LANGUAGE TWO FORM 6 – APPRECIATING LITERARY WORKS OF ART

CHARACTER CHARACTERIZATION

        i.            Kigunda

·         The exploited character

·         Bad tempered and cruel to his family

·         He is Gathoni’s father and wangeci’s husband

·         He is a farm labourer who receives low wages

·         A drankerd

·         A man of contradictions

·         He is illiterate and not wise

·         He is a funny character who despises women despite his weaknesses he have.

      ii.            Gicaamba

·         He is a factory worker who works for long time and he is paid low wages.

·         He is kiguunda’s neighbour and Njooki’s husband

·         He is a wise man

·         He is a traditionalist hence against new religion

·         He is a patriotist and mobilizer as he calls for the people to unit as it is the only weapon for success

·         He is constructive man as he always give positive idea.

    iii.            Wangeci:

·         She is Kiguunda’s wife

·         A wise woman than her husband

·         She force her daughter to get married

·         She is also illiterate

·         She hates the tendency of drinking so much

·         She represents all women experience humiliation from their husband by being bitten and isolated by the system

    iv.            Gathoni

·         She is not educated but eager to be educated

·         Unmarried girl

·         She does not want to be force into marriage hence she wants freedom in her own affair.

·         She is the lover of Muhumi who impregnates her

·         She was gilted by John Muhumi as she ended being chased away by her father

·         She later becomes a barmaid

·         She suffers humiliation of being called a whore or prostitute.

·         She represents young generation who want changes after being frustrated with life.

      v.            Njooki

·         She is Gicaamba’s wife

·         She is aware of the existence of classes hence she believes that it is very difficult for the rich to Marry from the poor people

·         She also represents women who are oppressed

·         She is a wise woman

    vi.            Ahab Kioi wa Kanoru

·         He is a wealth person

·         He is John’s father and Jezebel husband

·         He is Ikuua’s business partner

·         An exploiter

·         He is a black capitalist as he works for the interest of the white(Hypocrite)

  vii.            Ikuua wa (Nditika)

·         He is Kioi’s business partner

·         He also represent the class of black capitalist who exploit fellow Africans

·         He is a polygamist

viii.            Ndugire

·         He is saved and ennglish-swahili/courage” target=”_blank”>courages Kigunda and Wangeci to be saved

·         He also represent the class of exploiter who collaborate with the foreigners to exploit fellow Africans

·         Himself plus Kioi and Ikuua use bible as an instrument to soften fellow Africans so that they can do their evils. Without any protest.

·         He is up becoming rich.

CONTENT

        i.            Exploitation

People like Kigunda and Gicaamba are selling labour power in the plantations of few people like Kioi,Ikuua and the whites and they are paid low wages. This is through the use indigenous like Ikuua and Kioi who act as the middlemen, Landlords and church men. These exploiters link the multinational companies and the Africans

·         Gicaamba provide his man power in the factory he don’t even have time to rest but he is paid very little wages.

·         Also Kiguunda works in Kioi’s farm but also he is paid low wages.

·         These people also use church to exploit people as they demand Kiguunda and Wangeci to have their marriage being blessed as we see that Christian marriage needs a lot of money that’s why Kiguunda takes the loan from the bank to facilitate the ceremony.

·         Also poor people are exploited as they are demanded to contribute something for the buildingof church, despite the fact that they are poor.

·         Generally we find that in this play churches are used to clear the way for the domination of Neo- Colonialism.

      ii.            Land Alienation

• People like Kiguunda and Gicaamba are alienated from their fertile land. The minority like Kioi and Ikuua own large piece of land and the foreign companies are the only people who own Large and fertile land.
  
• The land has been taken from colonial error and even after independence the land has not yet given back to the owner
  
• Poor people are marginalized and are given piece of land to the areas which are not fertile. As we read from the Kiguunda is having one and a half acre for the whole family.
  
• Also we see in the play that rich people work hard to take even the small land that poor people have. The foreigners wants to establish a project but they want to get a small piece of land from Kiguunda i.e one and half acre.
  

      iii.            Awareness
  

  ·         People like Gicaamba are aware with the existence of exploitation that’s why Gicaamba complains that they work for long duration but they are paid low wages. He says they are paid the amount that cannot even sustain their essential needs.
  

  ·         Gathoni also is aware that education is very important that’s why she is complaining to her mother for not having sent her to school. Also Gathoni is aware that she has the freedom of selecting her partner, so she knows her right of making decision.
  

  ·         Also Wangeci is aware on the impact of drinking excessively. That why she tells kingdom to leave that habit, as she knows that they won’t get away (get rid) from the pity of poverty. She knows that many people who used to drink too much they always end up with nothing. This is due to the fact that excessively drinking lead to irresponsibility.
  

  ·         Not only that but also , Gicaamba is aware on the danger of relying on promises that’s why he advise Kiguunda and Wangeci not to rely on promises as promises does not mean delivery . he tells Kiguunda and his wife that Gathoni and John may not marry because of their class differences .
  

