It's a story of Maidy, a young and ambitious Muslim man living in London. It's a wondrous story that moves rather swiftly, giving the readers the character's conflicts without unnecessarily dwelling too long on their problems. This quick pace helps the author to state, though not explicitly, that the story is not about Maidy, but about a sort Of young, ambitious Muslim caught between modernity and tradition. Majdy is sympathetic and his conflict is a universal one, charmingly rendered. E Story revolves around a young man from Sudan who joins college in London. During his first term, Maidy writes home citing he would not make it and that he would give up and return. EntOuragernent from his mother, who strongly believes he can make it. Maidy weds Samra as the mother advocates. This is made to make him concentrate more on his studies and deter him from marrying a white and losing taste of his culture the beauty of his country. Samra learns that Maidy has religion as he doesn't observe the mandatory prayers and in tries to win him back. Samra is nostalgic and has refused to adapt to new life in London and observes he duties as a Muslim woman. On the other hand, Maidy sinks into the new culture and all he sees looking at his origin country, Sudan, is negativity and backwardness. He tries to discourage Samra but she stays aloof and gets excited when it is suggested to her that she was going to spend holiday in Sudan. Maidy later calls home and announces that he desired to remain inLondon even after his studies. This is ironical as from the beginning he had always expressed attachment to his mother country. SETTINGThe setting of this story shifts from London to Sudan. This could be a deliberate move by the author to compare and contrast life in Sudan and in London. London is depicted as developed politically, socially and economically. Life in London was swift and 'interfered' with normal life. Maidy argues, 'here in London praying was distraction, an interruption 'p 1 12 London was civilized. Life was easy. Samra wondered how one can buy meat already cut up for her. The author observes, 'every Obiect she touched was perfect, qualify radiated from every little thing 13 London is so developed that even Samrc longed to be ill in order to take medicine which was so seducing.


Life was easy. Samra wondered how one can buy meat already cut up for her. The author observes, 'every Obiect she touched was perfect, qualify radiated from every little thing 13 London is so developed that even Samrc longed to be ill in order to take medicine which was so seducing. The author says, 'even the pharmacies were stocked so full of medicine inso many different colors and flavors that she almost longed to ill ' pl 13 Sudan on the other hand is depicted as underdeveloped. Although life in Sudan is still and rhythmic, many elites like Maidy find it ra retrogressive. Unlike in London where begging is illegal, in Sudor beggars are all over. Child labor is a common practice in third world countries as inferred in this story 'Shooing away the baref00children who passed by with loaded trays trying to sell her che gum, hairpins and matches ' P. 1 08 for the elites like Maidy Sud and by extension African Continent is underdeveloped. MOidy thought Samra would be grateful to him for rescuing her from the backwardness of Khartoum. Chaos is in the city and strikes by the civil servants prevail. This is the plight of Africa. THEMESChange. It is said that change is inevitable. Many traditions of people, particularly Africans change when they go to abroad. This is clearly shown by Maidy who abandons his culture e g the mandatory Islamic prayers. He says, "here in London praying was distraction, an interruption ' It is no wonder his mother gets really shocked when she learns about the sudden change of her son. Additionally, he even sees the very fabric of traditions that have held his life together as'backwardness' and retrogressive. It is in that view that Maidy thinks that Samra should be grateful for saving her from 'the backwardness of Khartoum 'Maidy was hardworking back in the days. He was brilliant and always came to the top of his class. He even had appeared on a newspaper at sixteen. In London, Maidy loses his hardworking spirit and 'in his first term at college in London he complained that studies had become hard 'The plight of AfricaLeila Aboulela is concerned about the staggering poverty and underdevelopment in Sudan and the inability of African governments to function at the level they ought to. African has resources but is taken away from the Africans.


He even had appeared on a newspaper at sixteen. In London, Maidy loses his hardworking spirit and 'in his first term at college in London he complained that studies had become hard 'The plight of AfricaLeila Aboulela is concerned about the staggering poverty and underdevelopment in Sudan and the inability of African governments to function at the level they ought to. African has resources but is taken away from the Africans. Sudan is underdeveloped. Children at tender age who ought to be in school are in the streets busy hawking to feed their families 'Shooing away the barefooted children who passed by with loaded trays trying to sell her chewing gum ' p 1 08 Africa is suffering from civil wars. Sudan is politically unstable. Samra's teacher says, 'you must be relieved that you are here, all thatWar and famine back home. The place of women in the society. This is clearly a patriarchal society that believes in the male over female. It is clear that Maidy's mother is left with the responsibility of taking care of her son. Parenting has been left to women. The relationship between Maidy and Samra is domineering one. That could be the reason why Maidy uses abusive language on his wife. She is not supposed to question her husband's behavioral changes. She is not supposed to question him for not doing his prayers and when she does Maidy calls her stupid. TECHNIQUES AND LANGUAGE USE. Narrative voiceThe author has employed third person narrative mode, where every character is referred to by the narrator as 'he', 'she' or 'they'. This makes it clear that the narrator is an unspecified entity or uninvolved person in the story. This kind of narration brings out the thoughts and intentions of different characters hence their character traits are fully developed. A third person narrator is omniscient and omnipresent. Such narrator has knowledge of all times, people, places and events and this makes it possible to shift the plot fromLondon to Khartoum, Sudan. Even then the narrator's knowledge is"limited" to the characters, that is, the narrator cannot describe things unknown to the focal character. Local dialectTo keep it original, the author has used local dialect to avoid the story been confused with European literature. Use of local dialect also helps the reader to determine the physical setting of the story.


Even then the narrator's knowledge is"limited" to the characters, that is, the narrator cannot describe things unknown to the focal character. Local dialectTo keep it original, the author has used local dialect to avoid the story been confused with European literature. Use of local dialect also helps the reader to determine the physical setting of the story. The author has used certain local words among them tobe, zedInshallah, ka 'ba and QiblaHumourMaidy is a humorous character. He gets lazy with prayers and says that it's because life in London is swift. He tells Samra not to cover her head with a tobe because he didn't want to be associated fanatics and backwardness: His culture. It's also humorous that when Maidy complains of studies being difficult for him his mother saddles him with a wife. Ironically this to'IronyIrony is a strange, funny or sad situation in which things happen in the opposite way to what you would expect. It is ironic that Maidy, who does so well in his secondary education certificate, goes to study abroad but complains of studies being hard on him on his first term. There is irony when Maid ' calls home to complain about studies and his mother instead marries him to Samra. One wonders whether marriage makes studies easy or complicates the state of the learner. It is therefore not a surprise that Maidy abandons obligatory prayers completely. It is ironic that Maidy expects Samra to show gratitude and appreciation for saving her "the backwardness" of Khartoum but instead she continues to be nostalgic about the same backwardness and eventually travels back home during the holiday. Maidy asks Samra to take a leave to Sudan so he can also take a break from her but soon after leaving, he feels hollow and empty. CHARACTER AND CHARACTERISATIONThis story like any other short story uses scarcity of characters and this has given the author the opportunity to explore the characters into details giving us their character traits. Each character plays a significant role that clearly can't be overlookedMaidyHe is loving: He shows love and care to Samra. He shows her around and does everything possible to make her happy and comfortable in her new environment; London. He gives her his attention despite his busy schedule. He is supportive: He supports Samra to settle in her new environment. He buys her a mat to use during her obligatory prayers.


