A sexist novel? Discuss the question of gender in "Things Fall Apart".

Man Ju Y12D

English

A sexist novel? Discuss the question of gender in “Things Fall Apart”.

“Things Fall Apart” is set during the late 1800s/early 1900s in a small village called Umuofia situated in the southeastern part of Nigeria. It was a period in colonial history when the British were expanding their influence in Africa, economically (trading), culturally (religion), and
politically (government). It is a village that is respected by those around it as being powerful and rich. In the following essay, I am going to talk about the question of gender in this book.

It is true that the Ibo culture is sexist. Okonkwo, the protagonist of this book, is seen here as a man fearful of being seen as womanly or agbala (means woman, and represents a lack of economic success.) The word agbala is equivalents to women and therefore reveal the little power woman have in this Ibo society. Okonkwo, who is “afraid of being thought weak”, exaggerates his manly qualities, being strict and tyrannical and not showing any kind of emotions that are not associated with masculinity.

Men are respected and successful, which is often shown in the number of wives they have whereas woman are restricted to household activities and childcare. Let us look at men and women’s job in the Ibo society. In the house, it is women who are chiefly responsible for decorating the houses. In many African cultures they are also the chief domestic architects, and they shape the mud walls into pleasing patterns. In the farms, the main occupation of the men is sowing and growing yams since yams are considered the most important crop. Yams are acting as money in Umuofia and they represent the wealth of a man. The women grew less significant crops like coco-yams, beans and cassava. This again, shows that women in the Ibo society have little power and they are responsible for less power and important job.

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The division of the sex is not just in social behaviour but also shown in the set up of individual obi, or hut. Ibo society has a polygamous culture, men may take more than one wife and each household is enclosed into a compound. Each man has a hut or obi that is located in the centre of a compound. Each of the wives has a separate obi with a shed for goats and an attached chicken coop. This indicated that men are respected since their huts located in the centre of the compounds.

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Man is the provider of the family, and so he needs to be tough, hardy and resourceful. From an early age, boys are forced to follow the behaviour of their fathers. Control over the women folk is also an essential characteristic of a masculine man because "no matter how prosperous a man was, if he was unable to rule his women and children he nears not really a man." It is for wife-beating to be condoned in a society where women are inferior to men. Women have really no power and are therefore under persecution of their men.

In chapter 14 of this book, the isa-ifi ceremony, another traditional custom of the Igbo culture. where Uchendu's youngest son Amikwu, is to marry takes place. In this Ibo culture, a woman's virginity is of prime importance, and the woman is questioned about her virginity prior to her marriage. The bride is made to sit in the middle of a big circle of people and be asked questions about her virginity. This ceremony will determine whether she has been faithful to her fiancé during their courtship. Only then can she become the wife of Amikwu. Only women are to be questioned about their virginity, whilst men don’t, and men are allowed to marry many times depending on their economic status.

In chapter 10, villagers representing the spirits of dead ancestors conduct a trial. The dismissive attitude one of the elders shows for a trial of this kind reveals the lack of power and respect that women had in this society. Not only does the women's brother speak for her, but also she has no say in the verdict handed to her husband. Her husband's hand is slapped for being so violent but other than that he is not punished for his crime, simply fined.

Although above statements shows women have nearly no powers in the Ibo society, but there is a few exceptions. The custom of consulting the Oracle is an integral part of this culture. The Oracle was Agbala and many people came to consult it even though the journey was very difficult. Nobody had ever seen Agbala as she spoke through a priestess, a woman in the village called Chielo. This is one of the few positions of power for women in this culture as she is a conduit to Agbala's wisdom and therefore gains much respect. Both Agbala and Chielo, the priestess of Agbala are women. Their power and status in Umuofia suggest that women’s role in Ibo culture are sometimes important.

Here is another exception showing us that women are sometimes important in the Ibo society. At the beginning of Part II, Okonkwo has fled his "fatherland" Umuofia for committing a "female" ochu, and he has taken his family to his "motherland" Mbanta. Uchendu, Okonkwo’s uncle, calls Okonkwo and his sons together and makes Okonkwo understand that he has come to his mother's land for refuge, and that he cannot continue to be displeased with his present circumstances nor should he sulk or despair about his fall from power. He tells Okonkwo that if he denies the support of his motherland, then this will displease the dead. He makes him realize that though man is considered the head of a family, it is the “mother who is supreme” and therefore it is she who will give him renewed energy to start over again. This shows mother, a female, is an important character in the Ibo society.

As an overall, women in the Ibo society have little rights and power. Men are the provider of a family so they are respected. Hence I agree that this book is a sexist novel.