Women's Liberation

In class today, we discussed how women are much more powerful in this novel than in any of our previous novels. The women in this novel took a stand against paying taxes and were much more outspoken in their views. In the previous novels we have read, women were always depicted as timid people who would follow whatever men (their husbands, brothers, fathers, etc) told them to do. However, we see a contrast in "Ake" because here women like Wild Christian and Beere are not afraid of speaking up against men's laws. I think that because Wole grew up in an environment where women expressed themselves openly, he eventually became a feminist. Witnessing an angry mob of women standing outside a palace and demanding that taxes be lifted definitely must have left a powerful impression on young Wole. Also, the women most involved in Wole's life were not ordinary women. Wild Christian did not defer to her husband like Okonkwo's wives did nor did she keep quiet about injustices like Tambu did. Even Beere, who went to places like England and spoke for women's rights, must have had an influence on Wole. Overall, I enjoyed reading a novel that portrayed the strength of African women rather than only their oppression.