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Examples Of Femininity In Things Fall Apart

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Masculinity vs Femininity
Is the gender perception nature or nurture? In Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart, Achebe depict some characters Umuofia as a patriarchal society. Okonkwo especially holds traditional value which he believes that men must be women are associated with caring and nurturing.This gender stereotypes However, in the novel, some characters cross gender stereotypes Women example, women has good connotation and symbolizes the beginning of the person’s life. On the other hand, men symbolizes the end of the person’s life and is expected to do physical stuff like shooting guns, screaming and beating. But this stereotypes are not always true.

Okonkwo is a tragic hero and is a flawed example of masculinity figure. From the young …show more content…

Ironically, Okonkwo’s first son Nwoye resembles Unoka and has more feminine qualities such as being sympathetic and sensitive. As a norm in the Igbo society, an oldest son represents the family’s reputation and is the reason why he is given the seed, oldest son especially has to be lot more masculine. That’s why although other Okonkwo’s sons are not that worthy of a man and satisfy Okonkwo’s expectation, Nyowe gets more scolding and beating by his dad. On the other hand, Izena, Okonkwo’s daughter, has to behave like women following her roles in the society such as nurturing, caring and being submissive to men. But she is very alike Okonkwo and has more masculine side. For example, she understands Okonkwo’s words and on most occasion behave like men. "Sit like a woman! Okonkwo shouted at her. Ezinma brought her two legs together and stretched them in front of her” and is lot more bolder than her siblings.” “Okonkwo likes that Ezinma’s inborn boldness and masculinity, “She should have been a boy,' but does not approve Ezinma’s bold nature nor show affection to his daughter. Comparing Nwoye with Ezinma, although Ezinma is a girl, she has more masculine character while Nwoye who is a boy has more feminine quality. Gender doesn’t decide whether a person is more masculine or feminine and shows how Okonkwo’s belief on masculinity for men is flawed. Women can also be masculine and men can also be

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Okonkwo’s aggressive ways caused Nwoye to rely on Ikemefuna, A boy given to Okonkwo by a neighboring village, as an older brother who teaches him a more gentle form of masculinity. The bond between Nwoye and Ikemefuna was stronger than the bond between Nwoye and Okonkwo ever was because of Okonkwo’s refusal to demonstrate affection towards his son as it could make him appear weak. However, because of the death of Ikemefuna, Nwoye fears having to return to the harsh values of his father. Okonkwo’s stubborn ideas of masculinity ruined his relationship with his son beyond repair. Okonkwo’s refusal to show emotion towards his family pushed them apart which shows that Okonkwo is not willing to give up his stern values and reputation to be emotionally committed to his family.

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Manhood is being treated as a human of mankind. Okonkwo, however, equates manhood to brute force and anger. Anything else was considered to be characteristic of a woman. It is this idea of manliness that pushes Nwoye into the hands of the missionaries. Okonkwo “wanted Nwoye to grow into a tough young man” and although Nwoye at times acted as if he was annoyed with the tasks the women would ask of him, “nothing pleased Nwoye now more than to be sent for by his mother or another of his father's wives” (Achebe, 36).

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In fact, the culture was sexist and the way that they treated women was unfair. Chinua Achebe’s novel, Things Fall Apart, shows that the Igbo culture is sexist, unbalanced and that men are valued due to the way that they treat women. The culture is most definitely sexist. Cobham said that “Western student readers of Things Fall Apart complain that the novel is ‘sexist’ meaning usually that they find Okonkwo misogynist” (Cobham 166-167).

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She was many qualities of a man and many qualities of her father. Ezinma often lashed out like Okonkwo. Her father would often be scolded for showing her “manly” qualities. “Sit like a woman!” (Achebe 44).

