Alan Watts- Mythology of Hinduism # 3

When I first viewed this blog, I did not know what to make of it. It was confusing to me at first, but after I watched it a couple of times it became much clearer. I think that when Watts discussed dreaming whatever dream you wanted, he was comparing this to what God is like. In his blog, Watts talked about a person dreaming whatever they wanted. They would fill their dreams with whatever suited them. They would control what happened. After the person would do this, he would get bored, so he created adventures and problems to make his dream more interesting. I think Watts compared this to his opinion of Hinduism by God creating a perfect world. After viewing this perfect world, he got bored, so he introduced war and other things that would make it exciting to live in and exciting for him to view.

In class, we discussed how Hindus believe that God is a part of everything. He is in everything and he knows everything. Watts challenged me to think what would I do if I was God. In my opinion, if I knew everything and was a part of everthing, I would become bored. If there were no surprises and I knew everything that was going to happen, would there be anything interesting or fun in the world? We also discussed in class how the religion of Hinduism believes that all other religions are right in their own way. Watts addresses this by talking about Christianity and the Bible. He recited and verse that was almost exactly what his dream story was about. I found it quite interesting that they could be the same. I like how he explained that each religion has a different view of the same universe. I think that Hinduism is unique in that it can involve all of these different religions.

I also like how Watts explained how God is the head of this huge play (life), that we as people all play a part in it. He doesn't force us to do things, but he still controls what is going on. I think Hinduism is a very interesting and uncomprehendable religion. There just so much information about it that I still do not understand. I think it would be cool to learn more about Hinduism.

Things Fall Apart Chapter 21

Unlike Okonkwo, some of the villagers appreciate what the white missionaries are doing. Because they came, money and trade is flowing into the village. They are becoming very wealthy. The pastor, Mr. Brown discusses religion with different people and tries to understand why they believe the things they do. Mr. Brown also sets up a hospital and a school. He tells the villagers to send their children to the school so that they will become very powerful. The villagers agree and send them. Then, Mr. Brown visits Okonkwo and tells him that Nwoye is in college. Okonkwo chases him away. Okonkwo becomes disappointed becaue no one notices that he has returned to the village. Getting his position back is not as easy as he thought it was going to be.

Things Fall Apart Chapter 20

Okonkwo returns to Umuofia and still plans on marrying off Ezinma and introducing his sons into society. He is very disappointed of how the village has changed since he has been gone. The Christians have taken over everything. They came in with a new set of rules and a judicial system. Okonkwo does not like the white men and wishes to drive them out. Obierika tells Okonkwo that it is too late and that the Christians are very strong. They talk about a man that was hanged because he killed somebody while arguing. Both of them are very sad. It seems like Okonkwo is not giving the white men a chance. He doesn't seem to like change either. He liked things just the way they were before he left.

Things Fall Apart Chapter 19

Finally, the seven year period of exile is coming to an end. Before he leaves, Okonkwo decides to have a feast for the entire village. He wants to thank them for all of their help and courtesy. The people go to the feast and cannot believe how much food there is. They complement Okonkwo all night. Okonko is thankful but still regrets not being able to get a higher position in his own tribe. Now that seven years has passed, Okonkwo thinks of ways to regain his status. His daughter is beautiful, and he thinks that a good marriage will regain his position in the village. At the end of the feast, there is also talk of christianity and how it is taking over the villages.

Things Fall Apart Chapter 18

Many people start to join the christian church. The villager aren't really worried about it, seeing that almost all of the converts are low class. One day some outcasts come to the church. The new converts are outraged that they came. No one is allowed to associate with the outcasts. The pastor settles them down and tells them that anyone is allowed in the church. So, the pastor cleans the outcasts up and cuts their hair. They eventually become the most supportive of the church. One of the outcasts claims to have killed the "holy python." It is very important to the village society. Okonkwo wants to force the missionaries out by harming them, but the village decides to shun them. Okonkwo thinks that the tribe is very weak and pitiful. Eventually the trige learns that the man who killed the snake has died. This reconfirms their faith in their gods, and they don't worry about the christians.

Things Fall Apart Chapter 17

This chapter talks about the missionaries. They tried to build a church in the village. The people would not allow it, so they told the missionaries they could build the church in the Evil Forest. They hoped that the missionaries would be killed by the evil spirits within days. They are surprised to find that nothing has happened to them. Then after twenty-eight days, the spirits' grace period, the villagers expect the missionaries to be killed. Nothing happens. This leads to many converts in the village. Okonkwo's cousin tells him he saw Nwoye with the missionaries. Okonkwo chokes his son and is disgraced with him. Nwoye leaves and goes to the white man's school to learn how to read and write.

