You should have read through chapter 18 at this point. Worksheets through chapter 15should be completed.
For this evening, pretend that you are Okonkwo and have to write Obeirka a letter while you are in exile. In this letter you are going to discuss your feelings for what is going on in your life. You must use 2 examples from the story to back up whatever it is that you are expressing. This blog may have to be more than 7 sentences.
20 comments:
Dear, Obeirka
I am getting quite lonely living away from the village. I miss my old lifestyle, my family, and my friends. I am now realizing that I should've been more grateful for what I had. For example, if i could go back now, I never would've laid a hand on any of my wives. I'm feeling a sense of overwhelming guilt. This may also be due to killing Ikemefuna. He was like another son to me. I guess the only option I have at this point is to wait out this exile. Hope to hear from you soon.
-Okonkwo
Dear Obeirka
Life in the motherland is ok it is not as it is back home. I wish I never would have used that gun and I would still be there at home. I would continue working on my many titles. Also I had power in the village here I have none. How is the village doing without me there? I feel like I had let down the village with my accidental murder. I do not know what to do with my son he has joined the missionaries in their false god and I am clueless. Something needs to be done with the missionaries because they are attracting more followers every day.
Dear Oberika,
Life here has been alot different. I have no desire to work anymore. For what do i have to work for? I have no desire to work because i am not working for titles or respect. It's all gone. I feel i have lost all respect at the village. I have commited a femmine crime. It was an acceditent but their was no way to escape my consequences. I had to flee as fast as i could and try to start over again. Seven years will seem so long. I feel so sorry for everything that has happened. The killing of Ikemefuna just to show strenght is worthless to me now. I also feel sorry for the loss of Ezuedu's son. My chi has been nothing but bad luck and now i see that. I hope the village is well and i can't wait to be home soon.
Okonkwo
Although I miss my old homeland, my in-laws welcomed me. They helped me get my new life started.They had a nice celebration for me. They gave me a piece of land and helped me build my hut.
The people here aren't as strong as my old homeland. I wish they could just be men and kick the white people out of this new town!
I can't wait until my seven years are up so I can return home to see you!
Cody Dykes
Dear, Oberika
Hello my good freind, things are horrible here. Here i have no power, and I'm not as well known. I feel as though all of my hard work to be powerful has gone to waste. It is like only bad thing's happen to me. I didn't mean for my gun to explode and kill the boy. I was only trying to celebrate the life of a good man. Maybe this new life will bring me some good. These new white people are fools. Iv her that they have completely destroyed a village. There new ideas and ways are foolish and they will pay in time. I will be home soon.
-Okonkwo
Dear Obeirka,
Things in my moterland are not the same as back home. I miss you and my other friends. While it is nice to get to see my family again, i feel like i dont belong. Now that i stop to think about it, i realize that i have not been living a good life. Maybe if i would not have beat my wives or Ike things might be different. I feel guilty for Ike's death, he was such a good kid and a great influence on Nwoye. I am looking foreward to our reunion when i return from my seven years.
Hope to see you soon
Okonkwo
(Tom Hall)
Dear Obeirka,
I can not believe all that has happend to be in these short months. It is still all hard to comprehend, one minute I am celebrating with my fellow villagers and the next I am far away exiled to my motherland. I am truely sorry for what happend and I would like to pay him back for the pain I have caused. It is difficult thinking about what I left behind as I had much power there. Here, I am no more than the next. I would like to come back and see you soon as I hope you would like to see me also. Fortunatly I have learned my leason well and will not beat my wife or woves for that matter ever again.Now I realize the bad I have done and will come back stronger and sharper mided than ever!
Dear Obeirka,
Life here is not the same. There has been a lot that has happened in theses last couple months. Things in my motherland are not the same. It is much different from home. I am so sorry for what happened, and I want to come back and see you as soon as possible. It is not the same here at all. I dont have any power anymore. This is all becuase of my bad luck. I feel so sorry for the loss of Ezuedu's son.
Dear obeirka
I completely disagree with what i have done with my life. If i could take back everything i have done i would. I never meant for my gun to explode like that. I was just showing my condolences like everyone else. I see all of this as Carma getting back at me for doing every bad thing i have ever done. Especially beating my wife's. Also when i killed Ike. these are things that have made me upset for a while but i just keep my expressions in so know one sees my weakness. I have to except the consequences though i don't really want to. I hope you will write me back soon.
okonkwo
Good friend Obierika,
My power has been stripped, my establishment destroyed, and my life tarnished. Here in Mbanta, I am equally the same as the other commonfolk here. I have no titles to call my own and I must rebuild my compound on new land. My uncle is a well-respected man in these parts, and as such he has given me land to build upon. Also, my cousins have given me three hundred seed-yams each so that I can have a decent harvest this year, and for that I am thankful. I will not question Ani, as I have committed a crime, but I do wish for a break. Why must it have been my bullet that hit Ezeudu's son and killed him? My luck has run dry. I am melancholy during this time, and I hope to hear from you soon my friend. Keep me informed of the village goings-on would you? Have a fantastic week, Obierika. Goodbye my friend.
