Life heroes, are you one of them?

Real life heroes can be anybody who is willing to demonstrate himself/herself towards society what his true core is, this means the nature as a person is and will always be and can’t be modified just because we are influenced or fake. We might picture that a life hero has superpowers or can combat all the word but no, the person is humanitarian, helpful, always puts himself at the last and is calmed proposing solutions. Anybody can help, it is just the willingness and left out the laziness to do things for the benefit of other people and you, as this will make you feel moved and happy that you did one thing that can but not always move other people to do so; how good it would be if we could trust each other without having the feeling of insecurity and fear, prepared to be attacked, insulted etc. with only making what might seem a slight difference for instance crossing an old lady to other side of the street we show we care. Others might turn around and pretend they hadn’t seen the poor woman begging on the floor for money or the little kid who had released from his mother’s hand and ran to the street, w e can enumerate many other occasions and then we are with remorse, what if I had done that?. Real life heroes don’t find excuses and are also ordinary people with a different life and background and still they fight for humanity.

 It is not always easy to be the hero, what I think and have seen in movies or read articles impacts that like any other person in an accident, let’s say an airplane all the people are in a state of shock and very scared if they will make it till the end and all the important things he/she leaves behind. There will be many reactions from the people as this is the way their nature is, an example is to be shouting around and crying or the one determined to live and the others die, but here enters the hero he will try to stay and show he is calmed and react as quickly as possible to find a solution for the ones who are more wounded as for those who are not injured. He will not negotiate on who gets to live although it may sound the most selfish and cruel but for this cases where there is no rescue team that will come immediately or some radar that will locate them easily, the crisis increments by each minute, what he will do is try to save half of the crew and if he/she dies he would be at peace because of knowing he tried his best and then the impact he caused. Most likely people will really thank the man they never had the chance to meet but wished they had also helped him and stopped being pessimist on the situation, it is those moments when we can sit down and reflect on what we really care about and all the other things that revolve around ourselves that we don’t pay much attention because we might have it all. By means meaning having it all is just a saying because not having any values or that humanitarian sentiment we have lost the essence of being humans, we all live in the small world although distanced by countries, customs etc. but what unites people is the capacity of remembering things that totally broke apart continents , or those things we once said I don’t like this to happen to my family that’s when we shall save each other no matter what. To have the courage to say I don't like this and I want to change...

Finally I would like to say that this heroes do inspire, to overcome a problem no matter how big you can with the help of others but most importantly they show that we are not alone in this world although you may never get the chance to meet somebody new that you don’t know might save your life, it is good to say to someone new a “hi” the reaction can result in two ways positive or negative, but at least we are offering the world we don’t want to assimilate the roles of copies, with no feelings and never looking at things as they are but of what we think or assume. In every heart there has to be that thing that moves us, provokes us to feel sorry for once in a while, reasoning and learning from each other, the best of that person and how can I change. Some people might have lost the notion of doing to others some good it is not because I would mandatorily get something in exchange but to leave like a finger print of who we are, it is also wrong to say that because that person already stared at me ugly or I simply can’t see him I will make this person’s life miserable however there are things to things if the person is constantly bothering and doesn’t stop obviously you can’t be all nice to the person but talk it out. We might never fully understand how complicated humans are but we certainly can conduct and therefore motivate with our good intentions and actions a way to correspond one and one favoring each other.

"Hard times don't create heroes. It is during the hard times when the 'hero' within us is revealed."

Bob Riley

Quote

The soul of a person is what he/ she is really inside and reflects it on the outside.  That core hat no one can change to you because its the essence of what you really are.

