Things Fall Apart!

Feminism 

I intend to do this analysis with a feminist lens. I want my essay's central focus to be about the society and how it was strictly patriarchal, with women playing very limited and suppressed roles. In this novel the main character is affected by almost no female presences, and has little to no respect for women. Achebe's female characters are voiceless. This can be seen from the part in this part of the novel, "It was clear from the way that the crowd stood or sat that the ceremony was for men. There were many women, but they looked on from the fringe like outsiders" (Achebe 85). The women in the society are treated pretty much as slaves, but have a slightly better role since they tend to the children. The author says that they are a symbol for"manliness" (Achebe 34). Women are not subjects, rather they are treated as objects in the society, "...who has three huge barns, nine wives and thirty children, and the highest but one title which a man can take in the clan" (Achebe 21). Marriage is simply a symbol of power and therefore the men believe it is justified to marry many wives, and then treat them cruelly as if they were nothing more than animals. However,  the society of Things Fall Apartwas simply reflecting actual society, and men behaved disrespectfully toward women because they thought it was acceptable. Part of the reason for Okonkwo's behavior was the fear of failure and becoming like his father.  Therefore, in a desire to stay as far from a female image as possible, he hides his emotions and focuses not on his family, but on gathering power and titles.  He goes so far as to kill Ikemefuna, even though he was just like a son to the family. However, there is one female in the story who is seen with a positive light and that is his daughter.  Yet he still refuses to show affection, even for his favorite child, in an effort to remain masculine. However, this ultimately leads to his downfall. . If Okonkwo were not so pre-occupied with power and manliness, perhaps he would not have become over-ruled by his pride. These are the beginning thoughts for an essay on this topic.