When East Meets West: The Cultural Collisions Of “Things Fall Apart” Essay Example For College

Things fall apart In Things Fall Apart there are many cultural collisions created by the introduction of Western ideas into Bio culture. One example of a cultural collision caused by the introduction of Western ideas into Bio culture is when Ginkgo’s first son, Annoy converts to Christianity. This causes a cultural collision between Awoken and Annoy because Annoy wants to become a Christian, but Awoken doesn’t like the white men or Christianity. This cultural collision is caused by the white men bringing in western ideas to Bio culture.

This collision is very important to the book because it leads to the destruction of Awoken and fuels his anger. This collision shapes the meaning of the novel as a whole by symbolizing many things and relating back to many important quotes in the book that help develop the plot. TO begin, Annoy converting to Christianity is a cultural collision caused by the introduction of Western ideas into Bio culture because Annoy wanted to convert but he knew his father did not like the white men’s faith western ideas brought into Bio culture were the white men’s faith called Christianity.

People in the clan like Awoken did not like the whit men’s faith because it went against their faith and claimed that everything they believe in is false. “Although Annoy had been attracted to the new faith from the very first day, he keep it secret. He dared not to go too near the missionaries for fear of his father (149). Awoken has been known for his bad temper and so Annoy wanting to convert created a huge conflict between him and his father. Envoys knew if his father knew about him being interested in the faith that his father would kill him. Answer me,” roared Awoken, “before I kill 51 ).

When Awoken found out about that Annoy was among the Christians he almost killed him and then kicked him out of the house. Ginkgo’s response to Annoy converting to Christianity was very harsh and he did not take it very easy. He felt like his son converting was a curse and he did not understand why this had happened for him. ‘Why, he cried in his heart, should he, Awoken, of all people, be cursed with such a son” (152). {“What are you doing here? ” Beriberi had asked when after many difficulties the missionaries ad allowed him to speak to the boy. “l am one of them,” replied Annoy. How is your father? ” Beriberi asked, not knowing what else to say. “l don’t know. He is not my father,” said Annoy, unhappily. And so Beriberi went to Ambulant to see his friend. And he found that Awoken did not wish to speak about Annoy”} (144). This shows how Ginkgo’s response to the cultural collision challenged his identity as a father and made him so mad that he disowned his son. You can also see by the quote that Annoy is unhappy that his father disowned him. It shapes the meaning as a whole by showing that because Awoken let his anger destroy him, it caused him to lose both Of his sons.

Secondly, the cultural collision challenged the characters sense of identity by challenging Awoken to rethink his faith and question why this happened to him. It also challenged Awoken by seeing how far he could be pushed. “And immediately Ginkgo’s eyes were opened and he saw the whole matter clearly. Living fire begets cold, impotent ash” (153). This quote is showing how the cultural collision opened Ginkgo’s eyes, by symbolizing Ginkgo’s anger towards Annoy converting as a burning flame.

This quote also refers back to the novel when Awoken says fire can destroy everything that it consumes and Awoken realizes that his anger is like a fire and because of it he has destroyed everything in his path, like when he killed Snakeskin. It also symbolizes Ginkgo’s anger because a fire is fueled by itself and eventually will burn out and become nothing but ash and Ginkgo’s anger has ultimately destroyed him and left him with nothing. Ginkgo’s response to Annoy converting contributes to shaping the meaning of the novel of as whole by symbolizing many things and helping developing anger in Awoken.

This cultural collision helps develop anger in Awoken by making him very angry at Annoy for being with the white men. His anger is anger is symbolized as the fire and therefore it helped to destroy Awoken by fueling his fire. “Perhaps down in his heart Awoken was not a cruel man. But his whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of weakness. It was deeper and more intimate than the fear of evil and capricious gods and of magic, the fear of the forest, and of nature, eleventh, red in tooth and claw. Ginkgo’s fear was greater than these.

