TABLE OF CONTENT

TABLE OF
CONTENT ...................................................................................... 1
PREFACE ............................................................................................
............. 2
AKNOWLEDGEMENT .........................................................................
............. 3
INTRODUCTION TO
LITERATURE ................................................................. 4
A WREATH FOR FR
MAYER ........................................................................ 17
PASSED LIKE A
SHADOW ............................................................................ 21
UNANSWERED
CRIES .................................................................................. 26
WEEP NOT CHILD
........................................................................................ 30
THE BLACK
HERMIT ..................................................................................... 40
THIS TIME
TOMORROW ............................................................................... 46
THE LION AND THE
JEWEL .......................................................................... 52
THREE SUITORS: ONE
HUSBAND .............................................................. 56
POETRY
ANALYSIS ....................................................................................... 65
SUMMONS ...........................................................................................
.......... 68
SONG OF LAWINO AND
OCOL .................................................................... 89
BIBLIOGRAPHY ..................................................................................
........... 99 2 | P a g e
INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE
AND
ANALYSIS OF LITERARY WORKS
The term literature has many definitions depending on the intention of
the person defining it. Literature can be defined as a work of art
which uses words or language creatively to express and reflect
human realities. Literature can be defined as a mirror to social reality.
ORIGIN OF LITERATURE Literature cannot be isolated with the
origin of man through labour process associated with the making and
using tools. Human beings had to use language to communicate
different issues related to labour differentiation. Primarily, literature
was in oral forms such as songs (labour songs) myths, fork tales
aimed at warning, encouraging hardworking, criticising evil, and
maintaining social value or ethics. Relationship between language
and literature:
 Literature and language are indistinguishable /inseparable because:

 Literature is created through language. It is called so when

language is used creatively to reflect human realities. Language is
the medium or tool of communication in literature, no language, no
literature .It can also be argued that language develops through the
four language skills which are listening, speaking, writing and
reading.

Therefore, literature as a work of art is different from other works of

art such as pottery, sculpture, painting, carving, weaving, because it
uses language creatively to describe or express human experiences
and realities.

Generally, there are two types /genres of literature, namely:

1. Oral/old literature
2. Written/ modern literature

Oral/Old Literature
This is the type of literature which is presented through word of
mouth from one generation to another. It is a primary source of
literature because it started before written literature. It was practiced
through verbal expressions 5 | P a g e
from one generation to another. Oral literature originated with human
being as human started to use it in a form of verbal songs, myths,
folk tales, epics, etc. Therefore, oral literature is a foundation of
literature even which we use today i.e. Written literature. Written
/modern literature This is the type/genre of literature which is
expressed in a form of writings. It started with the invention of
writings. It is also called a Secondary source of literature because it
started after oral literature and is a property of literate and semi-
literates. Written literature has three genres, these are:
1. Novels and short stories
2. Poetry
3. Drama/play

Novel This is a long narrative prose in which characters and actions

represents real life and are portrayed in a complex plot. Examples of
novel books are such as ―Passed Like a Shadow‖ written by B.
Mapalala, ―Spared‖ written by S.N Ndunguru, Weep Not Child
written by Ngugi Wa Thiong‘o, ―House boy‖ written by Ferdinand
Oyono, ―A Wreath for Father Mayer‖ written by S.N. Ndunguru.
Short Stories This is a fiction prose narrative which is shorter than a
normal novel and restricted in characterization and situation. It
normally deals with a single major event. Examples of short stories
are from the book titled ―Encounters from Africa‖ by Macmillan Ltd.
The book contains two stories, which are; ‗The Voter‟ and „The
Smile of Fortune‟. Drama/Plays
Drama is a literary work written to be performed /acted by actors on a
stage before an audience. The word ―drama‖ means ‗to do‘ or ‗to
act‘. It is a story which involves characters who acts before the
audience which gets the message intended by the playwright. In
order to be complete and effective 6 | P a g e
drama needs actors or players, audience, language (diction), plot,
setting, scenes, actions, etc. Normally, plays belong to a different
genre because they are border than other genre due to the
economical use of words by the playwright. Examples of play;‗ This
Time Tomorrow‘ written by Ngugi wa Thiong‘o ‗An Enemy of the
People written by Henrik Ibsen ―The Black Hermit,‖ Kivuli Kinaishi
and ‗The Lion and The Jewel‘ by Wole Soyinka Elements of
Literature Literature has two important elements which includes
form and content. FORM: This refers to how a work or art is
structured (how something is arranged or said). Form includes PLOT,
STYLE/TECHNIQUES, SETTING, CHARACTERISATION, and
LANGUAGE USE (DICTION)
 Plot: This refers to how events are arranged in a novel /play. It
shows how events are arranged in an artistic way through conflict
which can be moral or personal or physical conflict.
 Style/ technique: This refers to the way the work of art is
made/composed. Style can be narrative where by an author accounts
a story. It can also be part of the oral tradition which story is told in
traditional styles such as a long a time ago……….., for many years
ago……….. Style can also be straight forward where by events are
narrated from what happened or takes place at the beginning to an
end of the novel. We also have flashback techniques whereby an
author may narrate events by moving back then forward through
time. . Example of a book in which the author employed a flashback
technique is ‗Betrayal in the City ‗by Frances Imbuga. Under
technique style we also have a point of view, this refer to how events
are observed. Depending on who sees the action and who tells the
story. A story can be told from an omniscient point of view whereby
the narrator is not known and has access to characters' thoughts
feelings and all events. Third person point of view is used when the
author describes his/her characters depending on what he sees,
hears or thinks and the first person point of view uses 'I" and the
author describes only what can be seen, heard or thought by a single
character.
 SETTING: This refers to environment or the immediate world in
which the events in a story takes place. It includes time, culture and
place where events take place. Setting can be physical real or
imagery setting.
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For example setting of this play ‗‘ This Time Tomorrow‘‘ is Kenya
after independence and the setting of a book 'Betrayal in the City' is
the Kafira state in Africa hence imagery since we have no such state
in Africa.
 Characterization: Is the description of characters in a story.
Characterization refers to the creation of an imaginary/unreal person
to exist as a natural/real human for the readers. A good writer always
strives to create believable characters. We know a character by
examining what she/he thinks, says/does and what other character
say about him or her life in general. Character can be main/major
/central character; that appears mostly in every page of the book or
narrative and plays a big role to the portrayal of the intended
message by the author. Character can also be minor. These appear
few times or very scarcely in a work of art. They assist the main
character in accomplishing some message to the reader(s).
 Language, diction: Refers to the choice and arrangement of words
in a literary work .We examine whether the language used is simple ,
complex, mixed, grammatical, or ungrammatical , normal ,or
figurative language.

A figure of speech is a word or phrase that has a meaning other than

the literal meaning. A figure of speech is a rhetorical device that
achieves a special effect by using words in a distinctive way. Figures
can help our readers understand and stay interested in what we have
to say. There are many different types of figures of speech in the
English language. These are some of the most commonly used.
Personification Personification is a figure of speech in which a thing
– an idea or an animal – is given human attributes. The non-human
objects are portrayed in such a way that we feel they have the ability
to act like human beings. For example, when we say, ―The sky
weeps,‖ we are giving the sky the ability to cry, which is a human
quality. Thus, we can say that the sky has been personified in the
given sentence. Common Examples
The wind whispered through dry grass.
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The flowers danced in the gentle breeze.
The fire swallowed the entire forest.
The shadow of the moon danced on the lake.
The flowers were blooming, and the bees kissed them every now and
then.
The skyscraper was so tall that it seemed to kiss the sky.
The ship danced over the undulating waves of the ocean.
When he sat the test, the words and the ideas fled from his mind.

Alliteration Alliteration is derived from Latin‘s ―Latira‖. It means

―letters of alphabet‖. It is a stylistic device in which a number of
words, having the same first consonant sound, occur close together
in a series. Consider the following examples:
But a better butter makes a batter better.
A big bully beats a baby boy.

Both sentences are alliterative because the same first letter of words
(B) occurs close together and produces alliteration in the sentence.
An important point to remember here is that alliteration does not
depend on letters but on sounds. So the phrase not knotty is
alliterative, but cigarette chase is not. ―The fair breeze blew, the
white foam flew, The furrow followed free; We were the first that ever
burst Into that silent sea.‖ In the above lines we see alliteration (―b‖,
―f‖ and ―s‖) in the phrases ―breeze blew‖, ―foam flew‖, ―furrow
followed‖, and ―silent sea‖. Archaism
Archaism is the derivative of a Greek word, archaïkós, which means
beginning or ancient. It is a figure of speech in which a used phrase
or word 9 | P a g e
is considered very old fashioned and outdated.. It is the use of older
versions of language and art. Such as in these lines, ―To thine own
self be true‖ (Hamlet by William Shakespeare). Sentences that may
be considered as examples of archaism will most probably contain
the words ―thine‖ and ―thou‖. Evolution of Archaism The English
language which Shakespeare has written and spoken is very different
from the English which is used today. The use of archaic language
were found in the literary works of ancient medieval ages, as well as
in the Victorian, Edwardian, 19th and 20th centuries. Examples of
Archaism from Literature Archaism examples are found in the
masterpieces of Shakespeare, S.T. Coleridge, Hemingway, and
Keats. It is an ancient Mariner, And he stoppeth one of three. ‗By
thy long grey beard and glittering eye, Now wherefore stopp‘st thou
me? He holds him with his skinny hand, ‗There was a ship,‘quoth
he. ‗Hold off! unhandme, grey-beard loon!‘ Eftsoons his hand
dropthe ‗I fear thy skinny hand!…. I fear thee and thy glittering eye,
And thy skinny hand, so brown.‘— Fear not, fear not, thou Wedding-
Guest! This body dropt not down… Assonance Assonance takes
place when two or more words, close to one another repeat the same
vowel sound, but start with different consonant sounds. For instance,
in the following sentence: 10 | P a g e
―Men sell the wedding bells.‖ The same vowel sound of the short
vowel ―-e-‖ repeats itself in almost all the words, excluding the
definite article. Common Assonance Examples
We light fire on the mountain.
I feel depressed and wrestle
Go and mow the lawn.
Johnny went here and there and everywhere
The engineer held the steering to steer the vehicle.

Consonance Consonance refers to repetitive sounds produced by

consonants within a sentence or phrase. For instance, the words
chuckle, fickle, and kick are consonant with the same consonant
„ck „
Hyperbole Hyperbole, derived from a Greek word meaning ―over-
casting,‖ is a figure of speech that involves an exaggeration of ideas
for the sake of emphasis. Therefore, a hyperbole is an unreal
exaggeration to emphasize the real situation. Common Examples of
Hyperbole
My grandmother is as old as the hills.
She is as heavy as an elephant!
I am trying to solve a million issues these days.
I will love you dear until China and Africa meet.
The blacksmith‘s hand was harder than the rock.
His classmates laughed at him, saying he had a pea-sized brain.
11 | P a g e
Metaphor Metaphor is a figure of speech that makes comparison
between two things that are unrelated, but which share some
common characteristics without using conjunctions e.g. like, as etc
Examples of Metaphors
My brother was boiling mad. (This implies he was too angry.)
The assignment was a breeze. (This implies that the assignment was
not difficult.)
Her voice is music to his ears. (This implies that her voice makes
him feel happy)
Maria is an angel of Mwanza.
Melina‘s face is a map of Africa.

Simile A simile is a figure of speech that makes comparison between

two things that are unrelated, but which share some common
characteristics by using conjunctions e.g. like, as etc Common
Examples of Simile
Our soldiers are as brave as lions.
He is as funny as a monkey.
The water well was as dry as a bone.
At exam time, the high school student was as busy as a bee.
The beggar on the road looked as blind as a bat.
The diplomat said the friendship of the two countries was as deep as
an ocean.
The audience listened to his spellbinding speech as quietly as mice.
The history paper was as tricky as a labyrinth.
The boys in the playing field were feeling as happy as dogs with two
tails.
12 | P a g e
Euphemism The term euphemism refers to polite, indirect
expressions which replace words and phrases considered harsh and
impolite or which suggest something unpleasant. For example, ―kick
the bucket‖ is a euphemism that describes the death of a person.
Examples in Everyday Life
You are becoming a little thin on top (bald).
Our teacher is in the family way (pregnant).
He is always economical in truth (liar).
We do not hire mentally challenged (stupid) people.
He is a special child (disabled or retarded).

Sarcasm Sarcasm is derived from French word sarcasmor and also

from a Greek word sarkazein that means ―tear flesh‖ or ―grind the
teeth‖. Somehow, in simple words it means to speak bitterly.
Sarcasm is a literary and rhetorical device that is meant to mock with
often satirical or ironic remarks with a purpose to amuse and hurt
someone. It gives the meaning which is different from what the
speaker intends to say. For instance:
―I didn‘t attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved
of it.‖ (Mark Twain)
―Friends, countrymen, lend me your ears.‖ (Julius Caesar by
Shakespeare)

Satire
Satire is a technique employed by writers to expose and criticize
foolishness and corruption of an individual or a society by using
humor, irony, exaggeration or ridicule. It intends to improve their
characters by overcoming their weaknesses. 13 | P a g e
Examples of Satire in Everyday Life Most political cartoons which we
witness every day in newspapers and magazines are examples of
satire. These cartoons criticize some recent actions of political figures
in a comical way.
Some shows on television are satire examples like The Daily Show,
The Colbert Report, and The Larry Sanders Show. These shows
claim to target what they think are stupid political and social
viewpoints. Let us see a sample of Stephen Colbert‘s social satire:
―If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn‘t help the poor,
either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or
we‘ve got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor
and serve the needy without condition and then admit that we just
don‘t want to do it.‖ Irony
Irony is a figure of speech in which words are used in such a way that
their intended meaning is different from the actual meaning of the
words.. In simple words, it is a difference between appearance and
reality. Types of Irony
On the grounds of the above definition, we distinguish two basic
types of irony: (1) verbal irony, and (2) situational irony. Verbal irony
involves what one does not mean. For example, when in response to
a foolish idea, we say, ―What a great idea!‖ This is verbal irony.
Situational irony occurs when, for instance, a man is chuckling at the
misfortune of another, even when the same misfortune is,
unbeknownst to him, befalling him. Common Examples of Irony Let
us analyze some interesting examples of irony from our daily life: 14 |
Page
You laugh at a person who slipped stepping on a banana peel, and
the next thing you know, you‘ve slipped too.
―Oh great! Now you have broken my new camera.‖

Short Examples of Verbal Irony

The doctor is as kind hearted as a wolf.
His friend‘s hand was as soft as a rock.
The student was given ‗excellent‘ on getting zero in the exam.
He enjoyed his job about as much as a root canal.
A vehicle was parked right in front of the no-parking sign.
The CEO of a big tobacco company said he did not smoke.

Synecdoche
Synecdoche is when a part represents the whole or the whole is
represented by a part. Examples are:
Wheels - a car
The police - one policeman
Coke - any cola drink
Army - a soldier

Content: Refers to the main subject of a literary work presented in a

written or spoken form. It also refers to what is being conveyed in a
speech, an article or a certain program. Content includes the
following elements: Themes, message, conflicts, climax, crisis and
philosophy.
 Theme: This refers to the major idea or subject contained in a work
of art. It is represented through persons, actions, or concepts in a
literary work. It may also refer to the major topic obscured and
reflected or describe in the book. In Africa literature the main themes
are such as corruption, position and role of women, irresponsibility,
betrayal and African traditional, belief, poverty. Other minor themes
can be alienation, protest, oppression, and humiliation, sacrifice,
class struggle.
 Message: This refers to the lesson we get after reading a work of
art. . Example; is the play ‗This Time Tomorrow‘ we learn that, unity
and solidarity is important for the liberation of the oppressed and
humiliated society.
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 Conflict: This refers to the clash or opposition between one idea,
thought or feeling and another, one person and another or conflict
within an individual person. Conflict can be because of economic
conflict, social conflict, political, personal or philosophical conflict
between one idea and feelings and another.
 Climax: This is a stage in which conflict reaches the higher point
where resolution is inevitable or necessary.
 Crisis: This is a point where conflict rises and causes some
problems to the person or people involved and therefore, resolution is
necessary. There may be different crisis each proceed the climax.
 Philosophy: Refers to the belief or outlook of the author which
he/she expresses in the book/story.

General Themes of Literature Literature is not written in a vacuum,

it emanates from a society to reflect its social, political, economic, as
well as cultural aspects. Therefore, literature has a direct connection
to human life and thus, it cannot be separated from human beings.
The following are some of the important roles and functions of
literature:
 Literature criticizes societies. Authors of a literary work criticize
society by revealing corruption, oppression, and humiliation, and
inequality.

 Literature expresses people‘s culture. This includes norms, values,

traditional, and, practices so that people can follow them. It can also
makes people abandon some bad cultural practiced such as female
genital mutilation (FGM) for positive changes.

 Literature educates people: it educates people about day to day

happenings or events in their society. It widens their mind and
thinking capacity.

Literature entertains people; people enjoy by watching and reading

different works which appeal to their state of mind.
Literature is a tool of liberation. It makes people know the presence
of exploitation, irresponsibility, it direct people to struggle for mental
and physical liberation against these problems.

 Literature develops language because language is a tool or medium

of communication in literature.
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POETRY: is a genre of literature which expresses the feelings, ideas,
and emotions of the reader(s) or hearer(s). The language used in
poetry is characterized by imagery and rhythmical sounds. Terms
related to poetry
 Poem: This is a piece of writing in a verse form which expresses
the deep feelings using artistic language.
 Persona: This refers to a character in a poem.

 Poet/poetess: This refers to a man or woman who composes an

oral or written poem.
 Verse: This is a simple line in a poem.

 Stanza: Is a combination or collection of verses to make a complete

idea of a poem.

