Family
Family is very important in the Igbo society, and very highly valued by each of its' citizens. It is custom for men to have multiple wives, whom each have their own huts on their home compound. These women tend to have many children, not only to keep the family going, but also because many of them don’t live past very young ages, so they try to have a lot of children so that there are a fair amount who survive. There are strong family bonds between members - mothers very protective over their children, and the men very protective of their wives and children.
Gender Roles
Masculinity and femininity are very defined. Men and women each have specific roles in life and in the household, which they have to abide within the constraints of. Men are supposed to provide for the women and children and in return get the utmost respect from their wives and can use them as they wish. Beating women to keep them in line and controlled is even considered acceptable, however excessive beating is a serious offense. Even if men don’t actually have feelings of contempt towards women, they still feign disgust for women because it is the custom. Men are also generally much more valued than women, and viewed as strong warriors while women are viewed as weak. Women are thought to simply be the child bearers, caregivers and housekeepers and have no place of high ranking in government or society. While it isn’t explicitly required, it is expected that women have as many children as they can bear, in hope that many of them are men over women. They are also responsible for taking care of their man as well, doing whatever he wants them to do. They also provide the cooking and cleaning for the family as well.
Things Fall Apart: Chapter 2, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 10, Chapter 11
Gender Roles
Masculinity and femininity are very defined. Men and women each have specific roles in life and in the household, which they have to abide within the constraints of. Men are supposed to provide for the women and children and in return get the utmost respect from their wives and can use them as they wish. Beating women to keep them in line and controlled is even considered acceptable, however excessive beating is a serious offense. Even if men don’t actually have feelings of contempt towards women, they still feign disgust for women because it is the custom. Men are also generally much more valued than women, and viewed as strong warriors while women are viewed as weak. Women are thought to simply be the child bearers, caregivers and housekeepers and have no place of high ranking in government or society. While it isn’t explicitly required, it is expected that women have as many children as they can bear, in hope that many of them are men over women. They are also responsible for taking care of their man as well, doing whatever he wants them to do. They also provide the cooking and cleaning for the family as well.
Things Fall Apart: Chapter 2, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 10, Chapter 11