CHAPTER BY CHAPTER SUMMARY
Chapter 1: Breaking Gods(Palm Sunday)
Section 1
- After church, Papa flung his missal at Jaja, missing him and breaking the
figurines instead.
- Revealed that it was Ash Wednesday, and that Papa and the other
oblates distributed ash every year at their church, St.Agnes.
- Papa takes his faith very seriously, and has contributed to the church on
numerous occasions, earning him the praise of the priest, Father
Benedict.
- Father Benedict limits the expression of Igbo culture in St.Agnes,
viewing it with disdain.
- Revealed that Papa is the owner of the Standard, a newspaper which
advocates for freedom.
- He is portrayed to be very humble and reluctant to accept praise.
- Kambili’s pride in Papa is revealed.
-When Papa noticed that Jaja didn’t take communion, he confronted him.
- Jaja explained that he didn’t like the taste of the wafer, and that
the priest touching his mouth nauseated him.
-Papa told him that he would die if he didn’t take the communion, to
which Jaja stated, “Then I will die.”
- The events at the beginning then unfolded, after which Mama entered
and picked up the broken pieces, ordering Kambili to go up and change
and Jaja to help her.
- Kambili expected Papa to give her his ‘love sips’ from his tea, but he
never did.
- Kambili recollected the time when Jaja told her that government
agents tried to bribe Papa.
- Mama entered to call her for lunch.
- During lunch, Kambili and Mama remarked about the taste of the food
as they usually do.
- Jaja broke his role by staying silent.
- After eating, Jaja thanked the Lord, Papa and Mama for the food
and left, ignoring Papa’s calls.
- This greatly worried Kambili, causing her to choke, resulting in
Mama and Papa coming to her aid.
- Later, Mama brought some soup to Kambili in her room and told her that
she would not replace the figurines.
- Kambili noted that everything had changed after Nsukka.
Chapter 2: Speaking With Our Spirits(Before Palm Sunday)
Section 1
- Revealed that Papa schedules the activities of Kambili and Jaja.
- Mama entered Kambili’s room to give her her school uniforms.
- She revealed that she was pregnant and going to give birth in
October.
- Revealed that Mama had many miscarriages after birthing Kambili,
causing the other members of the ummuna to encourage Papa to have
children with someone else.
-However Papa stayed loyal to Mama(her name is actually Beatrice).
- Later, the members of Our Lady of The Miraculous Medal prayer group
arrived, and Mama and Sisi(their maid) prepared food for them.
- Jaja entered Kambili’s room to ask her how she was doing.
-Revealed that Jaja and Kambili can communicate ‘with their eyes’.
-This was shown when Jaja told Kambili that he missed eating
lunch with her.
- Revealed that Kevin is their family driver, who would first pick up Jaja
from school before picking up Kambili.
- Revealed that Jaja and Kambili went to St.Nicholas and Daughters
of the Immaculate Heart respectively.
- Revealed that Jaja recently joined a new gifted student program, which
meant that he attended after-school lessons, causing a need to revise
Jaja’s schedulule.
- Kambili informed Jaja that Mama is pregnant, to which Jaja responded
that they will protect the baby.
- The next day, a coup had happened, do Papa called Ade Coker to tell
him something about it.
- Papa then came back and told the family about the nature of
coups, and that those ruling are just power drunk and that politicians
were corrupt.
- The Standard wrote many stories exposing the corruption.
- Kambili’s desire to impress Papa is revealed.
Section 2
- Revealed that Kevin would pluck green branches and stuck them to the
car so that the demonstrators at the coup would allow them to pass(the
branches represented Solidarity).
- A visiting priest said Mass at church one day.
- Kambili noted that he didn’t talk about the fancy appearance of
the church.
- Halfway through, the priest sang in Igbo song, to some people’s
surprise and other’s dismay(the latter including Papa).
- After church, the family was about to go and visit Father Benedict as they
usually do after Mass.
- Mama asked Papa if she could wait in the car as she felt vomit in
her throat.
- Papa simply asked if she was sure she wanted to do that, to which
she said that her body doesn’t feel right.
- Papa repeated his statement, to which Mama said that she will
come with him.
- Kambili noted how pale Mama looked.
- Father Benedict greeted them at his house and asked them to join him to
eat, but Papa refused.
- The priest remarked on how unwell Mama looked, but she said she
was fine.
- He asked the siblings if they enjoyed Mass, and they
simultaneously affirmed.
-When they got home, Sisi already had Papa’s tea set out.
- She offered to pour it into his cup for him, but he ignored her.
- He then gave Jaja and Kambili ‘love sips’.
-Mama hurried to her room and vomited there.
-Later, the entire family had jollof rice and azu for lunch.
- Kambili finished first and thanked the Lord, Papa and Mama.
before concentrating on the picture of her Grandfather.
- Papa first prayed for the food and then for forgiveness for
Mama(although he said it indirectly)
-Later, while Kambili was in her room, she heard sound of Papa beating
Mama, although she tried to pass it off as something else.
-Kambili and Jaja came out of their rooms soon after to see Papa
carrying Mama down the stairs on his shoulder.
-Papa exited the house, and the siblings cleaned up the blood that
was on the floor.
-Some time after, Kambili and Jaja had dinner alone as their parents
weren’t home.
-They talked about the public execution of three men for drug
trafficking.
-After dinner, Jaja said the grace and added a short prayer for
Mama.
-Kambili was drawing pregnant stick figures in her textbook when Papa
entered, looking sad.
-He told her that Mama will be back tomorrow and will be fine,
before hugging her.
-Mama came home the next day and informed the siblings that the baby
was killed due to an ‘accident’.
-Mama started to polish the figurines afterwards, and dismissed
Kambili.
-Kambili tried to study, but the implications of the situation gave her
disturbing hallucinations prevented her from doing so.(the letters in her
textbook turned to red).
-On the first Sunday of Trinity, the family stayed behind after Mass to
recite sixteen novenas for Mama’s forgiveness(as Papa had previously told
them to)
Section 3
-Kambili’s disturbing hallucinations persisted as she tried to study.
-One day, while Kambili was studying, Yewande Coker(the wife of Ade
Coker) came in crying, exclaiming that people had taken her husband.
-Papa comforted her and eased her worries.
-It’s revealed that Ade Coker’s arrest was because of his participation in a
cover story that would cast suspicion on the government about the drug
trafficking incident.
-The following week, Kambili took her exams.
-To her horror, she came second.
-The form mistress, Sister Clara, and the principal. Mother
Lucy, had praised Kambili in her report card, but she dismissed those,
knowing that Papa would be disappointed.
.
-Mama greeted Kambili with Igbo praise songs(she only does this when
they receive their report cards).
-Kambili told Mama that she came second, and the latter paused
before telling her to eat.
-Papa had come home while Kambili was studying.
-He visited Jaja’s room first, and then entered Kambili’s room.
-She gave him her report card, and, after some time, he asked who
came first.
-She told him that the person was “Chinwe Jideze”.
-Papa told her to come for dinner.
-At dinner, Papa introduced samples of a new biscuit one of his many
companies made.
-Everybody fulfilled their role by complimenting it.
-After dinner, Papa told Kambili to come upstair.
-In Papa’s room, Papa told Kambili that she didn’t put in enough effort.
-Kambili sympathised with Papa’s sadness and dissapointment.
-The phone then rang, and Papa left to answer it. Afterwards, he never
talked about Kambili’s grades again.
-Papa got Ade Coker out of jail a week later.
-The family saw Ade Coker’s editorial in The Standard, where he said that
he won’t ever stop writing the truth, and thanked and praised Papa.
-Papa revealed that they had tortured Ade Coker.
-He stated that they would publish underground from now on.
-During the school break, Mama took Jaja and Kambili to get new sandals
and bags.
-Kambili observed the busy chaotic environment.
-As they were leaving, the family witnessed a commotion, and saw a
woman get beaten by a solider for spitting on him.
-Kambili desired to help the woman.
-While Papa drove Kambili to school, she observed him giving money to a
beggar, and compared the poor man to the woman that she saw at the
market.
At school, Papa asked Kambili to show him her class.
-Sister Margaret came towards the two and welcomed Papa
passionately.
-Kambili noted that Papa always changed his accent when he spoke
in pubic.
-At the front door of the class, Papa reprimanded Kambili for losing to the
girl, as she had the same number of heads as her.
-Papa revealed that, as his father ‘spent his time worshipping gods
of wood and stone’, he had to rely on the priests and sisters at the mission
for his education.
-At assembly, Kambili was asked by Mother Lucy to say the pledge, but she
struggled to speak initially.
-At class, Ezinne(a classmate of Kambili) talked to her about her holiday.
-It is revealed that Kambili has horrible social skills and often only
speaks in pieces.
-It is revealed that, apart from Ezinne, all her classmates think of
Kambili as an entitled, arrogant girl.
-This is especially true for Chinwe.
-It is revealed that Kambili has no time to socialise with her classmates as
she always has to go to Kevin to get picked up.
Section 3
-The disturbing visions continued to hinder Kambili’s studying.
-Before the Christmas break, Kambili received her report card.
-She had come first, and Kambili was happy as Papa would be proud
of her.
