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Social construction of masculinity and feminity
Social construction of masculinity and feminity
Social construction of masculinity and feminity
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Things Fall Apart The author Chinua Achebe, in the novel, “Things Fall Apart,” shares the extreme diversity between the female and male characters residing in Umofia. Okonkwo, the male leader of the tribe, carries qualities such as power and manliness, as all men are expected to. As for the females they are commonly referred as being weaker for child bearing and more responsible because they are expected to cook, clean, and take care of their children. Although the traits of the Igbo culture vary in the determination of the sexes, both genders share both positive and negative aspects of their community. For many reasons outside of the biological differences between male and females they are treated differently in Igbo cultures. Women of Igbo …show more content…
By nature, Achebe is talking about how Okonkwo returns to his mother 's clan after being exiled from his village. Since the female is considered the weaker sex for child bearing they also share a special bond with their children that men do not, “it’s true that a child belongs to its father. But when a father beats his child, it seeks sympathy in its mother’s 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 (134).” Achebe uses this example to prove that in Umofia women are not respected the way they should be. In Mbanta where Okonkwo travels after he is exiled things are different for him because women are viewed in a positive perspective, as in Umofia women are viewed as weak and negative in the society. But when Okonkwo goes to his motherland, it’s Achebe’s way of saying that because his mother is buried there, she is protecting Okonkwo and that is why he says that, “mother is supreme”. However, mother’s were not the only women to hold a positive impact on a man. Ezinma, Okonkwo’s daughter got along with him so well he often wishes she was a male so he could be closer to her and she could make him proud. Unlike Okonkwo’s other children, Ezinma, one of the Igbo females …show more content…
Even if a man had a title for himself if he did not have control of his wife and children, he was not considered a true man, “No matter how prosperous a man was, if he was unable to rule this women and his children, he was not really a man(53)”. Man of Igbo are held a high amount of power, which is why Okonkwo’s nine children and three wives were often terrified of his anger. Okonkwo struggles with his prominent attitude that men are more important than women because he fears to not be successful and resemble his father, Unoka, whom he refers to as a “woman”. Unoka, before his death was lazy, irresponsible, and weak, as he was known for owning money to others. Achebe uses Unoka, as an example that is a was not manly or did not earn himself a worthy title, that he is not looked at as a real man. Umofia was strict about the understanding that all men must be strong, even when Okonkwo wanted to care for others in a compassionate way he could not because they would mistake that for weakness. For example, when Okonkwo wanted to save Ikemefuna from death, Achebe states, he could not do that because he is too prideful and being strong for men in Umofia, is not just a characteristic but a lifestyle. Okonkwo has no problem letting go of his son Nwoye because he chose the catholic religion over what his father believed in. For a
Women had an important role in the family as the caregiver to their husband and children. They were also expected to cook and clean their compound, plan parties and entertain guests. Men were involved in the politics of their culture and were in charge of the King Yams, their main and most important crop. According to Carrera, the women’s role in the Igbo culture was to be weak and pure for their husbands. The men’s role was to be dominant, in society and at home, this is why they have the “right” to beat their wives. In chapter 4, the author shows the right that men have, “... she returned he beat her very heavily.” The reason that Okonkwo beat his wife was because she didn’t make dinner for him and her children, instead she went to plait her hair. Also, in the Igbo culture men were able to have multiple wives, on the other hand, women were expected to have only one husband. There is however a lot of respect for both genders in their culture though because women were allowed to leave one husband to be with another. On page 109, chapter 11, it shows that Ekwefi was able to do this, “Two years after her marriage to Anene she could bear it no longer and she ran away to Okonkwo.” The respect and value for both of these gender’s was what helped keep the Igbo culture alive and
