When Eniiyi finds an old photo of Monife she is shocked by her resemblance. Eniiyi assures herself that she is her own person by frequently reminding herself of a distinctive birthmark that Monife lacked. How do you think Eniiyi would have behaved if she had no birthmark?
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The birthmark was the one physical attribute that set her apart from Monife’s appearance. It was the one physical assurance that she was her own person and not a reincarnation of Monife. Looking so much like Monife was a burden for Emiiiyi as she wasn’t recognized as her own person. I was so glad it also led her to her father. then she knew for sure that she was her own person.
I think ultimately Emiiyi believed in the curse as well and also made it come true for herself. She could not decide if she was really Monife reincarnated - but highly suspected that she was and thus believed she was destined for the same fate. This then caused her to reject love in favor - as her mother did - in order to protect herself.
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I think she would have behaved the same. I think she did not believe in the curse.
I think that birthmark was one little thread of hope she had for individuality. I think if she didn’t have it, the burden of carrying her Aunt’s loss and “return” would’ve been too unbearable. It was already heavy enough as it was, but at least she had some semblance of her own self.
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I think she would have behaved the same. Her features and behaviors seemed to mimic Monife just enough that others thought she was a reincarnation. Golden Boy’s and his wife’s reactions affected her a lot during those scenes.
I think she would have behaved the same - the tattoo didn’t save her either.
As much as Eniyii tried to reject the idea of the curse, the curse and Monife, herself, always loomed over her. The birthmark on her neck offered her a glimmer of hope, but I think Eniyii lived her life in her aunt’s shadow and couldn’t separate herself from the idea of the curse and from Monife
I don’t think it would have made any difference to her behavior. That birthmark was too small an anomaly to really change her thinking- even though she tried to convince herself that it truly did made a difference.
Yes, I agree with several above. I don’t think she really believed in the curse.
I think the birthmark was the hope that there was no curse. However the curse was too ingrained in her life to not be true.
My opinion is that she would have acted the same. I do not think Eniiyi believed in the curse, but she was sometimes overwhelmed by the belief and constant comparisons to her aunt by her family members. At those times, the birthmark provided a bit of reinforcement for her beliefs and comfort in her own identity.
Eniiyi was able to refer to the birthmark as a distinct physical reminder that she was not Monife. Having something so physically tangible helped anchor herself as her own distinct person. It was something to lean on, so to speak.
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The birthmark was pivotal to unveiling one of the big secrets in the story. Even though everyone thought it connected Eniiyi to Monife, it turned out very differently. Without that birthmark some of the most important questions Eniiyi had would likely never have been answered.
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That’s a tough question. Without that birthmark, it would have been a very different story. I saw it as a ray of hope for Emiiyi, evidence that she could cling to in order to establish that she was not Monife. If there were no birthmark, would she have found something else to point to as evidence that she was herself and not the reincarnation of Monife? Perhaps. Did she really believe in the curse? I think she feared the curse was real, but was determined to prove that it was not. And sheer force of will can bring about miracles!