-Every Christmas, the family went to their hometown.
-They took 3 cars to go there, with Papa driving one, and Kevin and
Sunday(Kevin’s substitute during Christmas) driving the others.
-Papa had loaded some of his cars with food and other goods.
-Kevin and Sunday drove in front of Papa to alert him of any soldiers
at the roadblock.
-Papa started the rosary before driving out of their gated street, and
the family continued.
-At Ninth Mile, Papa bought bread and okpa from hawkers, and gave
those who he didn’t by from twenty naira notes each.
-It is revealed that:
-The family’s hometown is Abba Town.
-There is a huge disparity between the rich and the poor.
-Papa is well-respected in Abba Town; the locals call him ‘Omelora’
as a sign of respect.
-Their house in Abba town is big and modern.
-The entire family prepared to feed the entire village as soon as they
arrived.
-Kambili revealed that they had always done this, and that ‘Omelora’
meant ‘The One Who Does for the Community.’
-The siblings were unpacking upstairs when Mama called them to meet
Ade Coker, as he was on his way to Lagos with his wife and children and
came to wish them a merry Christmas.
-Ade Coker greeted the siblings and asked them if they liked coming to the
village, to which they gave short, synchronised responses.
-The editor remarked on how quiet they were, to which Papa said
that they were better than the other loud children others raised.
-Ade Coker asked him to imagine how The Standard would be like if
everyone was so quiet as a joke, but Papa didn’t laugh.
-The next day, Kambili got woken up from the hussle and bustle of the
village.
-Jaja entered and told her that they should go down for prayers.
-Kambili remembered when Papa was made a chief and took his
omelora title.
-He insisted that all pagan undertones be removed from his
ceremony.
-Jaja told Kambili that Papa was hosting a church council meeting before
noon.
-Kambili remarked on how slow time felt in Abba since they had no
schedules.
-The siblings met their parents and greeted them.
-A man had visited them whilst they were praying, and Papa told him that
he would help him later.
-Papa started the prayer, and when it was time for them to pray
individually:
-Mama prayed for peace and the rulers of Nigeria.
-Jaja prayed for priests and the religious.
-Kambili prayed for the Pope.
-Papa prayed from protection from ungodly people and forces,
as well as the conversion of his father, Papa Nnukwu(he was a
traditionalist).
-After prayer, Papa told the siblings that they would go and visit Papa
Nnwuku, but set numerous restrictions, including the rule that they could
not stay for more than fifteen minutes.
-Kambili recalled how Papa initially didn’t want them to visit their
grandfather, and only conceded due to the influence of the ummuna(male
members of their extended family).
-She also recalled how Papa promised numerous great things to
Papa Nnukwu if he converted, but the latter refused.
-She noted that Papa himself ceased contact with Papa Nnukwu,.
-Kevin drove the siblings to Papa Nnukwu’s house.
-Kambili remarked on how small and untidy the place looked.
-Papa Nnukwu greeted the siblings and offered them food, but they
refused, as Papa had forbade it.
-Jaja asked Papa Nnukwu how he was doing, and the man admitted
that he had numerous aches.
-He also told them that Aunty Ifeoma(Papa’s sister) brought him
medicine, but since her husband had died, she had seen hard times.
-Kambili recalled that Mama had told them that Papa and Aunty
Ifeoma ceased contact with each other.
-Papa Nnukwu offered them soda which Chinyelu(a child that helps
him) could get from the shop, but they refused.
-Papa Nnukwu asked why Papa wouldn’t even allow them to accept
soda drinks that he bought from the shop like everyone else.
-Jaja explained that they ate before visiting and would drink water
from his place if they were thirsty.
-Papa Nnukwu commended his wisdom and told the boy that he was
his father, Ogbuefi Olioke, incarnate.
-Jaja nudged Kambili for them to leave, but she insisted on staying.
-Finally, Jaja went up and told Papa Nnukwu that they had to leave.
-Kevin gave Papa Nnukwu a relatively slim wad of cash, and Papa
Nnukwu told him to thank Papa for him.
-As they were leaving, Kambili remarked on just how much better Papa had
treated his maternal father, who had died five years ago.
-His maternal father was very light skinned, always spoke English,
and converted many people in Abba, which earned Papa’s admiration.
-Kambili told Jaja that Papa Nnukwu took the poor treatment he receives
from Papa well, to which Jaja simply responds that he hides it well.
-At home, Papa confronted the siblings for staying up to twenty-five
minutes at Papa Nnukwu’s house.
-Jaja took the blame.
-Papa questioned them further.
-Jaja was the only one responding; Kambili froze up.
-Finally, Papa told them to go to their rooms after eating and pray
for forgiveness.
-Not much later, Kambili heard Papa yelling at an old traditionalist,
Anikwenwa, to leave his house.
-The old man called out his lack of respect, and two men slowly
ushered him out of the compound while he was insulting Papa.
Section 4
-Aunty Ifeoma visited the family the next day.
-Kambili greeted her, and the aunt grabbed her for a warm embrace.
-She asked how Kambili was doing and remarked on how much she
had grown.
-Kambili informed her that Jaja had a headache.
-Kambili enquired about her cousins, and Aunty Ifeoma said that
they would arrive soon and were at Papa Nnukwu’s house currently.
-It is revealed that the cousins have a much more developed
relationship with Papa Nnukwu than Kambili and Jaja do.
-Mama entered the room with drinks for her in-laws, and had a
conversation with Aunty Ifeoma.
-It is revealed that Mama and Aunty Ifeoma have a very tight bond.
-Mama told her that she had been helping the wives of the ummuna
with cooking.
–Aunty Ifeoma advised that she should just relax as they were just
there to smuggle food anyways.
-Aunty Ifeoma suggested that they take all the children to Abagana
for the Aro festival to look at the mmuo.
-Mama said that Papa wouldn’t allow that.
-Aunty Ifeoma proposed that they just say that they are taking them
out for a drive.
-Mama changed the subject, asking when she’ll take her children to
their father’s hometown.
-Aunty Ifeoma confessed that she was not sure if she would as
the ummuna of her husband was troubling her, even accusing her of
involvement in the car accident that killed him.
-Mama insisted that it would be good if the boys went to see their
father’s ummuna.
-It is revealed that Aunty Ifeoma played a significant role in Papa
staying with Mama despite the ummuna’s protests.
-The conversation than evolved into a discussion of the social
unrest in the country, the lack of resources and jobs, and the
numerous strikes.
-Aunty Ifeoma told Mama that some of her colleagues had even left
the country to go to America as they aren’t getting paid(Aunty
Ifeoma is a lecturer).
-Papa then entered, and Aunty Ifeoma called him, but he ignored her.
-She called him again, and asked him to allow her to take the
children to go see the mmuo, pointing out the lack of familiarity
between them.
-After some time, Papa relented and allowed her to do so.
-Later, Amaka, Obiora, and Chima arrived(they are the cousins) and
Kambili noted how they all laughed so enthusiastically.
-Papa gave the cousins money, and they thanked him.
-Amaka approached Kambili to ask if they could watch CNN.
-She then said that they should perhaps dol it tomorrow as they
were visiting their father’s family in Ukpo.
-Kambili said that they didn’t watch a lot of TV(Papa didn’t
allow them to).
-Amaka took this the wrong way, thinking that she was trying to
show off, and called her out indirectly.
-Kambili tried to apologise, but Amaka had already turned to
her mother to tell her that they should start their journey to Ukpo, to
which she agreed.
-The Aunty Ifeoma and her children then left and said thor farewells
to the siblings.(Amaka didn’t say bye to Kambili)
-Aunty Ifeoma came the next day and asked if Mama would join them, but
she refused.
-They then left the house, and Aunty Ifeoma said that they are going
to pick up Papa Nnukwu, to Kambili’s concern.
-She glanced at Jaja for his thoughts on the situation, but Jaja
looked away.
-When they had arrived at Papa Nnukwu’s house, the cousins went out to
get him.
-Aunty Ifeoma enquired as to why the siblings didn’t leave as well, to
which Jaja responded that they weren’t allowed to.
-Aunty Ifeoma asked why they thought Papa didn’t want them to do
so.
-Jaja said that he didn’t know, but Kambili said that it was because
he was a pagan.
-Aunty Ifeoma corrected her, stating that he was rather a
traditionalist.
-After some time, Papa Nnukwu entered the car and greeted the siblings.
-The great relationship between Aunty Ifeoma’s family and Papa
Nnukwu is emphasised, as they joke around and talk with each other
joyfully while Kambili and Jaja stay silent.
-Papa Nnukwu expressed his regret about letting Papa follow the
missionaries, but Aunty Ifeoma countered that it wasn’t the missionaries’
fault as she had also went to missionary school.
-Papa Nnwuku countered her counter argument by saying that she
was a woman and therefore didn’t count.
-Aunty Ifeoma told him that, if she didn’t count, she would stop
checking in on him, and Papa Nnukwu told her that he was only joking.
-Papa Nnukwu then elaborated on why he thought the missionaries were
the reason, saying that the philosophy that the Father(God) and the
Son(Jesus) are equal had led Papa to believe that he and Papa Nnukwu
were equals.
