Gender roles in things fall apart. Things Fall Apart: Gender Roles 2023-01-06

Gender roles in things fall apart Rating: 4,7/10 1576 reviews

In Things Fall Apart, a novel written by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe, gender roles play a significant role in shaping the characters and their relationships with one another. The novel is set in the Igbo community of Nigeria and follows the life of Okonkwo, a strong and influential member of the community. Through the portrayal of the various characters and their interactions, Achebe presents a nuanced and complex depiction of gender roles in Igbo society.

In Igbo society, gender roles are clearly defined and strictly enforced. Men are expected to be strong, brave, and decisive, while women are expected to be submissive, nurturing, and supportive. These expectations are deeply ingrained in the culture and are seen as essential to the functioning of the community.

Okonkwo, the protagonist of the novel, embodies the traditional gender roles of a man in Igbo society. He is a warrior and a respected member of the community, and his masculinity is seen as a source of pride and strength. Okonkwo is also fiercely independent and unwilling to conform to societal expectations, which leads to tension and conflict with those around him.

On the other hand, the women in Things Fall Apart are largely relegated to supportive roles and are expected to serve their husbands and families. The novel follows the story of Okonkwo's three wives, each of whom represents a different aspect of the traditional gender roles of women in Igbo society. The first wife, Ekwefi, is strong-willed and independent, but she is also deeply loyal to Okonkwo and her family. The second wife, Chika, is more submissive and traditional, and she is content to take on a supportive role in the household. The third wife, Ojiugo, is more rebellious and openly challenges Okonkwo's authority, which leads to conflict between the two.

Despite the strict gender roles that are enforced in Igbo society, there are moments in the novel where these roles are challenged and subverted. One example of this is the character of Ikemefuna, a young boy who is taken in by Okonkwo's family as a ward. Ikemefuna is given the opportunity to learn the ways of the men and is treated as a member of the family. However, when Okonkwo is ordered to take part in Ikemefuna's death, he is faced with a moral dilemma that challenges his understanding of his own masculinity.

Another example of the fluidity of gender roles in Things Fall Apart is the character of Obierika, Okonkwo's close friend and confidant. Obierika is a thoughtful and introspective man who is not afraid to question the traditions and customs of his community. He is also deeply loyal and supportive of Okonkwo, even when he disagrees with his actions. Obierika's role as a friend and advisor to Okonkwo challenges the traditional gender roles of men in Igbo society, as he is seen as more nurturing and supportive than aggressive and dominant.

Overall, Things Fall Apart presents a nuanced and complex portrayal of gender roles in Igbo society. While the expectations placed on men and women are strict and traditional, there are moments of fluidity and change that challenge and subvert these roles. Through the portrayal of various characters and their relationships, Achebe presents a thought-provoking exploration of the ways in which gender roles shape the lives of individuals and communities.

Gender Roles In Things Fall Apart

gender roles in things fall apart

Reading the book in western culture can be seen that Things Fall Apart goes against the premises of feminist beliefs. The last role that women have in the Ibo tribe is the connection to the earth, Ani is the earth goddess and ensures that the Ibo people will have a great harvest every year if they are respectful and peaceful towards each other. This is because the men in the Igbo tribe are not supposed to show weakness, and they believe their job is to toughen up their children. The text states that mother is supreme again this is for the loving and forgiving disposition that women have for their children. In the novel, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, gender stereotypes profoundly influence the entire village, the Ibo society has a strict system of behavioral customs that are assigned by gender. Planting and harvesting yams are seen as a manly job because it requires dedication and much labor to grow successfully and mature. In the Igbo clan, this issue upon the relationships between men and women is able to give clear insight about it.

Next

Gender Roles in Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

gender roles in things fall apart

Essentially all of Igbo life is gendered, from the crops that men and women grow, to characterization of crimes. They also participate in religious ceremonies in various roles. The role of women has always been surrounded by controversy, some people believe women should get married, have children and take care of the household. Women were valued but were also seen as controllable, as depicted by Okonkwo's relationship with his wives in the novel. His father was nicknamed agbala, referring to a woman because of his gentleness and kindness, which Okonkwo despised. It is about the rise and downfall of the main character, Okonkwo. For example, Enzima is scolded for sitting cross-legged, "like a boy.