It was not external, but lay deep within himself. It was the fear of himself, lest he should be found to resemble his father. Even as a little boy he had resented his father’s failure and weakness, and even now he still remembered how he had suffered when a playmate had told him that his father was cabala. That was how Awoken first came to know that cabala was not only another name for a woman, it could also mean a man who had taken to title. And so Awoken was ruled by one passion – to hate everything that is father Knock had loved.

One of those things was gentleness and another was idleness” (13). This quote describes Ginkgo’s fear and how his life was dominated by fear, Awoken feared change, failure and weakness. So when the white men showed up and tried to convert people Awoken feared for the failure of his clan to stay together and fight as one. He also feared change, so he did not like the new religion or the fact that it said that all of his religion was false gods and he feared his clansmen converting to Christianity. How dc oh think we can fight when our own brothers have turned against us? The white man is very clever. He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has a put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart” (176). This quote showed that exactly what Awoken feared would happen has happened. The white men have come in and converted Annoy and others, which has led to weakness in the clan and now they can’t fight.

When Awoken realizes this he fights by himself and then hangs himself. This symbolizes the self-destruction caused by his anger towards the Western ideas brought to Bio culture. Also this shows how his response to the cultural collision shaped the meaning as a whole and how it contributed to conclusion of the novel. To conclude, In Things Fall Apart there were many cultural collisions caused by the introduction of western ideas into Bio culture. One very important collision was created when Annoy, Ginkgo’s oldest son converts to Christianity.

This rates a collision because Awoken fears change and doesn’t like the white men or there new faith, but his son Annoy is interested in the new faith and likes it. This collision leads to Awoken self-destructing and killing himself and it also shapes the meaning of the novel as a whole by symbolizing many things and relating back to important quotes in the novel, that develop a story. This cultural collision also shapes the novel as a whole by showing that because Awoken let his anger destroy him, it caused him to lose both of his sons and left him with nothing.

Gabriel: Archangel In The Flesh (Fences By August Wilson) Character Analysis

Gabriel: Archangel in the Flesh August Willow’s choice to end Fences with Gabriel signaling to SST. Peter to open the gates of heaven for Troy to enter gives a last sense of hope in a play that is supposed to outline Troy’s downfall from success to losing everything. Though Troy died after fathering a child with another woman while he was married and being disrespected by his own son Cord, Gabriel, being a beautifully deranged man, disregards all of this. With this last scene, he aims to directly fulfill the promise that he saw Troy’s name in SST.

Peters book of those who could be allowed to enter the gates of heaven. August Wilson makes this last scene memorable with the many elements that he seamlessly blends into his writing; in addition, Wilson made the passage his own by harking back to his days of poetry and using such techniques as descriptive fragments and richly eloquent vocabulary. In the action of the scene, Gabriel “puts the end of [his trumpet] into his mouth and blows with great force… No sound comes out of the trumpet.

He braces himself and blows again with the same result” When is trumpet fails, his belief in the divine seems to temporarily fall him as well, and he starts to doubt if he Is really the archangel Gabriel. Subsequently, he seems to let out a short and melancholy sigh of frustration that seems to say, ‘Well, that didn’t work. ” However, he continues on from this Incomprehensible “trauma” that “leaves him bare and exposed to a frightful realization” (101) In hope that he will still be able to open the gates of heaven. So “he begins to dance… Slow, strange dance, eerie and lifelong… Dance of atavistic signature and ritual” (101). The rich description of the manner in which he dances as ritually atavistic harks back to his simple and minimalist African heritage, showing that Gave, seeing that his Christianity was failing him, had to connect with his connections to his ancestors In order to open the gates. After vigorously chanting a singsong speech, the gates of heaven open “as wide as God’s closet” (101), and Gave, trying to sell It Troy and the others, yells, “That’s the way that go! (101). With Willow’s full Indication that the gates of heaven stand wide open, Troy family and friends, along with the reader, realize that even though sometimes Troy bruised, he still meant more good than harm. They see that If God, whom they are supposed to follow In his Image, was able to will his forgiveness, they couldn’t find any excuses preventing them to forgive him as well, and with Gave showing “the way that go’ he Is setting an example of forgiveness to be followed by any reader.