-After some more verbal horseplay, they finally reached Abagana, where
the Aro festival was being held.
-Papa Nnukwu explained the different mmuo being shown to the
family.
-Aunty Ifeoma stated that Jaja had not done the ima mmuo(and
therefore was not familiar with the customs), also mentioning that Obiora
had done it two years ago.
-Kambili had then wished for Jaja to have done it, and explained
that the ima mmuo was the transition to manhood.
-Soon afterward, they left Abagana,
-Aunty Ifeoma dropped off Papa Nnukwu first, before dropping
off the siblings.
-That night, Kambili had a dream where she was laughing in the same way
that Aunty Ifeoma does.
Section 5
-Kambili and Jaja did not focus on the prayer during the drive.
-Near the town of Opi, Kevin bribed a policeman to allow them to
pass through.
-Kambili noted that he wouldn’t have done that had Papa been with
them, as Papa would never bribe the authorities.
-They entered the University of Nigeria Nsukka and, after a while,
they located Aunty Ifeoma’s house.
-Aunty Ifeoma greeted and hugged the siblings, while Kevin unpacked the
goods for her.
-Aunty Ifeoma acknowledged Mama’s efforts when she saw the gas
cylinders.
-Aunty Ifeoma tells the siblings that their cousins went out to wish Happy
birthday to Father Amadi, a friend of theirs who works at the chaplaincy.
-As they entered the house, Kambili observed its homely appearance.
-Aunty Ifeoma showed them their rooms, and Kevin left the house.
-After some time, the cousins came in, and they all hugged each
other(Amaka quickly pulled away from Kambili).
-Obiora told Aunty Ifeoma that they still hadn’t bought the soft
drinks, to her annoyance.
-Jaja joined Obiora to go buy them, and Kambili followed Amaka to
her room.
-At their room, Amaka assumed that Kambili found the town uncivilised,
thinking that she’d enjoyed experiencing luxuries like restaurant Genesis
and hotel Nike Lake.
-Kambili tried to correct her but couldn’t find her voice.
-Amaka informed Kambili that, unlike her, she listened to indigenous
musicians, taking pride in their culturally conscious music.
-Amaka told Kambili that she painted sometimes when Kambili
inquired about a copy of the Virgin and Child oil painting(Kambili noted
that the woman and child in Amaka’s painting were dark-skinned)
-Aunty Ifeoma called the girls from the kitchen.
-Aunty Ifeoma announced that, from tomorrow, Kambili and Jaja will be
treated as family instead of guests, and will join in the work.
-After prayer, Kambili’s eyes were still closed, so Aunty Ifeoma told
her that, unlike her father, they didn’t say Mass in the name of grace.
-Kambili noted the disorder of the plates and chairs in the house.
-She aslo noted how freely everyone spoke.
-Aunty Ifeoma asked Kambili why she was not eating the rice, and Amaka
made a snarky comment about her, causing Aunty Ifeoma to reprimand
the latter.
-After lunch, when Kambili had urinated, Aunty Ifeoma had informed her
that the water only runs in the morning, so they only flushed after
everybody had relieved themselves in order to save water.
-Amaka made another snarky comment, and Aunty Ifeoma
reprimanded her again, albeit more harshly.
-Aunty Ifeoma announced that they were going to take the siblings around
the campus.
-Later, Papa called the siblings to ask how they were doing, and told them
to inform him if they needed anything.
-Mama also talked to them, telling them that Sisi cooked lunch for
four as she had forgotten that they were away.
-At dinner, Kambili mentally remarked on how much better equiped their
house was to Aunty Ifeoma’s, then scolded herself for thinking such things.
-The entire family watched TV during dinner, and Aunty Ifeoma
remarked on how the potential of the Nigerian movie industry was
ignored.
-When Aunty Ifeoma heard that Papa gave schedules to the siblings, she
confiscated them, telling them that they were to live by her rules from now
on.
-Amaka made another snarky comment, and Obiora reprimanded
her
-After dinner, the family all gathered to day the rosary, and, to Kambili’s
surprise, Amaka broke into an Igbo song halfway through.
-Kambili and Jaja join in the singing like the rest of the family did, so
Aunty Ifeoma confronted them afterwards.
-Jaja said that they didn’t sing at home, to which Aunty Ifeoma
responded that they do here, seemingly annoyed.
-When Kambili slept that night, she dreamt that Amaka was drowning her
in a toilet.
-Amaka woke her up to tell her that they were going to fetch water at the
tap, so Kambili joined her.
-Afterwards, the family said morning prayers, and, to Kambili’s
bewilderment, Aunty Ifeoma prayed for laughter.
-During a conversation between the family(excluding the siblings), Jaja
joined in to ask what okada were(Obiora responded that they were
motorcycles), to Kambili’s surprise.
-Outside, Jaja took interest in the flowers in the garden, so Aunty Ifeoma
joined him.
-As they were driving around the compound, Aunty Ifeoma introduced the
numerous facilities to the siblings, remarking that a lot of them had
deteriorated, and talked about a recent riot at the chancellor’s lodge.
-Jaja asked what the riot was about, and Obiora said it was about a
lack of water and light.
-On their way, the car broke down, and a friend of Aunty Ifeoma’s met her,
and they chatted for a white abou the lack of fuel.
-Finally, the car started again, and they continued their trip.
-They stopped by an ube hawker, and Amaka bargained with the
trader to get the pyramids that she wanted. Kambili wondered how that
must have felt like.
-Back at the flat, the girls were in the kitchen peeling yams while the boys
had went out to play football.
-Aunty Ifeoma told Kambii that Father Amadi was very popular on
campus.
-Amaka snapped at Kambili that she was wasting yam, causing the
latter to drop her knife.
-Aunty Ifeoma told Amaka to teach her how to do it properly, and
Amaka showed her, peeling the yam with great precision.
-Amaka made another snarky comment, so Aunty Ifeoma
reprimanded her and told Kambili to get her some water from outside.
-Later, Father Amadi arrived, and the everyone except the siblings hugged
him.
-Aunty Ifeoma introduced the priest to the siblings, and Kambili
greeted him, noting how how his casual attire was unbefitting a priest.
-After dinner, Kambili noted how eager her cousins were to talk to
Father Amadi.
-When Father Amadi revealed that he once said Mass at St.Agnes, Kambili
instantly remembers him, also recollection that Papa had deemed the man
“trouble for the church” as he had broken into song in the middle of his
sermon.
-When Father Amadi figured out that Aunty Ifeoma’s brother was Papa, he
praised how honest his newspaper was.
-Aunty Ifeoma agreed, and praised his editor, although she admitted
that she wondered how long it would be before they lock him up for good,
mentioning that even Papa;’s money won’t buy everything.
-Father Amadi revealed that he heard that Amnesty World was
giving Papa an award, and Kambili felt immense pride to be associated
with Papa.
-Aunty Ifeoma revealed that her relationship with Papa was so bad
that they hadn’t even ad a conversation, mentioning that she had to use a
pilgrimage to Aokpe to convince him to allow the siblings to visit her.
-Father Amadi asked if she will go, and she said that she will.
-Obiora stated that the whole apparition thing is a lie, as there were
many other instances of people saying that Our Lady appeared in places
that she did not.
-Amaka disagreed, stating that it has all the signs of Lourdes, and
was therefore different. She also mentioned that it was about time that
Our Lady went to Africa.
-Kambili noted how bold Obiora was, comparing him to herself at
fourteen(who is implied to have the same personality she has now)
-Amaka and Father Amadi then debated the topic.
-After dinner, the family started the rosary with Father Amadi.
-Kambili bit her lip to stop herself from joining in the singing.
-After prayer, Father Amadi told Kambili that he hadn’t seen her
laugh or smile today.
-Kamibli tried to apologise, but couldn;t find the words.
-Aunty Ifeoma spoke up for her, telling the priest that she was shy.
-Kambili quietly excused herself to go to her room.
-Father Amadi’s voice echoed in Kambili’s ears until she fell asleep.
Section 6
-As time passed on, Jaja and Kambili had gotten a bit more used to living
at Aunty Ifeoma’s house, and the laughter persisted.
-One day, Amaka made a rude comment to Kambili while she was doing
the dishes, but nobody was there to defend her, so she stayed silent.
-Later that day, Amaka’s friends came over.
-They talked amongst themselves and had fun.
-One of the girls had called Kambili, but she couldn’t find the words
to speak, so she started to caugh and ran to the toilet.
-Later, as Kambili was setting the table for dinner, she overheard Amaka
asking her mother if the siblings were abnormal
-The mother told her that, even though she is free to have her own
opinions, she must treat Kambili with respect.
-Kambili caught Jaja watching TV with Obiora, and commented on how
familiar he seemed to be with everything.
-Aunty Ifeoma called Kambili to join them in the garden,
-After seemingly noticing Kambili’s lack of enthusiasm, Aunty Ifeoma
dismissed her, and recommended Equiano’s Travels/The Life of Gustavus
Vassa the African to her, as she finished reading it herself.
-While Kambili was reading the book on the veranda, she overheard
Obiora questioning Jaja about his name, as it is not Igbo.
-Jaja reveals that his name is actually Chukwuka, and that Jaja was
just a nickname that stuck.
