Things Fall Apart Masculinity Analysis

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe depicts masculinity highly as a virtue. In the Igbo culture, masculinity is bravery and control and every other good thing one needs to possess to become self-sufficient. For Okonkwo, his masculinity is strongly interconnected with his self-worth. A distinct contrast between men and women is seen throughout the structure of the book. Women are to be weak and controlled, and men are to be strong and be the controllers. Okonkwo’s father, Unoka, is an agbala, term commonly referred to the men unable “to rule his women and his children,”. (45) Unoka is feminine in many ways “one of those things was gentleness and another was idleness”. (13) Regardless, even without a proper fostered foundation, Okonkwo managed to develop himself into someone who is a man of
He reveals he is not the person he wishes to be. Every time Okonkwo is faced with a conflict with his decided misogynistic direction, he immediately beats it out of his head. Nwoye’s departure from the Igbo beliefs really brings shame for Okonkwo, and Okonkwo is convinced that a man who brings so much despair and embarrassment to the heritage can not be his son. By forcing himself into denial, he only imprisons his thoughts and emotions. After Ikemefuna’s death, Onkonkwo is deeply troubled and now battles what is right. He displays lack of proper nutrition and depression. We could say he is hurt and regretful. Okonkwo’s personality does not allow him to accept his actions, but instead feels universe did him wrong. He blames destiny for giving him a son and taking him away. Okonkwo forever wishes Enzime was a son so Okonkwo would have a son who he could connect too. “She should have been a boy,” Okonkwo continuously refuses to feel and justifies his actions by making the most masculine