Essay On Sexism In Things Fall Apart

In Igbo culture it is acceptable to beat women and look down upon them? Women are below men in this culture and in the eyes of the Europeans that is wrong. In Things Fall Apart sexism is shown in many ways such as the abuse of women, social expectations and the power of males. But the Igbo culture views that as normal while the rest of the world despises the cultures way of treating women. Although Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart shows traces of gender equality among the Igbo, the European audience views the culture as sexist. To the Europeans eye the Igbo culture seemed really sexist. But in fact it 's just the way they live, the man is dominant and can beat their wife 's senselessly with no consequences. “Where Western student readers of

One sign of the Igbo being a sexually biased culture is the fact that they can keep multiple wives. Men in the Igbo culture have all the power. Women don 't have a say in anything . Men are allowed to beat women with no reasons and still not be in trouble. “That ultimately physical strength and the ability to inflict one 's will on another human being , be it one’s wife, one’s son or one’s natives are only significant forms of social differentiation in establishing a masculine identity” (Cobham 25). Masculinity can grant the men power in this culture. “Okafo was swept off his feet by the supporters and carried home shoulder high. They sang his praise and the young men clapped their hands” (Achebe 50). Just for winning a wrestling contest Okafo’s legacy will forever be unforgotten. Although Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart shows traces of gender equality among the Igbo, the European audience views the culture as sexist. In Things Fall Apart sexism is shown in many ways like the abuse of women, social expectations and the power of males. The Igbo people don 't look at women the same way as Europeans do. Europeans treat women with respect and dignity while The Igbo dismiss the importances of