-Aunty Ifeoma told Jaja that she deemed it an appropriate nickname
as he would take after Jaja of Opobo, a king who refused to let the British
control all the trade, and was therefore exiled to the West Indies and
never returned.
-Obiora called said king stubborn, but Aunty Ifeoma corrected him,
calling him defiant instead.
-When Chima asked about the King, Aunty Ifeoma told the small
child of the king’s past.
-Aunty Ifeoma stressed that being defiant can be a good thing
sometimes, looking at Jaja.
-Obiora countered her argument, saying that he sold his own people
into slavery, and that the British won in the end, rendering his defiance
useless.
-Jaja added that the British won the war, but also lost many battles.
Kambili wondered how Jaja could speak so confidently(at least, more
confidently than her) and the reason for his enthusiasm,
-Chima asked about Jaja;s deformed little finger, and Aunty Ifeoma quickly
told him that he had an accident.
-Kambili realised that Jaja told Aunty Ifeoma what really happened
to his finger.
-It is revealed that Papa severely damaged Jaja’s finger for not
coming first in his First Holy Communion class.
-Aunty Ifeoma showed Jaja an ixora bud that was about to bloom.
-Jaja remarked that they’ll be gone by the time it does, and Aunty
Ifeoma simply asked if time doesn’t fly when you’re happy.
-The phone then rang, and Kambili picked it up.
-It was Mama, and she told Kambili that Paoa wasn’t there, adn tht
the editorial offices for the Standard were raided, and Ade Coker was in
custody again.
-Aunty Ifeoma bought a copy of The Guardian to get more
information, and found it in the middle of the newspaper.
-Amaka remarked that Papa would have run it on the front page of
his newspaper, revealing her pride in him.
-Papa called later, and talked to Aunty Ifeoma first, before speaking with
Kambili and Jaja to tell them that everything was fine and that he loved
and missed them.
-After the call, Aunty Ifeoma informed the siblings that Papa wanted
them to stay for a few days longer, and Jaja smiled with joy.
-The phone rang early the next day, and, after Aunty Ifeoma finished the
call, she seemed downcast for the entire day.
-Father Amadi came by to visit during dinner.
-The priest said that he had played football at a stadium and took
the boys out for akara and fried yams.
-He apologised to Obiora for not taking him and told them that he
would pick him and Jaja up next weekend so they could play, also inviting
Kambili to join.
-Kambili started to feel affection for the priest due to his calm
nature and soothing voice.
-Father Amadi noticed how withdrawn Aunty Ifeoma seemed, and
asked if anything was wrong.
-Aunty Ifeoma confessed that Papa Nnukwu was sick, and that she
planned to bring him to the house.
-Amaka told her that she should’ve told them sooner, causing Aunty
Ifeoma to snap, saying that they know now.
-Obiora asked when they could go to Abba calmly, making Kambili
notice just how much older Obiora seemed to be than Jaja because of his
maturity(Jaja is older than Obiora).
-Father Amadi offerd to bring a gallon of fuel from the chaplaincy,
and tried to ease her worries.
-In the rosary, Aunty Ifeoma’s voice seemed less bright when she
sang.
-Kambili thought about where Papa Nnukwu would sleep, and
considered the possibility of him sleeping in Kambili’s room.
-She prayed that Papa wouldn’t figure out that it happened, if
it did.
-Aunty Ifeoma prayed for the healing of Papa Nnukwu, which
suprised Kambili as Papa only prayed for his conversion.
-Father Amadi came early the next day fill the car with the petrol that he
brought.
-Obiora sucked the fuel out of the can of petrol, which Father Amadi
commended him for.
-Aunty Ifeoma came out and thanked Father Amadi.
-Aunty Ifeoma drove off with Obiora to get Papa Nnukwu, and Father
Amadi left soon after.
-Later, Kambili was almost done reading the book Aunty Ifeoma
recommended, and Jaja was busy gardening.
-Kambili asked Jaja if he thought they were abnormal and confessed
what she had overheard while she was setting the table.
-Jaja simply asked what ‘abnormal’ meant, seemingly shrugging the
comment off.
-Later, Aunty Ifeoma arrived with Papa-Nnukwu.
-As Papa Nnukwu preferred the floor, they laid him down on a spare
mattress, and he immediately fell asleep.
-Amaka said that she’ll make ofe nsala for him since he likes it.
-Aunty Ifeoma confessed that even drinking water was hard for him.
-Amaka asked when she’ll take him to the medical center, and Aunty
Ifeoma revealed that the doctors went on strike just before Christmas, so
she called Doctor Nduoma before she left, who will arrive that evening.
-When Doctor Nduoma arrived, Amaka followed him to her bedroom
to look at Papa Nnukwu.
-Kambili mentally made note of the doctor’s permanent smile.
-At sunset, Kambili asked Jaja if he thought Papa would figure out that
Papa Nnukwu was with them, and Jaja said that he didn’t know.
-She then asked him if he had told Aunty Ifeoma about the incident
regarding his finger, and he confirmed.
-Kambili noted that usually, Jaja would just say that something
happened to his finger when asked about it to lead people to believe it
was an accident.
-Jaja then left to wipe Aunty Ifeoma’s car.
-Doctor Nduoma left.
-Aunty Ifeoma thanked Jaja for cleaning the car, and Kambili noted that
she refereed to him as ‘nna m’ which meant ‘my father’, which was what she
usually called her sons.
-Aunty Ifeoma revealed that the doctor wants to get some tests done, so
she will take Papa Nnukwu to the medical center tommorow.
-The next day, Aunty Ifeoma came back, admitting that the lab staff were
also on strike, and, as the private medical centers are ridiculously
expensive, she would have to ask Dr.Nduoma if the tests were a necessity,
-She left Papa Nnukwu to rest and went out to buy the medicine that
Doctor Nduoma had prescribed, clearly worried.
-Papa Nnukwu joined the family for dinner as he felt well enough, easing
Aunty Ifeoma’s worries a bit.
-Aunty Ifeoma put the medicine into Papa Nnukwu’s garri as he
thinks that the tablets are too bitter.
-A power outage then occurred,, so Obiora asked Papa Nnukwu to
tell them a folk story like he does in Abba,
-Papa Nnukwu agreed and told the family a folk story about why the
tortoise has a cracked shell.
Section 7
-The entire family sat with Papa Nnukwu on the veranda to eat breakfast.
-Aunty Ifeoma had put his medicine in fufu for him to swallow.
-Kambili noted that Papa Nnukwu seemed to miss his time in the
village.
-Kambili also noted that Aunty Ifeoma seemed much less worried.
-Aunty Ifeoma said that Papa Nnukwu will be fine.
-She also announced that she would take Papa Nnukwu to do the
tests, and that she could only have two tests done instead of four.
-Later, Father Amadi arrived to check on Papa Nnukwu.
-He told Aunty Ifeoma that he was on his way to Isienu to visit a
friend who had just returned from missionary work.
-He told Obiora and Jaja that he’ll pick them up that evening to play
football with some of the boys from the seminary at the stadium.
-He told Jaja to tell her that she can come as well.
-Kambili pretended to take a siesta when he arrived in order not to go, but
she felt conflicted as they left.
-In the living room, Amaka was oiling Papa Nnukwu’s head with Vaseline.
-Kambili noticed the close relationship Amaka had with her
grandfather, longing for one herself.
-She left the living room without Papa-Nnukwu or Amaka.
-When Kambili arrived in the kitchen, Aunty Ifeoma asked why she
way crying.
-Kambili, unaware that she was, dismissed it by saying that
something must have flown into them.
-Seemingly unconvinced, Aunty Ifeoma told her to help her with the
cocoyams.
-Aunty Ifeoma demonstrated how to prepare the cocoyams, and
expressed her joy at Papa Nnukwu’s recovery(he hadn’t recovered fully),
thanking Our Lady.
-Kambili asked how Our Lady could intercede on behalf of a
heathen, to which Aunty Ifeoma told her that what was different was just
as good as what was familiar and pointed out the similarities between
Christianity and Traditionalism.
-Kambili was not listening, but rather focusing on Amaka laughing
with Papa Nnukwu.
-Aunty Ifeoma woke Kambili up early at sunrise to tell her to watch Papa
Nnukwu quietly.
-Whe Kambili came to the verandah, he saw Papa-Nnukwu praying to
Chineke(a god), thanking him for everything as well as asking for the
wellbeing of himself and those he knows.
-Kambili was surprised that he prayed just as earnestly for Papa as
he did for everyone else.
-When Papa-Nnukwu got up,revealing his bare body, Kambili still
watched, ignoring that it was sinful to look upon another person’s
nakedness.
-When Papa-Nnukwu ended his prayer, Kambili went back to the
bedroom.
-Later that morning, Papa Nnukwu ate breakfast on the verandah while
Amaka scrubbed his feet with a pumice stone.
-Aunty Ifeoma was planning to go out to the market with Obiora.
-She told Kambili to help her do the orah leaves so she can start the
soup when she returns.
-Kambili admitted that she didn’t know how to prepare orah.
-Aunty Ifeoma said that Amaka would do it then, and the latter burst
out in protest, mocking Kambili.