In this entry I will talk about a quote that I identify myself with, it was a diffiicult desicion as i have many that I love and many authors I truly admire. In one of those authors is a pacifist who lead the world to peace.
"Be the change you wish to be" Mahatma Gandhi
The meaning of the quote can be interpreted in different ways, the first is to recognize yourself as you are and think overhead what will be of you in the future, for the better or the worse. It can also mean that your words say more than your actions, this really reflects most of what you are in essence and that any action you make will affect the construction of your future this means a bad reputation if your tendency is towards bad desicions, so no one would choose you like in a team or for work because they know that your not capable of keeping a promise an will never triust on you.
By other means if you have suffered a great deal in life, the obvious is you would want better things for you and your life, so the next step is planning your goals and having objectives and alternatives that are used as second options but remeber this, nothing is impossible do not think the alternatives are used because the others are hard and unreachable. A motivated person that has the entire life ahead is capable of being reasonable and wise. Take advantage of all the opportunities, because in this world the one who stays without work and being unuseful remaining ignorant of any abilities and knowledge will certainly have a very poor and mediocre life.

For me the meaning of this quote is to take the juice of life altough it may present me with some very harsh and difficult situations, it was meant to be  life will never come free, it costs to learn and improve yourself  where yoiu lack the most. I consider myself that I am a fighter, to obtain what I want and most desire, I have seen many cases were people don't end a good career and in life begging for second chances when they don't deserve because they haven't demonstrated themselves as capable of being autonomous. This is very sad but that is one of the reasons I shall keep on show the example as it says in the quote and do my best.

Summary of Part Three, "The End Of Ruling"

Previously in Things Fall Apart we were left with the great devastation of the white men taking charge in every aspect, but then  comes the end.. the end of everything  falling apart.

Okonkwo’s years in exile were far tiring, desperate and difficult. In every way he tried to figure out what he would do when returning to Umofia. He had five new sons and made sure he taught them very well that what his older brother Nwoye done, by uniting to the white men was erroneous. Ezinma had grown into a beautiful women, many suitors wanted to marry her but she kept her promise of her father's will, that had asked to marry in Umofia when they returned.

Many changes had occurred here in Mbanta, evry day and each people allied to the white men's religion, one of the first men who did it was Ogbuefi Ugonna who received the holy communion and broke his title anklet, another change that a government was installed a court followed with a District Commissioner who judge unwisely and ignorantly most cases, court messengers were hated.

 By the means of things getting even wose, one day Obierika, Okonkwo’s friend came and spoke how Abame had been kicked out by the white men. They had lost their courage and were disgraced.

In Umofia thingsevolved more quickly, a trading store was set and money fled through the tribe when never in their history a thing of such matter happened. Mr Brown the white missionary soon became friends with the people, he was gentle and kind towards their beliefs and offered lessons were he demonstrated that both religions had similarities but were interpreted in a different way, he built a small hospital and a school, asking to send the children and to not be afraid soon lots of people did so and learned. Soon Mr. Brown was getting old and would leave it was in the rainy season when Okonkwo returned from his exile, that Mr. Brown came to pay him a visit and inform of his son Isaac but he was commanded to leave, people didn’t notice much of his returning and Okonkwo flet grieved because of his clan breaking.

The successor of Mr. Brown was Reverend Smith, he was a dull, squared man and thought that it was not needed for a large group of people to be followers of the religion but rather those who deserved it by showing it.
Enoch one of the tribesmen was a rebel and confused religion, one day during the annual ceremony for their earth godess, he said to the egwuwus(masked spirits) they would not dare touch a Christians at what they approached and pushed with canes but Enoch quickly fell over one of them and unmasked the spirit; this was considered a great crime as one of their beliefs. Enoch quickly ran to Mr Smith and hide their, he was afraid they might kill him, immediately the egwuwus found them and broke in the church, they told him not to worry they would not do any harm but in real the shrine was to be destroyed and so it was burnt.

Okonkwo felt happy that something was done, altough for short but effective enough to scare the white men, the next following week nothing happened. The district commissionaire had come to Umofia and spoke with Mr. Smith, soon the six leaders of the tribe were summoned to come visit the commissionaire, they were received politely and talked calmly but what they did not know that this was a trap. They were locked up on the guardroom. They remained for several days and the conditions were terrible, they were shaved and hit on the head, they could not go urinate, there was no food and Okonkwo was really angry at them.

