gender differences

In "Chronicle of a Death Foretold" the role of women and how they are treated can be compared to gender roles in "Things Fall Apart."  With regards to the Vicario family in "Chronicle of a Death Foretold" the narrator states, "The brothers were brought up to be men. The girls had been reared to get married" (31). From this quote I can sense that women are brought up to be just wives and be under the rule of their husband. While males are to grow up into men. Women are dehumanized to live for their husbands. Men become the head and center of all life. In "Things Fall Apart," Okonkwo embodies that masculine, powerful man who has control and power over everyone else. He beats his wives and will not allow himself to be seen as weak or sensitive. He believes he could only be respectful by acting manly, aggressive and powerful.  In "Chronicle of a Death Foretold" Bayardo San Roman is like the paradigm of the perfect man. He is rich, powerful, and handsome.  All he has to do is pick any woman and that woman must become his wife. In both books the male gender is higher than the female and the female is clearly seen as subordinate. Both Okonkwo and Bayardo San Roman treat their wives violently as violence becomes the symbol of their masculinity and power.