RR for Paper two

RELIGION

The traditional beliefs and practices of Okonkwo's village are disrupted by the arrival of Christian missionaries. Discuss what of value is lost and /or gained in this transition.

This topic is one of the many themes explored in the book "All things Fall Apart". The question of religion and how it has a major influence on the characters in the story, how it shapes them, their character, personality, and influences them in their everyday lives. The meaning of religion in this culture is the meaning of culture and respect, religion in this culture is like life it's self. Seeing how important this theme is I will be writing my second paper based on this theme of religious freedom in this culture and how it must have felt to have that changed after the arrival of the Christian Missionaries. Having strange western people of a strange western God define what "true" religion is and defile everything that the Ibo people have based their lives upon is like taking a way life itself from the Ibo people especially those who wanted nothing to do with the westerners and their God. People like Okonkwo.

Okonkwo represents the ideal fearless Ibo man but not the ideal Ibo man, he cares about his family and his friends however he will not show it through affection, he allows his bravery and muscle to do the talking for him. Religion to the Ibo people mean everything to them. The law of the land, decision making and practically every thing that is done in this society is not done with out the consultation of their God. For example if a woman bears twins in the village, regardless of how beautiful or healthy those children may be, they but be banished into the evil forest and killed of by what even monstrous wicked being or creature who lives in that forest. Why would they do such a thing to something that in the Christian culture is seen as an abundance of blessings, well it is the law that was pronounced by the God of their land; so you see regardless of how evil the deed is to the ear of the average human, it is the religious laws of the Ibo and it is executed. The submission Okonkwo has for the Gods of his land is revealed to us when the elders are told by the Oracle that Okonkwos step son, who he has grown to love must be killed off to undo the murder that was previously executed by a native man towards and Ibo woman. Okonkwo disregards his emotional ties with the boy and even participates in the killing just so the Gods and all ancients spirits in the land will be calm and satisfied. His determination and dedication for his Gods are very strong, so much that he killed of someone he loved just for the satisfaction of his land and Gods; so you can imagine how he must have felt with the arrival of the missionaries. They look different, sound different and worship a different God, now they want all the Ibo who have pledged their allegiance to their God for years now, to abandon that and take on their western ideals and values. For a strong willed man like Okonkwo, this will not be an easy task. The Ibo people may have adopted some positive things like a new language and the freedom of choice for the many women who had no voice when it came to giving up a child due to ancient religious practices, however they lost a sense of culture, many things that were seen as valuable like, the respect for their ancient Gods were lost, and when that is lost a man like Okonkwo who thrives off, of power and is motivated by his God will loose a sense of self because that strength and power is influenced by his God now he is being taught that all he know is wrong and western ways are right. He will no be able to take back all the things he did in the past like the killing of his step son, which honored his God but disgraced the God of the westerners. He is now at a battle with himself and will in fact struggle to find and understand who he is now, since everything he once knew is gone.