A GUIDE TO SILENT

SONG AND OTHER

STORIES
COMPILED BY;
MWALIMU SIFUNA
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STORIES IN THE SILENT SONG

 A Man of Awesome Power
 Incident in the Park
 Ninema
 A Silent Song
 Ivory Bangles
 The Sins of the Fathers
 The Truly Married Woman
 Talking Money
 Ghosts
 God Sees the Truth, but Waits
 The Neighbourhood Watch
 December
 Boyi
 Cheque Mate

WITH FREE ESSAY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

 1. INCIDENT IN THE PARK: MEJA MWANGI

EPISODES / SUB-EPISODES

1. The description of the city park in August afternoon. (p6 - 7).

2. Two idlers' dialogue at the pond. - 10).
3. An ambush by two city constables in the park ending in violence.
4. The fruit merchant condemned unheard. (p 12).

SYNOPSIS

The incident in the park, by Meja Mwangi, is a contemporary episode set in the city park
and its environs where most citizens, hustlers and workers, spend most of their time as
an Outdoor recreation centre. We know it is the popular Uhuru Park in Nairobi through its
vivid description.
Metaphorically described, the park is seriously affected by the drought in August. there is
a dirty lake at its base, and to the west, up the hill, a cathedral, modern fortresses and
ministerial Offices overlooking the park below, and across it is the city itself. A highway,
Uhuru highway, separates the park from the city, and on it, there is heavy traffic. In the
east, parliament and two city clocks are seen.
Therefore, the park provides a relaxing haven (chilling point) and a source of solace for the
misplaced, lost Or frustrated masses flocking the city daily. This has attracted many people.
including peddlers trying to make ends meet and idlers killing time here. The city hungry office
workers also buy cheap snacks during the lunch hour and return to their stations. Others rush
down to River Road to buy chips and roast meat as the loiterers watch the Spectre in a jiffy.
Soon, the park is left With a few idlers and peddlers. Under the slightest shade lie men sheltering
from the scorching sun. Watchers watch rowers paddling, reacting to the maxim that spectating
is the next best thing to participating. A loafer keeps dropping debris to the fish pond despite the
warning inscription on a board. Another man joins him, and a dialogue ensues, and they share a
cigarette.
An incident erupts when two city constables demand to see the licence Of the ice cream man and
a fruit seller. The Old man helplessly searches and realizes he doesn't have it. Worse. he has no
identity card, so he offers the five shillings he has, for he fears the judge and going to jail. He begs
for forgiveness, offering all the fruits in vain.
On seeing they are unimpressed, he flees to find refuge in the crowded city, and the cops chase
him. He is nabbed by a man on the highway and eventually falls into a ditch. There, the poor man
is condemned unheard of for being a 'thief'.

TITLE OF THE STORY

WITH FREE ESSAY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

  What is the significance Of the title Incident in the park?
 What is ironic about the two constables' behaviour at the park?
 How else do the people spend time at the park?

THEMATIC CONCERNS

With evidence from the text, discuss the urban problem that leads to the destitution of the
masses.
How does the city's jobless population escape their wretchedness?
Compare and contrast the city workers and the jobless masses.
What are the harsh realities of city life and the illusion of a better, promising life?
How does the rural-urban influx affect people's lives?
What does the presence of butts, used matches and stubs at the park tell you?
How does the lack of identity cards and license affect peddlers?
Juxtapose the kind of identification the police demand from the fruit vendor and one that awaits
him at the mortuary.
Referring closely to the fruit-seller show how the mob and the legal system administer justice.
Why does the merchant resort to flight and fight for his life instead of overcoming his fright for
the justice system?
Who is to blame for the death of the fruit-seller, the constables, the public, or the
vendor himself?
What lessons can be taken from the incident at the city park?
What does the fruit seller's mention of the 'tyrant judge' tell us about the justice system?

PROBLEMS OF URBANIZATION

Urban population growth, driven by migration and searching for jobs, has become a significant
issue in cities like Nairobi.

However, the masses end up frustrated due to a skills mismatch in the labour market, dwindling
economy and poor governance. But every now and then, a misplaced person rose with a start...
(p7).

In a few seconds, the thousand or so strong swarm had been swallowed up by the yawning
concrete jungle... (p7).
Urban poverty is also witnessed as many remain loitering and idling reminding the park loungers
just how many hours they had wasted lying idle.' (p7).

'A shaggy thin man sat under a shrub...' (p7). ' hairy loafer' (p8). ' The idler seated on the
bank...' (p8) torn trouser legs.' (p8) 'horny toes. (p9L

There is also evidence of poor hygiene. The park is littered with debris, cigarette ends and butts.
(p8,9). The two gentlemen share puffs on the cigarette. One offers a full cigarette, and smoking
in this zone could be a form of escapism from their poverty. (p10).

WITH FREE ESSAY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

The fruit seller has only ten shillings which he offers to the constables to spare him. He cannot
afford to pay for the licence, or even the fine has on another case. (pl 1).

CONFLICTS BETWEEN CITY AUTHORITY AND STREET HAWKERS

 When the two constables accost and demand licences from the ice cream man and the
fruit peddler, they tell the merchant that he will only explain to the judge.
 The fruit seller already has a case and is trying to sell to afford a fine. (pl 1). The fruit seller
pleads with the constables, who say nothing. 7hefruit seller cursed them and their wives
and children... (PI 1).

MOB JUSTICE / SOCIAL INJUSTICE

 The fruit seller is lynched unknowingly by the park people. By the time the constable ran
up, the fruit-peddler lay like a broken and twisted ragdoll at the bottom of the ditch. (p12)
 He cries and pleads for mercy in vain.. had drawn thick red blood over the sparsely
bearded face. Dead' was his verdict (p12)
 The word 'thief' hovered over the assembled crowd. mob universally condemns him, and
it is impossible to tell from which mouth the condemnation is issued. (p12)
 Ironically the mob had had what was right. Justice fairly quickly and completely
administered ... (PI 2).

CHARACTERS

THE FRUIT SELLER

 He is a poor old man who sells fruits at the park. He has no licence or identity card. (pl l)
 He is a responsible man as he remembers he has a family which depends on him when
accosted. I have a wife and children and... (PI 1).
 He is hardworking because he sells fruits (two baskets) to earn his living despite being
unable to afford a license. (PIL)
 He is afraid and fearful that he will be fined or be castrated by the tyrant judge. (pl

STYLE AND LANGUAGE USE

 What figures of speech does the writer use to describe the park and events in the park?
 Why is it ironic for the fruit peddler to flee from the constables and lose his life?

 Explore the use of dialogue in Meja Mwangi's Incident in the Park.

 Urban centres are riddled with frequent conflicts with innocent Citizens. Discuss the truth
of this assertion based on Meja Mwangi's Incident in the Park. (20 marks).

WITH FREE ESSAY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

 2. A MAN OF AWESOME POWERS (NAGUIB
MAHFOUZ-EGYPT)

POINTS TO GUIDE INTERPRETATION

1. How Tayyib acquires his power.

2. Use of power by Tayyib:
1. For selfish interests
2. For the good of all
3. To harm others
3. How power changes Tayyib.
4. The role of the media
5. What causes Tayyib to lose his incredible power?

SYNOPSIS

A Man of Awesome Power is an intriguing story about Tayyib al-Mahdi, who lives a comfortable
life after retiring from many years of service abroad. His current life is peaceful and uneventful.
He spends time watching television, reading newspapers or listening to the radio in the comfort
of his apartment that he shares with his wife since his daughters are already married. The story
captures how an individual who is empowered when least expected utilises the power given to
him. His illusions of desire for a better country lead to his dream of power acquisition.
One night, Tayyib dreams of a visitation by a man of radiant appearance who speaks to him in a
kind tone, informing him that God had willed him the power to order things to be and they would
be. Although he dismisses the dream like any other dream, its frequent recurrence makes him
give it more thought. Tayyib confirms its reality when he orders his television to switch channels,
and it happens. Endowed with the newly acquired power, he sets out to reform his country and
the entire planet as he had often wished.
He utilises his power both for good and bad intentions. He starts by hitting back a taxi driver who
ignores him by wishing him an accident. He also causes a man who had physically attacked a
woman in a bus to suffer stomach cramps. We see him engaging in meritorious deeds such as
filing a gaping pothole, locking an electric box and removing a pile of rubbish that he trips on.
The media does not escape his wrath as he causes one radio announcer to suffer massive
sneezes after making an announcement that gave false hopes. As the story progresses,
Sulayman Bey al-Hamalawi, a political leader who had evaded tax, is ordered by Tayyib to go
and pay the tax that he had been avoiding for a long time.
An unfortunate incident occurs when Tayyib is busy planning to effectively utilise his power for
the good of all sectors in the country. He notices a beautiful woman at the entrance of the tea
garden and uses his ability to satisfy his desires for her. Their intimacy costs him his incredible
power.

WITH FREE ESSAY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

He pays this price for misusing the power that God had freely given him. The story ends with his
sad realisation that he no longer has power. His attempts to order the television channels to
change do not bear fruits. He experiences a tremendous sadness that will haunt him for the rest
of his life.

CHARACTERS

A. TAYYIB AL-MAHDI

 He is the main character in the story, and the story revolves around the awesome power
that he miraculously acquires sometime after his retirement.
 He does not reveal to his wife that he had been bestowed with such power. His initial
intention is to use the ability to change his country and the entire planet like he had always
wished.
 He is portrayed as religious, ambitious yet emotional and vengeful.

EPISODIC ANALYSIS OF KEY ISSUES

Man of Awesome Power' is founded on several pillars determined by the various

episodes:

1. Tayyib's dream pg 1-2

2. Utilising the awesome power -pg 2-4
3. Losing the awesome power- pg 5

Nide to a silent son and other stories

Some key issues arise from the episodes:
ACQUISITION OF POWER

How Tayyib acquires his power teaches several things:

ONE CAN GAIN POWER AT ANY STAGE OF LIFE.

Tayyib believed that he had completed his mission in the world. Before acquiring power, he lives
a peaceful life as he enjoys the fruits of retirement. The writer notes that 'He had generous
insurance and more than adequate pension' pg 1 which do not prevent him from being given
power by God.

POWER IS GOD-GIVEN.

Tayyib's power is bestowed on him by God. As seen from his words, "All praise to God, Lord of
the Worlds", and listening to radio channels devoted to the Quran (pg 1), his religious nature is

WITH FREE ESSAY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

one reason God willed to grant him power. The man who visits him in the dream tells him that
starting that moment and as long as God willed, he had been bestowed with the power to order
things to be and they would be. (pg l)

UTILISATION OF POWER

Tayyib utilises the power given to him in different incidents:

 Encounter with the taxi driver (pg 2)

 In the bus, to deal with the conflict between a man and a woman (pg 3).
 Performing memorable services along his way to the cafe (pg 3).
 The radio announcer (pg 3).
 Tayyib's wrath on Sulayman Bey al-Hamalawi (pg 3-4).
 The beautiful woman in the Tea Garden (pg 4).

GOOD UTILISATION OF POWER

The episode shows how a person bestowed with power should utilise it. Tayyib's soliloquy during
his encounter with the taxi driver captures the need to use power for the well-being of others and
to make things better. 'Whoever is granted with power like mine, must utilise it only for good.' (pg
2)
He uses the power to do several good deeds. Some of the outstanding services that Tayyib
performs include filling a gaping pothole, locking an electric box that was open and hanging
dangerously, removing a pile of trash and draining sewer water that was flooding an alley. Many
people in the neighbourhood appreciate these services. (p 3).
He also does a good deed of making Sulayman, who has been evading tax, go to the taxi
authorities and pay them millions of pounds he owed them. (pg3).

MISUSE OF POWER

Tayyib utilises the power given to him for vengeance- The act of causing the tire burst of the taxi since
the driver had ignored him is vengeful.

Tayyib ignores the noble voice that reminds him not to use power for wrong purposes and lets his anger
get the best of him. (pg 2)

Tayyib causes harm/pain and suffering to the man who had slapped a woman on a public bus.

Severe cramps strike the man, following Tayyib's anger focused on the man's stomach. (pg3)

He uses power to satisfy his lustful desires when he sees a beautiful woman and makes her notice him
making them surrender to fate. (pg 4)

WITH FREE ESSAY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

ROLE OF THE MEDIA

The media is seen to fail in its role. It dwells more on giving false promises/hope instead of telling what
had already been achieved.

When Tayyib gets into the café, he listens to a radio announcer expounding on promising developments
expected in the future (pg 3).

Tayyib's fury is directed at the announcer, causing him to suffer massive sneezing, forcing him to end the
announcement and play a song.

The song- 'Walk Around and See' is ironically used to satirise the media for highlighting and emphasising
what is yet to be seen (prophesies) instead of dwelling on the reality that can be seen.

