Things Fall Apart, written by Chinua Achebe in 1958, tells the story of the Ibo people. The main character Okonkwo is an example of how strong men are represented and treated. The traditions, customs, and culture influence the people's behavior towards the men of the tribe. Gender plays an important role in the novel. It characterizes the genders structured roles and expectations according to what they have been taught by the Ibo culture. Everyone has a role and contributes to the benefit of the society, however, men contain the dominant trait. Although masculinity is the dominant trait in the Ibo men, not all men are treated equally. Men with no titles and unsuccessful men are less respected in the Ibo culture.
Chinua Achebe wrote Things …show more content…
It is about the struggles of the different genders. Men in the novel are not all perfect and strong, they all have their flaws, even Okonkwo who is one of the most respected. The reason that these men are treated this way is because they have high expectations for them. Achebe created them in an environment where the men have to provide for their families, and this might sound easy but it is not. For example, men must grow yams, yams are the hardest crop to grow, and if a man fails at growing the yams he cannot provide for his family. Therefore, making the man unsuccessful and weak. Men who are seen as weaker are called Efulefu, which means worthless men. “If a gang of efulefu decided to live in the Evil Forest....the Evil Forest was a fit home for such undesirable people.”(154). The men of the Ibo culture have grown up in a society where everything has gender roles. When things get out of their gender role, people begin to look down upon things that are out of their place. This is the reason the men lesser than those similar to Okonkwo are treated in a different less respectful manner.
The saying that men are all created equal is not true based on what Achebe shows us in Things Fall Apart. It is through the beliefs of the Ibo people that Okonkwo believes that he would have prospered better “in the land of his fathers where men are bold and warlike.”(162). They have been raised with the mentality that they must be strong and masculine in order to be a man. However in Umuofia, not all men are created and built the
Chinua Achebe wrote Things …show more content…
It is about the struggles of the different genders. Men in the novel are not all perfect and strong, they all have their flaws, even Okonkwo who is one of the most respected. The reason that these men are treated this way is because they have high expectations for them. Achebe created them in an environment where the men have to provide for their families, and this might sound easy but it is not. For example, men must grow yams, yams are the hardest crop to grow, and if a man fails at growing the yams he cannot provide for his family. Therefore, making the man unsuccessful and weak. Men who are seen as weaker are called Efulefu, which means worthless men. “If a gang of efulefu decided to live in the Evil Forest....the Evil Forest was a fit home for such undesirable people.”(154). The men of the Ibo culture have grown up in a society where everything has gender roles. When things get out of their gender role, people begin to look down upon things that are out of their place. This is the reason the men lesser than those similar to Okonkwo are treated in a different less respectful manner.
The saying that men are all created equal is not true based on what Achebe shows us in Things Fall Apart. It is through the beliefs of the Ibo people that Okonkwo believes that he would have prospered better “in the land of his fathers where men are bold and warlike.”(162). They have been raised with the mentality that they must be strong and masculine in order to be a man. However in Umuofia, not all men are created and built the