Chinua Achebe Things Fall Apart

Chinua Achebe Things Fall Apart Introduction ‘Things Fall Apart’, is story written by Chinua Achebe in 1958. It talks of the social and cultural aspects of pre-colonial Africa and the effects of western civilizations (Ogbaa xv). The author criticizes imperialism and British colonization.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Chinua Achebe: Things Fall Apart specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is a tragic story where the protagonist is Okonkwo. It talks of a man named Okonkwo, who was a wrestler and an influential leader in an African village called Umofia, inhabited by the Igbo ethnic group. He initially amasses fame, and honor in Umofia through victorious wrestling but finally comes to a tragic downfall. Okonkwo was polygamous with three wives and several children. The novel emphasize on the encounters of the pre-colonial Africa and the effect of British colonialism during the 19th century (Bloom 51). This paper shall discuss culture and tr adition as a social issue involved in the Chinua Achebe’s Things fall Apart. Culture and Traditions of Igbo The author emphasize on cultural and social aspects on the brink of change thorough different characters, creating tension on if to embrace change or to remain for status quo. Okonkwo disregard the new system religiously and politically, may be because he would lose his social status. The Igbo however, have been oppressed by these traditions and therefore find refuge in the new system, where once outcasts, are now be recognized. There exists a dilemma on the new dawn that scares them since it could interfere with their social life such as farming and trade. Okonkwo is a rich and respectable African warrior in Umofia. However his late father, Unoka was a lazy man, a coward, disreputable and died with several debts since he concentrated on taking palm-wine, leaving his family to go hungry. Unoka became the laughingstock of Umofia being referred to as Agbala to mean, †˜womanly weaknesses’ Unlike him, Okonkwo is resentful to his father and evades being like him by becoming ‘manly’ as a clansman, a wealthy farmer, and a respectable warrior not to mention him being a controlling family man. This parent-child relationship affects him to become violent, over-ambitious and disrespectful, associating masculinity with aggression and acts irrationally (Bloom 141).Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Okonkwo‘s son, Nwoye is lazy and it disturbs Okonkwo that his son might take after his grandfather, Unoka. This indicates that the villagers believed in passing inheritable aspects to future generations. Moreover, they engage in adoption, for instance the village adopts a young boy called Ikemefuna whom Okonkwo takes guardianship as a surrogate son, for peace offering from the village, Mbaino to maintain peace after t he boy’s father murdered an Umofian woman. He has to live with the boy until further instructions are given to elders from the oracle. The two becomes so close to each other, as the boy regard Okonkwo as a father and Nwoye becomes friends with the boy. Ikemefuna coexist happily with the family for three years, becoming part of them. In another instance, Okonkwo’s kinsmen particularly, Uchendu his uncle, welcomes him and his family in his maternal village called Mbanta after they are sent into exile. He seeks refuge in his motherland as Uchendu states that; It is true that a child belongs to his father. But when the father beats his child, it seeks sympathy in its mothers hut. A man belongs to his fatherland when things are good and life is sweet. But when there is sorrow and bitterness, he finds refuge in his motherland. Your mother is there to protect you. She is buried there. And that is why we say that mother is supreme (Achebe 134). The quote not only emphasizes th e position of women in the village but also the importance of having good family relationships. He is built his huts and given yam seed to plant in his motherland although he is still depressed, blaming chief his spirit for disappointing his greatness in the village. After exile, he had gone back to Umofia after organizing a farewell ceremony to thank his kinsmen for the stay. This emphasizes on the significance of maintaining close family bonds to the Igbo (Bloom 39). Wife beating and carrying out sacrifices are other practices in the village. Okonkwo proves volatile and easily provoked as he beats his youngest wife called Ojiugo during an important period referred to as Week of Peace, accusing her of neglect of the family.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Chinua Achebe: Things Fall Apart specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This interrupts with the peace meant to prevail the whole week but Okonkwo has to sacrifice to p ay up for his sins and to show repentance. Okonkwo also shoots Ekwefi, his second wife due to a small issue of wrapping food with Okonkwo’s banana leaves during Feast of the New Yam. From this practice, the reader is enlightened of the significance of ceremonies and farming in Umofia. It is clear that the Igbo practice farming and trade as depicted where Okonkwo receives cowries from selling yams from Oberika who promise to sell them until he would go back to Umofia. Clansmen preside over public trials in Umofia, where nine clansmen have met to signify the ancestor’s spirits. The nine clansmen also referred to as Egwugwu, signify the nine Umofian clans. Okonkwo is separated from the rest of the clansmen to settle a domestic case where Mgbafo, a woman has suffered assaults from his husband, taken back to her motherland, but the husband needed her to go back. The Egwugwu, advices the man to offer palm wine to his in-laws to appease the wife to return home. This case is t oo trivial to be presented to the Egwugwu as some elders perceive it (Heiser 26). The villagers believe in unnatural phenomenon, which have to be prevented through human sacrifice to appease the gods. When locusts invade the village, the elder informs Okonkwo the Oracle’s guideline, which require killing of Ikemefuna to avenge for Umofian woman murdered in the previous year in Mbaino. He is warned of killing Ikemefuna as it would despise the earth goddess who could show his vengeance to the village. Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna irrespective of being warned by a village elder, Ogbuefu Ezeudu. Following this event, he lie to the boy that he is to be returned to his home village as the entire family mourns his departure. However, the boy is excited to reunite with his family but he is unfortunately attacked by Okonkwo’s clansmen. On seeking help from Okonkwo, he kills the boy to showoff his might to the clansmen irrespective of the Oracle’s caution. Consequently, things start to fall apart. This emphasize on the need to adhere to elders and more so, the religious directives. As Okonkwo becomes greatly saddened, he loses his appetite and spends sleepless nights and decides to visit Obierika who is disappointed with Okonkwo’s act. He is however consoled and is able to find sleep. Bad omens follow consequently, as his daughter becomes ill. As a result, the use of herbal medicine among the Igbo is manifested as Okonkwo prepares some for his daughter, and she recovers after taking the medicine.Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Igbo are religious as seen through various rituals. Besides, there are priestess e.g. Chielo, who advice the second wife of Okonkwo, Ekwefi that Agbala required the sight of Ezinma, which makes Okonkwo to argue. Chielo present Ezinma to the nine clans and moves inside the cave of the Oracle. Ekwefi has been following in secret despite being warned by Chielo and stands beside the entrance to be surprised by appearance of Okonkwo as they wait together. The following morning Ekwefi is offered Ezinma by Chielo and they sleeps together. Moreover, the Igbo conduct funeral ceremonies where clansmen take the lead. When the elder, Ogbuefu Ezeudu dies his death is announced using ekwe. This depresses Okonkwo more since he failed to adhere to the elder’s advice. During his funeral ceremony, Okonkwo’s gun fatefully shoots at teenage boy, who is Ogbuefu Ezeudu’s son unexpectedly. Since causing death of a village elder is a despicable act for the earth goddess, he is take n hostage in exile for a period of 7 years for atonement. Moreover, his properties are burnt in order to cleanse. Additionally, Enoch, a Christian convert reveals Egwugwu on an occasion meant to adore earth god. This act is so despicable and is compared to putting to death ancestral spirits (Whittaker Msiska 120). The upset of these traditions and cultural practices begins as missionaries and colonialists arrive in the village as tension and dilemma prevails. Okonkwo is informed by Oberika, who visit him in his second year that Abame, which is a neighboring village, was put to destruction by a white man who arrived with a bicycle. After conferring from the oracle, they became aware that the foreigner and his fellows would put into devastation, the clans, which led him to be killed but the villagers. In vengeance, the villagers were killed in mass by the white men. Okonkwo see the villagers as having acted foolishly to murder a stranger. Later, six missionaries arrive in Mbanta led by Kiaga, the interpreter of Mr. Brown who addresses the villagers on Christianity, and whom Okonkwo sees as being cynical. Conversely, Nwoye is converted to become a Christian. Brown points out that the villagers serve a false god and having several gods for worship is idolatry, advocating for Holy Trinity as the supreme deity. The missionaries are offered a land to build the church by the elders whose intention is to kill them all since the land lies within the Evil forest, a cursed land. Unexpectedly, they do not die and villagers maintain that the missionaries have unusual power or magic. This depicts their conservativeness and permittivity in thinking, being led by traditions rather than rational thinking or reason. However, the social outcasts such as women and some men are given a privilege in the new system. The first convert is Efulefu, a useless villager, followed by women. However, the system has no place for conservatives such as Okonkwo, whose term in exile has ended. H e is surprised how things have changed in the village with many Christian converts. In Umofia, the missionaries start a school in which Nwoye attends, leaving his family behind. There is even a prison built by the whites having a governmental legal court, used for trying the law breakers, where native Umofians have been employed. He wonders why the villagers have not reacted back to chase away Christianity and oppressive government. The villagers have been assimilated in the new political system. As a way to show cultural assimilation, Mr. Brown shows regard for the traditions of the natives and aspires to learn of their culture and even befriends the clansmen. He advocate for education for all, as seen by Nwoye who now is called Isaac and has been attending the teacher’s college. However, Okonkwo is not pleased with the changes. Mr. Brown only hopes to convert the villagers to Christianity (Ogbaa xix). His health deteriorates and he is forced to go back home and Reverend Jam es Smith takes over. He is stricter and does not tolerate the traditions of the clans, though he amasses several converts e.g. Enoch an extremely zealous convert. When Egwugwu puts Enoch’s compound on fire and brings down Reverend Smith’s church, the acts disappoints the District commissioner who demands meeting with the six leaders. They are arrested an imprisoned and fined 250 cowries bags where the villagers gather them and the six are released. On their freeing, a gathering is held by clansmen but is dispersed by a court order. Okonkwo resists courageously and portray his bravely expecting support from clansmen as he murders the messenger leader using a machete. The crowd releases other messengers, which makes Okonkwo to realize he is alone in the fight and the village has surrendered since the social values and cohesion has been compromised in his absence realizing that, things have fallen apart. The DC goes to Okonkwo’s compound only to realize that he com mitted suicide through hanging, an act which he ironically meant to express his manliness and forever escape to be defeated. Oberika, his friend claims that suicide is inauspicious thus the tradition prevents the clansmen to touch him (Achebe 125). Conclusion The novel handles the experiences during the 1890s in Umofia, a small village along the Niger River in the African nation, Nigeria. After the British colonialists arrived in the village, there were missionaries already and people sought solace in the churches. Western civilizations interfered with cultural, economic and social values of the village. Villagers inhabited Umofia in patriarchal political system where decisions came from council, made up of nine clansmen who sometimes, got directives from religious leaders. British arrival however, upset this socio-political system and began to interfere with social disputes, even establishing courts and prisons. This disregarded the traditional social setup and the reallocation of power in this village, leading to the tragedy of Okonkwo, who would rather be seen dead than alive but helpless (Whittaker Msiska 66). Igbo people are depicted by the author as having powerful social institutions such as wrestling, practice of human sacrifice, religious rituals, ceremonies, and family. They rely heavily on traditions regarding justice as the people are led by the council made of elders, in this democratic village. The males are decision makers and leaders while the position of a woman is home making. Gender disparity is clear in this village and the crimes are identified with gender where the accidental killings by Okonkwo are referred to as female. Women are underrated in the village and oppressed by culture and traditions seen as child bearers, properties to their husbands, to be beaten and reprimanded. Men are allowed to marry as many wives for a status symbol. However, the colonialists interfere with these social setups, and introduce new ones. Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. Oxford: Heinemann Educational Publishers. 1958. Print. Bloom, Harold. Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart. New York: Infobase Publishing. 2010. Print. Heiser, Fred. Things Fall Apart. Lincoln, NE: Writers Club Press. 2002. Print. Ogbaa, Kalu. Understanding Things Fall Apart: A Student Casebook To Issues, Sources, And Historical Documents. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. 1999. Print. Whittaker, David and Msiska, Mpalive-Hangson. Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart. New York: Routledge. 2007. Print.

