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Difficulty: MediumMajor Character Identification and Role Analysis

In Buchi Emecheta's prescribed novel *Second Class Citizen*, how does the character of Francis Obidako primarily function in relation to Adah's personal ambition and self-reliance?

  1. He serves as a central antagonistic force of patriarchal control, consistently stifling Adah's intellectual growth, financial independence, and self-worth.Answer
  2. B
    He acts as a supportive partner who initially encourages Adah's career ambitions but becomes overwhelmed by financial hardship in London.
  3. C
    He functions as a tragic figure whose inability to adapt to British society causes him to unintentionally alienate his family.
  4. D
    He is a minor catalyst whose primary structural role is to highlight the generosity of the Nigerian immigrant community in the United Kingdom.

Answer

Francis Obidako serves as a central antagonistic force of patriarchal control, consistently stifling Adah's intellectual growth, financial independence, and self-worth.
In *Second Class Citizen*, Francis Obidako functions as the main antagonist in Adah's personal life. He represents rigid patriarchal authority, refusing to take financial responsibility while actively undermining Adah's self-improvement, educational pursuits, and literary aspirations.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the major character's actions and relationships in the text
Francis Obidako continuously demands submission from Adah, relies on her income while refusing to work, burns her manuscript *The Bride Price*, and subjects her to physical and emotional abuse.
Character role analysis requires evaluating how a major character interacts with the protagonist and drives the primary conflict.
2
Determine the structural narrative function of Francis Obidako
Francis embodies the repressive patriarchal norms that Adah must overcome to attain self-actualization and independence as a writer and mother.
In *Second Class Citizen*, Francis functions as the primary domestic adversary against Adah's quest for autonomy.

Key Concept

Major Character Identification and Role Analysis
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Topics

Major Character Identification and Role Analysis

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