Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
How Gender Masculinity affected Okonkwo's Downfall - Coggle Diagram
How Gender Masculinity affected Okonkwo's Downfall
Gender Beliefs in the Igwo Culture
Evidence:
Men and woman are given different roles in farming
Woman grow other crops while men grow yams
Quotes or events
Men- Protecters, Warriors, Leaders
They are the decision makers
Marketplace - Okonkwo being sent to get the children for the woman who was killed
Egwuwu are traditionally male
Female - Looks after the household, by taking care of the kids, and husbands.
What led to Okonkwo's Downfall
His Exile
He had to miss 7 years of the village adjusting to what the missionaries did to implement Christianity while he was gone, which clearly took a toll on Okonkwo. He also lost all of his titles, meaning he lost his status, and saw that his peers were throwing it away like it didn't mean anything to them anymore.
His conflict with the Europeans
Why does Okonkwo have such strong beliefs in masculinity
Okonkwo translation of masculinity is seen tinged by his desire to avoid been considered a weak man. It is this fear that he lets dictate most part of his life; relationships with family, other members of the community and even regarding colonialism.
This leads to a rigid outlook on life, which isolates him from his community and his family, and makes it so he is unable to adapt to how his community has changed when he came back from exile
'' Okonkwo's disdain for weakness is evident when he thinks about his father: His whole life was dominated by fear of failure and weakness.''
How is Okonkwo's relationships affected by his fears
“His whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of weakness.”
For Nwoye, Okonkwo is harsh on him because he doesn't fit his views of being a man, which makes Okonkwo to beat him, which eventually leads to him seeking Christianity as a way to seek solace.
While Ekwefi and Okonkwo do love each other, Ekwefi still fears for the wrath of Okonkwo, which makes Ekwefi feel as if she cant be herself or she cant challenge him.
Ezinma is Okonkwo's favourite child. His affection towards Ezinma reveals his softer side, even if he wishes deep down that Ekwefi was born a male.