Changes: A Love Story- Symbols

They have many symbols throughout this book. Like the following...

The Car
Is Esi too an African woman? She not only is, but there are plenty of them around these days... these days... these days. Esi's husband, Oko, has these thoughts in the first few pages of the novel as he watches his wife from bed. Compared to the women who raised Oko, Esi's independence is startling and even unthinkable. Oko answers his own question regarding Esi's African identity. There is a strong sense of nostalgia implied in Oko's thoughts by the series of ellipses surrounding the words "These days." In part, this is nostalgia for an era in which women were relegated to the household while men were responsible for earning a living. Immediately following this thought, Oko tells Esi that his friends are beginning to mock him for not being a man, and shortly afterwards, he proceeds to rape her.
The Wedding Band
The Wedding Band When Ali proposes to Esi, he offers her a wedding band, a symbol of marriage perhaps original to Western culture that, when incorporated into Ali's cultural tradition, is only offered to the first wife of a husband. By bringing the wedding band into his marriage ceremony, Ali is not only showing his ability to accept and adapt to Western customs, but he is also demonstrating his attempt to incorporate those customs into an African context. The polygamous marriage upon which Ali is about to embark is contrary to the tradition of marriage symbolized by the wedding band that Ali offers Esi. Ali's decision to take a second wife is both an embrace of traditional African marriages, and a rejection of the standards of Western marriage. As a result, the wedding band that Ali offers Esi becomes a symbolic bridge that unites the two traditions.
Professions
Professions Each of the characters in the novel is at least partially defined by his or her career. Esi's job with the Department of Urban Statistics highlights her rational personality, while Ali's job at a travel agency reminds the reader of his tendency to move from one woman to the next. Both characters work in professions that demand personal sacrifice-Oko as a teacher and Opokuya as a nurse. The fact that each character works in a field that reflects his or her personality demonstrates the substantial role that careers play in defining identity for the new generation.

Krista Ramsey Post:

Krista Ramsey is one of the best authors that I've ever read from. One of my favorite articles is from the Cincinnati Enquirer. I summarized it for you;

We're raising our kids to go out and explore the world. But what happens when they do?
Just as we'd promised them, the vocabulary words on the refrigerator, summer robotics camps, Rosetta Stone programs and AP classes paid off. I'll text when I land in L.A., they promise as they empty their pockets and slip off their shoes. What did we really think would happen when we told our children to go tackle the world? Did we think we'd send them off to summer study in Barcelona and they'd buy the house next door to us? Did we think we'd peel their hands off our necks and tell them they'd be fine at summer camp, then they'd lose their nerve and come running home when they'd finished their MBA? On our best days, we silently congratulate ourselves for raising children who really were ready for the world.

One line from the Column that really stuck out to me was;
"There's something about their looking so young and connected that makes us feel old and left behind. They're off to things. We're winding things down. They're planning adventures. We're planning retirement. They're in constant motion. We're willing everything just to be still."

Because the way she used repetition over and over again while it compared the parents to their children. Diction and Syntax played when She was using elevated language and when she constantly makes the sentences 4-6 words long. She is very natural with her words. This is why I like her.

Changes: A Love Story: My favorite Quote

"Is Esi too an African woman? She not only is, but there are plenty of them around these days. . . these days. . . these days.
Esi’s husband, Oko, has these thoughts in the first few pages of the novel as he watches his wife from bed. In his mind, the fact that the house in which they live is a benefit of her job, not his. This causes him to feel insecure about their relationship and his role as a man in his household. He even wonders if, given her accomplishments and dedication to her career, she can still be considered an African woman. Compared to the women who raised Oko, Esi’s independence is startling and even unthinkable. Nonetheless, Oko answers his own question regarding Esi’s African identity. He knows that she is still an African woman despite gaining independence from the men in her life. There is a strong sense of nostalgia implied in Oko’s thoughts by the series of ellipses surrounding the words “these days.” In part, this is nostalgia for an era in which women were relegated to the household while men were responsible for earning a living. In that bygone era, Oko would not have felt so threatened and emasculated. Immediately following this thought, Oko tells Esi that his friends are beginning to mock him for not being a man, and shortly afterwards, he proceeds to rape her.

Changes: A Love Story; The Ripple effect of Changes

 

The title of the novel, Changes: A Love Story, refers to the numerous personal and cultural transformations that lie at the heart of the narrative. The changes that occur throughout the course of the novel take place both at the character level and at the societal level. At the time of the novel, Ghana had recently achieved its political independence. The country is changing politically, economically, and culturally. Similarly, Esi achieves her own independence from her husband and marriage. Consequently, she becomes free to pursue her own ambitions without a family or a husband to restrict her. In a sense, she has transformed herself into a model of the modern woman: she is not only financially stable but also completely independent. Esi’s new independence is also symbolic of a larger change occurring within African societies. As women like Esi have an increasing number of educational and professional opportunities available to them, their roles both in the home and in society inevitably change. They are no longer simply wives and mothers who are dedicated to their own ambitions.