Things Fall Apart Chapter 16

Obierika comes back to Mbanta after two years. He brings money and also some distressing news. He has seen Okonkwo's son Nwoye with the white missionaries. They settled in the village. Okonkwo will not speak of Nwoye. He excommunicates him from the family for believing in such a stupid religion. Apparently, the christian missionaries came to the village and talked about this one great god. They told the villagers that it was wrong to worship little stone and wooden idols. They also said that is was wrong to have more than one wife. Most of the villagers laugh at the missionaries, but Nwoye believes them and converts to christianity.

Things Fall Apart Chapter 15

In this chapter, Obierika comes to visit Okonkwo. He brings him money from the yams in his previous village. Obierika also tells Okonkwo of the horrible fate of Abame, a neighboring tribe. A white man came to the village on a strange iron machine. The people talked to the Oracle who said that the white man would bring others and destroy the village. So, the villagers killed the white man and tied him to a tree. Later some white men came to the village and destroyed everthing and everyone. Okonkwo thought that Abame was stupid for not trying to defend themselves. I believe that the white men will be important in the rest of the book. They keep coming up in the story.

Things Fall Apart Chapter 14

Uchendu, Okonkwo's uncle, welcomes Okonkwo into his tribe. The men of the family help Okonkwo build new huts for him and his wives. He starts to plants yams but does not feel as happy while doing it. He had a name in his old village and now he would never become one of the lords of the clan. One of Uchendu's sons gets married and Okonkwo helps out. The next day, Unchendu tells a story of how a man lives in his fatherland when times are good and runs to his motherland when times are bad. He is trying to tell Okonkwo to appreciate what he has and to not take advantage of it.

Things Fall Apart Chapter 12-13

There is a strange twist of events in these two chapters. In chapter 12, it talks about how Okonkwo was worried when Chielo took Ezinma. I think that this shows that Okonkwo has a special place in his heart for her. Then, it talks about Obierika's daughter's wedding day. The whole village gets together and cooks a large feast for the celebration. While the women are cooking, news of a cow running loose is told. The women stop what they are doing and go and retrieve the cow. The owner must pay a fine for damage. While all of this is happening, the men discuss how they do not think that the groom will bring enough wine. They said that at least thirty pots would be good enough. They are impressed when the groom brings fifty pots of wine. I think it is weird that the grooms buy their brides with wine. That is crazy. The wedding and feast are a success. After the celebration, news of Ezeudu's death is heard. Ezeudu was the man who warned Okonkwo not to kill Ikemefuna. Ezeudu was a great warrior and Okonko is sad. During the funeral, Okonkwo accidently shoots his gun and kills Ezeudu's son. He is sentenced to leave the village for seven years. He takes his family to Mbanta, where his mother had lived. It is sad that they had to leave. It is not like Okonkwo meant to kill the son. He should not be punished so severely.

Things Fall Apart Chapter 11

Ekwefi tells Ezinma a story about a tortoise and some birds. Basically, he borrowed some of the feathers from the birds and ate the entire feast that the gods gave them. The birds got mad and took away his feathers. He fell to the ground, and that is the reason why a tortoise shell is bumpy. I think this story was stupid. It had nothing to do with the rest of the book, and it just took up space. Later on, Chielo comes to Okonkwo's hut and demands that Ezinma come with her. Ezinma is still sick, but Ekwefi agrees because Chielo is the priestess of the Oracle. After Chielo and Ezinma leave, Ekwefi follows them to all of the other nine villages to make sure that Ezinma is safe. She is worried what Chielo will do to Ezinma. Ekwefi is almost caught when Chielo says that someone is following her. Ekwefi increases her following distance and follows them to a cave. Okonkwo shows up and startles Ekwefi. Ekwefi says that she will go into the cave if she hears Ezinma crying. Later Chielo comes out with Ezinma and brings her back to the hut safe and sound. I think that Chielo is crazy. She runs around screaming things in the night and randomly takes people. I think she drank too much wine over her liftime.

