How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Page)
Quote #4
"I am empty, old woman," she said. "As empty as a dry calabash." (18.126)
Atie cannot comply with Ifé's request that she read something from her book. She's kind of soul-sick, disappointed with her life, lonely and isolated. While there are hints of this in Atie's character from the beginning of the work—she torments herself about the Augustins—this is really a big change from the loving mother figure that Sophie knew in her childhood. Atie doesn't cope well with the loss of Sophie, and finds that life with Ifé just isn't what she expected of herself.
Quote #5
Eliab reined in his thread. He pulled it with all his might, tying it around the stick as it came to him. The thread suddenly seemed endless. He got tired of coiling, dropped the stick, broke down and cried. (19.130)
This tiny little scene shows "the boy with the kite" being cruelly stripped of his one possession—and hence, his identity. It's a masterful moment, as we see him go from an energetic and hopeful boy to a crumpled pile of misery. This loss is emblematic of the loss of innocence and optimism that runs throughout this book, from Martine's rape to Atie's disappointments and Sophie's virginity testing.
Quote #6
"When you listen, it's kòm si you had deafness before and you can hear now. Sometimes you can't fall asleep because the sound of someone crying keeps you awake. A whisper sounds like a roar to your ears. Your ears are witness to matters that do not concern you. And what is worse, you cannot forget." (23.153)
Ifé kind of zings her granddaughter here. She tells Sophie that: 1) She's making mountains out of molehills; and 2) She's taking on sorrow that just isn't hers to deal with. She wants Sophie not to amplify the pain and significance of the virginity tests and tells her that she just needs to let all that go. Ifé also observes that Sophie's taken on her mother's pain. None of this will help Sophie to move forward, but it's clear that she is unable to forget and leave the trauma in the past.