The Girl with the Louding Voice

The Girl with the Louding Voice

by

Abi Daré

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on The Girl with the Louding Voice makes teaching easy.

Ms. Tia/Tia Dada Character Analysis

Tia Dada, whom Adunni refers to as Ms. Tia, is a wealthy woman who lives in Big Madam’s neighborhood. She is from a wealthy family in Port Harcourt, was educated in the UK, and now works for the Lagos Environmental Consultancy. Ms. Tia moved to Lagos to be with her husband, Dr. Kenneth Dada, whom she met online. Adunni first meets Ms. Tia when Ms. Tia attends a function at Big Madam’s house for the neighborhood women’s association. While many of the other women at the function belittle and disrespect Adunni, Ms. Tia treats Adunni kindly and respectfully. Later on, Ms. Tia agrees to be Adunni’s character reference for the Ocean Oil Secondary School Scholarship, and she also agrees to give Adunni English lessons to improve her chances of winning the scholarship. Over the course of these lessons, Ms. Tia and Adunni develop a meaningful relationship, confiding in each another about their struggles in life: Adunni tells Ms. Tia about her horrific past, and Ms. Tia tells Adunni about her troubled relationship with Ms. Tia’s Mother, who is now very ill. She also explains how this relationship initially made her not want to have children, though now she knows that she wants a child. Ms. Tia’s decision to have children becomes an issue when she and her husband have trouble conceiving. Ken’s mother, doctor mama, forces her to undergo a violent ritual bath to cure her supposed infertility. But later in the novel, Ken admits to Ms. Tia that he has been infertile all along, which leads to some marital strife, though the couple eventually looks into adoption. Their situation illustrates the uneven responsibility that Nigerian society places on women to get pregnant and become mothers.

Ms. Tia/Tia Dada Quotes in The Girl with the Louding Voice

The The Girl with the Louding Voice quotes below are all either spoken by Ms. Tia/Tia Dada or refer to Ms. Tia/Tia Dada. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Education, Empowerment, and Self-Worth Theme Icon
).
Chapter 12 Quotes

She open her eyes, give me a sad smile. “I wish I am a man, but I am not, so I do the next thing I can do. I marry a man.”

Related Characters: Kike (speaker), Adunni, Ms. Tia/Tia Dada, Khadija, Labake, Baba Ogun
Page Number: 75
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 30 Quotes

Honest, honest, I never hear of a adult woman not wanting childrens in my life. In my village, all the adult womens are having childrens, and if the baby is not coming, maybe because of a sickness, then their husband will marry another woman on top of them and the adult woman will be caring for another woman’s baby so that she don’t feel any shame.

Related Characters: Adunni (speaker), Ms. Tia/Tia Dada, Big Madam (Florence Adeoti), Ms. Tia’s Mother
Page Number: 203
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 34 Quotes

I didn’t tell Ms. Tia that I ever marry Morufu or about all the things he did to me in the room after he drink Fire-Cracker. I didn’t tell her about what happen to Khadija. I didn’t tell her because I have to keep it inside one box in my mind, lock the box, and throw the key inside river of my soul. Maybe one day, I will swim inside the river, find the key.

Related Characters: Adunni (speaker), Ms. Tia/Tia Dada, Big Madam (Florence Adeoti), Big Daddy (Chief Adeoti), Khadija, Morufu
Related Symbols: Water
Page Number: 222
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 35 Quotes

“She comes to ask if I am pregnant,” she say. “Can you imagine that? She has come every month in the last six months to say: ‘Where are my grandchildren? When will I carry my grandchildren and dance with them?’ Like I’ve hidden them in an attic somewhere. If she wants to dance, she should go to a bloody nightclub.”

Related Characters: Ms. Tia/Tia Dada (speaker), Adunni, Kenneth Dada/The Doctor, Doctor Mama
Page Number: 233
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 39 Quotes

How is Morufu and Big Daddy different from each other? One can speak good English, and the other doesn’t speak good English, but both of them have the same terrible sickness of the mind.