He gives her his attention despite his busy schedule. He is supportive: He supports Samra to settle in her new environment. He buys her a mat to use during her obligatory prayers. He is alienatedDetached: He is detached from his culture. He blindly copies the western culture. He abandons the very fabric of hisCulture that holds him together: the obligatory prayers. It is noWonder that he views the practice of his people back in Khartoum, Sudan as 'backwardness 'e is abusive: He calls Samra stupid and sees her as retrogressive for observing her obligatory prayers. He is immoral: He sees it as an opportunity to bring other women in his matrimonial bed when Samra travels to Sudan for holiday. Majdy represents the elites who go overseas either to study or work there and fail to ever return to their countries: The plight of AfricaAfrica suffers from brain drain. Such are the people who appreciate more the western culture and abandon their own. According to Majdy, African culture is inferior to western culture. SAMRAShe is religious: She observes her religious duties in a foreign country and even urges her husband to create time for prayers in her busy schedule. She is resilient: Unlike her husband who is changed by his surrounding, Samra remains as religious as she left Khartoum. She still observes her religious duties despite the fact that life in London is swift. She is naive: Amazed by the kind of development there is in London especially in the field of medicine, Samra is so much seduced by the color and flavor of medicine that she wishes to fall sick that she may use them. She is loving: As a typical African woman, Samra takes care of her husband and it is no wonder he feels hollow and incomplete when she goes back to Sudan for a holiday. She represents Africans who stick to their cultures and admonishes it so much that they actually value it even when in oversees. As a typicalAfrican woman, she adores and cherishes her husband. She represents African women who stand up for their marriages and families. MAJDY'S MOTHERShe is caring: She calls her son to check on her. She gets worried when she learns that her son thinks of dropping because studies have become hard and encourages him to work harder. She is generous: when her son does well in examinations back Khartoum, she throws up a party for him. She invites the villagers te come and celebrate with her.


She gets worried when she learns that her son thinks of dropping because studies have become hard and encourages him to work harder. She is generous: when her son does well in examinations back Khartoum, she throws up a party for him. She invites the villagers te come and celebrate with her. She is selfish: She only thinks of herself and not her son. When he announces that he will stay in London she only complains about her being left alone other than looking at the advantages her son will get. She is hopeful: She hopes that things will not remain dark in Sudan and speaks of a better future. She says, 'But what if things improve here, son? If they strike oil or make lasting peace. She represents citizens who endure hostility and poor standards of living in their African countries with the hope that 'things will improve ' As a mother, she shows love, care and good will to her son. She wishes the very best to him. ACTITIVITYI. Compare and contrast the character of Maidy and Samra2. The university students were demonstrating. Do you think demonstrations can solve problems? Discuss. 3. Discuss irony as used in this story. 4. Discuss the theme of religion5. Maidy's determination to remain in London symbolizes running away from the culture of his people. Discuss. 12. NO NEED TO LIEBY Rolf SchmidBackgroundRolf Schmid's "No Need to Lie" is an extraordinary account of a remarkable life. The author describes his rough painful struggleWith cancer in the both Kenya and Germany. He became a celebrated restaurateur and sportsman and after acquiringKenyan citizenship, he represented his new home in judo, polo, Weightlifting and pistol shooting, excelling in all four of them. He also still got time to emulate his childhood idol, Ernest Heming w as a passionate big game hunter in the African bush. Tragedy through cancer which almost killed him, but sheer determination, and the hand of God saved him. After this ordeal, he ventured become a world champion power lifter in the masters over categories. For this and all his previous achievements in sports, he was bestowed with the Order of the Grand Warrior of Kenya by HisExcellency President Daniel arap Moi. Rolf Schmid has surmounted many barriers in life but a diagnosis of throat cancer came as a terrible blow to the prominent chef.


After this ordeal, he ventured become a world champion power lifter in the masters over categories. For this and all his previous achievements in sports, he was bestowed with the Order of the Grand Warrior of Kenya by HisExcellency President Daniel arap Moi. Rolf Schmid has surmounted many barriers in life but a diagnosis of throat cancer came as a terrible blow to the prominent chef. Summary of IncidentsRolf schmid narrates in biographic way his long painful struggle and fight with cancer. As he battled all those negative emotions, Rolf made a vow to himself that he would not let the disease take him down. After all, he was only 50 years old p 22 It was not an easy fight. The surgery, chemotherapy and medicine took a heavy toll on him. He had lost all appetite for food. HoweverRolf knew that if he did not put something into his tummy, his recover would be severely compromised. The terrible sores inside his mo made any contact with food a painful ordeal. To counter this, he resorted to inserting a long pipe into his gulle through which he poured in food in liquid form. But the battle with cancer was not the cue to take things easy watch life pass by. More than anything else, Rolf's battle with c sums up his character: A never-say-die attitude in the face seemingly insurmountable challenThe well schemed masterpiece ends with Schmid landing back toNairobi where he was accorded a hero's welcome, after having been treated at the Katharinen hospital in Germany. He rejoices together with his wife Asmahan and their children. He felt himself a victor and thathe was beginning a new life. Setting"No need to lie" is set in Kenya. Rolf Schmid had obtained a Kenyan citizenship after staying in Kenya and working as a leading chef inNairobi. Places like Langata road in Kibera are mentioned in the short story where he could drive on his way to and from the job. P 1 31 After the treatments in the Nairobi hospital proved to be ineffective, Rolf was referred to Katharinen Krsnkenhaus hospital in Germany, where he went with Roland for further medication. This makes the setting shift from Kenya to Germany, then back to Kenya, seeking medical attention for his cancerous condition. The events are taking place between late December and earlyJanuary.


P 1 31 After the treatments in the Nairobi hospital proved to be ineffective, Rolf was referred to Katharinen Krsnkenhaus hospital in Germany, where he went with Roland for further medication. This makes the setting shift from Kenya to Germany, then back to Kenya, seeking medical attention for his cancerous condition. The events are taking place between late December and earlyJanuary. His medication journey begun January 8, after his personalDoctor, Mrs. Van Enk's coming back from Mombasa, where he had gone for the Christmas celebration. It begins at the Caren Surgery. Pl 23 Themes a Struggle to surviveOne Of his greatest battles in life was cancer. At 50, he was diagnosed with throat cancer. A fighter with a black belt in judo and a Weightlifter, Schmidt vowed the disease would not put him down. He SUrvived having gone through surgery, chemotherapy and no appetite and COntinued to forge on with life, with gusto. 0. A Burdens of sicknessThere is nothing that burdens Rolf, than his encounter with the throat cancer. It came after he had decided to cut weight, so that at least he, could lead a better sportsmanship life. Little had he known that he would be sick and the weight would cut down itself automatically, until the day he met Mrs. Van Enk, his private Doctor. He was informed that his medical condition needed a lot of urgency, Dr Rupani agreed that he had to admit him and take a biopsy. After 'the test, it was affirmed that he was having cancer and not Aids. P. 1 25 the greatest problem that exposed him to more harm was that his condition was in an alarming third stage, which was second to the last stage. He realized at a very late stage that he was cancerous. The grotesque look of the people in the radiation ward made him scared more than before. After it he become malnourished, with his skin, sagging. As if this is not enough, he was still to undergo four more chemotherapies. He says that he endured four chemo sessions for the four Saturdays preceding. He lost half of his hair and most of his beard. In his last cancer chemo, he got sick, something that made him dismiss all the clinics, the diagnosis and prognosis. He therefore decided to go to Germany.


