Karl Marx once commented that 'religion is the opium of the
people'. Do you agree with him? In the case of Umuofia, do you think their
native religion stunts their development? Is the 'new' religion seen as a way
of bringing development to Umuofia?
Apart from religion, superstitions play an important part in the Ibo culture. Do you have your own sets of superstitions which you find difficult to discard?
The following points can help you as you write your reflective post on the role of religion and superstition in the novel and in your life:
• Analyse how superstitions and religions play in the life described in the novel.
• Do superstitious beliefs and religion affect the development of a country? How?
• How does one's beliefs affect the nation in terms of politics and culture?
Yes I do agree with him
as ‘religion is the opium of people’ or more to the need of the people.
People or humans ought to lean or rely to the greater power themselves thus
religion plays that part well. superstitious belief was practised by all the Ibo tribe in the novel Things Fall Apart and they do take it seriously.The Umofia’s religion had restricted some rules
for the native as there are few rules that are fatal or considered not
appropriate such as the killing of the twin babies because they are considered
bad omens. That example reflected that the native doesn’t develop in the sense
of science because they did not aware of the fact that twins are formed because
of genetic and have nothing to do with bad omens. Their beliefs that are sometimes too
superstitious which is believing that evil forest contains evil spirits and no
living things could live there because that is the place where they vanish the
sick people to die and cast evil spirits to and leave the twin babies to die.
But then when the ‘new’ religion stayed there later, they managed to live and
even built a church there. This has opened the eyes of some of the natives
there about their superstitions. They slowly developed to become the more
civilised native.
In my race which is Malay, there are some sets of
superstitions that were introduced by our ancestors. It was told to have been a
guide for the people since a long time ago. For example, cutting the nails at
night are not allowed because it is feared for us to die at the young age. The
rational explanation of this superstition belief is that during the time of our
ancestors, there was no electricity so they could not see well at night thus
cutting the nails would be dangerous because they can injured themselves.
Nevertheless, I personally does not have any superstitions that I find
difficult to discard because as for me, everything have a reason for them to
happen and we just need to find just that.
by: Ateeq Medina
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