LITR / CRCL 5734: Colonial & Postcolonial Literature

Student Text-Dialogue Presentation 2008

Thursday, 7 February: Things Fall Apart (52-161; through chapter 18)

·        Dialogue between Heart of Darkness & Things Fall Apart:

leader: Erica Shillings

Uncivilized or Cultured: Dialogue Between Heart of Darkness and Things Fall Apart

Objective 1:

The dialogue between Heart of Darkness and Things Fall Apart allows us to reevaluate the term “uncivilized” and refer to the word “cultured.”  Okonkwo’s values, traditions, and surroundings lead us to view his character as cultured and to possibly perceive Kurtz as a civilized man.  

Introduction to Things Fall Apart:

Students read a wide variety of novels during the course of their college careers.  When beginning a new text, it is easy for a student to compare a book’s text, characters, and plot to previous novels.  If the class read Things Fall Apart before Heart of Darkness, I feel that we would judge Okonkwo’s character differently.  In Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe creates an environment where men are measured by their crops, wives, and titles of honor.  In the village of Umuofia, these aspects are considered civilized behavior.  The characters are raised through tradition and while some actions are perceived as violent and unorthodox this is the social norm within their village.  I do not believe that Okonkwo is an uncivilized man, but is doing what is expected in his culture.

Reference passages in Things Fall Apart:

“Okonkwo was clearly cut out for great things.  He was still young but he had won fame as the greatest wrestler in the nine villages.  He was a wealthy farmer and had two barns full of yams, and had just married his third wife.  To crown it all he had taken two titles and had shown incredible prowess in two inter-tribal wars” (Achebe  8).

“He was a man of action, a man of war.  Unlike his father he could stand the look of blood.  In Umuofia’s latest war he was the first to bring home a human head.  That was his fifth head; and he was not an old man yet.  On great occasions such as the funeral of a village celebrity he drank his palm-wine from his first human head” (Achebe  10).

This is part of Okonkwo’s accepted civilized behavior.  If this was seen as savage, Achebe would have included the reactions of other villagers just as he did when Okonkwo had beaten his wife, Ojiugo, during the Week of Peace and when he almost killed Ekwefi with his gun. 

“As the man who had cleared his throat drew up and raised his machete, Okonkwo looked away” (Achebe  61). 

Regardless of how Okonkwo felt about Ikemefuna, he had to comply with the traditions of Umuofia.  This passage takes place when Ikemefuna is killed.

“The only course open to Okonkwo was to flee from the clan.  It was a crime against the earth goddess to kill a clansman, and a man who committed it must flee from the land” (Achebe 124). 

This is how Umuofia demonstrated civilized justice in their clan.  A person must suffer the consequences for their crimes. 

“‘Your gods are not alive and cannot do you any harm,’ replied the white man.  ‘They are pieces of wood and stone’” (Achebe  146).

The white man did try to understand Umuofia’s traditions and culture; they entered their land and forced their culture on them.  The white man insults and criticizes their religion.  The white man sees Umuofia as uncivilized because their beliefs to do coincide with their own. 

Introduction to Heart of Darkness:

In regard to Heart of Darkness, Kurtz possesses many qualities similar to Okonkwo in terms of power, wealth, and fear.  Since we read Heart of Darkness before Things Fall Apart we took notice of Marlow’s behavior which was interpreted as civilized.  Throughout the novel, Marlow comes across many objects and individuals reinforcing that he is surrounded by savages and uncivilized people.  When Kurtz’s character appears in the text we compare the two characters to label one as civilized and the other as uncivilized.  After reading Things Fall Apart, I do not see Kurtz as uncivilized but as a man who accepted the culture of the Congo.  Kurtz takes on characteristics like Okonkwo to be seen as civilized because that is the norm of the area. 

Reference passages in Heart of Darkness:

“‘All Europe contributed to the making of Kurtz; and by and by I learned that, most appropriately, the International Society for the Suppression of Savage Customs had intrusted him with making of a report, for its future guidance.  And he had written it, too.  I’ve seen it.  I’ve read it.  It was eloquent, vibrating with eloquence, but too high-strung, I think.  Seventeen pages of close writing he had found time for!  But this must have been before his – let us say – nerves, went wrong, and caused his to preside at certain midnight dances ending with unspeakable rites…’” (Conrad  45).

Marlow instantly assumes that Kurtz has gone mad.  He does not consider that Kurtz may enjoy the savage behavior that he has grown accustom to while writing his report. 

“‘Kurtz got the tribe to follow him, did he?’ I suggested.  He fidgeted a little.  ‘They adored him,’ he said.  The tone of these words was so extraordinary that I looked at him searchingly.  It was curious to see his mingled eagerness and reluctance to speak of Kurtz.  The man filled his life, occupied his thoughts, swayed his emotions.  ‘What can you expect?’ he burst out; ‘he came to them with thunder and lighting, you know – and they had never seen anything like it – and very terrible.  He could be very terrible.  You can’t judge Mr. Kurtz as you would an ordinary man’” (Conrad  51).  

“‘In fact, the manager said afterwards that Mr. Kurtz’s methods had ruined the district.  I have no opinion on that point, but I want you clearly to understand that there was nothing exactly profitable in there heads being there’” (Conrad  53).

Conclusion:

In Okonkwo's village, he represents a man who takes care of his wives and children, and provides crops and livestock for his elders and ancestors.  These are civilized ways of life in Umuofia.  Of course compared to Marlow he is uncivilized, but when placed in his own surroundings Okonkwo is seen as civilized.  If we had not read Heart of Darkness and had Marlow’s character to compare to Kurtz we would be more compelled to view Okonkwo as civilized.  When reading Things Fall Apart, we become accustom to Okonkwo’s way of life and accept his culture.

Questions:

If Marlow was not present in Heart of Darkness would we view Kurtz as civilized compared to his environment?

If we read Things Fall Apart before Heart of Darkness would we be more accepting of Okonkwo’s culture and see him as civilized?

Additional questions:

When reading texts such as Heart of Darkness and Things Fall Apart, what happens to the word “civilized”?  Is “cultured” an acceptable word to use? 

What other words can be used in these types of literary situations?  

Works Cited

Achebe, Chinua.  Things Fall Apart.  New York:  Anchor Books, 1959.