Gender roles

As in commonly-recognized modern gender roles, men were supposed to be active and aggressive, while women were expected to be subservient and passive. This is reflected even in the Igbo ways of farming. Only men were allowed to grow yams, and a man's wealth was determined based on his land for planting, his yams for feeding his family, and his stores of seed yams for planting in the next season; therefore, the yam was seen as a symbol of power and manhood.

Though the women in the Ibo culture are critical to the need for bearing sons to carry on the family name, women have little to no value on their own. Despite the fact that a man must be rich enough to purchase his wife, once married, the man has control of everything – property and even the children. From the perspective of the Ibo tribe, the man has to prove his worthiness to the bride’s family in order to receive the honor of caring for his bride. Nevertheless, the Ibo men did not hesitate to reprimand their wives, even using corporal punishment if deemed necessary.

Gender differentiation is also seen in Igbo classification of crimes. The narrator of Things Fall Apart states that "The crime [of killing Ezeudu's son] was of two kinds, male and female. Okonkwo had committed the female, because it had been inadvertent. He could return to the clan after seven years."^[11] Okonkwo fled to the land of his mother, Mbanta, because a man finds refuge with his mother. Uchendu explains this to Okonkwo:

"It is true that a child belongs to his father. But when the father beats his child, it seeks sympathy in its mother's hut. A man belongs to his fatherland when things are good and life is sweet. But when there is sorrow and bitterness, he finds refuge in his motherland. Your mother is there to protect you. She is buried there. And that is why we say that mother is supreme."^[12]

Gender roles

As in commonly-recognized modern gender roles, men were supposed to be active and aggressive, while women were expected to be subservient and passive. This is reflected even in the Igbo ways of farming. Only men were allowed to grow yams, and a man's wealth was determined based on his land for planting, his yams for feeding his family, and his stores of seed yams for planting in the next season; therefore, the yam was seen as a symbol of power and manhood.

Though the women in the Ibo culture are critical to the need for bearing sons to carry on the family name, women have little to no value on their own. Despite the fact that a man must be rich enough to purchase his wife, once married, the man has control of everything – property and even the children. From the perspective of the Ibo tribe, the man has to prove his worthiness to the bride’s family in order to receive the honor of caring for his bride. Nevertheless, the Ibo men did not hesitate to reprimand their wives, even using corporal punishment if deemed necessary.

Gender differentiation is also seen in Igbo classification of crimes. The narrator of Things Fall Apart states that "The crime [of killing Ezeudu's son] was of two kinds, male and female. Okonkwo had committed the female, because it had been inadvertent. He could return to the clan after seven years."^[11] Okonkwo fled to the land of his mother, Mbanta, because a man finds refuge with his mother. Uchendu explains this to Okonkwo:

"It is true that a child belongs to his father. But when the father beats his child, it seeks sympathy in its mother's hut. A man belongs to his fatherland when things are good and life is sweet. But when there is sorrow and bitterness, he finds refuge in his motherland. Your mother is there to protect you. She is buried there. And that is why we say that mother is supreme."^[12]