Module A Comparative Essay

1.

Intro

2. Things Fall Apart Overview

Summary:
- OKONKWO is a well respected leader in UMOUOFIA, a tribe of the IGBO people who lives in constant fear of
becoming his father in which he digustingly describes as Lazy and a Coward.
- Builds reputation at an early age and becomes a wealthy farmer and a talented wrestler who courts 3 wives.
Explanation:
- Exiled for 7years after accidentally murdering a clansman to his mothers homeland MBANATA.
- Learns of the white missionaries whose arrival signals the beginning of the end of the IGBO people. (Son, NWOYE
has even converted to Christianity)
Evidence:
- Metaphor: And then suddenly a shadow fell on the world and the sun seemed hidden behind a thick cloud
Evaluation:
- Use of imagery demonstrates the impact of colonialism that causes a commotion in UMOUOFIA.
3. Locusts Symbolism
Topic Sentence:
- ACHEBE depicts the locusts that descend upon the village in allegorical terms which prefigures the arrival of the
settlers and the exploitation of the IGBO people.
Explanation:
- The Locusts (White Settlers) are so heavy, they break off the tree in which they sit on (symbolising the status of the
IGBO), thus representing the fracturing of the IGBO traditions under the onslaught of colonisation.
Evidence:
- And at last the locusts did descend. They settled on every tree and on every blade of grass; they settled on the
roofs and covered the bare ground. Mighty tree branches broke away under them, and the whole country became
the brown-earth colour of the vast, hungry swarm. - Chapter 7
- The oracle, said that other white men were on their way. They were Locusts. - Subtly expressed by OBIERIKAs
comment in CHAPTER 15
Evaluation:
- As the title suggests, Locusts play an important symbols for the change in which occurs to the IGBO traditional
lifestyle due to white colonisation.
4. Rejection of Change
Topic Sentence
Explanation:
- Villagers are caught in between resisting and/or embracing the change while OKONKWOs resistance is due to his
fear of losing his societal status, his self worth is based on old traditional standards
- In the new community, these converts enjoy a more elevated status.
- Similarly, Felix Skrzynecki also expresses his uncomfortable feelings towards the aspect of change as it forces him
away from the secure base of his family environment.
- I forgot my first polish word - Line 3 of the last stanza emphasises the poets struggle in his tradition that is on the
verge of existence as a part of his identity.
Example:
- OKONKWO rejects the new political and religious order, declares war to fight for his belief of the old traditions.
Evidence:
- Does the white man understand our customs about our land? How can he when he does not even speak our
tongue? - End of chapter 20
- He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart - End of chapter 20 in his
conversation with OBIERIKA where he voices his thoughts.
- OBIERIKA finds himself gazing steadily at his friends dangling body as OKONKWO commits suicide as a sign of his
inability to adapt nor accept the change.
Evaluation:
- Both Chinua and Peter share the common emotions of rejection of change, as they highlight the consequences, that
is the new change leads to the end of old traditions.
5. Felix Skrzynecki
Topic Sentence
Explanation:
- The poets attitude is immediately apparent in the first stanza in the use of the adjective gentle sets the tone of the
poem and reveals the poets perspective of his father as one of love and admiration.
- The third stanza in contrast, shifts to the sense of the child feeling detached form his fathers heritage. The stanza
introduces Feliks Polish heritage and suggests a life that the poet knows nothing about.
- This is due to their change in physical environment, as their migrants forces him to lose the change of connecting to
his fathers background.
Example:
- Stanza 3 reinforces this idea as it suggests a life in which the poet is foreign to as he is seen completely clueless.
- His fathers inheritance, the polish language is for him a fragmented one.
Evidence:
- I never got used to Line 4. Stanza 3.
- Final metaphor Hadrians Wall demonstrates the inevitability that the son will move further away from his fathers
heritage in this new land of which his father is silently aware but unable to change his sons course.