Gender Bias Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Gender Bias - Essay Example To start with, the author of the text is definitely a man. This is easy to tell since the work has been written from the third person perspective. This simply means that he is sharing experiences that are foreign to him. The author uses simple sentences and a limited description of objects, people and events. This is common among men who are unable to express their feeling accurately using words. His reference to the imagery of the â€Å"American wife† clearly shows the author is a man as all other men do in the American society (Hemingway 695). The description of how she went out to look for the cat shows the caring and compassionate nature of women while her husband accompanies her although he is unwilling. This shows that the author is a man since he clearly captures her husband’s reaction. The author explains how the woman is attracted to the hotel keeper who is described as being serious, mature and cold. The author captures the manly features that attract the woman to the hotel keeper. He states that the woman is interested in fine things, romantic dining, long hair and a cat (Hemingway 695). He describes these things as being foreign to him and could have described them better if he were a woman. The author vividly points out her husband’s interests and this could only mean that he is a man as well. This text clearly shows the plight of an African-American woman who works hard by cleaning laundry for the white people. From the beginning of the text, it can be seen that the author is a woman from the way that she describes Delia as being a hard worker and provides for her husband Sykes. On the other hand, her husband is depicted as being lazy and does not treat her well too (Hurston 697). He once played a trick on her by placing the bullwhip in her laundry. He was well aware of the fact that Delia was scare of snakes. This shows that he is

