Are you looking for Second Class Citizen Summary to support your study or just for your curiosity? Here is a chapter-by-chapter summary of the book for your use.

Second Class Citizen is a 1974 novel by Nigerian writer Buchi Emecheta, first published in London by Allison and Busby, where her editor was Margaret Busby. It was subsequently published in the US by George Braziller in 1975.

The novel is one of the literary texts prescribed for WAEC and NECO candidates from 2021-2025. Below is a glimpse into chapter-by-chapter summaries of the book:

Second Class Citizen: Chapter-by-Chapter Summary

Chapter One

The narrator recounts the early life of the protagonist, Adah, and the origins of her dream to one day go to the United Kingdom, which she calls “a Presence.” Adah does not know her exact age, but she guesses she is about eight and knows she was born during World War II. She feels eight is an appropriate age for her to have the dream to go to the UK. Since her parents, family, and tribe were hoping for a boy, Adah’s birth was not recorded in proper detail.

At this early point in Adah’s life, her community is excited about the arrival of the first lawyer in Ibuza. Adah’s parents tell her romanticized stories about the perfection of Ibuza and express their disappointment that she has to live in Lagos instead. One reason they dislike Lagos is its “Western” approach to the law, which prohibits citizens from handling conflicts themselves, unlike in Ibuza. The women from Ibuza dress in nice clothing, straighten their hair and adhere to Western beauty standards to impress the lawyer. Adah desperately wants to attend the lawyer’s arrival but cannot because she would have to miss school.

Education is extremely important to Adah, but she is initially not allowed to go to school because her mother, Ma, thinks it might not be “wise.” Adah’s younger brother, Boy, attends a preparatory school called Ladi-Lak Institute, which Adah longs to attend but knows is too expensive. One day, she decides to sneak out of the house while Ma is distracted. She gathers some items from around the house to use as school supplies and goes to her neighbor’s class at the local Methodist school. Encouraged by Mr. Cole’s previous friendly behavior, she is convinced he will welcome her.

Mr. Cole allows Adah to join the class, but she is disappointed when the school day ends, and she must return home. Mr. Cole tells her she can come back to school and offers to teach her the alphabet if her parents don’t allow her to attend regularly. He walks her home and buys her a roasted plantain on the way. When they arrive at Adah’s house, they discover her mother being punished by the police for neglecting Adah. The police force her to drink gari, a mixture of cassava flour and water. Eventually, the chief policeman lets her stop drinking the gari but warns her that this cannot happen again and encourages her to send Adah to school.

After the officers leave, Adah’s father, Pa, half-heartedly beats her to appease Ma, but it is ultimately decided that Adah should start going to school. Pa’s pride leads him to send his daughter to the “posh” school with Boy. Adah attends Ladi-Lak with her brother until their father’s death several months later, after which both children transfer to a less expensive school. Adah’s new commitment to education prevents her from attending the highly anticipated arrival of Lawyer Nweze, who is expected to improve the living conditions in the town. Later, Adah hears about the lawyer’s arrival from the women who attended. They were excited to be photographed by Europeans, who apparently saw them as curiosities. On the day of Lawyer Nweze’s arrival, the women dressed nicely and wore their hair straight, just as they had planned. They created musical rhythms with their beaded gourds to give him a cheerful welcome. They danced and performed for the Europeans as they came ashore, and the white men were surprised by these foreign customs.

Pa mentions that the men are scheduled to meet with the lawyer the following Sunday because they cannot miss work to go to the wharf. He comments that the Nigerians must water down the lawyer’s food to make it edible for him, implying that the lawyer is weaker than the local men. The men are pleased, however, that Nweze did not bring a white woman with him.

Reflecting from a later perspective, Adah recounts how much Nigeria changed after the lawyer’s arrival. She notes that the river goddess Oboshi seemed to lose her power, as Ibuza men were murdered and even married white women without any consequences. It was believed that those who offended Oboshi would contract leprosy, but Adah observes that white oilmen could dig in the river for oil without falling ill.

Despite the excitement surrounding the lawyer’s arrival, Adah keeps her dream of going to the United Kingdom a secret. She talks about Lawyer Nweze often, calling him her cousin, but she behaves in the prescribed ways and pretends to believe in the customs proper for her social status. However, Adah always feels her dream with her, gaining “substance,” a “Presence” that accompanies her through her days.

