Summary and critical Comments on Chika Unigwe's Borrowed Smile

          Chika Unigwe's Borrowed Smile highlights the socio economic problems of the Nigerian society laced with human impulses.  The story opens with the description of a poverty sticken Ghetto with pool of urine stagnating outside and foul odor of decaying rats , mice and dogs.  The inhabitants always desire to go beyond this atmosphere and  even the parents have the wish that their offspring would live a happy civilized life.

       A baby appears suddenly and it has been told that she is Sunday's baby and Udo's mother breast feeds her to satisfy the hunger.  Sunday says that she would fly away breaking the emotions . The life is described as a cup of iced water in desert that means it is hard to save the childhood from the situation prevailed in the society.  

Image of Ghetto

       In this area , there are some scrupulous persons like Bob who appear in branded clothes and shoes to lure the teenagers  and tell so long cherished a dreamy world of the western world and proper education,. The girl who has attained her puberty has fallen a victim to his guile.  He kisses her ears and cradles the breast as newly  born twins . She can but become a victim of his pleasing talks.  Having believed his words,  she goes against her parent's wish and cares a little for her mother's tears or her father's forbiddings.  

      Bob brings to her to an ordinary apartment at Antwerp.  The squeaky handle of the room, a brand new leather Settee,  a huge wooden stool carved with elephant's legs give hints to the job she is going to perform and practise . Soon her education is started to  wear smile with fire like red lips having put on lingerie.  In order to satisfy the carnal desires by serving the black woman's body,  she joins the merchandise world. 

The borrowed smile

  

   After six years when she returns,  she gets different responses from the inhabitants of the slum area. While the children are eager to welcome her like a nymph,  her Parents are indifferent to welcome her.  They are not very elated to see her in gorgeously clad and branded shoes.  When she gives money in their hands,  the parents not only accept the much needed money but also accept their daughter's occupation .

     The author has used the second person narrative technique has taken the story to its climax.  The second person narrative technique allows the readers to peep into the world of Ghetto, to identify the one with the characters of the story and to feel the painful,  untold agony of the black skinned people.