Masculinity And Femininity In Things Fall Apart

Masculinity and femininity are archetypes that are seen on a broad spectrum around the world but are complex and different in every situation. Chinua Achebe’s African novel Things Fall Apart demonstrates how masculinity and femininity are defined by Okonkwo and traditional Umuofian society by providing explicative examples of flashbacks, symbolism, and character foils throughout the novel. To begin, the author uses flashbacks in regards to Okonkwo’s childhood and his connection with his father. To demonstrate “He had resented his father’s failure and weakness… a playmate had told him that his father was an agbala” (Achebe 13). The term agbala is defined in context as a “woman; or man who has taken no title” (Achebe 211). When the author uses

First “And he told them stories of the land, stories… masculine stories of violence and bloodshed. Nwoye knew that it was right to be masculine and to be violent, but somehow he still preferred the stories his mother used to tell” (Achebe 53). Here, Achebe is using folktales as a symbol to represent femininity. To Okonkwo, masculinity is seen as violence gruesome events, in contrast to his wives who tell folktales. In regards to society, folktales are most commonly told by women; therefore being a strong representation of femininity. Achebe emphasizes Okonkwo’s stance on masculinity and femininity by providing the example of violence and bloodshed. Along with folktales, yams are common symbol seen throughout the novel. To demonstrate, “His mother and sisters worked hard enough, but they grew women’s crops, like coco-yams, beans, and cassava. Yam, the king of crops, was a man’s crop” (Achebe 22-23). When evaluating this quote, it is evident that Okonkwo has a definite definition of masculinity and femininity. Okonkwo sees himself only worthy of yams due to the fact that society has an ideal image of manliness. Okonkwo did not inherit any yams from his father, and his father was seen as weak and feminine; therefore, he will only plant what will repair the damage done to his image by his father. Yams are constantly mentioned throughout the novel; however they are not always mentioned by Okonkwo. Both Okonkwo and society view yams in the same way, as a sign of masculinity. In Things Fall Apart, it is common for a child to inherit yams, and for the most abundant yam holders to be seen as the most masculine throughout the