Topic > The role and treatment of women in "Homegoing"

In Yaa Gyasi's anomalously structured text Homegoing, different forms of unequal treatment are explored. The main form of derogatory treatment exposed in the novel is racial inequality, however, we see in every single chapter a situation where this racial inequality mixes with gender. Throughout history, common gender stereotypes are exposed that even exist today in some cultures. These stereotypes are seen quite clearly in the formation and development of every single character on both sides of the lineage. Even though the two bloodlines of Effia and Esi take place on completely different continents, there is still a form of duality that can be seen when it comes to gender inequality, especially on the female side. In Yaa Gyasi's novel Homegoing, there are many different ways in which women deal with the effects of oppression, gender inequality, and unfair treatment over generations and centuries, and even into the future. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Throughout the book, gender stereotypes are constantly present which lead to different treatments. From the beginning, men are expected to take on roles based on physical strength, authority and emotionless reactions. This results in them being in positions of power over women. Women face stereotypes of oppression, ownership, and treating them as property and weak. This treatment is the basis for many centuries of treatment, never to change until the end of the book. In Daughter Effia's very first storyline, there are huge examples of gender inequality exposed. Effia must face the consequences of her culture, having been born a beautiful Knave woman. She was physically and mentally harassed by her father's first wife, Baaba, which is the prime example of the gender inequality she faces. His father had many wives, the first example of polygamy commonly seen in the first half of the book. This exposure to female inequality is present throughout the lives of both daughters, not just one. Also in Effia's chapter, there is the first exposure of the oppression women experience due to their gender, being forced into marriage by their culture and family. Her mother is a constant manipulative force in her life, to the point of convincing her daughter to marry James Collins instead of their tribe's chief, Abeeku Badu. Effia's chapter is a gateway to the concept of female inequality, and it is certainly a strong theme throughout her life. In addition to Effia, we see many examples of polygamy, the concept of having multiple wives per man. This idea leads to treating women more like objects, possessions and wealth than as valued human beings. This is seen when Effia quotes: “I have heard the English call them girls, not wives. Wife was a word reserved for white women across the Atlantic. Wench was something completely different, a word soldiers used to keep their hands clean. We see this in cultural leaders, especially in Ghana, where your claim to fame depended on how rich you were based on the number of wives you had. This idea is derogatory towards women and immediately diminishes their place in the scale of humanity. There were countless examples of white men in power sexually taking advantage of women trapped in the prison beneath White Castle. Although James had a wife and children in England and a wife in the castle, he and his authoritarian friends raped and often impregnated the trapped females, forcing them to carry the burden of an unborn child for a timeindefinite. in horrible situations. This horrible situation is observed when Anna ends up killing herself while pregnant with H out of fear for her life after his birth. Obviously, the concept of polygamy clouds the idea of ​​a “faithful marriage,” often seen as a religious celebration.belief. There was no consideration towards a faithful marriage in the novel due to the era and cultural impact on men. Men did not see marriage as they see it today, they saw it as a way to gain gifts, authority and social gain. In addition to the terrible treatment of marriage and the human value of women at the beginning of the book, there are many examples of a lack of power and respect towards women. When Effia first meets James and is introduced to the castle, Effia asks James, "What's underneath?" and James responds with “loaded.” Even though Effia can hear and smell the horrible situation these trapped slaves find themselves in, she has no power or authority to do anything about it. When she confronts her other friends who are wives of other men in power there, they fall silent, eventually informing her that you do what your husband says. This is another example of the extreme lack of power that women possess in this era, followed by the concept that they are considered property of the men in power. Another major theme of female oppression in the novel is the combination of slavery and gender. inequality. Females were often taken in as slaves to be forced to be housewives or mothers of many children with many different wives. Often in custody on slave plantations, they were raped, forced to carry pregnancies for the plantation owner's children. In Ness' situation, she was unable to become a housewife due to her whip scars, being forced to work in the fields at such a young age, a form of physical abuse. Another character, Abena, described as beautiful, faced oppression due to her social position. She was born to James, nicknamed "Unlucky" because of his luck in terms of agricultural performance. Abena had to face the consequences of her father being very less wealthy and because of this she could not get married. For this reason she is treated like a maid and a mistress. She is sexually active outside of marriage, due to the relationship with Ohene Nyarko because that is all she can do in her social position. This social oppression continues with examples such as Robert and Willie's marriage where Robert is forced to sexually violate his wife. The author shows how the treatment of women can be seen in conjunction with race and gender. A final example of this comes in the last chapters, where Marjorie is treated like an outcast because she is a black girl who likes a white boy. While you may think that these forms of treatment towards these women may be situational and only present in the present day, the author does a great job of showing the effects of this treatment across generations. While one side of the lineage may have endured harsher treatment than the other, ultimately both had long-term consequences for female oppression. In the last chapter, Marcus can look back at his family's history and see traces of oppression in it. Throughout her research, she notes that all oppression and inequality is rooted in issues of gender and race, talking about how unfair it was that in her lineage there were people of color who faced many years of harsh punishment for the same actions that whites did freely. Off with. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get an essay./.