Establishing an Equilibrium
Inflexibility is the root of interpersonal problems; change is difficult, yet it can be imperative. The book, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, centers itself on Okonkwo, a “strong man” from an Ibo village called Umuofia. This village and the Ibo culture hold rigid customs and beliefs, including strictly defined gender roles. Okonkwo himself, due to his father’s influence and cultural archetypes, has attached black and white connotations to the ideas of masculinity and femininity. This, in turn, throws off the necessary balance between the two, causing self-destruction and problems within any society. A society or a person steadfast in their stereotypes of masculinity and femininity without accepting change will …show more content…
The Ibo social structure is dominated by masculinity, this is deleterious to women and the tribe’s inflexibility in their customs may cause their culture to fall apart when new ideas are introduced. Okonkwo’s life is controlled by his fear of femininity and he will likely be troubled with the guilt of killing Ikemefuna. Lastly, in our culture today, it is apparent that a balance of men and women helps lessen the negative possibilities of each. Our culture is continually evolving as new gender ideals develop; being open to these changes and learning from other people and cultures will benefit us in the future. If we fail as individuals or as a community to establish an equilibrium between masculinity and femininity, the results will be detrimental.
Works Cited:
Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York, NY: Anchor Books, 1994. Print.
Clark, Nancy F. “A Balance of Both Masculine and Feminine Strengths: The Bottom-Line Benefit.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 11 May 2012, 17:16,
Inflexibility is the root of interpersonal problems; change is difficult, yet it can be imperative. The book, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, centers itself on Okonkwo, a “strong man” from an Ibo village called Umuofia. This village and the Ibo culture hold rigid customs and beliefs, including strictly defined gender roles. Okonkwo himself, due to his father’s influence and cultural archetypes, has attached black and white connotations to the ideas of masculinity and femininity. This, in turn, throws off the necessary balance between the two, causing self-destruction and problems within any society. A society or a person steadfast in their stereotypes of masculinity and femininity without accepting change will …show more content…
The Ibo social structure is dominated by masculinity, this is deleterious to women and the tribe’s inflexibility in their customs may cause their culture to fall apart when new ideas are introduced. Okonkwo’s life is controlled by his fear of femininity and he will likely be troubled with the guilt of killing Ikemefuna. Lastly, in our culture today, it is apparent that a balance of men and women helps lessen the negative possibilities of each. Our culture is continually evolving as new gender ideals develop; being open to these changes and learning from other people and cultures will benefit us in the future. If we fail as individuals or as a community to establish an equilibrium between masculinity and femininity, the results will be detrimental.
Works Cited:
Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York, NY: Anchor Books, 1994. Print.
Clark, Nancy F. “A Balance of Both Masculine and Feminine Strengths: The Bottom-Line Benefit.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 11 May 2012, 17:16,