I have to admit, it surprises me that Okonkwo committed suicide. He strived to be an honorable and respectable man and considering "it is an abomination for a man to take his own life," it almost seems unfitting that the book, and his life, should end this way. Nevertheless I enjoyed this novel and noticed a couple key points in the second half concerning the differences, and even disadvantages, between oral and literate cultures.
Firstly, the act and ease of trusting another fluctuates based on individual experiences. Since the book makes no mention of trust issues within a tribe because everyone speaks honestly, I had not even considered a potential need for contracts or proof when a deal, proposition or trade takes place. Yet this idea was sparked toward the end of the book when there was a price of two hundred cowries for the release of the six men in captivity. "On the morning after the village crier's appeal the men of Umuofia met in the marketplace and decided to collect without delay two hundred and fifty bags of cowries to appease the white man. They did not know that fifty bags would go to the court messengers, who had increased the fine for that purpose." After reading this segment, I immediately refer to the trust I have among my neighbors. I have known them for a long time, we have many similar values and we maintain this trust in order to preserve a healthy relationship. However, when I go to the store and interact with the cashier, I would trust a price tag more than his or her word. Perhaps that is why we must have everything labeled or use some kind of a contract for an agreement. We have printed text to prove a fair price for everyone and contracts to ensure guidelines and rules. As a secluded, oral village, Umuofia has likely never encountered distrust and therefore has no need for this prior to the white settlers. It makes me wonder if an oral society could use currency to do business without trust.
Another observation was the frequent use of stories to teach children morals and values. It seems every teaching came from a story in order to prove a point. While I personally love stories, I doubt I could spontaneously create one and have it convey a deeper meaning. I would imagine this is due to my lack of creativity as a college student. Classes require the evaluation of stories rather than telling them and straight forward rules are provided in a document at the beginning of each semester. Since the fictional stories told in Umuofia have been replaced in our society by clear rules, it makes sense why these types of stories seldom impact our daily lives and we refer to relevant books instead.
"The Commissioner did not understand what Obierika meant when he said, 'Perhaps your men will help us.' One of the most infuriating habits of these people was their love of superfluous words, he thought." Overall, the cultural differences are vast but I believe both literate and oral societies can live collectively by implementing respect and keeping an open mind. Obviously Okonkwo's stubborn attitude led to his death and the white settlers' unwavering beliefs caused constant conflict, but had everyone considered themselves equal, peace and appreciation may have occurred. Personally, although I am literate I do not consider myself more knowledgeable than someone who cannot read. We both would have a lot to learn from one another and I appreciate that this book gave me a deeper understanding of life in a primarily oral society.
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