Chapter Two

Adah holds on to her dream but faces several obstacles. First, her father dies unexpectedly after falling ill and being admitted to the hospital. According to tradition, Adah must now live with her uncle, her mother’s oldest brother. Ma goes to live with Pa’s brother, while Boy moves in with Pa’s cousin. Consequently, the family is separated, each joining different units of their extended family.

The small sum of money left to the family will be spent to keep Boy in school. It is agreed that Adah should continue her education to warrant a higher “bride price” someday. At about nine years old, Adah is too young to marry, but she must attend a less costly school due to the family’s limited funds.

After Adah is sent to live with her uncle’s family, she is forced into a strict work regimen, which includes going to a communal pump for water very early in the morning. She must wake up at 4:30 a.m. because the pump becomes too crowded later in the day. Adah’s uncle’s family—her uncle, his wife, and their four sons—are happy to have Adah so she can wait on them. Though she continues to go to school, as she grows older, people question the value of her education.

Ma starts to believe that Adah must marry soon and sets an extremely high bride price. Adah does not want to marry an older man just for financial stability, earning a reputation for being stubborn and outspoken as she refuses suitor after suitor. At school, she is punished for what the headmaster interprets as her making fun of him; in reality, she is daydreaming about England and smiling quietly to herself. Her classmates help hold her down while the headmaster beats her, and she bites one of the boys in revenge. She is given the nickname “the Ibo tigress” but waits in fear of the police, expecting them to imprison her, as the headmaster threatened.

During the speech that caused her to daydream, Adah learns from the headmaster about an upcoming exam for entrance to high school, but it requires a fee she cannot afford. She decides to use money meant for family meat on the exam fee, and her uncle canes her for lying. Adah also knows there are a few scholarships available for those who score the highest on the exam, so she sets her mind on earning one and succeeds. She attended the Methodist Girls’ School on a scholarship, which includes board, for several years, but she knows she must marry to continue her education and work toward her dream.

Adah marries a young man named Francis who cannot afford her bride price; consequently, her mother disowns her. The marriage ceremony is laughable, and Adah’s family refuses to attend. Fortunately, Adah soon secures a good job as a librarian at the American Consulate Library, enabling her to support herself and her husband with a relatively high salary. This job provides her with numerous benefits, as it is advantageous to be associated with Americans. Adah grows close to her parents-in-law, while Francis continues his accounting studies. Adah quickly becomes pregnant with their first child, a girl named Titi, but her mother-in-law dies before the baby is born. At this point, Adah not only works and brings in the money but also fulfills her wifely and motherly duties without resentment or complaint. She remains optimistic about her dream of moving to England and starts planning how to get herself and her family there.

Throughout this period, Adah remains estranged from her family. She hasn’t seen her brother Boy in years and feels no remaining ties to her late parents or brother, making it seem even more viable for her to leave Nigeria with high hopes of moving to the United Kingdom. She shares her dream with Francis, who is initially unimpressed, but they eventually devise a plan to convince Francis’s parents that it would be beneficial for him to study in the UK. Although Francis’s parents support the idea, they do not approve of Adah—pregnant with their second child, a son named Vicky—accompanying him.

It is decided that Francis will go to England alone. At the airport, when the family sees him off, he and his parents judge Adah for not crying. However, she does cry out when thinking about her father’s death after the aircraft door shuts. Adah continues to support both Francis and his parents with her salary. After a few months, once Adah has given birth, she starts convincing Francis’s parents that she and the children need to join him in London. She secures their places on a ship, becoming emotional when she sees her brother Boy there to wave goodbye as the ship departs.

Chapter Three

On the ship, while changing Vicky’s diaper, Adah hears a “burst of excitement” and quickly bundles up to investigate the commotion. She had not expected to arrive in England for another two days, but the ship was nearing land. Adah and her children enter the UK through Liverpool, and she is greatly disappointed by her first sight of her dream country: the dark, cloudy, industrial city gives her pause. However, she reminds herself of the importance of her children receiving an English education. Adah and the children disembark and reunite with Francis, who sees his son for the first time. Adah notices that Francis has changed significantly. He makes jokes about death, attributing this to the English people’s odd sense of humor. Adah is skeptical, as she doesn’t perceive the people around her to have much of a sense of humor. Francis also comments that she has become bolder and speaks to him in ways she wouldn’t have in Lagos. Adah interprets his remarks as evidence that men enjoy more rights and privileges than women, even in England.

