Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart Essays - African Writers Series

Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart presents its readers with an African tribe and its culture. Okonkwo, a well-respected member of the tribe, has some very interesting attributes. Specifically, he has an undying desire to be manly at all times complimented by a deeply rooted fear of being thought of as weak. Okonkwo has a very short, violent temper that is immediately triggered in response to actions that he deems to be weak. Okonkwo basically lived by the phrase, act first and think it through later. Unfortunately, almost every time that Okonkwo lets loose his violent temper in his manly way, he brings trouble upon himself, as well as those around him. One way to explain his actions and the misfortunes that usually follow is to conclude that Okonkwo has bad luck. Another way of looking at this fact is to say that the events are a result of coincidence. However, I disagree with these views, and instead assert that Achebe deliberately made sure that after each of Okonkwo's outbursts, a tragedy befell him and those around him. I think that Achebe could have been trying to hint to the reader that placing too much emphasis on acting manly is bad. One example of Okonkwo's quick reflexes is seen when he kills Ikemefuna because he did not want his fellow clansmen to think that he was weak. After the Ikemefuna's slaying, Okonkwo is unable to eat or drink for two days due to the fact that he is upset over the death of Ikemefuna. However, he must fight against his manly pride, which reminds him that killing someone should not bother him. However, he has trouble accepting this, but must for fear of being considered weak, like a shivering old woman (Achebe 45). Another instance of Okonkwo's hot temper arises while he and some other men are locked up in a cell and Okonkwo reaffirms how he believes they should have killed Mr. Smith. A messenger overhears this remark and beats each of the men on their backs and heads with a large stick. A final illustration of Okonkwo's rash actions leading to suffering for himself and those around him occurs when he hastily kills the head messenger who comes to Umuofia to break up a town meeting. The m essenger is only able to speak 2 short sentences, before a furious Okonkwo assassinates him. This brings the ultimate suffering to Okonkwo, who hangs himself, as well as suffering for the rest of the tribe, who may not bury him and some of whom are brought to the court where Okonkwo and the others suffered earlier. In conclusion, Okonkwo's tragic flaw was his constantly flared temper, which was a result of a fear of being considered weak, or womanly. It was this temper that was constantly bringing problems to Okonkwo and others around him. In the end, Okonkwo could fight no more and had to take his own life. I believe that Achebe purposefully arranged the novel in this manner in order to convey that being manly is not as important as some believe it to be. English Essays

Chemistry Beverage Lab Report Essays

Chemistry Beverage Lab Report Essays Chemistry Beverage Lab Report Paper Chemistry Beverage Lab Report Paper Drain the rinse solutions into an Erlenmeyer flask, k Dont forget to rezone the balance prior to each new mass measurement. 7. Calculate the density and record the value in Data Table one Part B 8. Use the procedure in part A to determine the density of two beverages. Record all mass and volume data in Data table B and use clean glassware. Between successive beverage measurements rinse the pipette with the second beverage. V _ P re-Lab Questions 1. If the following mass and volume data are used to calculate the density of solution, how many significant figures are allowed in the calculated density? Mass of solution = 12. BOB volume of solution = 8. Ml. -12. 53=4 sigh figs 8. 7=3 sigh figs In the calculated density, three significant figures are allowed 2. Calculate the density of the solution described in Question 12. Sag/8. Ml- 1. Egg,ml Density= 1. Egg/ml The density of the solution in question #1 is 1. 52 g,ml 3. According to its nutrition label, orange soda contains egg of sugar per mall serving. If the density of the beverage is 1. 043 g/ml, what is the percentage sugar concentration in orange soda? * X small(1. Egg/1 ml) = egg, egg/egg The percent sugar concentration in the orange soda is vi. Analysis 2. Use the graph to estimate the unknown sugar concentration in the first average. To do this, locate the point on the y-axis that corresponds to the density value of the beverage. Follow that point on the the y-axis across horizontally to where it meets the %est.-FLT line through this data. Now read down vertically from this point where this vertical line meets the x-axis equals this percent concentration Of sugar in the beverage solution. Construct a Results table and record the density of the beverage and the estimated percent sugar concentration. Powered has the sugar concentration Of 10. 27% 3. Repeat step 2 to determine the percent sugar concentration if the second average. Record all information in your results table. Cola has the sugar concentration of 11. 1% 4. Calculate the actual or accepted value of the sugar concentration in weight percent for each beverage using the nutrition label information and the measured density value. Hint: See Pre. Lab Questions for how to do this calculation. Record both the nutrition label information and the actual percent sugar concentration in your results table. Answer: Cola X g- mall (1. Egg,ml) egg (egg/ egg) x 100% = Colas actual sugar concentration is 11% overhead X mall (1. Egg / mall (15/240) x 100% 6. 25% Parades actual sugar concentration is 6. 25% S. Use the following equation to calculate the percent error in your experimental determination of the sugar content each beverage. Enter the percent error in the results table. Powered % Error = 18. 3-6. 1 / 8. 31* 100% = 22% The percent error for Powered is 22% % Error 11. 1 -11 The percent error for Cola is 0. 9% 6. What was your measured density for pure water (0% sugar solution)? The density of water is usually quoted as 1. 00 g,ml, but this precise value is for C. Comment on why your measured density might be higher or lower than 1. 0 g/ ml. The measured density for pure water got 1. Egg/ ml_, because my water was exactly C. 7. This lab looks at the relationship between the density of a beverage and its sugar content. What assumption is made concerning the other ingredients in the beverage and their effect on the density of the solution? Do you think this is a valid assumption? Explain. Despite this lab looks just at the relationship between the density tot a beverage and its sugar content, other ingredients are also shown in the solution, like sodium. These other ingredients throw off the estimated percentage since they make the solution denser. . When plotting the data such as that obtained in this experiment, why is it not appropriate to connect the dots? It you were to repeat the lab, do you think you would get the exact same result? Comment of the sources of error in this experiment and their likely effect on the results. 1) It is not appropriate to connect the dots when you plot the data such as that in this experiment. It is because the measurements are imperfect. This means that the dots are not in a straight line, but a best fit lie helps approximate reality by using a straight line. 2) The results would not be exact, if were doing the lab again. It probably would e more accurate, since I know the where I made errors. Would also consider about the unconsidered ingredients like sodium to get more accurate result. Is Conclusion Through the Beverage Density Lab, learned that the density of any material is determined by measuring its mass and volume and then dividing the mass by the volume. The mass of a substance can be measured directly using a balance for accuracy. I also learned how unconsidered ingredients, cleaning lab materials are a crucial part of the lab that can affect the results of the experiments. Now I know how to reduce my errors and get a more accurate result.