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Essay / Chinua Achebe and Joseph Boyden on the process of colonialism
The process of colonialism is the continued eradication of old practices and the exploitation of new practices, and often involves settlement in a foreign country, the introduction of new cultural practices and the application of religious practices. In the novel Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe uses the British colonization of western Nigeria to demonstrate that the power struggle between tradition and modernization cannot be won. Similarly, Joseph Boyden's The Orenda uses the French colonization of New France to demonstrate how those who reject and those who accept the reality of change are both condemned to death. Although the internal and external conflicts caused by colonialism differ between the characters in Achebe's Things Fall Apart and Boyden's The Orenda, both works use the process of colonialism to orchestrate each person's demise. Whether one chooses to defend, resist, or submit to the imposition of a new culture, death is inevitable during the processes of colonialism. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Things Fall Apart demonstrates the process of colonization through the British settlement in the foreign country of Umofia, the establishment of the English language and the application of the Christian religion. This settlement creates a disturbance between the Umofia people and the British. As the Chief Commissioner confronts the clan leaders about their actions, he explains, "I brought you here because you joined together to attack others, to burn down people's homes and their places of worship. This must not happen in the queen's domain... I have decided that you will pay a fine of two hundred cowrie shells. » (Achebé 194). Between the Umofians' attack on the Church and the British's demand for money, it is evident that there is a conflict between those who resist British colonization and those who defend it. Indigenous people believe that all aspects of colonialism are an evil that must be eradicated from their lands. Protesters of ancestral Igbo spirituality, such as the Chief Commissioner of the newly established Church, are those who believe that “[the British] brought this peaceful administration [to Umofia] because…it is the most powerful of the world” (Achebe 194). ). Not particularly different from the character Crow in The Orenda, the Chief Commissioner defends his religious beliefs in the face of death. As an authority figure representative of his faith, “the [Chief Commissioner is] fearless and [stands] his ground…” (Achebe 204) when challenged by the Umofian clan. During the struggle between religion and spiritual power, the Chief Commissioner chooses to defend his religion. However, “it is of no use” (Achebe 204). In the Chief Commissioner's attempt to defend the imposition of religion during the process of colonialism, his decision not to surrender to the indigenous people is the ultimate cause of his death. In a manner similar to that of Achebe's Things Fall Apart, Boyden's The Orenda uses French Jesuit missionaries to demonstrate the commitment and faith one must have to die for one's religion. In this novel, the French colonization of New France focuses on the imposition of religion on the natives. During the process of colonialism and the imposition of religion, Crow's death is organized by his refusal to commit blasphemy. As Crow settles into the Huron village, learns the native language, and lives with those who are skeptical of his beliefs, he experiences no conflict with himself or with the tenets of Christianity. Itsresistance against all other spiritual customs goes so far as to make the declaration: "I will die for [God] if that is what is asked of me" (Boyden 28). Although Crow feels no spiritual conflict, it is clear that the conflict engendered by colonialism is between the Jesuits and the missionaries and the Haudenosaunee tribe. Crow's resistance to the native way of life is most evident when Crow is kidnapped and tortured by the Haudenosaunee and denied the opportunity to live. Given the choice to abandon the religious aspect of colonialism and "deny the story that when he is born, water must be poured on his head to protect him... [and] deny the story that which to speak in loud voices, [he] must wear a bright rope around [his] neck” (Boyden 477), Crow refuses. When presented with the option to submit to this lifestyle and live, Crow denies it and is tortured to death. Not only does the process of colonialism orchestrate the death of those who defend the imposition of religion, but it also causes the death of those who fight against it. and ultimately succumb to the processes of colonialism. In the novel Things Fall Apart, Enoch submits to the process of colonialism by choosing to settle in the British village, learn English, and convert to Christianity. Throughout the novel, Enoch is described as “the stranger who [cries] louder than the mourners” (Achebe 185). His dedication to his new faith became greater than the faith of those who imposed religion on him. The processes of colonialism in this novel create a conflict “between the church and the clan in Umofia…” (Achebe 186). There is the option of conforming to the British standard of living, joining the Christian Church and living in the white man's village, or resisting and continuing