Weekly Assignment 2 1. What, if anything, morally justified Mr. Meiks’s choice to kill the Thurman sheriff? Following the classic divine command theory, the only possible thing that could morally justify Mr. Meiks’s choice to kill the Thurman sheriff is that he was protecting is divine mission from God. God supposedly commanded to him to complete his mission, to tell no one outside the family about it, and to protect the mission.
He was killed despite widespread public opposition which included a mass petition, protests and an 8000 strong public meeting in
He believed so strongly in his religion that he would willingly die for it. And at the
He was very hot headed and he came from a poor backgroun
He had his reasons for doing what he did, and was justified
They placed him in a position where he would be isolated and likely demoralized. They removed him from a society that he wanted to be a part of. These actions and purposes are undoubtedly sinister. But the predominant reason?
Okonkwo tries to fight the changes made by the Western people. Okonkwo’s response to the Western people trying to bring Western ideas into the Ibo culture are simply trying to fight back at the Western people with violence. Okonkwo is a strong and fierce leader, but throughout the story, he is challenged by the Western people and the cultural collision because Okonkwo is supposed to be the leader of Umuofia. Okonkwo is supposed to fight back for his village and not stop until he gets it done. In the story Achebe quotes, “He was a man of action, a man of war.
(65). For the man, his killing is justified because it was committed in the act of saving his son, a responsibility he says was assigned to him by the god. Throughout the entire journey, the man does not kill out of malice or for food. He only hurts others when they have threatened the boy 's survival. We can tell that in order to ensure the boy’s safety, his father can do anything to protect his kid.
Achebe writes, “ Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought weak” (Achebe 63). Many other members of the tribe would have let their son be killed because of the unwavering faith many have in their religion and the decisions of the elders. However, not many would do it themselves. This scene truly showcases Okonkwo’s fears.
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Because the missionaries do not respect the Igbo religion, tension in villagers like Okonkwo increases. Once the white missionaries arrive in the village of Igbo they immediately start criticizing the natives religion. One missionary even told the people that “they worshipped false gods, gods of wood and stone.” completely
When Ikemefuna runs towards him, “Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought weak” (Achebe 13). Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna because he is afraid someone will believe he is weak and similar to his unsuccessful father. He lets this fear of compassion and failing control his life and his decisions. When he is faced with a difficult choice he completes the action that will portray him as a man and not as an agbala, a woman.
As seen in Okonkwo’s participation in Ikemefuna’s death, we see a demonstration of his rash thinking. Okonkwo’s irrational decision - making, as well as his fear of being perceived as weak like his father drove him to kill Ikemefuna. If Ikemefuna has not been killed, then this would have prevented Nwoye from converting to Christianity. As seen “after the missionaries finished singing, Nwoye pondered about what he just heard, the hymn about brothers who sat in darkness and fear seemed to answer a vague and persistent question that haunted his young soul the question of Ikemefuna who died” (Achebe 128). Okonkwo’s participation in Ikemefuna’s murder ultimately pushed Nwoye to Christianity and this caused Okonkwo to lose respect in himself for not raising a better son.
“Because I did not want to…. I do not [question the Oracle]. Why should I? But the Oracle did not ask me to carry out its decision,” Obierika replied snappily (66). Obierika did not come along to see the boy killed, even though everyone expected him to, as was the custom.
You may think a person is okay but in reality is all different. Okonkwo was looked at as the person of the village and when the missionaries came everyone was surprised because they were staying in their villages. Okonkwo was depressed and he ended up hanging himself. I feel like if they would have handled the situation differently things would have been better but in the time these things occurred a lot of stuff was not the same.