They board the train to London, and during the journey, Adah sees snow for the first time, which makes her feel more hopeful about England as she admires the beautiful landscapes. Once in London, Francis takes them to their accommodations. Adah is struck by how close the buildings are to one another, contrasting with Nigeria, where there is more land to spread out. Their apartment is very small and sparse, consisting of only one room with no bath or kitchen and a communal toilet four floors downstairs. Adah is shocked by the bareness and lack of amenities, as she had not been informed in advance about the living conditions.

After work, the other tenants stop by to greet Adah, and she struggles to understand why she has to live with people who would have been considered inferiors in Lagos. Francis explains that immigrants from Africa, India, and the Middle East are “grouped” together in London and treated like “second-class citizens.” Despite considering herself an “elite” back in Nigeria, Adah realizes she will not receive the same respect or deference here. She Is stunned to learn that she is now considered of equal or lower status to people who would have been much lower than her in Nigeria, based on her prestigious job.

Adah chastises Francis for not trying hard enough to find suitable accommodations, which displeases him to the point where he almost hits her. She begins to wonder if her husband hates her and regrets marrying so young. Adah feels she rushed into the relationship and may have made a mistake, but she believes it was necessary to marry Francis to get to England. After their fight, Francis insists on having sex that night, despite Adah’s confusion, knowing they cannot afford another child so soon. Afterward, Francis complains that she needs to see a doctor about her ”frigidity.”Francis pressures Adah to find a job—any job—and encourages her to work at a factory. Adah feels the job is beneath her qualifications and experience. Furthermore, she does not want to work with the other Nigerians, who are Yorubas, because they insult those who are not of their ethnic group.

Chapter Four

Adah finds contentment in her role at the library, particularly relishing the pleasant spring and early summer weather. The lush greenery and blooming flowers provide a stark contrast to the bare branches she encountered upon her arrival in England in March. She forms a close bond with the chief librarian, Mrs. Konrad, a vivacious Czech woman. Adah observes that her colleagues, predominantly young women, lead lives vastly different from hers; while she carries the weight of responsibility, they enjoy a carefree existence. To avoid any semblance of bitterness, Adah opts not to engage in extensive conversations with them. She notes a cultural distinction at the library: in England, there’s a pronounced penchant for novels, unlike in Nigeria, where the focus tends to be on texts that promise practical success and financial gain. Adah finds gratification in experiencing a sense of equality, at least during her hours spent at work. At home, the landlord and landlady complain about Adah’s children and encourage her to give them to a foster family. They had not approved of Francis bringing the children from Nigeria in the first place. Fostering is a common practice for Nigerian housewives in England; the children live with a white family and learn English, while the Nigerian parents work and earn money so they can eventually afford suitable accommodations.

While it is true that it’s difficult for young Nigerian parents to make a living and care for their children, the narrator notes that many of the young wives would have been accustomed to having much more help in their home country, where household servants assist with much of the childcare. Francis supports the idea of sending the children to a foster home, thinking that the children would no longer interfere with his studies, but Adah is horrified at the thought.

Adah meets and befriends a woman named Janet. Janet also has two young children, one with an African man named Babalola. On scholarship from Nigeria, Babalola encountered Janet sleeping standing up in a phone booth he wanted to use to call home. Initially, he took care of Janet, but she also slept with other men. Eventually, Babalola fell in love with her and—in addition to helping her raise her first child, whom she did not want to give up despite her parents’ demands—had another baby with her.

Janet and Adah become friends, and Adah confides in Janet about the struggles of taking care of her two young children. She also reveals that Francis has failed his latest exam and blames Adah and the children; clearly, Adah will need to act quickly to remedy the situation at home. Janet recommends a “daily minder,” or babysitter, until spots open at the nursery. Babalola knows of a minder named Trudy, a white woman with two children of her own. Adah decides to bring her children to Trudy. Noticing that Titi is acting a bit strange, Adah gives Trudy extra milk coupons, hoping that will help Titi get back to her normal self.

When Adah stops by during the day to check on her kids, she is astonished to see that Trudy’s children are playing with Adah’s children’s toys in the front yard, while her own children are nowhere to be found. Trudy is inside with a man, apparently about to have sex, and when Adah demands to know where Titi and Vicky are, Trudy just points to the backyard. The man rushes out, and Adah goes to find her children.

