Significance of Chalk Farm Library in Second Class Citizen

Chalk Farm Library is the place where Adah goes to find a job in London after giving birth to Bubu. Mrs. Konrad and the others at North Finchley Library, her first place of work on her arrival in the United Kingdom, have shown her much kindness following Bubu’s birth.

In fact, Mrs. Konrad, her former boss, saves the day for Adah when, at Christmas that year, she has nothing to celebrate with her children except the frequent quarrels and physical abuse at the hands of Francis. It is Mrs. Konrad who sends Adah and her children gifts.

Please Note: I’ve written this post in direct response to a request from one of you. It is an essay I have crafted for that very likely WAEC/WASSCE or NECO/JAMB Literature question on African Prose: Discuss the significance of Chalk Farm Library in Buchi Emecheta’s Second Class Citizen. This is why you might want to take it a bit more seriously.

Thus, Adah is fortunate to have found an equally friendly work environment at Chalk Farm Library after her departure from North Finchley Library.

Chalk Farm Library helps boost Adah’s morale.

It is at the Chalk Farm Library that Adah meets some of her best friends in England. Bill, the tall and handsome Canadian is one of these individuals. The narrator tells us that Bill is the only real friend Adah has ever had outside her family in London.

The others include Peggy, the Irish girl with a funny-looking hairstyle. Peggy is the jilted girlfriend of an Italian student. Then there is Fay, the pretty-looking ‘mulattress’.

SEE ALSO:

Who is Peggy in Second Class Citizen?

What is the Role of Bill in the Life of Adah?

Who is Fay in Second Class Citizen?

These people and their personal stories provide a friendly atmosphere inside Chalk Farm Library. The light-hearted mood at Chalk Farm Library is significant in at least one way. It helps Adah, who is going through so much at this time, to relax a bit from her many worries.

Her colleagues here, especially Bill and Peggy, make Adah forget her troubles during the part of the day when she is at work.

Contribution to the Theme of Relationship Problems

The second significance of Chalk Farm Library is that it contributes to the development of the theme of relationship problems between the opposite sexes. We have seen that whether it is a formalized marital union or just a casual boyfriend-girlfriend relationship, there are bound to be problems.

At Chalk Farm Library, Adah understands that almost everyone has personal challenges in their individual relationships. It does not matter whether they are married or in short-term romantic relationships.

Here are some instances which show that relationship worries are universal. They only differ in terms of how serious they are.

• Bill lives in a rather small flat with Eileen, his pregnant wife. He wishes he could go back to his native Canada as soon as possible.

• Peggy, on her part, has one overriding wish. She wants to travel back to Italy to settle scores with her liar of a boyfriend.

• Mr. Barking, ‘the big boss’ also has a relationship problem that bothers him a lot. But strangely, Mr. Barking’s is not a direct personal problem. His headache is that his daughter has gone to marry ‘a worthless man’. And all he is bent on doing is that come what may, he will cause the collapse of his daughter’s marriage.

• Fay, who finds it difficult to accept the fact that she can only be black, is angry with her Cambridge law student boyfriend for smashing her car.

Rather than feel sad, Adah laughs whenever her colleagues at Chalk Farm Library speak about their relationship problems.

Portrayal of Adah’s Attitude to Life and Misery

Thirdly, Adah’s stay at Chalk Farm Library is significant because it tells us more about Adah’s personal philosophy of life and misery.

Each time her colleagues at Chalk Farm Library complain about their relationship problems, Adah only laughs.

In fact, she has chosen not to let anyone know of her own marital issues which are way much bigger than theirs.

Adah’s reason for keeping her colleagues at Chalk Farm Library in the dark regarding her very difficult relationship with Francis stems from one personal philosophy. And that is, there is already too much sadness in the world. It is not wise to add more to it.

So, Bill, Peggy, Fay, and the others are misled to conclude that hers is a rosy and perfect marriage.

They secretly envy Adah, thinking, though erroneously, that Adah has it all going well for her.

As far as they know, Adah’s husband is a successful Cost and Works Accounting student. Adah herself has acquitted herself creditably with her Librarianship examinations.

Thus, Adah’s attitude to her friends’ relationship woes and her own portrays her peace-loving nature.

All she ever wants out of life is a blissful relationship with the rest of the world, including Francis. Unfortunately, this has largely remained a mirage.

Contribution to the Development of the Plot

Furthermore, Chalk Farm Library plays a significant role in the development of the plot of Second Class Citizen.

First, it is at Chalk Farm Library that Adah discovers that she is pregnant with a fourth child. While there, she decides to detach herself, at least emotionally, from Francis, her husband.

She will not even tell Francis about the pregnancy. One reason for this is that Adah has decided to terminate this pregnancy. And the second is, she has finally come to a firm conclusion that Francis will never be of any use in her life.

Then also, Chalk Farm Library provides the congenial atmosphere that has contributed to the awakening in Adah, her dream of becoming a published writer. This dream has remained dormant for a long time. The moral support Peggy, particularly Bill, makes it possible for Adah to finish writing her manuscript after giving birth to her fourth child, Dada.

SEE ALSO: Chapter 12 Summary of Second Class Citizen

The cruel manner in which Francis burns Adah’s manuscript leaves Adah with no other choice but to break away from her marriage to Francis.

These are the events that will drive her towards a final separation from Francis.

Conclusion

The role Adah’s job at Chalk Farm Library plays in Second Class Citizen is thus worth noting. It contributes to Adah’s development as a character and helps to develop the theme of relationship problems. Above all, it has had a significant effect on the development of the plot.