Where Do Belief and Knowledge Begin? - Things Fall Apart

Belief and knowledge not only build up on each other, but are also the basics of human beings. Before exploring the point at which they begin, key terms need to be identified. Belief can be defined as an acceptance that a statement is true or that something exists. Beliefs are based on trust and confidence that something is real to someone, or thinks is real. Beliefs can also be called unjustified beliefs, because there is no evidence to support that said thing is true. On the other hand, knowledge can be defined as a justified true belief. One can notice that both of these terms stand on the same page, just that one lies on the start while the other one is at the bottom. Beliefs vary depending on where someone is born given the environment, their family or their community; beliefs are impacted by all of those factors. On a personal note, beliefs refer to the value systems one hold and their morals. Knowledge is more tangible than beliefs, given the fact that the previous idea has now been proved with substantial evidence.    Through the The Danger of a Single Story Chimamanda Adichie states that beliefs vary from person to person, and different cultures do not necessarily share their beliefs since they have been raised differently. Moreover, in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, a novel written in 1959 and published in Nigeria, she explores both knowledge and beliefs, and the points at which they start. She combines Western phrases with Igbo ones in order to preserve African oral traditions, and make her novel a true African novel. Along the novel, characters have been raised in the village of Umuofia and have their own culture; they have never been exposed to other ideas until Christianity comes along.  

            Adichie, throughout her TED Talk, constantly refers to the fact that many people only have a “single story” about what Africa, especially Nigeria, is like.  People from a Western civilization who have no factual knowledge, no evidence, regarding what occurs in Africa have been exposed to an unreal African world. They have been exposed to a poor, non-educated and uncivilized world; characteristics they belief are true, but have no evidence that it is. These beliefs have been inculcated within families as generations go by, and as mentioned previously have become unjustified beliefs, no evidence to proof them. Adichie has lead us to realize that beliefs begin when one is born, since they are what form a person and what a family teaches one. Contrary to beliefs, knowledge does not start at a certain point of someone’s life, due to the fact that is gained every day and at every moment. Knowledge is gained by any lesson one learns or by any experience someone is exposed to. Chimamanda Adichie has evidence that Nigeria, and other African nations, is not how the Western Civilization depicts it and transmits this information back to the West through her novels. At that point, human beings are receiving knowledge because there is evidence to prove Adichie’s point of view.

            In Things Fall Apart, Achebe presents the reader with a contradiction between beliefs and knowledge in which it is pretty hard to distinguish between both. For instance, those living in Umuofia have been brought up to believe in numerous gods and an Oracle, and they get their beliefs from them. When Christians arrive at this village, they leave those beliefs a side since there is no evidence, no knowledge that these gods actually exist. Nonetheless, Christians worship an inanimate god, a god that cannot be seen and that is only present spiritually. Reverend Brown and later on Reverend Smith present theoretical evidence such as the Catholic Bible. The Bible is a secondary source since it tells stories that have been heard as generations go by, but once again there is no evidence that those events have occurred and that God actually exists. Reverend Smith would be completely opposed to the view that Christianity is an unjustified belief, because the missionaries refute the Igbos by saying that “all the gods you have named are not gods at all. They are gods of deceit who tell you to kill your fellows and destroy innocent children. There is only one true God and He has the earth, the sky, you and me and all of us” (146). Missionaries are trying to prove the Igbo beliefs wrong, but they have nothing to prove their beliefs are right. When the tribal people tried to question their beliefs “The missionary ignored him and went on to talk about the Holy Trinity” (147). It is clear that since Christianity is based upon pure unjustified beliefs, missionaries will do everything to deviate the conversation and try not to go into major detail. They boast about having evidence, and they share their hypothetical evidence with Igbos in order to have more followers and make it easier for them to conquer the nation. At least the Igbos had the Oracle figure present, and they could ask for advice and in response they would be getting answers about things that actually exist; some knowledge is being transmitted.

            In conclusion, it is evident that knowledge and belief are linked together but at some point they take their own paths. Knowledge start off as a belief, but it is more than that since evidence needs to be present in order to prove and justify that belief. Both Chimamanda Adichie and Chinua Achebe, through their TED Talks and novel respectively, have taught the difference between what a belief and what a piece of knowledge actually is. Beliefs are based on pure emotion, what one feels and thinks is going on and happening; knowledge start off being part of emotion but then gets build up with reason, with logic and evidence.

            

Umuofia Virtual Village-Reflection

           Personally, I did not learn many things about the other characters in the novel through this simulation process due to different factors. To begin with, during the simulation of Umuofia, I did not think as the other characters and didn’t have to respond towards the situation as them so I could not anticipate what they would do or how they would react. Moreover, some characters didn’t clearly respond to the situation just like they would on the novel so I could not extend my knowledge about them. For example there is one part in the simulation process where the one who was impersonating Ezinma states that his “brother will die. I am extremely sad.” I don’t really feel that, so I could not expand on what she might be really thinking. Nonetheless, I did get to understand that every character in the novel stands in a different place and each one has an individual opinion regarding every situation. In my case, I did learn more about Reverend Smith and I also got to reinforce my previous knowledge about him. When thinking like him and responding to situations like him, I clearly noticed that my character has no acceptance towards other cultures or beliefs that are not pertaining to Christianity, and he will not listen to those who do not follow him. He follows exactly what God says, and wants everybody to do so. In part, I already understood this by reading the novel, but this simulation has helped me grasp this information even further.

            During this virtual simulation, characters responded the way they did because within the novel they already had a predetermined role and a specific behavior towards situations. What I mean by this is that students just had to take over the role these characters played in the novel and bring their way of thinking and talking into the simulation with the whole class. My character, Reverend Smith, would not be open to the Ibo culture within this simulation because he hadn’t acted that way in the novel. Therefore, it was pretty to anticipate how characters would react to the situations imposed by the Village Crier, given the fact that they had to play them as if it were part of the novel.