  ·         Gicaamba is aware on the best way of solving the existing problem. That’s why he says that they need to come together and think deeply so as to identify their real enemy so that they can select the best way to fight against him/her. So Gicaamba calls for unity and patriotism. Hence he uses a song to mobilize his fellow Africans.
  

      iv.            Conflicts.
  

  ·         Conflict between Gathoni and her parents. This is when Gathoni complain about their poor living condition. She complains that she uses rags and the floor as her bed. Also she complain of not being taken to school like her brother instead she is left at home for domestic activities and for picking tea leaves so that she can get money.
  

  ·         Another conflict is Gathoni Vs her father. This is when Gathoni is back from Mombasa as she tell her parents that she is pregnant. Kiguunda become furious as he claims that Gathoni never listened to his advice.
  

  ·         Conflict between Gathoni Vs John Muhuuni. This is when John cheats Gathoni to conceive so that he can merry her claiming that he is afraiding of marrying a barren woman. Gathoni accept that but after being pregnant and tries to tell John, he refuses chase Gathoni away and accompany her with insult as he calls her a prostitute
  

  ·         Conflict between traditionalist Vs Christians. At the beginning we see Kinguunda , Wangeci, Gicaamba and Njooki are against Christianity as Christianity is connected to the whites and they believed that if they accept Christianity is like to accept neo – colonialism. That why Kiguunda chases the group of singers away from his home. He says he doesn’t see the necessity of contributing for harambee to build the church while it is used only once a week.
  

  ·         Conflict between Kioi’s family and Kiguunda’s family, The first conflict is when Kioi and Ndungire family went to Kiguunda to preach him the word of God and convince her to be Christian. In this case Kiguunda seen to have no interest hence he chases them away.
  

  ·         The second conflict in this is when John Muhuuni impregnated Gathoni hence Kiguunda and his wife decide to go to Kioi’s place to tell him about their idea to let the children marry first this idea has completely denied by Kioi. This cause Kiguunda to be exasperated hence he decides to pull out his sword to threaten kioi so that he can accept the idea.
  

  
        Intra- Personal Conflict:
  

       Gathoni
  

  ·         About the poor living condition
  

  ·         Of not being taken to school
  

  ·         After being jilted.
  

      Wangeci
  

  ·         About obstinate (stubborn) of her daughter
  

  ·         Also after her daughter being jilted
  

  ·         About excessive drinking behavior of her husband
  

      Kiguunda
  

  ·         Unhappy with low wages which makes they live in poor living condition and obstinacy of her daughter.
  

  ·         Also unhappy with the system who seem to favor rich people even if they are guilty. That why Kiguunda uses his sword
  

        v.            Illusion
  

• Gathoni has the illusion that once she get a husband she will have better life but until the end we find that nothing has come as she expects.
  
• Also Wangeci has illusion that the relationship between Gathoni and John Muhuuni will lead to their marriage. She even believes that the visiting of kioi is to talk about the marriage of their children but we see there is nothing like that. She also connect the idea of Christianity as the paving way towards the marriage of their children that means if they accept Christianity it will pave the way of marriage of the two.
  
• Another illusion that Wangeci has is when she believes that Kioi will agree with the idea that they should let the children marry first as John has impregnated Gathoni
  

      vi.            Education
  

  ·         In the play we see that girls are not given chance to education, they are left at home to do domestic activities and to work in forms e.g Gathoni. Girls are not taken to school because of culture influence and poverty of the family. In the play we see that girls are not given equal chances as boys in education. Women are considered as people who are not important in the society. This is gender imbalance in the society.
  

  ·         In the play we see that education is so important as majority who are illiterate fail to opt for the best way of solving problems in different life perspectives eg Kiguunda
  

    vii.            Neo – Colonialism
  

  ·         Not only Germans, Japanese or Americans who buy large area of Kenyan land for ereacting their factories and dominating major means of production but also we see black imperialist enriching themselves under the umbrella of neo- colonialism for instance Kioi who plan to create tourists hotel in Mombasa but he does not want to be recognized hence he uses the name of his son.
  

  viii.            Classes (social stratification)
  

  ·         Ie the classes of poor represented by Kiguunda and Gicaam Vs that classes of rich represented by Kioi and Ikuua who are in antagonism. This is because the rich use the poor to enrich themselves. Other themes include
  

      ix.            Poverty
  

        x.            Disappointment
  

      xi.            Position of women
  

    xii.            Love affairs and
  

  xiii.            nglish-swahili/betray” target=”_blank”>betrayal
  

    3. POETRY

  Selected Poems of East Africa – Institute of Education

  
  