How poetry differs from other genres of literature? The genre of

poetry differs from other genres of literature like prose in the following
aspects:
1. Poetry uses much imagery which appeals to the sense of touch,
hearing, small and taste in a more concentrated way than prose.
2. Poetry is arranged in verse which forms stanzas to make a poem
as whole while prose is written in sentences and paragraphs.
3. Poetry employs the use of much musical features such as rhyme
and rhythm unlike to novels and Short stories which words are
intended to be read silently not loud or sung or recited.
4. Poetry employs language economy. Few words convey such
information. This is because even single word in poetry may hear a
number of messages.
5. Poetry uses many figures of speech such as simile metaphor
personification etc. than other Prose.
6. The character in a poem is called persona but in novel and play a
character does not possess a name.
17 | P a g e
A wreath for Fr Mayer AUTHOR: SN. NDUNGURU SETTING:
SONGEA, TANZANIA PUBLISHER: HEINEMANN YEAR: 1997
CHARACTERS AND CHARACTERIZATION
 FR.DENIS MOYO: A parishioner at Mkongo parish and a main
character in the novel. He is caring, committed and good hearted. He
cares about the health of other people. For example, he deals
effectively with the problem of cholera outbreak at Mkongo. He is well
informed about the causes of cholera and measures which can be
taken to alleviate the problem. He helps people to get rid of cholera.
He does it by educating people the importance of boiling drinking
water. He is an outstanding character due to his critical thinking and
humanity.
 BWANAPIMA: A witchdoctor at Mkongo village. He is a swindler
and cheats people at Mkongo that he can cure cholera using
traditional medicine. He is superstitious since he believes in magic
power. He uses his magic power to earn income from illiterate
villagers. He gets hens, cows and money from people to cure them.
He is a very exploiting as he uses peoples‘ problems and ignorance
to get money from them. He tells people that he knows much
traditional medicine. He likes money more than anything. He uses
any possible way to get money. For example, he assists Miteo to
accomplish the mission of stealing cartons of medicine from Mkongo
parish.
 CHRISTOPHER MITEO:Bwanapima‘s brother-in-law. Works at
Mkongo parish on behalf of the late Kalistus. He is portrayed as a
thief. He is charged of Kalistus murder and theft. He admits that he is
daring in crimes, plundering and robbing. He apologizes for
committing murder and stealing. He is a dishonest character. He is a
person not to be trusted. He caused the death of Kalistus due to his
mission of stealing medicine at the parish.
 PATRICK MILLINGA: A Ruvuma regional
PoliceCommander(RPC). Portrayed as a cooperative, keen and
diligent man. He cooperates with the Mkongo parishioners under
Fr.Kafupi on the pending case of the murder of
18 | P a g e
Kalistus when Insp.Mpangala fails to handle the matter. He is very
attentive when listening to peoples‘ problems.
 YOMBAYOMBA: A chairman of Mkongo village. He is superstitious
as he believes that magic power can assist him in his leadership. He
consults the witchdoctor in whatever he wants to do. He is
hypocritical since he pretends to be good and helpful when he sees
that there is something to gain from the matter. He is an envious
person. He wishes that some privileges that other people have
should be his. For example, he is envy of Kalistus‘ work at the
mission.

THEMES There are several themes found in this novel. Some of

these themes are: Poverty, superstition, social crimes, immorality,
irresponsibility, role and position of religious institutions in the society
etc.
 THE ROLE AND POSITION OF RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS IN
THE SOCIETY: The role of religious institutions is to promote
spiritual growth of people. The churches and Mosques established
have that primary role. Apart from spiritual growth of people, religious
institutions also provide social services to people. The church
provides health, safe and clean water services. This can be seen at
Mkongo parish where the church has built a dispensary which treats
all residents of Mkongo. The church also fights against evils
prevailing in the society that hinder spiritual harmonization of people.
The church also educates the society on the causes of diseases like
cholera. People are advised to go to hospital whenever they fall sick
rather than going to witchdoctors.
 CHOLERA (WATERBORNE DISEASE): The writer focuses on the
eruption of cholera at Mkongo village. The church and the
government took initiatives to help people. Cholera is caused by poor
hygiene, ignorance, poverty and superstition. The dirty environment
with lack of latrines contributes a lot to the spread of the disease.
Poverty can be another major cause of the disease since people
cannot afford to buy utensils for boiling drinking water and buying
soaps to wash their hands as part of cleanliness. The persistence of
cholera is accelerated by the level of ignorance of the people. Lack of
good social services especially clean and safe water for drinking
forced people to drink contaminated water from river Mbuchi. Cholera
causes death. The disease kills many people especially those who
19 | P a g e
go to the witchdoctor instead of going to the hospital. People at
Mkongo village are ignorant and think that they are bewitched.
 SUPERSTITION: A deep rooted belief in the community. The belief
is based on magic power, witchcraft and invisible evil spirits.
Witchdoctors use that loop hole to collect money from ignorant
people. For example, Adolfo believed that his grandmother bewitched
his child. Superstition is seen as a source of all conflicts in the
society. Adolfo severely beats his grandmother suspecting her of
bewitching his child while the child suffers from cholera. Superstition
is typically based on deceit and trickery. Superstition is a source of
mistreatment of people in the society. People with beliefs on
superstition suspect others for bewitching them. For example, Adolfo
suspected his grandmother for bewitching his child.
 SOCIAL CRIMES AND IMMORALITY: The author reveals various
social crimes and immorality facing his society. Some of these crimes
include murder, drug trafficking and theft. Drug trafficking face many
countries in the World. Drugs are transported and distributed in
various parts of the country through secret and illegal means. For
example, Fr.Moyo is implicated in transporting hashish. He carries
these illegal drugs without knowing since they were planted in his
bag by Michael. Drug traffickers are detected using dogs and
technology at Airports and other transport centers. People involved in
drug trafficking use skilled people and technology. Kidnapping is
another social crime shown by the author. Drug traffickers tend to
kidnap whoever gets to know their network. Fr.Moyo was kidnapped
in Birmingham since he revealed the secrets of the network. Theft
and murder are social crimes that threaten harmony of the society.
 IRRESPONSIBILITY: Bad leadership is revealed by the author.
The police force is accused of failing to apprehend the culprits.
Insp.Mpangala and sub Insp.Kapela failed to capture the killers of
Kalistus. Instead of apprehending the culprits, the police oppressed
Mzee Mussa and forced him to name the culprits he did not see.
Yombayomba also proved to be an irresponsible leader. It took him
hours to gather the villagers when Kalistus was killed. Superstition
beliefs can also encourage irresponsibility among leaders as they
believe that whatever they want to do, they have to see the
witchdoctors first. This reduces confidence of the leader and spoils
their decisions.
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RELEVANCE OF THE NOVEL TO OUR SOCIETY: The novel ―A
wreath for Fr. Mayer‖ has the following relevance to our society.
Outbreak of Cholera is common in many villages and towns in
Tanzania. This has largely been contributed by the habit of people
living in dirty environment. The issue of drug trafficking is reported in
different parts of the country. Drug traffickers use people they pay or
use them without knowing to make their mission possible. Many drug
pushers have been caught in different Airports in Tanzania in the
process of trying to cheat and fly with illegal drugs. SAMPLE
QUESTIONS
1. Ignorance and betrayal have aided the process of African
enslavement within the African continent. Discuss using the novel
you have read.
2. The source of conflicts in most of the African societies is due to
lack of education. Referring to the novel you have read, verify the
truth of this statement.
3. Apart from spiritual liberation, religion can also play part to physical
and mental liberation. Discuss the role of religious institutions to
social prosperity and development by referring to the novel you have
read.
4. Drug abuse is a threat to development of the nation. Referring to
the novel you have read, show how drug trafficking is done by drug
pushers.
5. ―Cholera outbreak is the product of society life style‖ Referring to
the novel you have read, verify the statement above.
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PASSED LIKE A SHADOW
AUTHOR: BERNARD MAPALALA SETTING: WESTERN PART OF
UGANDA PUBLISHER: DAR-ES-SALAAM UNIVERSITY PRESS
(DUP) YEAR: 2006 This is a symbolic title which reflects the disaster
that attacked the member of the two families, Adyeri‘s family and
David‘s family. They all passed away like a vanishing shadow, except
only one member of Adyeri‘s family (Abooki) who survived the
pandemic.
 SETTING: SETTING: This refers to environment or the immediate
world in which the events in a story takes place. It includes time,
culture and place where events take place. Setting can be physical
real or imagery setting.
The setting of novel ―PASSED LIKE A SHADOW‖ is Western part
of Uganda. The book was written during the end of Tanzania and
Uganda war (1979).

 PLOT: This refers to how events are arranged in a novel /play.

in ―Passed like a shadow‖ The plot is straight - forward
narration. Eg the first chapter of the novel introduces Atwoki and
Abooki. In chapter six and seven we are introduced to Atwoki as a
famous footballer. Adyeri is brought back home serious sick, after
few days he passes away. Atwoki becomes a victim; he wishes to die
in Kitagwenda.

CHARACTERS AND CHARACTERIZATION

 Characterization: Is the description of characters in a story.
Characterization refers to the creation of an imaginary/unreal person
to exist as a natural/real human for the readers
Character can be main/major /central character; they appear mostly
in every page of the book and plays a big role to represent the
intended message by the author.
Character can also be minor. These appear few times in a work of
art. They assist the main character in compliting some message to
the reader(s).
 Adyeri: He is the father of Atwoki and Abooki. He is a hot-tempered
man and an irresponsible parent. He is a respected womanizer. Due
to his prostitution he is trapped by Birungi and at the end of the day
he finds himself a victim of HIV/AIDS. He passes away having
passed through great suffering. His family isolates him and finds
himself alone.
 Amoti: A short woman and very talkative. She is Atwoki and
Abooki‘s mother. She has a bad heart and cannot forgive other
people. A very responsible mother who fulfills her duty as the mother
of the family. She is not faithful in her marriage.
 Atwoki: He is a talented footballer with expectations of becoming a
superstar. He is a good boy and does not know the ways of the
world. When he goes to Kampala he persuaded by David to start
engaging in sexual affairs with girls. He is a kind boy and forgives
easily
22 | P a g e
unlike his mother. He becomes a victim of HIV /AIDS as a result of
engaging with prostitutes or harlots e.g Edda
 Abooki: She is kind and an shy person. She takes care of her
mother when she is seriously sick on bed. She is raped by John and
loses her virginity. When she tests for HIV /AIDS and pregnancy, she
has negative results. She is hopeful/optimistic/positive and a good
adviser.
 Vicky:She is an orphan whose parents passed away long time ago.
She tolerates mistreatment from her uncle and aunt but later on she
runs away and got married to Aliganyira. She becomes a
respectecd/reputable prostitute as the result of peer pressure She is
infected with HIV/AIDS and passes away.
 Uncle Araali: He is a kind man who encourages Atwoki to be a
great footballer in future. He welcomes Abooki and Atwoki to live with
them.
 Aliganyira: He is Vicky’s husband. He is a famous business man.
He is famous and he is a womanizer. He is very superstitious. At the
end, due to his prostitution he infects his wife (Vicky) with HIV.
 Tusiime and Kunihira: They are Vicky‘s friends. They are
secondary school rejects/eliminates/refuses/throw outs. They are
prostitutes who make their daily bread through selling their bodies.
They convince Vicky to sell her body since she is poor and receives
unfair treatment from her uncle and aunt.
 David: Atwoki‘s friend in kampala. He is the only son from a rich
family. He is a University reject/refuse. He is a reputable/respected
prostitute and when Atwoki visits him in kampala, he teaches him
how to hunt for women. He infects girls vividly while knowing that he
is infected with HIV/AIDS. At the end, David‘s family perishes
completely with HIV/AIDS.
 Edda: She is a reputable harlot/prostitute in kampala. She
succeeds to corner Atwoki and infects him with HIV/AIDS.
 John: He is a boy from a rich family. He uses the gap of helping
Abooki to trap her. He rapes her when the girl pays a visit to his
room.
 Birungi: She is Adyeri‘s secretary at St. Leo‘s High School. She
traps Adyeri and corners him. When he notices/knew that Adyeri is
bankrupt, she chases him away. At the end Birungi finds a victim of
HIV/AIDS.
 Jonathan: He is a counselor who uses his knowledge of counseling
to encourage Abooki. In the end, they fell in love.
23 | P a g e
STLYLE Style is the technique used by the writer in writing his or her
work. Style has to do with the ability of language by the writer,e.g. the
use of figures of speech. Simple or complex language used by writer.
 Hyperbole:{overstatement/exaggeration} E.g.1} -Abooki is in a
nightmare.2} Dad gives him a classic slap.3} Amoti‘s eye‘s nearly
popped out

 Simile.

Ls the Comparison of two objects which are unlike using ―as‖ or

―like‖.e.g1} she walked towards him as a lioness (pg 3).2}He was as
humble as a dove (pg 8)

Sayings e.g. life is not easy (pg 9)I have hit the jackpot Men are like
buses (pg 6)

 Personification

is a figure of speech in which a thing or an animal is given the ability

to act like human beings..Eg. Amoti‘s eye‘s nearly popped out (pg 8)

 Idioms. E.g. Amoti don‘t have a hard heart (pg 28)

 Imagination or imagery language is an art of author to create an

image: E.g. His eye’s popped out of his face.

Symbol is anything which reprents something else: Eg I regret to

have married a pig Slim- HIV/AIDS

THEMES
This refers to the major idea or subject contained in a work of art. It
is represented through persons, actions, or concepts in a literary
work
. ln Passed like a shadow, the main themes are such as…………
while minor themes are such as…………….
The following themes are found in this book
1. HIV/AIDS PANDEMIC
2. POVERTY
3. FAMILY INSTABILITY
4. IRRESPONSIBIYLIT
5. MARRIAGE SYSTEM/UNFAITHFUL MARRIAGE
6. CONFLICT
7. SUPERSTITION
8 POSITION AND ROLE OF A WOMAN

 HIV/AIDS PANDEMIC.‗ Passed like a shadow‘‘ is a novel which

represents of how the disease kills many people suddenly. The
following events and situations reveal the existence, causes and
impact of the disease in the society. For example in the novel,
Tusiime, Kunihira, and University students like David and grownups
like Adyeri and David and Adyeri‘s family perish/die as they get
HIV/AIDS.This shows that all youths are sexually responsible. They
are highly of being infected by AIDS.
 POVERTY: In the novel of ―Passed like a shadow‖ poverty is a
general situation of inability to get basic needs. It acts as another
catalyst/source in the spread of AIDS. Due to this situation, some
people especially girls look for men who are well economically so that
they may survive. Example Kunihira, tusiime and some University
girls use this way as an alternative to get money. For example
Kunihira tells Vicky that ―look how poor your dress is, you must be
the most poorly dressed girl in fort portal….”this shows the way level
of poverty affects the individuals and leads people to HIV/AIDS.
24 | P a g e
 FAMILY INSTABILITY: a stable family brings peace, love, prospect
and success but unstable family loses direction and become at risk
of breaking up.in this novel, Family instability is due to conflicts
between parents or children and parent, parent irresponsibility,
drunkenness, marriage unfaithfulness, job mishandling: For example
Adyeri‘s family breaks up due to this. He has poor relationship with
his children and wife due to his harsh behavior and drunkenness. He
ends up dying with HIV/AIDS and his family fell apart.
 IRRESPONSIBIYLIT: This shows the habit of not caring. In this
novel there are many events as we can see Adyeri is a drunkard and
unfaithful to his wife. This leads him to have no time to care his family
as the result children receive poor parental care.
 MARRIAGE SYSTEM/UNFAITHFUL MARRIAGE: Most couples
are not faithful to each other as in ‗‘Passed like a shadow ‗‘Adyeri
had many concubines, one of them being Birungi. Since he is
unfaithful in marriage, he ended up bringing HIV/AIDS to his
wife,Amoti. Aliganyira is not faithful and hence acquires the disease
(HIV/AIDS) and infects his wife (Vicky).
 CONFLICT: conflict is an act of understanding. In this novel,
conflicts are shown as follows,1} in Adyeri‘s family between Adyeri
and his wife Amoti. Adyeri being a cruel and irresponsible father is
hated by his children Atwoki and Abooki. 2}Amoti is not in good terms
with Vicky and she causes her to run away from home.3} Adyeri ends
up in stiff conflict with his ex-concubine,Birungi.
 SUPERSTITION: Amoti believes that her husband has been
bewitched by Birungi, his concubine. The drunkard men who use to
drink together with Adyeri believe that Adyeri‘s death is due to slim.
They have very little knowledge about the disease; hence there is a
belief among people that the disease is based on witchcraft. It is
wonder for a woman to ride a bicycle in this community as this is
termed to be the sign of prostitution.

 POSITION AND ROLE OF A WOMAN:This refers to the place in

which woman is put in relation to men in a given society. In this
novel, a woman is regarded as a1}tool for sexual pleasure by men.
This is shown through Adyeri, David, David‘s father, and Atwoki who
have many sexual partners for pleasure. For example, David told
Atwoki―these were not created for nothing ….if you can’t enjoy girls,
then I wonder what else you can enjoy in this world ”They have
careless behavior that they all perish/die of HIV/ AIDS. 2}Women are
treated as source of money. For example: Adyeri demands big
25 | P a g e bride price from Akena in order to marry her
daughter.Tusiime and Kunihira use their bodies to run commercial
sex to men. Men buy them as commodities. Tusiime tells Vicky ―as
for me I will sleep with any man to make money, life is not easy.
Beauty can make your life different. Put your love for sale….”

MESSAGE :
This refers to the lesson we get after reading a work of art.
the following messages appear in this novel.
 HIV/AIDS is dangerous. Eg it kills Adyeri , Vicky e.t.c

 Don‘t trust anyone.

 People are ignorant of HIV/AIDS hence majority practices betrayal
and prostitution. For example The drunkard men with Adyeri believe
that Adyeri‘s death is due to slim.
Conflict leads to family fall apart. For example Amoti is not in good
terms with Vicky and she causes her to run away from home.
Poverty is not good situation since it causes social evils. Example
Kunihira, tusiime and some University girls look for mens to survive.
RELEVANCOF THE NOVEL TO THE SOCIETY
The novel reveals truly individual life styles that are taking place in
our societies ,simply because There are many people who practice
prostitution particularly in African big cities as a source of income to
them. Eg As in the novel, Kunihira, tusiime and some University
girls look for mens to survive. The issue of superstition. As in the
novel people believing that HIV/AIDS is not killing but they die
due to witchcraft so even in Tanzania some tribes beliving in
witchdoctors while not taking patient to the hospital. The issue
of ignorance, still people lacking knowledge of knowing the
causes and effects of HIV/AIDS eg. masai tribe belealiving that
to them HIV/AIDS is a pernishment to someone who have done
wrong to God and applying herbs in treating such person.
Therefore the societies should make changes in life styles like
stopping prostitution, unsafe sex, family violence and laziness
for better development and prosperity of their families.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS
1. Discuss the essence of conflicts in the novel ―Passed like a
Shadow‖ and show the remedy the novelist suggests. How those
conflicts help the novelist to reveal the society problems?
2. By using the novel ―Passed like a shadow‖, discuss the functions
of literature in our society.
3. How have the writer of ―Passed like a Shadow‖ used symbolism
to present the intended message to the readers.
4. ―Spread of HIV/AIDS is the product of society life style‖. Referring
to the novel ―Passed like a Shadow‖, verify the statement above.
5. Marriage is considered to be an important social obligation in
African societies; however, it sometimes leads the concerned
partners into frustration. Show how true is the statement by referring
to the reading you have read.
26 | P a g e
TITLE : UNANSWERED CRIES.
AUTHOR : OSMAN CONTEH.
SETTING : FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE.
PUBLISHER : MACMILLAN.
YEAR : 2002.
Plot – is the arrangement of events in novel or play.
Plot can be chrological(straight forward plot) or flash back plot.
i) Straight forward plot, is the one in which events are arranged in chrological order.
ii) Flash back plot, is the one in which events are mixed.