With much love,
Okonkwo.
Dear Obeirka
hello, Im not to happy about being away from the village but i respect our traditions and will follow out my punishment. I have been kind of lonley out here. I think that i have become more respected though. More people enjoy my company and my family doesnt seem too upset. I know that once i return i will have to start life anew but i am willing to do so. I wish that my accident did not happen but i can not change the past. I feel that once i return i will be remembered for my acheivments and not for my accident. I hope life is not to harsh for you with all the missionaries out in the villages. Life is tough out here but i must be strong and will return soon.
-Okonkwo
Hello Obierka!
Life here in the motherland us surely taking time getting used to. I feel extremely lonesome and as though I really do not belong here. If I could go back and go down many of the paths that I chose not to go down before, I would do it in a heartbeat! I have let down my village, my family, but most of all I have let down myself. The titles and power I have earned in the village is now going to be deeply tarnished when I return home in the next seven years. All though many of the things I have done have been vry wrong, like betraying a boy who loved me like a father and giving him the worst punishment of all, death. Or maybe even the murder I have commited, yes it was an accident, but there are things I could do to prevent it. These next few years are going to be rough, but I have to learn my lessons somehow, and I have come to the realization that life in the village will never be the same for me, but until we meet again, I wish you great luck and wellness.
Okonkwo,
This is a terrible situation for a man to be in, let alone one of my status. I would, first like to express my sincere ecitment for you and your daughter. Congratulations. My new village is very warm in their hospitality and welcome. Off the start they gave me a clean slate and let me begin again. I feel renewed, I am working for myself once again. I have a clean, repentant mind and have time to think over my actions. I am truly restored and a new man.
Dear Obeirka,
Life here is very lonely and quiet. I miss my family back at home. This lifestyle is hard to get used to. I wish i could take back what i have done. I wish that i would have treated my wives with a little more respect then what i had. I feel as if everyone here is equal to me. I dont have any greater power than anyone else. Its very hard to get used to. I feel like I represented our village very badly and have let everyone down. I hope things here get better. talk to you later.
sincerely,
Okonkwo
Dear Obeirka,
I am extremely lonsome here in the motherland and wish greatly to be back home in the village with everyone. I simply cannot stop running through my head over and over the day my luck has seemed to be tarnished for a lifetime. The the day my bullet accidently hit Ezudu's son I wish a thousand times over never would have occured. I wish to just go back with everyone in the village and go back to my powerful days. Oh how I can only dream of being greater then a mere equal in the motherland along with the commonfolk around here. On the other hand I am truely blessed that my cousins have given me three hundred seed yams for this years harvesting time. I also have land to build upon, so I suppose I really do have some times to look forward to while my time is spent here. Like a man should be, I shall remain strong and conquer what task is put in front of me. I wish you lots of luck and joy until we meet again.
Your friend,
Okonkwo.
Dear Obeirka,
Life as it is, is falling apart on me. You and I both know I did not mean to shoot Ezeudu's son. I have nothing to live for. My titles mean nothing in the motherland. I feel that being ruthless all those years is coming back to haunt me. The earth godness is was watching. I almost shot my wife during the week of peace, I killed Ikemefuna, and now killing another innocent soul. I dont know what to do with myself. I guess everything will have to play out and get back to normal. The best of luck to you and your family. Hope to see you soon buddy.
Your friend,
-Okonkwo-
Things in my moterland are not the same as back home. I miss my old lifestyle, my family and my friends. Now that i am gone i miss what i had. I feel i have lost all respect at the village. I wish I never would have used that gun and I would still be there at home. I didn't mean for my gun to go off and kill that boy. I cant wait till i return to my village i cant wait.