IMMORALITY

Sexual immorality is seen when Tayyib utilises his power to make the beautiful woman he notices in the
Tea Garden fall for his advances.

The woman barely notices Tayyib when she gets to the garden, but Tayyib shifts her attention to himself
through the power he has. He forgets his faith and his life (Lack of self- control) and surrenders to fate.

Tax evasion is another immorality that is seen in the story. Many leaders use their powerful positions to
evade paying their taxes, such as Sulayman Bey al- Hamalawi.

When Tayyib notices him, he commands, "Sulayman Bey, go straight to the tax prosecutor's office to
repent and say you are sorry up the millions of pounds you owe." (pg 3)

LOSS OF POWER

If power is not utilised for 'good', it will be lost. Tayyib loses his awesome power when he comes back to
his senses and realises that he had made some mistake.

Although he had been secretive about his power, his wife Haniya keenly observes that he was not in his
usual mood that evening.

Tayyib's deceitful/ dishonest nature is depicted when he easily lies to his wife that he had a cold.
Unfortunately, for Tayyib, he loses his power due to his mistakes. 'The miracle was gone - like
a dream.' (pg 5)

CHANGE

WITH FREE ESSAY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Tayyib confirms that he has been bestowed with power by ordering television channels to change.
Changing the television channel from a religious one to a foreign one foreshadows the changes that
happen to Tayyib once he acquires power.

He is initially described as 'A good man; his sins were forgivable he was a lover of virtue.....' (pg 2).
However, power ones changes him. He becomes vengeful, lustful, deceitful and inhumane. He forgets his
faith and life and lets passion and lust control him, which had never happened since he married Haniya.
(pg 4)

Power also helps change the risky living condition of the people gaping potholes dangerously hanging an
open electric box, Sewer flooding on alleys and piles of rubbish on the way. All these are rectified
through Tayyib power.

WITH FREE ESSAY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

 3. NINEMA ANALYSIS
Focus

 How outstanding traits attract respect, praise and admiration

Ninema Summary

Ninema is a poor girl from a low caste. However, her disposition is simply
admirable. South African author Vrenika Pather tells a tale of a poor girl with
big dreams, in the story Ninema.

We admire Ninema for various reasons:

Ninema is diligent. She rises at 4:00 a.m. to reap herbs from her garden. Her
crops are healthy since she has the knack for growing crops. To earn a living,
she sells fresh produce at the Indian market.

Although life is tough, Ninema is as tough as old boots. She accepts but does
not resign to her situation. This earns her much deserved respect.

Ninema is a poor girl who lives a modest lifestyle. She has never had hot
running water. She washes her face and feet with cold water from an outside
tap. This does not deter her from dreaming big dreams. She works tirelessly
and saves money hoping to buy a small house of her own. After work, she
lounges for half an hour envisioning her dream. She envisages a home with
hot water with the kitchen inside. The industrious woman also plans to have a
large garden where she can plant fruits.

She does not expect this on a silver platter. She works her fingers to the bone.
Everyday, she takes a long walk to the market where she sells her produce.
Since she learned her trade from her parents, she believes in the grace and
power of the generational wisdom of family trading. She is also good in
accounting.

Ninema’s business flourishes because of her organized nature and her cordial
treatment of her customers. She arranges her herbs appetizingly. She always
ensures her stall is ready before she sits to sip her tea. She has a steady flow of
customers who are attracted by the neat look and smell of her stall. Ninema
knows that she needs to sow more seeds since the demand for her produce is
so high. Her business makes good profit. No wonder her hanky bulges with
notes and coins.

WITH FREE ESSAY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

The success of her business can also be attributed to the genial reception she
accords her customers. Ninema believes that the first and the last customer
bring luck so she takes care of them extra carefully. She treats all her loyal
customers with courtesy and gratitude. Ninema is always busy but still takes
genuine personal interest in each customer. She knows whose son is studying
medicine in India, whose daughter was married and who moved to a new
house and where they bought it.

On this particular day when the last customer is a new customer, she gives her
a free bunch of mints. The elated customer is besides herself with joy and
promises to always buy Ninema's herbs.

Ninema has some rich clients who are loyal to her. These include Mr. Chinran
and Mrs. Singh. Mr. Chinran is always the first to support her. Other market
women joke that he is in love with her. The infatuation is futile since he is a
rich lawyer from Brahmin caste and the family cannot possibly allow him to
marry a poor girl.

Mrs. Singh is her other loyal customer. Although she is rich, she haggles for
lower prices just to enjoy spending more time with Ninema and away from the
boredom of her big lonely house. As much as Mrs. Singh is obstinate , Ninema
handles her masterfully and even refers to her respectfully as auntie. Another
prominent customer of hers is Dr. Seedart. Other customers wait patiently
while Ninema speaks to him.

Ninema has earned the admiration of her peers at the market. She stands out
because she is different. She is plucky, undeterred, focused and
uncompromising. She is respected because she faces challenges bravely and
wins.

Men and women alike admire Ninema for she is physically attractive. Ninema
is a beautiful woman with long black hair. While walking to the market, her
hips sway from side to side while she balances her baskets on the head. Her
beauty turns heads. Men stop and stare at her perfect body – long, toned arms
and cinched waist. Women admire her high cheekbones. Ninema does not pay
heed to the trifles. She is focused on making a living. She does not waste time
chatting at the market like other women.

Ninema is also confident and uncompromising. She does not budge no matter
how hard Mrs. Singh haggles for lower prices. She is an independent thinking
woman who runs her business with an iron fist. She does not give in to what
others expect of her. She acts independently with confidence. Some people are

WITH FREE ESSAY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

thrilled by a gritty personality. Other women in the stands are fond of Ninema
and wish to know her secret. They always compromise themselves at home
and at work and this makes them angry with themselves. But they admire
Ninema since she is different.

Ninema is strong and unyielding. When an amorous man accosts her on the
way home, she defends herself. She fights back ferociously leaving the
shameful man astonished.

She attracts hearty laughs and cheers of approval from the other women.

And when men stare at her, she faces them with her black piercing eyes.

Surely, admirable traits make us stand out from the crowd and help us to earn
respect and admiration among peers and beyond.

New words in Ninema

Bun – hair tied in a tight coil at the end of the head

Nape – the back of a person's neck

Chiffon – light transparent fabric made of nylon/silk

Cinched waist – a feature in a garment that tapers narrowly at the mid-section, accentuating
the curves of the body

Unthinkable – unimaginable

Prying – too inquisitive

Hot under the collar – angry or resentful

Haggled – bargained

Ploy – trick

Sage – a culinary herb

Sashays – walks in an ostentatious yet casual manner, with exaggerated movements of the hips
and shoulders.

Lasciviously – lewdly, indecently

Nestled – lain comfortably comfortably within or against something.

WITH FREE ESSAY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

 4. A SILENT SONG ANALYSIS

Mbane, Do you believe in God?” Ezekiel asked.

“I don’t know. I don’t think it matters.”

Mbane, a blind disabled young man is the epitome of anguish. His short life is
filled with pain and hopelessness and thus he sees no reason why he should
believe in God. Despite the unrelenting bleakness, he has an iota of hope. He
dreams of a future bright life beyond the pangs of darkness, and this gives him
optimism and he sings his own happy song, silently to himself, secretly.

He hopes that death will free him from his pain.

Characters in A Silent Song

 Mbane
 Ezekiel – his brother
 Sarah – Ezekiel’s wife

Key Events In A Silent Song

 Pain (pg. 17)

 Resigned (pg. 17)
 Hard street life (pg. 18)
 Unfulfilled dreams (pg. 18)
 Loneliness in the streets (pg. 19)
 Judgmental Christians (pg. 19)
 Hope and the silent song (pg. 20)
 Freedom at last (pg. 20)

Focus

 Plight of people living with disability

 Is death liberating for a man living in anguish?

WITH FREE ESSAY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

A SILENT SONG SUMMARY

The gloomy tale opens with a description of Mbane’s agony. He suffers

paralyzing pain in his spine and stomach. The torturous moment is short lived
but he anticipates another attack. Mbane capitulates in despair. Giving up the
fight, he lets go his chin and hits his forehead on the flea ridden floor.

Mbane is utterly hopeless. His desolate world is filled with gloomy darkness.
Things like time, day or beauty have no meaning to him. Due to his
sightlessness, such things are beyond his reach. In his desperation, he lives
only to withdraw. He never hits back. Since he is lame, he crawls away from
threats, resignedly awaiting his impending ominous end.

As much as his current situation is despondent, it was worse before. He lives

in a suspicious hut after his brother, a preacher, rescued him from the streets
of the city. He is rescued from the difficult life on the rugged, noisy streets
where he survived on the mercy of the busy city people who occasionally
heeded his entreaties and dropped a copper in his hat.

In the serenity of his new domicile, Mbane felt meaning in his brother’s
silence and strangeness in his voice. His brother avers that he rescued him so
that he could “see the light of God.” (pg. 18)

As much as the street had come to being his life, Mbane had no capacity to
perceive its length, width, beauty or size. He could only hear but not share
about the bright weather, lovely morning or beautiful sunset. He was taunted
by the pedestrians’ songs about the blue sky and their whistles to the gay
morning which to him were totally indiscernible. He was happy about the gay
people since they answered his plea unlike the dull, anxious people with empty
pockets.

During the day, Mbane endured the torturous heat of the unforgiving sun and
the tenacious flies while at night he had no choice but to brace the biting cold.
He also had to put up with the occasional thieves. The city people worked
during the day and enjoyed themselves in bars and brothels at night. The
strange rhythms from the buildings in which they had fun, lured Mbane.

Mbane’s brother married around his own age. Mbane can only harbor fruitless
desires for such fulfillment but his reality is a world of darkness and lameness.

WITH FREE ESSAY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

When his brother’s wife gives him medicine, he experiences another bout of
pain. She encourages him with thoughtful words but he knows that she is not
frankly optimistic for him. When his brother comes in, both men remain silent
for a long time. This is not unusual for Mbane who was accustomed to
speaking to himself in his thoughts while on the streets.

Ezekiel, his brother, asks him if he believes in God and he replies that he
doesn’t know and it doesn’t matter.

Their late religious mother equated all men to one stream, flowing through the
rocks of life. They cried in the falls and wild whirl-pools but laughed and sang
when the flow was smooth and undisturbed. The water branched into a
narrow heavenly pool and a wide gulf of a chaotic flood. Mbane feels distant
and removed from this mythical description of humanity that he is not part of.
He feels like the bitter fluid in his own throat, not the good water. He sees no
reason to believe in God. (pg. 19)

While God represents light, Mbane wallows in forgotten darkness. While some
Christians offered him coins on Christmas Day, others cursed him calling him
an able-bodied pest crippled by his lazy loafing ways.

In his world of eternal darkness, Mbane clings on to his belief and dream of
future life. He hopes for a bigger, meaningful, glorious feeling beyond
his sightlessness. He sings a secret silent song that fills him with expectation
and desire. He wishes for his journeys end so that his soul could experience
this wonderful destination. Mbane's soul is imprisoned in his sweaty,
unwashed body and he wishes that it was free. That is a welcome reprieve
from his suffering and damnation.

His brother desperately wants him to accept Jesus and be baptized before he
dies. That is why he brought him here.

Before long, Mbane dies a peaceful, painless death – smiling.

WITH FREE ESSAY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

 5. IVORY BANGLES ANALYSIS

Shifting from the way things are usually done in society may attract
affliction. This is the dominant issue in Eric Ng'maryo's short story Ivory
Bangles. It describes the death of a woman. The author seems to suggest
that the woman dies only because her husband and she defy the
instructions of the seer.

Key events in Ivory Bangles

 The worrying insight

 The evening meal
 Second wife
 The ivory bangles
 The revelation
 The alternative plan
 The wife’s death

Characters in Ivory Bangles

 The old man
 The wife
 Their only son
 The seer
 Makusaro – sister-in-law
 Leveri – daughter-in-law
 Kabanda – grandson

Focus

When we deviate from established norms, we invite misfortune or adversity.

Ivory Bangles Summary

The husband is distressed after the seer instructs him to give his wife a
thorough beating and send her to her parents after the beating. The man

WITH FREE ESSAY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

consults the seer after he notices blood specks on the liver of a goat he had
slaughtered.

The seer’s pebbles say the man’s wife is going to die because the spirits were
jealous of a happy wife. To avert the death, the pebbles say he has to give her a
thorough beating.

During the evening meal with his wife, the man is disturbed since he doesn’t
know how to deliver the bad news to his loving wife.