In unanswered cries, the plot is straight forward narration.

CHARACTERS AND CHARACTERIZATION.

A character – is a person in a story.

Characterization – is the description of a character in a story.

Characters can be main or minors:

i) Main characters –are those who play / appear from the beginning of the story up
to the end. Eg Olabisi.
ii) Minors characters – are those who do not play / appear to all pages of a story.

The Novel ―Unanswered cries‖ has the following characters:

Olabisi, Makalay, Ade Jones, Oyah, Dauda, Eddy, Rugiatu and
Salay, Amadu,Salaam Sesay, Yah Posseh and Dr. Asiatu.

Olabisi.
 The main character in the novel.
 She is a daughter of Ade Jones.
 She is Eddy’s Girlfriend.
 She betrayed by Eddy.(boy friend)
 She forced to be circumcised.
 She Opposes circumcision.
 She wins the case in the court of law against her
circumcision.
 She isolated by the society because she is not
circumcised.Eg, they called her gorka (uncircumcised girl)
 She is a prostitute eg. She engaged in love at the age of
fourteen years old.
 She is aware of the problems caused by genital mutilation
(FGM).
 She trained by her boy friend to defend herself against bad
people like Rugiata and Salay.
  She beaten badly Rugiata and salay. Eg, this happened
when Olabisi calls them gorka (uncircumcised girl) then they
starts fighting back against her.
Makalay.
 She was a former wife of Ade Jones.
 She betrayed Ade Jones and got a second husband called
Dauda.
 She is a mother of Olabisi.
 She is ignorant. Eg, she forced her daughter to be
circumcised.
 She is superstitious. Eg, she believes in women
circumcision. To her, a clean and real woman is the one who
is circumcised
 She is jealous. Eg, after her ex-husband (Ade Jones) falls in
love with another woman called Oya.
 She is unfaithful in her marriage. Eg, she got another
husband (Daudi) after her husband went to town.
 She lives in the village.
 she is educated yet she remains to be superstitious.
Ade Jones.
 He is ex-husband of Makalay.
 He is the father of Olabisi.
 He is womanizer. Eg, he fall in love to another woman called
Oyah after he went to town.
 He opposes circumcision. Eg, he disagreed with the idea of
circumcising her daughter.
 He lives in Freetown.
 He is unfaithful husband. Eg, He falls in love to Oya.
 He takes the issue of her daughter circumcision to the court
of law.
 He is a betrayer. Eg, he engaged in sexual relationship with
Oyah and left his wife (Makalay) lonely.
 He is aware of the problem caused by Female Genital
Multilation (FGM).
Oyah.
 She is a girl friend of Ade Jones in freetown.
 She lives in freetown.
 She is a lawyer by professional.
 She is caring women. Eg, she loves Olabisi as her daughter.
 She appeared in the court of law as Olabisi’s lawyer.
  She wins the case on behalf of olabisi hence she was not
circumcised.
 She had a conflict with Makalay after they sheared husband
(Ade Jones). Eg, Oyah takes Makalay’s husband then
everyone considers to have a right to be a wife of Ade.
Dauda.
 He is Makalay‘s second husband.
 He is wise man (educated). Eg he does not support his wife
(Makalay) on the issue of circumcising Olabisi.

Eddy.
 He is Olabisi‘s boyfriend.
 He trained his girl friend to defend herself against bad people
like Rugiata and Salay.
 He betrayed his girlfriend (Olabisi)
Rugiatu and Salay.
 These are Daughters of Yah Posseh.
 They are badly beaten by Olabisi at the well(kisimani) and later
at the forest. This is after Olabisi called them
Gorka(uncircumcised girl) then they starts fighting.
 They loves their mother (Yah Posseh).
 They are ignorant and superstitious. Eg, they believes that a
clean and real woman is the one who is circumcised.
 They are jealous.Eg, they feels jealous of Olabisi because she
comes from town.
 They had a conflict with Olabisi because she called them Gorka
(uncircumcised girl).
Amadu.
 He is the hunter.
 He is superstitious. Eg, he ties a big amulet on his hand.
 He collieds with Olabisi in the forest.

Salaam sesay.
 He is a lawyer by professional.
 He is Makalay‘s lawyer.
 He leads the case on the side of Makalay but at the end
they loses the case regardless of his knowledge in law.
 He is superstitious . Eg, he supports the bondo secret group
on women‘s circumcision.

Yah posseh.
  She is the mother of Rugiatu and Salay.
 She is a leader of bondo secret group.
 She is superstitious. Eg, she leads the secret group of women
circumcision.
 She is a witchdoctor.
 She is highly feared in the community. Eg, she believed to
possess magic power.
 She is ignorant. Eg, she believes that a clean and real woman
is the one who is circumcised.
Dr.asiatu.
 A gynecologist who explained the disadvantages of women
circumcision in the court.

Themes.
Theme – is the main idea expressed in the book.

The novel ‗Unanswered cries‖ written by Osman Conteh has the

following themes:
Conflict, betrayal, jealousy, self awareness, prostitution, physical
fitness, African culture and position of woman in the society.

CONFLICT: This misunderstanding occurrs between the following:

Olabilisi versus Rugiatu and Salay - The conflict occurs at the
forest when Olabisi asks them if they are circumcised or not, so they
start fighting when Olabisi calls them gorka .They also feels jealous
as Olabisi comes from town; Ades jones versus Makalay: The
conflicts between them occurr as the result of lack of faithfulness in
marriage. Ades Jones likes chasing skirts. Their marriage breaks
down due to jealous and lack of understanding between them. The
act of Ade Jones prohibiting her daughter to be circumcised
increases the conflict between them; Makalay versus Oyah: Oyah
takes the husband of Makalay. This causes conflict between them as
everyone considers that she has right to be wife of Ade Jones. Love
and jealous played part to their misunderstanding; Makalay versus
her Daughter: The conflict is due to Makalay‘s demand of
circumcising Olabisi without her will. Olabisi does not support her as
she realizes the effects of women circumcision.
BETRAYAL: Makalay betrays her only daughter (Olabisi) when she
conspires with bondo secret group to circumcise her. Makalay says‖
whatever the spirit says I will do‖.The betrayal of Olabisi‘s father
when he decides to marry a lawyer and leave her wife suffering in the
village.Makalay betrayed her husband when she got a man to live
with (Dauda)
JEALOUSY: Makalay feels jealous since her ex-husband falls in love
with another woman .Rugiatu and Salay feels jealous since Olabisi is
from the city and shows that she has confidence and self awareness.
SELF AWARENESS: Olabisi is aware that women circumcision is
dangerous to women during child birth .Doctor Asiatu was aware of
the problems caused by genital mutilation. Ade Jones is aware that
circumcision of women does more harm good.
PROSTITUTION:This issue of prostitution is portrayed by the writer
of this novel. The writer reveals through the main character Olabisi
who starts engaging in love at the age of fourteen years old .Makalay
gets pregnancy and hence this proves the failure of circumcision to
reduce sexual desire. Also Ade Jones is notable skirt chaser. He
does not control his sexual desire and ends up making love with
other women who come close to him.
PHYSICAL FITNESS: Olabisi is trained by her boyfriend eddy to
defend herself. She uses her body to defend Rugiatu and Salay and
other people. So this shows how people can use their bodies to
defend themselves.
AFRICAN CULTURE: The writer portrays the customs and traditions
of Temne people, the tribe is found in Sierra Leone. According to
Temne tradition and beliefs, all women have to be circumcised to
reduce sexual desire and become faithful to their husbands. So in
their tribe, a woman who is not circumcised is called gborka. People
believe in magic and outdated customs and traditions.
POSITION OF WOMEN IN THE SOCIETY: The writer portrays a
woman as weak creature .Women are circumcised without their will
in order to reduce their sexual desire. Also women are portrayed as
refreshment tools to men as in the novel; Ade Jones made love with
different types of women before he gets married to Oyah.
THE ROLE OF COERSIVE ORGANS IN DECISION MAKING:The
court can be used by people to get their rights. The dispute between
Ade Jones and Makalay is settled in court. Judge Lansana Kanuru
leads the judgment that Olabilisi cannot be forced to be circumcised
without her own consent since she is grown up. The bondo secret
group is defeated before the court.
MESSAGE FROM THE NOVEL,
Message– is a lesson we get after reading a work of art.

The author shows good message to the society that women

circumcision is not good since it brings a big effect to our health such
as getting problems during birth, and lead transmission of disease
such as HIV/AIDS, and most of women loose much blood and that
lead to their death. So people need education about circumcision and
stop ignorance.
RELEVANCE OF THE NOVEL TO THE SOCIETY,
 There are many people who practice circumcision. Most of Africans
believe in superstition. As in the novel, theTemne people in Sierra
Leone engage in women circumcision. Other societies who still
practice women circumcision in East Africa are such as the Masai,
Kikuyu,Luo and Kurya.
SAMPLEQUESTIONS
1. Female genital mutilation is a common practice in some African
societies. It is carried out for a particular reason according to customs
and traditions. In reference to any novel you have read, do you think
the reasons given in support of the practice fair? Why?
2. Choose any TWO characters from the readings you have read and
show the messages conveyed by the character. How relevant are the
messages in our daily experience?
3. Betrayal seems to be a common issue in the society. Those who
practice it seem to enjoy but its effects are far reaching. Discuss the
truth of this phrase in reference to two readings you have read.
4. Unfaithfulness in marriage and in relationship tends to cause
family or relationship breaks up. Discuss how this issue is portrayed
in two readings you have read.
5. ―Our parents are very important agents of shaping our
personalities, Verify this claim by using two novels of your choice.
TITLE OF THE BOOK: WEEP NOT CHILD AUTHOR: NGUGI WA
THIONG‟O. STTING: GIKUYU VILLAGE- KENYA. YEAR:
PUBLISHED BY HEINMANN IN 1987
Weep Not, Child Summary
Part I - "The Waning Light"
Weep Not, Child is set in a Gikuyu village in Kenya during the 1952-
1960 Emergency, a tumultuous and violent period which would
eventually lead to Kenya's independence from Britain.
One day, the beautiful Nyokabi offers her youngest son, Njoroge, an
opportunity to go to school. He enthusiastically accepts, even though
he knows it will be a financial stretch for the family. His prospects are
contrasted with those of his half-brother Kamau. Although Kamau is
only slightly older than Njoroge, he has already been apprenticed to a
carpenter, and will pursue that instead of going to school. Both boys
hope that their training will lead them to a happy and successful
future.
The village is located near Kipanga, a larger town where many of the
villagers work. Kipanga is home to many colorful characters,
including a funny barber who tells colorful stories about his
experiences fighting in World War II. On this day, Njoroge and
Kamau‘s father, Ngotho, is spending time in Kipanga. He soon
returns home, proud that his son will be the first in the family to
attend school. Ngotho works as a farmer for a British land-owner, Mr.
Howlands, on land that Ngotho's family once owned.
Njoroge initially has a hard time adjusting to life at school, but his old
friend Mwihaki helps him. Mwihaki is the daughter of Jacobo, a rich
Gikuyu pyrethrum farmer who owns the land that Ngotho and his
family live on. One evening, Ngotho tells his wives and children –
Kori, Boro, Kamau, and Njoroge – stories about how the British stole
the Gikuyu land. These events particularly upset Boro, who believes
his father complicit in the injustice by working for Mr. Howlands. Boro
has been troubled ever since he lost his brother when they were
fighting together in World War II.
Njoroge enjoys learning how to read - and eventually, how to speak
English. He continues to bond with Mwihaki, and also dedicates
himself to studying the Bible. He sees parallels between the Gikuyu
struggle and the oppression 31 | P a g e
of the Israelites. Meanwhile, Kamau is frustrated by the slow pace at
which his boss, Nganga, teaches him.
Word spreads through the community about a strike to advocate for
more rights for Africans. Ngotho wants to participate, but is worried
that Mr. Howlands will fire him. He decides to walk out anyway, and
attends a rally where Boro and his friend Kiarie are scheduled to
speak. The police bring in Jacobo, who urges the strikers to return to
work. Ngotho is so enraged by Jacobo that he rushes the stage and
attacks him, which starts a riot. The riot is put down immediately, and
has dire consequences for Ngotho‘s family – he is fired from his job
and evicted from Jacobo‘s land. Fortunately, Nganga allows the
family to move onto his land. Interlude
Two and a half years pass. Njoroge‘s hero, the revolutionary
JomoKenyatta, is arrested. Meanwhile, there are many incidents of
violence by the Mau Mau, one of the revolutionary groups. The whole
culture is in a state of flux and worry. Part II - "Darkness Falls"
Njoroge‘s older brothers Kori and Boro both have run-ins with the
police. An atmosphere of fear permeates the village; people are
afraid not just of the police, but also of the Mau Mau, which slits the
throats of suspected traitors.
Mr. Howlands and Jacobo plot ways to arrest Ngotho, whom they
both resent for his insubordination and his attack on Jacobo. They
arrange for Kori and Njeri (Ngotho‘s first wife) to be arrested,
although Mr. Howlands is reluctant to harm Ngotho because he
remembers how much his old employee loved the land. Meanwhile,
Njoroge‘s school is threatened by the Mau Mau, but he continues to
attend at Kamau's advice. One day, Mwihaki returns to the villages
after several years away at boarding school. She and Njoroge are
happy to see each other, and she invites him into her home, where
he is surprised that Jacobo is so kind to him. They promise to be
together after she graduates. Not much later, Njoroge and some
friends go on a church retreat. However, the retreat is stopped by the
police, who murder their group leader for his attitude of
independence. Meanwhile, Boro plots ways to murder Jacobo.
Njoroge is promoted to high school, and Mwihaki, whose grades are
not as strong, attends a teaching college. The differences between
them become more apparent – Mwihaki is frustrated and hopeless
about the state of the 32 | P a g e
country, whereas Njoroge believes that educated young people have
the power to change the future. At high school, Njoroge flourishes.
One day, he meets Stephen Howlands, the son of Mr. Howlands. The
two boys realize that they have much in common, and discuss the
reasons that they were afraid to talk to each other as children. At
nineteen, Njoroge is pulled out of school to be interrogated by the
police. Jacobo has been murdered, and they believe that Ngotho is
involved. Njoroge is tortured mercilessly, but he refuses to give up
any information. The police reveal that Ngotho has already confessed
to the murder and that they have castrated him. During the torture,
Njoroge passes out, and Mr. Howlands, who has been present at the
interrogation, arranges for Njoroge to be released. As it turns out,
Ngotho did not commit the murder; he only confessed to help Kamau,
who was being detained as a suspect. In fact, Boro killed Jacobo; he
believed that it was the only way to avenge his brother's death in the
war. Mr. Howlands eventually realized that Ngotho‘s confession was
false, but allowed him to be tortured anyway. However, he could not
bring himself to execute Ngotho. Several days later, Ngotho dies.
Njoroge and Boro visit him before he dies, and after Boro sees his
father‘s condition, he murders Mr. Howlands in the white man's
home. After Ngotho‘s death, Njoroge is obliged to give up his
education and to work in a dress shop. These events emotionally
destroy Njoroge, and he goes to the one source of comfort he has
left: Mwihaki. They admit that they love each other, but that they
cannot be together because they are obliged to support their families,
both of which are now missing a father. Njoroge tries to kill himself,
but Nyokabi stops him and brings him home.
Weep Not, Child Character List
Nyokabi She is the second wife of Ngotho, a plantation hand and the
patriarch of the novel's main family. Nyokabi cares deeply for her
children, and strives to maintain peace in the family. 33 | P a g e
Njoroge Njoroge is the novel's primary protagonist, and Ngotho's
youngest son. He is the first in his family to attend school, and he
aspires to use his education to make Kenya a better place. Ngugi
describes him as ―a dreamer, a visionary who consoled himself
faced by the difficulties of the moment by a look at a better day to
come‖ (130). The challenges to his optimism in large part constitute
the novel's primary arc. Kamau Njoroge‘s slightly older half -brother
and the son of Njeri. He is apprenticed as a carpenter, and thus
cannot join Njoroge at school. Because he goes directly into a career,
he is forced to mature more quickly than Njoroge does. As his father
ages and his brothers join the Mau Mau, Kamau becomes his family's
main support. Jacobo A wealthy chief and pyrethrum farmer –
indeed, he is the first African to be allowed to grow the crop. He owns
the land that Ngotho and his family live on, and he works against the
Mau Mau uprising as it starts to intensify. He is also Mwihaki's father.
Mr. Howlands He is a British tea farmer who moved to Kenya to
escape a troubled past. He owns the land that once belonged to
Ngotho's father, a source of tension between the men despite the fact
that Mr. Howlands is Ngotho's employer. As time passes, he is
appointed district officer, and viciously fights the rebellion. John
Jacobo‘s son, who at the beginning of the novel is planning to study
abroad in England,. The barber He is a humorous African who works
in Kipanga. He likes to tell raunchy stories about his exploits fighting
in World War II. 34 | P a g e
Ngotho He is the patriarch of Njoroge's family, and a World War I
veteran. He is married to Njeri and Nyokabi, and is the father of Boro,
Kori, Kamau, and Njoroge, as well as another son, Mwangi, who died
in World War II. He works on Mr. Howlands's plantation, and longs for
the white people to leave Kenya so he can have his family's land
back. Njeri She is Ngotho's brave and intelligent first wife and the
mother of Kamau. Boro He is One of Ngotho‘s elder sons, who
fought in World War II. He drinks frequently and seems to suffer from
post-traumatic stress disorder. He is particularly troubled by the
death of his brother Mwangi in the war. He eventually finds a sense
of purpose through fighting in the Mau Mau rebellion, where he
becomes the leader of a guerrilla group. Mwihaki She is Jacobo's
daughter and one of the wealthiest girls in the village. She is close
friends with Njoroge, and eventually becomes his love interest. Their
shifting attitudes on the country‘s prospects in large part constitute
the novel's primary arc. Lucia She is Jacobo's temperamental adult
daughter, who teaches at the elementary school. Juliana Jacobo's
wife, described as fat and stern. Nganga He is the village carpenter,
who apprentices Kamau. Although he is initially characterized as
stingy and mean, Nganga later shows his generosity by giving
Ngotho's family a place to live after they are evicted from Jacobo's
land. 35 | P a g e
Mwangi He is One of Ngotho‘s elder son, who died while serving in
World War II alongside his brother Boro. His death is a primary
motivation in the resentment that fuels Boro. Kori He is Ngotho and
Njeri‘s adult son. He works at the Green Hotel tea shop in Kipanga.
Mugo wa Kibiro A seer who predicted that white men would come
and take people‘s land, long before the British came to Kenya.
However, he also predicted that they would one day leave, a
prediction which gives Ngotho hope. Murungu The Gikuyu name for
the Creator. Memsahib She is Mr Howlands‘s moody wife, who
―mattered [to her husband] only in so far as she made it possible for
him to work ... more efficiently without a worry about home‖ (30).
Isaka First introduced as a jovial teacher at Njoroge‘s school, with a
reputation for drinking and womanizing, Isaka later appears as a
Christian revivalist after the rebellion begins. Jomo Though he never
appears directly in the novel, Jomo Kenyatta's reputation as the
Gikuyu leader of the KAU makes him a hero to the village and
Njoroge in particular. Kenyatta is a real historical figure who would
become the first Prime Minister of Kenya after it achieved
independence. Kiarie He is One of Boro's politically active friends
from the city, who joins him in many events amongst the Gikuyu. 36 |
Page
Karanja He is a boy in the village who brings the village news about
the rebellion. Dedan Kimathi He is the leader of the African Freedom
Army, and an important figure in the uprising. Though never directly
featured in the novel, his reputation strikes fear in the hearts of the
villagers and Njoroge. He is another real historical figure, and
remains very controversial for his use of violence. Eventually, there
developed a schism between Kimathi's Mau Mau and Jomo
Kenyatta's more moderate followers in the KAU. Mucatha This is
One of Njoroge‘s friends at school. Stephen Howlands He is Mr.
Howlands's youngest son (and the only one alive during the period of
the novel). He is shy and thoughtful, and Mr. Howlands has doubts
about whether he is suitable to inherit the plantation. He and Njoroge
have an important conversation late in the novel.
Themes
Grief
In some ways, grief is the primary driving force behind the action of
Weep Not, Child. Boro is driven to join the Mau Mau to assuage his
grief over his brother Mwangi's death in World War II. Ngotho's
resentments are fueled by grief over losing his family's land to the
British. Similarly, grief drives Njoroge's spiritual evolution. Nothing
can undermine his faith in God until Ngotho dies, at which point
Njoroge stops praying. Similarly, Jacobo's death prevents Njoroge
from being with Mwihaki, because she must care for her mother. As
the characters cope with the deaths of their loved ones, their
overwhelming grief slowly dissolves into a sense of duty that allows
them to transcend their misery. Although Njoroge is nearly driven to
suicide by Mwihaki's rejection and his father's death, it is the
necessity of caring for his mothers (which he would not have to do if
Ngotho were alive) that ultimately saves him. 37 | P a g e
Social class
As Ngugi notes on several occasions, race is not the only obstacle
that prevents the characters from pursuing their goals in life. They
are arguably even more hampered by their social class. This applies
to poor characters like Kamau, who must persist with the carpentry
apprenticeship he dislikes in order to support his family. However,
even upper-class characters find that their upbringing prevents them
from being truly free. For example, Mwihaki's affection for Njoroge is
hampered by her famiy's wealth, and the expectations that come
from that. Similarly, Stephen Howland must attend boarding school in
England even though he feels more at home in Kenya, and does not
want to leave. Njoroge has a great hope that education will help
bridge the gap of social class, but circumstances cede his education
before he can test that theory. The land
Ngotho and Mr. Howlands share a fierce dedication to the land. At
the center of their relationship is the central problem of the colonial
presence in Kenya, and hence to the novel's main conflicts. Each has
his own deep connection to the land. Land is an important part of
Gikuyu culture, an indicator of a family. Mr. Howlands seems to have
embodied some of this sentiment, despite his racism. However, 'land'
does not refer only to the physical space used for living and farming.
By the end of the novel, it has acquired a multi-dimensional meaning.
In addition to Mr. Howlands's shamba, the concept of land has come
to include the people who live on it. (Indeed, Ngugi suggests that
dispossessing a people of their land is not enough to separate them
from it; the connection is too strong.) ―When the time for Njoroge to
leave [for secondary school] came near," Ngugi writes, "many people
contributed money so that he could go since he was no longer the
son of Ngotho but the son of the land‖ (115). Land, with all its
profundity, is what the Africans lost to the British, and what they are
fighting to regain. Love
One of the major questions that Weep Not, Child raises is whether
love is a strong enough force to transcend suffering. The pure love
between Njoroge and Mwihaki certainly proves resilient over the
course of novel: ―Her world and Njoroge‘s world stood somewhere
outside petty prejudices, hatreds and 38 | P a g e
class differences," Ngugi writes (97). However, the novel's ending
suggests that love may endure, but that it cannot change a person's
circumstances. Although the two young people want to run away and
live together in Uganda, they are ultimately bound by a stronger
sense of duty to their parents and their country. Part of the story's
tragedy is that individuality is helpless before greater forces beyond
anyone's control. Infighting
Weep Not, Child is full of evidence that infighting between Africans
was a major problem during the Mau Mau uprising. Ngugi suggests
that some of it may have been justified; for instance, Jacobo is a truly
villainous character, and we are meant to sympathize with Ngotho
when he attacks him. However, Ngugi is very explicit about the fact
that such infighting ultimately platg xyed into the hands of the British,
driving wedges between Africans and making the conflict more
violent than was necessary. The difference between the reputations
of Jomo and Dedan Kimathi reveal how significant the ideological
differences amongst Africans had become. When Njoroge and
Stephen Howlands discuss the causes of prejudice, their insights
offer a way for Africans to move beyond their differences and fight for
the common good. The tragedy is that individual desires are often
useless before larger social forces that in many ways hurt everyone.
Women's role in society
Certain aspects of Gikuyu society, like polygamy, female
circumcision and wife-beating, may be foreign and even
uncomfortable for modern Western readers. But despite its uncritical
portrayal of these realities, weep not; Child is thoughtful about the
role of women in a traditional society. Mwihaki's failure to continue to
high school is not a reflection on women's abilities to succeed in
general, but it does highlight the difficulties that bright, motivated
young women face if they try to pursue an education. The narrator
suggests that Mwihaki's sense of obligation to her family, and the
restrictive convent atmosphere of her school, prevented her from
doing as well as she might in other circumstances. Njoroge's
mothers, Nyokabi and Njeri, are other examples of strong women,
although they occupy more traditional roles in society than Mwihaki
or Lucia do. Njeri in particular shows a strong intellect and courage
when she is arrested, and Nyokabi takes great initiative in 39 | P a g
e
arranging for Njoroge to attend school. Together, the mothers show
that women play just as important a role in improving society as men
do - provided they live under a relatively tolerant patriarch like
Ngotho. Family loyalty Njoroge turns to many different sources of
comfort as conditions deteriorate in his village: school, religion, and
his love for Mwihaki are some examples. Yet the only force that
stands between him and suicide at the end of the book is his sense
of duty to his mothers, who will be alone and destitute if he dies.
Mwihaki rejects him because she, too, must care for her mother. For
Ngugi, family loyalty is the ultimate bond. One of the primary
challenges his characters face is deciding how to best stay loyal to
their family in a time of conflict and contradictions. Boro is a
particularly complex example of this question. Ngotho orders him to
stop fighting with the Mau Mau, but Boro feels he must continue in
order to avenge his father's death, and to fight for a better future for
his younger siblings. Whether to defend one's family by immediately
providing or by fighting for their progeny (in terms of rebellion or, in
Njoroge's case, education) is a question posed, but not answered, by
the novel. 40 | P a g e
THE BLACK HERMIT
AUTHOR: NGUGI WA THIONG‟O SETTING: POST-
INDEPENDENCE AFRICAN SOCIETY PUBLISHER: EAST
AFRICAN EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHERS YEAR: 1968
INTRODUCTION The play was first produced by the Makerere
College students‘ dramatic society at Uganda national theatre in
November 1962 when the East African countries attained
independence.By then tribalism was the biggest problem facing the
New East African countries. So the drama shows people were
against those humiliations hence they had to expose and root out the
effect of tribalism, racism and religious functions. CHARACTER AND
CHARACTERIZATION REMI
 He is the main character of the play