-This time, Aunty Ifeoma focused on Kambili and urged her to speak.
-Finally, Kambili told Amaka not to shout, and that she could simply
show her how to do it.
-Amaka laughed and remarked on how loud Kambili’s voice could be.
-Amaka then showed her how to prepare the leaves.
-When Aunty Ifeoma came back, she expressed how much more expensive
everything had gotten,
-Father Amadi then arrived and greeted everyone.
-He said that he was on his way to give some things to a friend of
his..
-Amaka expressed her desire to have Father Amadi stay, and Papa
Nnukwu asked who was sending him.
-Aunty Ifeoma explained that Father Amadi belonged to a group of
priests who go to different countries to convert people.
-Papa Nnukwu told him that he should never lie to them or teach
them to disregard their fathers.
-Obiora argues that religion and oppression go hand-in-hand, and
Father Amadi said than he’s turning mad jokingly.
-Father Amadi then told Kambili that she was going to go to the
stadium with him.
-Amaka commented on how horrified Kambili looked, although
Kambili noted that her tone was softer this time.
-Aunty Ifeoma eased her worries.
-After Aunty Ifeoma left, Aunty Ifeoma told her to get ready and wear some
shorts.
-Kambili confessed that she didn’t have any, so Aunty Ifeoma told
Amaka to lend her one of hers, which she did without any sneewring.
-After putting them on in her room, she tried some of Amaka’s
lipstick and commented on how it wasn’t as glamorous on her.
-Father Amadi arrived in his car, so Kambili wiped off the lipstick and
exited the rom.
-In the priest’s car, Kambili mentally commented on how nice his scent
was.
-Suddenly she blurted out that she sleeps in the same room as Papa
Nnukwu, and that he was a heathen.
-Seemingly amused, he asked why she said that, to which she
responded that it was a sin.
-When Father Amadi asked why, she siad that she didn’t know.
-Father Amadi said that it was her father who told her that and
revealed that Jaja told him a bit about Papa.
-Kambili was greatly confused.
-When they got to the stadium, Father Amadi invited her to play together.
-She confessed that she didn’t how to play any sport.
-He then asked if she loved Jesus, to which she confirmed.
-He told her to catch him to show him that she loved Jesus.
-She instinctivelyy started to chase him.
-She couldn’t catch up to him so he gave her another chance to
catch him and prove that she loved Jesus.
-This repeated 2 more times afterwards.
-At the end, he complimented her legs.
-Father Amadi asked her to smile, but she could not.
-He then inquired about the stain on her hand, asking if it was
lipstick.
-She confirmed, and he asked if she had ever worn lipstick.
-She denied it, and a embarrassed, nervous smile formed on her
face.
-Suddenly, eight boys greeted the priest, and Father Amadi went out to
play football with them.
-Kambili stared at the priest’s half-naked body, and caressed the
tank top that he had given to her before he left.
-Father Amadi brought out some oranges for them to eat,
-After eating, they continued playing football, and then the boys left.
-While they were going home, Father Amadi asked why she hadn’t asked
him a question, so Kambili asked why he became a priest.
-He said that priesthood came closest to answering the many
questions he had.
-He then said that he will drop her off and leave right a way as she is late
for a chaplaincy meeting.
-He told her that they must do this again sometime.
-At home, Aunty Ifeoma told Kambili that someone from the village
informed Papa of her taking Papa Nnukwu, and that Papa had told her
that he should have known that his children were staying with a heathen,
but she managed to calm him down and convince him to allow her to take
them home the day after tomorrow.
-Kambili, aware that Papa would be furious that they hadn’t informed
him of Papa Nnukwu’s presence, was greatly distressed, not hearing that
she also said that Papa got Ade Coker out of prison.
-The next day, Amaka shook Kambili awake so that they could go and
fetch water with the others.
-She shook Papa Nnukwu gently, but he did not wake up.
-When she didn’t find his heartbeat, she cried out for her Mother.
-When Aunty Ifeoma witnessed the situation, she fell to her knees
and shook Papa Nnukwu’s body, mourning.
-Amaka tried to pull her mother away, but she didn’t let go.
-Obiora and Jaja rushed into the room.
-Obiora slowly pried Mama off of Papa Nnukwu’s body, telling her
that she has joined the others.
-Obiora called Doctor Nduoma.
-Jaja covered Papa Nnukwu’s body with the latter’s wrapper, but
didn’t cover his face.
-Kambili resisted touching Papa Nnukwu’s body as Papa would be
outraged, and closed her eyes in order to cover up the fact that Jaja had
touched the body of a heathen from Papa.
-When she opened her eyes, she heard Obiora telling Jaja to wake
Chima up.
-Jaja complied, wiping the tears from his eyes.
-Obiora offered to clean where the ozu(corpse) laid, but Aunty
Ifeoma said that she’ll do it herself, before hugging Obiora.
-Kambili went to the bathroom and heard Amaka’s sobs inside, so
she politely asked her to leave for her to use the toilet.
-When Kambili was done, Amaka went back inside to continue
mourning.
-Doctor Nduoma and two other men arrived.
-The two others carried the body to transport it to the mortuary, and
the doctor gave his condolences to everyone with a smile on his face.
-While Kambilki was helping Aunty Ifeoma carry Papa Nnukwu’s mattress to
the verandah, Aunty Ifeoma told her that Papa Nnukwu was smiling when
he died.
-Kambili looked away so the two would not see each other’s tears.
-Later, the family ate some boiled yam slices with palm oil and red
peppers.
-Kambili noted the heavy, brooding silence that had enveloped the
room.
-Amka came out of the bathroom hours after they had eaten.
-Aunty Ifeoma told her to eat the food she had prepared, but Amaka
confessed that she had not finished painting Papa Nnukwu, and was
supposed to do so that day.
-Aunty Ifeoma repeated her statement, and Amaka said that he
would have still been alive if the medical center was not on strike.
-Aunty Ifeoma responded that it was his time to pass away.
-Kambili wished to comfort Amaka, but couldn’t think of a way to do so.
-Jaja put his arm around Amaka, and she initially rejected his
comforting gesture but walked close to him.
-Kambili wished that she had done that instead.
-Obiora informed everyone that Papa had arrived, to Kambili’s horror.
-Kambili greeted Papa.
-Aunty Ifeoma said that she would’ve brought them back tomorrow,
but Papa said that he could not let them stay another day.
-Aunty Ifeoma informed Papa that Papa Nnukwu had passed away
this morning.
-Papa simply asked if she had called a priest to give him extreme
unction, causing the aunt to snap, calling him out on his heartlessness
and unwillingness to even help bury his father or give him a funeral that
the grandfather would have wanted.
-Papa ordered Kambili and Jaja to go and pack their bags.
-Aunty Ifeoma entered Kambili’s bedroom to give her her schedule back.
-Kambili told her to say good-bye to Father Amadi for her, and she
said that she would.
-When they were about to leave, Amaka pressed something wrapped in
black cellophane into Kambili’s hands before hurrying back into the flat.
-Kambili discovered that it was the unfinished painting of Papa
Nnukwu, and quickly hid it.
-Back at their house, Mama welcomed the children.
-Kambili noted that her face was swollen and she had a black eye.
-Jaja informed Mama that Papa Nnukwu had died.
-Papa commented that if Aunty Ifeoma had the sense to call a priest
before he died, he might have converted.
-Jaja countered that he might not have wanted to convert, and
Mama tried to cover up his statement by quickly saying that he may rest in
peace.
-Papa looked at Jaia and asked if that was what he had learnt from
living with a heathen, and he denied it.
-Papa ordered them to bathe and come down for dinner.
-At dinner, Papa prayed for the cleansing for forgiveness.
-During dinner, Jaja asked Papa for his room key so he could have
some privacy.
-Papa interrogated him as to his intentions, accusing him of trying
to masturbate,
-Jaja accidentally knocked a glass of water, and Papa commented
on how evil they had become from being with a heathen.
-After dinner, Jaja followed Papa upstairs.
-Mama asked how it felt to be back.
-Kambili reveals that she has grown accustomed to the down to
earth nature of Aunty Ifeoma’s house, and now found her own house
needlessly big and luxurious.
-Kambili commented that Mama had polished the étagère, and
Mama said that she did yesterday.
-Papa then called Kambili from upstairs, and Mama urged her to go.
-In Papa’s bathroom, Papa ordered her to get into the bathtub.
-Kambili recollected how Jaja and her always got to get the stick
that they would be beaten with, and that Jaja had shown her tricks to
lessen the pain. Eventually Papa himself went out to get the sticks.
-Papa repeated his order, and she complied.
-Papa interrogated her about what happened, and, when he figured
out that she did everything willingly, he poured boiling water onto her feet
while crying.
-Kambili screamed from the pain, and Papa compared it to what
happens when you walk into sin.
-Kambily started to apologise without realising it, and she noticed
that Mama was also in the room.
-Papa reached out to carry Kambili out, but Mama asked him to
allow her to do it.
-When they were in Kambili’s room, Mama advised her to take
Panadol.
-Kambili zoned out, thinking about Aunty Ifeoma’s family and Father
Amadi.
-She caressed black wrapping, wondering if she should open it.
-Just when she had hobbled back to her bed, Papa entered.
