Sara SgubinSara Sgubin - 3^ALS - Liceo Scientifico «Albert Einstein» Cervignano del Friuli - 2013/2014

The Bride Price Publication date Content Characters Setting Themes Message to be learn Ney vocabulary learnt

The title suggests that the central topic is the life of a woman. This woman is going through a crucial period of her life, marriage. The word “price” before the word bride could mean that the marriage is not the effect of love between two people, but it is something artificial wanted by an external authority. Furthermore the word price underlines that maybe the woman is going to be sold and brings to mind the issue of women's emancipation.

The Bride Price is a 1976 novel (first published in the UK by Allison & Busby and in the USA by George Braziller) by Nigerian writer Buchi Emecheta.

The Ibo Aku-nna and her brother, Nna-nndo live with their father Ezekiel in Lagos, because their mother, Ma Blackie, is back home in Ibuza, performing fertility rites.

Ezekiel dies a little mysteriously and the children are forced to go to live with their mother, who now becomes the wife of Ezekiel’s brother Okonkwo.

Aku-nna has begun to fall for her teacher Chike, but Okonkwo will not agree to let him marry Aku-nna, although his family is wealthy enough to offer a generous bride price.

When Aku-nna begins menstruating – the sign that she is now old enough to get married –Okonkwo receives several offers for her.

One night while she was dancing, the family of an arrogant suitor, Okoboshi, kidnap the girl to “save” her from the attentions of Chike.

On her wedding night, Aku-nna lies and tells Okoboshi that she is not a virgin and he refuses to touch her.

Chike managed to save her. The two begin a happy life together, marred by her guilt over her unpaid bride price – Okonkwo, furious, refuses to accept any offers made by Chike’s father.

Aku-nna feels sick and soon the doctor confirms that she will have a baby. When it comes time to give birth, Chike brings her to the hospital.Here Aku-nna dies in childbirth. Chike christens his baby Joy.

Ekzekiel Odia: head of the familyMa Blackie: his wifeAku-nna: his doghter, her name means ‘Father’s wellth’Nna-nndo: his son, his name means ‘Father’s shelter’Okonkwo Odia: elder brother of Ezekiel, uncle of Aku-nna and Nna-nndo, and second husband of Ma BlackieChike Ofulue: the school teacher, Aku-nna’s husbandOfulue: chike’s father

The main characters in this story are Ibos, most of whom live to the east of the great Niger River. Aku-nna, Nna-nndo and their parents live at first in Lagos, which has been the capital city of Nigeria since colonial times, and which is in a western area of the country dominated by the Yoruba people. Their ‘hometown’, Ibuza, on the other hand is a small Ibo town near the banks of the Niger.

At the time of the story, in the late 1950s, Nigeria had been under British rule for about 50 year. Nigeria became independent in 1960.

The writer addresses various issues in socio-economic level as the empowerment of women, education of children, sexual violence and the importance of family in Nigeria. Aku-nna is still a child and is forced to marry. Only thanks to the money for the girl, Nna-nndo can continue his studies. The mortality rate is very high, especially for women who are raped easily and have the only purpose of begetting children and work. Pregnancies often don’t have a positive ending and women, almost adolescents, die in childbirth as result of malnutrition. Losing father means losing everything, women isn’t considered able to take care of a family.

This book is very sad and maintains all the stories as a background melancholy. It suggests the problems of the world related to the status of women. The protagonist fight for love and she knows to go against all. She dies without the price for her wedding has been paid, but leaves her husband a new hope, Joy. The little girl is the symbol of the courage of her mother, who was able to escape from the violence to find a better life. This story teaches us to fight for what we want until death, and that there isn’t obstacle if we want to overcome them.

to lower: abbassare

wordlesslywordlessly: senza paroleto laugh: riderebitterly: amaramentesharply: nettamenteyams: patatechief: capoto borrow: prendere in prestitoscholarship: borsa di studioupset: sconvoltoaloud: a voce altaalthough: nonostanterush out: scappare viawaist: girovitaflow: portatato bleed: sanguinareto whisper: sussurrareat once: subitoto lay down: stabilireto light: illuminarehut: capannato harm: nuocere

heat: riscaldamentostream: ruscelloglad: contentoenemies: nemicisharp pain: dolore acutogourd: zuccashouting: gridandoduty: dovereunkind: scorteseinherit: ereditareto fetch: recuperareto whistle: fischiarecheerful: allegrofighty: inaffidabilefirewood: legna da ardereloneliness: solitudinewilling: dispostobend: piegarefrightening: spaventososudden: improvvisochoice: scelta