Skip to main content

What do you know about Nnaemeka's father in "Marriage is a Private Affair"?

If we are discussing "what we know" about Nnaemeka's father, Okeke, then we are discussing aspects of his character. First, we know that Okeke values Ibo tradition more than anything else at the beginning of the story. Living in a rural Ibo village in Nigeria, there are many traditions to which Okeke adheres. For example, Okeke believes strongly that he should follow Ibo tradition and choose a wife for his son. According to Ibo tradition, wives...

If we are discussing "what we know" about Nnaemeka's father, Okeke, then we are discussing aspects of his character. First, we know that Okeke values Ibo tradition more than anything else at the beginning of the story. Living in a rural Ibo village in Nigeria, there are many traditions to which Okeke adheres. For example, Okeke believes strongly that he should follow Ibo tradition and choose a wife for his son. According to Ibo tradition, wives must be Christians, good homemakers, and (above all) be of the Ibo culture. Nnaemeka rejects these traditions by falling in love with Nene and choosing to marry her instead of the Ibo maiden that Okeke has chosen for his son. For eight years, Okeke stubbornly disowns his son, even to the point of ripping his son's new bride out of their wedding photo. However, it is important to note that Okeke changes over the course of the story. The impetus for the change is Nene's letter about Okeke's two grandsons and how they wish to interact with their grandfather. This causes Okeke to cling to family over tradition and agree to meet with his grandsons. By the end of the story, Okeke only hopes that he lives long enough to "make it up to" the family.

Popular posts from this blog

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...

How did the United States become an imperial power?

"Imperial power" is a bit of a vague label. It tends to mean several things at once, so let's unpack it. In the sense of "this country was built on conquest by force," the "imperial power" part of America actually predates the United States proper. The territories that would become the United States were imperial colonies, established by the great European empires of the 17th and 18th centuries. Much of the US Constitution and American governance generally goes back to England, history's largest and most successful imperial power, but vital aspects of American culture come from other imperial powers, such as France and Spain. Much of American culture comes from sources other than the old empires, but they were key influences on what the United States became. In the sense of "this country treats conquest by force as a fundamental component of its culture, economy and politics," the United States has always been an imperial power. Even earl...

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...