ipl-logo

Things Fall Apart Women

751 Words4 Pages

Comparing the status of two people, one has to be higher than the other. In prior generations, men were thought to have a higher status than women. Even nowadays when gender equality is being promoted, men have a stereotype to have the power. Similar to our society, the clan in Things Fall Apart have fixed expectations due to the status of men and women. During the book, women’s status can be categorised to when they are high ranking and when they are low ranking compared to men. During normal life, the women of Umofia are considered weak compared to men. In the book, the author writes about Okwonkwo beating his wife. “He walked back to his obi to await Ojiugo's return. And when she returned he beat her very heavily.” Normally we beat children to discipline them displaying power and authority them. Okwonkwo controlling his wives shows he has the domination over the household. Not only do women get beat, they also have to serve their husbands three meals a day. “He uncovered his second wife's dish and began to eat from it. Obiageli took the first dish and returned to her mother's …show more content…

Women have the gift of bringing new life into the world. Even though this is a physical difference, we give respect to the women because of this extraordinary ability. In order for a clan to grow in the number of people, there must be women. Therefore, women become the pillars of the clan. With the capacity to bear children, this gives women a high status. Another interesting fact is that women are in charge of the law. In Things Fall Apart, a marriage was being prepared when a cow was let loose by a child. When the cow was returned to the owner, and a fine was paid. “When the women had exacted the penalty they checked among themselves to see if any woman had failed to come out when the cry had been raised.” Surprisingly, the fine was collected by the women rather than the

Show More
Related
682 Words | 3 Pages

The depiction individuals have of women has changed drastically over time. From being seen as a lower class gender, to having women politicians today, they have come a long way. Back in the 10th century when An Ancient Tale: When the Sun Was God took place, the role of women differed immensely compared to the way women are portrayed today. Throughout the film, women are depicted as a weaker gender within society, although they can be rulers within their own families.

Read More
722 Words | 3 Pages

It is stated that, “They are our responsibility. It is because we are hardier, longer-lived, less susceptible to pain and illness, better able to withstand, mentally, the difficulties of a life of monotony, that we are placed as we are- and not alone because we are the bearers of children, “ (Merril 63). Since the women are in charge in the ship that society put together, it not only is an unnecessary rule but they are lying to the rest of their society about who they sent on the ship. In this way, it is failing the society and providing no equality on the ship. Also, in the novella it mentions the motto, “We are nothing.

Read More
1683 Words | 7 Pages

For example: “Father – “here dad” to child”. Women play a major role in Noongar hierarchy. Woman are the caregivers and are responsible for the economic, social and political situations of the family. Moort relationships are considered very socially advanced in terms of equality and

Read More
890 Words | 4 Pages

Because they strongly believed in peace and harmony, they never hit their children. The most severe form of punishment was splashing a bucket of water on the children. The children were told by older members of the tribe that they were not supposed to cry because it was a sign of weakness. As the children got older, gender roles took a bigger part in what the children did. Young men began hunting and fishing with their fathers.

Read More
755 Words | 4 Pages

Okonkwo was a big supporter of physical and verbal abuse in his home, especially towards his wives and Nwoye. To Okonkwo, physical abuse was another language. This is how he spoke, and punished, on the occasion of the abuse, and how he had handled the situation. Women was treated poorly in Umuofia because men believe that they were weak and in inadequate. “ Even as a little boy Okonkwo had represented his father 's failure and weakness, and even now he still remembered how he had suffered when a playmate had told him that his father was Agbala.

Read More
946 Words | 4 Pages

Throughout this essay I will be explaining the gender roles, comparing them and how they affect the Umuofian society. In the Umuofian society, Women and men have different roles and expectations to live up to, men were believed to be superior and that women were inferior. One of the tasks that women were burdened with was dinner. They were expected to prepare dinner for their family in the Umuofia tradition.

Read More
1750 Words | 7 Pages

The distinct separation of power between men and women is repeatedly seen in Things Fall Apart, a fictional book by Chinua Achebe. Through this separation, it is seen that in a male-dominated society, men dislike matriarchal power in women and cause an imbalance in power; but women are just as needed as men in families and societies. Notably, it is clear, that the men in Umuofia view daughters as inferior; women are viewed as properties and they aren’t as well-praised as much as the first-born males. Additionally, women are viewed as mild and weak. In many cases, Okonkwo even uses the words “woman” or “womanly” to insult a man for being weak or of a lesser social rank.

Read More
781 Words | 4 Pages

For women in this clan, Umuofia, there are situations and conflicts that characterize women as the weaker of the sexes. Because the tribe places such high standards on the men and other people in Umuofia, the women are placed with much lower standards on them. One example that demonstrates this is when Okonkwo shows a fourteen-year-old child, Ikemefuna, the basis of their beliefs and the foundations of what their culture is about. Okonkwo tells Ikemefuna about Okonkwo’s father and how his lack of physical confrontations had brought shame and weakness to him and his family. “...

Read More
705 Words | 3 Pages

He has a large number of kids, (eight minimum) and three wives, From the text, we know he has at least four sons and two daughters. He has three wives; Nwoye 's mother, Ekwefi, and Ojiugo. Their jobs are to prepare his food, take care of his home, and raise the children. If they disobey or step out of line, they 're beaten. Okonkwo sees the women as his property.

Read More
1106 Words | 5 Pages

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).

Read More
978 Words | 4 Pages

Some women are intelligent to do what is considered only men can do. Besides receiving the equal education, some women also become the representatives of the government and present their words to against with other representatives. They have the right to participate in the decision of a state. Moreover, In South Korea and Taiwan, the president is women. We can see that the change of women social status through these 200

Read More
895 Words | 4 Pages

In Umuofia, men often generalize women and make stereotypical assumptions. The only significance of women to Okonkwo is that they represent the birth of children,

Read More
891 Words | 4 Pages

Once their muddy shoes step into the house, they did not have to lift a finger and their wife was at their every command. Their vulnerable egos did not let their wives get the upper grip, and yet they came in all shapes and sizes, they are allowed to be rude, and they could work at some simple, low-paying job and nobody at the time would ever look down upon them. If man could also bear woman’s societal pressures, perhaps equal rights would be obtained much faster, and a larger diversity of households would exist amongst the

Read More
981 Words | 4 Pages

The part and role in which women played in their society significantly varies throughout the world, depending on the place and region. However, they all share a common similarity in which men are the most dominant in every aspect of society, therefore, men are perceived to have more authority and power than women. In the comparison of ancient civilizations and modern times, it is significant how the rights and roles of women have positively changed, giving women more chances and opportunities in society, therefore, influencing and impacting society in many beneficial ways as well as, nowadays, women and men are finally seen as

Read More
878 Words | 4 Pages

For instance, women painted the the compound of the egwugwu (Achebe 84). Furthermore, the first wife of a man in the Ibo society is paid some respect. This deference is illustrated by the palm wine ceremony at Nwakibie's obi . Anasi, Nwakibie's first wife, had not yet arrived and "the others [other wives] could not drink before her" (Achebe 22). The importance of woman's role appears when Okonkwo is exiled to his motherland.

Read More

More about Things Fall Apart Women

Related Topics

Open Document