Table of Contents
SUMMARY
Chika in the novel was a girl of faith, but she was very young when her parents died and she was left all alone with two siblings. Chika attended Rev. sisters school and has envied the Reverend Sisters in the convent in that case she longed to be among them.
Chika promise herself not to have anything to do with men. She had no male friend except Chudi who was not even that close to her but Chika’s uncles had rejected the idea of her being a Reverend Sister.
The civil war of 1960 broke out and all were dispersed and Chika had to return to her family home. It happened that the army conscripted young men and Okey, Chika’s brother was among those conscripted in that case. Chika was raped in bid to get her brother released and that was the beginning of Chika’s promiscuousness.
Chika had totally changed by the time the war was over. She tried to hide but it was now obvious to everybody, she died in an attempt to abort her pregnancy.
PLOT
Sir Jonah Chike Jideofor Onwudika was tried headmaster at a mission primary school in Amaudo, while his wife was a matron at a maternity home. Thing began to fall apart in the year 1960 when Mrs Onwudika died, and their daughter Obiamaka also died after a brief illness leaving behind Chika, Okey and Ngozi with their father who later died three years ago due to the unbearable loss he experienced.
Chika leaved in the boarding school at the Convent Secondary School and she had dreamed to become a reverend sister like others. Some even felt that Chika was already applied to be a Rev. Sister not knowing that she was just as student in the convent school
Chika’s uncles were not in support of the idea because of tradition of their land and partially, their own selfish reasons.
Firstly, they had wanted Chika to marry a wealth man that will provide all their needs but most importantly they refused because Chika’s father was the head of the Diokpa and this makes his first daughter the head of the Umu-ada; i.e. the married daughters of the clan. And as a result she must get married to occupy the position which as being managed by her aunty at the moment. Chika was so determined that she decided to talk to her uncles herself but that was in vain. People mocked Chika in the university because for her way of dressing; Chika is always on skirt and headtie to which Chudi a Christian brother had defender her.
Civil war broke out about a year later in the country and had gradually gotten into more terrible crisis in the country. Chika took shelter with the Rev. Sister in the mission house while she was in the mission her only brother Okey was recruited into the army had in the bid to get her brother released, she was raped by Lt. Fred Umego.
He secretly sent her a lot of provisions of which Chika had no choice but to open a restaurant. This was the point where Chika’s dream was shattered. The urge for sex became a normal thing with her to the extent that she decided to revisit the barrack in a pretentious annoyance and the incident repeated itself till it became a norm. People suspected the fact that Chikla already got herself army boyfriends especially as she started wearing skimpy dresses and much make upon her face. At this juncture, Chika had totally changed. She became promiscuous and by the time the war was over, she could no longer be associated with the reverend sisters. Chika got pregnant for her new boyfriend and in the process of her aborting the baby, she died. Chudi got married, while Onyedika, Ngozi and were left all alone to provide for themselves.
SETTING
The novel was set during the war period of 1960, when the country was in a state of conflict. The setting of the novel is placed in Nigeria in the west were Chika attended her school. The scenes of the novel include the convent, the army barracks, even the hospitals which were situated with the army district and the school and hospital where Chika’s parents worked are also included.
LANGUAGE
The writer used English language which was simple and straight forward for readers to understand.
POINT OF VIEW
The writer presented the novel in an omniscient point of view, there by telling the story in his own perspective of how the event happened.
SYMBOLISM
Chika symbolizes disappointment because she disappointed herself thereby making another step of going back to the barracks where she was raped for more sex.
THEME
LACK OF CONTROL
Chika loosed control for the fact that she has been raped, there by having the urge for sex which made her to go back to the barracks.
THEME OF SELFISHNESS
Chika’s uncles where so selfish that they were not in support of Chika being a Reverend sister because Chika had already lost her parents.
THEME OF DISAPPOINTMENT
Chika was a disappointment to all, because she got pregnant for her new boyfriend, in her bid of aborting the baby she died and left her siblings all alone.
CHARACTER AND CHARACTERIZATION
CHUKA
Chika is the heroine of the novel she is the daughter of Mr and Mrs Onwudika. Chika became an orphan in a very tender age. She longed to be a sister but unfortunately for her she was raped in that case. She became promiscuous and got pregnant in her bid to abort the baby, she died.
ONYEDIKA
She was like a sister to Chika, she leaved with Chika after her divorce with her husband. Onyedika consoles and advices whenever she feels bad about herself. But Chika disobeyed Onyedika when she advised her not to abort the baby when she told Onyedika about the pregnancy.
CHUDI
Chudi was from the same village with Chuka both attended the same University and Chudi always defend Chika in school.
LT FRED UMEGO
He brought about Chika’s total change. Fred Umego was a Lieutenant in the army barracks were Okey, Chika’s brother was recruited, he raped Chika in other for her brother to be released. He took away Chika’s dreams but later felt bad about it and apologized. Fred later died during the war.
OKEY
Okey is the brother of Chika and Ngozi and the only son to late Mr and Mrs Onwudika. He was recruited into the army. It was because of him that Chika’s dream was shattered.
NGOZI
She was the sister of Chika and Okey. When she started noticing the changes in her sister, she was given a job in order to keep her busy. She cried and felt very angry the day she saw Chika in a lying position with their landlord. That was when Ngozi fully realized that her sister had gone very promiscuous. After the war, she recounted her sister’s ordeals to Okey her brother.