 He is the son of Ngome and Nyobi.

 He is the only one at University from Marua tribe.
He has changed his behavior since he went to University and
knows girls in the city but at the beginning, while in the village he was
a God fearing child and shy with girls.
When he reaches University he leaves religious affairs and
becomes a politician. He joined the Nationalist party. He has a friend
Omange who discusses politics with him and has a girlfriend called
Jane in the city who spend nights with him in clubs

OMANGE
 He is the friend of Remi in the city

 He is from another tribe

He is wise and aware of racism, tribalism and religious conflicts.
41 | P a g e
 He wants the state to act by allowing the trade union to have rights
to strike.

 He blames Remi for not giving a chance to Thoni to express her

feelings.

NYOBI
 She is the mother of Remi and In -law to Thoni.

Her husband Ngome died of shock following the death of Remi‘s

brother who was once married to Thoni.
She represents a woman who cares so much about the well being
of her family. She is a Christian but not a strong one due to her
beliefs in the elders of Marua tribe.

THONI
 She is the most beautiful and strongest girl in the Marua tribe.

She was a girl admired by Remi though she did not know whether
Remi loves her.

 She was ready to marry Remi when her husband passed away.

The weakness of Thoni becomes a problem when Remi disgraced

her in public and she decides to kill herself by committing suicide.

JANE
 She is Remi‘s white girlfriend in the city.

 She loves Remi but she was not aware that Remi has a wife back in
the village.

 She is ready to live with Remi despite his race.

 She called Remi a weak man and told him to go back to his tribe

She is a strong woman because when she notices that Remi has a
wife, she decides to leave him but not to commit suicide as Thoni.
42 | P a g e
PASTOR
 He is a strong Christian. He influences Remi to be a God fearing
child. He is also unhappy with Remi‘s disappearance into the city.

 He does not want Remi to join politics and he is strongly against

traditional beliefs.

 He blames Remi for causing disunity among Christians and

isolating himself from the community.

LEADERS VERSUS ELDERS

 They wanted Remi to come back to the village and they followed
him to town and convinced him to turn back home.
They don‘t believe in Christianity but trust Marua‘s traditional
medicine.

WOMAN
 She is from Marua tribe. She loves Thoni and takes time to
exchange ideas with her.

 She advises Thoni to be calm to wait for Remi. She cooperates in

looking for Thoni when she disappears.

The Form in the Black Hermit THEMES

 CONFLICT:The playwright shows that Remi was in conflict with his
community since he ran away from them and became the black
hermit in the city. The conflict also occurred between Jane and Remi.
Jane did not like whenRemi prohibited her from going with her to his
village. She felt that she lost her time to love someone who had a
wife in the village. RemiversushisMother;Remiwas in conflict with
his mother since her mother wanted him to marry the village
girl,Thoni. This created misunderstanding between them.
RemiversusJane;There was a conflict between those two
whenRemiwanted to go back to the village without Jane. Jane
became furious sinceRemihas wasted her time lying to her they could
marry whileRemihas wife back to the village. Between Elders and
Pastor as well as all Christians;The conflicts were due to other
people to believe in superstition while others believed in one true
God. The pastor wanted Remi back home to lead the church
whileRemion the other hand wanted to
43 | P a g e
be a politician in order to unite his people through Africanist party.
Remi versushistribe members; The Marua people trusted Remi to
serve the tribe. Instead of serving the tribe, Remi wants to unite all
people and bring unity among all tribes. He shows example to his
people by showing them the love he had to hisfriend(Omange) who
was from a different tribe. Remi versus Omange; The
misunderstanding between them was due to Remi‗s attitude of
supporting people not to fight in strike and demand for their rights
while Omange was against, so he says a trade union without the right
to strike is like a lion without claws and teeth.
 RELIGION: Some people are traditionalist like the elders who
believe in magic power .Others are Christians as Remisince their
childhood. He believes and fears God, and his family are Christians.
The Christians and the traditionalists differ in attitude and their ways
of worship.
 RESPONSIBILITY:The author insists on the need of being
responsible in the society so as to be able to face challenges and
problems .He advises that a person is not supposed to run away from
his responsibility .You need to solve it as Remi supposed to take care
of her mother and his wife and the village but not run away from
them, that shows his weakness. So Remi ought to stay in the society
and face the problem and solve them.
 SELF AWARENESS AND PERSONALITY:The author shows that
the changing of the personality and awareness of Remi was the
result of being young and educated. Remi was a good boy and God
fearing but when he grew up and studied at the University, he did not
fear God but went against and lived his life with luxurious life in the
city. And when Remi was at the village he was shy with girls, but
when he went to the city he did not have the habit of shyness but he
was the one who own girls, Jane been a good example of girls he
spent with her nights in the night clubs.
 BUILDING THE FUTURE:The author shows that Remi struggled to
bring changes in the country. He wanted people to develop and be
free from racism and tribalism. So Remi finds that in order to develop,
people should start working in unity. The tribe sent Remi to study at
University so as to help them in future. The tribe believed that true
education could only be achieved through education.
 LEADERSHIP:The author portrayed the aspect of leadership as we
can see in the play .Remi presents the marua tribe and people
believe on him and keep trust on Remi. They believed that Remi will
do away with tribalism, racism and religious isolation. So the people
do not like pastor
44 | P a g e
and elders since they bring religious isolation by despising traditional
beliefs that bring disunity among themselves.
 DISUNITY: The problem was that people were not united due to
their differences in beliefs. Others were Christians and others
believed in magic power. So this brings disunity among people. So
people need to be together and cooperate and fight for their rights
and freedom, away from racism, tribalism and religious isolation.
 MARRIAGE ISSUES: According to Marua tribe, one can inherit the
wife of his brother. Remi is told by his family and the elders to marry
Thoni, his brother‘s widow. He tells his friend Omange about what his
father has told him ‗‘He called me in his bed and said ‗Remi you
know our custom .Your brother‘s wife is now your wife ‗‘Remi
refused to marry her so he ran to the city, that is why he became the
hermit.
 SUPERSTITIOUS BELIEFS:People ofMarua tribe believed in
mountains ,so we can see elders in Marua used medicine that can
change Remi‘s mind and decide to go back to the village .We see
one elder carry a bundle of medicine wrapped in banana leaf, on
leaving the house he leaves at door way .And the elder told Nyobi
that his son has been bewitched by their neighbours because of
jealous. They tell that they are not pleased with the success of Remi,
so that shows that they believe in superstition.

RELEVANCE OF THE PLAYTO THE SOCIETY This play was first

produced by the Makerere college students Dramatic society at the
Uganda National Theatre in November1962 whenthe EastAfrican
countries had attained independence. So by then ,tribalism
andracism was the most thing practiced in our society .Until today
there are other African countries such as Kenya, tribalism continue till
now .The Kikuyu and Luo always fight in Kenya. In South Africa, they
practiced racism in some areas where there were streets of white
people and black people, but generally, people need to be free from
tribalism. So the author has played his role by giving message to the
people who need to be free from tribalism. MESSAGE
 Political consciousness has vital role of any political development.
This shows that people need to be united so that they can change
and bring development to the country so it shows that development
cannot happen
45 | P a g e
overnight, so people need to plan and practice in order to overcome
problem and bring changes.

 Unity is essential thing to any revolution (struggle) and changes to

our society. So people need to be together and cooperate so that
they work together and bring development.

 We must sacrifice in order to eliminate oppression .This shows that

Remi sacrificed himself in order to overcome the problem of racism,
tribalism and religious matters so that people could unite together
and bring changes in their country.

LANGUAGE USE: The author used simple language and symbolic

language but well understood. Exercise 4 SAMPLE QUESTIONS
1. In many situations one finds disagreement between representative
of characters who strives for changes and those who are
conservative. Prove the truth of this statement and show out the
lesson we learn from each situation by referring to the play ―The
Black hermit‖.
2. With reference to the play ―The Black Hermit‖, discuss the role
played by the protagonist in relation to your society and the world at
large.
3. Show how characterization has been used by any playwright under
this program to bleed with the plot of the play.
4. In most cases, the playwright determination is to strive against
injustice and build a just society. By using the play ―The Black
Hermit‖ verifies the statement.
5. Characterization is one of the artistic devices used by the
playwright through which their respective audience can understand
the story. Use any reading you have read to verify the statement.
46 | P a g e
THIS TIME TOMORROW
PLAYWRIGHT: NGUGI WA THIONG‟O SETTING: UHURU
MARKET (THE SUBURB OF NAIROBI CITY), KENYA
PUBLISHER: HEINEMANN YEAR: 1963
The following are some of the characters who were found in the
play‖This Time Tomorrow‖
 Journalist

 Editor
 Njango
 Wanjiro,her daughter
 1st customer
 2nd customer
 3rd customer
 Inspector Kiongo
 Tinsmith
 Shoemaker
 Asinjo
 Stranger
 Police Officer
 Crowd, Policemen

CHARACTERIZATION
 Njango: She is the main character of the Play. She is a widow and
the mother of Wanjiro. When her husband passed away in the
struggle during Mau Mau war, she came to town. She engaged in a
petty trade of selling soup at Uhuru market. She believes in tribalism.
She is poor and shares the floor with her daughter as a bed.She was
a victim of keep-clean-the-city campaign.
 Wanjiro: The daughter of Njango. She has natural beauty and a
lived poor life. She is ignorant as she did not go to school. She loves
Asinjo and wants to marry him. She admires how European ladies
dress.
 Stranger: He is an activist who fought for Uhuru during Mau Mau
war. He educates people on their rights and makes them aware of
humiliation and exploitation. He unites people against the city council
with its campaign of ―keep the city clean.‖
Shoemaker: One of the slum dwellers. He is illiterate and does not
know his age. He was among the freedom fighters in the forest. He
protests against the government‘s decision to demolish the houses.
47 | P a g e
 1st, 2nd &3rd customer: They are among the slum dwellers. They
buy soup at Njangos place. They oppose the city campaign of
demolishing their slums.
 Inspector Kiongo: A worker at the City Council in the Health
department. He reminds people at Uhuru market to move away since
the slums are to be demolished.He is among those who enjoy the
national cake.
 Asinjo: He is a young man from a different tribe with Wanjiro. He is
chased away and insulted by Njango as he wants to marry Wanjiro.
He convinces Wanjiro to go with him and ignore her mother for claim
that she is ignorant and old.
 Tinsmith:He is a slum dweller who lives a poor life. He is ignorant.
He cooked for the white people during the war. He makes and sells
water tins,pangas,hoes etc.
 Journalist: A reporter of different events in the society. For
example,he reports on the keep the city campaign, how houses are
demolished and how people reacted against it. He takes pictures of
different people like the Tinsmith and Inspector Kiongo.
 Police Officer: He is among the civil servants. He represents the
Government to make sure that the clean the city campaign is a
success.

