Birdsong

Nature works as a motif in the story. From the narrator’s description of her lover’s house to the text's title, nature seems to be omnipresent within the narrative. Describe the roles nature plays in “Birdsong.” Why do these roles matter in a story about a woman’s relationship with her lover?

In Paragraph 4, the narrator hears a conversation about Yewande and Ekaete’s progress in finding someone to marry. In what way(s) does this conversation contribute to the main interpersonal conflict in the text? What can be gleaned from this conversation about the broader sociocultural pressures in Lagos?

The narrator’s lover lives in a house built during the era of British colonial rule. How does this history complicate what he says about “nobody respect[ing] old things in this country” (Paragraph 8)? Use examples from the text to explain your answer.

In Paragraph 10, the narrator reveals that her lover likes birds, and she begins to take an interest in them at his urging. How do birds function as a motif in the story? What themes do they represent?

Similar to Adichie’s novel Americanah, “Birdsong” explores the politics of Black hair. How might this exploration contribute to the narrative’s message regarding identity and self-acceptance?

Adichie paints a vibrant Lagos through flashbacks portraying everyday occurrences (e.g., Chikwado’s church-going). How do these flashbacks illustrating the mundane in Lagos reflect the social context of the city in regards to the narrator’s story?

In Paragraph 4, the narrator says while her coworkers talk, “…I would look out the window, high up above Lagos, at the acres of rusted roofs, at the rise and fall of hope in this city full of tarnished angels.” What does the narrator mean by this statement? How does this statement contribute to the cultural and social landscape of Lagos?

English seems to carry social capital in the story. For example, when the narrator tells Chikwado about her traffic accident with the taxi, Chikwado shares the incident with their coworkers (Paragraph 50), mocking the taxi-driver for his pretentious use of English words like “nuisance.” What connotations does “speak[ing] big English” (Paragraph 50) have in the narrative? Use examples from the text to support your answer.