1.
Show how and to what effect
Achebe makes use of myth, legend or other stories and tales.
Achebe uses several of different stories whether be myth,
legend or tales to make sense of different situations and be able to engage the
readers into developing more knowledge on the traditional ways of the Igbo
people. The Igbo communities rely on such ways which are presented orally to
continue being passed down generations and because things were not written in
those times it was made sure they were continuously practiced and passed on. Proverbs
were a main way of expressing different situations such as:” "Proverbs are
the palm-oil with which words are eaten.” Palm-oil is a very important item in
Umuofian society, and is used to cook and is also used as a fuel source. Eating
the words simply is a poetic way of saying to take them in, or to gain
knowledge. It means that proverbs are an essentially words of wisdom. Unoka,
Okonkwos dad was quite known for using words and playing with them to get what
he wanted and use of proverbs. Once when Okoye approached Unoka to ask him to
repay him, Unoka said: “Our elders say that the sun will shine on those who
stand before it shines on those who kneel under the.” Implying that he will pay his biggest debts
first and then moving on to the smaller ones. He was known for using words to
his advantage and therefore convinces people to pay him more money even after
him not repaying them.
Achebe also manages to use these devices to interest and
inform the audience of the ways the Igbo people makes decisions such as when
Ikemefuna was walking with the men on the day of his killing, he sang a song
and if he ended the song on his right foot it would mean that his mom is alive
and well and if he ended the song on his left foot it would mean that his mum
is either dead or suffering from an illness. This shows us how the Igbo people demonstrate
these rituals to determine things in different situations. Achebe uses this as
a way to engage with the readers and inform them about the traditions that
happen which further enhances the realism of the culture and makes it more
believable and further contributes to the theme of the plot of the novel.
In the 11th Chapter, Ezinma is talking to her mom
when a story is told about a greedy, cunning tortoise. All of the birds have
been invited to a feast in the sky and Tortoise persuades the birds to lend him
feathers to make wings so that he can attend the feast as well. As they travel
to the feast, Tortoise also persuades them to take new names for the feast
according to custom. He tells the birds that his name will be “All of you.”
When they arrive, Tortoise asks his hosts for whom the feast is prepared. They
reply, “For all of you.” Tortoise proceeds to eat and drink the best parts of
the food and wine. The birds, angry and disgruntled at receiving only scraps,
take back the feathers that they had given to Tortoise so that he is unable to
fly home. Tortoise persuades Parrot to deliver a message to his wife: he wants
her to cover their compound with their soft things so that he may jump from the
sky without danger. Maliciously, Parrot tells Tortoise’s wife to bring out all
of the hard things. When Tortoise jumps, his shell breaks into pieces on
impact. A medicine man puts it together again, which is why Tortoise’s shell is
not smooth.
From this story we see that the oral tradition of
storytelling in Igbo culture is a means for teaching history and customs, for
passing on legends and beliefs, and for explaining the natural as well as the
supernatural worlds. The tradition is particularly well-illustrated in the long
story about Tortoise and his shell. The story explains why a tortoise shell is
not smooth, but it also reveals the proverb, "a man who makes trouble for
others is also making it for himself" — another indication that Okonkwo is
bringing misfortune upon himself.
Another way of looking at this story would be seen as
linguistic imperialism as the tortoise forced them to call them a specific name
and then as a form of oppression the birds had used their communication to talk
to the tortoise’s wife
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