Question

read the passage from marriage is a private affair by chinua achebe. \i shall never see her,\ was the reply. from that night the father scarcely spoke to his son. he did not, however, cease hoping that he would realize how serious was the danger he was heading for. day and night he put him in his prayers. nnaemeka, for his own part, was very deeply affected by his fathers grief. but he kept hoping that it would pass away. if it had occurred to him that never in the history of his people had a man married a woman who spoke a different tongue, he might have been less optimistic. \it has never been heard,\ was the verdict of an old man speaking a few weeks later. in that short sentence he spoke for all of his people. this man had come with others to commiserate with okeke when news went round about his sons behaviour. how does this passage reinforce the traditional social hierarchy? the older men in the village tell okeke that he should respect nnaemekas decision. the older men in the village console nnaemeka about okekes attitude toward his choices. the older men in the village commiserate with okeke regarding nnaemekas decision to disobey him. the older men in the village think that nnaemeka should be optimistic that okeke will accept his decision.

Explanation:

The passage shows that the older men in the village tell Okeke that he should respect Nnaemeka's decision. This reflects the traditional social hierarchy where the wisdom and authority of the older - generation are respected. Their words carry weight and are expected to be followed, reinforcing the idea that the older men have a say in family and social matters.

Answer:

The older men in the village tell Okeke that he should respect Nnaemeka's decision.