From Parts I or II of Things Fall Apart, I would like you to find an example of one of these forms of communication that either stands alone or embellishes the word component of language:
Chronemics
Haptics
Proxemics
Clothing and/or Ornamentation
Do not forget to cite using MLA style.
After you have found and posted your example, comment on the impact that this non-verbal communication has on the meaning of the word component or situation. (Can you find a parallel in your own language?) Please read the postings of your peers and do not use an example already used.
Due: Tuesday, March 16.
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19 comments:
Although throughout the novel there are numerous examples of proxemics, I am particularly fond of this one, “when Okonkwo of Umuofia arrived at Mbaino as the proud and imperious emissary of war, he was treated with great honor and respect” (Achebe, 16)
After analyzing this quote, I understood that Okonkwo is not a man that the Umuofia tribe or any other tribe is affectionate of, but is simply an individual that is feared and as a result respected because of his brute strength. His relationship with others is not one of familiarity but one of deference. After I came to understood this, I realized that Okonkwo is actually a man of extreme solitude, who only has himself to blame. His culpability is that of his fear of weakness.
The meaning that this excerpt has on the situation is that it aides us in displaying the actuality of Okonkwo relation with other individuals. It allows us to see, what Okonkwo has permitted others to perceive of him. And as a result his lack of commitment with others has created pragmatic relationship and not cherished ones.
Andres, while the quotation is powerful, there is no example of proxemics in it, nor of chronemics or haptics nor of clothing as communication. Perhaps you will want to find another quotation.
"The wave struck the women and children and there was a backward stampede. But it was momentary. They were already far enough where they stood and there was room for running away if any of the egwugwu should go towards them" (Achebe 84).
This example of proxemics tells us in a non-verbal way that the children and women were afraid and wanted to be sure they had a way of running away in case any "egwugwu should go towards them".
This example can be related easily to our own language. When anyone is afraid of something, one goes away from what is to fear to feel safe.
"Come, my daughter," said the pri9estess. "I shall carry you on my bacy. A baby on its mother's back does not know that the way is long" (Achebe 96)
This example of proxemis shows hoe women in this culture take good car of their children and try to comfort them whenever they are feeling sad or ill. They are very nurturing and caring to their babies and want them to feel the least bit uncomfortable. It is true that the baby on a mothers back doesnot feel the distance of the travel because it just rests and relies on his mom and does not need to make the effort to walk by itself, therefore being more comfortable.
"The bride's mother led the way, follwoed by the bride and other women. The married women wore their best cloths and the girls wore red and black waist-beads and anklets of brass" (Achebe 110)
This portrays the importance of clothing in portraying communication. Wedding ceremonies are really crucial in almost every culture. This is passage comes from the description of Oberika's daughter's wedding ceremony. It reveals many aspects about this culture. Frist of all, that married women and girls were expected to wear different things-(their "best cloths" vs "beads and anklets")This first of all shows how younger, unmarried girls had to live up to different standards than married women. Also, wearing these garments shows respect and appropriateness. It is just like in our culture, we get dressed up in pretty jewelery and dresses for weddings, to be appropriate. One wouldn't walk into a nice wedding ceremony in jeans and a t-shirt. By walking in dressed in the best manner possible, one shows respect to the host and the ceremony. If one walks in dressed inappopriatley, it gives of the message of "I don't really care about this special occassion." In Things Fall Apart, a woman was expected to wear her best clothes in big events, and by, in this wedding, wearing their best clothes/red and black waist-beads, the women were showing appropriate garments and portraying, in a non-verbal way, appropriateness and respect to the occasion.
“Ezeudu was a great man, and so all the clan was at his funeral… They all whore smoked raffia skirts and their bodies were painted with chalk and charcoal.” (Achebe 114) This is an example of dressing as a form of communication because by dressing in this certain way they are communicating their respect to the person who died. Also by being uniformed with certain attire they are demonstrating that they are all united for the same cause and sentiments of loss and grief. The parallel in our community is wearing black and white on funerals.
"If I hold he hand She says, "Don't tocuh" If I hold her foot She says "Don't touch" But when I hold her waist-beads she pretends not to know (Achebe 112)."
This quote happens to the song the musicians sing when the daughter of Obierika dances at her wedding. Obierika's daughter is a dancing and part of her attire are wasit-beads. She must move to the music and the beads make a rhythm that goes with the music. In Umuofia music is a big communication method. They sing and dance about the great battles and of the elders and great men. When the bride dances she communicates her happiness and she seals the wedding.
"She wore a coiffure which was done up in a crest in the middle of the head. Cam wood was rubbed lightly into her skin, and all over her body were black patterns drawn with uli. She wore a black necklace which hung down in three coils...on her arms were red and yellow bangles and on her waist four or five rows of jigida or waist beads." (Achebe 68) The bride-to-be dresses herself up as a way to sell herself in a way to her possible suitor. The more she is able to decorate her body with the wealthier she seems and she appears to be worth more. Women in our society do the same.They dress up in way to impress possible suitors.
In part one of Things Fall Apart a form of communication through clothing and ornamentation is clearly shown in chapter five. "The festival was now only three days away. Okonkwo's wives had scrubbed the walls and the huts with red earth until they reflected light. They had then drawn patterns on them in white, yellow, and dark green. They then set about painting themselves with cam wood and drawing beautiful black patterns on their stomachs and on their backs. The children were also decorated, especially their hair, which was shaved in beautiful patterns." (Achebe38) This is when the village prepares a feast of the New Yam before their harvest in order to thank the earth goddess Ani. By wearing fancy decorations and paintings, the Ibo people show gratitude towards their goddess. In addition their clothing means respect to the goddess and to be festive in their New Yam Festival. This non verbal communication is important since the Ibo people wants to look nice in their festival and towards their goddess to show respect and gratitude. Just like how we in present wear nice attires for special events and festivals.
