hypocrit who is impossible to feel any forgiveness or sympathy for.

Okonkwo and Eugene

Based on the opening sentence of Purple Hibiscus and the fact that a lot of people have read Things Fall Apart, I'm going to assume that Adichie has read Things Fall Apart. She was likely very conscious of the book as she was writing Purple Hibiscus because it is a very famous work of Nigerian literature. Therefore, I can conclude that the similarities between Okonkwo and Eugene (aka Papa) are not simply coincidental.

Both Eugene and Okonkwo are powerful men in their respective societies, both are very controlling of their family, both are violent towards their wives, both despise their fathers, and both are threatened by a group changing their way of life. Perhaps Adichie is creating a character similar to Okwonko to deliver a similar message about valuing people over your image. I wouldn't be surprised to see Eugene meet as tragic an end as Okonkwo.

Purple Hibiscus

So far, Purple Hibiscus has been interesting in that it is the third book with a Nigerian protagonist I have read in a row. Each one has been from a Nigerian in a different position. First an immigrant in New York City, next a powerful leader in a traditional tribe, and now the daughter of a wealthy christian in postcolonial Nigeria. There are similarities and references to the same things in all three books, but there are also many differences. Between Cole's Open City, Achebe's Things Fall Apart, and Adichie's Purple Hibiscus I have learned a great deal about the country across different points of its history and from different points of view. In addition to offering me insight into Nigeria's history, these books have taught me a lot about the people and culture as well.

Things Fall Apart Part III

I've been waiting this whole book, anticipating the point when Things Fall Apart. I though that maybe it was when Okonkwo killed a man and was banished from his homeland, but no, things fell much much further apart. Okonkwo killed another guy (this time on purpose), realized that he has essentially doomed his village to the wrath of the white colonists, then kills himself out of shame. Damn. Achebe definitely wasn't subtle in his criticism of the colonization of Africa. I would go beyond calling it a criticism and just say it was a downright attack on both the act of colonization as well as the ideas that fueled it. Many of these colonists saw themselves as explorers going off into an uncivilized continent to bless the land with the gift of civilization. Achebe offers the under-represented point of view of the Africans who are having their land taken. In this light, the Europeans are not heroes, but instead n invasive species to be afraid of. Achebe definitely shows the worst side of colonization, but, objectively, there isn't a very positive side, and perhaps Achebe needed to be aggressive to get his point across.

Things Fall Apart Part II

As I am reading Things Fall Apart I continue to be interested by the differences in the Ibo culture and my own, as well as the way Achebe chooses to portray the difference. As far as I knew, everything Achebe writes could be entirely made up, but the way he includes an in depth spectrum of positive and negative cultural details makes me feel that the Ibo people are very real. Also, it never feels like I am being told about them, but instead that I am observing and learning. For example, there is never a direct explanation behind certain traditions, just the context it occurs in. Achebe also never draws parallels to western culture, everything is framed from the point of view of the Ibo people. It is left to the reader to draw connections between the two cultures, and I believe that this helps the reader understand the new culture even more fully.