Truth in Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Truth in Politics - Essay Example For Machiavelli, 'virtu' or skill as wielded by a ruler would make for a state that would thrive and protect itself from the machinations of enemy-states. War for Plato is essentially unjust and the only justification for it is for defending the state, while for Machiavelli a state exists to wage war against other states - thus, war, is a natural condition in a state's existence. Plato and Machiavelli also lived in different eras. For the former, philosophy is concerned with the truth, as embodied by principles and how things should be, and this concern would naturally result in a perfect society. For the latter, philosophy is allied with the realities of power, in how things are as they are. Philosophers in Plato's Republic are the only ones ideal to rule (and become kings) because they love and search for the truth - as opposed to the other two classes, the people who are mainly concerned with honor, and the masses, who are concerned with money and the indulgence of physical appetites. The philosopher-kings possess the quality of truthfulness who "will never intentionally receive into their minds falsehood, which is their detestation, and they will love the truth." Truth as conceived by Plato is absolute, dealing with the eternal and the unchanging, the "forms" opposed to the fickle, the merely seen and experienced.

Mix Racial and Cultural Groups Are Growing in the United States Essay Example for Free

Mix Racial and Cultural Groups Are Growing in the United States Essay Mixed Racial and Cultural Groups is increased by a marginal number in the United States. The growth of these multiracial groups started to surface through migration of different ethnics and raised most of their families in the United States even through marriage. These are some of the issues that have been raised by individual people of having an entity separation of mixed race and cultural or to considered them as Americans without a hyphen. Thinking about this issue myself, and thinking of my two children who married to a different ethnic rather than Samoans. These questions come to mind about this issue: How, Why, and what the three words that needs a big explanation about this matter. According to multiracial Americans, Americans whose identity as two or more races identifies with just one group culturally and socially. From statistics that I got from online, stated that about 2. 9% of the population in the year 2010 are self-identified as multiracial. The identity or the classification of the people’s identification is generally according to the culture they were raised in. Social segregation in many areas of the country is forming interracial unions or cultural group. The diversity of social conditions through migrations brought new groups of people to the United States. Through these migrations, mixed races started to rise when interracial marriage were born and started to increase in the United States. The movement of multiracial identity by more than one ethnicity has taken place and strong. Statistics from the year 2010 census in the United States shows that the largest multiracial groups were white and black which is 1. 8 million. The other 1. 7 millions are white and some other race, white and Asian is 1. 6, white and American Indian and Alaskan Native is 1. 4 million. I have learned that the largest growing group in multiracial is white and black which is about 134%. That is more than 1 million people. MIX RACIAL AND CULTURAL GROUP According to Susan Saulny of the New York Times, title Race Remixed, said that â€Å"sea of change is how we think about race, ethnicity and its place in society†. I believe that a challenge to trend towards multiracial from a sociological perspective is a leap that we should take. The understanding of racial and ethnic categories of their boundaries can be a problem to other multiracial groups. I think that ancestry is the biggest influence in identities through a number of generations through migrations. I also believe that each multi mix or racial group should be treated the same regardless of their identity. If they are legally citizens of the United States, they have the right to be treated equally. I believe that they have contributed to the wellbeing and welfare of the United States through their services in employment within the government, military or private companies. Regardless of the race and ethnicity, they should be treated and considered Americans. President Obama is good example of what I mean about treating them the same no matter what color of their skin or where they are from. I know that some of these mix race entities are trying to separate themselves with-in the United States but when they travel to other countries of the world, they considered be call Americans. As a citizen of New Zealand, I am proud to call myself to be an American and I respect the land that my children were born. What can the United States or these multiracial groups gain from wanting to be separated from their identity. Through my search online, I came across Mrs. Karissa Sulliva’s draft and she said that ancestry influences identities. She said that socialization is the crucible of racial and ethnic identity formation. Farley in 2002, construct racial and ethnic classifications which was adopted by the government for each race or reconsidered themselves to either refuse to identify their own race and ethnic category. MIX RACIAL AND CULTURAL GROUP. I believe that mix racial and cultural groups are increasing daily by the number throughout the United States. However, research shows that children with an original multiracial identity grow up to be happier than those of single-race identity. Some of the statistics shows that another addition to the growth of mix race is through adoption of children from countries outside of the United States. According to Fact’s for Families 2010, parents are coping with these pressures in having open communications with the families about their culture and race. Encouragement and support in every multicultural group for families to be familiar with their language, traditions and customs within their families. They have to support and try to establish a good relationship by creating a network for their children, parents, family member, relatives and the community. In conclusion, the separation and classifications between mix racial and multicultural groups is not an easy task or thing to do. Two of my children are married to different ethnic. My oldest daughter is married to an African American and my son is married to a girl who is beautiful and white but has about four or five mix blood in her. I believe in democracy and the United States is nowhere in having a separation of any mix race and cultural group who are living in the United States. God Bless America, God bless the people of the United States. References: Perez, Anthony Daniel, Hirschman, Charles. The Changing Racial and Ethnic. http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/pmc/articles/PMC2882688/ The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (March-2011). Facts for Families, no. 71 Multiracial Children. http://www. aacap. org/galleries/FactsForFamilies/71_multiracial_children. pdf Dr. Nicole Martinez and Mrs. Karissa Sullivan. May 6, 2013 .docx.

