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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
A 5 page essay that argues that Laura Esquivel (Like Water for Chocolate, 1994) and Chinua Achebe (Things Fall Apart, 1994) both create characters who are incredibly strong-willed and also invested within their cultures in such a way that it narrows their focus toward other considerations. In other words, Esquivel's Mama Elena and Achebe's Okonkwo suffer their eventual fates due to their obsessive adherence to cultural paradigms, which they follow to the exclusion of all else. This rigid stance causes both characters to be primarily motivated by fear. Bibliography lists 5 sources.
Page Count:
5 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_khemeaok.rtf
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in such a way that it narrows their focus toward other considerations. In other words, Esquivels Mama Elena and Achebes Okonkwo suffer their eventual fates due to their obsessive adherence
to cultural paradigms, which they follow to the exclusion of all else. This rigid stance causes both characters to be primarily motivated by fear. This factor may, at first
glance, seem contradictory to the manner in which Achebe characterizes Okonkwo, the "hero" of his Nigerian village and clan. Early on in Things Fall Apart, Achebe makes it clear that
Okonkwos overriding passion was to "become one of the lords of the clan" (92). There is no doubt that Okonkwo wants to be a hero, but, it is also true
that the "road to heroism in the Igbos belief system is chronically fraught with difficulties of varying degrees" (Nnoromele 146). Due to his determination for greatness, Okonkwo believes in
strict adherence to the ideals of his clan (Beckham 229). This, however, makes Okonkwo pathologically afraid of showing any signs of violating his societys concept of masculinity by showing weakness
or by failing in some fashion (Beckham 229). Achebe writes that Okonkwo "had no patience with unsuccessful men," such as his father (4). Since Okonkwo judges his father to be
a failure, his life becomes dominated by fear that "he should be found to resemble his father" (Achebe 13). Repeatedly, Achebe shows how these factors shaped Okonkwos personality and behavior,
as he writs that Okonkwo believed that "to show affection was a sign of weakness" and that the "only thing worth demonstrating was strength (28). These fears are what motivate
Okonkwo to ignore the sage advice of village elder and participate in the sacrifice of Ikemefuna, his adopted son (Beckham 229). He warns Okonkwo, "That boy calls you father. Do
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