Valencia's+Page

**Journal Prompt #1**

To be honest, my first impressions of the novel is that it's quite boring. Although I don't really find myself interested in it yet, I'm still willing to give it a chance. Hopefully as I continue to read it, it will get better and more active and interesting. I suppose the reason I find it boring is because I don't really understand the culture (Obviously it's not //my// culture). Another reason why I don't find this book to be too interesting is because to me, it just doesn't seem like to much is going on. I tend to read books that are more action filled and containing more of something that will keep me hooked. I guess you could say I'm picky about things I read.

My impression of the Igbo tribe is that some of them are lazy, and they tend to blame their lack of success on everything and everybody else. I also find the way they treat women to be quite unfair. The men of the tribe don't really let women have much say in anything and act like their the ones supposed to be doing everything (cooking, cleaning, etc). A difference between our culture and theirs is that their more cultured than us.


 * Journal Prompt #2 **

The Igbo people define masculinity by many things. It's defined by not showing your feelings as much as women for one thing. I find the masculinity and femininity to be quite unfair in this book because it's like men are expected to do certain things (working), and women are expected to do certain things (cooking and cleaning for their family). Another thing that masculinity is based off of is how aggressive the man is. Nwoye is never approved of because he's not seen as 'masculine' or 'angry' enough for Okonkwo. One thing I find really wrong is that he gets beaten when he cries. I find that really ridiculous that he gets beaten for showing any emotion. He's a human being. Just because he's a male doesn't mean he's not allowed to show tears. That whole idea is really stupid.

On the other hand, the way women are treated is also very wrong. I find it dumb that just because they're females, they're expected to have dinner on the table and the house clean by the time the men get home. To be honest, if my husband wanted something to eat that bad, he could get it himself.