Time And Technology Essay -- essays research papers fc

RESEARCH QUESTION How did telecommunications advance from the end of the 1800’s to the end of the 1900’s ? THESIS Telecommunications have revolutionized business and communication between people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Since the beginning of time communication has always been a crucial part in our societies for development. Without communication there was no or little development, people did not know what was out there, and what was available. It is communication that has developed our large and very intricate societies with different institutions communicating for the welfare of our people. People have always strived for contact with other people. Man wants to know his surroundings and with the arrival of telecommunications this became possible very quickly all over the world. Telecommunications is one of the reason we live in such a fast-pace and high-tech society today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first invention in the telecommunications field is the telegraph. It was invented by Samuel Morse and utilizes an electrical current to send signals in the shaped of dot and lines called the Morse Code. It was first used in 1844 and it was mainly reserved for companies which needed information quickly such as banks, this helped them grow and more efficient. With the telegraph one could pass a message across any distance almost effortlessly and it was cheap, so the need for this kind of communication was already there. This new medium also meant that even people which were not rich could send a message very far without having to pay incredible amount of money. The whole world began to expand their telegraph networks and soon Europe and the United States had connecting transatlantic marine lines under the Atlantic. Information has always meant power and wealth and it is no wonder that telegram traffic became an important economical as well as political tool. In earlier times it would takes days if not weeks for news to reach certain countries or other parts of our world and in some cases this proved to be disastrous for business and economy, but now the whole world could pinpoint every event that happened around the world in a matter of hours if not minutes. Business deal could be closed quicker and markets could grow with international influence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Then in about 30 years or so in the mid 1870’s the telephone was inven... ... the world is becoming a smaller place. The question is what is next?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Never before have people communicated and done business as much as now, and as frequently as now. After researching about the telecommunications it is fair to say that telecommunications did have a huge impact on the way our society communicates, and in the way we conduct our lives. It was hard to find any contradicting evidence to my thesis statement and most of the information I found concluded that business and communications have been revolutionized by telecommunications. The outcome of wars, business transactions, relationships have changed and depended upon communications, and together with this great change of communications so did these events change. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lorenz. D. â€Å"How the world became smaller†. History Today. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Telegraph† Microsoft Encarta 95. Funk & Wagnalls Corporation (1994). 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Telecommunications† Microsoft Encarta 95. Funk & Wagnalls Corporation (1994). 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Telephone† Microsoft Encarta 95. Funk & Wagnalls Corporation (1994).