The man is a chief's councillor and is regarded as a small chief. As much as he

is respected, many are surprised that he has only one wife. When the chief
suggested that he marries another wife, the man replies using a riddle. The
chief quickly and ravels the riddle as “A wife, a co-wife, witchcraft and death”.
This reveals that the people have deep seated beliefs about witchcraft and
death.

The man loves his wife dearly. When she had their first child, he gifted her
twenty four handcrafted ivory bangles some etched with the words of a long
love poem.

That night the man divulges the seer's words to the wife.

“The spirits want me to give you a ritual beating.” (pg. 22)

The woman dismisses this and hints that she knows the seer. He once wanted
to marry her and had threatened to put a spell on her.

The man is adamant that the seer did not put blood specks on the goat's liver
and that he is only the mouthpiece of their dead ancestors.

The man is ready to carry out the seer's instructions in order to avert the wife’s
death. The wife talks him out of it, proposing that there is another way.

While at the market, she thinks of her plan: She intends to go home and cook
for the husband before going to her brother’s place. She would go there
weeping that her husband had beaten her for no reason, and would refuse to
go back to him until her clan and her husband's clan meet to reconcile them.
The husband would be asked to part with a fine and they would drink beer of
reconciliation. This would certainly fool the spirits.

The woman returns home amidst cries of village scouts warning people about
wandering elephants.

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The woman decides to weed the weedy part of her grove. While hoeing, her
thoughts wander to Leveri, her daughter-in-law, who had helped her weed just
three weeks ago. She had run away from her husband who had beaten her
badly. The woman does not understand why their son is different from his
father.

From nowhere, an elephant emerges, attacks and kills the woman.

“They found her thus in her shallow grave: a mass of flesh and blood and
shattered ivory bangles.” (pg. 25)

The powers of the seer seem to be confirmed since his eerie prediction comes
to pass.

The woman dies because she deviates from customary norms after her
husband and she defy the tribal seer, a priest of the people.

6. The Sins of the Fathers

Characters in The Sins of the Fathers – Charles Mungoshi

 Rondo Rwafa
 Selina - Rondo's wife
 Mr. Rwafa - (Ex-minister, liberation war veteran)
 Basil Mzamane - Rondo's father-in-law (MP, Businessman)
 Gaston Shoko - Rondo's colleague and friend
 Yuna (6) and Rhoda (5) - Rondo's daughters
 Rondo's mother
 Mrs. Quayle

In Charles Mungoshi's The Sins of the Fathers, we revisit scars of the past
and appreciate how past hurts can cause present and future pain if the victims
do not heal and forgive their supposed enemies. Forgiveness can help avert
calamitous travails.

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Mr. Rwafa, an ex-minister and liberation war veteran, clings onto hatred and
this obstinate refusal to forgive and forget causes the tragic death of his
grandchildren and his son’s father-in-law, when they perish in a car crash he
engineered.

Focus

 Hate ruins relationships

 Anger is calamitous
 Forgiveness heals past wounds

The Sins of the Fathers Summary

Rondo Rwafa wistfully imagines how his father-in-law Mr. Basil Mzamane and
his daughters Yuna and Rhoda, met their untimely deaths. He hopes they died
happily, trying to erase his own pain. The three jolly family members perished
in a tragic car crash after attending the girls' birthday party at Rondo’s house
in Borrowdale. He has been grieving for a week now, numbed by the pain.

Rondo is surprised when his father avers that one day Rondo will be grateful
and glad that the tragedy happened then and not later. He adds:

“You will remember me and thank me.” (pg. 28)

Rondo’s thoughts wander to a distant introspection, when his father leaves.

The thought that he lives in his father’s shadow gnaws him. He is not his own
man. His wife thinks she could do better in his pants and he is a laughing
stock among his friends and colleagues.

Selina, his wife, seems to be the more confident and influential of the pair.
This can be attributed to the fact that they were brought up differently –
Selina was brought up by people with “long hearts” – people who forgave
others while Rondo's father is an unforgiving savage.

His father is a bombed out battlefield of scars.

“And his deepest scar is that he cannot forgive: Not just his enemies,” says
Mrs. Rwafa, his wife. (pg. 31)

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He cannot even forgive his wife or his son. His bitterness arises from the past
when his Zezeru-Karanga clan was attacked by the maDzviti-Ndebele clan.
The war affected him so much that he always remembers the pain of the scars
rather than the relief of healing. The situation is compounded by the fact that
his son Rondo married into a muDzviti family.

Furthermore, he gives birth to two girls, instead of a grandson who would

inherit Rwafa’s wealth and qualities like his charisma. Mr. Rwafa is so
disappointed in Rondo that it affects Rondo's personality. It is Mr. Rwafa’s ill
treatment of his only son that makes Rondo a timid laughing stock among his
peers.

It is thus suspicious that the grandchildren that Mr. Rwafa considers

inglorious die in an accident together with their grandfather whom Rwafa
detests so much. Rondo starts to put two and two together while interacting
with his colleague and friend Gaston Shoko. Shoko refers to the accident that
claimed Rondo’s children’s lives as a typical Second Street accident, a
subliminal hint that Mr. Rwafa may have been the architect behind the
accident.

The bad blood between Rwafa’s family and Mzamane’s family is apparent at
the party. Although Basil Mzamane is benevolent and compassionate, Rwafa
remains obdurate and unforgiving. The two men’s speeches are the birthday
party turn sour betraying the underlying resentment.

A day before the party the two men also disagreed on the matter of white
people in the country. Mr. Mzamane proposes that people should be viewed as
individuals because some are good while others are bad. On the other hand,
Rwafa holds blanket condemnation of groups of people and views anyone who
seemed supportive of his supposed enemy as a traitor.

Further back, Mr. Mzamane had taken care of the expenses of their children’s
wedding, while Rwafa skipped the ceremony altogether, claiming he was away
on “state business” for two weeks.

Mr. Rwafa also hungers for a certain farm owned by a white man known as
Mr. Quayle and he is ready to get it by all means.

At the party, they try to conceal the boiling agitation between them behind the
tight smiles and loud laughs. Later on, Mr. Rwafa recklessly talks about

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betrayals and enmity between clans and families causing visitors to leave
uncomfortably one after another. In the course of his rant, Mr. Rwafa derides
their weak sons who marry into families of their enemies, and contaminate the
pure blood of the family.

In his father’s presence, Rondo always felt powerless. His mother insists that
the old man loves his son but does not know how to show it.

The story ends tragically when Mr. Rwafa takes his own life using his service
pistol, after being confronted by his son who he haughtily labelled ‘slob'.

With that soft muffled plop, the bitter past filled with pain, is probably buried.

The sins of the fathers are washed away by their own blood.

In the words of acclaimed American rapper and mogul, Shawn Corey Carter
(Jay-Z), “Nobody wins when the family feuds.”

7. TRULY MARRIED WOMAN

Characters in The Truly Married Woman

 Ajayi
 Ayo - Ajayi's wife
 Omo -Ayo's neighbour
 Oju - Ajayi's son
 Bimbola – local nurse
 Chief clerk
 Jonathan Olsen – white missionary

Key events in The Truly Married Woman

 Daily routine
 The priest

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 Beating Oju
 Meeting the missionaries
 Decision to wed
 The problems (Ajayi's sister, Omo's jealousy)
 Negotiations
 The wedding
 Truly married woman

The Truly Married Woman Summary

Ajayi and Ayo have lived together for 12 years but they are not married. They
have three children and another on the way. Ayo’s mother remarks that Ayo is
enthusiastic when it comes to true work of a woman – having children.

Ajayi and Ayo are used to each other and to daily routines and patterns of life.
Ajayi is comfortable with this lifestyle. He has always meant to marry Ayo ever
since they had their first child but he keeps postponing it.

The cost of the ceremony also seems to scare him a bit.

Every morning Ayo wakes up at 5 to make tea for Ajayi. Apart from taking his
weak, sugary tea without milk, his other morning rituals include: taking six
deep breaths to prevent diseases of the chest, a quick bath, taking bitter
medicine which he believes can cure about 20 different diseases and illnesses;
and beating his son Oju to stop him from wetting his sleeping mat.

Although Ajayi and Ayo are happy with their arrangement, the church and her
parents are not. The priest is categorically against unmarried couples living
together. Ayo’s father hoped she would marry a high school teacher. Ajayi is a
government clerk.

Ajayi loves his mistress because she is patient and honest. She is dark and
beautiful with white teeth and neat hair. She is also obedient and rarely
disagrees with him.

The one time they differed about Ajayi beating his son Oju, Ayo informed him
that it is wrong to punish children for bed wetting. She learned that from

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Bimbola, a local nurse who studied in England and America. Ajayi is
impressed by the enlightenment of his deceptively quiet wife.

This makes Ajayi thoughtful. Coupled with another incident, he considers

marrying Ayo.

This is the visit by three missionaries working with World Gospel Crusading
Alliance (WGCA) from Minnesota in USA. Ajayi had contacted the
organization hoping to get free bibles to donate or sell and large religious
pictures to put up on his bedroom wall. The visitors, led by Jonathan Olsen,
visit Ajayi’s home. Ajayi is pleased by the way Ayo handles the visitors.

At short notice, she buys fruit drinks, replaces raunchy calendars with family
photographs and magazines with religious books and hides wine glasses. The
children and she dress smartly in Sunday clothes. She even borrows a wedding
ring from a neighbour in order to appear like a truly married woman. She
awes Ajayi when she speaks some English when she is introduced to the
visitors.

She does all these instinctively after learning that the visitors are not regular
white men whom she presumes drink whisky and iced beer but are friendly,
religious-looking men.

Ayo’s protest about Oju’s beating and her demeanor during the visit convince
Ajayi to marry her. Another reason is the white man had taken some
photographs of their family and millions of Americans would see their picture
as ‘one God-loving and happy African family.’

When he tells Ayo that he wanted to marry her, she becomes worried thinking
he is ill. She even cautions him: “let us get married but do not say I made you
do it.”

They agree to have a church wedding.

That night when Ajayi pulls Ayo to him as they lay in bed she declines and tells
him to wait until after the wedding.

Ajayi’s people welcome the idea of marriage except his skeptical sister who
feels Ayo would become more important in the family than she was. She even

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visits a soothsayer in an attempt to scuttle the wedding plans but Ayo beats
her at her own game.

When Omo, Ayo’s friend that she gossips with and who lends Ayo her wedding
ring from time to time, hears about the wedding plans and sees Ayo’s wedding
gifts she becomes jealous.

Meanwhile, Ajayi borrows a lot of money to cater for the wedding needs. He
misses his normal routine especially his cup of tea, since Ayo had gone back to
her parents’ home.

Ajayi finally marries Ayo after lengthy customary, back and forth discussions
between the two families. About 60 people attend their church wedding. Ayo
cries as if in disbelief, for she finally gets married in her mid-thirties.

An old aunt advises them to live peaceably and resolve disputes before going
to bed. She cautions Ayo against gossiping with other women lest they steal
her husband and warns Ajayi against using violence on their daughter. She
adds that a wife is just as exciting as a mistress.

The morning after the wedding, Ajayi is met with a rude shock when he wakes
up. Ayo does not wake up early to prepare breakfast as usual. He concludes
that maybe she was taken ill. When he asks her, she replies nonchalantly that
he should wake up and make himself a cup of tea. She even contemptuously
wonders if something is wrong with his legs. Surprisingly, she demands
respect from him asserting that she is now a truly married woman.

8. TALKING MONEY
In Talking Money, Stanley Gazemba weaves a compelling narrative that
revolves around one Mukidanyi, an obstinate man, who is forced to eat his
words after experiencing a strange ordeal with talking money.

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Initially, Mukidanyi is headstrong and would not take heed of what his
brothers, Ngoseywe and Agoya, or his wife Ronika tell him. Ronika warns him
against transacting with the Galos but her pleas fall on deaf ears. He also
angrily dismisses his brothers.

In the long run, he regrets his willful action when something bizarre happens.

Characters in Talking Money

 Mukidanyi
 Ngoseywe – his elder brother
 Agoya – his brother
 Ronika – his wife
 Galo

Focus

 The danger of ignoring wise counsel

Key events in Talking Money

 The expulsion (pg. 49-50) throws his brothers out of his home
 Assault (pg. 50) Mukidanyi attacks Ronika
 The transaction (pg. 50-51) sells land to Galo for half-a-million shillings
 Sleepless night (pg. 53) Mukidanyi cannot sleep
 Talking money (pg. 53-54) the money starts talking
 Ronika's fury (pg. 55) Ronika forces Mukidanyi to get rid of the talking
money
 Journey to the Galos (pg. 55) Mukidanyi returns the money to the
Galos.
 Change of heart (pg. 56) Mukidanyi changes his mind about selling the
land.