Chapter Five

Adah begins to feel like her dream, “the Presence,” has abandoned her, leaving her burdened by all her responsibilities. Vicky is acting strangely and refusing his breakfast, prompting Adah’s intuition that something is wrong with him. Feeling exceptionally tired, Adah asks Francis to take the children to Trudy’s while she prepares for work. Vicky is unusually clingy and does not want to leave Adah. Francis begrudgingly takes the children to the daily minder, and Adah reflects on how useless Francis is around the household, viewing his only function as impregnating her. Adah’s salary is decent, but with Francis not working, the family has just enough money for rent, babysitting, and Francis’s schooling. Adah brings minimal lunches to work and sometimes does not eat at all. On this particular day, tired of her boiled egg lunch, she opts to take a walk around town instead. She gazes longingly into restaurant windows, imagining the delicious food inside and recalling how she had expected Francis to take her to such places. However, Francis worries about discrimination and refuses to go to these establishments.

When Adah returns to the library after her walk, she runs into her coworker, who is on her way out to find her. Instantly, Adah knows something is wrong with her children. Her coworker tells her that Vicky is very ill and is being taken to the hospital. Adah rushes to Trudy’s house to take the ambulance with Vicky, but no one will tell her what is wrong with her son. The doctor is vague, but Adah senses a tone of concern. She wonders why the doctor is so worried, thinking that in Nigeria, she would have treated the child at home without consulting a doctor.

Nevertheless, Vicky is taken to the hospital for tests and observation. The doctors insist that her son is very ill and needs rest and quiet. To Adah, hospitals signify only two things: birth or death. She associates the hospital with her father’s death, as he went there one day and never came home. Adah is frightened for her son but must wait patiently for the results. After a few days, Vicky is diagnosed with viral meningitis.

Though Adah does not want to leave Vicky, a nurse insists that she cannot stay. Adah roams different parts of the hospital and even tries to sleep in the waiting room. The nurse approaches her and asks if Vicky is her only child. The nurse is surprised when Adah replies that she also has Titi, but adds that Titi is “only a girl.” Adah reflects on how boys are valued more than girls in Nigerian culture, feeling the importance of Vicky’s survival because he is considered worth more than four girls. She wonders why she does not feel compelled to tell Francis immediately about Vicky’s condition, but her priority is staying by her child’s side. When Francis finds out, he is initially unconcerned, believing that people are cured of their illnesses in London. However, he eventually weeps at the severity of Vicky’s illness instead of trying to comfort his wife.

Francis is shocked when Adah talks back to him and complains about their marriage. She declares that if anything happens to her son, she will kill both Francis and Trudy, whom she holds responsible for Vicky’s condition. Francis supports Trudy and continues to see other women.

Chapter Six

One morning, while Adah is getting ready for work, Francis tells her there is bad news. He holds an envelope but hesitates to share its contents with his wife. Growing impatient with his reluctance, Adah grabs the envelope and reads a short note from a solicitor: they are being evicted from their apartment. The landlord, landlady, and other tenants are pleased about this eviction because they perceive Francis and Adah as too proud, believing themselves superior to the others. Additionally, they are tired of the children’s noise. Francis and Adah know there is no use fighting the edict, and Adah understands why the landlord, landlady, and neighbors dislike them. She is accustomed to her people, the Ibos, being treated as inferior in Nigeria. Francis, on the other hand, is shocked by the neighbors’ animosity, partly because he has the luxury of staying home and studying all day while his wife earns all the money. The narrator notes that the neighbors take pleasure in the family’s struggle to find new accommodations.

As the eviction date approaches, the neighbors, landlord, and landlady openly mock Adah and Francis in the halls and stairways. Adah responds by laughing loudly to show that their hatred and intimidation do not affect her. However, inside, she is eager to find new accommodations and escape the abuse.

Adah reflects on the mistreatment she has faced from fellow Nigerians who have moved to England and compares it to the discrimination Black people face from white people in England. Adah and Francis take turns looking for new accommodations but struggle to find anything. Adah thinks they would have moved sooner if they had any options, as she was uncomfortable with their living arrangements from the start.

During their search, Adah notices many advertisements state “Sorry, no coloureds,” making her increasingly aware of the racism in London. In addition to their race, she worries that no one will want to rent to a family with two young children and another baby on the way, so she tries to conceal her pregnancy. Although Adah does not feel inferior to white people, the narrator argues that discrimination has a “psychological effect on her.” Adah tailors her behavior to seem as if she sees the white population as superior, rather than equal to herself. This becomes evident when she calls about a potential rental.

Eventually, Adah finds a seemingly suitable accommodation of two rooms and calls the number. Even though the advertisement does not say “no coloureds,” Adah is careful to disguise her voice, worried that the landlady will recognize she is Black and not consider her as a tenant. She calls the number when her coworkers are not around, embarrassed and fearing they will think she is mad. When she makes the call, the woman thinks Adah might be American. She invites Adah to view the rooms and is happy to have a family with children as potential tenants, noting that she is a grandmother herself.

