According to Nnaemeka, Emecheta has said one she must establish usually she «must be put in an enthusiastic asylum. Some people have to share, and that i are actually one of them.» The lady commitment offered this new stimulus to help you push her courtesy college or university, in which she finished that have celebrates, and you can to employment because an author.

Life and death in the Lagos

New Fiance Price starts into the Lagos, a slot urban area within the Nigeria, Africa. The hole views disperse easily through the situations that are in the so you can dramatically change the lifestyle of one’s Odia nearest and dearest: Ezekiel, the father; Ma Blackie, the mother; Nna-nndo, brand new man; and you will Aku-nna, the latest daughter and protagonist regarding the tale. The setting of your own story, a fairly developed urban heart, have a tendency to after examine toward family members’ flow back again to the standard, agrarian people of your own the ancestral village.

Unbeknownst on the mom and children of your own Odia nearest and dearest, Ezekiel, the father, is actually dying. It is his farewell so you can his students (the caretaker, now, are visiting the country village off Ibuza) you to kits the remainder occurrences in the motion. Inside their people, a female rather than a partner is unable, the person is actually informed, to look at by herself or the woman people. The brand new translation away from Aku-nna’s brother’s label reminds Aku-nna with the reality. Their name form, «dad is the shelter.» In Nigerian community, «the mother is just a female … boneless. A great fatherless nearest and dearest are a family as opposed to a head … a non-present household members.»

It is in the 1st about three parts of new novel that Emecheta discusses the latest changeover away from Ezekiel’s dying and you may funeral towards the eventual departure manhunt from his widow and kids regarding city. During the time of presenting so it changeover, Emecheta informs an individual of some of your own big problems you to she’ll explore about left parts of the ebook. She raises the idea of the brand new bride to be rates, the girl role into the Nigerian people, new influence of Ibo heritage up on the players, while the clash anywhere between this type of culture additionally the aftereffects of British colonization.

Title of the protagonist, Aku-nna, virtually function «dad’s money.» Her name refers to the bride-to-be price you to the girl father tend to receive abreast of her marriage. «To your,» the narrator states, «this is something to look ahead to.» Aku-nna, from the period of thirteen, is actually conscious of concept of their term as well as the the lady role within her neighborhood. She’d maybe not allow her to father down. She’d get married well in order to men exactly who you certainly will manage a keen high priced bride to be rates. That is Aku-nna’s character, as it is the fresh new role of every lady within her area. She would entice wealth to help you their household members from the setting a good bride-to-be rates. Then she would render wide range to their partner’s loved ones in the sorts of youngsters, preferably most of the people.

Sadly Aku-nna’s father, even in the event he says to their he means simply to go to the hospital for a short time, is defeat because of the a keen infirmity and you can dies. Aku-nna senses one something dreadful provides occurred to the lady dad, however, she none are informed myself because of the the lady family unit members, exactly who instantly arrive on the woman doorstep, neither does she query direct questions. «A good students do not query so many concerns.» Alternatively, she follows the latest decides off their uncles and you can aunts while they work together to arrange to the funeral service rites. She’ll sooner learn in regards to the loss of the girl father from traditional artwork off storytelling.

Spot Summation

It’s as a consequence of Ezekiel’s funeral and you may burial that Emecheta first reveals a few of the conflicts ranging from old-fashioned people in addition to affects of Uk colonization. She tells the person that Ezekiel try hidden as he had existed «from inside the a conflict off two societies.» She upcoming applies the latest burial methods and thinking of conventional society, which have been infiltrated of the religion during the paradise and hell as the preached of the Anglican ministers. Fearful out of offending the gods, brand new Ibo individuals proceed with the ceremonial dictates away from each other countries.