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TALKING MONEY SUMMARY

When Mukidanyi’s brothers, Ngoseywe and Agoya, try to talk him out of an
imprudent decision, he angrily expels them from his home. Their altercation
almost erupts into a physical fight.

He makes a conceited declaration that he does not need anyone’s help. He

wants to run his household without interference. He is determined to sell his
land against his brothers' wish. He is so enraged that the neighbours watch the
drama helplessly from afar.

Later on, that evening Ronika, his wife, sensibly tries to dissuade him from
selling the land without consultation and urges him to listen to other people’s
counsel. He first ignores her before furiously giving her a lashing, promptly
extinguishing her fair-minded plea. He ignores her entreaties about the Galos
money not being good.

Mukidanyi defies his brothers and his wife and goes ahead to sell the land to
Galo. Although he is prepared for a bruising tussle with Galo, Galo accepts to
pay half-a-million shillings without haggling.

Because of his intransigence, you will be forgiven to consider Mukidanyi a

pigheaded fool. He is however not a complete buffoon. On one hand, he is
illiterate since during his school days he would sneak out of school and skip
classes and spend his days playing simbi and roasting stolen maize with his
errant friends. On the other hand, he is an astute cattle trader with an
impressive business acumen.

Because he is unlettered, he is unable to sign the business papers presented by

Galo's assistant after the sale of the land. He needs Ngoseywe and Agoya
around after all. After the messy paper business is over, Galo hands him a
briefcase containing half-a-million shillings in cash. Mukidanyi is too shocked
to count the cash in the briefcase. Unsuspectingly, he tells Galo that he trusts
him. Besides, would a clansman deceive him?

That evening Mukidanyi is nervy. He does not eat his supper. He cannot sleep
that night. He wakes up twice to ascertain that the money is still there – safely
chained to the bedpost. He also awakens Ronika, who is still piqued from the
lashing she received earlier.

Something curious happens when he tries to go back to sleep. The money in

the briefcase starts conversing casually like a couple of frisky school boys

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sauntering home from school. This bizarre occurrence has the couple scared
out of their wits.

The once wilful and ostensibly gallant Mukidanyi suddenly recoils like a
panicky chicken. When he hears the strange voices, he is horror-stricken. He
shakes and sweats in panic. His assertive voice is reduced into a frightened
child-like whisper when he asks: “Who were they?”

An angry Ronika scolds, derides and hysterically laughs at him. She taunts
him for failing to listen to other people.

“I warned you about the Galos, didn’t I? Eh? Ngoseywe and Agoya warned
you too against this, didn’t they, big man? And what did you eh? Tell me
what did you do?”

The money talks again, this time complaining about the couples' argument.

“I don’t like their shouting. It was better with the silence.”

Ronika has had enough. She drags Mukidanyi and forces him to unlock the
padlock securing the briefcase. She then snarls at him, hurls the briefcase
outside and sends him after it. Their frightened children are stunned to see
their mother so agitated and their father extremely scared.

The journey to the Galos is eerie to say the least. Mukidanyi is haunted by
unseen night creatures swimming around him, threatening to harm him. He is
nonetheless determined to return the peculiar briefcase to Galo. Galo lives a
couple hundred yards away but it seems like a mile. The case gets heavier and
heavier as Mukidanyi lumbers on.

The stubborn man eventually returns the money. He also makes a change of
tune about selling his land.

“I changed my mind about selling the land. Here is your money.”

It is prudent to listen to wise counsel. Failure to heed good advice may result
in unwanted consequences.

Learn some new words in Talking Money

 Weather-scoured - faded

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 Assuaged – eased
 Attaché case – a small rectangular case for carrying documents
 Fodder – food for livestock
 Tussle – vigorous struggle
 Tug - pull
 Haggling – bargaining persistently
 Surmise – guess
 Discomfiture – unease, awkwardness
 Bristling – angered
 Groggy – weak/unsteady
 Tinny – metallic sound
 Disembodied – (of a sound) lacking any obvious physical source
 Slick – (skin) shiny
 Leaden – heavy

9. GHOSTS

Ghosts Analysis PDF – Chimamanda Adichie

A Silent Song and Other Stories

Chimamanda Adichie's story “Ghosts” revolves around the protagonist

James Nwoye, a 71 year old retired mathematics professor. Nwoye lives off a
pension, although he does not receive it when he should.

The story explores how memories of the past can haunt us in the present. The
tale, aptly named “Ghosts”, opens when Nwoye meets his former colleague
Ikenna Okoro whom he thought had died in the Biafran war. His first thought
is to throw sand at him, his people’s traditional practice to ascertain that a
person is not a ghost. He restrains himself since he is a Western-educated man
or so we think.

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Characters in Ghosts
 James Nwoye – retired professor
 Ebere – James’s late wife
 Zik – James’s late daughter
 Nkiru – James’s daughter (doctor)
 Ikenna Okoro – James’s former colleague
 Vincent – James’s former driver
 Professor Ezike
 Dr. Anya
 Chuck Bell – James’s American friend
 Josephat Udeana – inept vice chancellor Nkussa university
 Harrison – James’s gardener
 Dr. Otgabu
 Professor Ijere – James’s next door neighbour
 Professor Maduewe – James’s friend

Summary of Ghosts

The professor is in the university to collect his pension yet again. The pension
money is mismanaged or stolen. Some people claim that the pension money
was stolen by the education minister. Another avers that the vice chancellor
deposited the money in high interest personal accounts. Since ordinary
Nigerians cannot access pension, many of them are poverty-stricken. The
former university staff (drivers and messengers) are tattered and hungry. They
have not received pension for three years. Vincent, professor’s former driver
avers that, “This is why people retire and die.” (pg. 58)

Adichie uses Vincent to shine a light on the plight of poor retirees of the
university. The former driver is now a cobbler, who mends students shoes but
they never pay him on time. He also complains about Nigeria being an
ungrateful country. His skin is so wrinkled that he appears older than Nwoye
who is older than him. The other workers, who are also there to collect their
elusive pension, decry the poor state of affairs: carpentry is not going well,
their children are ill and they have money lender problems. They laugh as they
talk as if to conceal their resentment. Nwoye sympathizes with them. Luckily
for him, he has some savings and receives some dollars from his daughter
Nkiru who is a doctor in America. The men's ashy hands and faces remind him

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of how Ebere his late wife used to rub lotion on his body. This fond memory is
a testament of their once affectionate bond.

Nwoye is shocked to meet Ikenna Okoro, a man he thought died 37 years ago.
It is as if he had seen a ghost. Although Ikenna Okoro and Nwoye were not
friends, everyone knew Ikenna Okoro. He was an eccentric dissident who
never shied away from speaking his mind. He petitioned the government
about better conditions for the non-academic staff. Other lecturers admired
his edgy fearlessness. However, he now seems a pale shadow of his former
brash self. Nwoye can pick up unusual diffidence (lack of confidence) about
Ikenna Okoro.

Nwoye believes Ikenna Okoro died on July 6th, 1967 the day they were
evacuated from Nsukka. Their enemy, the federal soldiers, was advancing but
the militia assured them of victory in a matter of days. Nwoye believed that the
vandals (federal soldiers) would be defeated in a week or two. As the professor
flees in his Impala, he observes the villagers fleeing on foot, women with boxes
on their heads and babies on their backs hurry away. The men push bicycles
and carry yams. They would later return to the misery of having to pick
through the lecturers dust bins after the war.

Nwoye spots Ikenna Okoro driving back into campus. He tries to dissuade him
but Ikenna Okoro is a headstrong renegade. When Nsukka is captured by the
federal soldiers, two lecturers are killed. Nwoye assumes that one of them was
Ikenna Okoro. Nwoye is disappointed to learn that Ikenna Okoro fled to
Sweden on a Red Cross plane instead of staying to support the Biafran cause.
He is angry at the saboteurs who betrayed the Biafran cause, which he
supports dearly. Since his entire family was wiped out when a bomb was
dropped in Orlu, Ikenna Okoro chose to stay in Sweden since he had no reason
to come back. He claims that while there he organized Biafran rallies and
fundraising.

The war had a devastating aftermath. When Ebere and Nwoye return to
Nsukka in 1970, (three years after they left) they are dismayed by the amount
of destruction they find. Their books are a charred pile under the umbrella
tree, lumps of calcified feces in the bathtub, pages of books used as toilet
paper, Ebere’s piano missing, Nwoye’s graduation gown used to wipe
something and crawling with ants and their photos ripped and frames

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destroyed. Devastated, they decide to leave for America and they do not return
until 1976 (six years later.)

While there, his American friend Chuck Bell helps him secure a teaching
appointment. When they return they are assigned a new house but they are
disheartened when the umbrella tree at their old house is cut down by the new
occupants. Sadly, we learned that Nwoye's daughter Zik perished in the war.

Another victim of the war is Chris Okigbo – a poetry colossus that Nwoye
refers to as “Our genius, our star.” He took up a gun to defend Nsukka. Nwoye
regrets when he says that at least he was brave enough to fight. He feels like it
sounded like a jibe meant to deride Ikenna Okoro who fled when the war
began. Out of discomfort, Nwoye decides to tell Ikenna Okoro about the day
Ebere and he drove back to Nsukka and witnessed the destructive aftermath of
the war: Landscape of ruins, blown out roofs, houses riddled with bullet holes
and the wounded soldier who was shoved into their car bleeding profusely.
Nwoye tries to cheer up Ikenna Okoro by saying that the metallic smell of the
soldier's blood reminded him of Ikenna. This was a lie.

Ikenna Okoro sheds tears when he learns that Ebere died three years ago.
Nwoye tells him that she visits him as an apparition but he dismisses it by
simply quipping “I see”. Ikenna Okoro perceives belief in ghosts as madness
because of his education.

Nwoye clearly misses his wife and the physical aspect of their relationship. He
reminisces about how his wife would rub lotion into his skin. This is testament
of how they had a strong intimate relationship when she was alive. He keeps
her alive in his imagination by imagining that she visits him as a ghost. He is
reluctant to tell his daughter about the mother's visits lest she drags him back
with her to America.

The war and loss denies Nwoye the opportunity of teaching his grandson his
language and simple courtesies like greeting strangers. The grandson lives in
America with his mother. The family is broken as a result of the war.

The two acquaintances then talk about the university Staff Club. The club is a
shell of what it used to be. The novices are incompetent. There is no teaching
going on. They are only concerned about university politics. The students buy
grades with money or their bodies. The Senate meetings have degenerated
into personality-cult battles. Ikenna Okoro and Nwoye recall memories of

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Josephat Udeana Who was once the best ballroom dancer. He has been a vice
chancellor for six years and has ran the university like a chicken coop. He stole
university money and bought himself new cars. Court cases challenging this
misappropriation did not bear fruit. Josephat runs the university as a one man
show and dictates the promotion or stagnation of the university staff. The vice
chancellor who replaces him is not any different. The inefficiency in the
university is so rife that Nwoye and many others have not received any
pension long after they retired. No one speaks against the widespread
corruption and inaction. Ironically, even the lecturers bribe someone to
change their dates of birth in order to work for five more years. No one wants
to retire.

The corruption and inefficiency is experienced all over the country. The
professor shakes his head resignedly “as if to say that the situation is, sadly,
ineluctable.”

The latest plague in the country is fake drugs. People sell expired medicine.
Ebere died because of ineffective medication. She was getting weaker and
weaker instead of recovering from the medication. Nwoye was distraught. He
says gravely that, “Fake drugs are horrible.”

Nwoye spends his retirement days visiting an old friend, taking leisurely
walks, reading newspapers, talking to their daughter, reading all journals and
watching birds from his veranda. From his admission we learned that the
roads have potholes, motorcycles are ridden recklessly and you have to bribe
someone at NITEL just to have your phone repaired.

Since Ebere started visiting, James stopped going to church since he claims
that he is no longer uncertain of the afterlife.

As they part ways, Nwoye invites Ikenna Okoro who assents but he knows he
would not come.

Nwoye has more fond memories of Ebere as he remembers how she used to
mock other people’s Mercedes. He says she still has a sense of humor even as a
ghost.

While watching TV, he sees a man that admits selling fake typhoid fever
medicine that doesn't kill people but does not cure the illness either. The only
consolation for Nwoye is that Ebere visits him.

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It turns out that nobody talks about the war but the harrowing memories keep
lingering like ghosts. James recalls horrors like crouching in muddy bunkers
during air raids, burying corpses, eating cassava peels and helplessly watching
their children battling malnutrition.

As Nwoye sits in his study, he waits for a call from his daughter Nkiru or a visit
from the ghost of his late wife Ebere.

