The World Was Silent

1. The characters often say how Biafra would be further with foreign aid-- support, supplies, or even just recognition. How do you think the Nigerian civil war would have played out differently if it happened in the 2010s?

2. Ugwu's personality changes depending on his situation. With the same mentality, how do you think Ugwu would act different if he was white? If he was rich? And what about if he was Hausa or Yoruba?

3. Kainene was introduced as the ruder, rasher twin, while Olanna was introduced as the gentle and "perfect" one. How has this first impression been developed-- and possible even challenged-- through the story?

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The World Was Silent

The world was judging us when we cried

When the North began firing

on its own brothers and sisters.

When our accents became a maker,

and being Igbo became a death sentence.

When the people we dined with

became the ones that sold us out.

When we watched pregnant women lying

on the ground, their bellies cut open like melons.

When we saw the bodies, bodies of family, friends, strangers, filling the streets

the world judged our tears.

The world was criticizing when we suffered

"Savages," they called us,

sitting from their perch of colonizing moral superiority.

"Uncivilized," the papers and radios yelled,

ignoring the destruction of our civilization Europe had brought.

"What more could you expect from Africa?" The white man asked,

rejecting journal articles that didn't fit the narrative they wanted.

"Will Biafra succeed?" the West questioned

as their government sent guns to shoot us, supplies to bomb us.

As we died of their oppression, pleaded for recognition, watched each other fall,

the world criticized our pain.

The world was watching when we fought

We didn't have many supplies

but we had heart, we had hope.

We didn't have any support

but we couldn't give up, because that meant death.

We got used to the shrill alarms piecing our quiet

and then running from bunkers as they rained fire on us.

We tore down social borders, opened our hearts

and helped everyone around us, because we knew no one else would.

We saw mothers cry over their sons' bodies, boys ripped off streets, forced into war.

The world watched our fight.

The world was silent when we died

Eventually, they closed us off from the world,

leaving us supply-less and starving

Eventually, the fires in us began to dim,

seeping out of the wounds we didn't have supplies to treat.

Eventually, we got used to the wailing of families

as another member fell to the weakness, to the hunger.

Eventually, we stopped fighting at the supply buildings

because there wasn't much left to fight over.

Children died, the elderly cried, and we lost our pride, and then eventually,

the world ignored our death.

Postcolonialism

 What does the text reveal about the operations of cultural difference - the ways in which race, religion, class, gender, sexual orientation, cultural beliefs, and customs combine to form individual identity - in shaping our perceptions of ourselves, others, and the world in which we live?

What I really like about my book, Half a Yellow Sun, is how different the three perspectives it provides are. Ugwu shows the world through the eyes of someone who grew up poor and is observing the wealthy. Olanna shows the inner life of the wealthy, and Richard shows the perspective of a white man. Each of these three offer unique views on the same plot.

Ugwu's part, for me, is so far the least insightful in terms of postcolonial influence (at the same time, it is also my favorite part because I love seeing how he sees the world after coming from a rural background). Ugwu's parts focus a lot on his master's parties, which reveal a lot about politics in regards to Nigeria and the Europeans. The one point constantly emphasized is how many people are unhappy with the Europeans and believe Nigeria needs to govern and advance itself, because the Europeans aren't doing a satisfactory job helping them. From reading the book's summary I know the book is about the Nigerian struggle for independence, and Ugwu's parts do the best job of painting the simmering tensions in the country.

Olanna's parts reveal class and gender in 1960s Nigeria. Ugwu found straight wigs distasteful, but when Olanna goes to visit her ex, he tells her how she looks better with wigs on, and that her naturally styled hair makes her look like a poor person. This shows that while the Nigerian upper class may dislike European colonialism, their definitions of class and beauty have still been molded by them. Looking like a white woman is considered more beautiful (in terms of features-- I don't remember colorism being mentioned). The upper class drive sports car models that are luxurious in Europe, even if-- as Olanna's ex admits-- they aren't built to work well on African roads. 

Richard's part is the one that has stood out to me the most; I found it really interesting to see how the White people regard the Africans, and the fact that Richard was just as uncomfortable as me made it easier to read. Richard's parts challenge some of Derrida's binary opposites. The man is White, while the woman (Kainene) is Black. However, Kainene is the richer of the two; Richard lives with her. Furthermore, the "colonizer" Richard is more child-like than Kainene: he is much shyer, doesn't smoke like she does, and struggles more with their intercourse. Both of them are shown to be just as rational and industrious. This sets up a nice juxtaposition where we see the White people in the book say certain things while the Black people are quite the opposite, which, once again, helps show the reasons behind the building tensions in the country.

The Creature's Poem (Frankenstein)

 The first sight I saw when I opened my eyes

was the face of my creator.

Excited to greet him, I began to rise

but upon seeing his face, I froze.

He screamed and ran away

and foolishly thinking it was a mistake, I followed.

But when I caught up, his horror-filled face kept me at bay;

upon realizing I was the cause, my heart hollowed.

Grabbing some clothing, I ran from the house in shame.

I found beauty in the world that surrounded me,

but the loneliness in my heart even the Nightingale's chirp could not tame.

