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Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe

Decent Essays

In African villages around the continent and even in other countries around the world women 's roles were always subpar to men. Whether it was in Niger like in the Chinua Achebe’s book Things Fall Apart or America in the 20th century women’s role was always below men’s. In fact in some cultures being called feminine or female was an insult. In Things Fall Apart it is difficult to compare the roles of man and woman. It is deeper than just women serve their husbands and cook. The word “female” itself was a symbol for being weak or being inferior to another person. In the ibo culture almost everything is segregated by gender from the plants to the crimes. Women in Umuofia did not have an important role in the eyes of men around the village but yet they affected the lives of people all around.
The role of women is easy; make a good wife. If a woman can do that then your life is fulfilled. The more attractive that a woman is the more money her family can receive from her soon to be husband. In the tribe of Umuofia a man has to pay for a woman’s hand in marriage so if you are poor the girl must really be in love with you to accept whatever payment you have. Another role of woman was to be submissive. In respect to the story submissive means that a woman must understand that she will always be below her husband no matter what circumstance: “Okonkwo ruled his household with a heavy hand. His wives, especially the youngest, lived in perpetual fear of his fiery temper” (Achebe 2) This

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