Chapter 6 to 10 Summary of Pede Hollist’s So the Path Does Not Die

In this post, we are going to summarise Pede Hollist’s novel, So the Path Does Not Die, from chapters six to ten.

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Chapter 6 to 10 Summary of So the Path Does Not Die
Chapter 6 to 10 Summary of So the Path Does Not Die
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In this post, we are going to summarise Pede Hollist’s novel, So the Path Does Not Die, from chapters six to ten.

Chapter 6 Summary

In Chapter 6 of So the Path Does Not Die, Fina lands in America. Chip and Meredith, who are expect their first child, welcome Fina warmly. Meredith helps her to enroll in a degree program. Fina studies business management at County Community College. Fina also gets a night-shift job at Twenty-four Seven Child Care and Learning Academy.

She eventually rents her own apartment. She schools during the day and works at night. Unable to keep-up with the financial demands, she secures a clerk work.

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She combats with stress which makes her report late to work. At Child Care, her lateness gets her into trouble. Juanita, the business owner discovers that Billy Bob (hyperactive child) is tied to a chair where he messes himself up, unknown to Fina. Consequently, she fires Fina.

Handicapped, Fina resorts to Sangallay, a Sierra Leonean who secures her a customer-care work at Be Assured. She moves to Maryland; gets to contact Edna and they discuss their American experience. In one of such discussion, Edna announces her marriage to Kizzy. Fina startles. Several cyclic illnesses prevent her from attending the wedding, the birth of Edna’s two kids. Even Kizzy avoids a meeting with Fina whenever Edna proposes such. Fina wants to open up her past with Kizzy but decides against it, to let the sleeping dog lie.

So the Path Does Not Die
So the Path Does Not Die

Chapter 7 Summary

Laquandrista, who goes with different nicknames; Amanzinga Al-Quarta and Aman is the daughter of Quanda and Larista. She’s proud and obsessed with her African heritage. She has a body above her age and bullies anyone who dares affronts her during college days.

She’s the districts manager of Be Assured where Fina works. Fina’s faithfulness endears her to Aman and they become friends. Aman visits Fina, and amid their discussion, Isa, Fina’s sister breaks the news of their mother’s death.

Aman assists Fina with $1000, surprise at how quickly Muslims bury their dead. Aman loves the idea to visit Africa alongside Fina during sara – memorial service of her mother. Fina declines on the ground she must hook up with BWM, Black Working Man before travelling (this will afford her American citizenship by marriage). Aman covets that too. They avail themselves to clubs, dates, church events but Fina finds none. Luckily, she meets Aman’s relative, Jemal, an entrepreneur, during Aman’s grandmother’s funeral.

Aman detests their union, knowing what sort of a relative she has. Jemal is a woman-beater and a drug addict. Shantea, Aman’s sister, confirms it to Fina. However, she’s far gone emotionally. They get married and reality dawns on Fina. Jemal abuses her physically, sexually, psychologically and evens deprives her of her earnings. Fina files for divorce and goes to be with Aman.

Later, Aman takes Fina out to an event titled ‘African names’ where Aman meets and crushes on the speaker, Bayo Karumwi. He’s a Yoruba man and a doctoral student in mechanical engineering. They start dating. Fina only joins them when it involves a larger crowd event, as she replans her American dream.

Chapter 8 Summary

In Chapter 8 of So the Path Does Not Die, Fina manages to attend a party held by a doctor friend of Bayo. She finds her spirit in the party and gets acquainted in a dance floor with Cammy (Cameroon Dexter Priddy). He’s a Trinidadian medical doctor. Fina’s knowledge of calypso songs and dance moves captures him. Equally, his knowledge of Sierra Leone events kindles Fina’s interest and with several other discussion, people speculate they must have fallen in love.

Chapter 6 to 10 Summary of So the Path Does Not Die
Chapter 6 to 10 Summary of So the Path Does Not Die

Chapter 9 Summary

The love affair between Fina and Cammy deepens as they walk together, assist each other, engage in fun play which usually leads to the bedside. One of such days, a news on FGM brings a sharp misunderstanding between her and Cammy over Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Cammy frowns at it especially as it relates to African culture. Fina defends and compares it to male circumcision, which is conventional.

They later talk over it lightly, but the different perspective persists.  Fina pushes it to the public face, though Cammy, wise and diplomatic evades the argument and maintains his stand. At last, Fina thinks of revolutionizing her village with the idea. 

Fina shocks Cammy on a certain day with the news of her circumcision. Cammy startles but yet loves her. He later proposes marriage. However, his anxiety to see through Fina’s mutilation becomes another problem.

Chapter 10 Summary

Before Fina’s mother died, Fina has been shipping canned goods, household products and clothing to stabilize their means of livelihood. Isa, her younger sister, takes over. However, the country’s civil war affects the transaction. Moreso, Fina’s responsibility expands as Isa welcomes a baby, Sarata, by her boyfriend, Hassan, who cohabits with her. Fina flares up when the arrival of another baby reaches her.

The war intensifies and Fina has to make quick arrangements for Isa and her kids to escape to Guinea.  Devoid of funds in Guinea, Isa and family become a financial cross Fina must carry as she cuts down on her expensive living while mortgaging unnecessary properties.

Cammy observes her burdens and offers to assist but Fina’s declines. Cammy confronts her of her emotional absence ever since war broke out. She defends herself with the fact that Isa is her one and only, and as such, deserves her attention.  Cammy offers help based on refunds. Fina refuses and obtains a home equity loan which maddens Cammy.

As their wedding approaches, Fina feels depressed, occasioned by her financial downside and Cammy’s progressive profession. It soon lifts as she discovers she’s pregnant. Initially, she fears telling Cammy. But on hearing the news, the later seem extremely excited, as they plan the prospective sex and name of the child.


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