Eugene is a firm believer in authority and believes that righteous acts should be rewarded and sinful acts punished. On Palm Sunday, Jaja does not receive communion and this is a sinful act of rebellion. This infuriates Eugene and he throws his missal across the room in Jaja’s direction but misses and although was a failed attempt at punishment, there was no further retaliation. This was a merciful act from Eugene because he already feared that he was losing his son and he did not want to risk it any further. “Fear has left Jaja‘s eyes and entered Papa’s”. On the contrary when Kambili gets her report card which states that she had come first in the grade Eugene praises her and tells her how proud he is of her. She says: “the sound of Papa’s