He lost half of his hair and most of his beard. In his last cancer chemo, he got sick, something that made him dismiss all the clinics, the diagnosis and prognosis. He therefore decided to go to Germany. He fought his tears back as he saw his wife Asmahan cry at the airport, as she was bidding him good bye. He had to undergo a series of treatments befor getting back to his normality. B Love and friendshipRolf Schmid is a man that makes the definition of the word friendship easier. He receives a lot of attention from his native wife and native doctors too, who are assisting in his critical condition Whatsoever. His greatest treasure was his children. His wishful prayer was that he was going to live and see his children grow up, play more polo, do more sculptures and be With Asmahan, His sickness really affected her wife a lot. She is seen weeping, full of tears; she tells him that God is going to be with him. That he has to remember to chant a prayer daily p 132 His children andAsmahan were there ready to receive him after his treatments. They rejoiced together. He was indeed thankful in the way he appreciated the staff at the Germany hospital. He feels troubled, that he did not get time to appreciate Roland, who had taken a lot of core during his sickness time, for he died a year later, of a tragic occident, before their meeting again p 1 35 Techniques and Language Use a Point of viewThis short story is written in the first person narrative voice. The "l" narrator is therefore the protagonist in the story and he narrates the events as he experienced them. This kind of narrative voice makes the events look very immediate to the readers. It enhances aesthetic distance, that degree of separateness between an author and the events they present in the story. The first person narrator also helps create rapport with the readers through the informal use of humour, despite the depressing situation presented at hand. B DialogueThis is a verbal exchange between characters. Dialogue is used to develop characters and themes in the "No Need to lie". Quite a number of dialogues throughout the text. They make usCOmprehend the thematic concern and the plot at large. C Rhetorical questionsA rhetorical question is a figure of speech in which a stat formulated as a question.


Quite a number of dialogues throughout the text. They make usCOmprehend the thematic concern and the plot at large. C Rhetorical questionsA rhetorical question is a figure of speech in which a stat formulated as a question. The question is not supposed answered, or if answered, one is expected to agree With the speaker without any contradiction. On my way to Dr Rupani's, my head did not stop spinning. Fee had finally gripped me. What if it is HI V? Can I live with thought of being on death row? What about the stigma? P. 123 This shows the kind of tension and fear as Rolf had as he travelling to Karen hospital for diagnosis. Was I going to live? How bad was it? Did I have a chance? Too many questions went an answered P. 3 These and other rhetorical questions give us the actual suspense created. They make the audience glued to the eyes. That the reader cannot keep the text aside, not until they have read up to the last dot. A Local dialectsinformal languageThe hallmark of Schmid, successful use of language is his deployment of simple English throughout. This gives the story c relaxed informal tone. It is as if the narrator is telling it to his peers. Ndume-a male animalBwana sirAlhamdulillahi-praise be to Allah the most highBismillahi it's an Islamic exclamation meaning in the name Of their God. This gives the story a local flavor, making the writer to create his mental picture to the audience. Characterization1. Rolf schmidHe is our narrator in the text. He is the one who had fallen victim of cancer. Cathartic effect is really developed on him by the reader, after seeing the struggle he undergoes with the treatment of cancer. He is depicted as being assertive. He refuses to be killed by cancer. He has a strong will and power to withstand all the woes that abides by the medication process for cancer. He is determined, ambitious and indeed devoted. I. Dr. RupaniDr Rupani is quite resourceful. He admits Rolf and takes care of him in the Nairobi Hospital, together with the nurses as he is undergoing the chemo and the radiotherapies. 2. AsmahanAsmahan is Mr. Schmids wife. She is depicted as being a caring and a loving wife to him.


AsmahanAsmahan is Mr. Schmids wife. She is depicted as being a caring and a loving wife to him. She is indeed helpful supportive and a concerned coastal lady, who gets to be attentive to the husband all the time. She is quite emotional in how she really sheds tears as she bids the husband a good bye as he was flying to Germany for the further treatment. Further she is depicted as being a religious woman who proposes that her husband be praying all the time while undergoing treatments at the hospital in Germany. 3. RolandThis is a Helpful, supportive and caring character. He is dutiful; he has taken it upon him to ensure that his friend is healed. He takes him to hospital abroad. I. Is the title No Need to Lie appropriate? Discuss. Activity ii. Compare the medication process in the first world the third world countries, with reference to this short story. Iii. Identify the use of suspense from the story and explain effectively it has been used. Iv. Identify and discuss two major themes from the text. V. Hierarchically, show the stages for battling with cancer. 13THE HANDSOMEST DROWNED MAN IN THE WORLDBY Gabriel Garcia MarquezBackground"The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World" is a short story written by Colombian author Gabriel Garcia Marquez in 1968. Originally written in Spanish, the story was translated into English in1 972, and was published with a collection of Mrquez's short stories entitled Leaf Storm and Other StoriesThe Latin American writer, Gabriel Garcia Marquez presents a true masterpiece "The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World", with events occurring in a small fishing village. It's a coastal, cliff-side town, a desert like cape with no flowers, and so little land that the inhabitants have to throw their dead over the cliffs and into the sec rather than bury them in the ground. The inhabitants are a simple group of people, who believe in myths as strongly as what they see with their eyes. It's such a small village, that the all the men combined fit into seven boats, and there are only about twenty housesSummary of incidentsHandsomest Drowned Man in the world" opens with a group of children playing on the beach of a small fishing village. In the waves a dark and slinky bulge is approaching. It turns out to be a drowned man, covered in seaweed, stones, and Dead Sea creatures.


It's such a small village, that the all the men combined fit into seven boats, and there are only about twenty housesSummary of incidentsHandsomest Drowned Man in the world" opens with a group of children playing on the beach of a small fishing village. In the waves a dark and slinky bulge is approaching. It turns out to be a drowned man, covered in seaweed, stones, and Dead Sea creatures. P 1 38 .This drowned man has a huge impact on the village, which is changed forever by his arrival. The men head to neighboring villages to see if the dead man belongs to one of them, while the women clean off the body and prepare it for a funeral. They will make their houses bigger and stronger and better, and dig for springs in their courtyards, and paint their houses bright colors to make Esteban's memory eternal, and plant flowers on their cliffs so that years from now, sailors going by will see the colors and smell the scents and know that there, on those cliffs, is Esteban's village. SettingMrquez never specifies the time or place of his story, but the action takes place somewhere in Latin America. We know that we're dealing with an isolated village, with no real modern technology, livelihood. That its relies on fishing forThe scenery changes from start to end. At the story's beginning, the village is simply a desert like cape with no flowers. Later we're told that it's arid and windless. This is a dry, ordinary, boring place to live. It's so ordinary, in fact, that the drowned man, a truly extraordinary guy' has no place in it. Esteban is incompatible with the village as it first exists. And so with his arrival, Esteban transforms the village into place as extraordinary as he is. Themes"The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World" explores the which human beings overcome personal isolation through collective community. In this story, common beliefs in the fantastic bring together the members of a small fishing village. The men, women, and children of this community are united by their common desire for self-improvement. Together, they imagine a better future for themselves, a future in which they are as extraordinary as the myths in which they all believe.