the spiritually oriented Igbo way of life. In Umofian culture, "one of the greatest crimes a man could commit was to expose an egwugwu in public, or to say or do anything that would reduce his immortal prestige in the eyes of the uninitiated." And that’s exactly what Enoch did” (Boyden 186). Enoch's conversion in an act of defiance against the clan's ancestral gods proves that he grew spiritually from his former beliefs and chose to conform to Christianity. When the power struggle between Christian leaders and the Eqwugwu intensifies, the Egwugwu defend their land by burning down the church while Enoch is inside praying. In the process of British colonialism, the conflict between the newly established Christian Church and the traditional Igbo clan forces the characters to submit or resist the imposition of religion. The cause of Enoch's death was his bold act of defiance against the old spirituality and his submission to the new way of life. Submission to a newly introduced religion during colonialism is the cause of Delilah's death, but unlike Achebe's Things Fall Apart, this process causes internal causes. conflict rather than external. At The Orenda, Jesuit missionaries suppress the customs of the natives in order to “introduce Jesus into the lives of the [natives]” (Boyden 28). In order to eliminate the spiritual customs of the indigenous people, Crow promises that those who convert to Christianity will be rewarded with eternal life. This creates a spiritual ultimatum in the plot, either to continue the native way of life or to achieve eternal life in Christianity. Unlike Things Fall Apart, its aspect in colonization processes causes internal conflicts. Although Delilah believes she has the opportunity to "go straight to [God] and live in heaven forever" (Boyden 212), she also fears being alone indeath and “separated from all forever” (Boyden 212) in the future. life after death. Dalila succumbs to the imposition of religion by the Jesuit missionaries and agrees to “try to do what [the Jesuit missionaries do], to try to live the way [they] tell her to live, in that who is called Christ” (Boyden 212). ). In order to fulfill this new principle and be rewarded with eternal life, one must be free from sin and die in Christ. To guarantee ascension to heaven, it would be optimal for one to die after committing to one's religious belief. In the novel, Isaac agrees that "it is best that [Delilah] should die now" (Boyden 462), directly after participating in the Lord's Supper before she "acts for her oki" (Boyden 462) and commits another sin that is why he takes the initiative to poison her. In the processes of colonialism, missionaries remove the concept of okies and inculcate the concept of Christianity in the indigenous culture. The decision to live according to traditional spiritual belief or according to a new religion creates an internal conflict within Delilah. Like the character Enoch in Things Fall Apart, Delilah's final decision to submit and live in Christianity is the ultimate cause of her death. Through the character of Okonkwo in the novel Thing Fall Apart, Achebe shows how no matter how strongly one resists the process of colonialism, it will be the cause of death. Okonkwo's opinion on British colonization is clear when he addresses the people of Umofia at the elders' meeting. He explains that [the British] say our customs are bad; and our brothers who have adopted this religion say that our customs are bad. How do you think we can fight when our brothers turn against us? The white man is very intelligent. He came quietly and peacefully with his religion. We were amused by his stupidity and allowed him to stay. Now he has won over our brothers and our clan can no longer act like one. He put a knife to the things that held us together and we fell apart (Achebe 176). As Boyden demonstrates in his novel The Orenda, the process of colonialism creates conflict and issues an ultimatum to submit or resist British rule and imposition of religion. Okonkwo chooses not to accept the reality of change and it is clear that Umofia's abandonment to the life that colonialism will bring him disgusts him. In this novel, Achebe demonstrates that one who protests against the imposition of religion cannot be part of a community that succumbs to this imposition. The British colonization of Umofia was the ultimate cause of Okonkwo's death. His suicide is an act of resistance to belonging to a community that is succumbing to the change brought about by colonialism. Reminiscent of Okonkwo's character development, the process of colonialism is something that does not sit well with some characters in The Orenda. Like the majority of the main characters in both novels, the decision to resist change is the cause of their death. During the process of colonialism, lifestyle changes such as sobriety and celibacy were encouraged by Jesuit missionaries. As a new convert, the internal conflict between wanting to follow both the tenets of Christianity and the Iroquois customs causes great havoc for Aaron. Aaron's first act against the Christian religion was his sexual infidelity. After Aaron participates in the rape of the Iroquois girls, Crow assures that Aaron and "these men were severely punished for this terrible sin." The great voice will punish them for eternity” (Boyden 333). At this point, it is obvious that Aaron has chosen to move away from the Christian religion..