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Obi
Clara is Obi’s fiancée, whom he meets briefly at a dance, and then again on the boat back from England. Clara is somewhat mysterious and reserved, but she generally remains a supportive and faithful partner to Obi. She clarifies her reticence and seeming reluctance to proceed with marriage when she reveals that she is an osu, meaning she belongs to an caste traditionally reviled and considered untouchable by the Igbo people. In attempting to proceed with the wedding anyway, Obi demonstrates his defiance towards what he views as antiquated and pointless customs. In the process, however, he deeply hurts both of his parents, who take the stigma against osu very seriously. He also manages to lose Clara herself: she grows mysteriously cold towards him, eventually revealing that she needs an abortion; once Obi helps her procure it, she never speaks to him again. Her character remains an enigma, and Obi’s loss of her accelerates his decline.
Clara Quotes in No Longer at Ease
The No Longer at Ease quotes below are all either spoken by Clara or refer to Clara. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 3
Quotes
And she had treated him just like another patient. 'I have enough for all the passengers,' she had said. 'I gave some to Mr Macmillan and Mrs Wright.' But then she had spoken in Ibo, for the first time, as if to say, 'We belong together: we speak the same language.' And she had appeared to show some concern.
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Chapter 7
Quotes
‘Look at me,’ said Joseph, getting up and tying his coverlet as a loincloth. He now spoke in English. ‘You know book, but this is no matter for book. Do you know what an osu is? But how can you know?' In that short question he said in effect that Obi's mission-house upbringing and European education had made him a stranger in his country—the most painful thing one could say to Obi.
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'What is a pioneer? Someone who shows the way. That is what I am doing. Anyway, it is too late to change now.'
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Chapter 14
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He was amazed at the irrelevant thoughts that passed through his mind at this the greatest crisis in his life.
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Clara Quotes in No Longer at Ease
The No Longer at Ease quotes below are all either spoken by Clara or refer to Clara. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 3
Quotes
And she had treated him just like another patient. 'I have enough for all the passengers,' she had said. 'I gave some to Mr Macmillan and Mrs Wright.' But then she had spoken in Ibo, for the first time, as if to say, 'We belong together: we speak the same language.' And she had appeared to show some concern.
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Chapter 7
Quotes
‘Look at me,’ said Joseph, getting up and tying his coverlet as a loincloth. He now spoke in English. ‘You know book, but this is no matter for book. Do you know what an osu is? But how can you know?' In that short question he said in effect that Obi's mission-house upbringing and European education had made him a stranger in his country—the most painful thing one could say to Obi.
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'What is a pioneer? Someone who shows the way. That is what I am doing. Anyway, it is too late to change now.'
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Chapter 14
Quotes
He was amazed at the irrelevant thoughts that passed through his mind at this the greatest crisis in his life.
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