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Chapter 37
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Girl with the Louding Voice, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Education, Empowerment, and Self-Worth
Gender Inequality and Solidarity
Wealth, Poverty, and Choice
Survival
Summary
Analysis
Fact: many Nigerians have superstitions about pregnancy. For instance, some believe that “attaching a safety pin to a pregnant woman’s clothing will ward off evil spirts.” Big Madam and Big Daddy sit with Ms. Tia and the doctor. The doctor talks about the success of Ms. Tia’s weekly blog, but Big Madam says it’s a waste of time to read about the environment “when there is money to be made.” Big Madam wears lots of makeup, but her face is swollen underneath. The doctor says that Ms. Tia complains about being bored, and Big Madam suggests that Ms. Tia wouldn’t be so bored if she had children. She continues, expressing disbelief that anyone would wait to have children—she claims to have been pregnant after her first night with Chief.
The fact that precedes this chapter refers to a Yoruba superstition. Big Madam’s obsession with money might stem from her belief that money is a way to achieve power and social credibility as a woman. Big Madam’s makeup obscures the bruises she incurred from Big Daddy’s recent beating; symbolically, it obscures her unhappy marriage and the gendered power imbalance that remains in spite of her wealth and social status. The importance Big Madam places on pregnancy, and the way she brags about her own fertility reinforces Big Madam’s complicity in a system of gender inequality that is only strengthened when women don’t support other women.
Themes
The doctor urges Big Madam not to pressure he and Ms. Tia about children—in fact, pressure is the worst thing, and maybe it would be good for Ms. Tia to have something to take her mind off trying to conceive. He asks if Adunni might accompany Ms. Tia to the market to teach Ms. Tia to haggle. Ms. Tia adds that, though Adunni is unfamiliar with Lagos, she is fluent in Yoruba and can be useful. Big Madam isn’t keen on the idea, but Big Daddy encourages it, arguing that Dr. Ken is a good friend, and that they should honor his wife’s wishes. Surprisingly, Big Madam agrees to the arrangement. Adunni is overjoyed.
The doctor seems to be more supportive of his wife’s needs and desires than Big Madam is, which reinforces Big Madam’s perpetuation of sexist norms. The doctor’s response to Big Madam also illustrates that he and Tia treat each other as equals instead of Ms. Tia being submissive to the doctor. Big Daddy’s advocacy for the outing seems like a ploy to make Adunni indebted to him and therefore more likely to submit to his inappropriate advances. Essentially, he’s abusing his power to control the powerless.
Themes
