Ghostroots
Girlie
by Aguda, ‘PemiThe chapter follows Girlie, a young domestic worker, as she navigates her daily responsibilities for her employers, Madam and Oga. Sent to the market three times a week, she purchases household items, groceries, and baby supplies, adapting to their preferences while masking her exhaustion. Girlie reflects on the disparities between her employers’ affluent lifestyle and her own humble background in Akko, a village far removed from their polished neighborhood. Her observations highlight the invisible labor of domestic workers and the emotional toll of her separation from family.
Girlie’s routine reveals the challenges of budgeting with fluctuating market prices and the physical strain of her work. She carries a leather purse gifted by her mother, a symbol of her forced transition into adulthood. The narrative underscores the risks faced by domestic workers, such as unsafe transportation and exploitation, as Girlie recounts warnings about unmarked taxis. Her resilience is evident as she navigates these dangers, relying on makeshift prayers for protection.
At the market, Girlie interacts with vendors like Iya Tomato, who shows her kindness by adding extra produce to her purchases. These small gestures contrast with her employers’ detachment, offering fleeting moments of warmth. Girlie’s internal conflict surfaces as she avoids greeting Grace and Mummy Grace, whose playful bond reminds her of her estranged mother. The chapter poignantly captures her loneliness and the ache of missing home, amplified by weekly phone calls where her mother’s voice becomes a comforting presence.
The chapter closes with Girlie’s encounter with Iya Tomato, who probes about her well-being and family. The vendor’s concern contrasts with the indifference of Girlie’s employers, highlighting the isolation of her position. A sudden interruption—a woman bumping into Girlie—mirrors the instability of her life. The laughter of Grace and Mummy Grace triggers a surge of emotion, emphasizing the emotional weight Girlie carries. The chapter masterfully portrays her quiet endurance and the unspoken sacrifices of domestic labor.
FAQs
1. How does the protagonist’s experience as a house girl highlight socioeconomic disparities in Nigerian society?
Answer:
The chapter vividly portrays socioeconomic disparities through the protagonist’s contrasting experiences between her rural village Akko and Madam’s affluent neighborhood. While Madam’s household enjoys luxuries like smooth roads, freshly painted houses, and a ten-seater dining table for just three people, the protagonist comes from a village without running water. Her role as a house girl—having to carefully budget market money, rent baskets, and risk unsafe transportation—demonstrates the precarious existence of domestic workers. The estate’s ban on public transport within its gates further illustrates how urban planning often disregards working-class needs, forcing house girls and other workers to walk long distances or take unsafe “uncolored taxis.”2. Analyze the significance of Iya Tomato’s character in the narrative. What role does she serve in the protagonist’s life?
Answer:
Iya Tomato serves as a rare source of warmth and maternal care in the protagonist’s isolated life. Unlike Madam who maintains professional distance, Iya Tomato expresses genuine concern through questions like “Them no beat you?” and unexpected inquiries about the protagonist’s mother. Her habitual gift of extra tomatoes—though ultimately benefiting Madam—represents an act of kindness in a system that otherwise exploits the protagonist. Their interaction forms a “funny dance” of attempted connection amidst market chaos, contrasting with the protagonist’s transactional relationships in Madam’s household. Iya Tomato’s persistent care, despite the protagonist’s shy deflections, highlights the human need for connection in dehumanizing circumstances.3. How does the author use sensory details to convey the protagonist’s emotional state and environment?
Answer:
The narrative employs rich sensory imagery to immerse readers in the protagonist’s reality. Tactile descriptions like the uniform sticking to her back and shoulders aching under market baskets physically convey her exhaustion. Auditory details—the keke’s engine “loud like pots falling down”—paint the chaotic urban soundscape. Most poignant are the taste and touch metaphors: Mummy’s voice resembles “warm ogi pouring around [her] heart,” blending nourishment with longing, while thoughts of home make her head shake “like a washing machine.” Iya Tomato’s sweat-beaded cheeks resembling “hot puff-puff” create visceral connections between food, heat, and fleeting comfort. These sensory threads collectively express the protagonist’s homesickness, fatigue, and fragile moments of joy.4. What does the protagonist’s relationship with her mother reveal about the complexities of their separation?
Answer:
Their relationship embodies painful contradictions: Mummy calls the protagonist a “grown-up woman” when giving her the purse at fifteen, yet the girl feels anything but adult. Their weekly phone calls become performances—Mummy’s chatter tries “to make both of us forget how she sent me to Madam,” while the protagonist silently savors her voice like comfort food. The scarf-play between Grace and Mummy Grace triggers visceral envy, exposing her unspoken grief. Notably, she never voices her true feelings, saying only “thank you” and “fine, ma,” suggesting both protective silence and internalized resignation. This dynamic reveals how economic hardship fractures maternal bonds, forcing premature “adulthood” onto children while leaving both parties emotionally stranded.5. How does the protagonist navigate power dynamics in her daily life, and what survival strategies does she employ?
Answer:
The protagonist demonstrates remarkable adaptability in navigating oppressive systems. She masters domestic tasks like operating appliances and ironing with spray starch to meet Madam’s standards, while secretly applying her mother’s market-haggling skills when funds fall short. Her cautious rituals—counting money twice, making the cross in taxis—show strategic risk management. She withholds truths strategically: not correcting Iya Tomato about the tomatoes, suppressing tears after 15-hour workdays, and avoiding greetings that might provoke questions about her mother. Even her smile becomes a tool—used to reassure Iya Tomato, apologize to market crowds, and mask exhaustion. These calculated behaviors reveal how marginalized individuals develop covert resistance tactics within constrained circumstances.
Quotes
1. “I have learned many new things: like which buttons to press on the washing machine and how to iron with spray starch and how to pretend I am not sad or tired, even after fifteen hours of running after Baby.”
This quote encapsulates the protagonist’s adaptation to domestic labor and emotional labor, revealing the hidden burdens of her work as a house girl. It introduces the theme of performative resilience that runs through the chapter.
2. “They don’t do it on purpose, but sometimes there isn’t enough money and I have to use all of Mummy’s methods of pricing so that it stretches. Madam and Oga are not wicked people o; it’s just that they don’t understand that the way you know how much a car or house costs is not the same way you know that price of tomato can change before you blink once.”
This highlights the class divide and cultural disconnect between the employers and the domestic worker. The protagonist’s nuanced perspective shows both empathy for her employers and awareness of their privilege.
3. “I am not Catholic, but every time I have to enter one, I touch my head and my shoulders. I don’t think I am crossing it in the right direction, but maybe direction doesn’t matter to God.”
This poignant moment reveals the protagonist’s vulnerability and spiritual pragmatism as she navigates dangerous transportation options. It underscores the daily risks faced by domestic workers.
4. “Last last, it’s nice when someone looks happy to see you.”
This simple yet powerful statement reveals the protagonist’s deep loneliness and need for human connection in her isolated position. The contrast with Iya Tomato’s warmth highlights what’s missing in her employer’s household.
5. “Whenever anyone asks me about Mummy, inside my head starts shaking like washing machine just before it’s about to finish.”
This vivid metaphor conveys the emotional turmoil beneath the protagonist’s composed exterior when thinking about her mother. It reveals the complex feelings about being sent away to work.