Papa was especially strict when it came to school. He expected Jaja and Kambili to come first in their class. On page 39, Kambili says, "He had often told Jaja and me that he did not spend so much money on Daughters of the Immaculate Heart and St. Nicholas to have us let other children come first.". Unfortunately Kambili ended up coming in second in her class and she felt like a failure. She was scared to tell her father because she knew what was going to happen. When Kambili ended up telling her Papa, her Papa went with her to school the next day. Kambili was embarrassed to have her father there with her and knew the other children were talking about her.
It is sad that Kambili is forced to feel like a failure for only coming in second. I think her father should be happy that she even got her grades up to the highest in the class.
Do you think it is wrong that Kambili feels like such a failure for only coming in second? What would you do is your father was as strict as Papa and you came second in the class instead of first?
I believe Kambili is not wrong to feel anything but does she have a right yes because she wants papas approval so bad but papa is so strict with his family that he doesn't see that even coming in second is good . I feel bad for her because all she wants is his approval and to no disappoint him.
ReplyDeleteI think its really sad how Kambili felt when she got home about her grades, she was already disappointed in herself, and to have the pressure of trying to please someone and wasn't able to do so adds a lot of pressure. I think her mom should have made her feel a little better about her grades when the dad wasn't there.
ReplyDeleteI understand where Papa is coming from since he just wants his daughter to succeed, but I also think that the pressure can be tough. I think even being second in class would be such an honor. I think Kambili feels that way only because she's taught that being second is not a good thing. She is brought up with the pressure to be perfect. So, I don't think she's wrong for wanting to strive for perfection and do her best in school and for herself. But, to want to get first in class to avoid the "punishment"/beatings is a different story. I'd be terrified every day if Papa was my father. I also feel like I wouldn't be able to take the pressure of being perfect. That is not how I was raised but for Kambili to be raised in that atmosphere and still feel fearful says a lot.
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