"Going against traditional cultural practices can result in grave outcomes. Discuss this statement with close reference to the short story 'Ivory Bangles' by Eric Ng’maryo."
In the short story "Ivory Bangles" by Eric Ng’maryo, the author effectively demonstrates that defying cultural norms can result in serious and often tragic consequences. The old man and his wife, driven by love and personal convictions, repeatedly go against the expectations of their community and spiritual traditions. Unfortunately, their refusal to adhere to these norms leads to great suffering and loss. Firstly, the old man defies the cultural expectation of subjecting his wife to a ritual beating as demanded by the pebbles during a divination ceremony. The seer warns, “The pebbles said a wife was going to die. The spirits were jealous of a happy wife, a woman unmolested by her husband until old age.” Out of deep love for his wife, the old man refuses to perform this symbolic act of violence, hoping instead to appease the spirits with a sacrifice of goats. However, this defiance does not change the fate foretold by the pebbles. His wife ultimately dies, fulfilling the pro...