The presence of sexism, both individual and institutional, is endemic in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart. It's the most consistent theme in the story, more intrinsic to the plot than racism, and certainly more deeply rooted. The predominance of the masculine gender appears from the first pages. The fact that men are allowed to have multiple wives is the first sign of a sexually biased culture (2860). The book in its entirety gives no idea that women are allowed to engage in anything other than a monogamous relationship, and there is no reason to assume so. Indeed, women are generally treated more like a commodity than as partners. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay In the second chapter, there is a conflict between the local villages and it is resolved by the weaker village giving a boy and a girl to the stronger one. The boy practically becomes an adopted child and the girl is married off to a member of the tribe. Her desires are inconsequential and her virginity is one of the terms of the resolution, clearly indicating where her value lies in the eyes of the Igbo people (2864-2865). Another indication of the devaluation of women's human worth is present in a line describing Okonkwo's feelings during the New Yam festival: "He trembled with the desire to conquer and subdue. It was like a woman’s desire” (2878). A later scene shows this dynamic in more detail: “She was about sixteen and perfect for marriage. Her suitor and her relative examined her young body with expert eyes as if to assure themselves that she was beautiful and mature” (2890). Following this exposure, she retreats to her mother's cabin to help her cook. The mother's warning illustrates a corporeal parallel to a woman's position in Igbo tradition when she tells her daughter, "You grew your ears for decoration, not for hearing" (2891). It is a woman's physical appearance and practical reproductive functionality that gives her value. In general, no knowledge beyond what is necessary for housekeeping and child-rearing is considered appropriate for a woman. But Achebe also exposes us to some feminine functions that are authoritative, and almost revered, among the Igbo people. For example, they supported belief in female deities like Ani, the earth goddess, who "played a greater role in the lives of the people than any other deity", as "the ultimate judge of morality and conduct” (2875). Additionally, Agbala (the Oracle), who occupies one of the highest positions in the culture, only corresponds through women. During the Things Fall Apart storyline, this woman is a priestess named Chielo (2921). There are several indirect ways in which Achebe implies the inferiority of a woman's status; one is in a brief delineation of the major Igbo cultures. The yam, he writes, is “the queen of crops…man’s crop.” Other crops like cassava and beans were "women's crops" and a footnote describes them as "low status" (2869). Giving information about Okonkwo's father also provides more than a reason for Okonkwo's harsh behavior, if we read between the lines. The description of the deceased Unoka tells us that his wife and children lived in poverty and often died of starvation because of his indiscretion (2861). We gain deeper insight into Igbo culture as Achebe tells us about Okonkwo's notion of his father; he associates Unoka with weakness, and..