 So I set in search for a place I would not have to flee.

Pity me though, because my misfortune I could not seem to rid.

I came upon a village and thought I'd found my salvation,

but they threw stones at me until I ran and hid

at a cottage that for the next year was my station.

Next to me was a family of three:

a son, a daughter, and a blind old man.

Over the next year it is from them that I was able to see

the complex range human emotions span.

I secretly learned the meaning of the things they spoke.

More importantly though,

I learned how much different I am from these folk;

It was following this realization that my loneliness once again began to grow.

Alas! I still tried to be worthy of their love.

For their friendship I tried to plea,

but what would they understand? Their creator watched them from above

while mine sickened at the sight of me.

It was then that I made up my mind.

I will too have a companion with whom I can enjoy my day!

I am a monster of your design

and until you atone for this, you and your loved ones will pay.

A Single Story's Impact

 

{Excerpt from page 237}

Easily one of the best books I've read in 2020, Sisters of Sword and Song follows two sisters with two very different- but interwoven- stories who, for a majority of the book, are on different corners of the kingdom. The author, Rebecca Ross, does a wonderful job juggling their two journeys, and she does this by using a 3rd person limited point of view narration that switches between the sisters.

The limited narration creates suspense. This book has many characters- just within this scene there's one of the protagonists, Halcyon, and the two villains Selene and Macarius. If we had insight into Macarius's mind, we would know what he's looking for as he "sweep[s] through [Halcyon's] mind." However, we're only privy to Halcyon's thoughts, and as she is doing her best to avoid thinking about the "details of the [at this point unspecified] mission," we readers still do not know what about this mission is so important that the kingdom's highest officials are obsessed with it. And then when Macarius finally finds "one particular moment" that he can take to use "against [Halcyon] and her sister," we are again left in the dark to what the moment is. If the narration gave insight to Macarius's (currently satisfied and victorious) mind, we would no doubt know what this important memory is. Since this book is a bit over 450 pages, it is necessary to not fully reveal developments every time they happen, because doing so would take the suspense out of the plot and leave readers feeling like this book is dragging out. A 3rd person limited narration helps accomplish that.

Additionally, the characters in this book are too out of it too often for 1st POV narration to give a cohesive story. Take this scene for example. Halcyon is practically getting tortured as she has her mind forcibly swept. She has "coughed blood," and is "screaming" and bruising "herself on the chains." All in all, her mental state is not very put together right now. Throughout the story, Halcyon and Evadne are constantly fuzzy-minded either because of literal torture like this, or because of hunger, exhaustion, and fatigue. If the story was in 1st person, then we would not (realistically) have half the details that we do. A 3rd person limited narration creates the intimacy with the protagonists that 1st person would, but it also provides us with details and descriptions that the characters alone would miss.

Real Estate Critiques: House of Usher Edition

 Alright, what's the name of the contestant up for judgement? The Fall of the House of Usher? Of course, I love Poe. He has a natural tendency for the verge-of-insanity-and-death vibe, very goth chic.

I do say, I'm very excited to give my opinion about this famed house. Here folks, we have a marvel of architecture. Right off the bat we can see "vacant and eye-like windows" across the whole front of the house (2). Absolutely perfect for setting up the most unsettling feeling- the feeling of being watched- even before we enter. Be sure to make note of the integrity of the structure itself! I'm no architect, but it sure gives "little token of instability" (3). What wonderfully funny irony to slip in there for English classes to laugh about after the fact. 

Moving on, let's take a minute to appreciate the biota! Make note of the craftily placed fungi which hang like a "tangled web-work from the eaves" (3). Doesn't that just so beautifully insinuate that we're about to step into some messy trap? This coupled with using fungi- a symbol of both death and rot? Brilliant foreshadowing if I do say so myself Mr. Poe. In case first timers missed the fungi though, Mr. Poe was kind enough to repeatedly mention the "decayed trees" which surround the house (1). Once again, here we see the reflection of the manor's state: dying, and on the verge of collapse. 

Thank you for tuning in folks! There sure is a lot to unpack in this building, and I'm sure we've only scratched the surface. Unfortunately that's all the time (and words) we have today, so until next time!

Romeo in the Rye

On page 124 of The Catcher in the Rye, Holden has a conversation with two nuns, one of whom is an English teacher. It's pretty inconsequential to the book overall, but during that conversation they begin talking about Romeo and Juliet- specifically, Holden's opinion of it. So of course, now I'm going to compare the two works. 

Holden mentions how Mercutio was his favorite character in the play (same here). He was "much sorrier" when Mercutio died then when Romeo and Juliet did (Salinger 124). The reasons stated are he was "very smart and entertaining," and it was "especially" horrible because his death was "somebody else's fault"(Salinger 124). Pulling my inner-Freud, I say Holden's sadness over Mercutio's death goes further than just his endearment for the character. 