  POETIC APPRECIATION
  Poetic appreciation is a step by step analysis of the features or the elements within a poem
  The word appreciating a poem attempts to understand it in detail and therefore enjoy the sounds and purpose, the elements of the poems also differ.
  There are many ways of appreciating a poem just as they are very many different elements to be found in different poems.
  Since the person appreciating the poem attempts to look in the poems and the success we do not talk about what is not found in the poem rather we are satisfied by the elements within a particular poem
  S – Subject matter
  P – Purpose
  E – Emotions/mood  
  C – Crafts man ship/technique / style
  Can assist as the identify poetic elements in a poem the craftsmanship consist of
                                                             S – Structure
                                                             L – Language
                                                             I – imagery
                                                             M – Movement/Rhythm
                                                             S – Sound
  

  AFRICA BY DAVID MANDESSI DIOP (1927 – 1960)
  Mandessi was born in Bordeaux, France by a Senegalese father and a Cameroonian mother. He was one of the leading lights of Negritude. He published only one book of poetry on which his fame rests. After the independence of Guinea, he went to work there as teacher. He died in a plane crash in 1960 together with his wife. The manuscript of his new book of poetry was also lost in the crash.
  

  AFRICA
  Africa my Africa
  Africa of proud warriors in ancestral savannahs
  

  Africa of whom my grandmother sings
  

  On the banks of the distant river 
  

  I have never known you
  

  But your blood flows in my veins

  Your beautiful black blood that irrigates the fields
  

  The blood of your sweat
  

  The sweat of your work
  The work of your slavery
  The slavery of your children
  

  Africa tell me Africa
  

  Is this your back that is bent?
  

  This back that breaks under the weight of humiliation
  

  This back trembling with red scars
  

  And saying yes to the whip under the midday sun
  But a grave voice answers me
  

  Impetuous son that three young and strong
  

  
  That tree there
  In splendid loneliness amidst white and faded flowers
  That is Africa your Africa
  That grows again patiently obstinately
  And its fruit gradually acquire
  The bitter taste of liberty
  

   PHRASE
  

  The poem is about a person who has lived away from his continent (Africa) therefore he does not know it well.
  

  The person laments about suffering of Africans who works like slave and their blood and sweat plus those of their children irrigate the fields. The person compares Africa with an impressive lonely tee in the middle of the white and fade fowlers. The tree(Africa) has produced fruit which has gradually acquired the test of Liberty
  

  THEMES
  

 

edu.uptymez.com

1. EXPLOITTION
   

 

edu.uptymez.com

     The persona portrays the exploitation done to the Africans who was treated like slaves because they worked and sweated for their masters to enjoy. For instance in stanza two
     “your beautiful……………………

         The message we get from this poem is that 

         All forms of exploitation should be banned in the society

1. UNITY
   

 

edu.uptymez.com

We see the essence of unity as the oppressed Africans who decide to mobilize themselves and form the warriors in order to fight for the liberation of their continent for instance in 1^st stanza the 2^ndverse the persona says

“Africa of proud warriors in ancestral savannahs. The message is that, unity is important to the oppressed so as to end oppression in the society

1. DEHUMANIZATION
   

 

edu.uptymez.com

The personal shows humiliation to Africans as the Africans were treated as if they are not human. While they are in their own continent. For example in 3^rd stanza verse 1,2,3 and the person says,

         ” is this your back that is bent?

This back that breaks under the weight of humiliation.

This back trembling with red scars,

and saying yes to the whip under the midday Sun”.

  The message from this theme is that, all people are the same under. The sun so they deserve equal treatment

1. AWARENESS
   

 

edu.uptymez.com

       This show that the person has realized that though he was not born and grew in Africa still he is an Africa because of the African blood which flows in his vein. As we observe it
in 1^st stanza, 5^th and 6^th verses. The message we get is, “we need to be aware and proud of our origin”.

1. SACRIFICE
   

 

edu.uptymez.com

The poet shows sacrifice made by African warriors who were whipped and shed their blood in ancestral savannahs, the savannah where their blood irrigated the fields but they never give up the fight. We observe this in 1^st stanza the 2^nd verse.

The message we get,

“we need to sacrifice ourselves for the betterment of the society”.

1. ALIENATION
   

 

edu.uptymez.com

The poet shows alienation of those who were born and live in foreign countries like the poet himself so these people who are born and grow in Diaspora they find themselves alienated because they do not enjoy the way indigenous do in their home countries in 1^st stanza the 5^th verse the personal says

“I have never known you”

In this verse we see that the poet he could know his place of his origin and enjoy his home land as the whites do in their home land.

      The message from this theme is that “people should remember their place of origin even if they are born and grow in other places which are not the place of their origin”.

1. LIBERATION STRUGGLE
   

 

edu.uptymez.com

In this poem we see movement done by the African warriors so as to get rid of the colonial regime. For instance in 4^th stanza the last four verses the person says

    “That is Africa your Africa

             That grows again patiently obstinately 

             and its fruit gradually acquire the bitter test of Liberty”

The message from this theme is that, “mobilization, self-sacrifice and until are very important when struggling for liberation in any societ