The destructive aftermath of the war in Ghosts by Chimamanda Adichie

 Displacement of families
 Death – Zik, two lectures, Chris Okigbo, Ikenna's entire family
 Destruction of property
 Landscapes with ruins, blown out roofs, houses with holes
 Trauma – Wounded soldier, Ikenna Okoro pale shadow of his former
self
 Separation of families – Nkiru and his son live in America
 Harrowing conditions – muddy bunkers
 No food – cassava peels, malnutrition, relief food, picking through
dustbins

Do you believe in ghosts? What is the lesson in this story?

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 10. GOD SEES THE TRUTH, BUT WAITS
GOD SEES THE TRUTH, BUT WAITS ANALYSIS PDF –
Leo Tolstoy
When Ivan Dmitritch Aksionov is falsely imprisoned for murder, he puts his
trust in God to see him through his tribulations.

Leo Tolstoy, in God Sees the Truth , but Waits , preaches the virtue of
forgiveness. The tale takes the form of a parable which adjures the reader to
consider forgiving their transgressors rather than taking vengeance.

Focus
 True justice comes from God
 Forgiveness is liberating

Characters in God Sees the Truth, but Waits

 Ivan Dmitritch Aksionov
 Makar Semyonich

God Sees the Truth, but Waits summary

Ivan Dmitritch Aksionov is a young merchant from the town of Vladimir. He

owns two shops and a house.

As a young man, he was unruly and given to drinking a tad too much, but he
stopped drinking when he got married.

One day he bids his family goodbye as he is leaving for the Nizhy Fair. His wife
dissuades him from going since she has had a bad dream about him. She
dreams that he would return when his hair is quite grey. She beseeches him to
put off the journey till a later date. Ivan Dmitritch Aksionov laughs it off and
says that that is a lucky sign and carries through with his intended journey.

Halfway through the journey he meets a merchant, who is an acquaintance of

his. They spend the night at the same inn, have tea together and sleep in
adjoining rooms.

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The next morning Ivan Dmitritch Aksionov awakens his driver, pays the
owner of the inn, and they leave before dawn.

After about 25 miles, Aksionov decides to rest while his horses are fed. He is
then approached by an official accompanied by two soldiers. The official
questions him, revealing that the merchant he spent the night together with at
the inn had been murdered. Aksionov is the prime suspect since he was with
the man and then left suspiciously early. Aksionov denies having taken part in
any wrongdoing but when his luggage is searched the officer finds a blood-
stained knife.

The official insists that Aksionov murdered the merchant and continues to
cross examine him on how he did it and how much money he stole. Aksionov
pleads innocence claiming that he only has 8000 rubles and that the knife is
not his.

With the odds stacked against him, trembling and looking guilty, Ivan
Dmitritch Aksionov is apprehended. His money and goods are seized. He
weeps bitterly. Inquiries are made about him in his hometown of Vladimir and
it turns out that he used to drink a lot and loaf in his younger days but he is a
good man.

Nonetheless, he is charged with murder of the merchant from Ryazan and

stealing 20,000 rubles from him.

His wife visits him in prison. She is restricted from seeing him at first. After
begging, the officials allow her and the small children to see Aksionov. She
faints at the sight of her loving husband in prison attire and in chains, locked
up with thieves and criminals.

They talk a bit and he tells her that she must petition the czar to spare an
innocent man the anguish of unfair retribution. His wife informs him that her
efforts to petition had borne no fruits. She then reminds him of her portentous
dream about the grey hair and says: “Vanya dearest, tell your wife the truth
was it not you who did it?” Ivan Dmitritch Aksionov weeps in disbelief when
even his dear wife is dubious, disbelieving, and suspicious.

He realizes that only God knows the truth and it is only to Him that he should
appeal.

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After that, Aksionov stops writing petitions and gives up all hope, praying only
to God. He is condemned to flogging and sent to the mines. He is flogged with
the knots and sent to Siberia. He lives in Siberia for 26 years as a prisoner. His
hair and beard turn grey and he transforms into a frail old man who walk
slowly, speaks little and never laughs.

He spends all his time praying, reading “The Lives of the Saints” and singing
in church. He earns the names “Grandfather” and the “Saint” owing to his
meek disposition. All the prisoners respect him. He also serves as a mediator
between them and the prison officials and whenever there is a fall out, the
pious old man serves as an arbitrator.

One day a new inmate named Makar Semyonich from Vladimir narrates what
he was convicted for. He was accused of stealing a horse. He asserts that he
only borrowed it, but still ends up behind bars. He confesses that long ago he
committed a more severe offense and should have been convicted by right
then but he got away with it somehow.

When Makar Semyonich learns about how Ivan Dmitritch Aksionov ended up
in prison he is utterly surprised.

He even quips: “How old you’ve grown Gran’dad.”

Ivan Dmitritch Aksionov begins to suspect that Makar Semyonich is the one
who committed the murder he had been accused of. This makes him deeply
afflicted that he contemplates taking his own life. He remembers his earlier
life as a freeman with fond nostalgia. He feels deeply downcast when he recalls
the happier times with his laughing wife; seeing his little children and how
young, happy and free from care he was.

He also remembers the day he was apprehended, the flogging, the executioner,
chains, convicts and the twenty six years in undeserved confinement and hard
labour.

He feels deep anger and hatred for Makar Semyonich and longs for revenge.
He prays all night but finds no peace. His preceding days and nights are
riddled with misery.

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One night, he stumbles upon Makar Semyonich attempting to dig a hole under
the wall to escape. Makar Semyonich threatens to kill him should he tell on
him.

To which Ivan replies that “… you killed me long ago. As to telling of you - I
may do so or not, as God shall direct.”

When the convoy soldiers discover the tunnel and question Ivan Dmitritch
Aksionov, he responds that it’s not God’s desire that he should tell. He reasons
that he will gain nothing taking revenge on Makar Semyonich, even if he made
him pay for his transgression. He has no faith in the human justice system.

That night Makar Semyonich comes to Ivan Dmitritch Aksionov's bed and
confesses his crime and begs earnestly for forgiveness. Makar Semyonich sobs
as he desperately pleads with the old man to pardon him. Ivan Dmitritch
Aksionov also begins to weep.

Surprisingly, he says simply “God will forgive you. Maybe I am a hundred

times worse than you.”

At this point, his heart grows light and he no longer desires to leave the
Siberian prison and go home. He only desires to die and be with God.

Makar Semyonich confesses to the authorities but by the time they order for
Ivan Dmitritch Aksionov’s release he is already dead.

God sees the Truth, but Waits Analysis

When Aksionov is falsely imprisoned, and no one believes his side of the story
He chooses to live a more spiritual life. He realises that only God can
deliver true justice.

Aksionov loses everything except his trust in God. When he is physically

separated from his earthly attachments (that is his family and his material
possessions like his shops and his house) he grows stronger in his quest for
spiritual freedom.

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The state judges and punishes physically but God judges the soul. After facing
physical tribulations, Aksionov's faith is strengthened.

When he is wrongly accused of killing a man, the Czar declines his petition.
He is convicted for murder, flogged and sent to Siberia to work in the mines.
Even his wife doubts his innocence.

Aksionov realizes that real justice can only come from God and not human
beings. He becomes saint-like and a model for the readers to emulate.

Even though he chooses the path of piety and meekness, he is sometimes

prone to bitterness, contemplates suicide and even toys with the idea of taking
revenge. These symbolize regression into sin or setbacks on the path of a man
seeking righteousness. His thoughts also go back to his family and this
indicates that it is hard to let go of worldly attachments.

Aksionov forgives Semyonich because he does not believe in human justice.

God is the only true judge.

Forgiveness is more liberating, fulfilling and meaningful than trying to assert

one’s innocence.

Aksionov lets go of all worldly desires including freedom.

Faith and belief in God give him strength and saves him from bitterness. He is
physically locked up but spiritually free because of his faith and belief in God.

At the end of this tale, Aksionov’s desire shifts from materialism to

spiritualism.

True freedom can only be found when one lets go of human attachments. This
seems to be the message that Leo Tolstoy espouses artistically in this
compelling but rather sombre tale.

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 11. The Neighbourhood Watch
The Neighborhood Watch analysis PDF - Rem'y Ngamije
A Silent Song and Other Stories

Characters in The Neighbourhood Watch

 Elias
 Lazarus
 Silas
 Omagano
 Martin
 Mrs Bezuidenhout

The Neighbourhood Watch is a story by Rwandan-born Namibian author

Rem'y Ngamije that highlights the struggles of surviving as homeless people
on the streets.

Key issues in The Neighbourhood Watch

 Teamwork is necessary for endurance

 In difficult circumstances, intelligence or wisdom is essential for
survival
The Neighbourhood Watch Summary

"The Neighbourhood Watch" is a clique of five derelicts; Elias, Lazarus, Silas,

Omogano (the only woman in the group) and Martin, who is the newest and
youngest member.

Elias is the oldest and the leader of the group. Lazarus is his de facto second in
command.

Needless to say, the conditions on the streets are difficult. The clique spends
cold nights under a bridge. They sleep on cardboards. They have no food for
breakfast so instead of chomps all you hear when they wake up is yawning,
stretching and grumbling.

Despite this, their unity is apparent. They share a can of water which they each
use to wash their faces. They can goes from Elias to Martin in a hierarchy.

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The closely-knit crew has certain codes that guide them as they struggle to
survive on the streets. For instance, stealing is frowned down upon. However,
they have to defend their territory from rival gangs from time to time.

It is clear that the crew members care for one another. Although Omagano
uses her fingers to comb her hair, she is responsible for shaving Elias’s
hair. When Elias suffers a worrying incessant cough, he reassures others that
he is okay when they show concern about his health.

Elias and his posse have one mantra: today you need to take care of today. In
their quest to survive on the unforgiving streets, their focus is on getting food
and shelter to survive today.

On the streets they are forced to survive on leftovers and decaying food. Elias
is known to most of the kitchen staff in the city hotels. They sometimes give
him leftovers which he shares with his gang. The staff has to take some
leftovers to their own families and so Elias is not always lucky. Other times,
they have to rummage through bins to find edible throwaways. The disciplined
crew members arrive rather early in order to find semi-fresh morsels before
the food starts rotting and crawling with worms: “The neighbourhood watch
knows: The early bird does not catch the worms.”

Sometimes the clique clashes with guards in their search for food. They have
to part with a 10 or 20 dollar bribe in order to access some bins. When Elias
has no money, a guard would demand sexual favours from Omagano in
exchange for access to the precious bins.

Survival on the streets is quite difficult. That notwithstanding the group is

organized and they work as a team to ease the burden of finding food and
other valuables necessary for survival. Elias, Lazarus and Omagano are always
on food duty while Silas and Martin look for other essentials. They then share
their food when they meet late in the afternoon.

Elias and Lazarus always warn Silas who has the propensity for stealing.
However, when he finds something valuable they sell it and share the
proceeds.

In the suburbs like Pionierspark, the crew faces resistance. They have to
contend with peering eyes, dogs, patrolling vehicles and angry men.

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Elias and Lazarus do not like talking about the past. Everyone brings a past to
the street. Nonetheless, the only worry they have is the present hunger pangs.

In spite of that, we have a peek into their past lives.

Lazarus was a prisoner while Elias faced gunfire against the South African
Defence Forces in the jungles of Angola.

When they first met, they remained dumb about their past- they have their
minds firmly fixed on the trials of today.

“The streets snacked on those who regretted, those who dreamed of a

tomorrow that still required today to be survived.” (pg. 79)

Elias shared some street wisdom with Lazarus in their early days: “the street
has no future, there is only today … Today you need to take care of
today.” (pg. 79)

Elias and Lazarus talk about the past to Martin, Silas and Omagano to share
street survival tips. The experience has made them street savvy.

At first, they used to go everywhere flicking through different bins, in poor

neighborhoods of Katunura, Hakahana, Goreangab,
Wanaheda and Okuryangava in their desperate efforts to survive.

Now they know better than that.

In the beginning, Elias and Lazarus were always desperate and hungry. They
would spend the whole day miserably searching for food to survive. They faced
stiff competition from other gangs.

In the poor neighborhoods, people have nothing to throw away by

themselves.

The crew understands that it’s only white people and black people trying to be
white people that have enough to throw away. Elias and Lazarus who are fed
up with the blistering search for food with little reward in the poor
neighborhoods.

They were smart enough to know it was time to upgrade when they found a
dead baby in the garbage.

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Their relatives lived in such neighborhoods but they had to go through them
anyway.

“To survive, mos, just to survive”

They used to find nasty garbage for example old food, used condoms, women’s
things with blood, broken things and even dead babies! Elias says it is okay to
find a dead dog or cat even a dead person is okay but a dead baby is evil!
Martin recoils in shock and Silas laughs at the cringing newcomer.

Elias and Lazarus make a smart decision to move away from the poor
neighbourhoods. They are so systematic that they decide to align their search
for food and essentials based on the municipality rubbish collection dates.
They make a timetable.