In this story, common beliefs in the fantastic bring together the members of a small fishing village. The men, women, and children of this community are united by their common desire for self-improvement. Together, they imagine a better future for themselves, a future in which they are as extraordinary as the myths in which they all believe. The drowning man therefore becomes a true tablet for isolation to the villagers2 Men and MasculinityMasculinity is narrowly defined in "The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World " Size, strength, and attractiveness are all synonymous with masculinity in this story. However, non-physical traits like compassion, humility, leadership, and modesty are also associated with the notion of what it means to be a man. A true man is defined on his physical appearance, and their physical muscle. That, the man would not have drowned in their village, because theirs is a shanty village and therefore unable to accommodate such a handsome gigantic looking man P. 41 The highest ideal of masculinity is shared and admired equally by both men and women in this story. 3 Transformation"The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World" explores the transformative effect of one dead man on an entire village. It argues that a truly great person has the power to change othersO inspire them to be better, to make them want to be extraordinary. It's interesting that, in this story, the villager's transformati00originates entirely from within. The dead man is dead, after all'which means the villagers are responsible themselves and for the4 Admiration"The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World" means for a person to be great, and what effect such a person canThose women, who went for flowers, to a far village, now that theirs an arid zone, came back with their friend, women from the neighboring villages. On seeing how handsome the drowning man was, they admired him a lot. They went back for more flowers. Admiration can be directed toward, but at some point, the story teaches us, it turns inward, toward the self, and manifests as a desire for self-betterment. Techniques and language use1. Symbolism, Imagery, AllegoryGabriel Garcia Mrquez presents this work, full of sea imagery, from the title on forward. When the dead body first approaches the shore, the kids playing think he is a whale; then, a ship.


If the village is dry and colorless, the drowned man brings with him the possibility of lively springs and bright flowers. And sure enough, this possibility is soon realized. As the women prepare for the drowned man's funeral, they go to get flowers from neighboring villages. They return with other women who could not believe what they had been told, and those women wer back for more flowers when they saw the dead man, and they brought more and more until there were so many flowers and so many people that it was hard to walk aboutThey were going to paint their house fronts gay colors to makeEsteban's memory eternal and they were going to break their backs digging for springs among the stones and planting flowers on the cliffs so that in future years at dawn the passengers on great liners would awaken, suffocated by the smell of gardens the high seas. This is a far cry from the desert like cape we first met at the beginning of the story. ThirdPerson Limited Omniscient might be tempting to label this story is told from an omniscient point of view. After all, the narrative gets into the heads of many different villagers at many different times. But realize that all the information get is from the perspective of the villagers we are limited to their we know what they know, and only what they know. At first, the children playing think the drowned man is a ship, and then a whale. We don't know he's a man until they realize he's a man. The villagers never know where the drowned man came from, so neither does we. They think he is called Esteban, so for the purposes of the story, he isEsteban. L. AllusionThis is a style in writing which the writer refers to a statement or quotations of incidents to clarify a pointBiblical allusion:When the men came with the news that the drowned man was not from the neighboring village, the women, with iubilation, chanted in the midst of their tears, "praise the lord, " they sighed "he's ours" this makes us to comprehend their social set up under the religious perspective.


They think he is called Esteban, so for the purposes of the story, he isEsteban. L. AllusionThis is a style in writing which the writer refers to a statement or quotations of incidents to clarify a pointBiblical allusion:When the men came with the news that the drowned man was not from the neighboring village, the women, with iubilation, chanted in the midst of their tears, "praise the lord, " they sighed "he's ours" this makes us to comprehend their social set up under the religious perspective. Historical allusion:The Story alludes to Homer's Odyssey mentions the Sirens "Some sailors who heard the weeping from a distance went off course, andPeople heard of one who had himself tied to the mainmast, remembering ancient fables about sirens"Refers to the crying during Esteban's funeral and the crying is like the ring songs of the sirens. Esteban is a "myth"Characterization a The Drowned Man Esteban Although he is a stranger-and a dead stranger at that steb plays a central role in the villagers' lives. He does not speak, yethis j face and his body speaks for him, telling the villagers how sorry he is to be such a bother, large and cumbersome as he is. They intuit that he is ostentatious, stoic, dignified, kind and considerate, yet authoritative enough to command the fish to jump into his boat when he is fishing. The women of the village find him"speaking" to them in other ways, making them compare their husbands to his splendid size and handsome features. They are certain that he would be have been embarrassed of his huge size and the inconvenience it caused those around him, and even now, the hassle it's causing the villagers in trying to bury his huge body. The drowned man is given an honorary family and a beautiful funereal ceremony. A The WomenThe women respond to Esteban with care, then admiration, then longing, and finally, ownership. We know more about the women of the village than we do about the men, simply because we spend more time in their perspective. Much of the characterization of the drowned man comes from the women. That is, it isn't the drowned man being characterized as much the women's idea of the drowned man that is described.


This is an act of deliberate killing of another human being. The themeOf murder is quite open in the story. Winnie is dead. She has been killed by her friends for their own selfish gain. '. Winnie starts to suspect of her being killed as the story unfoldsShe felt it at very first time when Chelsea proposed of another honey moon in Africa. ". Winnie nearly dropped her cup at Chelsea's remarks. The scowl returned. To hide it, she put the cup on the table and reached for a hanky to wipe her face " P. 1 46 She even said it publicly that someone was trying to kill her. ". Someone's trying to kill me!". P 1 48 At the end of the day, she disappears, only to be recovered at the dead dumping site, according to Simon, that is the pond. 2 BetrayalBetrayal is fully identifiable in this story, in the way Winnie's death being plotted. Winnie turns out to face betrayal from her friends, worse still to her husband. Everyone turned to Winnie, for she'd dropped her spoon and her face had lost color. She was struggling to keep the food in her mouth. She lost the battle and dumped the stuff into the napkin on her lap. ". Is that where you'll deposit my body?". She said. This implies that Winnie is indeed sensing the betrayal from far. Many people, including me, believe these three conspired to murder without the cooperation of the Paulsons. I became firmly convinced Of this last night, after BBC radio reported that Peter had marriedChelsea. Tim was the best man. The Paulsons skipped the wedding ' P 162-163 This is Simon, the narrator, who puts things clear that betrayal was at its peak in Winnie's death. I GreedThis is actually the excessive yearning or desire for more than it's needed. This is especially desire for money, wealth, food, or other material possessions. Tim and his friends yearn for Winnies chair ship, and wealth to a point of eradicating her. '. The Yard discovered that Tim called a poacher in Kenya shortly before Tim came to Uganda, but they couldn't prove that the poacher provided Tim with the dart gun ' p 1 62 However, their greed doesn't succeed. ". The publicity hurt the Paulsons charity so much that it ceased all activities two years after Winnie's death.


Tim and his friends yearn for Winnies chair ship, and wealth to a point of eradicating her. '. The Yard discovered that Tim called a poacher in Kenya shortly before Tim came to Uganda, but they couldn't prove that the poacher provided Tim with the dart gun ' p 1 62 However, their greed doesn't succeed. ". The publicity hurt the Paulsons charity so much that it ceased all activities two years after Winnie's death. They now live a quite life in their mansion. They are volunteer teachers at a local school. I don't work for them anymore " p 1 62 Winnie's lawyers fought to prevent Tim, Peter and Chelsea from inheriting her money and Gala, but after the trail, there was no reason why they couldn't. 2 HypocrisyThis is a pretense of holding beliefs, feelings, or opinions that one does not actually possess. When one applies criticism to others, or actually the moral self contradiction in that case whereby you plan good things with your 'in-quotes' friends leads to hypocrisy. Innie is living with friends who in deed are foes and at the end of the day decides to kill her. As illustrated below:"Peter, " Winnie hissed, "when I die the police will question you first. You won't mention that we quarrel every day, will you? You won't mention that we quarrel every time we go to bed, so I better publicize it P. I 52 This illustration now clearly indicates that peter is cheating onWinnie, with Chelsea "Shut up!". Peter shot out of his chair, banging tis fist on the table at the same time. He upset a glassYou won t shut me up! You are cheating on me with Chelsea!""Oh Winnie!". Chelsea said "Don't you Oh Winnie me!". P.l 52 Techniques and language use a Narrative voiceFirst person narrative voice is a narration that has been told from the perceptive of a first person narrator. The T narrator is therefore the protagonist in the story and he narrates the events as he experienced them. This kind of narration makes the events to be quite immediate to the reader and hence, it becomes engaging to read. Dilman Dila also uses present tense intertwined with the usual past tense in this story about events that happened in the past. It is as if he is giving commentary on the event.