He was in great conflict with the ideas of the white men and the missionaries. Okonkwo saw that their beliefs had not only changed the daily life of the Ibo, but it also changed the people themselves: “He mourned for the warlike men of Umuofia, who had so unaccountably become soft like women” (Achebe 183). The author uses strong diction to compare the men before and after colonization. This quote also portrays Okonkwo’s opinion towards the cultural collision. He values strength and masculinity immensely because of his fear of appearing weak like his father Unoka. When he describes that the men of Umuofia changed to be soft like women, this shows how much he dishonors the Western ideas and how it has taken over the village. He made an attempt to get rid of the Western influence by urging the tribe to fight like men, but they refuse to. He was determined and still attempted to furthermore encourage the people of Umuofia to revolt against the new culture. He realizes that his attempts to return the village back to the way it was before were futile. He knew that Christianity was tearing his people apart, but knew he was incapable of making change to help his people. Okonkwo then starts to feel hopeless and abandoned by his clan, which causes him to commit suicide by hanging himself: “Obierika… turned suddenly to the District Commissioner and said ferociously: ‘That man was one of the greatest men
In Chinua Achebe's novel, Things Fall Apart, it is immediately evident to the reader that Okonkwo, the hero of the story, is obsessed with manliness. His concern manifests itself in almost every chapter. The story begins with an account of his success as a wrestler - a "manly" competition - and ends with his murder of the court messenger, another "manly" act. In every action and every choice he makes, Okonkwo is determined to show that he is masculine. It is powerful irony, then, that the evidence of the novel shows that Okonkwo is actually a latent homosexual.
Okonkwo’s fear leads him to treat members of his family harshly, in particular his son, Nwoye. Okonkwo often wonders how he, a man of great strength and work ethic, could have had a son who was “degenerate and effeminate” (133). Okonkwo thought that, "No matter how prosperous a man was, if he was unable to rule his women and his children (and especially his women) he was not really a man" (45).
A main character in the novel, Okonkwo has several wives. He orders them around like dogs. They are never to question what they are instructed to do; they are expected to be obedient. We see this early in the story, when Okonkwo brings Ikemefuna into his home. Okonkwo tells his senior wife that Ikemefuna belongs to the tribe and that she is expected to look after him. She in turn asks him if he will be staying with them for a long period of time. This sends Okonkwo into a fury. He snaps at her in a very degrading manner, "Do what you are told woman. When did you become one of the ndichie (meaning elders) of Umuofia?"(pg.12) Clearly she receives no respect. Later in the story we see this woman try to comfort Ikemefuna. She "mothers" him as if he is one of her own children. She tries to put him at ease and can almost instinctively feel how much he misses his own mother.
In things fall apart women are proclaimed as a unpowerful human being with no rights within the Igbo society. The reason behind this is because of the culture and as well as ,the way they were taught to treat there spouse . In the book women were perceived as being weak and also received very little or no respect in the Igbo society. They also were harshly abused and look down upon. In things fall apart it says “The women and children live in perpetual fear of his fiery temper. He believes in ruling his household with a heavy hand”( Chapter 2 Pg13) . This quote is restating that Okonkwo was the
There are constant struggles between gender, identity, commodification, and class. Among the men and women in many African tribes that still exist today, there are divergences, which will always remain intact because of the culture and the way in which they are taught to treat each other. Chinua Achebe wrote the novel, Things Fall Apart, which is a great piece of African literature that deals with the Igbo culture, history, and the taking over of African lands by British colonization. The ongoing gender conflict is a prominent theme in Things Fall Apart, presenting the clash between men and women of the African Igbo society. Throughout history, from the beginning of time to today, women have frequently been viewed as inferior, men’s possessions whose sole purpose was to satisfy the men’s needs.
In the book Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, we are able to read about the social changes the white missionaries had on an African tribe. Mr. Achebe describes the way of life before the missionaries arrived and then records some of the changes, which occurred due to the changed belief system introduced by these missionaries.
