“ Her father was a brute and her mother was weak”
This was difficult and hard to cope with. She had the responsibility of looking after the children, as she was the eldest. She also had to do house work such as fetch water from the stream and chop firewood.
Veronica also did not have much of a social life. No one was allowed in her home except for her fathers drinking companions.
“Visitors apart from his drinking companions
were, not encouraged”
Veronica had no qualifications at all, not even a standard six. This means she did not really have any chance of any kind of job or a future. Veronica is not given a chance of an education because of the situation she was in. She had too much responsibility at an early age. Okeke at one point tries to convince her the city has something to offer but is frightened of her Fatalism.
“No the city is for you not for me.
What will I do when I get there?
I have no qualifications, not even
A standard six”
Another problem Veronica faced was her brother and her sisters had deserted her. This was a big problem because she was completely on her own until she got married. This was a very lonely time for her and she was probably very distressed. She is asked about her brothers and sisters and speaks of them without bitterness.
“What do they want with me? They have their own
lives to lead”
Veronica was in the war zone when the war broke out. This was a great danger to her life. She was living in a very dangerous area and it could have got her killed. During the war the village was totally devastated as Okeke found out when he visited after three years.
“When I got there and all the destruction
I could have wept”
Veronica did not go to school or have an education because she was a girl. In 1885 women were allowed to go to school in America after the civil war. This shows that men have been having an education far longer than women. Women were treated completely than men. In third world countries e.g. India there are far more boys in school than girls. This shows in these countries girls are not getting an education like boys.
It was not until 1944 the butler education act introduced free secondary education for all. This meant people did not have to pay for education most people could not afford education any way.
In 1864 the schools enquiry Commission recommendation lead to the establishment of high school for girls. This was a big change. Before this girls did not have the privilege of further education.
In 1948 Cambridge University (England) allowed the women to take degrees. This shows women were discriminated against in the case of education not long ago.
Veronica had no choices of all except one important choice she had to make. This was to leave the village she was in and go to the city. I think this was the worst decision she made in the story. Veronica could have got away from it all but because she was so used to her lifestyle she could not leave. I don’t think she wanted to leave her family, She easily had the chance to get away from it all but she never took it. Apart from that she did not have any choices at all. Compared to women’s rights internationally she did not have a fair life at all.
