Dreams and Nightmares

In the novel, dreams and nightmares symbolize fears, epiphanies, and internal struggles. The characters often attempt to interpret their dreams and nightmares in terms of meanings related to their lives. For example, Amina interprets a nightmare as meaning that she should end her relationship with Ijeoma. Years later, Ijeoma has a nightmare that she interprets as meaning that she needs to escape her marriage immediately.

Bible

In the novel, the Bible symbolizes the dangers of tradition and narrow-mindedness. Adaora attempts to use Bible stories to convey the cultural belief that homosexuality is sinful and immoral. However, Ijeoma realizes that her mother’s interpretations of the Bible stories seem very narrow and wrongheaded, and that the Bible itself is just a reflection of specific, inflexible cultural ideas.

Mob Attacks

Mob attacks symbolize the extreme violence in which intolerance and oppression may manifest. In the novel...