Two Gender Roles In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

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EA 3.2 Gender Roles Things Fall Apart “A gender-equal society would be one where the word ‘gender’ does not exist: where everyone can be themselves.” This quote by Gloria Steinem depicts how a society without gender problems would thrive. “Gender roles” are a set of societal norms dictating what types of behaviors are generally considered acceptable, appropriate or desirable for a person based on their actual or perceived sex. Gender roles are conveyed by Chinua Achebe in Things Fall Apart through the drive behind Ibo culture and their Gods beliefs, impacted society by the way men such as Okonkwo treated their wives, and even though women do a great load of work in society, men are still referred to as superior. The driving force behind the Ibo culture is their Gods belief system. There was a shrine in the center of Umuofia for old war medicine and even “the medicine itself was called agadi-nwayi, for old woman.”(Achebe 54) This quote exhibits how medicine is needed for the weak and how gender roles in the Ibo Culture comes into play by associating weakness with women. In addition, the Oracle of the Hills and the Caves had even stated how men and women must grow different crops. “coco-yams, beans, and cassava” were “women’s crops,” while “Yam, the king of crops, were a man’s crop.” (Achebe 14) The driving force behind …show more content…
But the balance of the two and each genders specific tasks is what keeps the fragile balance of society functioning. Even though gender roles are not always in the best interest for each gender, they define men and women before they even get a chance to define themselves. As Gloria Steinem once stated; “A gender-equal society would be one where the word ‘gender’ does not exist: where everyone can be themselves.” If we all can accept each other, and be open minded for each other as individuals rather than a gender, then a better society is ought to be the
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