-He told her that everything he did he did for her good.
-He also told her of a time when he sinned against his body and the
father at St.Gregory punished him by soaking his hands in boiling water,
comparing his actions to that father’s.
-After Papa left, Kambili didn’t think about Papa, but rather the
painting of Papa Nnukwu.
-On Saturday, Kambili showed Jaja the painting, and Jaja in turn showed
her some stalks of purple hibiscus that he got from Aunty Ifeoma.
-During lunch, Papa suddenly pointed out the greed of those who host
pagan funerals.
-He then announced that he had sent Aunty Ifeoma everything that
she needed for Papa Nnukwu’s funeral.
-Sisi arrived to inform Papa that Ade Coker was at the gate with another
man, and Papa prayed for the food before meeting them.
-The guests came in, and the siblings tried to overhear their
conversation.
-Kamibili had overheard that the head of state was willing to give
Papa an exclusive interview as long as he cancelled the story on Nwankiti
Ogechi, an activist who disappeared.
-She heard Ade Coker say that the offer meant that they had
assassinated the man.
-Ade Coekr burst into anger as the other man had suggested that
Papa do the interview.
-Papa calmed his editor down.
-Papa and the guests went upstairs to talk in the study, and Ade Coker put
on a strained smile as he greeted the family.
-After lunch, Kambili and Jaja tried to overhear what was happening,
but to no avail.
-That evening, government agents came.
-Jaja told Kambili that they had come to bribe Papa, but Papa had
drove them away.
-The next story that was on the Standard was about what happened
to Nwankiti Ogechi.
-Soldiers shot the activist in a bush in Minna.
-They then poured acid on his body to melt the flesh off his
bones.
-Druing family time, while Papa was beating Kambili at chess, the family
heard from the radio that Nigeria had been suspended from the
Commonwealth due to the murder.
-After this incident.
-More and more people gradually started visiting Papa, warning him
to be careful and reminding him of instances where other activists had
been murdered.
-Aunty Ifeoma called to find out how Papa was doing as she had heard of
the furor the story had caused.
-As Papa was not present, she talked to Mama, and then to Jaja, who
told her that they wouldn’t touch Papa as he had many foreign
connections.
-He also tld her that the gardener had planted the hibiscus stalks,
but it was too early to tell if they would live.
-When Kambili got the phone, she asked Aunty Ifeoma to greet
Father Amadi.
-Aunty Ifeoma told her that the priest talked about him often, before
passing the phone to Amaka.
–Kambili thanked Amaka for the painting, and Amaka said that she
thought she might have wanted to keep it, to Kambili’s surprise.
-Amaka informed Kambili of the funeral, and told her that they will
wear white as black is too depressing.
-She also thanked Papa for giving Aunty Ifeoma the resources she
needed to host the funeral.
-She also expressed her hope that the siblings would come and see
her confirmation on Easter Sunday, causing Kambili to remember her own
confirmation, as well as the fact that Papa chose her confirmation name.
-Kambili told Amaka to greet Chima and Obiora, before handing the
phone to Mama.
-In her room, Kambili thought the details of Father Amadi’s mention of the
siblings(specifically her).
-She doodled stick figurines and Father Amadii’s name on a paper,
before tearing it up.
-She continued to do this many more times in the following weeks.
-She also started to see some of his features in the people she knew,
and became completely enamored with him.
Section 8
-It is revealed that Ade Coker had died.
-He was at breakfast with his family when a courier delivered a
package to him.
-When he opened the package, it blew up, killing him.
-Yewande Coker revealed that it was from the Head of State.
-On their way to the front door from school, Kambili noted how intense the
rain was.
-Papa was crumpled on the sofa crying.
-He mourned the death of his editor, and wished that he had made
him hold the story.
-Mama tried to comfort him.
-Jaja commented that the situation was God’s will, pleasing Papa.
-Papa organized Ade Coker’s funeral and gave his family a new house and
set up a trust for them.
-He also paid the Standard staff huge bonuses and asked them to
take a long leave.
-Kambili noted how anxiety-ridden Papa became.
-Kambili started having nightmares in which she would see Ade Coker’s
charred remains on some of his family and things related to him.
-She revealed that in some of the nightmares, she was the daughter
and the charred remains became Papa’s.
-Kambili noted how Papa had become slower and more tense.
-She also noted that he prayed much more, and even spoke in
tongues sometimes, even though he initially disapproved of it.
-Mama told the siblings to comfort Papa, explaining that soldiers
had brought dead rats into his factory before closing it down, statiing that
diseases might spread to the goods produced.
-Father Benedict also sometimes visited Papa so that they could say
special novenas.
-Kambili noted that Papa didn’t go out to check on the siblings
when Father Amadi visited.
-During one of Father Benedict’s visits, Jaja asked Kambili if he could see
the painting.
-Reluctantly, Kambili unwrapped the painting and gave it to Jaja.
-Jaja dreamily remarked on the resemblance his hands have to
Papa Nnukwu’s.
-The siblings stared at the picture for a long enough time for Father
Benedict to have left, and Kambili knew that Papa would come in to say
goodnight and kiss her forehead.
-She soresaw a future in which Papa caught them with the painting,
and remarked that they might have wanted it to happen.
-When Papa entered, he confronted them about the painting.
-Both Kambili and Jaja said that they owned the painting.
-Papa started swaying, and asked them who brought the painting.
-The siblings repeated what they said before.
-Suddenly, Papa took the painting from Jaja and tore it up.
-Thinking of Papa Nnukwu’s body being cut up itself, Kambili
shrieked in horror and covered the pieces of paper with her body.
-Papa yelled at her to get away, and when she did not comply, he
kicked her, speaking in a mix of Igbo and English.
-Papa started to kick Kamibli even more.
-Kambili zoned out, thinking about the culturally conscious music
Amaka listened to as well as the paint she uses.
-Papa started to beat Kambili with a belt.
-Kambili heard a low voice saying “Please, biko, please.”
-Kambili started to bleed from her mouth, and she lost
consciousness.
-Kambili woke up in a hospital bed, and when she tried to moce, an
excruciating pain went through her.
-When Mama saw her awake, she thanked God.
-When Mama touched her, she felt a burning pain in her body.
-Mama told her to rest, and Kambili noted that she’d rather be
asleep than endure the pain she was feeling.
-Kambili saw a doctor, who prayed dor her healing and gave her an
injection.
-Papa was also there, and when he tried to comfort her, Kambili shut
her eyes, rejecting his words.
-When she opened her eyes again, she saw Father Benedict making
the sign of the cross on her feet with oil while muttering prayers.
-Mama explained that it didn’t mean anything as they give extreme
unction to anyone who is seriously ill.
-Kambili wondered why she said ‘seriously ill’ as well as why she was
in St.Agnes hospital.
-Kambili pleaded with Mama to call Aunty Ifeoma for her, so she
complied.
-When Kambili saw Mama’s remorseful face, she wished to hug
her, but also to push her away.
-Kambili lost consciousness again.
-When Kambili opened her eyes, she saw Father Amadi asking her if she
was awake.
–Aunty Ifeoma tried to talk to Kambil, but the latter was feeling woozy
from the medicine.
-Aunty Ifeoma told Mama that they had to leave as things had been
taken to far, and told Mama to let the siblings stay with her.
-Mama told her that Papa would not agree, so Aunty Ifeoma
reminded her that there was not any heathen in her house as Papa
Nnukwu passed away.
-Mama said that the punishments were never so severe, and Aunty
Ifeoma tried to bring her to reality.
-Kambili lost consciousness.
-When she woke up, Mama told her to rest.
-She informed her that Papa had stayed with her every night for
three days, and Kambili looked away.
-The following week, Kambili’s private tutor(who was a young Reverend
Sister) came to tutor her.
-Kambili was amazed that she(who was white) could speak Igbo so
fluently.
-Her tutor knew that Kambili was healthier than she claimed to be.
-Kambili didn’t want to go home, which was why she pretended that
she hadn’t healed at all.
-Kambili took her exams on her hospital bed.
-Mother Lucy herself brought the papers herself.
-Kambili did well on the exams and came first.
-Unlike before, Mama only said “Thanks be to God.” instead of
singing her Igbo praise songs.
–The class girls visited Kambili that afternoon.
-It is revealed that everyone except the family thinks that Kambili
survived an accident.
-Chinwe Jideze gave a gift card to Kambili and was very hospitable
to her, confusing Kambili.
-Mama told Kambili that she would be discharged in two days, but that
she would go to Nsukka with Jaja as Aunty Ifeoma had convinced Papa to
let them stay with her.
Section 9
-It is revealed that Aunty Ifeoma told her children that Kambili had a
serious illness, and she nearly died.
-Obiora went out of the house to observe children chasing aku while
Chima went and chased them himself.
-On the verandah. Amaka came closer to Kambili, and the latter remarked
that the discomfort that she used to have around her was gone.
-Amaka told Kambili that she had become Father Amadi’s
sweetheart, and that he worried about her very much.
-Kambili confessed that she had a crush on Father Amadi, and
Amaka commented that a lot of people had a crush on him, even married
women.
-Amaka asked if Papa was the cause of her injuries, and Kambili
confirmed before rushing to the toilet.