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Throughout the book Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, there are many references to the protagonist’s necessity to be recognized for his masculinity. Okonkwo, the protagonist, despises his father for his unsuccessfulness, and Okonkwo is motivated to become a prosperous man. His fear of being weak determines his actions in difficult situations, which causes an internal conflict. Eventually, this fear overwhelms Okonkwo, and he commits suicide. Okonkwo’s desire to be masculine in opposition to his father creates an internal conflict established in his fear of being thought weak, which ultimately leads to his death.

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As a child, Nwoye is the frequent object of his father's criticism and remains emotionally unfulfilled. Okonkwo, “wanted Nwoye to grow into a tough man capable of ruling his father’s household when he was dead and gone to join the ancestors”(38). When Nwoye finds out that it is Okonkwo who killed a “brother” who he is extremely fond of, and grows very close with, he loses all appreciation for Okonkwo and decides to go against his father and his cultures.

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At his early age, Nwoye is an effeminate boy who prefers a mild and easy lifestyle; however, with the influence of Ikemefuna, Nwoye gradually behaves like a man. When Okonkwo reads masculine and violent stories to Nwoye, “Nwoye knew that it was right to be masculine and to be violent, but somehow he still preferred the stories that his mother used to tell.” Spending

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Ezinma is Okonkwo 's oldest daughter and his favorite daughter. She is the one person he drops his hard, tough exterior, and the only person to “understand” her father. Even though he loves his daughter deeply that doesn 't stop him from talking about how much he wishes she was a boy instead of a girl. He tells his sons story of how he killed in battles, in gruesome details how he drunk from their heads.

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Things Fall Apart Gender Roles

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First, gender roles in a society have a huge cause and effect that affects the people in the society, in the novel things fall apart these roles greatly affect family life. An example of this is how Okonkwo, the main protagonist in things fall apart, leads his family. Okonkwo is very strict and expects his wives and children to obey his every command, this caused his young wives and children to be scared of him. “Okonkwo ruled his household with a heavy hand. His wives, especially the youngest, lived in perpetual fear of his fiery temper, and so did his little children”(13).

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Cultural Collision In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

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Among those of the same culture, individuals who are adaptive and open-minded can be successful when there is cultural collision. When the Igbo and European cultures collide, Okonkwo gradually spirals out of control, losing everything he values and his own sense of self. From the beginning of the novel, Achebe depicts Okonkwo as a virile warrior and a successful farmer within the Igbo tribe. Reacting with violence to anything he considers “womanly” or “weak”, “He was a man of action and man of war” (10). Because of his reputation as a warrior he is highly respected by his community.

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She acted like much more than someone who was waiting to be defined by her village. Ezinma pushes the boundaries and she even tries to take on the tasks of a man, like carrying Okonkwo’s chair, which is something what the sons usually do. Ezinma dared to even ask, “‘Can I bring your chair for you?’ ‘No that is a boy’s job’” (Achebe 44) and Okonkwo made sure that she knew where [he thinks] her place is.

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1890 Words | 8 Pages

Fear is the core cause of the dramatic shift of lifestyle for both Okonkwo and Nwoye. Through the management of reputation and the avoidance of their father’s likeness, Okonkwo and Nwoye built new lives for themselves. Okonkwo sought power and authority to prove his masculinity and make up for Unoka’s reputation as a weak man. He did this to the point where manliness became his character. Fearlessness and violence were masculine qualities that in Igbo culture signifies strength and influence.

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He was a caring man down in his heart but “his whole life was dominated by the fear, the fear of failure and of weakness” (Achebe 13), and his mission to become one of the greatest men of his clan. Okonkwo was devoted to masculinity, he put it above anything else preventing anyone from questioning his masculinity. When he felt a slight sign of weakness it reminded him of his fathers failure to being a true man not providing for his family or ruling women and his children, therefore “he was not really a man” (Achebe 53).There were many traits to being a masculine man but to Okonkwo the main one was ruling his wife and children, if any of them had disobeyed him he would beat them without hesitation or regret. Although Okonkwo is influenced by masculinity it is because the Ibo culture believes in men dominating women which leads their society to fall

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