Significance Of Gender Roles In Literature - Book Report/Review Example

 Significance Of Gender Roles In Literature In one of his greatest works, Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe portrays various characters having significant strengths and weaknesses that significantly affect the way in which they relate with various challenges and opportunities. Achebe portrays Okonkwo as a hardworking wrestler who tries significantly to overcome his challenges (Achebe, 6). Though the society may expect Okonkwo to emulate his father who is portrayed as indolent and irresponsible, he strives to become his exact opposite. He overcomes the challenges of poverty through hard work and his skills in wrestling. This makes him to be a respected figure within the society. When faced with the challenge in a contest with Amalinze, he struggles and defeats the Cat, a warrior who had stayed for seven years without defeat (Achebe, 16). He manages to defeat the warrior, despite his youthful nature. In another instance, the village chooses Okonkwo to go to the village of Mbaino and deliver the message to offer a virgin young man in the replacement of the woman one of their kinsmen had murdered (Achebe, 10). This seems a dangerous quest, but Okonkwo readily accepts and the village agrees to Okonkwo’s terms. In this, Okonkwo emerges as a victorious warrior. Another of Okonkwo’s challenges is fear of being weak. He endeavors to overcome this through his hard-work and brevity. Besides, Okonkwo is perceived to take diverse opportunities and implement them to his advantage. For instance, given the chance of being a messenger, he accepts it and returns with positive results. Besides he employs his skill in wrestling to overcome a feared warrior, Cat (Achebe, 1). However, owing to his accidental murder of a boy, he runs in exile and returns only to find that his son had converted to Christianity. Okonkwo fails to accept this, and literally disowns his son. Unoka, Okonkwo’s father is portrayed as an indolent character, unable to cater for the needs of his son. When faced with the challenge of helping his son in building an obi, Okonkwo cannot count on his father for support(Achebe, 5). Unoka brings himself and his family to devastating shame, owing to his inability to work and pay his numerous accumulated debts. At one point, it is evident that he failed to cater for his already starving family. His challenges are so significant that they continue to haunt his son, Okonkwo, who is his exact opposite. Unoka’s perceivable strength is his ability to play music in festivals through his skills in the flute(Achebe, 5). Besides, Unoka, unlike his son, cannot stand to defend his clansmen, owing to his dread of blood and warfare(Achebe, 4). Owing to his, indolent attitude, Unoke is unable to leave any inheritance to his son Okonkwo, as it is expected of any clansmen of worth their value. Achebe portrays Obierika as Okonkwo’s best acquaintance, who offers him sound and critical advice. However, Okonkwo seems to be ignoring Obierika’s advices. When faced with diverse challenges, Obierika thinks critically over such issues and attempts to come up with informed decisions, unlike his counterpart Okonkwo, who the author depicts to be rash in his dealings. Obierika is portrayed to handle his family challenges with moderation and concern, a trait that earns him respect from members of the Umuofia society. When faced with the challenge of killing a person (Ikemenfuna), he refuses to take part in the atrocious act, and highlights to Okonkwo over his involvement in the atrocity. Besides, Obierika is keen in questioning various testing Igbo’s customs and practices, and is critical in accepting the change more than his counterpart, Okonkwo. Additionally, after the death of Okonkwo, readers perceive Obierika confronting the District Commissioner over his involvement. He argues that the District Commissioner compelled Okonkwo to take his life, and that he would receive a dishonored burial. Ikemefuna, a boy who had appeared in the village as a compensation from Mbaino village, owing to their murder of Umuofia’s woman, becomes the adopted son of Okonkwo. Though the child is from another village, he seems to cope well in his new village. Ikemefuna is a victim of diverse circumstances. To begin with, he does not live in his own village, and serves as a payment for Mbaino’s kinsman atrocity. However, he seems to cope significantly in his new village. Ikemefuna finally serves as a sacrifice, though Achebe depicts his innocence. Despite his pleas for mercy, Okonkwo plays a role in his murder, an action that continues to haunt him throughout the book. Besides, despite the fact that Okonkwo does not receive him as his true son, Ikemefuna’s character compels Nwoke (Okonkwo’s son) to be fond of him. Okonkwo also unenthusiastically accepts him as his son. Nwoye, Okonkwo’s eldest son emerges as a sensitive character, owing from his father’s continous criticism and unwarranted expectations. As such, Nwoye seems emotionally discontented, and makes good use of his adopted brother, who serves as both his role model and peer. Okonkwo, owing to his son’s traits, considers him to feminine, and this does not augur well with him. Owing to this, Nwoke finds solace in his adopted brother, who is later murdered by his own father. Nwoye is aggravated by his father’s involvement in the Ikemefuna’s undeserved murder, and resorts to disrespect his father. His displeasure for his father’s deeds compels him to convert to Christianity, where he finds significant solace. Owing to the characters’ interactions, there is a significant resemblance and also a disparity between the way individuals lived then and currently. For instance, individuals of strong character and hard-work received admiration from the society. This is true even today when these African societies strive to turn to modernity. Earlier, individuals had diverse reaction to the aspects of change, with others embracing it, while others critically opposing it. This is evident today, where some individuals are agents of change, and others opting for traditional customs. A key disparity is the way in which gender roles received significant highlight. Unlike the modern days, boys were expected to be masculine, without feminist emotions, thus the reprimand of Nwoye from his father. Additionally, various atrocious customary practices like killing of twins and murdering innocent individuals for religious religions have been abolished. Work Cited Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York: Anchor Books, 2010, Print. Read More