-The power went off in the evening, and Father Amadi visited to check on
Kambili.
-Kambili, still enamored with the priest, wished that everyone else
would disappear for a while so she could be alone with him.
-A neighbour entered with a container of aku, anara leaves and red
peppers.
-Kambili and Amaka listened to Aunty Ifeoma and the neighbor’s
conversation on the verandah.
-They were talking about a new list of disloyal lecturers that had
been made, and the neighbor told Aunty Ifeoma that her name was on it,
and
that those on the list might be fired.
-Aunty Ifeoma urged them to take action, but the nieghbor said that
being so idealistic wouldn’t give them the money they need.
-After the discussion, Aunty Ifeoma offered to take the neighbor home,
and so they left.
-Amaka remarked that the university was trying to shut Aunty Ifeoma
up, threatening her with unemployment.
-Obiora commented that he didn’t mind since they would go to
America in that case.
-This sparked an argument between the two.
-Kambili went out to the verandah to watch Jaja and Obiora in the
garden.
-Father Amadi came the next day with the intention of taking everyone
out, but he ended up only taking Kambili as the rest were unwilling.
-At the stadium, Father Amadi encouraged the boys about football.
-Kambili enquired as to why he believed in those boys, and Father
Amadi responded that he needed to believe in something that he didn’t
question.
-He touched Kambili’s hair and said that he will take Kambili to the
woman who plaits her aunts hair.
-He then went back to the boys.
-The next day, Amaka woke Kambili up to show her the riot that the
students were doing.
-The entire family observed the riots before Aunty Ifeoma told them
all to go to bed.
-That afternoon, Aunty Ifeoma informed everyone that that riot was the
worst one yet, and described all the damages.
-Kambili wondered if Aunty Ifeoma would have to leave soon.
-During Kambili’s siesta, she dreamed that the sole administrator had
poured boiling water on Aunty Ifeoma’s feet in the bathtub.
-Aunty Ifeoma jumped out of the bathtub into America, ignoring
Kamibli’s calls.
-Suddenly, four men entered the house and said that they were going to
search her house.
-When Aunty Ifeoma protested, they pushed her aside.
-Obiora confronted them, but Aunty Ifeoma told him to stop.
-The men trashed and raided the entire house.
-One of the men warned Aunty Ifeoma to be very careful before
leaving.
-Amaka and Obiora had an argument on whether to stay or not, until
Aunty Ifeoma told them both to shut up and help clean the house.
-Kambili noted that it was the first time Aunty Ifeoma did not take
pride in their arguments.
-The next day, Aunty Ifeoma gave homemade soybean milk to everyone in
the morning, expressing her dissatisfaction at the increasing prices.
-A student of Aunty Ifeoma’s the entered to tell Aunty Ifeoma that she was
getting married to her fiancé as there wasn’t any confirmation of the
university reopening.
-Jaja volunteered to kill the chicken Aunty Ifeoma tasked Obiora with
killing, even though he had not done it before.
-He managed to kill it, and he told Kambili that he planned to leave
with Aunty Ifeoma if she was leaving.
-Kambili said nothing.
-Father Amadi then arrived and told Aunty Ifeoma that she was taking
Kambili to Mama Joe’s place to get her hair done.
-At Mama Joe’s shed, Mama Joe started to plait Kambili’s hair.
-She expressed her pride in Aunty Ifeoma.
-Mama Joe then asked about Father Amadi, and she said that he
had feelings for her.
-Kambili took note of a snail which was trying to leave it’s container
full of other snails despite Mama Joe always putting him back in, and
commended it’s determination.
-Mama Joe then finished plaiting her hair..
-Father Amadi complimented her hair and asked if she would like to
act in a play that they were doing.
-She said she didn’t know how to act, to which the priest responded
that she can try.
-He told her that she can do anything that she wants.
-As Father Amadi drove, they sang Igbo choruses.
Section 10
-Kambili and Amaka go to St.Peter for church, where Father Amadi hosted
the Mass.
-Kambili acknowledged that Papa would not approve, yet she
enjoyed receiving the Eucharist from Father Amadi.
-While Father Amadi was driving Kambili and Amaka back home, he asks
about Amaka’s confirmation name.
-Amaka reveals that she doesn’t want an English name as her
confirmation name.
When they arrive back home, Aunty Ifeoma is talking with her friend,
Chiaku.
-Aunty Ifeoma informs Chiaku that she has sent her CV to Phillipa(a
friend of hers who currently works at an American university)
-Chiaku criticizes her decision, stating that those capable of causing
change leave while the weak suffer at the hands of the strong, and asks
her who will break the cycle if that is so.
-Obiora calls her statement “unrealistic pep-rally nonsense”.
-Aunty Ifeoma tells him to wait in her room, and Obiora complies,
seemingly realising the gravity of his mistake.
-After her friend left, Aunty Ifeoma stormed inside.
-Kambili heard her slap Obiora and scold him for his disrespect.
-Amaka tells Kambili how she is usually disciplined, and they think
about how different the punishments they receive are.
-Suddenly, Mama arrived by taxi to Aunty Ifeoma’s apartment, wearing her
slippers.
-She reunites with the family, and she informs them that Papa broke
a table on her belly.
-She cried herself to sleep soon after.
-Papa called that evening, and Aunty Ifeoma did not allow him to speak to
Mama.
-When Mama heard of this, she called Papa despite Aunty Ifeoma’s
protests, and then informed everyone that Papa will pick them up the
following day.
-Mama justified Papa’s actions by saying that Papa is in too much
stress, but Aunty Ifeoma countered that Ifedeora didn’t harm her despite
them being in a similarly hopeless situation.
-After Mama went to bed, the cousins(including Kambili and Jaja) stayed
up playing cards.
-Amaka comments that she doesn’t think that Papa is a bad man,
but rather just doesn’t handle stress well.
-She expected opposition from Obiora, but he ignored her
statement(That might be because he doesn’t want to get in trouble again
for being disrespectful)
-Papa arrives the next day, and he hugs Mama.
-When he kisses her on the forehead, Kambili closed her eyes(again
rejecting his gesture)
-Kambili noticed that Papa was very thin and had a rash on his face.
-When they arrive at home, Jaja comments that the purple hibiscus are
about to bloom.
Chapter 3: The Pieces Of Gods(After Palm Sunday)
Section 1
-After Palm Sunday, it was stormy outside.
-Kambili noticed that Mama no longer whispered and no longer hid
the food that she delivered to Jaja’s room.
-Kambili noticed that Mama has a hint of a smile.
-Jaja barricaded himself in his room, and refused to eat with the family
despite Papa demanding that he do so and trying to push the door open,
-At dinner, Papa only ate a little and drank a lot of water.
-Kambili noticed that his rash seems worse.
-Yewande Coker visited the family with her daughter, thanking Papa that
he took her daughter to a hospital abroad after Ade Coker’s death so she
could be treated.
-Kambili entered Jaja’s room to inform him of Yewande’s visit.
-Jaja remarked that, even though she was speaking now, her
daughter would never heal.
-As she left, she pushed through the desk Jaja used to barricade the
door, wondering how Papa couldn’t push it away despite it being relatively
light.
-On Good Friday, Papa’s hands trembled badly, so he decided to go to
evening Mass.
-Kambili’s tearful reaction to the Mass pleased Papa, and Kambili felt
pride in his satisfaction with her.
-After the servic, Aunty Ifeoma called and told Kambili that she is leaving
to go to America, and that Father Amadi had been called to do missionary
work, devastating the girl.
-Jaja also talks to Aunty Ifeoma, and afterwards, he decides that he
and Kambili should go and spend Easter in Nsukka.
-After Jaja convinced Papa to let Kevin take them, Kambili said bye
to him, and they left.
-At Nsukka, Obiora and Amaka only talked/argued about their imminent
migration to America.
-The fiercer tone that is shared between the two in their dispute
represents the rising tensions.
-Father Amadi arrived that evening.
-He and Kambili talked in the garden, and he moves closer to her
and asks her about what troubles her.
-Kambili confessed that she has conflicting emotions about going
back to school and home, so Father Amadi told her that he will try to get
Father Benedict to convince Papa to take the siblings to boarding school.
-After the conversation, Kambili sang as she bathed.
Section 2
-Father Amadi visited Aunty Ifeoma to ask what confirmation name Amaka
wanted.
-Amaka insisted to have an Igbo name, arguing that those names
could glorify God as well.
-Both Father Amadi and Aunty Ifeoma tried to convince her to just
choose one, stating that she never needed to use it again, but she still
refused.
-Seemingly bemused, Father Amadi left.
-Kambili noted that there wasn’t much laughter at dinner that day.
-As Amaka had not chosen a confirmation name, she did not get
confirmed on Easter Sunday, unlike the other girls
-Later, Aunty Ifeoma expressed her desire to go on the pilgrimage to
Aokpe, as she would be moving away soon.
-Jaja refused to go, and Obiora decided to stay back with Chima.
-As there was no male, Aunty Ifeoma decided to invite Father Amadi
to join.
-At the site, there were lots of people, many of which loudy claimed to have
seen Our Lady as well as others who dropped to the floor in prayer.