Related Characters: Adunni (speaker), Ms. Tia/Tia Dada, Big Madam (Florence Adeoti), Big Daddy (Chief Adeoti), Morufu, Rebecca
Page Number: 251
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 41 Quotes

“God has given you all you need to be great, and it sits right there inside of you. […] Right inside your mind, in your heart. You believe, I know you do. You just need to hold on to that belief and never let go. When you get up every day, I want you to remind yourself that tomorrow will be better than today. That you are a person of value. That you are important. You must believe this, regardless of what happens with the scholarship. Okay?

Related Characters: Ms. Tia/Tia Dada (speaker), Adunni, Mama (Idowu)
Page Number: 264
Explanation and Analysis:

I tear to pieces the paper, and throw it to the floor. Then I swim deep inside the river of my soul, find the key from where it is sitting, full of rust, at the bottom of the river, and open the lock. I kneel down beside my bed, close my eyes, turn myself into a cup, and pour the memory out of me.

Related Characters: Adunni (speaker), Ms. Tia/Tia Dada, Khadija
Related Symbols: Water
Page Number: 275
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 42 Quotes

Fifteen years ago, I was selling cheap materials from my boot, going from place to place, looking for customers. I wasn’t born into wealth. I have worked hard for my success. I fought for it. It wasn’t easy, especially because my husband, Chief, he didn’t have a job. If you want to be like me in business, Adunni, you will need to work very hard. Rise about whatever life throws at you. And never, ever give up on your dreams. Do you understand?”

Related Characters: Big Madam (Florence Adeoti) (speaker), Adunni, Ms. Tia/Tia Dada, Big Daddy (Chief Adeoti), Khadija, Mama (Idowu)
Page Number: 285
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 47 Quotes

But there are words in my head, many things I want to say. I want to tell Ms. Tia I am sorry I made her come here. I want to ask why the doctor didn’t come too. Why didn’t he come and get a beating like his wife? If it takes two people to make a baby, why only one person, the woman, is suffering when the baby is not coming? Is it because she is the one with breast and the stomach for being pregnant? Or because of what? I want to ask, to scream, why are the women in Nigeria seem to be suffering for everything more than the men?

Related Characters: Adunni (speaker), Ms. Tia/Tia Dada, Khadija, Kenneth Dada/The Doctor, Doctor Mama, The Birth-Makers
Related Symbols: Water
Page Number: 312
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 55 Quotes

I leave the room, closing the door on the memory of the sad and the bitter and the happy of it all, knowing that even if everybody forgets about Rebecca, or about me, the wall in the room we shared will remind them that we were here. That we are human. Of value. Important.

Related Characters: Adunni (speaker), Ms. Tia/Tia Dada, Big Madam (Florence Adeoti), Rebecca, Mama (Idowu)
Related Symbols: Houses
Page Number: 361
Explanation and Analysis:
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The Girl with the Louding Voice PDF

Ms. Tia/Tia Dada Quotes in The Girl with the Louding Voice

The The Girl with the Louding Voice quotes below are all either spoken by Ms. Tia/Tia Dada or refer to Ms. Tia/Tia Dada. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Education, Empowerment, and Self-Worth Theme Icon
).
Chapter 12 Quotes

She open her eyes, give me a sad smile. “I wish I am a man, but I am not, so I do the next thing I can do. I marry a man.”

Related Characters: Kike (speaker), Adunni, Ms. Tia/Tia Dada, Khadija, Labake, Baba Ogun
Page Number: 75
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 30 Quotes

Honest, honest, I never hear of a adult woman not wanting childrens in my life. In my village, all the adult womens are having childrens, and if the baby is not coming, maybe because of a sickness, then their husband will marry another woman on top of them and the adult woman will be caring for another woman’s baby so that she don’t feel any shame.

