IN Practice 4 How to develop sophisticated analysis After the egwugwu hear the witnesses Evil Forest began to speak and all the while he spoke everyone was silent We have heard both sides of the case said Evil Forest Our duty is not to blame this man or to prais ID: 277203
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Slide1
Analysis IN Practice #4
How to develop sophisticated analysisSlide2
After the egwugwu hear the witnesses, “Evil Forest began to speak and all the while he spoke everyone was silent… . ’We
have heard both sides of the case,’ said Evil Forest. ‘Our duty is not to blame this man or to praise that, but to settle the dispute’” (93).
Weak
:
The
egwugwu
clearly demonstrate that the Ibo society understands justice, and they “settle the dispute” in a fair way, after hearing “both sides of the case.”
Better
:
The silence of the crowd indicates the power and respect accorded to the
egwugwu
; the entire village listens attentively to Evil Forest. Achebe also uses legal terms throughout the passage—referring to the “case” and noting that they have listened to “both sides,” which helps to portray a balanced legal system, even if it is very different from European justice.Slide3
After the egwugwu hear the witnesses, “Evil Forest began to speak and all the while he spoke everyone was silent….’We have heard both sides of the case,’ said Evil Forest. ‘Our duty is not to blame this man or to praise that, but to settle the dispute’” (93).
Best
:
Although the
egwugwu
may appear initially to be part of a primitive, superstitious ritual, Achebe subtly suggests a rational basis for these traditions. The frightening
egwugwu
inspire fear and respect from the crowd; although frequently noisy, “everyone was silent” while Evil Forest speaks—and an elder later reinforces the importance of this communal respect by stating that
Uzomulu
would “not listen to any other decision” (94). The
egwugwu
, then, help to ensure the peaceful, methodical resolution of conflicts—which is a rational, civilized goal. In addition, Evil Forest offers a reasonable and balanced assessment of the dispute; he emphasizes that “we have heard both sides of the case”—and clarifies the practical purpose of the hearing: “to settle the dispute.” Achebe’s use of legal terms—such as “settle” and “case”—also suggests that the process is logical
and orderly rather than arbitrary. The
egwugwu
may, indeed, appear bizarre to European eyes; yet the trial scene suggests that, in a community without prisons or a central political authority, cultivating a respect for tradition and ancestors is the most effective means to establish and preserve order.Slide4
When the women hear the cry that a cow is loose, they respond immediately: “Five women stayed behind to look after the cooking pots, and all the rest rushed away to see the cow that had been let loose. When they saw it they drove it back to its owner, who at once paid the heavy fine which the village imposed on anyone whose cow was let loose on his neighbors’ crows. When the women had exacted the penalty they checked among themselves to see if any woman had failed to come out when the cry had been raised” (114-5).
Weak
:
Although
Umuofia
is largely patriarchal, the women do have some power in the community; they are allowed to independently fine people and collect the money.
Better
:
Although
Umuofia
is largely patriarchal, the women do wield some power. They are able to directly fine the owner of the cow—which we later find out belongs to a man (115)—who pays “at once.” Therefore, in at least one area, the women hold a degree of authority over the men. In addition,
n
o one in the community questions their actions, so women are clearly considered capable of disciplining both men and women.Slide5
When the women hear the cry that a cow is loose, they respond immediately: “Five women stayed behind to look after the cooking pots, and all the rest rushed away to see the cow that had been let loose. When they saw it they drove it back to its owner, who at once paid the heavy fine which the village imposed on anyone whose cow was let loose on his neighbors’ crows. When the women had exacted the penalty they checked among themselves to see if any woman had failed to come out when the cry had been raised” (114-5).
Best
:
Although
Umuofia
is largely a patriarchal society, women still wield some power. After the cry is raised, they return the cow to its owner—which we later find out is a man (115), not another woman. Nevertheless, the man pays “at once”—he does not argue or delay; the women’s authority is clearly respected. In addition, Achebe describes the action by stating that the women “exacted the penalty.” To “exact” something is to obtain it by force, and the word “penalty” implies punishment; the women are not just collecting money, but assessing blame and imposing a communal sentence on behalf of the village. Significantly, their actions also appear to be a normal occurrence, since no one questions their right to impose the fine. Therefore, the women are not powerless subjects of
Umuofia
, but active participants in the village government. Finally, Achebe indicates that the women carry out this task in an organized and efficient manner; they assign a certain number of women to watch the cooking pots, and afterwards, “they checked among themselves to see” if anyone ignored the request for assistance. They adhere to a clearly-defined procedure, and hold one another accountable for following that procedure. Achebe therefore indicates that the women of
Umuofia
are rational, authoritative, and respected members of the community.