The streets are rough, needless to say. Violence is a common occurrence. It is

not strange to experience young upstarts beat an old man in a dispute over a
territory while trying to find food. Lazarus has the reputation of the tough guy
in the neighborhood watch. The crew lost a former member in a squabble that
turned fatal. Amos was famous for his audacious impertinence whenever he
was drunk off Zamalek or cheap whisky. His insolence resulted in a stabbing
incident that left him dead one fateful Friday night.

Whenever someone is killed on the streets, no one is ready to volunteer

information because the police are brutal and inefficient. The investigation
involves ruthless battering and kicking of the suspects. Whether innocent or
guilty, the “interrogation” would leave the witness with cuts, bruises and
bumps.

Sometimes, when the spate of murders and robbers become unbridled, a

derelict would agree to incur punishment in cahoots with the corrupt police
force on behalf of the real criminals just to escape the harsh life on the streets.
In jail, you get better conditions – free food and shelter.

“The streets are not for everyone” (pg 81)

When Amos was killed, the police tried to frame Elias and Lazarus for his
murder. The two were beaten till they were bruised and bleeding. They were
allowed to go but after a stern warning and with swollen eyes, three broken
ribs and limbs that took days to heal. The two chose to

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avoid Khomsadal neighborhood where Amos was killed for fear of more
violent attacks from the murderer.

The crew spends Fridays and Saturdays under the bridge at Headquarters. It
is safer there because police patrol on those days. Elias advises his friends to
remain at the bridge. However, it is difficult to tether Silas and his itchy
fingers. When he tries to get Martin to go with him on his escapades, the older
members block his attempts.

Of the five, Martin is the most hopeful. As much as Elias insists that the streets
have no future, Martin believes that maybe the future holds greater promise.
For Elias, “every day is today.”

The crew enjoys visiting the rich neighborhoods of Eros and Klein Windhoek
on Sundays. Here the dogs are safely confined, the neighbourhoods have high
walls and the bins are easily accessible on the pavement. The garbage is
recycled and sorted in separate plastic bags. Some people even wash the trash
before disposing it. It helps the scavengers to save time and what’s more, it is
not far from Headquarters.

The crew has an unlikely benevolent friend, old Mrs. Bezuidenhout, in Eros.
She gives them foodstuffs like peas, beans and bananas and essentials; a
mirror, pair of scissors, old clothes, jerseys, old books and even a rosary.

The Neighborhood Watch thus relies on three reliable pillars that provide
essential support: Elias says street savior-faire, Lazarus contained violence
and Mrs. Bezuidenhout’s generosity.

Mrs. Bezuidenhout is so kind hearted that even Lazarus who is not a believer
believes she is worth praying for. She is the only one who asks them how they
are and what they need.

Silas once asked Elias why he never asks for toothbrushes or soap, or medicine
or space in her garage. Elias learnedly tells him that by giving them the things
they needed, she was raking the street away from them. We need all of the
street to survive the street. He further displayed his usual street acuity when
he added: “soon she will not be around to give and give but we will still need
to take and take.”

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They anticipate Mrs. Bezuidenhout’s kindness but are afraid that one day she
will no longer be around.

They break their one rule: they start thinking about the future. They start
having a glimmer of hope.

How do members of 'The Neighbourhood Watch' apply street wisdom, past

experiences and unity to survive?

12. DECEMBER

DECEMBER ANALYSIS PDF (Filemon Liyambo)

A Silent song and other stories

Characters in December by Filemon Liyambo

 September
 Ezekiel – September’s Grandfather (a.k.a Tateluku)
 Josef – Ezekiel’s brother
 December – September’s sister
 Tshuuveni – September’s childhood friend
 Silas Shikongo – September’s father

Key events in December by Filemon Liyambo

 KFC
 The hoeing mishap
 Traditions (Ezekiel’s hiding something)
 Silas' naming convention
 At the hospital
 Past visits to the hospital

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 Rude nurse
 Catching up with Tshuuveni
 Meeting December
 Family members affected by December's illness
 Ezekiel buried with his secret

When Ezekiel dies, he takes his secret to the grave. He had meant to let the cat
out of the bag to his grandson September before he first left for the UK but he
did not. He wanted to explain why he forbids December from eating chicken.
December’s story is shrouded in mystery. She abruptly and mysteriously goes
from an exceptionally good student to a psychiatric patient.

Ezekiel insists that she was bewitched.

December Summary

December by Filemon Liyambo opens with September visiting his sister at

the psychiatric ward. December suffers from a mental illness which seems to
run in the family. Her younger grandfather Josef and her late father Silas
Shikongo also exhibit characteristics of mental illness.

When his younger brother Josef started losing track of time in his teenage
years, Ezekiel called it idiotism. September remembers his grandfather when
the rude attendants at KFC sneers at him. The old man does the same thing
anytime he notices what he calls “traces of idiotism” in his grandson
September.

September is at KFC to buy some chips for his sister. December is two years
older than September. When he was four years old, December accidentally
grazed him on the side of the head while weeding tomato plants. She ripped
her T-shirt to stem the bleeding. When he returned from hospital she helped
to nurse him.

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December does not eat chicken. Her grandfather forbids it but never discloses
the reason to September. September is wise enough not to question traditions.

You may be wondering about the odd names. Well, blame Silas Shikongo. He
is September and December’s late father. He named his last four children after
the month in which they were conceived. His friends thought he was a fool.
His father Ezekiel was afraid his idiotism would affect his grandchildren. Silas
had an erratic conception of time.

Was he also suffering from mental illness?

September visits the mental health facility to see his sister. Trouble started
when she started having problems with classmates, fighting, hurling insults at
them and even walking naked talking to herself. September was puzzled that
she suddenly fell ill, almost inexplicably.

Apart from December, Ezekiel’s younger brother Josef also suffers from a
mental illness. He started developing challenges tracking time in his teens. His
brother Ezekiel thought he was teasing and thought the “idiotism” would pass
but it worsened. He went missing for a month. December on the other hand
fell ill shortly before completing her secondary school education. Ezekiel was
heartbroken that the affliction befell his favorite granddaughter just before she
achieved her dream – enrollment at the teachers training college. The old man
was convinced that other forces were at work.

December is now confined at a mental health facility. September has visited

her several times before. The hospital surroundings are familiar to him. He
has been abroad for two and a half years studying in the UK. Now he is back
and he notices some changes at the hospital, for instance, the new glass doors
and reinforcements on the windows. On previous visits, he brought mutton or
beef, never chicken; she always said she was fine but kept complaining that
she was tired.

September wonders whether she was tired of the hospital or of her health
condition. She is trapped in both.

The service at the hospital is terrible just like the one at KFC. The nurse who
speaks to September is impudent. She asserts that it is past visiting hours but
September is adamant that he must see his sister. Luckily for him, when the
rude nurse calls security to throw him out, the head of security Tshuuveni is

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his old friend. Tshuuveni used to pursue December when she was younger.
The two friends catch up and September is allowed to see his sister. He has 20
minutes

Decemberis in a sorry state when he finally sets his eyes on her. Her hair is
scattered, she is gaunt – thin and her lips are swollen. The last time she
appeared this thin was when her ignorant grandfather had taken her to a
healer in his desperate attempt to save his favorite granddaughter from the
clutches of the mysterious affliction. The clueless healer left her looking
skeletal.

September gives his sister a T-shirt – a replica of the one she tore during the
weeding mishap, a jersey, a book with puzzles and the chips he bought at
KFC.

December illness had broken their mother’s heart. She aged faster. September
was angry that his sisters life was on pause as life moved on. When she
remarks that Tateluku (grandfather) Had not visited for awhile, September
suddenly holds back the urge to inform her that he was dead. That is the
reason he was back from the UK.

Ezekiel had a dream that Josef was at a pond, where leopards drank. He was
found there, eating. He was then taken to a healer by the elders. Ezekiel was
asked what his brother was eating in his dream.

Was it chicken? Is this why the old man forbade December from eating
chicken?

Ezekiel was interred while firmly holding on to these secrets.

Do you think Ezekiel's beliefs had anything to do with the illness? Share your
thoughts:

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 13. BOYI

BOYI PDF ANALYSIS – Gloria Mwaniga

A Silent Song and Other Stories

Characters in Boyi

 Boyi
 Baba
 Mama
 Chesober - Baba's friend
 Matwa Kei – military gang leader
 Saulo
 Kimutai
 Koros – neighbour
 Chesaina - Baba's friend
 Simoni
 Narrator - Boyi's sister

Focus

 Devastating effects of war

 Conflicts ruin families/communities

Boyi Summary

War ruins families and communities. In Boyi, Gloria Mwaniga recounts the
horrifying experiences meted upon families in Mt. Elgon alluding to the
insurgency carried out by a self-styled militia, the Sabaot Land Defense Forces
(SLDF) between 2006 and 2008. The leaders of the ragtag group claimed they
were out to correct injustices committed during a land distribution exercise in
the region.

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The villagers erroneously think the militia’s mission is to protect their
ancestral land from being given to “lazy strangers” but they are shocked when
their own kinsmen go on an indiscriminate spree of rape, murder, torture,
abduction, theft, destruction of property and physical punishment of
perceived enemies or traitors. The saviour turns out to be a veiled savage
enemy that leaves devastation in his wake.

What starts as a simple mission to protect community land deteriorates into a

bloody massacre … and “war is a maggot that nibbles and nibbles at the
hearts of men.” (pg. 95)

The narrator recounts the anguish they experience as a family after her
brother is forcefully recruited into the militia when he is only 15 years old.

The militiamen raid their home to demand 40,000 land protection tax which
the father could not raise. Matwa Kei, the leader of the illegal outfit demands
10,000 land protection tax and 30,000 betrayal tax since Baba lent
a panga and makonge ropes to the government surveyors. In his desperation
to save his family, he brings out everything of value that he owns including his
savings, his precious Sony transistor radio and his hunting gun. He promises
to sell his bull Mtambakaki and give Matwa Kei the cash. Matwa Kei declines.
That is when he’s forced to hand over Boyi to the ruffian, as collateral, till he
can raise the money.

Boyi’s mother is stunned, when his son is dragged away into the darkness. She
tears her headscarf and starts to shout, enraged with madness. Baba is
adamant that he had to surrender the boy to spare the rest of the family the
wrath of the barbarian gang who are now infamous for chopping off people’s
heads, carrying off the heads like trophies and hanging them on trees, eating
them like Iddi Amin, and torturing them by chopping off their ears and
feeding them worm-filled earth.

Boyi and his sister (the narrator) must have been devastated by Matwa Kei
and his army's callousness since they had laughed off the idea of being
attacked by their own kin. After all the militia was formed to protect them
against the strangers who had been given their land, or so they thought.

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Baba regrettably sums up the hopelessness they felt the day Boyi was yanked
from their care when he says sadly: “Our very boys, who ate oaths to protect
our ancestral land have turned to us like the angry chameleon that eats its
intestines” (pg 92)

Boyi’s mother spends her subsequent mornings sitting in the kitchen alone,
numbed by the devastation. She does not answer greetings. She would shriek
at the narrator, “Stupid girl, you want to finish tea and your brother will
come from the caves hungry. Leave him some.” She sits gazing at the walls
and declares that she had seen a vision of her son returning from the caves.
Her monologues alternated with torturous silence in the room. The narrator
feels her mother is running mad.

The neighbours stream in to console the family following the anguish of losing
a son to the ruthless ruffian army. Soon after, the stream of visitors dies down.

The government later sends the army to quell the vicious onslaught of the
militia. About 200 soldiers descend mightily upon the region.

Boyi’s mother stops eating and starts muttering to herself, sadly wondering
why she has to suffer like this. This goes on for weeks. She refuses to
participate in escorting Boyi’s spirit away when Baba and his cousin, Kimutai,
bury a banana stem a - custom performed to wade away the spirits of death.

The narrator hopes her brother is more powerful than the soldiers so that he is
not killed. She is encouraged by the stories of how the militia drank magic
portions from Orkoiyot (spiritual ruler) that made their bodies like stone and
how their bodies were made invisible when they were embalmed in bloody
cow dung. She also heard that earth God Yeyiin protected them.

The war prevented people from working on their farms. The militia stole
young crops and animals like goats. Women did not work. They sat in groups
and recounted how the militia killed people and dumped them in rivers, pit
latrines and wells. They went door to door recruiting boys as young as ten and
forcing them to kill close family members in order for them to be strong.

The war leads to the displacement of many fearful villagers who flee their
homes in Kopsiro, Saromet, Chepyuk and Chelebei to Bungoma, Chwele and
the neighbouring country Uganda.

