In both Mercy among the children and Things Fall Apart we are presented with symbols that reveal to the reader the most important aspects of a society.

International Baccalaureate World Literature

Mercy Among the Children and Things Fall Apart:

A comparison of symbolism

David Adams Richards and Chinua Achebe present the reader with many examples of very complex societies. Richards deals with the complexities of a small town community and the interaction of the main character’s family in this community. Similarly, Achebe deals with the Ibo society and culture, in which the main character is destroyed by the instability he feels he witnesses in the society. In both these novels the authors reveals the most poignant aspect of each society through symbolism that is similarly present in both novels. The symbolic portrayal of animals, as well as the symbolism certain objects hold to represent religion, are all symbols that when examined delve into a representation of each society as a whole.

In both novels symbolic animals are used to reveal certain poignant parts of each society. In Things Fall Apart, we are presented with the royal python, “The royal python was the most revered animal in Mbanta and all the surrounding clans. It was addressed as ‘Our Father,’ ” ( Achebe 138) .The Python is referred to as “royal” and it is “revered”, later in the novel it is referred to as “sacred”. Ironically, there are be many pythons in Niger, so this description of python applies to any python. In this manner pythons are glorified, and become iconic. When a python is later killed in the novel by an osu , the entire society is shocked at the murder of the python: “Nobody thought that such a thing could ever happen.”( Achebe, 138) . Through the death of this icon, Achebe creates a symbol; the python represents the rebellion of the osu against the tribe that had made them outcasts. Rebellion being synonymous with change, we see that Achebe shows the reader an important aspect of this Ibo society is change. This is enforced by the fact that the change inflicted by the white man, is one of the primary conflicts in the novel. The symbol of the python can also be interpreted as the general respect the Ibo people have for their environment and resources. For example, in Things Fall Apart only goats and cows are killed for meat that is necessary for feasts. This compares to what occurs in Mercy Among the Children when Lyle must hunt for food to feed his family.

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Similarly, in Mercy Among the Children animals are also symbolic of change, specifically fish. The first incident involving fishing is the salmon poaching. This act, perpetrated by Sydney and Roy in order to impress Leo McVicer’s business partners, “sets in motion the brutal rural destiny of [the] family” ( Richards, 14). Lyle informs the reader that this salmon poaching is the beginning of the troubles for the Henderson family. This sole act of poaching is symbolic of the first act that will change Sydney’s life. Also, throughout the novel Lyle and other characters are described to be fishing for trout. At the end of the novel we are told: “After a while he lived as a hermit and was never seen except far up the river, on occasion, with a fly rod and a small butt bug, seeking the trout he remembered from his childhood” (Richards, 417). This enforces the symbolism for fish to represent change. In this context the trout, is representing Lyle’s childhood. The hermit life is something a majority would not wish to lead, and the attempt for Lyle to catch his “childhood”, shows he wishes to change his way of life. As with the salmon, the trout also demonstrates an important aspect of the small town society the change that occurs to both the Hendersons and the entire village as a whole as they change allegiances against the Hendersons many times. This idea of change symbolized through animals is common to both works. Both Achebe and Richards display this important part of their societies through a commonality existing in both societies. The commonalities of these societies are the need to hunt for food and the rules that they have chosen to follow regarding these animals; be it the python or the salmon. The animals that are important to the Ibo are just as important as the animals that flock in the setting in Mercy Among the Children.

Another important aspect of both novels that is defined through symbolism is religion. Through symbols such as the chalice in Mercy Among the Children, and the iyi-uwa(the Ogbanje’s stone) in Things Fall Apart, all show the importance of religion in each society. In Mercy Among the Children, for Lyle the chalice was a symbol for the battle between the morals of himself and those of his father: “A battle raged inside me, with grand marshals and winged regiments fighting over the contested grounds of right and wrong.” (Richards 253). This shows that Lyle considers Sydney’s morals being to be “right” and the robbery of the chalice to be “wrong”. With this idea of contested morals in mind, we see that the true importance of Lyle’s robbery is the reaction of the town. The entire town is shocked when the chalice is stolen, everyone aids in its search and many town organizations offer a reward for the chalice to be found. This reaction shows that the society values the religion, because the chalice is used for communions at the church. Moreover, it also shows that the society values, despite their hypocrisy, the “right” morals of Sydney. Similarly, In Things Fall Apart we see that the Ibo people are also hypocritical in this sense. They strive to be considered, from the Ibo perspective, a “manly” tribe, yet Okonkwo constantly denounces his tribe as “feminine”.