THEMES A theme is the main idea in the work of art. Several themes
can be analysed from this play. Among the themes in the play ―This
Time Tomorrow‖ are protest, tribalism, poverty, conflict, building the
future, illusion, environmental sanitation and awareness.
 PROTEST: Means disapproval of something which is unjust.
Protest dominates in the whole play of ―This Time Tomorrow‖.
People at Uhuru market protests against the city council which
planns to demolish their slums. People also protest against
introduction of new cultural ways of life based on Western culture.
 BETRAYAL:The government betrays the Kenyans as it does not
fulfill its promises of bringing good life to them. The jobs and houses
promised by the government for freedom fighters are not provided.
People continue living in slums. Njango lives in the shelter
constructed by cardboards and rotting tins. The stranger says‖ We
fought for Uhuru because we were told it would mean decent houses
and decent jobs. But where are the jobs!
48 | P a g e
Where are the houses!‖ This portrays that people were betrayed by
the government.The national cake was enjoyed by the few selected
government leaders.
 HUMILIATIONOR DEHUMANIZATION: The government humiliates
people by destroying their slums at Uhuru market. People protest
against the government order to demolish their slums. Njango is
among those who protest. Njango says‖ City council or no city
council, I am not going to move from this place‖. The shoemaker
says ‗‘It‘s not that I do not want to move but the government should
give me the place to go-------why should I move from here? ---I only
wanted to be left alone. It shows that people were against the
decisions made by the city council.
 WESTERNCULTURE:The old generation opposes the changes
brought by Western culture while the young enjoy adapting western
ways. For example, Njango opposes the new dressing style. She
asks her daughter‖ You want to dress like white people‖?
 TRIBALISM:The writer uses Asinjo and Wanjiro to show his protest
against tribalism. Though Asinjo loves Wanjiro, Njango opposes
strongly for her daughter to get married to a man from another tribe.
She tells Wanjiro ‖With that man‖? A man from another tribe?
-----Tribalism remains to be a problem in different countries in Africa.
 LAND ALIENATION: People do not support for their land to be
taken by few people. They start the fight against the white people in
order to get their land back. After achievement of independence, the
land still remains in the hands of few African leaders, hence the
majorities remain landless. The stranger says‖ We fought for land!‖
where is the land? People think that their leaders have betrayed
them.
 DISUNITY: Disunity is portrayed in the play. In the play, this is
indicated by the act of people running away when the police
arrive.1st customer says ―Police! The police are coming!‖2nd
customer says ―Run! Run! Run quickly! Out of my way!‖This shows
that people are coward and divided. They have no courage to fight
together against the common enemy.
 IGNORANCE/ILLITERACY: The writer portrays the issue of
ignorance in his book. Ignorance has made people to live in poor life.
Ignorance makes people reluctant to accept new changes. It is
ignorance which has made people to accept tribalism; disunity is also
there since people have no education. People do not understand the
stranger when he insisted on
49 | P a g e
solidarity. The stranger says‖ Let us stand together‖. Due to
ignorance, the people believe that the stranger can perform magic to
save them.
 CONFLICT: The writer also manages to show the theme of conflict
with great success. Conflict can be a source of disunity, enmity and
underdevelopment. In this play, the conflict has been shown in the
following areas: The conflict between the slum dwellers and the
city council; this conflict is the result of the city council to demolish
the slums at Uhuru market. People do not support the city council
campaign of demolishing the slums. Conflict between the young
and the old; The old generation (Njango) opposes all the changes
brought by introduction of new cultural practices. On the other hand
,the new generation like changes and want to look like white people.
For example, Wanjiro wants to marry a man from another tribe. This
is against their culture. She also wants to wear long heeled shoes
like European women and also smoke Cigar. She also wants to go to
school like her brother. All these are opposed by her
mother(Njango).Conflict between the police officer and the
stranger; The police officer arrests the stranger for causing violence
and civil disobedience. When arresting the stranger, the police officer
says ‖In the name of our new republic, you are arrested----! Follow
us! Intra-personal conflict; Wanjiro is not happy for not been sent to
school. She is also not happy with life in the slums. She wants to
wear nice dresses like other girls but her mother is poor and cannot
afford to buy nice dresses for her daughter.
 COLONIAL LEGACY: The playwright proves to us that there are
still some elements of colonialism in African countries. People have
not seen changes even after the achievement of independence.
People are landless and jobless. The land has remained in the hands
of few people. The national cake is enjoyed by the minority. The new
generation likes dressing like white people. Wanjiro says "I want a
frock and shoes-high heels-so that I can walk like a European lady".
 BUILDING THE FUTURE: People in Kenya waged war(Mau Mau
war) against the colonial government in order to get their land and
sovereignty back. Njango, the tinsmith and the shoemaker struggled
in doing petty trade in order to get money to buy their basic needs.
Dedan Kimathi and the stranger are examples of people who decide
to sacrifice their lives in order to bring changes to their society. In any
struggle, there are few people who
50 | P a g e
can lose their lives. For example, Njango‘s husband lost his life in the
forest while fighting for Uhuru under Mau Mau movement.
 POVERTY:The playwright has shown poverty in the play. Most of
the freedom fighter live in slums. They engage in petty activities.
Njango shares bed with her daughter and her shelter is made of
cardboards and rotten tins.
 SOCIAL STRATIFICATION/SEGREGATION: The minority seem to
enjoy the national cake. They drive expensive cars and live in good
houses in the city. On the other hand, people like Njango, the
shoemaker and the tinsmith live in miserable life. This portrays social
classes whereby those who have positions in the government are in
the high class while the normal citizens live in low class.
 THE PLIGHT OF WOMEN/GIRLS: Women remain widows due to
deaths of their husbands, n the play, Njango lost her husband.
Njango tells her daughter‖Your father was captured, hey shot him
dead like a dog‖. Njango sells soup in order to earn living. Girls are
not given chance to go to school. They remain at home doing
domestic chores. Women also especially the young ones are always
cheated by men. Njango warns her daughter for engaging in love
with Asinjo.
 THE USE OF MEDIA: The play also shows the role of the media in
the society. People get up to date information on different issues
occurring in their community. For example, the reporters report the
incidence of demolishing the slums from the beginning to the end.

RELEVANCE OF THE PLAY TO OUR SOCIETY The play‖This

Time Tomorrow‖ reflects what happens in the society. In some parts
of the country, there are problems of tribalism. The city councils in
Tanzania sometimes demolish houses of people without paying them
or showing them where to build. Western culture has changed the life
style of many young men in Tanzania. They act and live like white
people. There is also a big number of illiterate people in our society
who don‘t know how to read and write. Exercise
6SAMPLEQUESTIONS
1. Ignorance and poverty are hindering blocks to society‘s progress.
Referring to the play ―This Time tomorrow, show the truth of this
statement.
51 | P a g e
2. ―Many conflicts occur as the result of selfish tendencies of some
members of the society‖. Discuss the statement with reference to the
play ―This Time Tomorrow‖
52 | P a g e
THE LION AND THE JEWEL
PLAYWRIGHT: WOLE SOYINKA SETTING: A TRADITIONAL
YORUBAVILLAGE OF ILUJNLE IN NIGERIA PUBLISHER:
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS YEAR: 1963 THE TITLE: The title of
the play above represents the oppressive nature of the system. The
Lion in this play represents men who oppress women in a male
dominated society while the Jewel is used to represent women who
are the victims of men‘s oppression. The jewel here is represented by
SIDI. She represents the group of women who face oppression and
humiliation from men. CHARACTERS AND CHARACTERIZATION
 LAKUNLE: A village school teacher. He falls in love with a virgin
village beauty, SIDI. He was not ready to pay the bride price in order
to marry SIDI. He is a fighter of women‘s rights and opposes all bad
African customs and traditions.
 SIDI: A beautiful village girl. She falls in love to Lakunle though later
on she finds herself married to chief Baroka after been tricked. She is
a conservative village girl who sticks to African customs and
traditions. She was ignorant and did not support European lifestyles.
 BAROKA: A chief of Ilujnle village. A strong and feared chief of the
village. He is a womanizer. He marries any woman who eats supper
with him. He uses women as tools of enjoyment. He uses a trick to
marry SIDI. He represents leaders who use their power to oppress
women.
 SADIKU: Baroka‘s eldest wife. She was used by Baroka as a go
between to seduce SIDI. She feels happy when she notices that her
husband is impotent. She is not aware of her rights as a woman.

LANGUAGE USED IN THE PLAY The playwright used figures of

speech in his work.The figures of speech used in the Play ―The lion
and the Jewel‖ are as follows:
 Metaphor: eg ―I am the twinkle of the jewel while he is the hind
quarters of a lion‖(p.23). ―Sadiku is my faithfull lizard (p.47)
 Proverbs: eg ―Old wine thrives within a new bottle‖
53 | P a g e
THEMES FROM THE PLAY The following are the themes found in
the play ―The lion and the Jewel‖
 Women emancipation: The main theme in the play. The play is
there to solve women oppression. It is indicated in the play that
women are not involved in decision making. Sexual harassment for
women is also shown by the playwright. In the play, Baroka tricks
SIDI and sleeps with her without her will. Lakunle represents women
rights fighters. Sadiku is used by her husband to trap SIDI and she
succeeds in her mission. Early marriage for small girls is portrayed to
be a problem. Baroka marries SIDI who is very young compared to
his age.
 A clash between cultures: There is a mismatch between
European culture and traditional African culture. Lakunle opposes the
issue of dowry payment and polygamy in his society. This is against
African culture. A woman or girl cannot get married without bride
price. SIDI rejects the kiss from Lakunle as this is not common in
African cultural practices. Western culture is represented by Lakunle
who wants to transform the village of ilujnle to be a modern village
with all the western life styles while on the other side, Sidi and
Baroka represents the conservative African traditionalists who
believe in African culture.
 Polygamy: This is a common cultural practice in Africa. The
strength of a man according to African culture is judged by the
number of wives he possesses. The traditions allow a man to have
more than one wife. Baroka is portrayed as a polygamous since he
has many wives and concubines. Polygamy can be the source of
HIV/AIDS spread and creation of big families difficult to handle.
Polygamy is a source of women oppression and humiliation.
 Betrayal: Every community has traitors. In the play, the playwright
portrays Lakunle as a great betrayer of African customs and
traditions. He uses his education to educate people on the bad
African customs and traditions which have to be discarded. He is
against bride price and polygamy. He wants to transform the village
into a modern village. The traditionalists like Baroka and Sadiku do
not support Lakunle and mock him and regarded him as a traitor in
their society. The followers of western culture are always regarded as
traitors since they undermine their own culture and lift up the foreign
culture.
54 | P a g e
 Irresponsibility: The playwright shows Baroka as irresponsible
leader who spends most of his time thinking women and planning
new marriages instead of thinking on development of his village.
Baroka is conservative and does not accept challenges from the
young generation (Lakunle) who wants to transform the village by
opening the eyes of villagers to see what is happening in other parts
of the World through newspapers. Lakunle is portrayed as
irresponsible teacher since he leaves his students in the class and
goes to meet SIDI. Lakunle spends most of his time thinking on how
to win SIDI‘s love instead of making efforts in teaching and think on
how to enable his students pass.
 Protest: Lakunle protests against African culture. He protests
against polygamy and paying of bride price. Sidi protests to be
married to Baroka since Baroka is old than her. SIDI also protests to
be married to Lakunle who wants to marry her without paying bride
price.
 Misuse of Power: There are leaders who misuse their power for
their personal interest. In the play ―The lion and the Jewel‖, the
playwright shows Baroka as a leader who uses his power to force
women to get married to him without their will. For example, Baroka
uses his power to invite SIDI at the palace to supp with her. Sadiku is
sent by the chief (Baroka) to convey the message of marriage to SIDI
though his request is rejected. Lakunle is beaten by the chief‘s
companions for messing around the girl (SIDI) who is loved by the
chief too.
 Allienation: Lakunle alienates himself from his society as he does
not support the cultural practices which are done by the people from
his community. Being educated, Lakunle despises all the African
ways and praises European culture. His negative attitude towards
African customs and traditions causes him to be isolated by villagers.
 Conflicts: The conflict in the play can be explained in the following
areas: Sidi vs Lakunle; Lakunle rejects the notion of dowry payment
and polygamy in his society. As the result, he finds himself in conflict
with SIDI and Baroka who support the issue of bride price and
polygamy. Baroka vs Lakunle; The cause of conflict between
Baroka and lakunle is due to competition over SIDI‘s love. Each one
wants to marry SIDI, eventually Baroka marries SIDI.Lakunle does
not support this marriage and hence developes hatred to SIDI and
Baroka for betraying him.
55 | P a g e
RELEVANCE OF THE PLAY TO OUR SOCIETY We have leaders in
Tanzania who use their power to humiliate other people. The police
officers are good examples of people who use their power to punish
those who compete with them in love. The issue of dowry payment is
common to most of the African families. There are people who have
failed to marry the girls they love due to lack of money to pay bride
price. There is a tendency of old people in our society to be in love
with young girls. This has partly been contributed by poverty and
influence of money and power. The rate of young girls engaging in
love with old men is increasing in different parts of the country.
Changes in any community are inevitable, yet there are people who
are conservative and reluctant to accept new changes, especially the
old generation. Polygamy and prostitution are common practices in
our society. People are not faithful to their lovers. Exercise 5
SAMPLEQUESTIONS
1. Analyse the role of women in the play ―The Lion and the Jewel‖
2. ―Many conflicts occur as the result of selfish tendencies of some
members of the society‖. Discuss the statement with reference to the
play ―The Lion and the Jewel‖
3. Referring to the play ―The Lion and the Jewel‖, explain how
drama can be used to entertain the readers and at the same time
criticizing the society.
4. ―Sacrifice is one of the key factors for any social changes‖. Use
the play ―The Lion and the Jewel‖ to verify the statement.
5. Irresponsibility is a source of underdevelopment in any society.
Use the play‖ The Lion and the Jewel‖ to verify the statement.
56 | P a g e
THREE SUITORS: ONE HUSBAND
Playwright: Guillaume Oyono – Mbia Setting: Traditional village
of Mvoutessi in Cameroon. Year: 1960. At first the book was
written in French in 1960 and first publicly staged in Yaoundé,
Cameroon 1961. It was translated into English by the author and
given its first performance in Britain at University of Keele in February
1967. GENERAL SUMMERY The author uses Juliette as a main
character of the play. Juliette is a student who has been away from
the village studying at Secondary School in Libamba. While at
school, she meets her fiancé who is supposed to be introduced to her
parents and other relatives. She is expected to arrive home at any
time. JULIETTE ARRIEVES HOME All the relatives are eager
waiting for her. At home, the relatives choose two suitors and receive
the bride price. Her coming is a great pleasure to the relatives since
they want her to get married. The first suitor is called Ndi. He is a
peasant and has already paid 100,000 francs as dowry. The second
suitor is called Mbia, who is a senior civil servant. Mbia is going to
pay 200,000 francs as a bride price. All villagers are already
supporting Mbia since he is wealthier than a peasant (Ndi). And will
help them in so many things, including solving their problems when
they are arrested for engaging in illegal business. Mbia is expecting
to appear at any time, a good coincidence for Atangana. As Juliette
arrives, she is surprised or rather shocked to hear that they want her
to get married. Juliette is shocked because of three things. First, she
wants to continue with further studies. Second, she has not been
consulted on matters that concern her and her life like marriage.
According to her, she is supposed to be consulted first instead of the
family deciding on her behalf. That is her right and the family has not
that right. Third, she has got a fiancé of her own choice called Oko.
As she argues against the family and demanding to be consulted, the
family and other relatives are shocked since she is doing what is
contrary to the tradition. In her society, it is men who decide whom a
girl should marry. They have their own set of priorities or criteria to
judge as far as the marriage 57 | P a g e
concerned. As the argument goes on Mbia arrives. Everybody is
excited and Mbia seizes to impress them by behaving like a great
man. With a lot of pomposity, Mbia pays the bride price, 200,000
francs hand it to Mbarga. After paying, he majestically says he has to
leave since he has to attend a cocktail party as a Secretary of state`s
private residence this evening… Instead of going to the party, he
goes to drink Arki (a traditional illegally distilled liquor with high
alcoholic content) at Mbaga`s house. In fact all family members want
Juliette to marry Mbia because he is seen to be wealthy as he
introduces himself with a lot of majesty. But Juliette clings to her firm
stand, she love Oko, a student and she wants to marry only him. To
attain her goal she secretly takes the bride price paid by Ndi and
Mbia (a total of 300,000 francs) and gives it to Oko, her fiancé. Oko
hesitates, but she convinced him to take the money since it is going
to be paid back to the family. Oko accept the idea after
understanding and becomes happy to see that Juliette is facilitating
the marriage between her and him, because he also loves her so
much. As the money disappear, Atangana gets a lot of panic, the
whole family is also in panic. They first convince Ndi to pay 200,000
francs so that they can pay it back to Mbia and take Juliette Ndi
Refuses and threatens to take them to police. This intensifies such
panic that, they then go to Mbia (which is now drunk) to convince him
to pay another 100, 000 francs so that they can re pay Ndi and allow
him to take Juliette. Mbia also becomes furious and, like Ndi,
threatens to call Police. Finally, Mbaga suggests that a witch doctor
be called so as to find out through magic, who has stolen the money.
The witch doctor is Singa –Titi, but he is a cheat and a thief. Sanga-
titi does not help them find the thief. He starts threatening them with
evil spirits and death so that they can give him a lot of animals as
gifts. He tells a lot of lies at the same time he continue to demand a
lot of things from the villagers. After discovering his lies, the villagers
become angry and chase him away. So the problem of money is not
solved yet since the witch doctor is merely scoundrel. Blames
continue raining on Juliette from the family member. Later Juliette
suppresses them by saying she is ready to marry the first man who
gives 300,000 francs as a bride price since she is sure that it will be
Oko. Then she insists that the man should pay that amount and no
more. She says so because she knows Oko cannot afford buying so
many presents that are usually demanded by the relatives. 58 | P a g
e
Then, Tchetgen, a trader arrives and the villages convince him to pay
300,000 francs. As they are still bargaining, Oko arrives and dressed
like a great man. He decides to show the villagers that they must
listen to the view of the girl who is get married. This causes conflict
with Atangana, and even other insists that Juliette must be asked,
and finally Juliette asked which suitor she wants. She categorically
chooses Oko. Oko pays the bride price and every one celebrates the
wedding. In deed where there is the will there`s a way. Juliette and
Oko win the race to ward their desire marriage through a lot of
challenges. Entanglement e.t.c. Determination, confidence,
cooperation between her and Oko and patience leads to the
attainment of highly intended goal. CHARACTERIZATION
1. ABESOLO

