How to Say Babylon: A Memoir

Howard’s silent treatment makes Safiya feel like the character Lilith from Christian mythology—like Lilith, who was exiled from the Garden of Eden, Safiya feels like an exile from her family. In response, she leans into the culture of Babylon, wearing pantsuits, provocative clothing, and makeup. Safiya gets a shirt that reads “ATHEIST”; wearing it, she hopes to offend most of Jamaica and in particular the Old Poet, who has stopped speaking to her because he believes she is not grateful and hubristic. She no longer wants to be near him; when she sees him at an award ceremony, she avoids him.

Ife receives the highest scores in all of Jamaica on her high school exit exams. National attention leads to her being scouted by a private school in the United States, and she receives a full ride to attend her senior year there. Before she leaves, she has Safiya and Esther cut off her dreadlocks. She then goes to the salon to get her hair chemically straightened. Howard is furious. When they take her to the airport, Safiya is happy for her sister but sad at her departure.

When Lij and Safiya receive partial scholarships to Bennington College in Vermont, Lij wants to give his scholarship to Safiya so she gets a full ride, but the Admissions Office explains that he cannot do that.