As with most primitive societies, the Igbo was ruled by a few elite, all of which were male. Those able to obtain power in the village are male,
” Without looking at the man Okonkwo had said “This meeting is for men.” The man who had contradicted him had no titles. That is why he had called him a woman. Okonkwo knew how to kill a man’s spirit”, by Okonkwo saying this he is basically indicating that women are seen as weak and are not highly valued in Umuofia. Where the author says Okonkwo knew how to kill a man’s spirit, that can be a reason as to why he thinks women are weak. One more example on how women get treated poorly or not highly valued is “It was clear from the way the crowd stood or sat that the ceremony
In the book, “Things Fall Apart”, women are portrayed in a negative way. They are abused, hard labor workers and treated in a bad manner. The women are seen worthless in this book but in many other situations the women are actually portrayed in a positive way. They still possess significant roles, such as householders, educators of the children, caretakers of crops, and also playing important rules in religion. In the book Women are seen as caregivers in the Igbo society, they give power to men, and are powerful in religion. Women are portrayed in many powerful ways in the Igbo society.
Before the arrival of the Europeans, Achebe did a excellent job portraying how the life of Igbo was before they were forced to oppose their own culture. To support this theme, Achebe included detailed descriptions of social rituals within each family, the justice system, religious practices and consequences, preparation and indulgence of food, the marriage process and the distributing of power within the men. Achebe shows how every man has an opportunity to prove himself worthy to achieve a title on the highest level, based merely on his own efforts. One may argue that the novel was written with the main focus on the study of Okonkwo’s character and how he deteriorates, but without the theme that define the Igbo culture itself, we would never know the universe qualities of the society that shaped Okonkwo’s life. The lives of the Igbo people was no different to the actual lives of the Ibos people back in the early days of Africa. Just like in Things Fall Apart, in actual African tribes there was never a ruler. “Very interesting thing about these villages is that there is no single ruler or king that controls the population. Decisions are made by including almost everyone in the village” (AfricaGuide). Using the theme, Achebe educated readers on by mirroring real African life in her
People Fall Apart in Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Karl Marx believed that all of history could be reduced to two tiny words: class struggle. In any period of time, a dominant class exploits a weaker class. Marx defines a dominant class as one who owns or controls the means of production. The weaker class consists of those who don't. In Marx's day, the age of Almighty Industry, the means of production were factories.
Upon an initial reading of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, it is easy to blame the demise of Okonkwo’s life and of the Umofia community on the imperialistic invasions of the white men. After all, Okonkwo seemed to be enjoying relative peace and happiness before then. He did have a few mishaps; one of them resulted in him being exiled for eight years. Nonetheless, he returned to his home town with high spirits and with prospects of increased success. However, everything has changed. The white men have brought with them a new religion and a new government. Okonkwo’s family falls apart. The men in his village lose their courage and valor; they do not offer any resistance to the white men. Consequently, Okonkwo kills himself in disgrace and Umofia succumbs to the white men. However, the white men are not the only people responsible for demise of Umofia. The Igbo culture, particularly their views on gender roles, sows the seed of their own destruction. By glorifying aggressive, manly traits and ignoring the gentle, womanly traits, Umofia brings about its own falling apart.
Okonkwo resents his father because of his weakness and apparent failure; therefore, he worked diligently to ensure that he would become everything his father was not. Ironically, his first born son, Nwoye, developed much like Unoka, despite Okonkwo’s rash efforts to steer his son to model himself. Fear of being perceived as being weak and different drives Okonkwo’s rejection and anger towards his son when he becomes a Christian. Achebe states that after Okonkwo heard of Nwoye’s association with the christians he attacked him: “Nwoye turned round to walk into the inner, compound when his father, suddenly overcome with fury, sprang to his feet and gripped him by the neck,”(Achebe,151). Without his accumulated fear of weakness and judgement Okonkwo may have not acted as rashly to Nwoye’s new found faith. However, due to Nwoye’s resemblance of Unoka, his father, Okonkwo’s rationality is clouded by fear and resentment. As a father, Okonkwo can not accept, nor understand how he beget such a “degenerate and effeminate” son. Through this use of irony, Achebe once again emphasizes Okonkwo’s gripping fear and how it drives him to anger and otherwise unjustifiable