The messenger was sent to town to tell all the people that in order to release their leaders they should give 250 cowries.(the 50 cowries were stolen by the messenger), people obeyed and they were released.

Feeling ashamed and reluctant of the white men was something konkwo could not bear, Ezinma prepared his father food, but he barely ate, the village crier announced by his gong the next day a meeting would be held and Okonkwo finally thought they were going to speak up of all the injustices. That night he could not sleep. He remembered of a man of their tribe Egonwanne who was a coward and the obstacle of Umofia, he decided he would talk to him the next day.

The next day was expressed that all their gods were suffering and that action shall be taken, when all were getting excited of what to do a white messenger passed and ordered that the meeting be dismissed, Okonkwo who had much hatred towards the white men, stood up and lift his machete and cut off his head.

The rumors had fled that Okonkwo had killed, the district comissionare was searching and asked but nobody knew, Obierika knew he was at his house and so led them toward it by a bush and saw Okonkwo was dead hanging in a tree, the comisionare asked him to unhang him but he told him that was against their custom and then exclaimed he was one of the greatest men in Umofia and to reflect onwhat he had done. But the men just stared and ordered the chief messenger to unhang him. The comisionare had written a book about the “primitive” or so he called them mocking their traditions and their way of being and in the end we can see how white man have ruled since then, they think everything is meant for them to be served, to be praised and they have the reason. Humanity was not meant to be discriminatory,it is a shame we can learn from other people customs and end up killing them because they are not "like us" but people tend to close their minds on things that to them don't make sense but really do, things are done unfairly but in the end they lose for not being a person of common sense and feeling less, and what is more inhuman is hatred building up inside yourself like a snake poisining you and do actions you would not do. What is the use of making someone feel they are worth less than you and make believe that what he/she was taught is wrong and lived in a lie when if we can't even know what we belive in is not there to be verified.

Things Fall apart: Summary Part Two

After Okonkwo’s exile of Umofia he goes to his motherland and is well received by his uncle Uchendu, however he has a pessimist attitude and then is lectured that he should change, because in this way he will never progress in life to be happy and thankful for what he has, a good family. Next Uchendu’s five sons help he install by giving him three hundred yam seeds so he could plant and then built his house.

The weather is very harsh but he adapts, his friend Obierika comes one day with bad news in Abame the tribesmen had been wiped out by white men had arrived bringing with them what they called an “iron horse” (bicycle)  so they tied them and killed the white men. Later on the Oracle had predicted that other white men were on their way, the first were set to find out about the tribes, the others to install and so many ran to other clans, as for the ones who remained were terrified and one day in the market place of Abame, they killed everyone there. This situation is explained in Uchendu’s fable of Mother Kite that I previously mentioned in the previous blog. Okonkwo is given cowries from his friend Obierika by the yams he sold.

Two years later missioners had installed in Umofia, Obierika visited again and this time he came to tell Okonkwo that is was strange he had seen Nwoeye in Umofia and as he asked what he was doing there,as for he replies he became one of them an didn’t want to know about his father. Obierika could also presence a strangeness from Okonkwo, as he avoids him and so he asks his wife, at what she just spills bits of the story. When the missionaries had arrived to Mbanta people murmured with excitement as they had heard of them(good and bad), the white spoke to them by an interpreter that spoke funny, what was told to the clan was to believe in God he is good and when all men dye they went to heaven or hell. Then it was said that all their gods they believed in were fake people laughed and Okonkwo thought this was a speech of a madmen he swore to himself never to believe in it, but Nwoeye was especially attached as he felt something inside him, move thought finally some of his questions would be answered.

The next following weeks the white men had stayed in the marketplace but soon requested they wanted some lands so they could construct their church and live on, they offered the evil forest however the clan only  knew that an evil spell was attached to these lands, all the dead people lived there and was a very sinister place. The people of Mbanta expected that the missionaries, would be dead within days however when this never occurred they believed they had some special powers. At first people didn’t trust this new religion but there were the ones who had lost fate in their own religion and so opted to the new religion, a woman called Nneka had had for previous pregnancies all with twins she had to dispose them as it was established, so she and her husband joined the religion.  