Human effects on environments Essay

Human effects on environments is increasing during the past few years. Those trash and pollution made by people is becoming detrimental to local environment. There is a survey done in Xingqing park in Xian about human effects on natural environment. Water quality including turbidity and pH were tested, also the quality of soil was tested. In addition human effects were found in order to see how deep the damage is. Food web provides a view of creatures live in there in order to give an opinion on how much the pollution is. The result was that human activities does have negative effects on natural environment in various ways, so in conclusion people should care moe about loca environment instead of through trash. Introduction Human activities sometimes contaminates the nature, it can be seen in many parts of city such as parks and lakes. Here the environment of Xingqing park is damaged by people for many years. As a park, it locates in the center of the city which means the majority of people come there frequently. In order to find the damage, items such as pH, turbidity and others were tested to find out how much the negative effects are. Human activities like footprints and trashes are also counted in. The thesis is that human activities has detrimental damage on environment because of trash and lack of cleaning. Method In order to find out the quality of water, first we tested the water turbidity using Secchi disk, measured the length of the line to calculate the turbidity. Then the pH of water was tested using pH paper. Soil pH is a little different, we have to put soil and water in a ratio of 1 over 5, then wait until water and soil separated into layers, the clear part of the water will be tested by pH paper. For plants distribution and food chain we use a map to mark every time we see certain creatures. Human activities including foot prints and trash are marked in the map also. Then results will be analyzed to reach the conclusion. Findings Based on research, there are something in the park represents environmental damage. Walking around the lake there is died fish over the corner spreads smelly smell, it seems that the quality of water is not good enough to support such big creatures. Also there are not enough decomposers to break it down. In addition, there are several insects float on the water, also some trash such as plastic bags are around corner of the lake edge. The water turbidity is 33cm in Secchi disk measurement, another thing is seen commonly is massive of bacteria on the surface of water floating around,which is disgusting. On the ground there is a wild crab found in the bush, also there are wild sparrows and magpies found in the tree but not so many. For plans distribution, since it is an artificial lake, the plants are mostly planted by human, rings of tress surrounded the whole lake. But the grass cover is not in a high rate, hard soil is everywhere due to human walking, about 40%of land is covered by grass. Another thing need to consider is soil and water pH, however both the soil and lake have water in basic levels of 7 to 8, which is just ok for creatures to survive. Finally we noticed that there are a huge amount of ants, including big ants and small ants. Small ants stay together meanwhile big ants going around alone. As internet shown the air quality is not as bad, pm2.5 is in a level of 110 in general.

The Government Places Emphasis On Freedom - 1382 Words

Brandon Lee Mrs. Haedtler American Literature Period 4 21 November 2014 iSearch The government places emphasis on â€Å"freedom† in America, in face of evidence that presents the deceptiveness of our dignitary. Although the word â€Å"freedom† lies between our country’s documents and beliefs, the NSA (National Security Agency) tramples what took years of bloodshed and development to circumvent its citizen’s privacy through surveillance. According to internetworldstats, 13% of American citizens don’t use the internet, meaning that 87% of our population is at risk of surveillance. Therefore, the US Government should tighten laws to restrict or stop NSA surveillance on the public. Edward Snowden, a former NSA contractor, is a hero in the eyes of†¦show more content†¦I m willing to sacrifice [my former life] because I can t in good conscience allow the U.S. government to destroy privacy, internet freedom and basic liberties for people around the world with this massive surveillance machine they re secretly building (Snowden). While some people feel Snowden should amend for his wrongdoings, others view Snowden as a hero. Although Snowden’s act may have hurt the economy and created skepticism overseas and domestically, he continues to fight this cyberwar to end unlawful surveillance. NSA Surveillance hurts the economy because many people are skeptical about the online services. Users fear that these online services would allow surveillance of their private information. According to Kim Zetter, a senior staff reporter who specializes in cybercrime, privacy, and securtity, â€Å"NSA surveillance causes economic losses to US businesses due to lost sales and declining customer trust† (Zetter). Daily workflow in modern society is reliant on online services. Goods are now bought through services such as Amazon or Alibaba, where customers input their credit information, name, and address. The NSA has access to this information, which could be used against the user. The NSA takes advantag e of technology being sent overseas by â€Å"intercepting products that U.S. Companies send to customers† (Zetter) and installing â€Å"spy equipment in them before they reach the customer†