This kind of narration makes the events to be quite immediate to the reader and hence, it becomes engaging to read. Dilman Dila also uses present tense intertwined with the usual past tense in this story about events that happened in the past. It is as if he is giving commentary on the event. A rapport therefore between the narrator, Simon, and the reader is created. B Vivid descriptionOne of the ways through which an author can make hisher works to be tangible, enjoyable, and memorable and eye catching is by using vivid description. It's through vivid description that the thematic concern of a story floats in the reader's sea. Below are some of the descriptions in the story. At this time of the year, the hundred feet wide pond had green slime on its surface. Flowery vegetation draped the mountain of rocks that formed a ring around the water. White stones pocked the muddy shore. Several bird species flew about, chirping and singing to add beauty to the scene. We followed the cop to the pond. It looked like a paradise that morning. The encircling cliff of white rocks draped in vegetation stood clear against a blue sky, casting a shadow that offered solace from the sun's heat rays. Where there was no slime, the water sparkled in calmness. The birds chirped louder than ever, and darted about in larger numbers than I'd ever seen PI 59 a DialogueA series of dialogue has been employed in this story. This is discourse between two or more characters in a work of art. ". L am Sergeant Pascal Kivumbi, " he said "Sub County Police- a title that doesn't exist-"Where is the missingCommander woman?"That question scared the people on the porch more than his appearance did p 1 54 Dialogue creates a sense of immediacy in the text, and an illusion of reality. It appears as if we are listening to the narration a video watching it, making the story appeal to almost all the senses. Characterization i WinnieWinnie is a character who appears to be quite suspicious, "Just paranoid! Why did you go with that cook to the pond? He's the cook, Tim! He can poison my food!"She seems probing and observant in this excerpt "He took you to that pond to show you where you can deposit my body after he's poisoned me! Didn't he?"The flow of events in the story gains momentum through her.


He's the cook, Tim! He can poison my food!"She seems probing and observant in this excerpt "He took you to that pond to show you where you can deposit my body after he's poisoned me! Didn't he?"The flow of events in the story gains momentum through her. Ii SimonSimon is the narrator of Stones Bounce on Water. He is a cook who is working at Meg's home, together with some two other young men. He spears to be comical. However, he is concerned and remorseful; in the way he is deeply concerned by the death of Winnie, and finds all the details, even after Winnie's death. Iii Sergeant Pascal KivumbiSergeant Pascal is an ambitious, self driven man, who is committed to Performing his duty as a police officer. He works with a lot ofC Ompetence and prowess. He is a hard working, confident man, who doesn't give up, not until he gets to find out the route course of innies death. In line with the war, children are also recruited into war as soldiers. Mostly this is done against their will and they end up missing on their childhood. Kamara is tortured and eventually amputated by child soldiers who are her age mates. She pleads with one child soldier to have mercy on her as she is his age but the child soldier hears none of that. Victims of violence and conflicts are forced to live under pathetic conditions. Kamara, her cousins and aunt have to live in a camp for amputees in Freetown. This camp is full of filthy litter and full of dirty bodies. More so they are forced to beg on the streets to get what to eat. Children who undergo such violence like what Kamara goes through have psychological torture. Kamara mentions that she is enrolled in high school before she is swallowed by thoughts of her past and family. It's very clear that conflicts, which are mostly fueled by hatred has detrimental effects on innocent, children and women. They are the ones who suffer the greatest brunt of such. They suffer a lot, they are handicapped, displaced from their homes, are forced to live in pathetic conditions and some even lose their lives. LDiscuss the traits of Ali Mahfouz as brought out in this story ALMOSTHOME by Barry McKinley. Ali Mahfouz is the main character in the short story "Almost Home".


They suffer a lot, they are handicapped, displaced from their homes, are forced to live in pathetic conditions and some even lose their lives. LDiscuss the traits of Ali Mahfouz as brought out in this story ALMOSTHOME by Barry McKinley. Ali Mahfouz is the main character in the short story "Almost Home". He faces an imminent deportation from Ireland. He exhibits a lot of traits as he attempts to fight back against the deportation. The writer paints Ali as deceitful. He tells people that he is a medical student and even puts a picture on face book that shows him at the surgeons' college with college books yet the books are only telephone directories. He only does menial jobs in Ireland for survival but he has not gone to study medicine. In addition he walks with little white buds in his ears as if he is listening to music from the iPod yet he doesn't even know how to load the gadget with music. Ali is Hardworking as he does all kinds of jobs in Ireland to cater his upkeep. For instance he slices kebab meat; while working for twEgyptian brothers, also he power-washes cars, scrubs pots and wipes tables. When he just arrives in Ireland, Ali makes many friends. He is quite charming and sociable. He Makes Slattery to laugh all the time despite being in a serious situation this bringsAli is Stubborn, He has been warned by Tarrant not to cause any problem while they travel yet he attempts to escape twice. Furthermore, the government has tried to deport him twice, where every time he is disruptive on the plane threatening of blowing up the plane with a bomb in his possession. Despite all these he still lives in Ireland. With all the attempts to be deported from Ireland, Ali tries all means to prevent it from happening- He threatens to blow up the plane twice; he attempts to escape from Slattery and Tarrant inFrance and Spain. As a last resort he decides to drown himself in sea provided it is a way to escape from being deported. This brings out his determined nature. Ali Observes keenly enough to note thatSlattery has good French. Ali also notes that Slattery has no wedding band despite him being in mid-thirties and handsome. Ali loses hope with life in his country, he is disillusioned, and this is what makes him to opt and go to Ireland and seek a better life.


Ali Observes keenly enough to note thatSlattery has good French. Ali also notes that Slattery has no wedding band despite him being in mid-thirties and handsome. Ali loses hope with life in his country, he is disillusioned, and this is what makes him to opt and go to Ireland and seek a better life. Because of poverty, his family is cramped together in the apartment'Ali imagines of life in prison, lack of food, clothing and having to pay bribes. This shame and fear causes him to jump into the sea. Ali manages to stay in Ireland as an illegal migrant due to his deceitful nature, and he determinedly avoids being deported3. THE UMBRELLA MAN by Siddhartha GiaooDiscuss the stylistic devices employed in the above story and give their effectiveness. Siddhartha Gigoo has used language distinctively in order to pass across his message. More so he has employed various styles to necessitate character development and flow of the plot. This story is told from a third person point of view, where the narrator gives us the story from what he observes. The narrator gives us what number seven does and what other inmates do in the story. This facilitates the development of the story. The writer has used vivid description extensively to bring out the picture of the confinement of the inmates in the asylum, the place with limited freedom. The area in the asylum that is allowed for movement is described as "... The wall around the one hundred and twenty-square-meter compound ninety something yards in the narrow avenue outside the gates that ended at another wall. Beyond that brick-and stone wall was a vast darkness "The umbrella possessed by Number 7 is described as a yellow-andred striped, beautiful Umbrella. It was the most beautiful thing in the entire asylum, more beautiful than the bed of wild flowers along the wall. Dialogue has also been used. Number 7 converses with the barber about rain which shows Number 7's fascination with rain. There is dialogue between doctors and Number 7. This conversation reveals change in the state of Number 7's health such that he is free to go. He has been obedient and shown a calm disposition to facilitate his release from the asylum. The dialogue between Number 7 and his friend the puny little fellow reveals Number 7's anticipation for freedom and the little puny fellow's fear of destruction that can be brought about by rain. I4.


