Select A Major Event In Part 3 And Use Psychoanalytic Or Pos

Select A Major Event In Part 3 And Use Psychoanalytic Or Postcolonial

Select a major event in Part 3 and use psychoanalytic or postcolonial theory to analyze it. Use at least one concept from the theory (in bold) in your response. Also, make sure to tie in what we know from Parts 1 and 2. For example, if you are focusing on Okonkwo's response to the colonialists, consider what we know about him from Parts 1 and 2. Analyze specific passages (with citations) in your response. This analysis can be used in your research paper if it fits. Length: Half a page (about 125 words). Respond in a structured, focused response, with clear, grammatical sentences, and an appropriate tone. Your response should demonstrate familiarity with the texts. Do not include a long summary or background unless related to the question.

Paper For Above instruction

In Part 3 of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, the event where Okonkwo commits suicide is pivotal and can be effectively analyzed through a postcolonial lens, especially focusing on the concept of cultural trauma. Okonkwo, who has fiercely resisted colonial influence throughout the novel, finds himself utterly disillusioned by the colonial administration's encroachment and the erosion of his traditional society. His tragic end symbolizes the devastating impact of colonialism on indigenous identities and social cohesion. From Parts 1 and 2, we see Okonkwo’s identity rooted in traditional values, his masculinity defined by strength and reputation (Achebe, 1958). His suicide—an act both personal and cultural—reflects the rupture caused by colonial dominance, which leaves him feeling alienated from his own community and cultural heritage. The passage where Okonkwo’s body is found (Achebe, 1958, p. 206) underscores the shattering of his worldview. This event encapsulates the cultural trauma experienced by the Igbo society, as colonial oppression devastates communal bonds and individual identities, illustrating the lasting scars of colonialism on indigenous peoples. Ultimately, Okonkwo’s tragic demise reveals how colonialism disrupts not only societal structures but also personal and cultural psyches, leading to irreversible loss and dislocation.

References

  • Achebe, C. (1958). Things Fall Apart. Heinemann Educational Publishers.
  • Bhabha, H. K. (1994). The Location of Culture. Routledge.
  • Fanon, Frantz. (1963). The Wretched of the Earth. Grove Press.
  • Spivak, G. C. (1988). Can the Subaltern Speak? In C. Nelson & L. Grossberg (Eds.), Marxism and the Interpretation of Culture. Macmillan.
  • Said, E. W. (1978). Orientalism. Routledge.
  • Chakrabarty, D. (2000). Provincializing Europe: Postcolonial Thought and Historical Difference. Princeton University Press.
  • Loomba, A. (1998). Colonialism/Postcolonialism. Routledge.
  • Young, R. J. C. (2001). Postcolonialism: An Historical Introduction. Blackwell Publishing.
  • McClintock, A. (1995). Imperial Leather: Race, Gender, and Sexuality in the Colonial Contest. Routledge.
  • Nandy, A. (1983). The Intimate Enemy: Loss and Recovery of Self Under Colonialism. Oxford University Press.

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