There are different ways of telling
a more complete story. For example, a website called Clubfoot Club and a book
called “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe shares to the world about the life
of being clubfooted or living in Africa. These two sources are two different
ways to tell a more complete story of their stereotypes. The website tells a story
of how living a life being clubfooted is always a battle of being an outsider
and not able to relate or talk to anyone. The book “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua
Achebe shows a different perspective of the life of an African and not just
unfortunate people who need help. All in all, both sources are ways the authors
portray a more complete story about what they represent and are known as. These
sources are two different ways to share their voices that want to be heard.
No
one really knows what being clubfooted really is. Well it is a birth defect
when a baby is born and there feet are curled in between their legs, you either
need surgery or casted when you’re a few days old. Children need to be treated
immediately to live a “normal” life style. Born with clubfeet has
misconceptions of being awkward, lonely, bullied, not a curable disease,
suffering in silence, but also overcoming battles. The website Clubfoot Club is one way to not suffer in silence, meet other
people experiencing the same defect, and sharing the complete story.
Anyone
that writes on this website are certain individuals who want other people to
hear what he or she are going through and to be able to not suffer in silence. A
sixteen-year-old girl named Victoria shared her story saying that, “[she] has
recently started looking for stories written by people like [her].”(Clubfootclub.org-Victoria’s
story). This shows that individuals use the website as a great resource to read
about people’s stories who are struggling with the same birth defect and able
to relate and not suffer in silence. Victoria also says that, “The teasing
probably started in third grade”(clubfootclub.org-Victoria’s story) which
supports the clubfoot stereotype and one main reason to have this website.
Victoria is not the only one bullied but “knowing that someone else has dealt
with the same thing and knows what you are going through makes dealing with it
a lot easier” which is what the website is used for people in need to be heard
just like Cindy, another survivor.
Cindy
also told her story at the age of thirty-one years old born with severe
bi-lateral clubfeet. On the website she said, “[She has] been reading some of
the stories and they are very uplifting but [her] story isn’t as positive”
which she wants people to know the good, the bad, and also the ugly. Cindy
struggles through the pain everyday of her life and doesn’t enjoy people
looking at her feet because it is embarrassing. She says, “But after all of
those things, I am stronger and my pain threshold is extremely high. Like I
said earlier ‘I am still walking’ and that is great!”(Clubfootclub.org-Cindy’s
story). Living the battle of clubfeet makes you a stronger optimistic person
who never gives up and all these stories share this message throughout the
website and is amazing to read. What is also amazing to read is “Things Fall
Apart” by Chinua Achebe, which is another way to share the complete story of an
African man.
The author Chinua Achebe wrote this book to share
Okonkwo’s complete storing of his life in Africa. Achebe tells the story of a
man who is stuck in a hard world that is changing the way he doesn’t want to
live. Living in Africa is a hard way of living because of the poverty, men
having more control over woman, and different religious beliefs. The stereotype
of African people is ones who need help all the time and who portray innocence.
But being innocent is not the case because Okonkwo, “beat her very
heavily”(Achebe 29) just because his food wasn’t ready and his wife wasn’t to
be found anywhere when he called for her. He is one who isn’t an innocent man
you needs to feel forgiveness for because he felt guilt so he “did not taste
any food for two days after the death of Ikemefuna”(Achebe 63). This
contradicts the misconceptions of the African stereotype because not everyone
is innocent and deserves help or attention. This is the reason why Achebe wrote
this book to tell the story of the good the bad and the ugly and wanting
everyone to know this side of Africa.
The
Clubfoot website and the book “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe are two
completely different ways to tell stories you want to be heard by a broad
audience. The website is a way for people who were born with clubfeet that feel
there are suffering in silence to tell the complete story, and to find other
people who are experiencing the same life struggle. People who are born with
clubfeet aren’t known for their stereotype, they aren’t awkward and they are
normal like everyone else. The website is a great way to express your feelings
about what you have gone through and let everyone know about it. Another great
way to do that is by writing a book. “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe is
different and efficient way to get your voice heard, and to tell the complete
story of African people’s life. The book
contradicts the misconceptions of the African people. Achebe portrays that
these people aren’t as innocent as we perceive them to be, and they aren’t as
poor and do have hard working labor. They experience the good the bad and the
ugly throughout the entire book, and that is what Achebe wants heard. These two
sources show different but similar stories of struggle, accomplishment, and
defeat and they use a website or book to share that complete story.