Changes: A Love story; Theme so far..

The title of the novel, Changes: A Love Story, refers to the numerous personal and cultural transformations that lie at the heart of the narrative. The changes that occur throughout the course of the novel take place both at the character level and at the societal level. At the time of the novel, Ghana had recently achieved its political independence. The country is changing politically, economically, and culturally. Similarly, Esi achieves her own independence from her husband and marriage. Consequently, she becomes free to pursue her own ambitions without a family or a husband to restrict her. In a sense, she has transformed herself into a model of the modern woman: she is not only financially stable but also completely independent. Esi’s new independence is also symbolic of a larger change occurring within African societies. As women like Esi have an increasing number of educational and professional opportunities available to them, their roles both in the home and in society inevitably change. They are no longer simply wives and mothers who are dedicated to their own ambitions.

Changes: A Love Story; About the characters

Esi Sekyi is the paradigm of the strong, independent woman. In addition to having a job that pays more than her husband's job, Esi owns the home in which she lives. Given the traditional role that women were generally expected to play within the family, Esi's strong will and independent nature is unique. At the same time that Esi may want the freedom to pursue her own career and desires, she still very much wants to love and be loved. Although Esi tries very hard to live her life according to rational principles, she finds herself feeling devastated and lonely because of her relationship with Ali..

Ali Kondey is the male counterpart to Esi's character. Ali has grown up in two distinct worlds: his father's world and the Western world in which he was educated. Like his father, Ali believes he can possess as many women as he wants, on account of his charm and wealth. Even after marrying two women, Ali continues to acquire new mistresses, which causes both of his wives to feel abandoned. In a traditional, male-dominated society such as the one in which Ali's father grew up, such behavior would have been accepted.

As Esi's best friend, Opokuya Dakwa inhabits a space in between the nearly extreme independence that Esi represents and the traditional role expected of a woman in the household. Like Esi, Opokuya has her own career that is personally and financially rewarding. At the same time, Opokuya has a large family and a husband.

Opokuya manages to fulfill all of the roles demanded of her by her life.
Fusena's character and identity as a women change throughout the course of the novel. Once Fusena marries Ali, her world is quickly restricted. With Ali studying abroad, Fusena is relegated to the home, where she remains until Ali purchases a kiosk for her to operate. By asking that question, Fusena reveals the degree to which her life's ambitions have been frustrated and abandoned for the sake of her marriage and children. Despite her ambition and strong will, Fusena is relegated to the role of a dependent housewife.

Oko Sekyi is at once a sympathetic and an abhorrent character in the novel. At the same time, Oko resents her for exactly the same reasons. Following his divorce, Oko's mother presents him with a gift: a young girl who can play the role of a compliant and obedient wife. Even though there may very well be some appeal to such a relationship, Oko continues to love his strong-willed ex-wife.

A relatively minor figure in the novel, Kubi Dakwa represents a middle ground between Ali and Oko. At the same time Kubi also clearly accepts his wife's right to disagree with him.

Clarrise in Fahrenheit 451- Characterization Packet

When Montag met her

    Clarisse McClellan:


In Fahrenheit 451, I chose to discuss Clarrise and talk about her because I think she has a major role in Montags life.



   Clarisse McClellan is a young and sophisticated girl. She would be holding a book while having glasses on. Clarisse reminds me of a mature, well taught, and proper 15 year old teenager. The subjects she mentions strikes her as the kind of person that is dressed well and ready to learn.


    A couple quotes said in the book are mentioned surrounding her or said by her. Montag was walking home with Clarisse and he thought to himself, " She didn't want to know how things were done, but why?" He also thought this because her spunky attitude and the way she explained herself. Clarrise also said something very important to Montag when she first met him. "Didn't firemen prevent fires rather than smoke them up and get them started?"

    Clarrise is very different from her society. Most people in her society don't read books, are very quiet,and kept to themselves. But she is the total opposite. Her background with herself and her family id difficult to understand and is kind of weird.She loves to read and is VERY curious! Also she is very mature for her age.



Clarisse Reading

    Clarisse's overall attitude towards firemen is that Clarrise is more confused than anything. She still doesn't understand why they start fires.

   So Overall, Clarrise McClellan is a very strange but sophisticated spubnky girl that is willing to risk everything for what she wants.