Things Fall Apart - Positioning

Things Fall Apart

Positioning

1. 
   
   Narrative voice – what judgements does the narrator make about the events
2. 
   
   Implied audience – what role is assigned to the reader (insider/outsider)
3. 
   
   Whose voices/thoughts/opinions/culture are privileged
4. 
   
   Whose voices/thoughts/opinions/culture are silenced
5. 
   
   Binary oppositions or contrasts – do they work to represent some things as good, making the opposite bad?  Or do they increase the level of sophistication or complexity of the representation? (see next point)
6. 
   
   Level of complexity of the representation – the more complex and ambiguous, the less the reader is positioned to completely accept or reject a point of view or character
7. 
   
   Consequences of actions – how are the consequences represented (deserved? Tragic? Triumphant?)

Use quotes from your assigned section to answer:

• How is Okonkwo represented?
• How is the audience positioned to regard his behaviour? What techniques are being used to achieve this?
• Explain what elements of Ibo culture are revealed.
• How is the audience positioned to regard the culture?

Consider each of these events:

Chpt 2

• The argument with Mbaino P10
• Okonkwo’s treatment of his own son and relationship with his father p12

Okonkwo is seen as a violent and strict father in the family but is pretending to be one as he is fearing of becoming like his father in Chapter 2 of the book, 'Thing Fall Apart'. This is represented through the narrative voice used in the chapter as the author has described Okonkwo's weak spot, how Okonkwo rules his household and people's feelings in the household towards his way of controlling. Also the power hierarchy is emphasised in the text where men are over-ruled the women. It is quoted, 'his wives, especially the youngest lived, lived in perpetual fear of his fiery temper, and so did his little children.'(p.12). Binary opposition is also embedded in the text, the comparison between Okonkwo and his father. The author has positioned Okonkwo as a better father and a ruler of the household and powerful as a man. In opposed to Okonkwo, his father Unoka is described as a person who had failed in life, weak, fearful and useless supporter of the family. 

Narrative voice – what judgements does the narrator make about the events?

The narrator has made judgements on a particular event  in chapter 2, which deals with Okonkwo's treatment of his son  and the relationship with his father. The narrator had made a judgement that the relationship between Okonkwo and his father is an important aspect that had influenced Okonkwo's way of living. Okonkwo is seen as heartless and a 'cruel man' towards his family but he pretends to be violent and strict towards his children because of his bad childhood relationship with his father. Okonkwo saw how his father had slowly failed his life by living in certain way, which influenced his entire life.

Implied audience – what role is assigned to the reader (insider/outsider)?

The reader is assigned to look at Okonkwo's father as a hopeless father and this has influenced greatly in Okonkwo's life.

Chpt 3:

• The oracle to Unoka, and Unoka’s death p.16
• Okonkwo’s struggles for wealth p.19

Chpt 4:

• Okonkwo’s treatment of others, and the arrival of  Ikemefuna P23

• Okonkwo’s mistreatment of his wife in the week of peace. P26