Adah walks into a public bath where she bathes at a fee. She loves bathing on Monday mornings when many people must have gone to work. Her only problem is that she never gets enough heated water as the boilers are usually switched off during the weekends.
Adah plans to visit the Family Planning Clinic after her bath. When she told Francis that she wanted contraception, he told her not to get any. His reason is that men knew how “to control themselves better, the way it was done in the Bible” (p. 154). She turns down this suggestion not because she does not trust her husband but because “her husband could hurt her without meaning to” (p. 155).
Adah decides guiltily to go to the clinic in secret. During Bubu’s checkup, Ada asks the nurse about birth control and receives some literature, a form for her husband to sign and information about the Family Planning Clinic hours.
Adah goes through the Literature at home and then decides to go on the Pill as the cap seems too difficult and the jelly seems too easy for Francis to discover. She decides to forge Francis’ signature on the form.
In the waiting room, Adah hears that the Pill can have side effects and decides to settle on the cap. At home, later that night, Francis and Adah have a fight and Adah confesses that she got contraception.
Francis beats her and claims that only single women and prostitutes use contraception. He suggests that Adah might commit adultery, since she got contraception without his knowledge.
He draws the attention of the neighbours and tells them what Adah has done. Mr Noble’s appearance reduces Adah’s punishment. He agrees with her decision to get contraception but does not agree with her keeping it a secret from Francis.
Francis promises to write about this to his father and mother. Adah is not surprised at this but she doesn't want anything to spoil her relationship with her mother-in-law. She begins to cry as she is lonely again.
Why does Adah decide to go to the Family Planning Clinic secretly? A. She fears Francis might get angry and hurt her. B. She does not trust the advice of the family doctor. C. She does not want to bother Francis with medical decisions. D. She wants to surprise him with her decision.
How does Mr Noble react to Adah’s decision to get contraception? A. He scolds her for disobeying Francis. B. He supports her decision but disagrees with her secrecy. C. He completely sides with Francis D. He remains neutral and avoids interfering in another family’s matter
Why does Francis oppose the use of contraception? A. It is against their religion B. Men know how to control themselves as in the bible C. He fears it will harm Adah’s health D. His family would disapprove.
Why does Adah prefer using the public baths on Monday mornings? A. It is less crowded after the weekend. B. The water is usually warmer on Mondays C. She has more privacy on other days D. It is the only day she can afford the fee
ANSWER: 1. A 2. B 3. B 4. A
Adah feels lonely despite her efforts to improve her family’s life. Discuss the sources of her loneliness and how they affect her decisions.
Explain Adah’s reasons for deciding to get contraception and why she chose to do so in secret.