Things Fall Apart Chapter 9-10

In this chapter, Ezinma gets very sick. Okonkwo assures his wife that she is not dying, and he goes and gets her medicine. The book then discusses how unlucky Ekwefi was with having children. Before Ezinma, nine other of her children died when they were very young. Their culture believed that if the baby died, their spirit would come back into the mother's stomach. For this reason, dead babies were mutilated so that they wouldn't return. Ekwefi even began naming her children things like "Death, I emplore you" or "May it not happen again." I can see why she didn't believe that Ezinma was going to live. It would be so tramatic to lose a child, let alone nine. The chapter also talks about Ezinma's "iyi-uwa," which supposedly linked her to the after life. Because of all these things, Ekwefi constantly worries about her daughter. In chaper ten, there is a huge meeting where a sort of court case will be heard. The judges of the case wear masks so that no one will know who they are. The dispute is over an abusive husband. The bride's family wishes him to pay a higher price for her because he constantly beats her. The judges side with the family but cannot believe someone would come to them with such a trivial case. I do not understand why the case is so stupid to them. If someone was abusing their wife, they should be punished. Why does this culture support women abuse?

Things Fall Apart Chapter 8

Okonkwo continues to show emotion. After Ikemefuna's death, Okonkwo does into a depression. He cannot sleep or eat anything for days. Finally Ezinma brings him food and she tells him to eat the entire meal. He appreciates it and eats all of it. Okonkwo then visits his good friend Obierika. Obierika's daughter is in the middle of a marriage transaction. The groom must visit the home and brings lots of wine. They talk about palm wine tapping and about a white man that travels through the village. Then, they make a crude joke about a leper. It seems that this culture is obsessed with wine. That is all they talk about. I do not understnad why it is so important.

Things Fall Apart Chapter 7

This chapter was very surprising to me. I can not believe that Ikemefuna was killed. It seemed like he became apart of the family and that the village had forgot about the murder a couple years before. Before this occurred, a swarm of locusts came to the village. I could not believe that the village was so excited about it. I thought that locusts ate all of the crops. Surprisingly, the people collected and ate the locusts. Then some men came to Okonkwo's hut. Okonkwo was told that he did not have to participate in the killing, but he went along anyway. Ikemefuna was told that he was going home. On the way there, Ikemefuna was struck with a machete. Okonkwo joined in by cutting up his body. I think that he did this so that he would not look weak. Okonkwo is surprised about how much he misses Ikemefuna. I think that this shows that Okonkwo does have a heart somewhere deep inside.

Things Fall Apart Chapter 6

This chapter was very short. Okonkwo attended the wrestling matches with his family. They occur as expected, except for on warrior who flips his opponent in a matter of seconds. Okonkwo is very impressed with this because he was a great wrestler. While this is going on, Ekwefi talks with Chielo. Chielo is a priestess of the Oracle of the Hills. Chielo refers to Ezinma as her "daughter" and speaks highly of her. I think that this is very peculiar. Why would Chielo think that Ezinma was her daughter? She seems occupied with her.

Things Fall Apart Chapter 5

Just before the village will harvest the yams, there is a feast for the yams that will be gathered. Okonkwo thinks that this tradition is stupid and tries to ignore it. The only thing he likes about the feast are the wrestling matches held. One of his wives, Ekwefi, is beaten in this chapter for something stupid. After she is beaten, Ekwefi makes fun of Okonkwo for not being a good hunter. He shoots the gun at her but misses. Once Okonkwo returns, Ekwefi's only daughter Ezinma brings him dinner. I think that Ezinma is Okonkwo's favorite child. He favors her but does not show it a lot. He says that he wishes that she was a boy. The rest of the wives bring him his dinner, and he eats. I think that Okonkwo has a really bad temper and he needs to get over himself and treat his family with respect.

Things Fall Apart Chapter 4

In this chapter, Ikemefuna is placed in Okonkwo's home to live until his punishment is determined. Nwoye grows very fond of Ikemefuna and sees him as his big brother. Ikemefuna grows on Okonkwo, but he will not show it. He does not want to seem weak. I think Okonkwo does not want to show his fealings and end up like his father. Also in this chapter, there is a period called the Week of Peace. During this week, no one is to work or be harmed in any way. Okonkwo breaks this tradition by beating his wife for not cooking him dinner. He is forced to sacrifice a goat, a hen, some cloth, and money to the village. After the Week of Peace, Okonkwo and the rest of the village began plantings yams. Okonkwo becomes upset with Ikemefuna and Nwoye for not doing it right. He is trying to teach them a lesson. I think that it is weird that they had to sacrifice the strangest things.