Movies, books and films series offer a chance for women to be educated, entertained and enlightened.
However, sometimes, it can feel like the movie or book characters can benefit from words of advice from the audience or reader.
In our latest piece at Urban Woman Magazine, we asked some women what kind of advice they would give women in books and those in film series.
Read their responses below.
TI
If I could advise a woman in a book it would be Adanna in Adanna by Adesuwa O’man Nwokedi.
I would tell her to learn to stand up for herself. It pained me that she was always waiting to be saved by men at every point she was faced with problems. That she should at least learn from previous experiences because she trusted too easily.
I would also tell her she needed to heal from all that trauma before jumping to marry that man she married because at the end of the day he is still a man and somehow I feel like he might still treat her badly even knowing her traumatic past.
She needed to know that she could always choose herself and stand firmly by it. That she didn’t owe anyone forgiveness and that it is perfectly okay to be alone.
JE
It would be Adah in Second Class Citizen. I would tell her: Being outside really doesn’t make you bigger or your life better. Your acceptance of yourself in your country would help you move with life difficulties. Never pay a bill for a bum.
No matter how much you want him to love you, patriarchy would always be on his side. Your love means nothing there no matter how deep.
TJ
Obinze’s wife from Americanah. Kosi. I’d advice her not to center marriage and motherhood in her life. 😕
And also perhaps become friends with Ifemelu.
Another person I’d advice is Nnu Ego from Joys of Motherhood. Nnu Ego was made from love and loved by her father! She was her father’s priceless jewel, but she didn’t love herself and treated herself as such, she lacked self worth. More like she abandoned herself in the pursuit of proving her worth through motherhood and homemaking. Perhaps if her mother hadn’t died at childbirth, she would’ve been different. She grew up without a proper female figure to model herself after; women like her mother were rare during that time and period, after all.
I’d advise her to love herself and be more selfish toward others and more selfless toward herself. Nnu Ego was industrious and hardworking but lacked financial literacy, so, I’d advise her on making money, spending money, and retaining money the right way. Also, I’d advise her to have a dream – she didn’t have one; she just wanted to prove her worth as a woman through motherhood and being a good wife, nothing more, nothing less.
I’d also advise her to make friends, pick up a hobby, and join communities to help with her loneliness – basically, to live life, because we only get to do it once.
NY
Shona from the story ‘Waterlogged’ in the book “Things we tell the people we love” by Huma Qureshi. I would tell her that she doesn’t have to endure her life for the sake of marriage. She can choose to enjoy her life. She can live a full and happy life without a man.
Angel Nduka-Nwosu is a writer, journalist and editor. She moonlights occasionally as a podcaster on As Angel Was Sayin’. Catch her on all socials @asangelwassayin.