Tension grew each time between the expansion of the church and Nwoeye's ambition to join, as for one day Okonkwo's cousin Amikwu passed by and saw him in church; what waited for Nwoeye was a quarrel.As fr the aspect of the church it was rumoured it had become more powerful and a government was installed in Umofia, a man hanged for killing a missionare, however on Mbanta nothing of this had occurred but soon started bringing twins to church which was like a sin for them but eventually people understood they were also brothers of God. In the meantime the elders of the clan decided what to do with these men, some said it was not their incumbency to interfere with a god but Okonkwo as a strict man thought this was a cowardly action, so they decided that when the bell man rung they would rebel against the missionaries.

Finally in the night a bell man announced that the new religion was excluded from the life of the clan members. Until Wednesday in  Holy week women who were ordered to fetch water, red earth they disobeyed because some men had informed of the new plan. Mr. Kiaga(interpreter) went to see what was the commotion about and asked, what was answered was Okoli had killed their sacred python but they never found out as he died.
Then the last harvest season in Mbanta for Okonkwo came, he was glad it was over and thought he should have prospered more in Umofia than here. Everyone was kind to him and he was grateful although he hated every day, he had sent money to Obierika to build his two huts in Umofia by the last heavy rains the huts were built. Okonkwo decides to make a big feast thanking his mother’s kinsmen for their hospitality, so he ordered his wives to cook a big meal. Cassava, smoked fish, palmoil and pepper for soup were some of the dishes to be served. Okonkwo would look after the meat and the yams. Finally all the kinsmen and his uncle Uchendu came and were surprised at the big feast, kola nut was broken first and then they drank palm wine and eat until they were satisfied. In the end one of the eldest of the kinsmen stood up and thanked Okonkwo, wishing him good luck in life and to never forget to be thankful for what he has, be vast, respectful and teach future generations.

 
 


 

 

Things Fall Apart: Story of Mother Kite

In this entry I will talk about a saying that is told by Uchendu (Okonkwo's maternal kinsman)
The story is represented in a fable, were animals are given human personality in this case the kite refers to a black eagle, the mother tells his eaglet to hunt for food. When he returns he brings a duckling but before eating it, the mother asks what did the mother of the duckling say, at what he responds that nothing was said, mother eagle didn't accept because she said there was something eerie in the silence. So the baby eagle goes and hunts again and brings a chick, mother asked again what was the reaction of the mother, at what this time was said that the hen cursed, and shout at him, so it was arranged it could be eaten.

The message of this fable is to be afraid or careful toward people who don't speak because you don't know what they will say or react and leaves you indecisive of how to react and in mystery in return people who make a scandal, yell can be trusted as for many of the things they say you know how to react in each situation like when someone answers aggressively etc. They may not be the wisest but definitely they speak for their opinions.

An example in daily life, imagine when you did something bad and you don't nobody to know about it, but then someone comes with a serious face, immediately you feel shaky that this person might know what had happened, the suspense is killing you as he/ she will not speak. Contrasting this situation when a friend comes really mad and shouts at you, you will know how to react by answering back, defend yourself because you know beforehand  what to do to whatever you are facing. Silence instead makes you think worse things than what was at the beginning of your thoughts.

                                           

Chinua Achebe. (1994). Chapter Fifteen . In: Reed consumers book Things Fall Apart. United States : Anchor Books. pg 138.

Summary Things Fall Apart 6-13

 A wrestling match is taking place in the ilo, the elder and the high ranged people sit on their stools, drumers began to play rhythmically and the tension grows. The first group are boys between ages of fifteen to sixteen, this were not yet the real wrestlers however one that excel was Maduka. Next came the center of attention of why they all meet, the fearest wrestlers came and people applauded, one was called Okafo and the other Ikezue; as they wrestled anxiety grew and finally Okafo defeats Ikezue.

