Question 2
BUCHI EMECHETA: Second Class Citizen
Examine Mr. Noble as a second class citizen in the novel.
Observation
This question requires the candidates to describe how Mr Noble is presented in the novel as a second class citizen.
Candidates were expected to discuss the following:
- Statement of the theme of migration.
- Character identification: Mr. Noble is the only son of his father, a certain Benin chief who has six wives and about twenty-eight children, he ‘came to England to read law’ but ‘failed to make it’; ends up as a liftman who gets injured at work and is paid ‘a lump sum compensation for his injury’. He is given the name, Mr. Noble after he strips himself naked for a pint of beer.
- Context of second class citizen in the novel: it is used to describe immigrants from Africa and Asia to Europe.
- Mr. Noble as second class citizen: his efforts to become a lawyer in England are frustrated by the racial environment, he is also unable to get a mortgage which is available for only the whites.
- The phenomenon of second class citizen is addressed at two levels: women as second class citizens in England and non-UK citizens as second class citizens.
Candidates’ performance in this question was average.