He represents the oldest generation. He is a father of Atangana and

Ondua. He believes that the world is changing and school destroys
the young. According to him the girls should not be sent to school. He
defends traditions. He looks at women as inferior people who are not
supposed to consult when it comes to important matters like
marriage. He defends the old taboos, like prohibiting women and
young men from eating the vipers, instead be eaten by male elders.
He wants to stop the marriage between Juliette and Mbia, since Mbia
is closely related. He accepts breaking the traditional norms by
accepting Mbia to marry Juliette. He is against school but proud of
Juliette`s success in school and hence wants higher bride price. He
is against the new changes but expects to benefit from them. He is
also conservative. 2. BELLA She is Abesolo`s wife. She is strong
supports traditional ways of life even on the questions of women. She
completely accepts her inferior position in the society and agrees with
her husband in all ways, for example, she supports him when he
says ―you must beat your wives‖. She also complains that some
women are breaking the traditional taboos. She is shocked by the
way Juliette behaves before her father. She reacts toward Juliette
―Juliette! A girl should never speak when her father‘s speaking‖.
She supports the ideas that a girl should marry for the goods of the
family and not for her personal interest. 59 | P a g e
She wants Juliette to make them rich by marrying Mbia. According to
her, a girl is not permitted to fall in love out of her will, it is the
community`s concern. Despite her strong support on traditions, Bella
is also affected by new values, since she is proud when Juliette
succeeds and she will marry a ―real white man‖. She is like
Abessolo that she is contradictory character, since she wants Juliette
to follow traditions while she is appreciating new ways of life. She
remains a traditional woman, a shadow of her husband doing
everything to please him. The ideas from her husband is enough, she
doesn‘t need to give her own ideas. 3. Ondua He is the son of
Abesollo and Bella. He is more lazy and much more drunkard. He
spends all his life drinking palm wine or ark. He is always arrested by
the Police for being drunk and disorderly. He is always thinking of
drinks before anything else. Even when Atangana concludes the
marriage, Ondua cries out ―Ah Atangana! What about the drinks?‖
He depends entirely on his wife, Monica. She does all the work on
the farm. So he is living parasitic life. He is very strange, despite
depending on her wife, she still despises women. He says ―No
sensible man should west his time trying to reason with them‖. Like
other man, Ondua opposes secondary school since it corrupt girls.
He is proud of his daughter Martalina for following traditions. He is
also having contradictions since he wants Matalina to marry a rich
suitor who follows new values. 4. Atangana He is the father of
Juliette and Oyono. He is the son of Abesolo and bella. Like other
men, he believes that men are superior to women. According to him,
women should do all the working in the farm. He is ignorant and
oppressor, he becomes angry when his wife comes late from the
bush, wants her come early home and cook for him. He believes that
her daughter should make him become rich. So he wants her to
marry a parson who gives the highest bride price. After the payment
of bride price, he demands fantastic things, such as: A radio with set
with gramophone, a bicycle, 4 suits, 5 blankets, a sewing machine,
and 10 loin clothes, kitchen ware. Others are 10 sacks of rice, 4
oxen, 15 sheep, 10 goats, 20 pigs, and thirty cases of red wine. 60 |
Page
He sees Juliette`s education as an investment. He says ―when I
sent her to Secondary School, I was just saying to everybody
―someday‖ I will benefit from that‖ He is angry when Juliette refuses
to marry Mbia. He regrets for having spent all cocoa money to
educate her. He wants to use the bride price to get his son, Oyono, a
wife. At the beginning Atangana wants to consult his daughter about
her marriage, but is prohibited by Abesollo who thinks that this is
stupid. He has illusions that Juliette will agree to marry such a great
man, but is shocked to see her refusing. He believes Sanga-Titi even
when he knows that he is telling lies, and continue give him more
things without realizing that he is just exploiting them 5. Makrita She
is Atangana`s wife, and is just like Bella since she believes that
women are designed to serve and obey men. She accept women`s
inferior position in the society. She is also a woman of contradiction.
First she takes Ndi to be good suitor since she helped in the farm.
But when she is told that Mbia is now a suitor she immediately
follows what has been decided by men. She is very hard working,
spending all day in the farm. She is not pleased with the way Juliette
speaks when her father speaks. Attangana blames her that she has
destroyed Juliette. Like other peoples in the village, she has also
been affected by the new values. To her money proves love and the
most important suitor is the one who is wealthy. She even wants to
know Oko has a car or not. To her men are superior and girls have
no freedom. 6. MBARGA He is a village headman. He talks of his
importance, ―A great man like me! Is there anyone in the village
who doesn`t know that I am a very wise man?‖ He demands that the
villagers should recognize his greatness hence he has been blessed
by the dead fathers of the village in a dream. He is not afraid of Mbia,
hence he is nearly as big as Mbia. He is proud and arrogant of his
position. He wants to be introduced to Mbia as the village headman.
He later introduces himself. Mbaga is Polygamist; he has twelve
wives and think of marring another. He also uses his position in
corrupt way. He distills ―Arki‖ in his own house and he is not
arrested. He shows a lot of concern during Juliette`s marriage, hence
he expected to benefit from it. 61 | P a g e
He is very cunning; he flatters Mbia so much so that Mbia goes on
giving him more battles of wine. He gives a crazy idea of taking
Juliette around all offices to find a suitor. He is so ignorant that he
cannot easily recognize Sanga –Titi`s lies hence he gives him two
rams so that he can purify the village. He is also fooled into believing
that Oko is a great man, greater than Mbia. Like other elders, he
supports traditions. He is against Juliette being given a chance to
speak. He convinces members to allow Mbia to marry Juliette since
he is an important man in the government. 7. SANGATITI He is a
false Witch doctor. He is very cunning and interested in getting rich
by cheating the villagers, so he takes advantage of their ignorance.
He uses his mirror, antelope horns, etc. to fool people. First he listens
to what the villagers say and then says as if he knew it before. His
mirror tells him nothing. He hears what Atangana says about the
stolen money and pretends to have discovered it before and the
villagers are impressed. He creates threats and fear among the
villagers. He is therefore, a corrupt man who uses villager's
ignorance to exploit them. When they realize him, they chase him. 8.
MBIA He is a second suitor who is a great civil servant. He
pompously introduces himself that he works in a large office and the
secretary of state known him personally. He is accepted to marry
Juliette even if he is closely related to her. He pays the bride price of
200,000francs. He is polygamist, as he has eight wives and Juliette is
going to be the ninth. He is also liar; he gives the villagers a lot of lies
when the villagers demand a lot of things from him. He says he has
to leave since he has to attend a cocktail party at the secretary of
state`s private residence, but spends the rest of the day drinking Arki
at Mbaga`s place. Mbia is arrogant and lacks respect to the family;
hence he wants to pay and leaves at once. He has a petty dream of
becoming a great man in the state. He is rejected by Juliette. He
becomes angry and threatens the villagers of bringing ten Police
commissioners to come and deal with them. Mbia is corrupt and is
part of the ruling class in town who get rich from villagers. 62 | P a g
e
9. JULIETTE She is a daughter of Atangana and granddaughter of
Abessolo. She represents the educated young girls who have begun
going against the traditional values. She has been studying at
Libamba Secondary School and has passes the exam, hence
everybody is happy and proud of her success. She has fallen in love
with fellow student Oko, who she wants to marry. The family chooses
her the suitors, that are Ndi and Mbia, and they want to her to marry
Mbia because he is great man. To attain her goal she decides to take
the money secretly from her father Atangana and gives it to Kouma
so that Oko can use it as a bride price. She fights for freedom of
women and the chance to express herself confidently. She identifies
her position that she needs to be free and sticks to Oko, her choice.
She is an intelligent girl, and she is fighting against oppression of
men ageist women. She wants to teach men that women are also
important in the society, since they can make wise decisions, which
might lead to development. Juliette stands as an icon for necessary
changes in the society, which is women emancipation 10. OKO He is
a schoolboy who wants to marry Juliette. He is not accepted by
Juliette`s family since he is student and hence poor. He becomes
angry when he hears that Mbia is the chosen suitor. He is given
money by Juliette, stolen from Atangana. He is educated and is after
changes, and he is against traditions. He doesn`t want to see women
being oppressed, that is why he wants to fight for Juliette`s freedom
to speak. He comes to Atangana`s home like a great man and pays
300,000 francs. He succeeds to attain his goal, by taking the
advantage of the ignorance of the society. DISCUSSION ―Choose
only two characters from this book you have read and show
their similarities and differences”. 63 | P a g e
THEMATIC ANALYSIS i. Tradition and Family a) Economy The
people depend on agriculture as the economics of the village. The
main crops are plantation, corn and groundnuts. Also they have their
have their own crafts, for example Atangana is making a basket while
Abesolo is sculpturing or carving. Women are the main producers in
the farms, for example Atangana`s wife has not come back early
from the farm. She arrives from the farm with a basket full of
cassava, banana, sugar cane, etc. b) Religion. Most of the villagers
still keep many traditional beliefs. They believe in their gods and
spirits for example owls and chimpanzees represent the evil spirits of
the past. They also believe strongly in the power of their dead
ancestors who watch over the society from the spirit world. c) Bride
price. Men are supposed to pay bride price so as to have wife. The
girl for whom higher bride price is paid is valued more. d) Taboo
Women are not allowed to eat vipers and young men eat only by
special permission. For example, Mbaga complains of the young
people Belinga and Owono because of eating the viper without
elder`s permission. e) Traditional Dances There are dances called
―Nyeng‖ which are performed by Mezoe, Oyono and Ondua. f)
Meetings People seem to have tendency of meeting to discuss
important issues like marriage. The drum Is used for calling people.
For example, when mbia arrives, the drum is beaten to invite people.
g) Polygamy Mvoutessi men are polygamous and this makes women
become more inferior. For example, Mbia has eight wives and if he
marries Julliette she will be the ninth wife. h) Eating Etiquette The
author shows that traditionally children are supposed to observe
eating manners. When eating the elders are heard scolding the
children who don‘t eat properly. 64 | P a g e
i) Position of women Women occupy an inferior position in the
society. Firstly, women do nearly all work. Most men do not go to the
farm except few like Ndi. Women are also expected to come back
home early after shamber work and do the cooking. When they come
late, even if they have been working, they are trouble. For example,
Makrita is still in the shamba but Atangana is complaining. Secondly,
women have no say in the society, even on matters that concern their
life. For example, Julliette is not asked about the man she wants to
marry. Thirdly, traditionally, girls for whom a high bride price is paid
are respected more because high bride price is the recognition of
obedience and hardworking. Last but not least, women are beaten in
the society so as to make them obedient to their husband. Abesolo,
for example is complaining because things are changing and
sometimes women are asked for an opinion. He insists ―I warn you
again, you must beat your wives! Yes beat them! And treat your
daughters just the same way‖ j) Family and Community An individual
is supposed to be loyal to the family and community at large.
Individual`s wishes are not such important. Bella for example, tells
Julliette, ―since when do girls fall in love without the permission of
their family?‖. Therefore, love and marriage are the matters to be
decided by the family in accordance with the norms and values of the
community. Her bride price is to be used by Oyono, her brother to
pay the bride price for the wife she wants to marry. k) Change
Although the villagers are still leading a large traditional life, the
coming of the Europeans has introduced many changes into the
society. Education changes the altitude of the young. They start go
against their traditions. Julliette, for example, goes against the
traditions like the bride price. To her, bride price has no great
meaning that is why she even steals the bride price and gives it to
Oko. She also, dares to speak before men like her father Atangana
which is contrary to the norms of the society 65 | P a g e
POETRY ANALYSIS
The Form in Poetry Poetry can be defined as a writing that
formulates a concentrated, imaginative awareness of experience
chosen and arranged to create a specific emotional response through
its meaning, sound and rhythm. Unlike other forms of creative writing,
Poetry concentrates, sharpens and condenses what it has to say.
KINDS OF POETRY
 Narrative Poetry: This is a kind of poetry that narrates a story. For
example, in the poem ―Always a suspect‖ the poet is telling us the
story of a black young boy in South Africa who was suspected to be a
thief for his appearance and had to show documents to prove that he
is innocent.
 Didactic Poetry: This is the type of poetry whose aim is
instructional to the reader rather than an appeal to his imaginative
understanding. They have explicit political or social messages e.g
poverty, development, diseases.
 Lyrical Poetry: These are poems which express the thoughts and
particularly the feelings of the writer. For example, Love poems are
Lyrical e.g ―I love my Gentle one‖

THE USE OF MUSIC Poetry is the product of oral traditions and

songs. The musical elements of poetry are an important part of
attraction.
 Rythm: A pattern of stress in speech. Rhythm is used to add to
both the meaning and music. Important words in the poem are given
stress. For example, from the poem, ―If we must die‖t he word in
vain is given a stress.
 Refrain: The words or lines repeated at the end of each stanza.It
can be very long or very short. The repetition here shows the
monotony of the work.
 Symbol: The word or an image that represents other or more
meaning than what it represents in common. For example the word
―Piano‖ can represent western culture and ―Drums‖ can represent
African culture.
 Persona: The use of the pronoun ―I‖ in the poem refers to the
poet who writes the poem.
 Verse: A single line in a poem. The combinations of verses form a
stanza.
66 | P a g e
Poetic License: This is the ability given to the poet to use broken
English to fulfill his/her needs of conveying a message to the
audience e.g. ―Your lost‖ instead of ―You are lost‖

FORM OF THE POEM

 Type of the poem: Free verse/open form type of a poem.

 Structure: The poem has four stanzas. The first stanza has seven
verses, the second stanza has eight verses, the third stanza has five
lines, and the last stanza has one verse.
 Diction: The language used is clear and straight forward.

 Figures of speech: Personification e.g‖Hollow heads torture me‖.

Irony - The persona calls his enemies friends (3rd stanza).
 Tone/Voice: The tone is serious because the persona is ready to
fight till his/her last blood.
 Mood: The mood of the persona is sad because he/she is
oppressed, tortured, harassed and confused.