He has been obedient and shown a calm disposition to facilitate his release from the asylum. The dialogue between Number 7 and his friend the puny little fellow reveals Number 7's anticipation for freedom and the little puny fellow's fear of destruction that can be brought about by rain. I4. Discuss the major issues highlighted by the writer in the storyWINDOW SEAT by Benjamin Branoff. Every writer sets out to pass a certain massage or communicate a particular issue to the audience through their work of art. This is the main reason why stories are written. Benjamin Branoff highlights a few concepts in the story "Window Seaf 'To start with, the author addresses the issue of lawlessness on our roads. Vehicles should always follow traffic laws on the roads for safety. In this story however, law and order is not followed as it should be. For instance, the public transport vehicles are so much overloaded. Passengers are literally packed. Conductors carry excess passengers as the narrator says a mini-van meant to carry ten passengers now carries twenty four of them. It even becomes worse when it comes to rush hour where they carry twenty eight with others standing. The drivers also bribe the traffic policemen in order to get away with this crime. Even when things seem to be okay with the vehicle the policemen solicit for bribes to an extent of removing the car keys from the ignition. The bribe here is a very powerful voice that the police use to silence the adamant drivers. The passengers suffer on these roads. The narrator says that one learns no to commit to a long road because of discomfort. However, they don't seem to care or they are used to it. They even smack their lips loudly when the policemen take bribes but they don't take any step. It is even because of overloading that makes it easy for Kanga to rob the narrator. PhotosetterBot:Poverty is also portrayed in this story. The people at the bus stop ar said to be in sandals and others are barefoot. This means that cannot afford better shoes. The passengers could be suffering in silence in the overloaded daladala because of poverty. This is because they pay less money for fare. The narrator describes Kanga that shehaso trim figure probably caused by a lifetime of hard work and deprivation of luxuries. This shows that she cannot afford luxuries. We also think that what made her to steal from the narrator is poverty. The aggressiveness of touts in town is also a sign of poverty.


This shows that she cannot afford luxuries. We also think that what made her to steal from the narrator is poverty. The aggressiveness of touts in town is also a sign of poverty. This iso society where one must struggle to make ends meet. That's why they scream and shout and also convince people to take their daladala. Corruption is also evident in this story especially on the roads where the policemen who were supposed to guarantee safety on the roads take bribes and also collude with drivers in order to escape facing the law. The corrupt police officers seem to have taken bribes as their rights because even if the vehicle has everything right they force the drivers' submission by taking the keys from ignition. The word Mzungu means a white man. The Africans call them this to mean he is from the white race. The Africans see this man, the narrator as more superior than them and use even a spectacle that he is using public transport. When the guard greets him at the cityChuo everybody turns to see him. Africans perceive the white men as rich and wealthy that's why Kanga robs him in the vehicle. The narrator chooses to date Monique a French girl because sheisfre their race. He says, 'I should be with the French girl La fille becau French women absolutely like American men 'Major issues that can be related to our day to day lives are highlighted in the story. Such issues such as corruption, poverty and lawlessness on our roads need to be dealt with for better life.


THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE BY BERTOLT BRECHTTHE AUTHORBertolt Brecht was a German poet , playwright and theatrical reformer. He was born in 1898 and became one of the most prominent figures in the 20th-century theater. Bertolt Brecht was concerned with encouraging audiences to think rather than becoming too involved in the story line and to identify with the characters. Bertolt Brecht was born in Augsburg, the son of Beltold Brecht, the director of a paper company, and Sophie Brezing, the daughter of a civil servant. His father was a Catholic, and his mother a Protestant. Both parents hailed from Achern in the Black Forest. Brecht began to write poetry as a boy, and had his first poems published in 1914. Between 1919 and 1921 he wrote theatre criticisms for the left-wing Socialist paper Die Augsburger. After military service as a medical orderly, he returned to his studies, but abandoned them in 1921. During the Bavarian revolutionary turmoil of 1918, Brech wrote his first play, Baal. From this period also dates his poem, 'Legend of the Dead Soldier'. It was cited by the Nazis as one of their strong reasons to deprive him of German citizeship in 1935. Like several other poems, it was set to music by the author, and sung to the accompaniment of his guitar in a Berlin cabaret. Brecht's works have been translated into 42 languages and sold over 70 volumes. The Caucasian Chalk Circle was written in 1944 in Hollywood. Drawing on the Greek tradition, he wanted his theater to represent a forum for debate hall rather than a place of illusions. He aimed to take emotion out of the production, persuade the audience to distance from the make believe characters and urge actors to dissociate from their roles. Then the political truth would be more easy to comprehend. Once he said: "Nothing is more important than learning to think crudely. Crude thinking is the thinking of great men.". Brecht formulated his literary theories much in reaction to Georg Luk cs 1885-1971 , a Hungarian philosopher and Marxist literary theoretician. He disapproved Luk cs attempt to distinguish between good realism and bad naturalism. He died in 1956. SETTINGThe Caucasus is a region that bridges Europe and Asia.


He disapproved Luk cs attempt to distinguish between good realism and bad naturalism. He died in 1956. SETTINGThe Caucasus is a region that bridges Europe and Asia. The Caucasus is divided by the Caucasian mountain ranges into two regions:The northern slopes of the mountains reach into Chechnya and other border states of the former Soviet UnionOn the southern side of the mountains are the modern-day countries Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Grusinia, where The Caucasian Chalk Circle takes place, is a ctionalized version of the modern day countries; Georgia and Azerbaijan towards the end of the WWII in 1944. The play was translated to English by Eric Bentley. The play is a comedy, with a happy ending. The play is based on communism i.e. whoever can make the best use of resources in order to provide for others deserves to get the best of the resources. Brecht shows communism through three stories;The ownership of a piece of land between goat herders and fruit farmers. In the end through arbitrators, the fruit farmers get the valley because they will use the land better. The story about Grusha the kitchen maid, through the use of Solomonic law: Solomon and the baby from the bible . Grusha gets the baby because she deserves him. The story about Judge Azdak. His fair judging in favour of the peasants made him very popular especially among the poor. THE TITLEThe Caucasian Chalk Circle is derived from a circle Judge Azdak orders Shauwa to draw, .............get a piece of chalk and draw a circle on the floor. Pg 97 . Its purpose is to determine Michael s real mother. Both Natella Abashwili and Grusha Vashnadze desire custodian of the child. Shauwa is directed to place the child in the circle and the mother to hold him by the hands and pull him out. Whoever pulls him out of the circle would retain him. It is ironical that Natella, Michael s biological mother, is denied custody of the child when she pulls him out. Grusha declines to tear the child and consequently ends with the child. The title symbolically signifies the possibility of surrendering what might be rightfully yours for better utilization.