Evaluation:
- Although the poet shares the cultural traits, memories kept alive from their family discussions are alien to him
6. Realisation and the Result of Change:
Topic Sentence
Explanation:
- Realisation that he would change into an individual in which shares no similarities with his father besides their
familial ties
- It is his fate as his parents migrational change causes him to feel a disconnection from not only his father who
manages to uphold his tradition with experiences but his polish culture as well.
Example:
- This compares back to Things fall apart as OKONKWOs actions and aggressive are also a result of realisation the
impact change has and also losing his status to which he fears.
Evidence:
- His knowledge is merely generated from another country and time, shown as he expresses his curiosity as he lacks
the knowledge in I often wondered how he existed - Line 4, Stanza 2
Evaluation:
- Though he is aware of this change that occurs in his traditions in comparison to his fathers, he realises he can only
reflect on it and accept the change, much like how his father has.
7. Postcards
Topic Sentence
Explanation:
- The card depicts an old part of Warsaw sent by a friend to remind the poets parents of where they came from.
- A post card is a simple but the poet uses this ordinary object to evoke matters of greater significance.
- The post-card view of Warsaw, the Polish capital, also places the speakers experiences of the city, and of his
attachment to it, in a particular context.
- A post card at once idealises a location but with its size and character also diminishes it.
- Ingeniously conveys his contradictory feelings about the traditional Warsaw by concentrating on a postcard of the
city and the affects it has on him.
Example:
- The poem is divided into 3 parts, the last being the big confrontation and acknowledgement that peter faces
towards his heritage
- stanza 2 gives a simple description of the photos on the card itself, he unusually pores over the subject and
meticulously notices every features from the red buses to the rivers
- The colours in the postcard are unnatural and his unfamiliarity with Warsaw is emphasised when he cannot
distinguish the differences in places.
Evidence:
- The usage of the personal pronoun I in this stanza gives the effect of the poets direct conversation with Warsaw as
he converses with it in the second person, I never knew you.
- In awe but I stare at the photograph and refuse to answer the voices. (Lines 1-4, stanza 3) Rejection of his
background.
Evaluation:
- Feels no real connections thus highlighting that once again, peter cannot feel emotionally invested.
- Physically journey of being a migrant is a consequence of his traditions being replaced by the new country in which
he now calls him, in contrast to his parents who grew up in the polish capital, Warsaw.
8. Disconnection from Traditions
Topic Sentence
Explanation:
- Similar to Felix Skrzynecki, postcard also expresses a tradition that was never met, and as a result of migrational
change.
- He refuses to learn about Warsaw on his own terms through seeing it from his parents memories.
- Warsaw of the past lives on in the minds of dying generation/half a world away (Line 9-11, Stanza 3.) depicts the
very notion of traditions ending as a result of change
- Peter is unable to connect with his cultural heritage, his origins not being to uphold due to migrational change, and
the only way he holds onto the last remnants of his polish traditions is through the dying generations stories, this
being his parents.
Example:
- 3rd stanza focuses on the poets recognition of the culture but concludes that he cannot give more than eyesight
and praise.
Evidence:
- Struggles between his lack of inheritance that he never knew you, referring to the old town of Warsaw. - Line ____
Stanza ____
- The irony here is that post cards are usually the cause of excitement and anticipation as the recipient eagerly and
quickly reads it, but Skrzynecki is haunted by it
- Straddle 2 culture yet he feels haunted by the demands of the place but feels he can only return the gift of despair.
Evaluation:
- We witness how his parents decision in migrating has caused inner turmoil in the poet as he finds himself
regrettably disconnected to his traditions and instead, the poet takes upon his new cultural identity in as a 1st
generation Australian-polish.
- Felix Skrzynecki also talks about his alienation from his father due to their differing cultures
- OKONKWO emphasises his dismay about the new change in tradition. thus forcing him to become distant from what
was once his culture, tradition and his way of life.

9. Conclusion