HOW TO ANALYSE A POEM

 Understand well the title of the poem: Understanding the title of the
poem makes a reader to predict the content of the poem. For
example, the title‖ Your pain‖ can be predicted that there is suffering
as a focus in the poem.
 Consider the form and type of the poem---Judge whether the poem
is Lyric, narrative, ballad etc. You have to state whether the poem is
Open(free verse),or closed.
Consider the Tone of the poet-----The attitude or mood of the poet
has great contribution to interpretation of a poem. The poet
determines whether the poet is angry, happy, sad, or serious.
 Consider the musical or sound features of a poem------Consider
Rhyme, Rhythm, alliteration or refrain. These features are very
important in poetry.
Think about possible themes-----Consider the poets‘ central idea of
discussion. In the poem, there are one or more themes.
67 | P a g e
 Consider the message of a poem-----The message refers to what
the poet wants the readers to know or do after reading the poem e.g.
avoid child labor, misuse of power etc.
 Consider the relevance of the poem-------Look at the issues/themes
raised in the poem. Relate what you read in the poem with what
happens in your community.
Consider Language use-------Study how the language has been
used in molding the poem. Consider diction (choice of words),
symbols and symbolism and the uses of figures of speech e.g.
Metaphor, Simile, personification etc.
 Comment on success or failure of the poet----check the use of
language, presentation of message and themes etc.
68 | P a g e
SUMMONS
CO – ORDINATOR: RICHARD S. MABALA. PUBLISHER:
TANZANIA PUBLISHING HOUSE. YEARS: 1980 It is the first
collection of poetry in English in Tanzania. Although Tanzania was
under British colonialism, the poets in this collection are young
people brought up in the ferment of the policy of socialism and self
reliance. Their poetry is therefore would be expected about problems
of building socialism. They are about and against ideologies which
mystify the vision people have of themselves and of their lives. They
are also about ordinary human questions and about the search of the
poets for personal happiness and meaning in their life. There are
about the suffering of our people under imperialist exploitation, in
alliance with its local argents who include bureaucrats, and dishonest
leaders. SUN RISE (Jwani Mwaikusa) Behold! The sun has arisen,
And with it the sons of the land have arisen too Forward they go, Well
armed, Singing praises to the beauty of the sunrise, With the
determination of long-term warriors, Challenging the enemy With the
courage of a free mind And the vigour of a clear purpose. Sit and wait
brethren, Wait and see what glory they bring at sunset; How they pay
homage to the land - And their people! Analysis of the poem a. What
is the poem about? The poem is about the sons of the land who
have risen up singing the beauty of the sunrise. They are challenging
the enemy waiting for a victory at sunset. 69 | P a g e
b. For whom does the poem tell us that the sun has risen? From
the poem, the sun has risen to the oppressed ones (the sons of the
land i.e. peasants or workers who should rise up against oppression,
exploitation, discrimination) c. The poet talks about ―challenging the
enemy‖ who do you think the enemies might be? The enemies might
be oppressors, humiliaters, exploiters, imperialists etc. d. What
events do you think the “sunrise and sunset” probably
symbolizes? The sunrise symbolizes the beginning of the struggle
against evils in the society or period of rain, while sunset symbolizes
the end of the struggle, and a period of harvest. e. With the
determination of ―long – term warriors‖ what do you think the word
――long – term‖ tells us about the poet`s view of the struggle? The
word ―long – term‖ means the distant future. The word implies that
the struggle will take a long time. f. There is one line that does not
have normal word order. Which line is it and why is it so? It is line 4,
―Forward they go‖ it`s function is to stress the word ―forward‖ to
encourage people to continue with the struggle. g. The poem
contains two major images. What are they? The images are sunrise
and sunsets.  Sunrise - symbolizes the beginning of the struggle
(rainfall)  Sunset – symbolizes the end of the struggle or freedom
time or area of harvest. h. What is the theme of the poem? The poem
talks about evils of colonialism/imperialism or oppressive ruling class.
Therefore the main themes are; Exploitation, Oppression and
Humiliation of the lower classes by the powerful class. i. What type of
poem is this? It is a sonnet poem, because it has fourteen verses
with free verse. 70 | P a g e
DEVELOPMENT (Kundi Faraja)
Development A man of the Enters his office to sit on the throne of
Party and State, His stick of power Across the table. He looks into the
files To see the demands Of the millions of people Who for years
since Uhuru Have just managed to survive They ring out one
message Man of the people You have always been telling us What
we need... Health centres, More schools, Clean water, Better
transport facilities, Better living conditions. Do you plead incapable
To bring about development?
I declare running Better than walking For a young and poor country; I
plead fighting underdevelopment Tougher than fighting A wounded
buffalo With a pocket knife; I plead underdevelopment 71 | P a g e
Stronger than the blows of the sea When the hurricane is at its
height. I plead fighting underdevelopment Tougher than combating
colonialism; I see that it's more difficult To maintain peace Than to
stop a coup d'etat I plead the cry Of the nation More painful than the
yell Of a woman As her husband dies of sickness; It's more painful
than the screams Of a man Dying in agony In the coils of the greatest
python Found in the African forest How is development To be
brought brother When the people to whom We have entrusted power
Are corrupt? I plead the stomachs Of the privileged few Greater than
the Rift Valley; They cannot be satisfied With a normal share. I plead
the thirst Of the minority Greater than that of the Sahara: No rains
can quench it.
I reckon the minority More sensitive to egoism Than to National
Development; 72 | P a g e
Nothing that is not theirs Is of any interest. Their response to egoism.
Is faster than camera film to light But as slow as tropisms to nation-
building.
The majority plead Exploited, Cheated, Disregarded, But, brother,
How is development to come? Analysis i) What is poem about? The
poem is about development in developing countries. The poet argues
that whenever there is selfishness, corruption, exploitation, and
oppression there will be no development. ii) Is the persona happy in
this song? Why? The persona is unhappy. He is complaining about
the behaviour of some leaders who are corrupt, selfish, and
irresponsible. Such leaders lead the countries into underdevelopment
iii) What does the term ―Egoism‖ means in this poem? The term
―Egoism‖ refers to selfishness. It is thinking of one`s own interest or
needs without thinking about others. It is also means not sharing
what one has with others. iv) Trace the verses which trace the
possible themes and tell what themes they carry? a) ―…the people
to whom we have entrusted power. Are corrupt‖ These verses carry
theme of corruption. b) ―I reckon the minority, More sensitive to
egoism‖ these verses are portraying the theme of selfishness. c)
―The majority pleads exploitation‖ it depicts the theme of
exploitation. 73 | P a g e
v) Discuss the themes found in this poem? a) Selfishness. It is the
thinking of one`s own interest or needs without thinking for others, or
it is the behavior of not sharing what one has with others. In the
poem, the poet has depicted selfishness of leaders as one of
obstacle against development in the developing countries like
Tanzania. The leaders are sensitive to selfishness than building the
nation. He says: ―I reckon the minority More sensitive to egoism
Then to National Development‖ It is true that the selfishness of most
leaders is very dangerous in the process of development. b)
Corruption. It is immoral action where one gains his favour by giving
bribes. It can be in terms of sex or materials. This is a problem which
most of developing countries and even the developed ones are
facing. In this poem, the persona argues that it is very difficult for a
nation to develop when corruption dominates the society. We cannot
get development with the corruption. The persona says, ―How is
development To be brought brother When the people to whom We
have entrusted power Are corrupt?‖ Therefore the poem maintains
that corruption hinders the development. c) Classes in the society. In
this poem, the persona has pinned down the two major classes in the
society. The first class is the upper class in which the persona seems
to dislike it. To him this class includes the minority who are selfish
and corrupt. It is the class of the people whom we have entrusted
power. The poet say, ―I plead the stomachs Of the privileged few
Greater than the rift valley; They cannot be satisfied With a normal
share. The second class is that of the majority who are exploited,
cheated, and disregarded. In the last stanza, the persona says: ―To
majority plead 74 | P a g e
Exploited Cheated. Disregarded But brother How is the development
to come? d) Exploitation. It refers to the use of manpower or
materials selfishly or unfairly. In this poem, the minority are selfish
and not satisfied with what they have. The poet says: ―To majority
plead Exploited Cheated. Disregarded But brother How is the
development to come? The lower class is complaining that the upper
class is exploiting them. So with this evil, there will be no
development. d) Poor social services. The persona has discussed
the issue of social services in the society. Since independence,
people have been demanding better living standards and
improvement of social services. But all these years of Uhuru have
proved failure. Leaders have proved incapable of bringing
development. People need health centers, more schools, clear water,
better transport facilities and better living conditions. In the second
stanza, the persona says:  He looks into the files  To see the
demand  Of the millions of the people  Who for years since Uhuru
 Have just managed to survive  They ring out one message 
Man of the people  You have always been telling us  What we
need…  Health centers  More schools 75 | P a g e
 Clean water  Better transport facilities  Better living conditions.
From the above stanza, development seems to be tough. Luck of
social services are indicators of underdevelopment. According to the
persona, all these problems have been contributed by leaders. They
are not capable. Here says, ―Do you plead incapable To bring about
development?‖ 6. What do we learn from this poem?  The lessons
we get from the poem is that; wherever there is egoism, corruption,
exploitation, poor leadership, then it is too difficult to develop.
Therefore, we should fight against all these evils. 7. What is the form
of the poem? a) Type of the poem.  This is an open form of poem.
The poem length varies systematically in the length of the verse, and
in number of verses in each stanza. There is no pattern to explain the
poetic form. b) Structure of the poem The poem has twelve stanzas.
The first has six verses, the second has fourteen, the third has two
verses, and the fourth has ten verses, while the fifth has five verses,
the sixth has ten verses, the seventh stanza has five verses and the
eight has five verses. The ninth stanza has four verses, the tenth has
five verses but the eleventh stanza has four verses and the twelfth
stanza has six verses. e) Language/ diction  The language used in
this poem is simple, ordinary, clear and straight forward. Although the
language characterized by the following: i) Repetition of words for
emphasis i.e. ―plead‖ ―underdevelopment‖ ―development‖ and
―A man of the People‖  For stance, ―A man of the people‖
emphasizes an irony towards leaders. ii) Barbarism: the poet has
also used a swahili word, i.e. ―Uhuru‖ in the 2nd stanza. f) Hyperbole
76 | P a g e
g) Exaggeration is used to magnify the ideas, example, ―the
stomachs of the minority greater than that of the Sahara‖ iii)
Personification has been used in this poem. This can be seen in the
fourteen stanza when a country is given qualities of running and
walking. The persona says: ―I declare running Better than walking
For a young and poor country…‖ d) Tone/voice  The altitude of the
poet is ironic, sympathetic or satirical. The persona is in very deep
feeling. e) Mood. The state of mind of the poet is ironic, serious and
angry: this is due to exploitation, selfishness and corruption. The
pardoner hates the leaders who are selfish, corrupt and exploiters. f)
The relevance of the Poem. The poem is relevant to all developing
countries, like Tanzania and other African countries where corruption
is rampant. The persona says: ―How is development To be brought
brother When the people to whom We have entrusted power Are
corrupt?‖
LIVE AND LET DIE (KUNDI FARAJA
One says that My children are dwarfs That no one seems taller Than
the other. That they never take a bath, That they are soiled, That they
eat lice From their clothes Let them eat, brothers, Until the system
changes. Until exploitation ends: Let them eat brother, Because we
are on the way 77 | P a g e
To build Ujamaa But, at present, The system has not changed. Let
them eat, brother, Because the rich nations Are not yet ready To die
a little So that the poor nations may live: Let them eat, brother,
Because the rich man Is not yet ready To die a little So that the poor
man may live. Let them drink water. Let them eat air. Let them digest
the sunshine Because that is what I can afford to buy. Meanwhile I
wait For Uhuru to flower, For Uhuru to come When the time is ripe.
Let them eat brother. Because the rich man Is convinced that It's
because I'm lazy That they don't have food. That they don't have
good health.That they wear rags. And that their house Is like an
abandoned hut
Let them eat brother Because the rich man Thinks that it's because I
don't plan my Family 78 | P a g e
Let them eat brother. Because the rich man Does not like to hear
That he is rich Because of me That I work hard, But for him and Not
for myself That it's only because I'm a slave of a system That I lead a
poor life
GUIDING QUESTIONS
i. How many stanzas does this poem has? This poem has six
stanzas. ii. What is the poem is about? The poem is about a poor
person who is disappointed with the existing system. The relationship
between the developed countries and developing countries is
exploitative in nature. iii. What do you think the poet means when he
says, ―to die a little‖ He wants the rich nations to relieve the poor
nations so that they can develop. Therefore, to die a little‖ is to be
considerate for the benefits of the poor countries. iv. What type of
poem is this? It is an open form poem. This is because the number of
syllables varies in each verse, even the length of the verses varies.
There is also a variation in number of verses in each stanza. v.
Themes Exploitation. It can be looked in different forms; it can be
through forced labour, un equal exchange etc. The foreign
bourgeoisie uses African government leaders and businessmen as
puppets to protect their interest and to help continue exploiting the
African masses. The presence of poor living conditions in the society
is result of exploitation. The poet says―  ―one says that  My
children are dwarfs 79 | P a g e
...they are soiled  That they eat lice… …let them eat brothers ...until
exploitation ends‖ In other words, exploitation has made most of the
families lead poor life. a) Impact of neo – colonialism to developing
countries. Neo colonialism refers to the use of economic or political
pressure by powerful countries to obtain or to keep influence over
other countries especially their former countries. The poet argues
that since big countries are using their powers in economy and
political matters, then the poor countries will not develop. In this
poem, neo- colonialism can be evidenced when the poet says:  …
because the rich nations  Are not yet ready  To die a little  So
that the poor nations may live.‖ The persona sees neo-colonialism as
an obstacle to development. Had the rich countries been ready to
reduce powers over these poor countries, it would have been easier
for poor countries to develop. But the rich people and rich nations are
not ready. b) Poor living conditions. The standard of living among
most Africans is below the average. Most people are living poor life.
They do not get important and necessary services at better level, i.e.
few schools, poor health centers, poor communication systems, etc.
Due to this, children are getting Kwashiorkor as a result of
underfeeding. The existing system has failed to solve problems in
order to improve the living condition. The poet says, ―one says that
My children are dwarfs That no one seems taller Than the other That
they never take a bath That they are soiled  The health of these
children seem to be poor due to poverty. c) Classes in the society.
Two classes of people emerge in this society, especially after
independence. The class of poor people does not own anything. That
is why the poet says: …because the rich man Is not yet ready 80 | P
age
To die a little So that the poor man may live… This proves that the
rich are exploiting the poor. The relationship between these two
classes is exploitative in nature. d) Poverty. It is a state of being poor,
or lack of important human needs. Most of Africans are poor, they
cannot afford basic needs. On this poem the poet says: Let them
drink water Let them eat air Let them digest the sunshine Because
that is what I can afford to buy …that they don‘t have good health
That they wear rags. h) What lesson do we get from the poem The
system must be changed in order to improve the living conditions of
developing countries. Exploitation done by both the rich people and
rich nations is an obstacle to the development. Form of the poem a)
Type of the poem? It is a free verse poem. b) Language/ diction The
language used is very clear and straight forward. The poet has
employed images and figures of speech. i) Satire. ―let them digest
the sunshine because that is what I can afford to buy‖ ii. Symbolism.
―to die a little ― to sacrifice a little bit‖ iii. Imageries. The poet has
used the terms ―dwarfs, soiled, rags, abandoned hut‖ indicating
poverty. d) tone/voice  The tone of the poet is satirical and sad. e)
Rhyme schemes  It has irregular rhyme pattern. f) The relevance of
the poem  The poem is relevant to all developing countries where
most people are still poor and there is exploitation of lower class by
rich people. g) Mood of the poet 81 | P a g e
 The altitude of the poet is sad. He believes that if the system is
changed, then development can be achieved.
LOST BEAUTY
BY JWANI MWAIKUSA
There are only white women
around: Awful fakes of white
females Reflecting an awful
mass of ugliness: And I want a
lady To mount the rostrum with
And announce to the world:
―Black is beautiful!‖ Yes, I want
a black beauty queen With
ebony thighs and huge hips
With skin sweating blackness
And a face dark as the night
And bare breasts bouncing
Vigour and energy.
But my eyes, oh my eyes!
They don‘t see anything black;
It‘s only white skins and masks
Flashing past and slashing,
Destroying my sight so
I can‘t get what I want.
I cry and sing to them
The inbred tune of our people,
I shout to them in the black
tongue
But no black sister hears me;
Only white masks I see.
I turn and weep upon myself
And then, only then I realize: I
am not black either.
APPRECIATION INTRODUCTION Lost beauty is a critical poem
written by a late Tanzanian professor, Jwani Mwaikusa (1952-
2010) that clearly depicts the effects both colonialism and neo-
colonialism have had on Africans and African culture in general.
Today most Africans are suffering from colonial hangovers. While
some wish they were born white, some have taken a further step
ahead trying to make themselves look white. So they strongly
struggle to appear at their best, think, act and live like white
people. What they forget however is that described by Okot
P‘Bitek in the ―song of Lawino‖ that ―The graceful giraffe
cannot become a monkey‖ this is to say Africans should remain
Africans and white men should remain as they are. 82 | P a g e
THEMATIC ANALYSIS
EFFECTS OF NEO-COLONIALISM Principally, the poem
assesses the effects colonialism has had on the African culture.
African culture has been seriously damaged by what Africans
were fooled to believe as the way of civilized people. Today most
Africans, (especially women), struggle to change their skin colour
using cosmetics, curl their hair and as if that‘s not enough they
wear wigs with different white women‘s hair fashions. They don‘t
even realize that black colour is stronger than their white
counterpart. Nevertheless, according to the poet the more they
beautify themselves in white fashions the uglier they look (line 3).
He has the following to say (lines15-17) My eyes oh my eyes
They don‘t see anything black Its only white skins and masks.
AFRICAN NATURAL BEAUTY Initially Africans were very proud
of their body morphology, but in the turn of the 20th and
21stcenturies things have changed dramatically. Africans were
created naturally beautiful, and for so long they have lived
appreciating this wonderful creation. However, after the coming of
white people things have changed in a sense that Africans now
cling to the culture that is not theirs. Not only has this affected the
way they look at things but also the way they themselves appear.
It is hard nowadays to get a naturally beautiful African lady. They
curl their hair and wear wigs to look like white women. They don‘t
realize that black is beautiful says the poet.(lines 9-14) I want a
black beauty queen With ebony thigh and huge hips With skin
sweating blackness And a face dark as the night And bare breast
bouncing vigour and energy AWARENESS
The poet‘s reflection on himself draws a clear picture of
awareness and consciousness by showing how grand is this
dilemma. He goes back and looks at himself; perhaps the way he
dresses, the food he eats, the language he uses, the education
he has and his general lifestyle and comes into a 83 | P a g e
conclusion that these values are not African either. This is to say
the poet is aware that colonialism has left effects to both African
men and women. This sense of awareness comes to him in the
last stanza when he says; I turn and weep upon myself And then
only then I realize I am not black either. BACK TO AFRICANISM
The poet seems to table a discussion for African to debate and
arrive at a conclusion on whether or not the direction we are
heading is right. We need to stop a bit and rethink where we
came from where we are, where we should have been. We are
losing our identity as Africans while in the process we shall never
be white people altogether. This has been a concern of most
African novelists, poets/poetess, and playwrights. Since white
people never wish to change and look like Africans, then why
should Africans do? Since the graceful giraffe cannot become a
monkey, let us be proud of our Africanism and struggle to create a
black identity. As the poet says in (lines 4-7); And I want a lady To
mount the rostrum with And declare to the world Black is
beautiful. STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS a) What does the title ―Lost
beauty‖ tell you? The title shows that there was some kind of
beauty initially which has been lost now. It simply refers to
