The of Women in African Society
The role of women in African society as illustrated by the short stories is performing domestic chores and bearing and raising children. Grace Ogot, as a Kenyan writer, has adequately illustrated these roles in her short stories.
Women were expected to stay at home and perform domestic chores while their husbands went to work to fend for them. In the story ‘The Fisherman’, Achunga who was Nyamgodho’s wife cooked for him and cleaned the house while he was away fishing. In another story known as The Professor, Rosemary who was married to Professor Miyare did not have a job even though she was highly educated. She stayed home and maintained the house while her husband was doing research in his labs. She was also expected to support her husband’s work regardless of her views on it.
African women were expected to get married and bear children. In the story, ‘Pay Day’ Awino felt unfulfilled as a wife for she had not borne any children for her husband Jerry. Jerry divorced her and married someone else who was able to bear children. Women in African traditional religion were viewed as those who enabled the continuity of life and therefore the society. They were therefore tasked to bear as many children as they could in their lifespan preferably male children to inherit their fathers.
The Role of Men
African traditional religion had clearly defined roles for men and women. Once children were born, they were educated informally in their gender roles. Grace Ogot in her various short stories has illustrated these gender roles. Men in African society were supposed to be the breadwinners in the home and also to protect their families from any external attacks.
Drawing examples from the short stories, the role of men as a symbol of protection is shown by the various characters. In the story, ‘Pay Day’, Awino laments that she is unprotected for her husband had divorced her and therefore she was prone to attack by thieves. The thieves attacked women who were not married or who lived alone for they were defenseless.
Men were also the breadwinners in their homes for the women’s role was to stay home and do domestic chores. The short story, ‘The Minister’ tells the story of Jedidah and Jared. Jedidah stayed home whereas Jared went to school to teach and earn his living. He would then use his money to provide for the family and also pay the rent.
