Sunday, November 16, 2014
Foreign Gods, Inc. by Okey Ndibe-Chapters 10, 11, and 12-English II*H P. 1" due 11/17
Discuss the contrast between Reverend Stanton as a Christian missionary imposing the Western beliefs in Africa and Nigerian culture represented by spiritual mythology. Elaborate your response. Please note that you should support your response with textual evidence.
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In the novel Foreign Gods, Inc. by Okey Nbide, chapters 10, 11, and 11 is full of the ironic Reverend Stanton who is imposing the western beleifs in Africa. A country that has been pillaged by western civilizations. Much of the village’s troubles go back to the British missionary who was been determined to teach the superiority of Christianity to the Nigerian people. As the increasingly mad Englishman, Stanton, insists that his God is more powerful because he owns everything, while the Nigerian gods possess nothing. Stanton is gone, but the troubled of religion and greed is still evident. So Ike returns to find that his mother, who for years has had Ike’s sister sending him begging letters. “Mama wonders if you want us to eat sand.” Ike's mother has fallen under the spell of a pastor who sees religious commitment is to the evil power of money. American culture is all over his village. Ike has even found the poverty striken kids watching old videos of Michael Jordan wishing they were rich, and they still treat Micheal Jordan like a god. They wish they could buy houses, cars, shirts with brand names on them and pizza, even though they have never tasted it. They’ve just seen people eat it on American TV, and the people look happy after they do. This part of the book was really the saddest to me because it shows how the evil western influence has lingered among the people of Africa. It is even evident on television and our society, I have even fallen into the trap. People want everything they don't have just to keep up with the trend.
Questions:
1. Why is western civilization still so stronnin Africa?
2. Why is Ike's mom listening to the reverent?
3. Why is Ike's mother's grip so tight on his sister?
Reverend Stanton in the text goes against the Nigerian culture. At first the Nigerians did not believe in the Reverend Stanton. Reverend Stanton in my opinion treated Jacob as a slave. What he was doing was not correct. He was trying to impose Christianity on Africans. In the text Reverend Stanton slaps Jacob around for questions the community has or something that he is confused on himself. Stanton acted as if these Africans were supposed to know about Christianity. When the Nigerians started having beliefs in Christianity Reverend Stanton had a feeling he was not teaching them, to where they could comprehend on what he’s explaining. Every time the people of the community told Jacob or had to tell Reverend Stanton questions or something of their opinions Jacob would say the totally opposite of what Stanton told him to say. Stanton started to get sick. He was not doing something correct far as working for Christ the right way. The deity must have been eating Stanton away. Maybe he was not supposed to force his beliefs on these Nigerians that already had a religion. When Reverend Stanton found out that “God” was trying to explain to him to get rid of the deity. I do not expect the Nigerians to give up on their deity. The story that has been told in Chapter 10 sounds like a folk story. When Ike and his mother talk Ike can see that pastors in their village church our teaching the people the wrong meanings and beliefs of God. Ike mother starts to make Ike feel bad about not giving her any money, and about how her enemies make some type of fun towards her. The text also shows how people in the community made fun of their own people. For example, “If his God is everywhere, then why does the man need to shout to be heard? Or is his God deaf? The other men chuckled, impressed by the slacker’s repartee. On occasion, the people of Utonki poked fun at Jacob.”
In the novel Foreign Gods, Inc. by Okey Nbide, chapters 10, 11, and 12 honestly is very boring i just can't seem to find interest in the book. in chapter 10 seems to have a theme of command. they talk about this man named Reverend Walter stanton who has a lot of power. He came to Utonki with a retinue of soldiers who had guns. He is trying to bring western belieifs in Africa. He tells people that God is more powerful because he owns everything. Then ike comes back and found his mother under the beliefs of the pastor. American culture is all over his village. Kids in Ike village is in a poor state and it just not looking good for his village right now.
Questions:
1. How did Ike's mother fall under the influence of Reverend Walters Stanton beliefs?
2. Is Ike's sister older then Ike?
3.Why does Reverend Walters have such an impact on Ike's village.
In Foreign Gods Inc. by Okey Nbide, Ike's plan is fueled by desperation. Despite a degree in economics from a major American college, his strong accent has held him back from the corporate world. Forced to manage out a living as a cab driver, he is unable to manage the emotional and material needs of a temperamental. African American bride and a widowed mother in need of financial support.Ike focused on the dreams, promises and frustrations of the immigrant life in America, the nature and impact of religious conflicts is an examination of the ways in which modern culture creates. The British are urged to teach the Nigerean people Christianity.
Questions:
1: How is Ike mom doing?
2: Whatr is he going to do about the spell?
3:How does Ike feel about his mom being under a spell?
My first reaction of chapter 10, 11 and 12 were enjoying and suprising. I was happy and surprised, Ike was for the first time away from New York had a good night sleep and peaceful day. Ike went to church with his family where everyone was enjoying thereselves praying and singing. Ike had earlier agreed to his mothers terms to stop avoiding his grandmother and uncle. Ike, then had visited his grandmother and confronted his uncle out of anxiouty and fear. Ike had later had a strange encounter with his uncle's wife. He was confronted by the pator of the church before and during his conversation with her to not and stop talking to her. The pastors reasoning for trying to steer Ike away from his aunt was because God told him to warn Ike to not talk/interact with her. Ike found the pastors words from God to warn him amusing. Reverend Stranton in thenovel was restraintive and excessive. For example, when Reverend Stranton was with Ike he was being excessive trying to prevent Ike from speaking/interact with his aunt. The Reverend claims he was told by God to warn Ike but it was probably personal. Questions I have for chapters 10, 11, and 12 are Why didn't Ike take the pastors warning serious at first ? Why does Ike's aunt pose some kind of badness, threat or danger ? Is Ike religious or was he ?
In the story Foreign Gods Inc. the difference between Reverend Stanton as a Christian missionary imposing the western beliefs in Africa and Nigerian culture represented by spiritual mythology would be that Reverend Stanton is going against the Nigerian culture. At first none of the Nigerians believed in the Reverend Stanton. I also think that Reverend Stanton was treating Jacob a slave especially when he was being slapped around because he asked many questions that he was unclear on. He was trying to impose Christianity on Africans. When the Nigerians began to believe in Christianity Reverend Stanton felt as though he wasn’t teaching them enough or the people didn’t comprehend anything he was saying. The British missionary was determined to teach the superiority of Christianity to the Nigerian people. Stanton really believes that his God is very powerful because he owns everything, while the Nigerian Gods possess have nothing. Once Reverend Stanton left you could see that the lack of religion and affluenza is still there.
In chapters 10, 11, and 12 it takes about how Reverend Stanton tries to put his knowledge of God and imposes Western Christianity onto the Africans. He teaches that his God is more powerful and wealthy whereas the Nigerian God is poor and powerless. I personally believe that he was wrong for trying to pry his beliefs into the heads of those who has their own mind to do so and believe in things much different. He Cleary has a personality of greed and ignorance. The deity began to take over Reverend Stanton and he began to get ill. I believe in karma. Particularly, you reek what you sow. Stanton misunderstands the meaning of the deity and begans to realize that God was showing him of his wrong-doings. Back in Nigeria, where the British Missonary has decided to teach the Africans of western Christian culture, created bad situations in Africa. The people of that community made bad fun of Nigeria's beliefs and we're drawn away from the culture. I think that Stanton will try to correct is wrongs and do what his conscious tells him.
Why has Stanton been so blinded?
Will Ike try to make change in both the African community and his community in America?
How does Ike's sister feel about to British Missionary coming and taking negative control?
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