Africans who have lost their natural African beauty in the process
of trying to look like white people by using artificial designs. b)
The poet says ―my eyes oh my eyes! They don‘t see anything
black‖ what does he mean? Considering the surrounding
atmosphere in the poem it shows that all the people around him
have masked themselves with European fashions and he can‘t
find one who is displaying the qualities that are completely
African. c) Who is the persona in this poem? 84 | P a g e
The persona is an African man who is aware of how European
culture has dismantled African culture. d) Comment on the tone
and the mood of the poem. The tone is lamenting, satirical and
sarcastic. The persona cries for the change that has taken place,
but later he realises that even himself is affected by this change.
This makes his mood sad and unhappy. e) The poet says, ―I
shout to them in a black tongue‖ what do the words ―black
tongue‖ mean? The fact is, there is no black tongue in colour, but
‗black‘ here implies African tongue. In other words it means in a
way (language) that Africans can hear and understand. f)
Comment on the figures of speech and poetic devices.  Simile;
And a face dark as the night  Hyperbole : ―to mount the
rostrum with and announce to the world‖ the fact is one cannot
announce to the whole world from a rostrum (stage)  Repetition
My eyes oh, my eyes!  Imagery ―White masks‖ this is an image
of Africans who have artificially changed themselves to look white.
 Alliteration Black beauty queen And bare breast bouncing…. g)
What message do you get from the poem?  Africans should be
proud of their identity.  Black is beautiful h) Read again the last
line of the last stanza. In what sense is the poet not black? The
poet realizes that he is not black in a sense that the white men
values have affected him as well. And not in terms of skin colour.
85 | P a g e
RELEVANCE The poem is relevant to most African countries
since the effects of colonialism have affected the whole continent.
Today a lot of women struggle to change their black skins to be
white by using cosmetics. Some even hate their black hair and
were wigs or curly their hair. NECTA (2012) poems have their
own part to play in the struggle to create a new man. Use the
poem above to prove the statement. YOU ARE LOST Isack
Mruma 86 | P a g e
Questions (BRN 2013) STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS i. How many
stanzas are there in the poem? There are six stanzas in the
poem. ii. What is the tone/mood of the speaker? The tone is sad
and lamenting. iii. Comment on the use of figures of speech.
Barbarism To you dada It is to you dada Personification … the
tenderness that asks where my wallet is With your passion
chasing my bank account. iv. Comment on the rhyming scheme.
The poem has irregular rhyming patterns with exception of only
two lines that seem to rhyme. Lines (14-15) Never are passions
cool To you I am now a tool v. Is the poem relevant to the society
today? Why? The poem is relevant to our societies today because
today love can be bought. Most girls today wish to marry men
who are well-off. And if at some point in your life you happen to
have money then you have a dozen of girls around you kissing,
hugging and chasing for your money, but the moment you run
bankrupt you lose all your girls altogether. vi. What are the
themes of the poem? HYPOCRITICAL LOVE The kind of love
portrayed in this poem is not the true one. It is a love focused on
money. This girl kisses the man only when she notices that he
has money. If the guy happens to have no money she minds her
own business, then there is no love. Your glance sister, Is to me
the measure Of the heat of the dough 87 | P a g e
In my pocket The persona shows that the girl has turned him into
the tool of production or the source of income. He works and his
entire wage is claimed by the woman. Never are passions cool To
you I am now a tool And all my wage is now the fare I ride on your
throbbing kisses PROTEST/CONFLICT The man in the poem
shows a sense of protest because he has realised that his
mistress is not in true love with him. The woman‘s love is focused
on the money she gets. When no money, no love. So the man is
protesting against his mistress‘ behaviour. It is to you dada That
my pen tears the pad For I only see your love Focused on my
purse (wallet) AWARENESS The man is aware that the woman is
only exploiting her money in the name of love. Even when she
pretends to touch him romantically, she just searches for the
wallet. So the man has realised that her love was lost a long time
ago, what makes it going is money. Here says the poet; It is you I
accuse, Because your love is lost And you only touch me With the
tenderness that asks Where my wallet is PROSTITUTION The
woman seems to be engaged in prostitution because her love is
for sale. She looks for people with money and has no true love.
This is a very dangerous behaviour because it exposes her to
terrible sexually transmitted diseases. The man shows that the
woman is always chasing his bank account. 88 | P a g e
For I only see your love Focused on my purse With your passions
Chasing my bank account. What lessons do you lean from the
poem? a) Prostitution is dangerous because it may expose
someone to STDs. b) Love based on money is not good. Because
when one runs out of money love is lost altogether. 89 | P a g e
SONG OF LAWINO AND OCOL
Poet: Okot P Bitek Publisher: EAPH Year: 1979 Okot P Bitek
was born in Gulu town (Northern Uganda) in 1931. He is Acoli by
tribe. His father was a teacher at Gullu Mission Centre. His
mother was a composer and singer of Acoli songs. Okot got his
education from Gulu High School. King‘s College. Budo (Uganda):
Government Training College (teacher): Bristol University
(Education Diploma): University College of Wales. Abersytwyth
and Oxford University. He was once a choir Master and a
footballer. He was interested in oral literature. A SUMMARY OF
THE POEM Song of Lawino is a dramatic monologue which
reveals two characters, Lawino and her husband, Ocol, In
disagreement. Both Lawino and Ocol belong to the Acoll tribe of
Northern Uganda. They represent an African husband and wife.
Ocol is educated and westernized while Lawino is not. Section 1:
Lawino tells us how Ocol insults and looks down on her and her
ways, family, clan and all black people and their traditional ways.
Lawino reacts on Ocol‘s insults by mocking him with his Western
ways. Section 2: Lawino introduces us to Clementine, the city girl
who is her rival for Ocol‘s love. She despises the way Clementine
resorts to artificial ways of beautifying herself, like using
cosmetics, wearing wigs and slimming. She thinks she can
compete with Clementine by welcoming her husband warmly, and
by the preparation of good meals, etc. Section 3: Presents
Lawino‘s attitudes towards European traditional dances which she
thinks are meaningless, immoral and unhygienic. They encourage
people to embrace and kiss in public and hence ignoring the
respect for relatives. In addition, they dance in darkness, with the
dancers drunk, smoking and wearing improper dresses. Lawino
prefers traditional dances which she believes are meaningful,
require skills and they are danced in broad daylight and in the
open. 90 | P a g e
SECTION 4 Lawino describes the game, ornaments and other
accomplishments of the Acol youth. She is remembers how
beautiful and skillful she was when she was still young and how
she used to be admired by all the boys including Ocol because of
her singing and dancing Section 5 Lawino condemns the western
hair treatment (style) and the wearing of wigs and head kerchiefs.
She sees that there is no reason for aping the European in their
fashion styles because what is good for Europeans may not be
necessarily good for Africans. She also describes the beauty of
traditional hair styles and adornments of body and and the way
they attract young men. Sectin 6 Lawino confesses her ignorance
of how to eat with forks and spoons. She despises the
tastelessness of the timed and frozen food and the cooking
stoves of the white men. She describes how every young ocol girl
is taught to look after the home and prepare food. She also
describes how nicely her mother‘s house is organized. SECTION
7. Lawino compares the western ways of telling time by counting
seconds, minutes and hours by clocks with the traditional ways of
observing nature or by needs felt by human being. She makes
funny of Ocol for becoming a slave of time to the extent of being
unhappy and restless and blames him for treating his children and
relatives with great disrespect for the sake of observing time.
Section 8 Lawino expresses the attitude toward the Christianity
and those who preach and love it. She blames the preachers of
Christianity for maltreating their converts. She shows that the
missionaries are wrong in their way of thinking: Education, sexual
morality and naming individuals. She blames the preachers for
preaching good things but practicing things contrary to
Christianity. She thinks that it is better to join with her poor people
in the area where meaningful and relevant songs and cultural
activities are performed. 91 | P a g e
Section 9. Is a continuation of criticism given against the
preachers and Christian doctrine. Lawinno criticizes the preachers
for failing to answer the questions concerning Christianity. She
also questions Christian doctrines of creation, virgin birth and
Eucharist Section 10 Lawino tells us how Ocol despises
traditional medicine, hygiene, food, and child upbringing. She
believes that like European medicine, some Acol medicine work
and some do not. She compares her belief in traditional spirit and
charms to Ocol‘s belief in rosaries, angels and the power of
prayer. Section 11: Lawino attacts the local leaders of two rival
parties her husband, Ocol, and his brother. These leaders talk
about independence, unity and peace, only to bring more conflicts
and disunity even within the family. She also attacks the folly of
these leaders: engaging in political conflicts and forgetting the
suffering of the people under poverty, ignorance and diseases.
Section 12: Exposes the irrelevance and effects of Western
education. Lawino asks Ocol of what use for him are the books as
person since the knowledge in them cannot help to create a better
society. According to her, the books have killed Ocol as a man
with Western education has brought him to the point where he
belongs neither to European culture nor to African culture.
Section 13: Lawino advises Ocol on how to regain his manhood.
According to her, he can do that by throwing away all the symbols
of hypocrisy, by begging for forgiveness of the elders, offering
traditional sacrifices using doctors and medicines.
CHARACTERIZATION This poem contains three characters:
LAWINO, OCOL and CLEMENTINE. Lawino
An African woman who lacks formal education and who is not
converted to Christianity (p.14), A strong upholder of African
tradition (good or bad). She is proud of her womanly and cultural
accomplishment. She despises all the new ways (good or bad)
being followed by her husband, Ocol. She is a 92 | P a g e
responsible mother who loves and cares for her children. Like any
other person, she is jealousy and most of her bitterness to her
rival-Clementine, is provoked by her appearance (p.24). Ocol He
is an African man who has got Western education (University
education). He imitates the white men in everything and he is
proud of and upholds all Western ways (good or bad). He
despises all traditional ways of life (good or bad). He despises
Lawino and her relatives, his own relatives and all black people.
He is arrogant (Eg. Abusing, Lawino in English). He is Hypocrite
politician (leader of DP) who preaches unity and at the same time
he is in conflict with his brother who belongs to another political
party (UPC). Clementine She is a modern girl; she is Ocol‘s girl
friend and a rival of Lawino. She is a westernized woman who
symbolizes Western fashions and behaviours of women. She
imitates the white women in their ways. She is fond of
artificialities. She is arrogant (p.27). THEMES This poem has the
following themes: African traditions, Protest, Conflict.
Disunity/Allenation, Hypocricy, Position of women in society,
etc.African Tradition Based on traditional beliefs, Lawino
believes that when diseases such as small pox attack people, the
players and sacrifices to the ancestors can help to eradicate the
disease, (p.154). The Acoll believe in the powers of ancestors,
spirits gods. Lawino describes the various spirits that cause
trouble. For example, Joke Omara (for madness). Joke Odude
(for tying up a woman‘s womb). Etc. The acoll also believe in the
ability of diviner priests. Lawino blames Ocol for condemning
diviner priests. She believes they can tell the cause of diseases
(pp.153-162). The Acoll believe in witchcraft. Lawino believes that
someone (shadow raper) can capture the child‘s shadow for evil
purpose (pp.162-164).
They believe in the power of human curse. For example, the
father can curse child by pointing his penis at him or her. The
mother can do that by lifting her 93 | P a g e
husband‘s penis. The curse of one‘s aunt can cause a person to
pass in his or her bed. There is a system of naming people.
Normally, the names given have meanings. The meaning derived
from the fact that people are named according to one‘s position in
the line of birth, the place, season or occasion of birth, one‘s body
attraction, one‘s fate, behavior of one‘s parents, etc. (pp. 129-131.
They hold some taboos. It is a serious taboo for a woman to
refuse to have sexual intercourse with her husband when she is
ready to have another child. She is not allowed to have sexual
intercourse when the baby is still young (pp. 99-100). Other
African traditions found in the text are: Dances, songs,
adornment, telling time, food, medicine and hygiene, etc. If we try
to assess African traditions, we find that while most of them are
good, these are few to assess African traditions, we find that while
most of them are good there are few others, which are bad and
not progressive. Some of these traditions include superstitions.
Poor hygiene, ignorance, etc, However, the pumpkin in the old
homestead must not be uprooted. This means that one should not
destroy something which is durable and which ensures security.
The pumpkin offers security from hunger if there is famine. Also, it
sends its foot deep into the soil and then grows, spreading itself in
all directions. The root can be compared with the root of a very
deep tradition. Protest To protest refers to the act of going
against (to be in opposition) ideas, statements or directions. In
this poem, it is Lawino who protests. She has great love for
African ways and deep dislike for foreign ways. However, we do
not have to agree with her argument. We must take her
arguments critically. She protests due to the fact that she is
dissatisfied with Ocol‘s ideas, practices, and attitudes towards
her, her relatives, his relatives and the black people and their
ways of life. She also protests against Clementine‘s ideas and
protest, i.e. arrogance, artificially, aping Europeans etc. Lawino
protest against foreign things and ways, artificially, aping
Europeans and modern politics. Lawino attacts Christianity in the
following aspects: 94 | P a g e
She attacks the preachers (missionaries) teachers, etc for using
religion to exploit and oppress their converts (i.e. making them
house girls). The preachers show hypocrisy. They do not practice
what they preach. For example they drink and seduce girls. They
are unable to make people understand what they preach. This is
probably because they themselves do not understand well what
they preach or because their teaching methods are poor. They do
not like questions. The Christian doctrine is incomprehensible,
meaningless and irrelevant to Africans. For example, Lawino fails
to understand the concepts of creation and virgin birth. Christian
names are meaningless and difficult to pronounce. Lawino
protests against songs and dances (European), i.e. the songs and
dances have no meaning and relevance to her society. Lawino
protests against Europeans adornments i.e. Clementine has to
resort to false and unnatural cosmetics, straightening her hair,
wearing wigs, wearing false breasts, slimming (pp. 22-24, 26).
These adornments and artificialities distort the natural beauty of
the African women. Lawino protests against Europeans food. She
dislikes European food because it is useless. Lawino protests
against European medicine and hygiene. She condemns Ocol‘s
negative attitude towards all Acoll medicines and positive attitude
towards European medicine because they are modern (pp. 154-
155). Lawino protests against Western education. She condemns
Western education for corrupting Ocol‘s mind to the extent of
alienating him from the African culture. His identity as a blackman
(manhood) has been killed by Europeans education (pp. 207-
209). Also, Lawino protests against artificially and aping
foreigners. Conflict A conflict is a fighting, collision, a struggle, a
contest, opposition of opinions, purpose, and tec. In short, we can
say that conflict is a misunderstanding between two sides. A
conflict can arise when different groups have conflicting ideas,
beliefs, purposes, opinions, interest and values. If they do not
compromise, their differences become more and more extreme
and fanatical. Haired and jealousy also play a role in increasing
conflict. 95 | P a g e
The main cause of conflict in the book is the existence of the two
opposing cultures African and European. The types of conflict in
the book can be grouped as follows: A conflict between Africa
Culture and European Culture The differences existing between
these two cultures cause conflicts in the society. Example:
Traditional religion vs Christianity Traditional dances vs foreign
dances Traditional medicine vs modern medicine Traditional
adornments vs foreign adornment. African ways of telling time is
modern ways of telling time Conflicts between People The
conflict takes place because each individual holds different
cultures. Examples Ocol vs Lawino Ocol insults and despises
her and Lawino‘s relatives that they are uneducated, pagan,
primitive and superstitious. Lawino reacts by urging that the
European culture has killed Ocol‘s manhood. She blames and
accused him of following the ways of the Whiteman and despising
his own people and their ways. Ocol vs His Relatives Ocol
despises his relatives that they are dirty, pagan and primitive. For
example, he is reluctant to welcome his relatives, including his
own mother to his home because he believes they are dirty and
are a burden to him (pp. 151-152). 96 | P a g e
Lawino vs Clementine Lawino and Clementine are in conflict for
Ocol‘s love. Clementine speaks to Lawino arrogantly: Lawino
despises Clementine for the latter‘s artificially and arrogance.
Conflict between politics Disunity/Allienation Educated people
like Ocol alienate themselves from the African culture. Also, they
alienate themselves from the follows (Africans who are not
educated). Christians such as Ocol also alienate themselves from
non-Christian. So this brings disunity among the people of the
same clan. Conflict among the people also causes disunity
among the members of the society. For example, there is disunity
among political parties such as DP and UPC. This situation leads
to misunderstanding among the people. Therefore this is a factor
which can hinder development of any society. Hypocrisy
Hypocrisy means making oneself to falsely appear to be virtuous
or good (better). Lawino attacks Hypocrite politician. She blames
Ocol the leader of the Democratic Party (DP) and his brother who
belongs to a different party, Uganda People‘s Congress (UPC).
They both preach independence, unity and peace, but they bring
conflict and disunity even within the family (pp 180, 182, 183).
Also, these leaders are not interested in the welfare of the people,
but in positions and money. While they are locked in political
conflicts, people suffer under ignorance, poverty, and diseases (p.
198). This habit causes a lot of problems to the society, hence
hindering, and social development. Betrayal Ocol is a great
betrayer in this book. This is because he insults and despises
Lawino and her relatives by saying they are uneducated, pagan,
primitive and superstitious. Also, he despises his relative that they
are dirty, pagan and primitive. For example, he is reluctant to
welcome his relatives, including his own mother in his home
because he thinks they are dirty and burden to him (pp. 151-152).
This is a sign of betrayal. 97 | P a g e
Also, Ocol betrays his wife (Lawino) by falling in love with
Clementine. As a married man, Ocol is not supposed to do that.
This habit causes conflicts to this family. After acquiring Western
education Ocol alienates himself from African culture. This habit is
a symbol of betrayal due to the fact that Ocol (an educated man)
fails to use his education to educate or liberate his society from
ignorance, Poverty and diseases. Betrayal of any kind in a society
is dangerous for it can cause disunity, humiliation, oppression as
well as alienation among members of society. Position of
Women in the Society The writer portrays women in various
ways in the society. Firstly, a woman as portrayed as an
oppressed, humiliated, alienated, exploited person in her society.
This is seen through Lawino who is oppressed, humiliated,
alienated as well as exploited by her husband due to the belief
that she is uncivilized uneducated static and unchanging woman.
Secondly, a woman is portrayed as a mother who is responsible
members of her society Lawino, as a mother, is responsible as
seen when she makes sure that children have eaten. A mother of
this his hind is indeed a good mother. Thirdly, a woman is
portrayed as strong representative upholder of African tradition
(whether good or bad). She fights against Western culture which
has been interfering with African culture. Fourthly, Lawino is one
among the majority of African women who lack formal education.
This symbolized that African women are humiliated, segregated,
oppressed, discriminated, exploited as well as alienated in the
society compared to men. This situation causes inequality in the
society and deprives women of development rights. Western
Culture It was introduced by Europeans. Europeans used religion
and education to destruct African culture. Western culture brought
disunity among Africans. i.e. Christian vs. Europeans to the
African countries caused a lot of problems in all aspects of life
including culture, economic as well as political sphere of life. 98 |
Page
NOTE The conflicts have not yet been resolved. Whether the
conflicts will be solved or not it depends on the kind of reaction
Ocol‘s will show to Lawino‘s advice on how to recover his lost
manhood. Unfortunately, Ocol seems to reject her advice
because in the introduction of Song of Ocol attacs Lawino and
some of her ways and strongly defends his. 99 | P a g e
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Conteh,O. (2002) .Unanswered cries: Macmillan. Mapalala, B. (2006).
Passed Like a Shadow: DUP. Mbia, O. (1994). Three Suitors: One
Husband: Eyre Methuen. Ndunguru, SN.(1997). A Wreath for Father
Mayer of Masasi :Mkuki na Nyota. Ngugi wa Thiong‘o (1972). The
Black Hermit: Heinemann. Ngugi wa Thiong‘o (1972).This Time
Tomorrow: Heinemann. Ngugi wa Thiong‘o (1987). Weep Not Child:
Heinemann. P‘Bitek, O. (1979).Songs of Lawino and Ocol : EAPH. R.
Mabala, R. (1980). Summons: TPH. Soyinka, W. (1963).The Lion and the
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