How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
"You are too young to understand, Adim. I don't want to live like my parents. Education is a life-long project. If I stop now, I shall only help them half the way. I intended to go further after leaving school. Say four to five years after that…then I shall be able to do something for them. Not now."
Adim opened his mouth and closed it again, swallowing the night air.
"What of me, what will become of me?" he had mouthed into the darkness.
He got up with a very heavy heart, remembering all the firewood he had helped his mother carry just to make ends meet, remembering the year in which there were locusts and he had stayed out for days, bagging the insects to make delicious fried snacks for sale, all because "my brother is at college, and when he comes out, we will be rich!" It now looked as if he was never going to finish his own education. He had slept little that night; he was determined not to sacrifice his life for any brother. He had a right to his own. He had heard his father say so: every man had a right to his own life, once it had been giving to him. He thought of his younger brother Nnamdio, who at the age of six had not started school, and who would not even sit still for five minutes at a private lesson, and he smiled sadly. He too would find his own path. (16.28-31)
Oshia plans to go on for further education, even though it means Adim's education will be sacrificed. But Adim listens to his brother and realizes that if he is going to be educated, he will have to make it happen for himself.
Quote #8
"Now, young man, when are you going to take on your family responsibilities? Have you not sense enough to know that a father shouldn't have to ask that of his son, he should do it automatically?"
"What responsibilities, Father?"
Nnaife's bottled-up wrath exploded, and he thundered: "Adim! Nnamdio! You two come here." He turned back to Oshia. "These are your responsibilities, to say nothing of myself and your mother, who still carries firewood like a paid carrier."
"I don't understand, Father. You mean I should feed them and you too? But you are alive and well and still working—" (17.24-26)
In this short conversation between Nnaife and Oshia, we see the clash of traditional Ibo ideas of a son's responsibility with a modern version of a son's responsibility. Oshia sees no reason why he should support his father when his father is perfectly capable of working. Nnaife sees no reason why he should continue to work when his son is perfectly capable of supporting him. At the same time, we see that Adim and Nnamdio's education is dependent on Oshia's willingness to help them out. The family has sacrificed everything so that Oshia could be educated. They all expected him to help them. And now Oshia has no compunction to help his less fortunate younger brothers and sisters.
Quote #9
"Look, Adim, it seems I am alone with you in this game of living. Your father blames me and you, my children. Ibuza people blame me: they said I did not bring you all up well because I spent most of my time selling things in the market. They are predicting that none of you will come to any good. Are you going to fulfill their hopes by rejecting yourself, too? You can blame me If you like, but listen, god son; so far you and your sister Taiwo are my only hope. I hope in you two, not only that you will feed me in my old age but that you will wipe the tears of shame from my eyes. So don't let yourself go. Face your school work; it is your salvation." (18.2)
Adim's schoolwork is suffering because of the family's problems. Nnu Ego realizes that he needs to concentrate on school, rather than on the family, because it will help both of them in the hard times to come.