Ben Varian Tr 19/09/2014

How does Achebes Writing here affect the way you feel
about the death of Ikemefuna
Achebe in this brief passage uses numerous techniques to evoke pathos
and compassion in the readers minds !ith "kemefuna# and a$so e%poses
&konk!os savage and bestia$ side' This is an integra$ part of the book#
because prior to it !e see on$( minor instances of &konk!os savager(
and primeva$ anger# but in this passage# !e see his fu$$ ferocit( and see
that he has no merc(# not even for his o!n son but this section rea$$(
estab$ishes him as a mu$ti)faceted character'
&konk!os character has man( f$a!s# and the vice !hich cou$d be
said to be the cause of his do!nfa$$ is his *ride# and ho! much care he
takes in the presentation of himse$f to others'
He was afraid of being thought of as weak
The use of the pronoun +he, distances the reader from &konk!o#
meaning !e are not so p$easant$( disposed to!ards him# and thus this
creates fee$ings of pathos to!ards "kemefuna' A$so the use of the
ad-ectives# sho! t!o of the other ma-or f$a!s in &konk!os character#
one is fear# !hich drives &konk!o through his $ife) the fear of being
thought of as !eak# as !e$$ as the fear of fai$ure compe$s him to go on# no
matter ho! ferocious and terrib$e it makes him seem'
How his mother would weep for joy, and thank Okonkwo for
having looked after him so well and for bringing him back
Ben Varian Tr 19/09/2014
"n this brief fora( into the passage# !e not on$( gain an insight into
"kemefunas character# but a$so !e see a change in the perspective of the
narrative. it is shifted into "kemefunas vie!point' But a$so there is an
under$(ing iron(# because despite his hopes and p$ans for seeing his
mother there is a foreboding nature to the passage as a !ho$e and !e have
a sense that something terrib$e !i$$ happen soon# !hich turns out to be
"kemefunas death' /o!ever the passage a$so creates a great sense of pit(
to!ards "kemefuna. because after a$$ he is sti$$ on$( an ob$ivious# na0ve
ado$escent !ith no sense of his imminent death' 1hat is a$so e%treme$(
poignant is the tauto$ogica$ repetition of the pronouns +his, and +him,
!hich simi$ar$( to &konk!o distance us from the character# ho!ever the
emotions !hich this estrangement of the character induces# are the
antithesis of those to!ards &konk!o. fear# hatred and ferocit( are
rep$aced !ith compassion# pit( and a rea$isation of "kemefunas naivet('
To conc$ude this passage represents a transition in the fee$ings of
the readers to!ards# not on$( "kemefuna# but &konk!o as !e$$# !e begin
to rea$$( see the depth of his character# and ho! he forsakes his son# there
are resounding images of 2ains cutting do!n of Abe$ associated !ith
this vivid passage'