Related Characters: Adunni (speaker), Ms. Tia/Tia Dada, Big Madam (Florence Adeoti), Ms. Tia’s Mother
Page Number: 203
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 34 Quotes

I didn’t tell Ms. Tia that I ever marry Morufu or about all the things he did to me in the room after he drink Fire-Cracker. I didn’t tell her about what happen to Khadija. I didn’t tell her because I have to keep it inside one box in my mind, lock the box, and throw the key inside river of my soul. Maybe one day, I will swim inside the river, find the key.

Related Characters: Adunni (speaker), Ms. Tia/Tia Dada, Big Madam (Florence Adeoti), Big Daddy (Chief Adeoti), Khadija, Morufu
Related Symbols: Water
Page Number: 222
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 35 Quotes

“She comes to ask if I am pregnant,” she say. “Can you imagine that? She has come every month in the last six months to say: ‘Where are my grandchildren? When will I carry my grandchildren and dance with them?’ Like I’ve hidden them in an attic somewhere. If she wants to dance, she should go to a bloody nightclub.”

Related Characters: Ms. Tia/Tia Dada (speaker), Adunni, Kenneth Dada/The Doctor, Doctor Mama
Page Number: 233
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 39 Quotes

How is Morufu and Big Daddy different from each other? One can speak good English, and the other doesn’t speak good English, but both of them have the same terrible sickness of the mind.

Related Characters: Adunni (speaker), Ms. Tia/Tia Dada, Big Madam (Florence Adeoti), Big Daddy (Chief Adeoti), Morufu, Rebecca
Page Number: 251
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 41 Quotes

“God has given you all you need to be great, and it sits right there inside of you. […] Right inside your mind, in your heart. You believe, I know you do. You just need to hold on to that belief and never let go. When you get up every day, I want you to remind yourself that tomorrow will be better than today. That you are a person of value. That you are important. You must believe this, regardless of what happens with the scholarship. Okay?

Related Characters: Ms. Tia/Tia Dada (speaker), Adunni, Mama (Idowu)
Page Number: 264
Explanation and Analysis:

I tear to pieces the paper, and throw it to the floor. Then I swim deep inside the river of my soul, find the key from where it is sitting, full of rust, at the bottom of the river, and open the lock. I kneel down beside my bed, close my eyes, turn myself into a cup, and pour the memory out of me.

Related Characters: Adunni (speaker), Ms. Tia/Tia Dada, Khadija
Related Symbols: Water
Page Number: 275
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 42 Quotes

Fifteen years ago, I was selling cheap materials from my boot, going from place to place, looking for customers. I wasn’t born into wealth. I have worked hard for my success. I fought for it. It wasn’t easy, especially because my husband, Chief, he didn’t have a job. If you want to be like me in business, Adunni, you will need to work very hard. Rise about whatever life throws at you. And never, ever give up on your dreams. Do you understand?”

Related Characters: Big Madam (Florence Adeoti) (speaker), Adunni, Ms. Tia/Tia Dada, Big Daddy (Chief Adeoti), Khadija, Mama (Idowu)
Page Number: 285
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 47 Quotes

But there are words in my head, many things I want to say. I want to tell Ms. Tia I am sorry I made her come here. I want to ask why the doctor didn’t come too. Why didn’t he come and get a beating like his wife? If it takes two people to make a baby, why only one person, the woman, is suffering when the baby is not coming? Is it because she is the one with breast and the stomach for being pregnant? Or because of what? I want to ask, to scream, why are the women in Nigeria seem to be suffering for everything more than the men?

Related Characters: Adunni (speaker), Ms. Tia/Tia Dada, Khadija, Kenneth Dada/The Doctor, Doctor Mama, The Birth-Makers
Related Symbols: Water
Page Number: 312
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 55 Quotes

I leave the room, closing the door on the memory of the sad and the bitter and the happy of it all, knowing that even if everybody forgets about Rebecca, or about me, the wall in the room we shared will remind them that we were here. That we are human. Of value. Important.

Related Characters: Adunni (speaker), Ms. Tia/Tia Dada, Big Madam (Florence Adeoti), Rebecca, Mama (Idowu)
Related Symbols: Houses
Page Number: 361
Explanation and Analysis: