LEAVING BY

M.G.VASSANJI
Plots(Two), Characters and
Character Traits(Two)
 PLOTS

1.Aloo writes to universities in America.

One day, Mr Datoo, who is a former teacher of their school, returns from America
for a visit.
He often talks about America and becomes the inspiration for Aloo to study in an
American university.
Aloo begins to research the universities in America to find out more about them and
the scholarships available.
Mother is amused and does not take Aloo seriously.
 2. Aloo is offered a scholarship to study in
America.
Soon, Aloo receives replies from the universities along with the prospectuses.
He learns about all the best universities and is excited to see a whole new world
outside his hometown.
He is accepted into the local university to study agriculture but Aloo is not
interested in that. He wants to study medicine.
One day, he receives a letter offering him a scholarship to study in the California
Institute of Technology.
Aloo is ecstatic but first he has to ask for his mothers permission.
 CHARACTERS AND CHARACTER
TRAITS
Aloo
youngest child in the family-doing his final year in school.
a good student who does well in school examinations,straight As.
is inspired by a former teacher who returns from America for a visit to
think of furthering his education overseas in America.
not keen on studying agriculture at a local university
diligent-writes to universities to get necessary information for further
studies
ambitious-wants to study medicine
 Mother
mother of the five children and runs a store in Uhuru Street-single-
handedly raises five children after early death of husband
Aloo's mother became a widow at thirty-three and had refused ever
since to marry for fear that the next husband would ask her to take her
children to the 'boarding'
ambitious about her children's education-wants them to do well