The iyi-uwa in Things Fall Apart is a symbol for the importance of religion in the society, its recovery is similar to the chalice in Mercy Among the Children. Firstly, it is a symbol as it represents the soul of the Ogbanje, which is viewed as evil by the Ibo people. The notions of evil held by the Ibo are directly connected to this stone: “[okagbue] raised it carefully with the hoe and threw it to the surface. Some women ran away in fear when it was thrown.” (Achebe, 74). One easily infers that the citizens of the village are fearful because the stone is symbolic of evil. The manner in which the majority of the people of the village join in this search for the iyi-uwa is comparable to the search for the chalice in Mercy Among the Children. As in Mercy among the children, an examination of the society’s reaction to the stone reveals what the society finds important. We see in Things Fall Apart that the entire villages aids in the search for iyi-uwa , and once it is found the group is filled with relief : “..all the women shouted with joy because Ekwefi’s troubles were at last ended” (Achebe, 74). If the women are overjoyed at finding this object which represents a malevolent spirit in the novel, then they must hold the religion which defines the existence of this spirit in high regard. This shows that In Things Fall Apart the recovery of the symbolic iyi-uwa shows the importance of religion in the Ibo society. This occurrence falls into place with the occurrences of Mercy Among the Children, the individual communities found their own common interests in the recovery of both the chalice and the iyi-uwa. This common interest is an individual’s need to prove they are adherent to religion, an aspect of their society.

In both Mercy among the children and Things Fall Apart we are presented with symbols that reveal to the reader the most important aspects of a society. Richards, presents the reader with the recurring symbol of fish. Animals are essential in maritime life and characterize the maritime setting, just as pythons characterize the setting of a Nigerien jungle. Their prominence in each setting may reveal that the aspects the communities’ value are accepted in many different ways, just as a trout is found in different colors. Also, Richard’s chalice and Achebe’s iyi-uwa are symbols that enable the reader to view what the society values the most based on their reaction to its recovery. The iyi-uwa is a stone that brings together the entire community of the Ibo together, as does the chalice. We are shown that, beyond doubt, religion is an important part of these communities if it can rally the entire community at once. Richard’s and Achebe’s purposes are enriched. When one considers Achebe’s purpose of humanity and equality and Richard’s purpose of displaying the conflict of character vs. self, we see that the Ibo society compared to this small maritime village society values virtually the same common aspects; The aspects of religion, respect, and conservatism.

Conclusion….

DESCRIB EWHAT THE SYMBOL REPRESENTS THEN DESCRIBE HOW IT IS A SYMBOL AND HOW IT REPRESENTS.

In both novels, we are examining different societies yet from Achbe his purpose is to attempt to create a and prove that a native society in Africa is just as advanced and complex as a western one, hense a maritime one. And this purpose is easily achieved in order to show both past 50s generations and currect modern day generations that it is very important

We knwthe section “Love” of the novel, Lyle is returning to the church for the first time in many years to fulfill his promise to his mother for Percy’s first communion: “I walked into the rectory and saw the chalice in the exact spot I had taken it from a few years before”. This signifies it is a symbol of burden, in the love section of the novel this burden is lost. The chalice is stolen by Lyle out of spite, in order to show his frustration with his father’s own ideals and way of life. “quote 2.A” The importance of Lyle’s robbery is the reaction of the town.

They also respect the land because of religion.

of the symbolism behind this tells us that it is the first reaction in a chain of many. It all begins from the manner in which the province, believes that the salmon are “sacred” or important enough to be protected by the government. In this manner we see that they value the land and the many things it has to offer

Quotes: Pg.138

throughout the entire novel of things fall apart there is not one point at which an animal is killed for food, the Ibo people always eat the yams or what they cultivate from the land themselves. So, in this sense this python, is used as both a symbol for the place of animals in the ibo society and the change that the Ibo people undergoes. In mercy among the children we see something very similar, with the occurrence of the salmon poaching with roy and Sydney in order to impress one of leo mcvicers business partners. Lyle states that this event wast he first thing that had set up the future for him and his family. Although, the symbolism behind this tells us that it is the first reactioin in a chain of many. It all begins from the manner in which the province, believes that the salmon are “sacred” or important enough to be protected by the government. In this manner we see that they value the land and the many things it has to offer. Although, differing very much from things fall apart, in mercy among the children, lyle uses animals as a source of food.” QUOTE” We see his relieance on the animals as food, is very similar to the way that the ibo people depend on their yams for their own food, and when needed can buy it from other places. The same manner in which lyle can buy it from anyone he wants.

Pg 153, chapter 21 for the wood chukwu for religion.