Next

Gender Roles in Things Fall Apart

gender roles in things fall apart

Women also tend chickens. In addition, the Igbo women farm coco-yams, beans and cassava, because those crops are easy to grow and not time-consuming, so they still had time to take care of their families. This often means, tasks are filled by the preferred gender implying of what the community expects. The men grow yams because men are the providers of the tribe, they provide by selling the yams at the market. He is deeply traditional. In doing so, one must interact or collide with another throughout life. In the novel, the writer creates an ideology depicting men as diligent while women are portrayed as pleasure-seeking and lazy Khan et al.

Next

Gender Roles and Stereotypes in the Novel Things Fall Apart

gender roles in things fall apart

After he accidentally shot and killed a teenage boy at the funeral of a tribe leader. Why does Okonkwo call himself a woman? Females are frequently not receiving the same wage even if they can complete the same job of a male. Imagery, Allusions, Metaphors, and many others are used to develop several essential themes and ideas throughout the extent of the story. Typically, a suitor would pay a dowry, or a bride-price, to the family of the woman he wants to marry. This is because the men in the Igbo tribe are not supposed to show weakness, and they believe their job is to toughen up their children. Equally, the women in Umuofia are not supposed to inherit anything from their parents or husbands Rahayu, 2010.

Next

What are the gender roles in Things Fall Apart?

gender roles in things fall apart

The Church provides a refuge from the strict Igbo social system that rejects them. One of the main traits of masculinity that Okonkwo believed in was the ability to control everyone in his household. The men have control over a woman through power of authority. There wives cooked for them and took care of their children. The Gender Pay Gap: Should Women Get Paid? His life, however, starts to shatter little by little through a series of events, leading him to being exiled for seven years from his village. Gender roles are one of the traditions of Igbo society that he cares deeply about.

Next

Children and Gender Roles

gender roles in things fall apart

She ran away from her first husband to marry Okonkwo. Many stereotypes were mentioned in the book such as Women being portrayed as weak, uneducated and are usually caregivers. Is Agbala male or female? She is the only one one out of his three wives that talks back to him and his anger his conveyed when he beats her and shots and misses her with his gun. This leaves the reader to believe that Wallace is right and the opposing argument is false. In traditional Igbo culture, women were regarded as complimentary to men. Okonkwo is also partially famous because of his skill in wrestling. From the crops that men and women grew, to the characterization of crimes.

Next

Gender Roles in Things Fall Apart Essay Example [907 Words]

gender roles in things fall apart

She was saying again and again that Agbala wanted to see his daughter, Enzima… the priests screamed. Ekwefi was jealous of the attention that Okonkwo paid to their daughter, Ezinma. But his wives and young children were not as strong, and so they suffered. According to the igbo culture a woman is supposed to stay in the kitchen, a man is supposed to do hard work and ruler over woman. International Journal on Studies in English Language and Literature, 6.


Next

What Are Gender Roles In Things Fall Apart

gender roles in things fall apart

Surprisingly gender roles and some customs were bent in Things Fall Apart. In Chapter 4, Okonkwo's wife Ojiugo does not make or bring Okonkwo his dinner dish because she has gone to braid her hair at a friend's house. Through my own experience; I was always told to do chores while my brother went out with his friends and that was the first thing that has shown me that genders are not always equal. In Umuofia, men were considered the rulers and leaders of the village; and just like all patriarchies, the women are viewed as objects. How do we know? We do not really know that the description of Nwoye is accurate because this description only comes from Okonkwo. In precolonial the Igbo gender roles played a huge part in their society. Get custom paper Through generations, people have created specific roles that are put into place from the expectance of it being filled.

Next

Things Fall Apart Gender Roles Essay

gender roles in things fall apart

Well women grow coco-yams, beans and cassava, because they are easy to grow and not time-consuming. Although the novel was published in 1958, post-colonial period, Achebe highlights the traditions and practices of African communities before the arrival of Europeans. Men were superior in the Igbo society whereas women were restricted to their traditional roles. They support each other and fulfill their respective roles as first, second, and third wife. Men are only expected to work labor-intensive jobs such as planting while the women make dinner at specified times. Racial and ethnic wage gaps are significantly larger for men than for women. In Igbo society, expectations for men and women were clear-cut.


Next