When Adah gets home that evening, she cannot wait to share the promising news with her husband. At first, the information does not register with Francis, and Adah must repeat it.

Chapter Seven

The narrator briefly discusses a generation of Nigerian men who came to London in the 1940s, well before Francis and Adah. Inspired by Indian independence, they were confident that Nigeria would be the next country to gain freedom from England. These men, who left their wives and children behind in Nigeria, dreamed of becoming successful and wealthy, eventually returning to take on important leadership roles in their homeland. Some of these men succeeded and returned to Nigeria, speaking in an “educated” English that their fellow Nigerians perceived as nonsense. However, many of them failed and became “second-class citizens” in London. One such man is Mr. Noble, also known as Pa Noble.

Pa Noble’s birth name is not revealed. He was given the name Noble by his mates in London, who rewarded him for entertaining them by, for example, pulling his pants down to prove that Africans are not born with tails. Noble was studying law but was unable to pass the exams, ultimately ending up as an elevator operator for the London Underground. He irreparably injured himself one day by attempting to boost the elevator without electricity to prove his strength. After the accident, Pa Noble retired with a pension, which he used to buy a house.

Unfortunately, the house had two older women as tenants, and as they were in a rent-controlled situation with very low rent, they did not want to leave. Even worse, one of the women had a son with a good job who could afford better housing but refused to leave because the rent was so low. Pa Noble could not make enough money from their rent to repair the building, which fell into greater disrepair over time. He attempted to bring his case to court twice but was told that the women were within their rights to stay and that he could not raise the rent.

Pa Noble married a white woman named Sue, and they had several children, but the older women remained on the two floors of the house. He eventually told them that his mother was a witch in Africa and was cursing them. The next winter, which was exceptionally brutal, both sisters died within a short period, and the house was finally vacated. The woman’s son left the house in fear, believing the curse to be real, even though Pa Noble’s mother was actually dead and the curse was fabricated. The narrator implies that the poor condition of the house, with its leaky roof, was the actual cause of the women’s demise during the difficult winter.

Adah and Francis hear from other Nigerian acquaintances that Pa Noble has an empty room. Adah must convince Francis that they should talk to Pa Noble. Her tactic for discussing serious matters with Francis is to wait until he wants to have sex with her. By this point, Francis has other “girlfriends,” so when he desires sex with Adah, she knows she can use the opportunity to get what she needs or wants. Francis is initially hesitant but quickly grants her request.

The next day, they decide to visit the Nobles’ house. In the neighborhood, a brick building divides the well-kept, attractive houses from the dilapidated ones, which are owned or rented by lower-income tenants.

Chapter Eight

The family has been living at Pa Noble’s house for several weeks; it is now early December, around the time Adah expects to have her third baby. She wakes up on the second of December feeling extremely tired and uncomfortable, which is very unusual for her. The baby seems to be stretched across her midsection, causing her pain. Adah does not want to believe that she could be going into labor yet; she wants to work longer and earn more money before Christmas. While Adah recuperates after having the baby, Francis will be working for the post office. In retrospect, Adah wonders why she has taken on all the responsibility and concern for the family herself when it should be natural for Francis to shoulder some of the burden as well. She has grown accustomed to being the primary provider and no longer expects her husband to contribute significantly.

Despite her discomfort and worry, Adah heads to the train station to make her way to the library. However, due to a railway worker strike, her train never arrives. The narrator notes that Francis thinks newspapers are a waste of money, and the family does not own any other source of media where Adah could have learned about the strike. Even though Francis goes downstairs to the Nobles’ space to watch television, Adah is not allowed to join him because Francis believes Mrs. Noble is a poor role model for his wife.

As Adah waits in vain for a train that never arrives, her pain increases to the point of being almost unbearable. Eventually, others waiting for the train decide to leave the station, so Adah leaves too, but she is anxious about going home and telling Francis. She is sure he will not believe her and will accuse her of laziness. She considers screaming from the pain to convince Francis that something is really wrong but decides against it, knowing that screaming would deplete her energy, which she needs to conserve.

Adah arrives home and tells Francis about the strike. Francis challenges her by questioning how she knows the other people at the station went home and did not just find another way to work. The irony is that Francis is still in his pajamas and, of course, will not be going to a job of his own. Adah continues to feel the baby’s kicks, which makes her want to scream. Instead, she remains quiet as Francis starts one of his sermons, which have become more frequent since he became a Jehovah’s Witness.

