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: Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, a Nigerian feminist, fought for women’s access to education. The day after Big Madam leaves for her trip, Ms. Tia comes by the house to apologize to Adunni for leaving so abruptly yesterday. She explains that people ask her why she doesn’t have children all the time, and it bothers her. After Adunni asked, though, she realized something for the first time. Ms. Tia hesitates before deciding not to tell Adunni the details of this realization. Ms. Tia tells Adunni good luck on her exams and turns to leave.
Ms. Tia’s privilege grants her the ability to choose not to have children, but she can’t help but be affected by the social norms surrounding pregnancy. Ms. Tia’s mysterious revelation might be related to her reasons for not having kids, though for whatever reason, she’s keeping the details of this realization from Adunni for the time being.
Themes
Adunni realizes that if she doesn’t ask Ms. Tia for help now, she may lose her chance forever. She clarifies that she doesn’t have exams, but that she can have a chance to win a scholarship to go to school if she can find a Nigerian guarantor to vouch for her character on the application.
Recognizing Ms. Tia as an ally and knowing that the scholarship is her only chance to obtain freedom and an education, Adunni takes a chance and asks Ms. Tia to help her.
Themes
Ms. Tia hesitates, pointing out that she doesn’t know Adunni all that well and doesn’t know if she can be a good reference. Adunni promises that she will do anything Ms. Tia asks during the two weeks that Big Madam is away, and that she can prove that she is deserving. Ms. Tia remains uneasy, as she and Big Madam aren’t on particularly good terms. Adunni insists that she will keep Ms. Tia’s role in the scholarship application a secret.
That Ms. Tia appears unwilling to come between Big Madam and her housemaid reaffirms Big Madam’s power, wealth, and importance in her social circle. Adunni remains determined to receive Ms. Tia’s help because her past experiences with Mama and Khadija have taught her the power of having a strong female advocate in her corner.
Themes
Ms. Tia talks partly to Adunni and partly to herself, making plans for which work assignments she can push forward and which things she can reschedule to make time to help. She agrees to help Adunni with her application, acting as a reference and as an English tutor, so that Adunni can write a successful essay. Overjoyed, Adunni wraps her arms around Ms. Tia in a warm embrace. She’s surprised when Ms. Tia, a rich woman, doesn’t push her away and beat her the way Big Madam does.
Adunni’s surprise at Ms. Tia not pushing her away speaks to how common it is for people to abuse and disregard her because of her class and gender.
Themes
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Ms. Tia asks Adunni what her work schedule is and is horrified to hear that Adunni usually works from dawn until 11 or midnight. Adunni tells her that since Big Madam is gone, she will only need to work until seven, and they make plans to meet then. Adunni sleeps well that night, dreaming of Mama and Khadija as birds flying through a cloudless sky.
That Adunni dreams of Mama and Khadija after Ms. Tia agrees to teach her forges a connection between these three women, all of whom use the resources available to them to lift up Adunni. The fact that Adunni imagines Mama and Khadija as flying birds, free from the suffering that constrained them in their real lives, suggests that these women are inspiring Adunni to pursue freedom for herself.
Themes
