Throughout history, women and men have lived very different lives, and the story of Things Fall Apart is no exception. The story is about a man named Okonkwo in 19th century Umuofia, Nigeria. The country is a male-centric patriarchy of sorts, however, women are an integral part of society. These strong women would be considered oppressed by western standards, but in Umuofia sexist social constructs are normal, and are not unlike western society’s. A feminist reader must not resort to a west is best mindset in reading Things Fall Apart because, some aspects of femininity are held in high regard, sexism and the oppression of one gender has become a normality in Umuofia, and the androcentric society in Things Fall Apart resembles the western world.
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In Umuofia, these contradictory values are evident, women are beaten, thought of as weak, and are only seen as mothers and caregivers in everyday life. However, women are virtually worshiped when it comes to spirituality. For example, the saying, “mother is supreme” (Achebe 133). In tough times, a child “finds refuge in his motherland… your mother is there to protect you” (Achebe 133-134). Umuofia possesses much battle prowess, so much so that other villages will to almost anything to avoid war with it. Despite the stereotype of women being weak, “its [Umuofia’s] most potent war medicine … the medicine itself was called agadi-nwayi, or old woman” (Achebe 11-12). However, masculinity is superior in every-day life, Okonkwo favorite child is Enzima, despite his immense love for his daughter he thinks that her talents are a waste because of her sex. Okonkwo tells her, “no, that’s a boy’s job,” when she tries to bring …show more content…
Both societies see women as the weaker and less desirable sex. In the US women are considered unqualified or less qualified for certain jobs and get payed less than men. On average, in the United states, women are payed eighty-percent of what men are payed (The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap (Fall 2016). In both societies women exist to the benefit of men, “do what you are told, woman” (Achebe 19). The women in Things Fall Apart are shown as an oppressed group with very little power, while this is true to an extent, this explanation is far too simplistic and limiting. Women in Umuofia are integral to Ibo culture and society, and in some regards, such as spirituality and religion, are held in higher esteem than many American women. For example, many women are leaders in the Ibo religion, but in the many predominant western religions such as Jewish orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Islam, women are prohibited from being religious leaders. The portrayal of women in Things Fall apart does clash with feminist western beliefs, but not western beliefs as a whole. The western world has the same oppression, to a certain extent, in its own society; therefore, we cannot think of it as an infallible culture because it too has the same problems rooted deep within its culture and social
In Umuofia, these contradictory values are evident, women are beaten, thought of as weak, and are only seen as mothers and caregivers in everyday life. However, women are virtually worshiped when it comes to spirituality. For example, the saying, “mother is supreme” (Achebe 133). In tough times, a child “finds refuge in his motherland… your mother is there to protect you” (Achebe 133-134). Umuofia possesses much battle prowess, so much so that other villages will to almost anything to avoid war with it. Despite the stereotype of women being weak, “its [Umuofia’s] most potent war medicine … the medicine itself was called agadi-nwayi, or old woman” (Achebe 11-12). However, masculinity is superior in every-day life, Okonkwo favorite child is Enzima, despite his immense love for his daughter he thinks that her talents are a waste because of her sex. Okonkwo tells her, “no, that’s a boy’s job,” when she tries to bring …show more content…
Both societies see women as the weaker and less desirable sex. In the US women are considered unqualified or less qualified for certain jobs and get payed less than men. On average, in the United states, women are payed eighty-percent of what men are payed (The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap (Fall 2016). In both societies women exist to the benefit of men, “do what you are told, woman” (Achebe 19). The women in Things Fall Apart are shown as an oppressed group with very little power, while this is true to an extent, this explanation is far too simplistic and limiting. Women in Umuofia are integral to Ibo culture and society, and in some regards, such as spirituality and religion, are held in higher esteem than many American women. For example, many women are leaders in the Ibo religion, but in the many predominant western religions such as Jewish orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Islam, women are prohibited from being religious leaders. The portrayal of women in Things Fall apart does clash with feminist western beliefs, but not western beliefs as a whole. The western world has the same oppression, to a certain extent, in its own society; therefore, we cannot think of it as an infallible culture because it too has the same problems rooted deep within its culture and social