The Joys of Motherhood Questions

Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.

  1. What is the intent behind the "bride price" paid to the bride's family before marriage? How might it be oppressive? What safety mechanisms are built into the bride price system to provide women with the option of divorce in case of a bad marriage?
  2. Compare and contrast traditional Ibo values with Western values. How are they different? How are they similar? Why do modern Western values tend to erode and destroy traditional values? Is this process a positive or negative one? Why?
  3. In what ways do poverty and traditional values oppress women in this novel? How can women escape their oppression? Does Buchi Emecheta offer Western values as yet another oppressive dynamic or as a potential tool for liberation?