Emperor Is Divine

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Culture is extremely important to many people and plays a huge role in their lives, but what happens if their culture is challenged or oppressed? In the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe and from “When the Emperor was Divine” by Julie Otsuka both protagonist’s cultures are challenged. To some people, their culture means everything to them, so if someone were to try to take that away from them, they would likely be more than displeased. However, some changes cannot be avoided. Resisting change to one’s culture and the amount of control one attempts to hold on to can actually be detrimental. While Okonkwo is clearly more displeased than the boy, both are unhappy with the changes that are taking place in their lives because of culture.
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