Things Fall Apart, Chapter 5&6 - 'Never Disrespect Me'

"His anger thus satisfied, Okokwo decided to go out hunting. He had an old rusty gun made by a clever blacksmith who had come to live in Umuofia long ago. But although Okonkwo was a great man whose prowess was universally acknowledged, he was not a hunter. In fact he had not killed a rat with his gun. And s when he called Ikemefuna to fetch his gun, his wife who  had just been beaten murmured something abut guns that never shot. Unfortunately for her, Okonkwo heard it and ran madly into his room for the loaded gun, ran out again and aimed at her as she clambered over the dwarf wall of the barn. He pressed the trigger and there was a loud report accompanied by the wail of his wives and children. He threw down the gun and jumped into the barn, and there lay the woman, very much shaken and frightened but quite unhurt" (Achebe 38-39).

Prompt Part II- ​How is imperialism ​encouraged by patriotism​, religion​, &/or a sense of cultural​/ racial superiority ​in Chinua Achebe’s ​Things Fall Apart​ ​/ the past​?

In this quote Okonkwo shows the power that he has over his wives and children by beating up his second wife Ekwefi who disobeyed him by stating that he could not properly shoot a gun. This is an example of imperialism because Okonkwo is demonstrating the power and influence he holds in his household over his wives and children by punishing his second wife for muttering something that is very disrespectful towards Okonkwo's skills in hunting. Okonkwo's beating of Ekwefi showed his other wives and children a piece of what could happen to them if they ever decide to disrespect their father or husband in any way. The beating of Okonkwo's second wife is much like how slaves would get treated in the United States in the 1800s because when a slave did not do what they were told or disrespected their owner in anyway the owner would beat them with a whip on the back to set an example towards the other slaves to show them what could happen to them if they do the same thing.

Things Fall Apart, Chapter 3&4 - 'Fear Okonkwo'

"That was why Okonkwo had bee chosen by the nine villages to carry a message of war to their enemies unless they agreed to give up a young man and a virgin to atone for the murder of Udo's wife. And such was the deep fear that their enemies had for Umuofia that they treated Okonkwo like a king and brought him a virgin who was given to Udo as a wife, and the lad Ikemefuna" (Achebe 27).

Prompt Part I- ​According to the text(s), what effect did imperialism have on people who lived  through it?


In this quote it is clear that everyone in the nine villages all agree that Okonkwo is the best person to send to any rival tribes if they ever have a problem and give them the ultimatum to either go to war with Umuofia or give up a young man and a virgin. Okonkwo has more responsibilities than any of the other villagers because of some of the great things he has done in his past like being known as the best fighter in the land. This is similar to how the Belgian troops who had imperialized Rwanda (a country in Africa) favored one of the two groups the Tutsi's over the Hutu's. The Tutsi's were favored more than the Hutu's they got to rule their land and were assured the best jobs and better treatment from the Belgian's. Although this time of Imperialism in Rwanda may have been great for the Tutsi's, it was not for the Hutu's who ended up growing to grow a powerful hate towards the Tutsi's. Imperialism in Rwanda had different perspectives where one group got to live a great life while the other group did not and had to work as slaves. 

Things Fall Apart, Chapter 1&2 - 'You Must Choose'

Things Fall Apart, Chapter 1-2, You Must Choose

"An ultimatum was immediately dispatched to Mbaino asking them to choose between war on the one hand, and on the other the offer of a young man and a virgin as compensation. Umuofia was feared by all its neighbors. It was powerful in war and in magic, and its priests and medicine men were feared in all the surrounding country" (Achebe 11).

Prompt Part II- ​How is imperialism​encouraged by patriotism​, religion​, &/or a sense of cultural​/ racial superiority ​in Chinua Achebe’s ​Things Fall Apart​ ​/ the past​?

The Mbaino tribe had just killed a woman from the Umuofia tribe, the Umuofia tribe wanted to avenge their lost daughter's life through their superiority and patriotism. To show how much more power they have over the Mbaino tribe they gave them an ultimatum of going to war with them which they probably would not win or sacrifice a young male and a virgin to pay back for their indiscretion. This shows the Umuofia's power and influence through military force with their superiority because they clearly frighten the other tribes with their strength in war and if the Mbaino tribe decides to go to war with Umuofia they would most likely lose. But on the other hand Umuofia is saddened by the loss of one of their daughter's so they show remorse to the Mbaino tribe by allowing them to choose to either go to war with them or to bring them a young male and a virgin to replace the daughter that the Umuofia lost. These factors shows how much more imperial power the Umuofia tribe has over the Mbaino tribe.