Audre Lorde's Things Fall Apart

Audre Lorde is an American Writer and Feminist who understands that women deserve a tremendous voice. She expressed, “I write for those women who do not speak, for those who do not have a voice because they were so terrified, because we are taught to respect fear more than ourselves. We’ve been taught that silence would save us, but it won’t”. Lorde declares that women should not be discouraged to stand up for what they need. She says that by writing she is making a voice for others that are too fearful. While some may think that writing has exceeded every boundary, that is misrepresented there is still suppression against women in literature. Women are oppressed in literature because of society and cultural views, ignorance in both genders,

female archetypes, and stereotyping in children's books.
To illustrate, literature even at a young age, when brains are still developing, has supported stereotypes that are oppressing adolescent girls. A numerous amount of educators have recorded the bias toward male characters rather than female characters. This is validated in a recent Research Journal “Sex Roles”, written by Professor Mykol C. Hamilton, it states, “Gender stereotyping and under-representation of girls and women have been documented in children’s picture books in the past...” (Hamilton). She acknowledges that in the past children's books have based female characters on stereotypes. Hamilton writes furthermore, “We explored sexism in top selling books from 2001 and a 7-year sample of Caldecott award-winning books, for a total of 200 books. There were nearly twice as many male as female title and main characters. Male characters appeared 53% more times in illustrations. Female main characters nurtured more than male main characters did, and they were seen in more indoor than outdoor scenes. Occupations were gender stereotyped, and more women than men appeared to have no paid occupation.” (Hamilton). Hamilton points out in the 200 children's books that most of protagonists are male. When there are female characters they consistently do not have a profession and stay home with the children. According to Hamilton women's oppression starts at a young age in children's books.
In addition, in the text Things Fall Apart it reveals patterns of female characters who emphasize or dismiss certain customs.

Ekwefi, Okonkwo’s second wife of three, is devoted to her daughter Ezinma because she is the only child out of ten that survived. She gave up all hope until Ezinma lived past the age of four. In that culture if a mother loses that many children that woman is known as a “cursed” woman. In that culture women are seen as property and they are expected to provide their husbands with many children. The husbands also want male children who are strong and will carry on the family legacy. When Ekwefi could not bear children, especially not male ones for a legacy, that is when she was named “cursed”. Not only are women seen as objects that just pop out babies for the husband's benefit they also get beaten for not staying in line. There are many instances where Ekwefi is beaten by Okonkwo. The first instance would be around the time of the festival. Achebe writes, “And then the storm burst. Okonkwo, who had been walking around aimlessly in his compound in suppressed anger suddenly found an outlet. ‘Who killed this banana tree?’ he asked” (Achebe 38). Achebe points out that Okonkwo was walking around bored and angry and just needed a release so he picked something that was not important to do so. In this culture it is not unusual for the husbands to beat their wives. Achebe writes, “As matter of fact the tree was very much alive. Okonkwo’s second wife had merely cut a few leaves off it to wrap some food, and she said so. Without further argument Okonkwo gave her a sound beating and left her and her only daughter weeping.” (Achebe

38).