When Carole begins to make friends with her upper-class peers at college, Bummi laments that Carole will “soon belong completely to them” (159). What does Bummi mean? What are her concerns?

Compare and contrast the mother-daughter relationships between Yazz and Amma, and Bummi and Carole. What do Amma and Bummi’s respective mothering styles say about their life experiences and personalities? How do these qualities affect Yazz and Carole?

What binds Yazz and her college mates together? How are they different and how are they similar? What common experiences have they had?