Journal Pages

Date: Friday, June 20, 2008
Page: 67
Quote: "The Earth cannot punish me for obeying her messenger," Okonkwo said. "A child's fingers are not scalded by a piece of hot yam which its mother puts into its palm."

This quote captured my attention. Okonkwo and his friend were quarreling whether he should have engaged in killing Ikemefuna. Okonkwo stated that he would not be punished for what the Earth obeyed him to do, and his friend gave him a rebuttal. His friend was only trying to protect him of the nightmares and thoughts that would soon envelop his soul. From then on Okonkwo would only think of the cruelty of killing that young man. If he had listened to his wise friend he would not be in the predicament. Nwoye became permanently scarred with his friend's  death. Ikemefuma had taught Nwoye so much, and his life was ended by Okonkwo. 



Date: Friday, June 20, 2008
Page: 73
Quote: "All their customs are upside-down. They do not decide bride-price as we do, with sticks. They haggle and bargain as if they were buying a goat or a cow in the market."

This quote struck me in an odd manner. They refer to bride prices using sticks instead of money. It's strange that they think oddly about other people's customs when their own customs are upside-down. They themselves think they're the superior clan when in today's world America thinks itself such a title. We do not have bride-prices. Other people's customs from different countries may have arranged marriages, but America does not influence it. Such things are considered barbaric if not despondent in some cases. Some people may find their true loves through arranged marriages, but the clan's weddings were requests of marriage by suitors. It was judged by the person's character and money, and usually you could not marry the person you wished to be married to. They acted as if they were buying a goat or a cow in the market, or just another wife to bear children with. If they grew to love their wives it lasted a lifetime, but if they did not the women were treated poorly.