Gender Roles in Things Fall Apart
2013-2014
Gender Roles?
• In order to talk about gender roles in Things
Fall Apart, we have to understand the
difference between three different concepts:
– Sex
– Gender
– Sexuality
Let’s Talk About Sex
• Someone’s sex is defined by their biological
components. One’s sex is (generally)
determined at birth.
– Women develop breasts that lactate milk.
– Men, generally speaking, have denser bones.
– Genital differences determine sex.
– Usually defined as either male or female (although
third sexes do exist [intersex])
Gender
• Gender is a societal construction.
– The characteristics of a gender are determined by
the society.
• Gender determines roles, attitudes, and
behaviors that are deemed acceptable for
masculine and feminine roles.
• Many societies recognize third genders (Twospirit in NDN tribes)
Sexual Orientation
• While sounding similar to both sex and
gender, and often times being related to the
two, sexual orientation is related to attraction.
• It is a way individuals identify themselves, but
is unimportant to our discussion.
Sex vs Gender Roles
• “Male” and “Female” are sex categories.
• “Feminine” and “Masculine” are gender categories.
– What is a “real man?” What is a “real woman?”
• Gender Roles
– In many parts of the world, women do more housework
than men.
– In many parts of the world, men are the primary moneyearners.
– In Saudi Arabia, women are not allowed to drive cars.
– In Vietnam, men traditionally smoke and women do not.
Source: http://www.who.int/gender/whatisgender/en/
Why Should I Care?
(cuz I say so)
• Gender roles are a part of society, and
conformity/nonconformity influences and
affects our lives.
• QUICK WRITE: in Things Fall Apart, how do
gender roles affect Okonkwo? Nwoye? The
wives?
Okonkwo’s Greatest Fear
• QUICK WRITE:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What is Okonkwo’s greatest fear?
How do you know this?
How Okonkwo characterized?
How is his father characterized?
How might gender roles have effected who
Okonkwo became?
Srsly, y should i care???
• How do gender roles affect us today?
– Politically? At home? At work? At school? In Public? In
Private? Economically?
– QUICK WRITE:
1. Define a “real woman.”
2. Define a “real man.”
3. Write a solid paragraph describing how gender roles affect
you in your daily life.
4. What can we learn from Okonkwo (in regards to gender
roles)?
Your Group’s Task
• Find an advertisement from a magazine that
uses gender roles to promote a product
(blatant example: AXE commercials)
• Create a small poster with you ad being sure
to answer the following questions
– Who is the target and how are they being
targeted?
– What is the message being conveyed by the
advertiser?
– Do you agree with the message? Why or why not?
– Be prepared to compare to TFA (don’t put this on
poster