For three years Ikemefuna has lived in Okonkwo's household and adapted quickly, he represented a big brother to Nwoeye but soon this hapiness would be over. One day as Okonkwo, Nwoeye and Ikemefuna were working on the outer walls of the compound a huge shadow fell over them, as they looked up Okonkwo and the rest of Umofia shouts of joy because locusts(type of grasshoppers) were landing on the plants, they had not been seen since many years ago and so all the village waited till night to capture them.The next day Okonkwo and his two boys were happily eating the locust when a old man appears in his obi and asks to have a word with him, as they go out Ogbuefi Ezeudu(the oldest man in their tribe) says that the Oracle f the Hills and Caves prophesized that Ikemefuna should be killed and that it wasno business of Okonkwo to participate in the death, he would be taken the next day to the outskirts of Umofia. Okonkwo lies to Ikemefuna saying he would go home that day, a large party of elders carrying large machetes and goat skin bags showed the way; at first Ikemefuna is not frightened and remembers about his mother but then he hears someone breathing at his backs and turns he is then hit and loses consciousness immediately after Okonkwo cut his head.

After the killing of Ikemefuna, Okonkwo is not the same person he is very depressed, drinks a lot of palm wine and accuses himself for being an old woman, he decides to visit his friend Obierika and as he sits with him he is invited to the afternoon ceremony of setting the bride-price with his suitor. As afternoon comes the suitors family gathers at Obierika's obi and her daughter is presented in beautifu clothing and painting; food is brought and palmwine then th relatives of Obierika hand out the broomsticks which they use like an agreement, they were 30 in total so they negociate with the suitor andit was settled to fifteen broomsticks.

That night Okonkwo sleeps well until in the morning when a loud bang coming from the door is heard, it is his wife Ekwefi who is very worried an thinks her daughter Ezinma is dying so Okonkwo goes and sees her and collects some herbs to boil. In contrats we see a very tragic life for Ekwefi as she narrates her despair that all the nine children she gave birth to, died before the year so Ezinma was the last hope and when she was born a small pebble called the iyi-uwu was dug to killed the evil child spirit that returned to Ekwefi womb. Finally the hot water is pored to Ezinma and she falls asleep.

A communal ceremony is held the other day, better known as the trial egwuwus (people who personificate themselves as the spirits of the nine villages) were present, this was the case of a mn Uzowulu who hit every day and year his wife Mgbafo, so the brothers of the wife interfered and took her away with her children. In the end it was arranged that Uzowulu should bring a pot of palm wine and beg for her wife to come back and the brothers to accept.

Night approaches and only the noises of the night abound, storytelling had come for the children of Okonkwo, Ekwefi tells the story of a very cunning tortoise that is invited to the birds party but at the same time the tortoise takes advantage at the end he is severly suffers but learns. Then the priestess Chielo comes to Okonkwo and asks to be handed Ezinma, the Oacle need her as he refuses, lectured Ezinma wants to go with her but the priestess curses he and finally takes her away. In the end ekwefi and Okonkwo run after her and waited.

Morning approaches and the ceremony of wedding for Obierika's daughter has come, all the women of the village should bring food and help cook for the grea ceremony. Ekwefi is late because of the incident of the previous night; a cow is set loose while the cooking is taking place and people are alarmed as this is a penalty but soon the cow is taken back. In the afternoon-evening the relatives of Obierika gather following them fifty pots of wine are brought and the in- laws arrive. The bride(dressed beautifully) comes with her mother and brings the food. At the end of the ceremony the bride dances and is taken to her new home.

Umofia is in grief as the oldest man of their tribe Ezeudu dies and as he had three tiles which was an extraordinary event, a huge celebration was held. Firing and dances took place however a calamity happens, as everybody is firing one of the bullets of Okonkwo missed and hit directly into the boy's heart which was he son of Ezeudu. Okonkwo was immediately expatriate with all his family from Umofia and his house was burnt.

