The Icarus Girl

“In Nigeria, her mother had said, children were always getting themselves into mischief, and surely that was better than sitting inside reading and staring into space all day.”

At the beginning of the novel, Jess is a quiet girl who prefers to spend time indoors. After Jess returns from Nigeria, she begins to get into trouble. This moment helps characterize Jess at the beginning of the novel, as well as foreshadowing the trouble that is to come.

“Wuraola sounded like another person. Not her at all. Should she answer to this name, and by doing so steal the identity of someone who belonged here?”

Names play a significant role throughout the text. When Jess’s grandfather first calls her by her Yoruba name, Jess is uncomfortable, because she has never been called by this name before. Jess’s Yoruba name represents Jess’s Nigerian heritage, which she will start to explore more deeply as the novel progresses.

“Words describing white people, white things, every single story spun out in some place where WE don’t exist! It has no value; in my eyes, it is to confuse.”

Jess’s grandfather explains to Jess why he doesn’t agree with her mother’s choice to study English at university and become a writer.