News Flash: The Recent Murder of a Christian Messenger by Local Legend
by. Abbie McQue
Ever since the return of previously exiled man Okonkwo, there has
been a rise in tensions between the group of locals and the outsider
Christians. Okonkwo, a man of great accomplishment in the clan,
is also someone who is prone to seek violence
as the solution. In the past he has been known
for resorting to violence during the sacred Week
of Peace(Achebe 29-30).
So it was only a matter of time before Okonkwo
struck again. He is a certain individual who grew up with a very
poor father and had no tolerance for weakness, so when his son
joined the group of white men and converted to Christianity he
was stricken and grew an even deeper hate for the Christians for
taking his son away(Achebe 144). After Okonkwo had been
shamed by the Christians for keeping him as well as other clan
elders imprisoned for three days, Okonkwo swore his vengeance.
It was on the day of the great meeting between all people of the
neighboring villages that he murdered the messenger in cold
blood: "In a flash Okonkwo drew his machete... Okonkwo's
machete descended twice and the man's head lay beside his
uniformed body"(Achebe 204).
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