The personal touch In this passage, along with August Willow’s efficient UT eloquent way with words, allows any reader to truly feel that sense of hope for Troy that Gave, the archangel In the flesh, felt In the dying words of the play. Works Cited Wilson, August. Fences. New York: Samuel French, 2010. Print. Gabriel: Archangel in the Flesh (Fences by August Wilson) By Josh-Noon SST. Pewter’s book of those who could be allowed to enter the gates of heaven. August his trumpet fails, his belief in the divine seems to temporarily fail him as well, and he starts to doubt if he is really the archangel Gabriel.

Subsequently, he seems to let out short and melancholy sigh of frustration that seems to say, “Well, that didn’t work. ” However, he continues on from this incomprehensible “trauma” that “leaves him bare and exposed to a frightful realization” (101) in hope that he will still be able to open lifesaving… A dance of atavistic signature and ritual” (101). The rich description of the failing him, had to connect with his connections to his ancestors in order to open the wide as God’s closet” (101), and Gave, trying to sell it Troy and the others, yells, “That’s the way that go! (101). With Willow’s full indication that the gates of heaven stand wide open, Troy’s family and friends, along with the reader, realize that even though sometimes Troy bruised, he still meant more good than harm. They see that if God, whom they are supposed to follow in his image, was able to will his forgiveness, they showing “the way that go’ he is setting an example of forgiveness to be followed by any reader. The personal touch in this passage, along with August Willow’s efficient Troy that Gave, the archangel in the flesh, felt in the dying words of the play.

Do Curfews Keep Teens Out Of Trouble?

Curfew is a rule that requires individuals, usually teenagers, to stay indoors at specific hours, mainly during the night. Its aim is to guarantee their safety and discourage them from getting involved in any trouble. The curfew hours and age groups affected vary according to the regulations implemented by each city.

Teenagers have different curfews based on their age, with younger ones having earlier curfew times than older ones. The usual curfew is around 11 p.m., but it can be set at other times as well. Implementing teenage curfews has effectively decreased crime rates in numerous cities across the United States, playing a major role in creating safer streets nationwide.

According to findarticles.com, there are curfews for children under 18 in over 146 cities in the U.S. These curfews require children to be indoors by a specific time. The U.S Conference of Mayors conducted a survey among Mayors in 347 cities as reported by youthservicesslc.wordpress.com. The survey revealed that 83 percent of these cities witnessed a decrease in gang-related crime. In Phoenix, specifically, the police have observed a reduction of 42 percent in gang-related murders, drive-by shootings, robberies, and major assaults since the implementation of the curfew law.

Michigan’s curfew laws have been effective in reducing teen crime. In Ludington, the police department took a stricter approach to enforcing curfews for individuals under 16 due to increased misbehavior among young people. This resulted in positive outcomes, with a decline in youth crimes reported by Lake County’s Sheriff Robert Hilts (Capital News Service). Similar effects have been observed elsewhere, showing that implementing curfew laws leads to decreased youth arrests. However, it is important to note that law enforcement can intervene if a teenager violates curfew regulations at any time. In such situations, the teen will either be escorted home or face more severe consequences if necessary.

Curfews are implemented to prevent teenagers from wandering the streets at night and engaging in disruptive activities. The enforcement of curfews for teenagers has resulted in a significant reduction in crime rates. Numerous examinations and research have validated the effectiveness of curfews in deterring teenagers from getting into trouble. Curfews have proven to be successful in maintaining the safety and crime-free environment of various cities worldwide, including cities in Michigan.

References

  1. Facts about teen trouble and when:Snyder, H.. N.p.. Web. 11 Dec 2013.

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