Chapter summaries Cursed Daughters Oyinkan Braithwaite

Chapter 73 Summary: The Haircut

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

Eniiyi’s new school requires all girls to cut their hair. Eniiyi has long hair that reaches her mid-back when stretched, but she immediately agrees to cut it, surprising her mother Ebun. Ebun delays the haircut day after day, unable to bring herself to do it. As the start of school approaches, Ebun fears her daughter will cut it herself and ruin it. Finally, one morning a week before school begins, Ebun wakes Eniiyi and they proceed. Ebun combs Eniiyi’s hair, lifts it with a clip, and sees the birthmark on the back of her daughter’s neck—a mark she once used to reassure herself that Eniiyi was her own person, but which was often hidden by the hair. Ebun begins cutting with scissors. Eniiyi does not flinch. As the locks fall, Eniiyi seems to shed the burden of living with her grandmothers and mother—the burden of carrying all their hopes and fears. Ebun cries as her daughter’s hair falls to the floor.

Key Events

  • The school policy requiring short hair for all girls is introduced.
  • Eniiyi agrees without hesitation to cut her long hair.
  • Ebun repeatedly postpones the haircut, saying “Not today, maybe tomorrow.”
  • A week before school starts, Ebun finally decides to act.
  • Ebun cuts Eniiyi’s hair in the bathroom.
  • Eniiyi remains still and calm throughout the process.
  • Ebun sees Eniiyi’s birthmark on her neck, a detail often hidden.
  • As the hair falls, Ebun cries, while Eniiyi appears to release a burden.

Character Development

  • Ebun: Her reluctance to cut the hair shows her attachment to Eniiyi’s former appearance and perhaps to the girl’s childhood. The act of cutting is emotional for Ebun; her tears reveal the weight of letting go. Seeing the birthmark reminds her of Eniiyi’s individual identity, separate from family expectations.
  • Eniiyi: Her eager agreement and calm composure during the haircut indicate a readiness to move forward. The narrative suggests she is “shedding the burden of living with her grandmothers and mother,” implying a desire for independence and release from familial pressures.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Hair as Identity and Burden: Hair represents cultural, familial, and personal identity. Cutting it symbolizes shedding expectations and starting anew. Eniiyi’s voluminous hair obscured her birthmark; once removed, her distinct mark becomes visible, signifying her true self.
  • The Birthmark: A recurring detail Ebun uses to assure herself that Eniiyi is her own person. Here it is exposed, reinforcing Eniiyi’s individuality and the end of hiding behind her hair.
  • Delay and Reluctance (Procrastination): Ebun’s repeated postponement reflects her internal conflict—a mother’s difficulty letting her daughter change and grow.
  • Silent Sacrifice: Eniiyi’s unflinching acceptance contrasts with Ebun’s tears, showing that the daughter is ready for change even if the mother is not.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is a quiet but powerful turning point. The physical act of cutting hair becomes a ritual of release. Eniiyi’s willingness to shed her hair—and with it the weight of her family’s hopes and fears—marks her growing agency. Ebun’s tears show her own struggle to let go. The exposure of the birthmark restores a visible symbol of Eniiyi’s unique identity, a motif that resonates with the novel’s exploration of selfhood and inherited expectations.

Study Questions and Answers

  1. Why does Ebun delay cutting Eniiyi’s hair?
    Ebun delays because she is emotionally attached to her daughter’s long hair, which represents her childhood and perhaps Ebun’s control or connection. She cannot bring herself to perform an act that symbolically marks Eniiyi’s entry into a new phase of life.
  2. What does Eniiyi’s calm reaction to the haircut suggest about her character?
    Her composure indicates that she is ready for change and views the haircut as a release from the burden of living for others. She does not cling to her hair as Ebun does, showing her desire to forge her own path.
  3. How does the birthmark function symbolically in this chapter?
    The birthmark, which Ebun used to reassure herself of Eniiyi’s individuality, was hidden by her hair. Its exposure after the cut makes visible what was always there: Eniiyi’s distinct self, separate from family stories. The haircut literally unveils her unique identity.

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