What Is Gender Roles In Things Fall Apart

What does the word gender mean to an individual? Do people believe it means different responsibilities among people? Do people believe it means equality? Gender roles play a major role in our lives. It is the heart of our self-conceptions and daily actions. In the book Things Fall Apart, Nigerian author Chinua Achebe tells about the culture of an African society. The lives and beliefs of individuals are effectively described and are easy for readers to compare and contrast to their own culture. While gender roles exist in the American society based on a Eurocentric perspective, the book Things Fall Apart portrays a different culture illustrating the roles of individuals within the Igbo tribes.

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In Igbo society, the sex of a baby determines the family’s happiness. If the baby was a boy it meant greater joy for the family, but if the baby was a girl the parents received mixed feelings. The reasoning behind parents being joyful for males is because the son will take his father’s place when he dies and continue with his family line. On the other hand, parents felt sorrow towards their baby girl because they knew that women are viewed as weak in the society. Also the father would be disappointed because his lineage will become slimmer; the female will soon be married off to another man. This issue was seen in the book Things Fall Apart when Okonkwo was talking about his daughter Ezinma. In the book it says, “She should have been a boy” (Achebe, 1959, p. 6). This quote supports the fact that Okonkwo wanted a boy instead because he saw the advantages he would have had. He would be happier by knowing a male would carry on his name. Contrasting to this culture, in the American society gender does not play a role

An individual’s gender represents how they look; an individual’s culture represents their beliefs and actions. Women and men are allocated to a gender role and we all must act out the masculine or feminine behavior as arranged by our society and our culture. Trying to live up to those qualities and expectations are the reason people live their lives a certain way. The book Things Fall Apart portrays ideas about the Igbo culture. In the Igbo society, it is determined at birth what roles someone will have. Throughout their entire lives they continue carrying on their culture’s beliefs by accepting responsibilities chosen for them based on gender. Contrasting to this, the American society does have gender roles but it is based more on a Eurocentric perspective. In this society, roles of individuals are focused on equality rather than gender. Children learn to grow their characteristics opposed to being told. However, both cultures should be accepting among each other after realizing everyone is living according to their society. Every society has different traditions and beliefs; different cultures are just told in different