It is ironical that Natella, Michael s biological mother, is denied custody of the child when she pulls him out. Grusha declines to tear the child and consequently ends with the child. The title symbolically signifies the possibility of surrendering what might be rightfully yours for better utilization. The play infers from both a Chinese play Circle of chalk written in 1300 AD and a biblical story The judgement of Solomon- 1 Kings 3: 16-28 In the Chinese story, a young girl, HAi-tang, bears a child as the second wife of a wealthy man. His first wife claims the child is her own. However, the second wife is judged the true mother when she refuses to pull the child apart in the test of the Chalk Circle. In the biblical story, two women live in the same house and both bear a child. One baby dies in the night and its mother swaps him for the living baby. Both claim the living child is their own. Solomon orders that the child be cut in two and each half be given to each mother. The real mother of the child gives up the child rather than see him harmed and is judged to be the true mother. The agriculturist and herders are seated in circles as they negotiate and in the end the herders agree to surrender their claim on the valley of Rosa Luxemburg since they would put it to better use. SYNOPSISThe Caucasian Chalk Circle begins with a prologue which captures a dispute between two communities; the fruit growing and the goat farming one. The clash is over who should own and manage the valley. The Goat Farm Commune Group is the original owner who had relocated due to the advancing Hitler s army. The fruit growing Commune has demonstrated interest in the piece of land. A delegate from Tiflis-the capital of the Soviet State of Georgia-has been sent to settle the dispute. The Fruit Growing Collective Farm has made elaborate arrangements of irrigating the valley so as to make it more productive. The delegate awards the land to the fruit growers because they have plans to use the resources better despite the land originally belonging to the goat farming group. Act one begins when the city of Grusinia has been taken over by the iron shirts and the governor, Georgi Abashwili, is beheaded in a coup that has been planned by his brother, the Fat Prince and his head fastened on a wall.


The Fruit Growing Collective Farm has made elaborate arrangements of irrigating the valley so as to make it more productive. The delegate awards the land to the fruit growers because they have plans to use the resources better despite the land originally belonging to the goat farming group. Act one begins when the city of Grusinia has been taken over by the iron shirts and the governor, Georgi Abashwili, is beheaded in a coup that has been planned by his brother, the Fat Prince and his head fastened on a wall. The governor s wife Natella flees and in the process abandons her child, Michael. Fortunately, the kitchen maid Grusha salvages the child from the soldiers and the Fat Prince and escapes with him to her brother's place in the Northern Mountains, pursued by soldiers. She endures great suffering in the way, including hostile and uncooperative people. She finally gets to her brother s place but he the brother insists that she must be married to an almost dying man by the name Jussup. Jussup has faked illness to avoid taking part in the war. When it is announced that the war is over, Jussup miraculously recovers. Grusha is stuck with a husband she did not want. When Simon Grusha s lover returns from the war, he discovers that Grusha is married and suspects that Michael is her child. Later, the child is taken away from her by some soldiers who claim that he belongs to Natella and he is taken back to the Caucasian village. Through a flashback, the writer explains how the Grand Duke is sheltered by Azdak, later to be judge, soon after he escapes the bloody coup. However, Azdak is not aware that he is hiding a dangerous fugitive and fearing he might be branded a traitor he presents himself to the soldiers to be tried and soon wins their favour and is installed as judge. Azdak judges four very weird cases, ruling in each case in favour of the poor. He soon gains reputation for supporting the poor. He serves for two years as a judge, before the return of the Grand Duke. He is arrested for being a traitor and as the soldiers are about to kill him, he is saved by the Grand Duke who recalls that he saved his life. He reappoints him to be the judge. The major case that Azdak handles is that of Grusha and the child.


He is arrested for being a traitor and as the soldiers are about to kill him, he is saved by the Grand Duke who recalls that he saved his life. He reappoints him to be the judge. The major case that Azdak handles is that of Grusha and the child. The governor s wife wants Michael back because without him, she cannot take over the former Governor s wealth. However, Grusha wants to keep the child because she has raised him for the past two years. Interestingly, even Simon offers to support her in the trial. When Azdak listens to the case, he orders a Chalk Circle to be drawn, after he learns what Grusha has done to the child. The child is placed in the middle and orders the two women to pull saying that whoever can pull him out of the circle will get him. The governor s wife pulls whereas Grusha lets go. This is repeated and finally, AZDAK gives Michael to Grusha. The governor s wife is ordered to leave. Michael s wealth is taken and made into public gardens. The message the author is passing across is that resources should belong to those who make better use of them- the child to Grusha, just the same way the valley goes to those who will take care of it. In the end, Azdak divorces Grusha from Jussup, paving way for her to get married to Simon. Azdak disappears never to be seen again. PROLOGUESummer of 1945The play begins with a prologue an introduction to a play that captures a conflict between members of two collective farms both who claim a stake in a disputed valley. The two rivals are: Goat Farm Rosa Luxemburg and Fruit Farm Galinsk. The two are neighbours. The goat herding commune claims to be the original owners of the disputed land until Hitler s armies forced them to relocate. The fruit growing commune has laid down an elaborate plan to irrigate the valley for agricultural purposes. They intend to use a dam across the mountain lake and water seven hundred acres of infertile land and plan to plant vineyards and orchards thereA delegate from the State Reconstruction Commission from Tiflis-the capital city-has been sent to arbitrate on the dispute. He intimates that Goat Farm Rosa Luxemburg occupied the valley before moving East on orders from the government.


The fruit growing commune has laid down an elaborate plan to irrigate the valley for agricultural purposes. They intend to use a dam across the mountain lake and water seven hundred acres of infertile land and plan to plant vineyards and orchards thereA delegate from the State Reconstruction Commission from Tiflis-the capital city-has been sent to arbitrate on the dispute. He intimates that Goat Farm Rosa Luxemburg occupied the valley before moving East on orders from the government. The Goat herding commune is now dissatisfied with their new grazing land which they claim is not palatable to their animals. They claim that the valley belongs to them from eternity and the law attests to that. However, members from the Fruit Farm Galinsk explain the reason why they deserve to own the valley. An amicable solution is finally reached when the land is awarded to the Fruit growing commune and the two groups settle down to eat and drink. Entertainment soon follows when a legendary singer- Arkadi- is invited to perform an old Chinese song entitled, The Chalk Circle. This song is about two stories which have a bearing on their resolved dispute. The prologue serves several functions; first, it gives the play a unique structure, secondly, enables the playwright to pass on his her key message and the moral of the play to the reader or audience before he or she watches or reads it. Bertolt roots for communism, that whoever can make good use of something should keep it. THE NOBLE CHILDThis part opens with Arkadi- the singer narrating a story about Georgi Abashwili, the governor in Grusinia and a rich man who owns numerous horses and soldiers. He is married to Natella and they have a son, Michael. On the morning of the Easter Sunday, the governor s family goes to church. At the gateway, he is confronted by many beggars and petitioners. Mothers hold emaciated children as people with clutches and petitions beg for money. They complain of high taxes, starvation and bribery. The governor ignores them and soldiers whip them with thick leather whips to keep them away. Michael-the governor s son and heir- is brought along and the crowd sees him for the first time. He is carried in a decorated carriage and is attended to by two doctors. Even the mighty Prince Kazbeki bows before him at the church door. Natella informs the prince about the Governor s plan of bringing down the slums to pave way for his garden.