-Kambili saw a vision of the Blessed Virgin and sensed a divine
presence everywhere.
-On the way back, she said that she saw and felt the Blessed Virgin
amid the conversation.
-Aunty Ifeoma agreed that something from God was indeed
happening there, and Father Amadi smiled at her.
-Later, Kambili accompagnied Father Amadi as he said farewell to those
that he knew.
-Kambili noted how popular and beloved Father Amadi was in the
community.
-Amidst the pair’s singing, Kambili confessed that she loved the
priest, to which Father Amadi (gently)rejected her.
-When she came back, Aunty Ifeoma asked whether she was alright.
-Kambili said that she was(she was not), and Aunty Ifeoma told her to
brighten up and pray for her to get the visa.
-Kambili decided not to pray for her to get the visa as she didn’t
want them to leave.
-The next day, Aunty Ifeoma revealed that she had gotten the visa, to the
family’s happiness(excluding Kambili and Jaja)
-She planned to go to Enugu to ask Papa to help her acquire the
tickets she needed, stating that it was also a good opportunity to ensure
that the siblings went to boarding school.
-On Father Amadi’s final day, Kambili becomes angry due to his
departure(also due to the fact that she wouldn’t be so upset had she not
formed a relationship with him).
-After Father Amadi meets her one more time though, she promises
to him that she will write letters to him, and he promises the same.
-That night, Kambili did not sleep well due to a nightmare that she
had in which a man chased her down a rocky path littered with bruised
allamanda leaves.
-In said dream, the man was initially Father Amadi, who had his
soutane flying behind him, but then turned into Papa, who was wearing
the grey sack he wore when he distributed ash on Ash Wednesday.
-The family decided to take a last tour of Nsukka before leaving.
-During said tour, Aunty Ifeoma told everybody that they should go
and climb a nearby hill, so they did.
-It turned into a race, and, even though she had started last, Kambili
overtook everyone, arriving at the top of the hill with Amaka.
-Ifeoma commented that she would need to find a trainer for Kambili
since she is so good at sprinting.
-Kambili laughed, and mentally remarked on how easy it was to do
so.
-That evening, while everyone was in the living room playing cards, the
phone rang.
-Aunty Ifeoma received the call, and suddenly screamed, causing
everyone to rush towards her.
-Aunty Ifeoma gave the phone to Kambili, and it is revealed that
Mama was the one who called.
-Mama informed Kambili that Papa was found lying dead on his
desk.
-Jaja took the phone, and Aunty Ifeoma led Kambili to the bed.
-Kambili remarked on how she thought that it was impossible for
Papa to die, stating that she felt that he was immortal.
Section 3
-Kambili and Jaja had returned to Enugu after Papa’s death.
-Kambili went upstairs to help Mama pack Papa’s things, but she
dismissed her, telling her to stay with Jaja.
-Kambili noted that the rain had started.
-It is revealed that Mama told Adamu to turn away any sympathizers away,
even those from the ummuna, stating that they wished to mourn privately.
-However, she allowed the sympathizers to offer Mases for the
repose of Papa’s soul.
-Kambili noted that Sisi was the only one who had cried about Papa’s
death.
-Kambili tried to speak to Jaja with her eyes, but she noticed that his were
blank.
-Jaja confessed to Kambili that he should have taken better care of
Mama, comparing himself to Obiora, who, according to him balanced
Aunty Ifeoma’s family on his head.
-Kambili said that God knows best and that He works in mysterious
ways, trying to please Papa(even though he was dead).
-Jaja laughed at her response, asking her why God had to sacrifice
His Son to save us if he could have just saved us Himself.
-Kambili wanted to tell Jaja that she missed Papa’s presence, but
rather told him that St.Agnes would be full for Papa’s funeral Mass, an
answer to which Jaja did not respond.
-The phone rang, and Mama answered it.
-After some time, she came into the living room and informed the siblings
that they had performed an autopsy and found the poison in Papa’s body.
-When Kambili asked about the poison, Mama revealed that she had
started poisoning Papa’s tea before she came to Nsukka.
-She mentioned that she got the poison from Sisi, as her father is a
powerful witch doctor.
-There was a prolonged silence in Kambili’s mind, which was disturbed by
the thought of taking Papa’s love sips.
-Suddenly, she rose and confronted Mama with a raised voice,
asking her why she put the poison in his tea.
-Mama did not respond, and Kambili shook Mama until Jaja pulled
her away.
-Jaja then tried to bring everyone together for a hug, but Mama
moved away.
-The policemen came a few hours later, stating that they wanted to ask
some questions.
-Jaja did not wait for said questions and admitted that he put rat
poison in Papa’s tea.
-They allowed him to change his shirt before taking him away.
Chapter 4: A Different Silence(The Present)
Final Section
-Three years have past since Jaja gave himself up to the authorities, and
he is now in prison.
-It is revealed that Mama fired Kevin and replaced him with a new, kinder
driver called Celestine.
-It is revealed that Mama has become much more unkempt.
-It is also revealed that, after Jaja was imprisoned, she had went
about telling people that she was the one who posioned Papa, even
confessing her actions in her letters to newspapers.
-Nobody believed her though, and assumed that grief and denial
was the reason why she seems so unkempt.
-Kambili also theorized that it is the same reason why they forgave
her for not wearing all white or all black for a year, refusing to cut her hair,
and not attending the first and second year memorial Masses.
-Kambili advised Mama to tighten her scarf, but she refused.
-Kamibli remarked on Celestine’s good intentions.
-It is revealed that Kambili and Mama usually visit Jaja in prison
separately, but they were going to visit him togethe today as it was
officially disclosed that he will be released.
-It is revealed that the Head of State died months ago, and that a new
interim government is in place.
-It is revealed that Kambili and Mama bribed numerous people to get Jaja
better treatment in prison as well as for him to be released earlier than
others.
-It is also revealed that Papa had anonymously donated to the
children’s hospitals and motherless babies’ homes and disabled veterans
from the civil war.
-Kambili noted that Mama is very quiet now, usually only answering by
nodding or shaking her head.
-It is revealed that Sisi is now married, and occasionally comes over to
instruct Okon(the new steward) and to ask if Mama needs anything.
-It is revealed that Kambili visited Nsukka to visit the university there, even
though Aunty Ifeoma’s family was no longer present.
-She also visited the new family that replaced Aunty Ifeoma in her
apartment, and gave them fruits.
-As Celestine drove Kambili back to Enugu, she laughed, remarking
on just how special Nsukka was.
-Finally, they arrive at the prison,.
-It is revealed that Jaja was previously in a better cell, but was punished
and placed back in a regular one for spitting on a guard for no
reason.(Kambili doubts that this is true)
-Kambili reminisces about the letters Aunty Ifeoma and her family sent to
her.
-It is revealed that:
-Amaka had written to numerous governmental bodies in order to
convery her thoughts.
-Aunty Ifeoma now has two jobs and missed Nigeria.
-Obiora now has a scholarship at a private school where he is
praised instead of punished for challenging his teachers.
-Amaka told Kambili that, even though their house in America was much
better, they didn’t laugh anymore as they barely saw each other.
-The police officer at the prison greeted Kambili and Mama, and led them
into a room with Jaja, where he told them that they have an hour to speak
with him.
-They sat down on one side of the table and waited for Jaja to arrive.
-Kambili revealed that Father Amadi also wrote letters to her, where he
would encourage her and sometimes talk about his missionary work in
Germany.
-Jaja arrived and greeted Kambili and Mama.
-Kambili informed Jaja that the lawyers will get him out next week.
-Jaja stared at her silently, and Kambili mentally remarked that his
eyes have gradually hardened since he came to the prison.
-Kambili wondered whether she and Jaja even had an asusu
anya(language of the eyes) in the first place, or is she had imagined it all.
-Kambili revealed that Jaja is still guilt ridden about not doing enough to
protect Mama and her.
-Kambili acknowledges his efforts.
-Mama urged Jaja to eat the food they had prepared, and he wolfed it
down.
-Kambili revealed that she has had strange dreams and nightmares alike,
some of which imply that she still misses Papa.
-She revealed that she hasn’t told Jaja this, as well as the fact that
she offers Masses to Papa every Sunday.
-She wondered if she and Jaja will ever be able to completely
confess their thoughts to each other.
-Suddenly, Jaja told Mama that she didn’t tie her scarf well which
surprised Kambili as Jaja never noticed what anyone wore.
-Mama hastily retied her scarf, giving it a double knot.
-The guard then yelled that time is up, and Jaja said “Ka o di” to Mama
and Kambili before allowing himself to be taken by the guard.
-Kambili told Mama that they should go to Nsukka when Jaja comes out,
and Mama shrugged.
-Kambili noticed that Mama’s limp has worsened.
-Suddenly, Mama thanked Kambili, which surprises her as it is one of the
few times in the past three years that she has spoken to someone without
first being spoken to.
-Kambili announced her plans for the family once Jaja comes back to
Mama.
-After doing so, she laughed, and Mama leaned towards her and
smiled.
-Kambili noted the appearance of the clouds above, stating that they feel
so low that she could reach out and squeeze the moisture from them.
-Kambili remarked that the new rains will come down soon.
THE END!