Thesis: Through human interaction and dialogue, Achebe develops the idea

that male dominant societies destroy the values of love and acceptance in
relationships.

Nnaemeka’s patriarchal father objectifies Nene, Nnaemeka’s wife, and in

turn, destroys the value of love in marriage.

- Marriage should be based upon intimate bonds and love for each other. Love
is created by sacred human emotions such as respect, empathy, and intense
affection.

- Nnaemeka’s father bases a marriage upon background characteristics such as

religion and job occupation rather than love and affection. The
characteristics must be that of male vulnerability. Nnaemeka’s father rejects
his wife because she offends against the customs of the bridegroom's village
by cutting across religious, tribal and family beliefs. Everything is against
Nene: she comes from Lagos, she is not an Igbo and she is a school-teacher.

- Making marriage require a qualification list based on non-intimate

characteristics destroys love in marriage and turns women into objects of
male dominance.

Nnaemeka’s patriarchal father shuns Nnaemeka for breaking the male dominant
traditions, thus, he destroys the love and acceptance in their father-son relationship.

- Father-son relationships are based upon “bonds of heavenly love (Plato)”.

Nnaemeka’s patriarchal father refuses to accept his son’s choice in women
and in turn, shuns him from the village. This shows the destruction of love
and acceptance in their relationship and the soul eating effects of male
dominant minds. They isolate each other and the father shows acts of hate by
ripping his son’s wedding picture. This also demonstrates the destruction of
a male dominant mindset on relationships.

Through human interaction and dialogue, Achebe develops the idea that male
dominant societies destroy the values of love and acceptance in relationships.