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The militia whose mission was to protect community land turns completely
rogue and abducts young girls to go and cook for them. River Cheptub-burbur
floats with human heads. The men rape their own blood relatives and they
give birth to “pale babies.”

The war also interrupts schooling in the region. The narrator is haunted by
thoughts of being raped or killed by her own brother (p 95). Boyi’s mother is
an obedient woman who always sides with her husband but now she says she
could never run away and leave her son behind.

In January, a neighbor brings disturbing news that Boyi is now Matwa Kei’s
right hand man and is thus a marked man. The war has turned an innocent
pious boy who recited his psalms earnestly to a cold blooded savage. His
parents shed painful tears when they fathom this. The narrator misses her
brother so much. She remembers his boyish laughter and their childhood
games and mischief. She sympathises with him when she imagines his
harrowing experience in the cold caves. She fantasizes about his return and
hopes to fascinate him with tales about the army soldiers.

That night mother and daughter experience different emotions when lightning
strikes the Nandi flame tree in their compound. The girl senses something was
wrong whereas the mother declares that the evil that had struck their home
had been stricken down by the lightning.

The following morning news reaches the family that their son and brother
Boyi had been brutally killed alongside other leaders of the militia. Simoni, a
neighbour, brings a copy of the Nation newspaper that bears the grim news.
The headline forlornly screams Ragtag Militia Leaders Killed by Army
Forces.

"Boyi was hoisted to the aircraft and then after it had ascended up, up like a
kite, he was shoved out by Sah-gent 'without a parachute, imagine'" (p97)

Baba crumples on the floor like an old coat. Mama laughs in despair. The
narrator is too devastated to weep. The mother is too stunned to mourn or roll
on the ground. She only stares at her husband, with lunacy filled eyes. The
situation is sombre.

The devastation caused by the meaningless war culminates into mourning for
the family when they lose their innocent son. The narrator's deluge of tears

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soak her blue silk blouse and purple boob top as she sits on Boyi's bed with her
grieving mother. The father dumps his Sony transistor radio and
the Nation newspaper in a pit latrine.

As the country celebrates the killing of murderous militia brutes, the family
mourns the loss of a loved one – a cheerful boy who spoke good English and
played with his sister, who fondly refers to him as Boyi.

HOW TO WRITE EFFECTIVE KCSE ENGLISH PAPER

3 ESSAYS

If you have read and understood the setbooks, answering questions 2 and 3 in English paper 3
should be easy. After understanding the question, you will need to determine relevant points,
characters, or episodes to use in your essay. Take the first ten minutes to analyze the question
and make brief notes. A high-scoring KCSE essay should have an introduction, four to five body
paragraphs and a conclusion, and should be around 450 words.

KCSE ESSAY INTRODUCTION

According to the 2022 KCSE Report an introduction should show that you understand the
question. One way to show that you understand the question is by paraphrasing the question.

First, identify the key words in the question before rewriting it in your own words. It is good
practice to mention the book title and author. You can also provide a brief summary of the main
points you are going to discuss in your article as in the example below:

Action speaks louder than words. Discuss the truth of this saying using illustrations from
Leonard Kibera's A Silent Song. (20 marks)

The character of an individual tells more than what they actually say. Mbane's brother, In the
story A silent song by Leonard Kibera, Ezekiel, preaches water and takes wine. He is so devoted
to God as a preacher, but neglects Mbane, to agonize in the streets for a long time until he almost
dies.

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WRITING KCSE ESSAY BODY PARAGRAPHS

KCSE essays should have four to five body paragraphs. Each paragraph should start with a topic
sentence that introduces the point you want to discuss. Provide relevant evidence from the text
and explanation after the topic sentence. Names of characters should be accurate to avoid losing
points for textual errors.
Your goal should be to argue and illustrate your point. A common mistake that students make in
body paragraphs is to narrate events from the text instead of showing how the events support
their point. Such paragraphs are described as "thin" by KCSE examiners, and they do not score
full points.

Remember you should be arguing and supporting your topic sentence therefore avoid narrating
the text. As you conclude the paragraph make sure you have a clincher sentence- a statement that
ties your paragraph to the question. So be sure to have about 9 lines of evidence and explanation
in each body paragraph to score full points. You can end your paragraphs with a "clincher", a
sentence that summarizes your paragraph as in the example below:

CONCLUDING A KCSE ESSAY

End your essay with a brief paragraph that summarizes what you discussed in the body. You may
start with the phrase "In conclusion..".followed by a summary of the moral lesson from the
question. Keep the conclusion short, a maximum of three lines.

In conclusion, the true gospel is the action of an individual because it is more practical than mere
words. Actions work and satisfy the heart more than proclaiming the word of God.

OTHER KCSE TIPS

Remember to use simple language in your essay. Proofread your essay to check for spelling,
grammar, and textual errors. We will be posting more sample essays to illustrate the kind of
essays that KCSE examiners expect to see.

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 A SILENT SONG AND OTHER STORIES ESSAY
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
A SILENT SONG ESSAY QUESTION

1. People with admirable traits stand out. Basing your illustrations on

Vrenika Pather's Ninema, write an essay to validate this assertion.

Exemplary attributes arouse respect and approval. Ninema is a young beautiful

woman whose praiseworthy character makes her the embodiment of magnificence.
She stands out from the pack at the market place.

First, Ninema is industrious. She rises early at 4:00 AM to reap her herbs from her
garden. She has green fingers and her crops are healthy. She is also an enterprising
businesswoman. To earn a living, she sells fresh produce at the Indian market. She
learned the trade from her parents. Her business makes good profit. At the end of a
long working day, her hanky bulges with notes and coins. Her diligence makes her
remarkably superior to others.

Secondly, Ninema is resilient. She is as tough as old boots. She is contented and
accepts her situation but does not resign to it. She faces many challenges and wins.
She is thus respected.

Ninema is also focused. She does not pay heed to the trifles when people admire her
for her physical beauty. She is indeed a beautiful woman with long black hair. Her
beauty turns heads. As she walks balancing her baskets on her head, her hips sway
from side to side. Her sari drapes around her perfect body kept in place by her high,
firm breasts. Her long, toned arms and cinched waist cause men to stop and stare. She
faces them with piercing black eyes. Women admire her high cheekbones. She does
not pay heed to the attention. She has laser-like focus on earning a living. She doesn’t
waste time chatting with other women at the market because she has no time to waste.
Indeed Ninema is focused.

Ninema is good-natured and she treats her customers well. She is wise enough to
provide genial customer service. She takes extra care of her first and last customer.
She says they bring luck. She learned her trade from her parents and thus she believes
in the grace and power of generational knowledge. She is also good at accounting.

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She can count faster than you can utter the word “herb”. She treats all her loyal
customers with respect and appreciation. She masterfully handles the stubborn Mrs.
Singh and respectfully calls her auntie.

Furthermore, Ninema is affable and the clients like her. Mr. Chimran is always the
first to support her. The other women joke that he is in love with Ninema. He is a rich
lawyer from the high Brahmin caste. Nonetheless, he is infatuated with Ninema a poor
girl from the low caste. She makes his days. He buys too much from her until the
mother complains. He cannot fathom the idea of an arranged marriage which will
deny him the chance of visiting Ninema's stall. Mrs. Singh is rich but she also enjoys
buying her herbs from Ninema. She haggles for lower prizes simply to spend more
time with Ninema, away from the boredom of her big lonely house. She lingers
bargaining in order to interact with Ninema more. Ninema also takes personal
interest in the lives of her customers. She knows whose son is studying medicine in
India, whose daughter just got married, and who moved into a new house and where
they bought it.

Ninema is self assured and confident. She runs her business with an iron fist. She is
her own person – acts independently with confidence. She does not give in to what
other people expect of her. This thrills as much as it irks many people. It makes the
ladies in the other stands fond of her. They often compromised themselves at work and
at home. This makes them angry with themselves. They look up to Ninema. They
admire her since she is different though she’s one of them. They want to learn her
secret. Mrs. Singh relentlessly bargains for lower prices but Ninema does not budge.

Ninema is organized and that is why her business flourishes. She has a steady flow of
customers. She arranges her herbs appetizingly. The customers are attracted by the
look and smell of her stall. There is high demand for Ninema’s herbs. She is always
busy at lunchtime when the rich professionals patronize her during their lunch break.

Ninema is also tough. When an amorous man blocks her way and tries to harass her,
she stares directly at him. She defends herself by fighting him so ferociously that the
shameless man is left astounded. This attracts cheers and jeers and hearty laughs of
approval from the other women at the market.

Lastly, Ninema is prudent. She is a poor girl living a modest lifestyle but she has big
plans. She saves part of her money with a view of buying a big house of her own.

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Currently her house has neither hot running water nor a kitchen inside. She has to
wash her face and feet using cold water in the outside tap. However, with the money
she’s saving she plans to buy a house with the running hot water and a kitchen inside.
It will have a big garden where she can plant fruits.

In conclusion, Ninema is the pinnacle of magnificence. Because of her praiseworthy

traits, she seems remarkably superior to her peers. Indeed, exemplary attributes
attract respect and make us stand out.

A SILENT SONG ESSAY QUESTION

2. Lack of sound judgment results in regret. Making reference to A
Man of Awesome Power, write an essay to justify this claim.

Lack of good sense results in misguided decisions which may torment us eternally.
In A Man of Awesome Power Tayyib al-Mahdi misuses and in turn loses his awesome
power due to moments of rash imprudence.

Tayyib al-Mahdi uses his awesome power to punish the taxi driver who ignores him
when he hails it. Tayyib al-Mahdi tries to flag down the taxi but the driver ignores
him disdainfully. Unlike when this happened in the past, now Tayyib al-Mahdi is filled
with greater irritation. In this moment of anger, he makes an impulsive decision to
punish the man. He considers that he could make the driver suffer an accident. He
decides to shatter the taxi's rear wheels instead. He knows that he should use his
powers only for good but his anger results in his recklessness. As he walks by the
helpless man, Tayyib al-Mahdi stares at him, resentful and enraged. He feels like he
had taught the man a much needed lesson .

Tayyib al-Mahdi hastily punishes the radio announcer only because he is irritated
with his views. The announcer was expounding on promising developments expected
in the future this is after Tayyib al-Mahdi's memorable services were mistaken for an
awakening of the state or outright renaissance. Tayyib al-Mahdi fills a gaping
pothole, locks a dangerously hanging electrical box, removes a pile of rubbish and
drains a sewer using his awesome power. Tayyib al-Mahdi is irked by the
announcer’s promises who talks about the future instead of talking about what has
been accomplished. Tayyib al-Mahdy is overcome with fury and thoughtlessly
punishes the man with a bout of incessant sneezing. He sneezes uncontrollably until

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he cannot speak and instead plays a recorded song “Walk Around and See”. Al-
Mahdi plans to censor mass media by stopping any talk that annoys him. He would
make speakers that displease him to sneeze spontaneously, emit shrill cries like
women at a wedding, or suffer uncontrollable diarrhoea. Tayyib al-Mahdi is drunk
with happiness and joy.

Tayyib al-Mahdi also misuses his awesome power when he uses it to chase the
gorgeous woman at the zoo at the expense of the righteous plans he has. Tayyib al-
Mahdi visits the tea garden at the zoo purposely to properly plan how to put his new
powers to greater use. However, he instead uses it to seduce a gorgeous and enticing
woman that catches his eye. Tayyib al-Mahdi is filled with an inexplicable desire -
one that is not ordinary and his inappropriate since he has a tremendous burden of
proper planning and awareness of need. This woman does not take notice of Tayyib
al-Mahdi until he sends her a hidden message using his awesome powers, instantly
setting her head-over-heels. He decides to heal himself instead of repairing the world.
This ill-advised move results in the loss of his powers and his vibrant mood. The
miracle disappears like a dream because of his selfish imprudence. He will be
haunted eternally by an awesome sadness.

Tayyib al-Mahdi also makes the unwise decision of applying his power before
properly planning how to use it. First, he performs random miracles. Some are
memorable services like removing a pile of rubbish and draining an open sewer.
Others are born out of sheer resentment and unwise personal vendetta for example
shattering the taxi wheels. He later realizes that he had to consciously plan how to
best utilize the powers. He obtains guides to the department of government, factories
and private companies coastal among the things he plans to fix our prisons schools
and universities commercial markets, then the press etc. He plans to map out every
phase deliberately. He intends to quell any clamor, and deter any digression. He
plans to fix his country then later the world. However, he fails to remain focused on
the plan and is distracted by the beautiful woman at the zoo. He puts his plans on hold
as he instead chooses to use the powers to pursue the woman. This imprudent resolve
results in the loss of his power end he is forlornly tormented by an eternal sadness.