Citation:
Chinua Achebe (1994). Things Fall Apart. United States: Anchor Books. 46-125.

Summary Things Fall Apart

The story begins in a town called Umofia (Africa), Okwonkwo thw main character is described as a distinguished man in his tribe. As for his personality he is very violent and doesn't show any feelings. He is acknowledge in his tribe because when he was nineteen, he defeated the most fearful man called Amlinze the Cat and this had a long history of not being defeated.

His greatest actions  are contrasted as we see his miserable past, which was not favorable, he was very poor and his father Unoka had won the fame of a lofter and a very lazy person, the only thing he knew very well to do was playing the flute. He soon died and as for his burial he didn't receive a very honrable one, as for one of their beliefs says that a man who didn't posses lands, women would be not distinguished within the tribe. As for Okwonkwo when he grew older he was so ashamed of his father and angry at the same time, that he promised himself to not failon being a hardworker, obtain lands and crops.

The first action he took was at the wrestling game and then people started looking him differently but still very poor and little lands, the next thing he would is go to Nwakibie a very wealthy man o ask for a favor, which is if he can lend him some yam seeds and he should pay it for him. At first Okwonko sees he is very quiet but he mentions thta many others had also comed to ask and he was very proud of his yam seeds, to give them to complete strangers however he says he sees in Okwonkwo a very intelligent man so he gives twice four hundred seeds; Okwonkwo is very grateful, he then starts to sow the lands and dig the seeds but the terrible rain came and the seeds didn't prosper so he had only a hope when a new season would come he would start all over again, indeed altough all the difficulties he passes green leaves flourished.

Now that we have talked about the main character, other very important things happened all around Umofia, like the incident murder of wife's man; the consequences qere to declare war to Mbaino or them giving a virgin and a child, at wich they choose the second one knowing that Umofia was a place not to play or fool them, they were known for their fierceness. The virgin was given to the man who lost his wife, while the child, called Ikemefuna was sent to Okwonko's household as not knowing what to do with him.
Ikemefuna was terribly afraid of this new house altough he was very well received into the family, the first few weeks he couldn't eat and became sick but soon enough he was just a normal boy very lively and intellgent. Nwoeye a son ofOkwonko was quickly contagiated by his knowledge and wanted to be like him, Okwonko felt very fond of Ikemefuna not showing it, but deep inside as he was starting to see lazyness in Nwoeye and Ikemefuna seemed to be correcting him.

During the Week Of Peace were people didn't work, but invited all their neighbors to drink palm wine and after the weekk they would burn all the bushes to clear lands and start a new harvest. An incident occured with Okwonkwo a day when he came home to wait for supper, nobody camed at wich he came to look at his wife's hut but nobody was there, so he asked his other wives and said she was off at her friends house plaiting her hair, consequently a severe beating was held when she came back and the wives cried it was the week of peace. Fortunately Okwonkwo would be asked to pass by the shrine of Ani were he was scolded and was asked to bring a she goat, one hen and a hundred cowries. Next came the Feast Of New Yam which was a new year for them, were they would dispose old yams and grow new ones make vegetable soup and rich men invited all their relatives, Okwonkwo hated festivities preferd to work at farm. The Next day of the festival a wrestling was held, first the youngest of fifteen and sixteen and then the oldest;in this case it was Okafo and Ikezu, won Okafo.

Lastly the two boys (Nwoeye and Ikemefuna) started to gather at their fathers obi or hut every evening so they could hear stories of war and masculine stuff, they helped him in man chores and one day a man called Ogbuefi came to tell Okwonkwo that the Oracle of The Hills had pronunced that Ikemefuna should be killed, that afternoon a party of men with goatskins and machetes gathered with Okwonko and Ikemefuna walked to the outskirts of Umofia and Okonkwo caught off  Ikemefuna. 

Things Fall Apart (Chinua Achebe,1994).