Things Fall Apart Major Essay No matter how free-willed someone is, sometimes it is impossible for them to escape their situation. In Things Fall Apart, Ezinma’s free will and personality are contradicted by her health issues and the unavoidable fate of being a typical Umuofian woman. Although she questions the expectations put on her by taking on tasks that are usually taken up by a man, she struggles to accept she will ever amount to more than what she is expected to be.
Ezinma exemplifies free will through her actions and her generally curious personality. Although Igbo culture has very set principles with a predetermined patriarchy, which is especially expressed in Ezinma’s family, she still pushes the boundaries. This is very supportive …show more content…
By doing this, she gains the respect of Okonkwo and is valued higher than her brother, Nwoye. Even Okonkwo silently agrees, saying “If Ezinma had been a boy I would have been happier.” (66) This shows some favoritism towards her, but she is still facing the burden of being a woman in a man’s society. She also shows lots of traits that an Igbo man has, unlike Nwoye. In a way, all of the hard work she has done has leveled out everything that Okonkwo’s father has made him fear. She attempts bringing herself into her father’s life more by doing things for him, asking “Can I bring a chair for you?” (44). The gesture is quickly shot down with a firm “No, that is a boy’s job,” (44) Even a simple job, like bringing a chair, is “too much” for an Igbo woman. If she has so many boundaries, then she won’t be able to do anything in the tribe.
In Things Fall Apart, Ezinma’s free will and personality are contradicted by her health issues and the unavoidable fate of being a typical Umuofian woman. Although she questions the expectations put on her by taking on tasks that are usually taken up by a man, she struggles to accept she will ever amount to more than what she is expected to
Ezinma exemplifies free will through her actions and her generally curious personality. Although Igbo culture has very set principles with a predetermined patriarchy, which is especially expressed in Ezinma’s family, she still pushes the boundaries. This is very supportive …show more content…
By doing this, she gains the respect of Okonkwo and is valued higher than her brother, Nwoye. Even Okonkwo silently agrees, saying “If Ezinma had been a boy I would have been happier.” (66) This shows some favoritism towards her, but she is still facing the burden of being a woman in a man’s society. She also shows lots of traits that an Igbo man has, unlike Nwoye. In a way, all of the hard work she has done has leveled out everything that Okonkwo’s father has made him fear. She attempts bringing herself into her father’s life more by doing things for him, asking “Can I bring a chair for you?” (44). The gesture is quickly shot down with a firm “No, that is a boy’s job,” (44) Even a simple job, like bringing a chair, is “too much” for an Igbo woman. If she has so many boundaries, then she won’t be able to do anything in the tribe.
In Things Fall Apart, Ezinma’s free will and personality are contradicted by her health issues and the unavoidable fate of being a typical Umuofian woman. Although she questions the expectations put on her by taking on tasks that are usually taken up by a man, she struggles to accept she will ever amount to more than what she is expected to