February 19 Entry Task: No ET Objective: SWBAT determine and write about themes of fate and freewill. February 19

“Why, he cried in his heart, should he, Okonkwo, of all people, be cursed with such a son. He saw clearly in it the finger of his personal god or chi. For how else could he explain his great misfortune and exile and now his despicable son’s behavior? Now that he had time to think of it, his son’s crime stood out in its stark enormity. To abandon the gods of one’s father and go about with a lot of effeminate men clucking like old hens was the very depth of abomination. Suppose when he died all his male children decided to follow Nwoye’s steps and abandon their ancestors? Okonkwo felt a cold shudder run through him at the terrible prospect, like the prospect of annihilation.” (Ch. 17) In this quote, does Okonkwo believe that he can control his chi and that of his son’s and grandson’s? In a moment of despair, Okonkwo sees one possible road fate could take him down, despite all his efforts to raise Nwoye correctly. He sees, rather prophetically, the extinction of his entire family line.

Chi is an individual’s personal god, whose merit is determined by the individual’s good fortune or lack thereof. Chi

One proverb says: “If a man says yes, his chi says yes also” (27, 131), indicating that people can have some influence over their own fate. OR Other passages suggest that one has no control over the decision of the chi (79), and that, “a man could not rise beyond the destiny of his chi” (131). Okonkwo himself seems to struggle with this question. There seem to be conflicting ideas about how chi works in the novel. Which is the dominant or correct view of Chi in the novel?

Write your own theme statement about chi First, summarize Okonkwo’s experience with chi in the book. Can he control his chi or fate? What universal lesson can we learn from this? Your theme should be universal. _(Author’s) __(title)___ reveals _(a message about fate and freewill)_ Write your own theme statement about chi

Example of a theme statement about chi Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart” reveals that people must come to terms with their fate, and accept the way their personal god, or chi, controls their destiny, while at the same time struggle to change their world. Example of a theme statement about chi

Review for the Assessment Monday 2/22 You will need to know how to… Make inferences based on the text and compare it to the themes or topics in the novel Describe Okonkwo’s view of masculinity and how it affects the other characters Analyze the symbols used in the text Describe Okonkwo’s final choice and its impact Analyze the role of folktales Review for the Assessment Monday 2/22