A SILENT SONG ESSAY QUESTION

3. Write a composition showing how war ruins communities making

reference to Boyi by Gloria Mwaniga

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When conflict thrives, it destroys family ties and communal bonds. Family members
are separated from one another, some are traumatized and others killed as a result of
the crisis. In Gloria Mwaniga's Boyi,the militia meant to protect community land from
strangers turns out to be the enemy within, wreaking untold havoc on the same
community they had vowed to protect.

First, as a result of the war some family members are disunited from the rest of the
family. The militia demands 40,000 land protection tax - 10,000 land protection tax
and 30,000 betrayal tax which Baba cannot raise. Baba had lent a panga and
makonge ropes to the government surveyors. Matwa Kei and his thugs deemed this
betrayal. In his desperation, Baba hands over everything he owns - his savings,
precious radio and hunting gun. He promises to sell his bull Mtambakaki to raise the
cash the militia leader was demanding. His pleas fall on deaf ears. He is forced to buy
the safety of his family by handing over his 15 year old son to the militia. This pushes
his mother to the precipice of lunacy. Tearing off her kitenge headscarf she shouts at
her husband - a child is not a match or a dress that one can give away rather
casually. Baba's action caused a rift between him and Mama. He justifies his actions
and says that the aggressors would have tortured or even killed them had he not given
Boyi away. He is, however, saddened that the boys who had vowed to protect their
land had turned on them like a hungry chameleon that eats its intestines. Indeed,
conflict ruins communities.

Conflict causes devastation that pushes some people to the brink of insanity. Boyi’s
sister finds her mother seated alone on a kitimoto in the kitchen. She neither looks up
nor responds to greetings. She screams at the girl to leave some tea for her brother
who will return from the caves hungry. The screaming goes on for weeks. “Stupid
girl, you want to finish tea and your brother will come from the caves hungry,” she
bawls. She would sit stunned gazing at the wall, declaring she envisions her son
returning home after escaping from the snare of the militia. After her monologues, she
would sit sadly and silently. When her madness takes a walk, they would brew tea
together with a girl and she would nostalgically reminisce stories about Boyi; about
how he saved her marriage, his shiny ebony skin and eloquence in English. This is a
clear testament of a mother’s agony, anguish and disconnection from reality. War
really causes devastation to families.

The war drives Baba, a Christian, to partake in a strange cultural practice to escort
Boyi’s spirit away. Together with his cousin Kimutai, he digs a shallow grave and

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buries a banana stem wrapped in a green cotton sheet. He asks death to take that
body and never bother his family again. Boyi’s sister is taken aback that her pious
father had turned his back on religion. Her mother refuses to play a part in the mock
burial. Mama’s voice bears manic vibrancy when she declares that she would not
participate in escorting her son’s spirit away. She has lost touch with reality and lives
in denial. This is as a result of the pointless conflict.

In her anguish, Mama is too despondent to eat. She sits muttering to herself without
touching her food. The food would be thrown away to the kitchen coop. She sits and
talks to herself for hours on end lamenting about her suffering. She asks God to tie a
rope around her stomach - to help her bear the anguish of losing her son to the
ruthless militia. She asks Boyi’s sister if she remembers his perfect teeth. War really
causes suffering of family members.

Also, war disrupts work in the village. That December the farmers do not clear their
shambas for the second planting of maize. The militia steals young crops from the
fields and goats from the pens. Instead of working, men and women sit and exchange
dreadful tales of the horrendous cruelty of the militia. The militia cut up people and
throw their bodies in rivers, pit latrines and wells. They recruit boys as young as ten
who are forced to kill their own relatives. Instead of protecting the land, the militia
goes on an indiscriminate killing spree, and their kin are victims of the aggression
instead of beneficiaries. Boyi’s sister has a terrible dream that her brother attacks her
and chops her into “small-small” pieces. The thought is traumatizing.

Moreover, the war causes displacement of people who leave their homes en
masse. The family of the narrator’s friend, Chemtai, moves away to Chwele. The
villages of Kopsiro, Saromet, Chepyuk and Chelebei are engulfed in a thick yellow fog
of fear. They did not understand the militia’s motive anymore. The thugs take away
girls to cook for them. They decapitate people and throw their heads in Cheptap-
burbur river. They also rape their own relatives. The abused women and girls end up
giving birth to transparent “plastic bag” babies. The narrator imagines the horror of
seeing Boyi’s “plastic bag” baby playing childhood games. Since school is disrupted
by the war, such thoughts haunt the young girl as she spends her idle days under a
flame tree at home.

Because of the war, innocent children turn into savages. Apart from the boys who
were forced to murder or rape their own kinsmen, Boyi has also gone from a God-

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fearing young man to a wanted criminal. Chesaina tells his parents that he is now a
marked man. He says: “This war has taken with it the mind of your son.” The
distressing news crashes Boyi’s parents and reduces both of them to tears. They
cannot wrap their heads around the fact that their good son who recited his psalms
devotedly is now a Matwa Kei right hand man and an enemy of the state. War really
ruins families.

Lastly, Boyi’s family is devastated by the news of his killing. The Nation newspaper
headline screams coldly, “Ragtag Militia Leaders Killed by Army Forces.” Baba
crumples like an old coat due to shock. Mama is too stunned to cry. She simply
laughs. Boyi’s sister is too gutted to weep. War has robbed them of their kin in the
prime of his youth. Boyi is murdered brutally after being flung out of a helicopter
which was mid-air. There was no body to bury or for Mama to slap for that matter.
She does not roll on the ground as is the custom. She is neither bitter nor sad. She
only has the eyes of lunacy and a voice of death. She is truly devastated. She sits on
Boyi’s bed together with her daughter who weeps uncontrollably, her tears soaking
her clothes. War indeed destroys families.

In summary, it is evident that conflict or crisis has no positive outcome. They instead
destroy families and communities.

A SILENT SONG ESSAY QUESTION

4. People living on the streets apply wisdom in order to survive the

difficult conditions. Write an essay to qualify this statement citing
illustrations from Rem'y Ngamije’s The Neighbourhood Watch.

Living conditions on the streets are difficult. To survive, one needs not only
determination and effort but also experience, knowledge and good judgment.
Members of the Neighbourhood Watch apply wisdom to survive the
arduous conditions on the streets.

First, the crew is judicious enough to secure territory-a safe haven for sleeping or just
to lay low when they weren’t out on a foraging mission. The bridge’s underside is
precious real estate to the Neighbourhood Watch. It is an important shelter when it
rains and during cold winter nights. The letters NW sprayed on the columns have the

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same effect as musty pee at the edge of a leopard’s territory. Other crews know better
than to encroach it lest they face bloody retaliation. It is also a safe place to hide their
stash so that they don’t have to lug their scant possessions everywhere they go. More
luggage would slow them down as they rummage their neighbourhoods for food and
other essentials. Elias calls their territory headquarters. In the morning, he wakes up
the rest of the crew and they share a can of water for washing their faces. To a street
family a safe territory is indispensable.

Secondly, they are wise enough to rise early to go searching for food. Elias, Lazarus
and Omagano set out before the light of day is full born. They leave early so that they
can score the real prizes-that is the overflowing bins behind restaurants. In the early
morning one can get edible semi-fresh morsels. In the late morning, the food starts
rotting. The neighborhood watch knows: “the early bird does not catch the worms”.
In order to get there in good time Elias, Lazarus and Omagano lengthen they are
strides. They know that time is of the essence on the streets.

The crew knows that they have to maintain a good bond with other people in order to
survive. Elias has a good rapport with most of the kitchen staff in the city. They refer
to him by the monikers ‘Soldier’ or ‘Captain’. Sometimes, they leave out almost
decaying produce for him and his group. Because of the good relationship, Elias
would sometimes be lucky to get potatoes with broken skins, rotting mangoes, and
wrinkled carrots. The staff would be generous enough to give them smushed leftovers
from the previous night for instance half eaten burgers, chips drowning in sauce or
salads. Most of the kitchen staff are poor and many a time they would need to take the
leftovers to their own families. It is amazing that Elias manages to get some food from
them.

The Neighbourhood Watch crew is so astute that they have organized themselves into
specialised units. Elias, Lazarus and Omagano are always on full duty whereas Silas
and Martin are tasked with searching for other essentials. Before, Elias was in on his
own so when he met Lazarus he suggested that they form an alliance because it was
taxing to rummage for food and other paraphernalia necessary for survival in the
streets. At first, Lazarus was resistant. Cold winter nights forced him to comply. It
worked for them since two people could cover more ground. One searches for food
and the other for other essentials and thus they could do more in a day. Now, they
know that children and women are valuable recruits. Some obstinate guards demand
for a 10 or 20 dollar bribe to let them scavenge through fenced off bins. Elias usually

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pays them but when he has no money Omagano goes behind the dumpster with a
guard and does what needs to be done. The valuables crew on the other hand provide
discarded blankets, mattresses, clothing, reusable shoes, trolleys etc. Trolleys are
useful but they can also be traded for better necessities. The two teams work
separately and meet in the late afternoon. They share the food that is bread, mashed
potatoes, grapes and water. The valuables crew brings newspapers, plastic piping and
poorboy caps.

The Neighbourhood Watch also understands the city and its neighbourhoods. Elias
asks the crew to sleep since they plan to go foraging in Ausblick tonight. It is too hot
to be on the streets now. Night is better and more lucrative for the Neighbourhood
Watch. The crew knows that if they hit the bins early, they may score some good
things in Ausblick for instance broken toasters, blenders, water bottles, teflon pots or
pans, flat screen TV cardboard boxes and even some food. People in Ausblick still
know how to throw away things. Elias, Lazarus and Silas will scout ahead rummaging
for valuables while Martin and Omagano push the trolley. They know that soon
Ausblick will be overcrowded like Olympia and Suiderhof. Pionierspark used to be
worthwhile but not anymore. Now, the Neighbourhood Watch are deterred by peeking
heads, barking dogs and patrolling vehicles with angry shouting men. They know that
the earlier they get to Ausblick the better.

The neighborhood watch understands that in order to survive on the streets one must
focus on the present, not the past or the future. Everyone brings a past to the streets.
Lazarus’s tattoos are evidence of his prison stint. Elias is not scared of him since he
faced gunfire against the South African Defence Forces. Because of hunger or need
for food on the streets, they have no time to think about the past. Elias shares some
street smartness with Lazarus. He says the streets has no future, there is only today.
“Today you need food. Today you need shelter. Today you need to take care of
today”. On Fridays and Saturdays, the crew avoids the streets and retreats safely to
Headquarters. They do this to avoid clashing with patrolling police. Silas wants to
leave but is forbidden from taking Martin with him. Elias and Lazarus mock the fools
who sit on the roadside in Klein Windhoek and Eros waiting to paint a room, fix a
window, install a sink or lay some tiles because they are too proud to forage for food.
They end up going home hungry. Martin thinks that sometimes those “fools” can get a
job and maybe things will be better. Elias insists that “maybe is tomorrow” and there

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is only today. On the street one needs to focus on the present to survive. “Every day is
today.”

Elias and Lazarus share what they have learned on the streets with the rest of the
crew including how they decided to change tack. The crew learned that you cannot
survive by being around people trying to survive. When foraging in the poor
neighbourhoods, you only get what they don’t need to survive. The Neighbourhood
Watch realise that poor people only throw away garbage which is disgusting and
babies which are useless. In the poor neighborhoods you had to be ready to find shit:
old food, used condoms, women’s things with blood, and broken things. When looking
for newspapers to light a fire once, Elias and Lazarus was shocked when they found a
dead baby. They knew it was time to upgrade. They only went there because they
needed to survive. To survive you go everywhere and do everything. You cannot be
picky. But now they know that they should upgrade and go to places where people
have enough to throw away. Neighbourhoods with white people and black people
trying to be white people have such people. They finally get smart and decide to move
away from poor people who have nothing to throw away by themselves.

Lastly the Neighbourhood Watch is wise enough to know that there are some
neighbourhoods you have to avoid. They avoid Khomsadal which is overcrowded and
people drink too much there. They lost their friend Amos there due to his pride end
alcohol. He used to curse people, use ugly swear words and always refused to
apologize. He was then stabbed to death. The Neighbourhood Watch knows that on
the streets are dead bodies bad. Police would roughly demand explanations from
witnesses. They used baton bashes, frustrating paperwork and throwing innocent
people in holding cells. When Amos, died everyone including Elias and Lazarus knew
they had to run away. They were also wise enough to stick to the initial story that they
had nothing to do with the murder when the police caught up with them. They were
beaten, bruised, bleeding, with swollen eyes broken ribs and injured limbs but that
was better than losing life. They are smart enough to completely avoid Khomsadal.

In conclusion, difficult experiences make people wise enough to cope and survive.
Acuity is essential for survival.

GOOD LUCK
FOR SUPPORT; 0718055483

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