Positioning Techniques Paragraph

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Girls, this is the paragraph that we constructed on Friday with the iPad :)

Positioning Techniques in TFA

Chinua Achebe in his novel Things Fall Apart uses positioning techniques as a way of

inviting the audience to view the culture of the Ibo Tribe. By inviting the reader into the

intimate conversation that is being held by the men of Umuofia, Achebe positions the

audience as an insider. This allows the audience to see a perspective of the Ibo tribe and

be sympathetic to their cause. In chapter two, the argument with Mbaino allows the reader

to understand the complexities that arise during conflicts between tribes. By silencing

Mbaino, the author positions the reader to perceive the Umuofia tribe as privileged. In the

discussion that is held, the men of Umuofia use the word "murder" to describe the death of

a daughter of Umuofia. The cultural assumptions which underpin the word "murder" are

that it is a crime and that people involved must pay the consequences. The consequences

in this case are that Mbaino is forced to sacrifice a virgin and a young man.Through the

perspective of the men involved in this conversation, the audience sees the consequences

as being deserved. This establishes a sense of order and justice within the Ibo tribe and

culture. By punishing the whole tribe for the actions of one man, Achebe reveals the values

and beliefs embedded within the Ibo tribe.