Kambili

Question 1

Beginning to develop independent voice

Answer 1

• Father Amadi and Kambili sing on the way home. ‘As we drove, we sang uplifting Igbo choruses. I lifted my voice until it was smooth and melodious, like his.’
• Kambili talks back to Amaka, ‘“You don’t have to shout Amaka”, I said finally. “I don’t know how to do the orah leaves, but you can show me.”’ Amaka comments, ‘So your voice can be this loud Kambili.’
• ‘I took Amaka’s lipstick form the top of the dresser and ran it over my lips.’
• ‘ I laughed. It sounded strange as if i were listening to the recorded laughter of a stranger being played back.’

Question 2

Silenced / Submissive / eager to please

Answer 2

• ‘I meant to say I am sorry Papa broke your figurines but the words that came out were, ‘I’m sorry your figurines broke, Mama’
• Sundays consist of, ‘ the silence of waiting until Papa was done with his siesta … the silence of reflection time … the silence of scenting rosary; the silence of driving to the church…’
• After Mama is beaten by Papa and is in hospital, Kambili’s narrating voice says, ‘We did not talk about Mama.’ and when she is beaten Jaja says, ‘I’ll get the brush from the bathroom.’ Neither of them comment on what has happened.
• ‘“God will deliver us,” I said, knowing Papa would like my saying that.’

Question 3

Friendships developing

Answer 3

• The girls from Kambili’s class visit and are all friendly. Ezinne asks her, ‘ You will stop running away after school, now, won’t you?’
• Kambili notices, when talking to Amaka, ‘her shoulders brushing mine. The old discomfort was gone.’ and when admitting her love for Amadi she says, ‘It felt easy saying that, letting the words role off my tongue.’ When Amaka asks if it was Papa that put her in hospital, Kambili admits, ‘Yes it was him.’
• Amaka took my hand … I felt as if we were thinking the same thing.’
• Watching Papa Nnukwu’s prayer and when watching Amaka and Papa Nnukwu , Ifeoma tells Kambili, ‘ There are tears in your eyes.’

Question 4

Isolated / damaged caused to relationships

Answer 4

• ‘Finally, stuttering, I said…’
• Ezinne advices Kambili to ‘stop running off like that and walk with us to the gate.’ and then asks, ‘Why do you always run anyway?’
• ‘Back-yard snob’
• Kambili asks, How are my cousins’ and explains how, ‘it felt strange to ask about the cousins I hardly knew.’
• ‘ “Because Papa Nnukwu is a Pagan.” Papa would be proud that I said that.’

Question 5

Criticism of Papa, recognition of faults

Answer 5

• I did not think, I did not even think to think, what Mama needed to be forgiven for’
• When Mama tries to excuse Papa’s behaviour, Kambili says, ‘It was hard to turn my head but I did it and looked away.’
• Kambili compares the gentle way in which Ifeoma teaches her children and the way Jaja and her were taught. ‘She did it all the time believing they would scale the rod. It was different for Jaja and me. We did not scale the rod because we believed we could, we scaled the rod because we were terrified we couldn’t.’
• ‘I did not want to leave the hospital. I did not want to go home.’

Question 6

Attitude to Papa, eager to please

Answer 6

• Jaja corrects the phrasing in an article and Papa smiles. Kambili’s narrative voice says, ‘ I wished I had said that before Jaja had.’
• Papa, ‘reaches out and held my (Kambili’s) hand and Kambili, felt as if my mouth were full of melting sugar.’
• Kambili is shocked at the way Ifeoma speaks to Papa and comments, ‘ she did not seem to recognise Papa was different, special.’
• ‘I wanted to stay … forever listening to his voice, and the important things he had to say.’

Question 7

Paragraph topics

Answer 7

• Eager to please
• Isolated
• Growth
• Voice
• silence
• criticism
• friendships