Chinua Achebe,,THINGS FALL APART?

Question

at the begining of part2, when Okonkow flees to his motherland for protection, can u please explane the relation between the treatment of women in the novel and the "mother supreme" principle expressd by Okonkwo's kinsman ? any resourses will be v welcome!

no sparknotes please!

Answer 1

well,first of all it is imperative for u 2 understand that in that particular community, women are subjected to discrimination and inequality.What Okonkwo's uncle wants to refer to is a saying describing Mother as supreme. But actually it signifies the 'mother' earth and describes it as fertile. However he also adds that even in the cruel and domineering world of masculinity prevailing in the village, comfort from pain and abuse is given by mother's love- its this affection that she gives that strengthen even the weakest of men. Okonkwo's uncle, here wants in a way to defend women's rights and capacity. In order to make his nephew understand, he uses earth imagery as Okonkwo is so familiar with it when he grows his yams.

Answer 2

Varying Interpretations of Masculinity
Okonkwo’s relationship with his late father shapes much of his violent and ambitious demeanor. He wants to rise above his father’s legacy of spendthrift, indolent behavior, which he views as weak and therefore feminine. This association is inherent in the clan’s language—the narrator mentions that the word for a man who has not taken any of the expensive, prestige-indicating titles is agbala, which also means “woman.” But, for the most part, Okonkwo’s idea of manliness is not the clan’s. He associates masculinity with aggression and feels that anger is the only emotion that he should display. For this reason, he frequently beats his wives, even threatening to kill them from time to time. We are told that he does not think about things, and we see him acting rashly and impetuously. Yet others who are in no way effeminate do not behave in this way. Obierika, unlike Okonkwo, “was a man who thought about things.” Whereas Obierika refuses to accompany the men on the trip to kill Ikemefuna, Okonkwo not only volunteers to join the party that will execute his surrogate son but also violently stabs him with his machete simply because he is afraid of appearing weak.
Okonkwo’s seven-year exile from his village only reinforces his notion that men are stronger than women. While in exile, he lives among the kinsmen of his motherland but resents the period in its entirety. The exile is his opportunity to get in touch with his feminine side and to acknowledge his maternal ancestors, but he keeps reminding himself that his maternal kinsmen are not as warlike and fierce as he remembers the villagers of Umuofia to be. He faults them for their preference of negotiation, compliance, and avoidance over anger and bloodshed. In Okonkwo’s understanding, his uncle Uchendu exemplifies this pacifist (and therefore somewhat effeminate) mode.

Answer 3

Go to sparknotes.com. Search your book. Look under the themes section for more info. Hope I helped.

Answer 4

Omg... I hated that book. Spark Notes baby!