Things Fall Apart Gender Roles

Things Fall Apart Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, is a realistic fiction novel about the Ibo people in Nigeria before, during, and after colonization. The main characte0r, Okonkwo, is put through many struggles that show the complexity of the Ibo culture. The Ibo people are represented as a deep and complex group in Things Fall Apart to end the stereotype of Africans as being savage and needing the white man to come settle them.
One way Achebe demonstrates the complexity of the Ibo culture is through gender roles. In the Ibo culture women carry the traditional domestic roles, such as cooking, cleaning and caring for the men, but they also protect and care for the emotional needs of the family. An example of women in the traditional role is when Okonkwos family is at a

At the start of Things Fall Apart Achebe shows the first sign of the men being the warriors with the retelling of the story of Okonkwo and The Cat. It says “he brought honour to his village by throwing the cat” which shows how much of an honour it was to fight and win (Achebe 1). Not long after this we can see examples of Okonkwo controlling his household through his abusive relationships with his wives. In contrast to him beating his wives Okonkwo's cares for Ezinma but making medicine for her when she is sick even though it wasn't a pleasant experience Okonkwo was doing what he thought would help her get well. We al so learn of Okonkwo sharing stories that he likes, ones of blood and violence, with Ikemefuna and Nwoye. These are examples of how the men in the Ibo tribe are complex and more than the savage and uncivilized men that the white men saw. They actually care about what stuff is happening in their family and