“Ikezue strove to dig his right heel behind Okafu so as to pitch him backwards in the clever ege style. But the one sensed what the other was thinking (Achebe, 36).”
Although it was not intentional, Ikezue, through his movements and his touch, communicated to Okafu his intentions and so the second wrestler was able to avoid being thrown. This is a form of haptic communication in the sense that he transmitted his intentions through his touch. Because it was a wrestling match there was no verbal communication to complement the body language. Each wrestler had to predict the others movements simply through feeling the tension or placement of the others touch.
"It was clear from the way the crowd stood or sat that the ceremony was for men. There were many women,but they looked on from the fringe like outsiders."(Achebe 83). This quote explains the importance of ceremonies. It demonstrates the men superiority over women in the society, and it also reveals how the people in the village carried on their ceremonies and reunions.
“He had already put aside his goatskin bag and his big cloth and was in his underwear, a long and thin strip wound round the waist…” (Achebe, 79)
This portrays the importance of clothing as communication because although it is simply an attire, it symbolizes something that is far more intangible, humbleness and modesty. In this excerpt, Okagbue is displayed as an individual, who is very caring for others and very considerate of others. He is presented as someone, who is very helpful and centered toward others. I particularly enjoyed the fact that he places everything aside, anything of importance or a symbol of high rank in order to aide Ezinma because it appeared to be a metaphor of meekness and desire to demonstrate equality. I believe that besides the importance that this simple display of clothing carries, it also makes a parallel with Okonkwo, who is known as being an “upper class” citizen for his strength, fame and wealth.
"Obierika's compound was as busy as an anthill. Temporary cooking tripods were erected on every available space by bringing together three blocks of sun-dried earth and making a fire in their midst" (106).
This reveals the Ibo's people sense of proxemics. Activities such as cooking for feasts are done very nearby- with people close to each other, optimizing space as much as possible. this also creates a friendly environment where everyone is focused on a task. The Ibo people cooperate to achieve a common goal.
"The elders and grandees of the village sat on their own stools brought by their young sons or slaves" (Achebe 46).
This example of proxemis shows us how the protocol in the village dictated the behavior of everyone. This protocol revolves around the head of the family that is mostly the male. Hence their younger sons feel its an honor that they bring the stools for their fathers.
There is a very interesting parallelism here in El Salvador andmost of the Latin American cultures. Women, in househo9lds dominated by machismo often serve the food for their husbands and bring the food to their housbands at the table. They then sit on either side of their husbands showing a kind of ownership.This is similar to the story because then after carrying the elders stool, the younger son sits in the floor besides his father or elder in sign of respect, loyalty and ownership.
"They sat in a big circle on the ground and the bride sat in the center with a hen in her right hand. Uchendu sat by her, holding the ancestral staff of the family. All the other men stood outside the circle, watching." (Achebe 121)
This passage is an example of proxemics that is very loyal to the story's setting. It describes one of the numerous customs of the tribe and the importance that each character takes in it. The bride, being the most important figure, sits in the middle of the circle with Uchendu at her side, while all the other men stand outside of the circle, watching the scene.
“The dark top soil soon gave way to the bright red earth with which women scrubbed the floors and walls of the hut” (Achebe 79).
After reading this passage, Achebe uses a clear example of proxemics to demonstrate part of the culture. It shows that women were in charge of doing the maintenance and demonstrates some of women’s chores I the society at hand. They had to scrub the floors and walls as to clean up the hut around, while on the other hand, men were in charge of hunting, planting, etc.
JOSE SAMAYOA
Chronemics: "Most communal ceremonies took place at that time of the day, so that even when it was said that a ceremony would begin "after the midday meal" everyone understood that it would begin a long time later, when the sun's heat had softened"(83).
This is an example of chronemics because it shows that the climate and weather conditions dictate the time for meetings and events. They do not have an exceedingly punctual society, they are guided mainly by time of day- nature wise. It also shows how the people of the clan have an understanding when it comes to timings. In this country, if one say an hour, one can expect people to come at least half an hour late, which is quite interesting because other cultures could even expect peple to be half an hour early.
“The drums were still beating, persistent and unchanging. Their sound was no longer a separate thing from the village. It was like a pulsation of its heartbeat. It throbbed in the air in the sunshine and even in the trees, and filled the village with excitement.”(Pg 44)
This is an example of chronemics since it shows the progress of time by relating the persistent beats of the drums and relating to the ambiance it creates since the more excited the villagers are it means the closer to the wrestling event is getting. The author uses the description of the of how the beat was no longer a separate thing from the village describes how the excitement has progressed as the day advances. He heartbeat serves as a pace setter since as excitement grows the heart rate increases as an indication of nervousness or expectation
" "Listen to me" he said when Okonkwo had spoken. You are not a stranger at Umofia. You know as well as I do that our forefather ordained that before we plant any rops in the earth we should observe a week in which a man does not say a harsh word to his neighbor." " This is an example of chronemics. In the village of Umofia there is the week of peace in a certain time frame that has to be honored by the whole village, and Okonkwo ignored the chronemics by beating up one of his wifes.
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