Thesis Statements + Outline

With reference to Things Fall Apart, discuss how an understanding of gender influences how the text may be understood.

In order to provide a more "ethnic" portrayal of the Igbo society, Achebe characterizes Okonkwo, the protagonist of the novel, with extreme masculine traits whilst giving the females in the novel such as Ekwefi and Okonkwo's wives characteristics of inferiority and submission.

Outline 

Paragraph 1 -  Introduction 

Paragraph 2 - Okonkwo Characterization -

Topic Sentence -  Through the implementation of subplots such as the Week of Peace and implicit actions, Achebe depicts Okonkwo as an Hypermasculine individual, who isn't a good representative of the Igbo society.

Paragraph 3 - Ekfewi and characterization of other females in the novel  

Topic Sentence - Via, implementing the foil characters of Ekfewi and Ezinma in the novel, Achebe depicts the submissive and excessively feminine gender roles, which the Igbo women must follow in the Igbo society.

Paragraph 4 -  Usage of foil characters such as Obrieka, which are used to emphasize Okonkwo's excessive gender traits.

Topic Sentence - Achebe, utilizes the foil character of Obrieka to highlight and emphasize the excessiveness of Okonkwo's behavior, whilst providing a backdrop to show a more human representative of the Igbo Society.

Paragraph 5 - Conclusion  - Through the usage of foil characters, subplots and the characterization of Okonkwo, Achebe manages to create a novel which successfully depicts the reality of post-colonial Igboland in his novel "Things Fall Apart".