Like some of you guys, I really enjoy Things Fall Apart, but I have mixed feelings about some of the practices described. The treatment of women, the violence, and the indifference of the men all bother me. After thinking about it, I realized that a lot of what bothers me when I'm reading is driven by this idea of heightened masculinity. Okonkwo won't just hurt others to prove himself, which although more common I still think is an iffy practice according to what I'm used to, but he'll kill someone he thinks of as a son just to maintain this image. Furthermore, he won't acknowledge his pain after the fact in any truly introspective way in fear of seeming weak.
However, I have to take into consideration the fact that I'm seeing and thinking about these things from the perspective of an incredibly different culture. Today in American culture, intense masculinity is, I think, for the most part considered compensatory. I personally often think of it in the context of rape culture, wherein masculinity is used as an excuse or catalyst for violence. In Okonkwo's culture, however, masculinity is seen as an innately good strength.
So, I am left confused, especially about the concept of masculinity in the novel. It is probably Achebe's goal for us to feel this way. While I associate toxic masculinity with inherently negative things, in Igbo culture it is seen as a prize. I see the other side, and I understand the other side, but I'm not sure if my being bothered by it is culturally insensitive, or just the innate reaction I have as a product of my culture.
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I was actually just thinking about toxic masculinity in the novel the other day! I totally agree with you. I think that (what I perceive as) the issues with the society Achebe describes don’t just come down to how the Igbo people of Umuofia see women; the issues are also about how they see the men. We see a prime example of this with Nwoye, who doesn’t want to listen to his dad’s violent stories. He’d much rather hear his mother’s folk tales, or even Ikemefuna’s narratives. Unfortunately, Nwoye’s doesn’t get much of a choice—he can’t even express himself without fearing his father’s anger. (I say unfortunately because I think, even if Nwoye eventually decides to value this aspect of his culture, it’s healthy to have doubts.) He’s really being funneled into walking a somewhat strict line, as Okonkwo is already worrying about whether Nwoye will be able to “control his women.”
I agree with Liz that I’m looking at this situation from a different point of view, as I’ve been raised with different values. I haven’t been taught to really value any form of perceived “masculinity” over femininity, which I am personally grateful for, being a girl and all. But I don’t think it’s culturally insensitive to think about certain aspects of the described Igbo culture as toxic masculinity because I believe that’s an interpretation Achebe actually pushes us toward. After all, he’s not just praising Igbo culture; he’s also criticizing it.
I definitely agree that Achebe is not really praising the culture of toxic masculinity present in Igbo society. While applying Western cultural values to other societies can be problematic, especially in the context of a nation that was subjugated by colonialism like Nigeria, I think Achebe also questions certain aspects of Igbo society. Most importantly as far as Achebe's depiction of masculinity, Okonkwo's actions that are driven by toxic masculinity are ultimately self destructive. This doesn't necessarily mean all aspects of masculinity in Igbo culture are fundamentally wrong. But the elements of masculine ideals that Okonkwo takes to the extreme end up devastating him. Again, it's hard to separate our ideas of right and wrong from Western liberal values, I think in the context of Igbo culture, Okonkwo would be better off if his ideas of masculinity didn't drive him to killing his own adopted son. So even if Igbo and Western conceptions of masculinity are different, I think toxic masculinity can be present in both as demonstrated by Achebe's depiction of Okonkwo.
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