Francis preaches to Adah about how women should be virtuous, emphasizing that man is superior; in the bible, the woman is made from man. Adah recalls that the etymology of the words for man and woman are different in Ibo, which contradicts his misogynistic logic. Francis senses Adah’s skepticism and starts to question her further. Adah continues to listen to Francis’s speech, but her mind drifts. She thinks about how the Bible can be used to justify almost any viewpoint, even those that oppose each other. Adah dislikes feeling indoctrinated and resents when people take portions of the Bible to make others believe their interpretation as the only one.

Chapter Nine

Adah wakes up in a large hospital ward filled with beds occupied by other women who are about to give birth or have just given birth. Adah observes that these women seem relaxed and sociable, chatting with one another like old friends. In contrast, Adah is hooked up to machines and has a tube in her throat, preventing her from speaking. As she tries to make sense of her surroundings and situation, she realizes she cannot move. A nurse notices that Adah is awake and greets her. The woman in the bed next to Adah asks how she is feeling. Although she cannot respond, the narrator notes that Adah is experiencing abdominal pain, a natural outcome of her surgery. Adah finds herself in a large hospital ward filled with women who are about to give birth or have just given birth. She observes that these women seem relaxed and sociable, chatting like old friends. One woman, significantly older than Adah, perhaps as old as Adah’s mother, constantly shows off her baby, which initially annoys Adah. However, she later learns that this woman waited seventeen years to have her first child, and she then understands the woman’s pride and joy.

Adah also gets to know the woman next to her, referred to as a “sleek, younger woman.” This woman has a very attractive, albeit much older, husband. The surgeon frequently checks on Adah, reassuring her that she is healing well and that hardly any of his patients die. His confidence Instills confidence in Adah. She notices that none of the doctors or patients use her name; instead, she has earned nicknames like “Caesar.” Meanwhile, Adah’s baby, Bubu, sleeps while the other babies are noisy and wakes up crying while they are quiet.

Adah has the tube in her throat for four days and is eager to talk to the sleek woman once the tube is removed. She asks about the woman’s older husband and the many presents he brings her. The woman shares that his first wife died years earlier, leaving him with two grown and successful sons. She appreciates how warmly she has been welcomed into their family, as she was adopted and has never met her birth parents.

The surgeon arrives with his students, interrupting Adah’s conversation. Adah feels uncomfortable with so many people examining her body. During the surgeon’s visit, she starts crying uncontrollably, reflecting on the stark contrast between the sleek woman’s doting husband and Francis. She feels sorry for herself, realizing her husband does not treasure or shower her with gifts and love.

During visiting hour, relatives of the other women crowd the hallway outside with gifts, eagerly waiting to be let in. This makes Adah think again about how Francis will not be bringing her presents or pampering her during her recovery. He usually arrives late, just before visiting time ends. Adah also notices a large Greek lady in the ward wearing a fancy, personal nightdress, while she is still in a hospital shirt.

Determined, Adah decides to demand that Francis get her a nightdress like the other women. She realizes that Francis has never given her a present and resolves to change that.

Chapter Ten

England faces another very cold winter, but Adah considers herself fortunate because she and her children do not need to go outside much. Their entire home is confined to one room; only the toilet has to be accessed from outside. The children play in the family’s multipurpose room, and the two older children gradually adjust to their new baby brFrancis works for the post office for two weeks, as promised, but he complains incessantly about how treacherous his tasks are. He describes the packages he must deliver as a heavy burden and often has to go up and down stairs and walk outside in poor weather conditions. He mentions the threat of dogs, explaining that English people love their dogs so much that they would side with the dogs in any conflict with a postman. Adah begins to worry for Francis’s safety, understanding how real his fear is to him.

Adah takes Titi to a playgroup, but the ice and snow, combined with her recovery from major surgery, make the journey slow and difficult. When they arrive, the woman at the ward chastises Adah for walking there and promises to bring Titi back to her later. Adah feels very frustrated that her recovery is not progressing more quickly and that relatively simple tasks are still incredibly difficult for her.

For a while, Adah feels guilty about not working and watching Francis brave the elements and the dogs, but then she returns to her resolution from the hospital, questioning why she is so worried about Francis when she should focus on her own recovery. On her way home from the playgroup, Adah sees a cheerful young Black woman, a student, walking around with a bag. This causes Adah to reflect on her situation: she is only twenty years old and should be focusing on her studies and career.

