Kambili begins her life with her world “measured and silent like that of our Sunday” (31) as she follows the strict guidelines set by her father. The grueling schedule of church and Sunday prayer leaves no room for anything but structure and a cold impersonality in his religion. This authority leaves her no room to make mistakes, thus no room to learn. This suffocating feeling forces her to escape the confines of her father's grasp to feel her heart “turn like an engine” (104) which allows her to break through her restrictions and find love with her aunt Ifeoma and her cousins. Her heart finds a way to have a voice of its own in her aunt's house and she discovers that a turbulent life is what nourishes her growth. The stark contrast between the deafening silence of her father's house and the joyful chatter of her aunt's house is such that it makes Kambili long for a life beyond her father's reach. While his methods of deception are not advisable, they show the strength of character of a person who is truly following their heart towards growth and happiness. As Kambili begins to challenge her father's strict rules, she begins to learn what it means to experience the freedom to make her own choices. She, like many humans, becomes addicted to the joy that comes from choosing her own path and discovering what she considers right and wrong. Even though the path her father has laid out before her is clear, there is magic within it
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