Roots: The Saga of an American Family Women and Femininity Quotes

The fact that Kairaba is rewarded for his service to Juffure with "a choice virgin" tells us a thing or two about the gender dynamics around these parts. Still, as we'll learn over the course of this section, the reality of the situation is more complicated than it seems at first glance.

This is one of the many reasons why Nyo Boto is our fave—she doesn't give a flying fish how men expect women to act. She'll give them a piece of her mind whether they want it or not. Ultimately, it's this fearlessness that makes Kunta so shocked that Nyo Boto is an enslaved woman.

This is one of our favorite moments in the novel, especially because all of the mothers are well aware of their sons' heists and laugh about them with one another. This is great on a symbolic level, because it shows that women still hold power in Mandinka society, even if on the surface it seems like they don't.

On an even more amazing note, the spouses' families are invited to watch one of these lovemaking sessions and review whether the man's skills are indeed inadequate. For real. Again, this shows us that though Mandinka society is male-dominated, it's not the strict patriarchy you might expect it to be.

This is a big moment in Kunta's life, as it's the first time he looks at the world through the eyes of a woman, many of whom probably aren't enthused that their husbands can marry new wives. Frankly, Kunta would be pretty disappointed if that happened too.

We can easily imagine a teenage Kunta brooding about Binta and thinking these very same thoughts. Not to get ahead of ourselves, but we think Bell has this thing in the bag.

Kunta has difficulty reconciling his preference for Mandinka gender roles with Bell's distinctly American disposition, as evidenced by this passage. In the end, however, we're pretty sure Kunta would be bummed if Bell changed who she was to fit his expectations—she wouldn't be the woman he fell in love with.

This scene cracks us up so much that we just might use Bell's line next time we meet a cutie-pie. It would definitely work, right? Jokes aside, Kunta and Bell are a classic odd couple, with the stoic Kunta contrasting with the outspoken Bell. She might not be the woman he expected to marry, but he wouldn't have it any other way.

For her part, Bell isn't always enthused when her husband's African heritage takes the form of him acting like the boss of the household. Of course, Kunta's mom Binta was no delicate flower herself, and Bell might be encouraged if she knew that.

Kizzy, like many women who were trapped in the American slave trade, is raped and abused by the slave-owner who steals her away from her family. It's maybe the single most gut-wrenching moment in the novel. Instead of ignoring it, however, it's important to acknowledge its horror so we fully understand the way that women were victimized by the institution of slavery.