As Christmas approaches, Mrs. Noble asks Adah how her family will be celebrating. Adah replies that Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate Christmas in December, so she will not be buying presents for the children. It is also because they do not have any extra money for gifts. Mrs. Noble questions the beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses, who supposedly celebrate Jesus’s birthday in October, though Adah’s family had not celebrated then either. Adah does not really care about organized religion; she believes in a God but does not understand how Jesus is the son of God.

Ultimately, Adah is too poor to celebrate Christmas the way her English neighbors and housemates will. Fortunately, the women at the library sent her a package with a toy for each child. Although her children will not receive the extravagant amount of gifts that the Nobles’ children will, as the Nobles use credit to overspend on Christmas presents, Adah will at least have something to give them. She only wishes she were able to experience the luxury of going into a shop and hand-selecting items for her children, like so many other mothers do.

Adah reflects on how different Christmas is in Nigeria compared to England. The celebration seems very quiet in England, while Nigeria celebrates with loud parties and fireworks. On Christmas morning, Mrs. Noble holds a tea that she invites Adah’s children to attend. There is a spread of colorful jellies and other treats; though it is nice to look at, Adah is unsure of the purpose of the colors beyond their visual appeal. Adah recalls hearing that Europeans considered Black men lazy due to being overstimulated by their African environment, and she resolves that she and her children will be proud to be Black. Upon arriving at the bath, she is greeted by the women who work there; they expect her first thing on Monday mornings. She prefers this time because it is not busy, although the water is not as warm since the pumps have been off during the weekend.

While her trips to the bathhouse are regular, this Monday bathing session is particularly important because Adah has recently visited a family planning clinic to inquire about birth control options. She had discussed the clinic with Francis, but he advocates for a natural family planning method, claiming it is the one sanctioned by the Bible. Adah knew she had to go to the clinic without his blessing and prayed to God for forgiveness.

Adah took Bubu with her to be weighed at the clinic and asked the nurse for birth control pills, explaining that she was only twenty years old and already had three children. The nurse provided Adah with pamphlets to read and discuss with her husband so they could decide together on the best option. Additionally, Adah needed to get her husband’s signature on a form.

Adah knew Francis would never sign the form and wondered why women needed to consult their husbands in such matters. She felt that a woman should be able to decide for herself and was determined to have no more children. She worried that she had narrowly escaped death with her third pregnancy and delivery and did not want to tempt fate with further pregnancies.

When Adah got home that day, Francis said he was going downstairs to watch television because he had read two chapters for the day and had finished studying. Adah used the time to read the birth control literature, learning about the Pill, the jelly, and the cap. She decided the Pill was the best option because it was easiest, and Francis would notice the jelly.

Next, she had to figure out how to get Francis to sign the form. She considered forging his signature but immediately panicked about what would happen if she were caught and prosecuted. Her only other option, though, was to keep having children, so she ultimately decided to forge his signature. She had saved money for her first allotment of pills and lined up a new library job. Adah wanted to keep her job and avoid more pregnancies.

On the Monday of this particular bath, she plans to take the form back to the clinic, so she wants to wash it in case she has to be examined by a nurse or doctor. She tells Francis that Bubu needs to go to the clinic to have his picture taken by the nurses, who are always gushing about what a beautiful baby he is. Adah goes to the clinic with Bubu, where other women are waiting, some undressed and awaiting their exams.

Chapter Eleven

As winter turns to spring, Adah decides to go to the public bath one morning before her children wake up. Observing a small gray bird, she wonders how she could be so captivated by it, given the wealth of colorful animals she was used to seeing in Nigeria. Despite the simplicity of the gray bird, Adah appreciates the changing seasons, recognizing that the harshness of winter makes the return and songs of the birds in spring all the more appreciable. Adah recalls hearing that Europeans considered Black men lazy due to being overstimulated by their African environment, and she resolves that she and her children will be proud to be Black. Upon arriving at the bath, she is greeted by the women who work there; they expect her first thing on Monday mornings. She prefers this time because it is not busy, although the water is not as warm since the pumps have been off during the weekend.

Chapter Twelve

It is confirmed that Adah is pregnant with her fourth child. Determined not to be a victim of her circumstances this time, she seeks guidance from a popular Indian doctor in her neighborhood regarding terminating the pregnancy. The doctor advised Adah that for effective birth control, she should have visited their office where they could have properly fitted her with a cap. Reflecting on this advice, Adah recognizes the importance of seeking proper medical care and advice to take control of her situation.

