Gender roles play a big role in this book.  In the beginning, you see that women are under appreciated.  In the first chapter, it says that women tend the field.  and usually its the men who do that.  That is the first time i have seen the roles being switched around.  In the second chapter it opens with a girls walking to Stephens house.  the gender roles are really changed in this book.  from what we have read, men grow up to do more things, and be bigger leaders.  Women on the other hand, if the are wives they have to support the men no matter what.  And they also have to do most of the dirty work.  It also seems like men are cleaner, cause Stephen is going to Johannesburg to see a sick girl, and on the train ride.  He has trouble sitting by some of the women cause they are dressed wrong.  Time has changed obviously and i hope its still not like that over there in Africa.