Conflicts of Ibos and Christians

The conflicts between the white men and the Ibo people is a bit frustrating.  The white men just walked in out of no where and in a way just took over the Ibo people's area.  I mean the clan gave the men the Evil Forest to build and live off of, but still.  Some of the clan converted to Christianity, others did not.  So, there is argument and confusion within the villages.  Some family members have left, others have stayed.  For example, Nwoye left to be Christian and the rest of his family stayed.  Families are being split up because of this new belief.  The Christian's are now expanding even more.  Not only do they have churches but they are starting to build schools and trading stores, etc.  The place will soon turn into a town and then the Ibo people will definitely be lost.  But the people who did convert to Christianity hardly understand what's going on since the white men speak their language and the blacks speak their own.  So everything is half and half in a way.  But the people who haven't converted hate this Christianity "thing" that is going on and don't know how to stop it or what to do.  Only Okonkwo seems to know what the real reason is for why these people are here and what they want to accomplish while they are here.

The British don't understand the Ibo people's way of life.  They think their way is real and that believing in all these separate gods is fake.  They try to tell them that too.  They think that this new religion is good and thats why they have gone to Nigeria and tried to convert people to Christianity or because they want more land and to just conquer and kill.  Some of the Christians think these black men are good and want to help them (Mr. Brown), but others want to just conquer and don't care about any of the people (Mr. Smith). 

Mother of Supreme

Ways Okonkwo ignores and refuses the "female" virtues is when Uchendu tries to explain to Okonkwo and his kids how the mothers of families are very important and "Mother is Supreme."  Okonkwo couldn't understand what he was saying and wouldn't agree.  Uchendu was trying to tell Okonkwo that he didn't have to be the big and strong one all the time that the mother can help sometimes, but Okonkwo couldn't make sense of it and just ignored what he said.  Like when the husband dies and a couple hours later they find his wife in her hut dead also.  That scene showed how close the husband and wife were together.  They had so much compassion, etc. towards each other that they died together.  Okonkwo couldn't process or understand why that happened.  He can't put himself in their shoes because that doesn't happen in his household.  Okonkwo beats his children and doesn't really have any respect towards them.  The same with his wife, he doesn't feel love towards them anymore, he doesn't care much about them he only cares that they give him food and take care of his children.  He doesn't think the wives have a key role in society.  Okonkwo just thinks their there to feed him, keep the huts and obi's clean, and watch the children.  There is an example there in the book when he beats Nwoye when he cries because something bad happens or Nwoye says something non manly.  Okonkwo just beats!

Opinion of Okonkwo

I have mixed feelings about Okonkwo.  I don't hate him, but I don't like him lots either.  The reason I don't like him is because I hate how he treats his family.  I know that's how everyone does it around where he lives, but he could be different.  He could handle situations differently than everyone else.  I think he is too harsh on his family and needs to cut them a bit of slack sometimes.  I feel bad that Okonkwo had to have Unoka as a father.  I would hate to have a man like that as my father.  Okonkwo didn't deserve such a thing, and he might have turned out to be a different kind of person if he didn't have Unoka as a dad.  He would be less stressful probably if he didn't have to pay off his father's debts.  Okonkwo has been doing that for so long and has had that weight on his shoulders for so long.  Maybe if he was free of paying debts all the time and making money for his own family, he would be a little more jovial!  But, the reason I like Okonkwo is because he has good intentions.  He tries hard in life.  For example planting the yams, he wants them to grow so he is going to try hard until that happens!  Even though he did hit his child for being lazy he has a good reason for doing so.  He doesn't want his son to end up like his father, so he is going to do anything possible to help him not be so.