Synopsis
Julie is kidnapped by a gang for ransom, and Nwabulu falls victim, being in the wrong place at the right time. To pass the time, they take turns telling their stories.
The first to tell her story is Nwabulu, who had been at war with the world since the day she arrived on Earth.
Her mother did not survive her birth, and her father, who gives her the world, is forced to take another wife. Mama Nkendilem, her stepmother, is no good news to Nwabulu, as shortly after her father dies, the devil in Nwabulu takes center stage in their home.
She is no longer allowed to go to school but has to take on responsibilities bigger than her age. Then, she began her survival journey as a housemaid at age 10, journeying from house to house but always finding herself back with Mama Nkemdilem no matter how far she went.
Julie, on the other hand, was good friends with the earth. Born in a good and stable home, she goes on to receive the best education and does life on her terms; she is only thrown off balance after the death of her father and brother, with her mother making the ultimate demand, asking her to settle down.
Their very different lives intertwine three months before they are kidnapped, kicking off a customer-client relationship that quickly builds into friendship.
In a little dark room, they discover buried lies and hidden truths.
Setting
The physical setting of The Son of the House is in Enugu, Nigeria, and the story is based on the Igbo culture, which is rich with its customs and traditions.
In temporal context, the story begins in the early 1970s, right after the end of the Biafra War, and carries on to about four decades later.
Themes
The Son of the House is very rich in relevant themes, with notable themes in the novel including superstition, classism, family, culture, and grief.
A lot of contrast is seen in the character presentation of Nwabulu and Julie. Nwabulu is orphaned at the age of 10. Julie, on the other hand, has both her parents in their lives till their late years.
Nwabulu’s early years are filled with pain and one bad news after the other, but Julie is born into wealth and enjoys every bit of her childhood.
Julie is well educated, while Nwabulu only had a first school leaving certificate to her name.
Sexual Abuse
The first victim of sexual abuse in the novel is Nwabulu, the main character, who is raped repeatedly by Papa Emma in Lagos, where she first served as a house help.
” That night, Oga crept into the store where I slept amid yam and tubers of bags of rice and beans. He pounced with the force of the three-story house that had fallen on itself down the street.”
Nwabulu does not receive any justice; instead, she is attacked by Oga’s wife, who sends her back to her village.
The second victim of sexual assault is seven-year-old Ugomma, Urenna’s little sister, who is defiled by the lanky, hungry-looking Mr. Nzom, her private lesson teacher.
Urenna gets some justice for his sister after the incident, which is a win considering how often perpetrators of sexual abuse always go scot-free without the victims getting any justice.
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse is depicted in The Son of the House, where Mama Emma attacks Nwabulu with a knife and beats her after she catches her husband raping her.
Mama Nathan also recounts to Mama Nkemdilem how her husband physically abused her till her people threatened to beat him.
Friendship
“In that exchange was everything comfort, safety, bonding friendship,”
Friendship played a crucial role in Nwabulu’s survival, whose friendship with Chidinma, a fellow maid in Enugu, held her together. She had someone to talk to and confide in, and it was through her friendship with Chidinma that she met Urenna, who later captured her world.
Chidinma helps her find her footing when she returns to Enugu.
Patriarchy
The Son of the House is built around strong female characters, women who take center stage while the men do very little and stay in the background. But as their culture has it, a woman is incomplete without a man.
Julie is doing so well for herself, but her father doesn’t regard her. Her drunkard brother is their delight even though he’s useless and can’t carry on with the traditions he teaches him.
Julie’s mother insists that all she’s acquired for herself is vanity without a man and urges her to find a man and settle down.