            My personal experience towards the Umuofia Virtual Village and the reading of the novel were pretty similar, but some aspects were different as well. It was very similar given the fact that Reverend Smith, the character I had to represent, had the beliefs and followed certain rules throughout the novel, and I tried to portray those same rules and beliefs during our virtual simulation of the story. The difference comes that within the novel there is already a predetermined reaction by the character because the event has already occurred and the book is written already. During the simulation I was able to take into consideration a reaction the character might have taken within the novel, but I also had the chance to add on to it and make the reaction for subtle or stress the importance of my character within the event even more. Throughout the simulation I though of more reasons to why we as Christians should build a school; more reasons than what one can read in the novel.  

            Taking part of this Umuofia Virtual Village built on my previous knowledge of the novel to a certain extent. Based on the reaction I had as Reverend Smith, and the reactions other characters had regarding the situations imposed in the simulation, I was able to get the big picture. With the big picture I mean that I could relate to different events of the novel and try to explain why characters reacted the way they did, based on what students responded throughout the virtual novel done in class. This activity also helped me see what were some of the most important parts of the novels, as they were the situations the Village Crier imposed on the characters, and also since we had to locate these within the novel so that we could fix ourselves within it. For example when we had to located the sacred python on page 157, and then relate to it as our character would.  On the other hand, this activity did not lead to improve my knowledge regarding the historical facts on which the novel is based since history was not touched throughout the activity. At no moment during the simulation did someone relate what we were doing to historical events, neglecting me from learning more about it.

English and the African Writer

In his essay, "English and the African Writer" Chinua Achebe reflects on the role of language and power, focusing on how language has helped African Literature to develop.

Achebe's main purpose was to communicate the idea that African literature cannot be defined in one single term as it is too broad.

Achebe view of the British/English language is very extense, given the fact the he writes many of his novels in that language.  He asserts, “that the national literature of Nigeria and of many other countries of Africa is, or will be, written in English.” Also, he referred to _______________________ which created the emotion/reaction of________________________ within the reader.

Achebe believes that the justification for using English as a means of communication in his novel is because the English language is one that is commonly known across the whole world, and it is one language that many people understand, so it is used for more people to understand the novels.  

The influence of the British led to a high socio-political change, including, acceptance of a language within all the different social groups. Achebe points to the irony at work when presented with work by authors such as Shabaan Robert, the Swahili poet of Tanganyika, as he could not understand his work, and would not, until Achebe learned Swahili.

Writers who choose to publish in the colonial languages of English and French, are not, Achebe believes, "unpatriotic smart-alecs," they are in fact, “ by-products of the same process that made the new nation-states of Africa”.

Achebe draws to a conclusion by referring to the work of James Baldwin. He draws a parallel between this work and his own ideas by finding similarities between both works.

Quote bank: please add to this/highlight key quotes within your copy of this extract.

 "If it didn't give them a song, it gave them a tongue."

“Where am I to find the time to learn the half dozen or so Nigerian languages, each of which can sustain a literature?”

“Let us not in rejecting the evil throw out the good within.”

“The national literature of Nigeria and of many other countries of Africa is, or will be, written in English.”

What are “kola nuts” and how they are used in the novel? What do they represent or symbolize?

In the novel Things Fall Apart, the author tries to portray symbols relevant and important to the Igbo society. Kola nuts are very important to the community and appear occasionally throughout. When reading the novel, one will eventually ask themselves what do kola nuts actually represent. Kola nuts within the Ibo culture represent a sign of respect. In many occasions, one may not speak because he/she has not been offered kola nuts by the host, and this is a sign that they do not feel welcome. This means that kola nuts represent traditional hospitality. Kola nuts also represent spirituality, given the fact that when one breaks a kola nut it is a spiritual process. This can be seen in a part of the novel, when Okoye and Unoka meet, that Unoka “prayed to their ancestors for life and health and for protection against their enemies”, at the time of breaking the kola nut. The process of breaking the nut is very honorable and spiritual, given the fact that it symbolizes respect and hospitality. They were about to discuss a very important topic, but they did not start until the kola nut had been broken. Kola nuts represent respect against each other and furthermore make people feel welcome within a home.

The Danger of a Single Story- Chimamanda Adichie

Chimamanda Adichie is a famous African writer. She has been a revolutionary author from this culture, who is capable to write novels that can be understood by everyone and represents the story behind Nigeria. She says that while growing up, she never imagined becoming a well-known writer, given her middle class status. The first time she stepped outside Africa was when she went to study abroad, to the USA. Inspired by her roommate’s thoughts and stereotypes, the author began writing novels that depicted how honorable are Nigerian people within world history. Through her novels, she wanted to show that world how her culture and society truly was: what their living habits were, and how they are not a primitive group like many people think. The author fears that a single story robs people since it creates stereotypes and biased interpretations of her nation and other African countries. She says that “single stories create stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete. They make one story become the only story”. This means that with stereotypes, people only see one side of the story, and neglect the fact that there is another one. So in this particular case, new perspectives regarding Nigeria were needed. This led the author to make most of her characters, white people or British. This is somewhat rare, because when one gets the opportunity to write about given culture, they create characters pertaining from the place, not the other way around. She wants to portray the scars that colonialism caused within African nations. When achieving all of this, one can now understand why only listening to one side of a story is not having all the information, and it’s not accurate. Chimamanda is now a well-known author that has used the prejudices pressed against herself and her culture to portray the true meaning of Nigerian culture.