The way Holden describes Mercutio here is very reminiscent of the way he describes his late brother Allie. One of the first things Holden establishes about Allie was that he was a smart kid. Not just regular smart, but "the most intelligent member in the family" smart (Salinger 43). And from Holden's descriptions of how he'd laugh at things "so hard" he almost "fell off his chair," its pretty clear Holden thought he was fun too (Salinger 44). Brains and entertainment are Holden's two stated reasons for liking Mercutio. Then, of course, there's Allie's untimely death. It didn't come from a knife, and it wasn't anybody's fault, but it was still early and undeserved; Allie and Mercutio are both killed by factors out of their control. Knowing Holden's complete adoration for Allie, it's no surprise the character he favors and grieves for most in Romeo and Juliet is the one whose life mirrors his late brother's.

I Know we are not Caged Birds (Option Five)

In her essay "I know why the Caged Bird Cannot Read," Francine Prose- very passionately- argues that the American high school English curriculum ruins literature by discussing social issues present in works instead of sticking to rhetorical analysis. According to Prose, this 'simplistic' approach to works of literature cages high schoolers, their writing abilities, and their love for English.

Well I am here to argue that Prose's method of only discussing writing techniques, along with her refusal to connect works to the larger world, is what would create the real cage.

Authors love allusions. The books that are widely read across American high school English classes are chalk full of them. The Great American Novel, The Great Gatsby, never specifically says the words 'classism' or 'the American dream,' but those are exactly the topics the book is about. To only talk about Fitzgerald's use of parallel structure or symbolism while reading the book is like only looking at exhibit signs when going to the zoo. Yes, you might've gone much further into depth on marsupials than you would've if you were just looking around. But you sort of missed the main attraction.

Allegorical works like Animal Farm- which represents the Cold War- and The Crucible- which represents the Red Scare- are a prime example of a fault in Prose's argument. Both works are widely read in schools across the country, and both works never mention the events they represent. To only focus on rhetorical devices when reading pieces like this undermines the purpose of the writings, which is to show faults in systems/events through other objects.

Finally, Prose is wrong because connecting to social issues is what makes students care about literature. Most students can't fully relate to a heartsick 20s millionaire or a lady who survived segregation and sexual assault. But they can relate to wanting a bright future, or to people being discriminated against because of their race or gender. By refusing to connect books to the larger world, Prose puts their message in a cage that only extends as far as their literal words.

Accents (Option Eight)

Accents: we all have one (or multiple if you're multi-lingual). Yeah, our jargon and our usage of grammar have a big impact on the way people perceive us, but our accents play an immense role as well. For example, most Americans view British accents as giving a person a more sophisticated air, while southern accents can make people seem less educated. 

I'm not here to preach that we should look past first impressions because everyone is special in their own way or whatever. Elementary school did enough of that, I'm sure. I'm here to express my views on language, and how I've seen it affect people.

From an evolutionary standpoint, our brains are literally hardwired to judge people within less than a second of meeting them. So in my views, there's no shame in automatically assuming less of a person because of the way they speak (hold the rage, keep reading). There is, however, immense shame in treating someone as less because of the way they speak. I've seen people who speak 'perfect' English be mocked because they have heavy accents, and it's infuriating.

Accents are so powerful that upon entering politics, past British prime ministers have exchanged their more casual British accents and jargon for those used in London (for the increased posh-points they provide). I know for a fact that often in the East, the ability to speak English with less of an accent can edge you out for a job application over a slightly more qualified applicant. I personally speak three languages, and at times- especially with the two Indian ones- I feel a bit odd because I can feel myself pronouncing words 'wrong.'

Personally, I find accents really cool. I find it really interesting when people accidentally slip a phrase from one language into another where it makes no sense. I know a lot of people who get embarrassed when they're made aware they're speaking with an accent, but it's really just a sign that they can speak more than one language. And honestly, that's a really cool thing to be able to do.

Humanity's Ongoing Witch hunt (Option Eight)

It's a play about the Salem Witch Trials of the 1690s and an allegory for the Red Scare of the Cold War, but for some reason the message the play The Crucible conveys still resonates with audiences in the 21st century. Why?

Likely because for all the progress humans have made in becoming more accepting (or tolerant) of differences, the idea of the "other" is one that has transcended throughout all of human civilization. The specifics of who The Other are have changed over time, save for one: they are disliked by those in power. Going through human history from any corner of the planet it is awfully clear that humans have never given a break to the act of hating; we simply cycle out the hated group every once in a while.

During the ancient civilizations- The Maya, The Aztecs, The multiple dynasties in China, the Mongols, the Romans- The Other were any and every outside nation. Because saying the people of other civilizations were cut from a different cloth made it seem as if the chances of them getting along with yours were slim.

If you don't like them, strip away any ideas that you may be similar to them. This was seen during The Salem Witch Trials described in The Crucible when the accused were turned into devil-sympathizes. It was seen during slavery in America when a slave was nothing more than an object. It was seen during the Holocaust in the 1940s when anyone from the Jewish to the Gypsies to the LGBTQ to the mentally disabled were advertised as a taint on society with the only given rhyme or reason being those in power said so. It carried on through apartheid in South Africa, segregation in America, the Red Scare during the Cold War, and it carries on today in the form of all those -obias and -isms: sexism, racism, homophobia, Islamophobia. The Crucible still resonates with audiences because the witch hunt that is present in the play still carries- in many grotesque forms- on to this day.