Adah is astonished to learn from the doctor’s office that they provide the cap for birth control, even though it’s not openly advertised. The doctor sympathetically gives Adah some pills, which she assumes are intended to terminate the pregnancy. Deciding not to inform Francis, she feels increasingly alone, compelled to fend for herself and make decisions independently, much like she did in her childhood. Despite having a husband, Adah feels unsupported and must navigate her challenges solo. Reflecting on her childhood dream that brought her to the UK, Adah senses the return of the motivating force she once had, despite the hardships in her marriage.

Adah no longer finds solace in attending church to pray, as the English version of Christianity lacks the enthusiasm and vibrancy she experienced in Nigeria. Instead, she believes in a personal God who stands by her side, not requiring validation from church attendance.

Employed at Chalk Farm Library, Adah finds renewed vigor and makes close friends like Peggy, a fellow library assistant, and Bill, a Canadian colleague. Through Bill, she discovers literature by Black writers, expanding her horizons and contemplating the possibility of becoming a writer herself. Adah learns the empowering message of “black is beautiful” from authors like James Baldwin, surprising her colleague Bill. Despite her friends’ personal troubles, Adah chooses to keep her marital problems private, preferring to maintain a cheerful façade at work.

After three months at her job, Adah realizes she is still pregnant, despite her assumption that the pills from the doctor would terminate the pregnancy. Anticipating Francis’s ridicule, she decides to confirm the pregnancy with the doctor first. However, she is met with judgment from the doctor, intensifying her frustration. Despite this, Adah remains determined, seeking guidance on how to proceed if the baby is harmed by the pills.

Chapter Thirteen

Adah enjoys the summer, finally experiencing the satisfaction of being a true housewife. She cares for the children, and when they nap after lunch, she has time to work on her novel. While Adah is content with this lifestyle, Francis is perplexed and resentful. He questions the point of marrying an educated woman if she chooses to stay home and raise the children. Francis resents that Adah gets to stay home while he has to work and study. Though temporarily the breadwinner, Francis’s pride in his role quickly wanes. Despite Francis providing Adah with very little money, she plans to work part-time as a seamstress to contribute financially and gain some independence.

As Adah works on her novel, she gains more confidence. She doesn’t feel like she has a “message with a capital ‘M’ to tell the world,” but she finds that writing fills a void in her life caused by her failed marriage. Adah laments that her husband is old-fashioned and believes women are inferior to men; he thinks of her as his property, not as an intellectual equal. At first, she had believed that being in London could change his perspective, but it turns out that Francis cannot—or will not—evolve. She resolves to show Francis *The Bride Price* so he can understand that she has not been “doing nothing,” as he assumes.

Adah decides to show her friends at the library first, however. Bill and Peggy read her manuscript and are very encouraging. Bill thinks it should be published; he says Adah will need to have the work typed up and that he can help find her a contact at a publishing house. In producing her book, Adah muses, that she experiences feelings similar to those she had when giving birth to a new baby. She shares this with Bill, who tells her that it makes perfect sense and that authors refer to their work as their “brainchild.”

As time goes on, Adah feels even more strongly that Francis should read the book. Her confidence has grown as a result of her friends’ positive reactions, and Adah decides to invent a course of study for herself to learn how to write well in English (she will read Shakespeare, for example). She wants to make her novels special, but she wonders how she can use her personal experiences to write compelling stories.

When Adah tells Francis about *The Bride Price*, he mocks her, reminding her that she is not only a woman but also Black. He does not see the point in her writing and cannot understand why she is so deluded. He thinks the Nigerian woman writer Flora Nwapa is only successful because she is writing in Nigeria.

Adah is insulted by Francis’s reaction but is determined to keep writing. She recalls how she once dreamed of being a writer when she was forty years old, and now she has begun to achieve her dream at only twenty-one. She remembers how Peggy praised the book’s humor and Bill celebrated its originality, and she resolves to continue writing despite Francis’s abuse.

The next weekend, Adah leaves early in the morning to do the shopping and returns to find Francis burning papers in the fireplace. It takes a while for her to realize that Francis is burning her novel. She remembers stories Francis has told her about killing or abusing animals and the wicked smile of pride on his face; he now has that same expression. Crushed, Adah feels that Francis’s actions are utterly unforgivable.

Posted on July 16, 2024June 19, 2025 under Books, book summary, analysis, and commentary, Examination - WAEC, NECO, JAMB, IGCSE, GCSE, SAT

CART

Latest News