Okonkwo to Obierka, Start of Rainy Season, 1876
My Friend,
I write to you now in uncertainty. I have disgraced myself greatly and angered Ani. I have no conception of how I shall be received if I decide to return, which I will. The white men have come to Mbanta and I am forced to wonder the truth in the tale of the Mother kite and her daughter - the white men should have been killed without being heard, for what they spread tears my heart. They call our Gods, Chukwu, Agbala and Ani false and yet throw at us with complete certainty what they believe, I wish we had killed them before they made any utterance. Nwoye is part of them now, he has been lured by the music of Mr. Kiaga's band and joined the Christians. I am shamed by it as it reflects upon all of our family, how weak we are to be swayed so easily to the preachiness of a new religion. I only can hope that Chukwu will lay whatever these men plant fallow in his anger.
I still feel uncertainty a to the reason of my punishment as well. While I grieve for Elder Ezeudu's spirit and his remaining family, I question what the logic of my exile is. Perhaps I shouldn't ponder such things, for it is the will of Ani. I must sleep ton ight, for in several weeks, my children shall be born. Nneka and Nwofia I think I shall call them, I hope you approve.
Okonkwo
Okonkwo to Obierka, End of Rainy Season, 1876
My Friend,
I know now the purpose of my punishment and accept it. It has been good for me, this exile and has allowed myself reflection. I had been negligent in my actions in Umofia. I still find myself thinking of the importance of grandeur, of titles and accept that it is so. However, I regret now my other ways. I regret what I had done to my wives, I regret now what I had done to that whom I called my son. Perhaps that was the purpose of this exile, to allow me a time to reach a peace with my chi. I hope this finds you well my good friends, prepare for my return. In accordance, I shall send some money for my new compound to be built, with a larger barn, two new huts for two new wives, and a grander obi worthy of obi great enough to reside in it. I shall regret being kept from my place amongst the egwugwu, yet I shall live with it for now.
I stand by what I had said in my earlier letter. This new religion is the ulcer in our village. We cannot stamp it out, and we find it harder to keep our young from resisting its siren call. Enoch has joined most willingly, and has been one of the most radical so-far. Let it be better in Umofia, let the ash-buttocks leave us in whatever state removes them quickest.
Okonkwo
Grant me the priviledge of NOT reading the first one, as I just realized I made several stupid mistakes.
Okonkwo to Obierka, Start of Rainy Season, 1876
My Friend,
I write to you now in uncertainty. I have disgraced myself greatly and angered Ani. I have no conception of how I shall be received if I decide to return, which I will. The white men have come to Mbanta and I am forced to wonder the truth in the tale of the Mother kite and her daughter - the white men should have been killed without being heard, for what they spread tears my heart. They call our Gods, Chukwu, Agbala and Ani false and yet throw at us with complete certainty what they believe, I wish we had killed them before they made any utterance. Nwoye is part of them now, he has been lured by the music of Mr. Kiaga's band and joined the Christians. I am shamed by it as it reflects upon all of our family, how weak we are to be swayed so easily to the preaching of a new religion. I only can hope that Chukwu will lay whatever these men plant fallow in his anger.
I still feel uncertainty a to the reason of my punishment as well. While I grieve for Elder Ezeudu's spirit and his remaining family, I question what the logic of my exile is. Perhaps I shouldn't ponder such things, for it is the will of Ani. I must sleep ton ight, for in several weeks, my children shall be born. Nneka and Nwofia I think I shall call them, I hope you approve.
Okonkwo
Okonkwo to Obierka, End of Rainy Season, 1876
My Friend,
I know now the purpose of my punishment and accept it. It has been good for me, this exile and has allowed myself reflection. I had been negligent in my actions in Umofia. I still find myself thinking of the importance of grandeur, of titles and accept that it is so. However, I regret now my other ways. I regret what I had done to my wives, I regret now what I had done to that whom I called my son. Perhaps that was the purpose of this exile, to allow me a time to reach a peace with my chi. I hope this finds you well my good friends, prepare for my return. In accordance, I shall send some money for my new compound to be built, with a larger barn, two new huts for two new wives, and a grander obi worthy of one great enough to reside in it. I shall regret being kept from my place amongst the egwugwu, yet I shall live with it for now.
I stand by what I had said in my earlier letter. This new religion is the ulcer in our village. We cannot stamp it out, and we find it harder to keep our young from resisting its siren call. Enoch has joined most willingly, and has been one of the most radical so-far. Let it be better in Umofia, let the ash-buttocks leave us in whatever state removes them quickest.
Okonkwo
Dear, Obeirka
Life so far has been much different. I miss many old times of spending time with friends and family. I am realizing that i need to be more grateful towards life. I feel lost and i am missing you alot. I feel alot of gulit right now from events in both of our life. Please forgive me for any wrong i have done. I hope my future life will bring some good for me. I hope to hear from you soon.
Scott Roteman
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