Kambili's Identity by Griffin DEMERS

Religious (Catholic)

gdemers — 2025-04-01 13:01:44 UTC

Kambili believes deeply in her family's religion and takes part in all the righteous parts of its practice. After coming back from Christmas celebrations in Abba, the family goes to a confessional to cleanse themselves of their sins. "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned" (Adichie 105). Kambili continues on to confess all the ways she's sinned since her last confession. She listens to the Fathers orders and completes the prayers he told her to, so that she can restore her virtue. This is important to know because her religious faith affects the way she acts and the way she lives. Kambili does sin, but the majority of her life is lived virtuously, it's reflected in the way she works in school to be the best student, and the way she treats her family with respect.

Sister

gdemers — 2025-04-01 13:02:31 UTC

Kambili's family strictly follows the beliefs and practices of their faith, like going to communion and when Jaja skipped communion Kambili was worried. "Things started to fall apart at home when my brother, Jaja did not go to communion" (Adichie 1). Kambili was worried about Jaja's rebellious actions. It did not reflect the values of their family, that he had grown up with and followed since he was a kid. This is helpful to know because Kambili cares deeply about her family, and specifically about her brother. They have grown a deep unspoken connection and when Jaja acts out of line like he did by not going to communion, it affects Kambili and her role as a sister. She tries her best to mediate situations by using her and Jaja's unspoken language to convince him to follow their families rules. She is a caring sister who does not want to see Jaja in trouble.

Dedicated Student

gdemers — 2025-04-01 13:03:43 UTC

After receiving school report cards and realizing Kambili came second she reflects on the comments her teachers made about her. "Mother Lucy, wrote, "A brilliant, obedient student, and a daughter to be proud of" (Adichie 39). Kambili takes care and pride in her schoolwork. She has always been top of her class because those were the expectations she had and that her family had for her. This is helpful to understand because she lives her life so scheduled by her papa, in order to be perfect for him. The perfect student, the perfect sister, the perfect daughter. She's dedicated to being the best at everything she does because of the expectations put on her.

No Friends

gdemers — 2025-04-01 13:05:12 UTC

When Kambili's class is lining up for assembly, Kambili chooses the same spot she always does, "I stood in the front of the line as always, because the back was for girls who belonged to cliques, girls who giggled and whispered to one another" (Adichie 48). Kambili makes no effort to be around girls her age. She does not talk to them, or stand around them, instead she chooses to be in the front of the line. This is helpful to understand because it reflects on her families values that she doesn't need friends or have the time for them. Kambili would rather keep her head down and not speak, focusing on her school work instead of wasting her time giggling in the back of the line with friends.

Religious Contradiction

gdemers — 2025-04-01 17:06:34 UTC

On the ride to Aunty Ifeoma's house, Papa had told Kambili and Jaja that they were to pray. But instead, they were distracted by the sights and did not do as they were supposed to. "I did not concentrate on any of the glorious Mysteries, and I knew Jaja did not, either, because he kept forgetting when it was his turn to start a decade of the rosary" (Adichie 110). This distracted behavior demonstrates how Kambili does not follow her religion very seriously. She disregards her own Papa's demands and the practices of her family's chosen religion, to look out her window. Kambili does not take her religious beliefs as strictly as she is supposed to, choosing to only following its practices when someone is watching.

Dedicated Student Contradiction

gdemers — 2025-04-01 23:27:56 UTC

After Kambili's Mama was abused by her Papa, she left blood on the floor. This was blood that Kambili and Jaja had to clean up while their Mama was in the hospital. This traumatized Kambili, causing her to see things when she was supposed to be studying. "I went upstairs then and sat staring at my textbook. The black type blurred, the letters swimming into one another, and then changed to a bright red, the red of fresh blood. The blood was watery, flowing from Mama, flowing from my eyes" (Adichie 35). Whenever Kambili tries to study she is plagued by images of her mothers blood. The words morph into something unreadable and her mind wanders away from her subject matter and towards her traumatic experiences. This reflects how Kambili is not as dedicated of a student because she can't be. Her experience throughout life hinder her abilities to focus on her schoolwork and distract her from the intense dedication she has always had in school.