He is carried in a decorated carriage and is attended to by two doctors. Even the mighty Prince Kazbeki bows before him at the church door. Natella informs the prince about the Governor s plan of bringing down the slums to pave way for his garden. The governor has lost interest in the affairs of Grusinian people in spite of the raging war that is taking place. The governor even dismisses a messenger from the city bringing some confidential papers for him saying he can only attend to him after the service. Later the adjutant an officer who acts as military assistant informs the messenger that the governor does not wish to receive military news before dinner. Grusha Vashnadze- governor s kitchen maid- does not attend the service as she has to get a goose for the family s banquet. She is seen talking to Simon Shashava, a soldier, who reveals that he often hides behind a bush to watch her dip her legs in the river as she washes her line. Before the awaited dinner and a talk with the architects can take place, the palace is surrounded and the Governor arrested. George Abashwili is executed and the city is in bloodshed. Natella s life is in danger. Servants rush out of the house trying to frantically salvage what they can. A scuffle erupts between the two family doctors over who should attend to the governor s wife who has fainted. Simon comes looking for Grusha. He aims at wooing her. The two have to part ways when Simon is ordered by the adjutant to guard Natella on her way to safety. He gives Grusha a silver chain that his mother had given him. She promises him that she would wait for him and remain faithful till their re-union. The adjutant is seen trying to save Natella from danger but she is reluctant to go without her most valued essentials. The adjutant forces her on a horse back amidst complaints that she has left her wine-coloured dress. She leaves her child Michael behind who falls into the custody of Grusha the kitchen maid. As everyone flees, Grusha decides to hide the child under a blanket and keeps the baby company throughout the night.


The adjutant forces her on a horse back amidst complaints that she has left her wine-coloured dress. She leaves her child Michael behind who falls into the custody of Grusha the kitchen maid. As everyone flees, Grusha decides to hide the child under a blanket and keeps the baby company throughout the night. The following day she flees with the child from the Ironshirts who together with the Fat Prince are looking for the baby, It s a pity they took the brat along, though, I need him urgently. Pg 28 THE FLIGHT TO THE MOUNTAINSThe Singer accounts Grusha escape from the city to the Northern Mountains to save Michael from the Fat Prince and his soldiers. She is carrying Michael in a sack. She journeys along the Grusinian highway on the Northern Mountains after singing The song of the Four Generals. As lunchtime approaches, she has to look for a meal to feed the child. She buys milk from a peasant at two piasters, an equivalent to a week s pay. Having spent most of her money Grusha keeps on moving towards the north as the Iron shirts who want to kill Michael pursue her. The singer tells us that she then arrives at the River Sirra and with the burden of the child weighing on her; she decides to keep him at the doorstep of a farmyard after realising that the peasant woman has some milk. She anticipates the peasant will feed him and goes to hide behind a tree in order to watch what would happen. When the peasant woman finds Michael at her door, she takes him into the house. She suggests to her husband that they keep the child but her husband tells her to give him to the local priest. As Grusha hurries off in the opposite direction she bumps on Ironshirts who demand to know where she is coming from. She lies that she is going to meet Simon Shashava. The ironshirts demand the whereabouts of Michael. Grusha gets scared and rushes back to the cottage where she had left the child and pleads with the peasant woman to hide it. Initially the woman agrees to hide Michael but is immediately frightened by the presence of the soldiers. She reveals to the corporal that Grusha left the child on her doorstep. In desperation, Grusha seizes a log and hits the corporal on the head until he loses consciousness. She then grabs Michael and runs away.


She reveals to the corporal that Grusha left the child on her doorstep. In desperation, Grusha seizes a log and hits the corporal on the head until he loses consciousness. She then grabs Michael and runs away. In her flight from the Ironshirts, she finally reaches the foot of Janga-Tau Glacier after journeying for twenty-two days. She adopts Michael. She removes his silken shirt, throws it away and wraps him in rags. Finally, she arrives at the bridge on the glacier still pursed by the Ironshirts. One of the bridge s rope is broken and half of the bridge is hanging down the abyss. Despite the danger, Grusha is determined to cross the bridge. Luckily they get to the other side of the bridge despite fears and warning by the merchants on the impending danger. She laughs triumphantly to her freedom as the Ironshirts pursuing her cannot cross the bridge. Finally she sings The Song of the Child pg 41 IN THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINSAfter journeying across the glacier for another seven days, Grusha finally arrives at Lavrenti s her brother house. She expects to be welcomed warmly but this is not the case. Her bother has to cook up a story to convince his religious wife that his sister is on her way to her husband s place at the mountains. To have Grusha leave the house, Lavrenti comes up with an idea of getting her a husband. He Lavrenti organizes to get her married to a dying man- Jussup at a fee of 400 piasters. The mother-in-law realizing there is a child demands for an additional 200 piasters for the wedding to proceed. The mother-in-law has hired a cheap monk to unite the two. After the wedding, neighbours who came to witness the marriage ceremony are served with cakes as they gossip. From the gossiping visitors, news indicate that the Grand Duke has assembled an army to fight the princes that rebelled against him the previous year. When Grusha hears that the soldiers are coming back now that the war is over, she is in shock and drops a cake pan. Her worry being that Simon will come back and find she is married to another man. Once Jussup hears the war is over, he miraculously recovers. Jussup gets out of bed and the visitors are shocked to see him.


Who will be the judge?... Pg 62 . The matter will now be handed over by Azdak, the city judge, to determine the rightful owner of the child. THE STORY OF THE JUDGERewind to the day of the coup, the day Grusha took the child. The village clerk scrivener , Azdak, has been poaching in the woods and comes across someone he believes to be a refugee. He shelters him for the night only discovering after the man has gone that it was the Grand Duke himself, who escaped the clutches of the rebellious princes. Rather than risk being found out Azdak hands himself in, expecting to be punished. When he gets to the courtroom he sees the hanging bodies of authority figures and mistakenly interprets the revolution as a people s revolt. His shouts of joy are interrupted by a soldier who tells him he s got it all wrong: it s not a people s revolution but a military coup. An uprising by the rebellious carpet weavers resulted in all the hangings and the soldiers were brought in to suppress them. Azdak is nearly hanged by soldiers. The Fat Prince brings his nephew Bizergan Kazbeki to be installed as the new judge the old judge had been killed by the carpet weavers . Azdak suggest that the candidate s knowledge in law be tested. In a play within a play, Azdak plays the role of the defendant. The soldiers, after testing the nephew in a mock trial in which Azdak accuses the Fat Prince of profiting from the Persian war, makes Azdak judge instead. Over two years Azdak, with his trusty assistant Shauva, travels the country turning justice on its head, accusing a rape victim of being a rapist herself, sympathising with an old woman clearly guilty of theft, doling out law as he sees fit. Finally the Grand Duke comes back, the Fat Prince is beheaded and Natella Abashvilli returns from exile. Frightened that his behaviour over the last couple of years will land him in trouble now that order is restored, Azdak promises to help Natella get her son back.


Over two years Azdak, with his trusty assistant Shauva, travels the country turning justice on its head, accusing a rape victim of being a rapist herself, sympathising with an old woman clearly guilty of theft, doling out law as he sees fit. Finally the Grand Duke comes back, the Fat Prince is beheaded and Natella Abashvilli returns from exile. Frightened that his behaviour over the last couple of years will land him in trouble now that order is restored, Azdak promises to help Natella get her son back. THE CHALK CIRCLEThe Singer introduces us to the Act by saying it is the story of the trial. The trial is about determining who is the true mother to Michael and in this regard, Grusha has come back to the city to face the law for having taken the Governor s son. As they wait for the judge to come, Simon appears and swears he will say he is the father to the child. Then Grusha spots the Ironshirt whom she clobbered and this makes her regret why she came to Nuka. The corporal leaves cursing as he fears exposing Grusha because he would be admitting that he ran after the child to kill it. The governors wife, Natella, arrives, in her characteristic style, she cannot hide her contempt for the low class and the underprivileged: At least there are no common people here, thank God. I can t stand their smell. It always gives me migraine. Pg 88 Azdak having been declared an enemy of the new regime for having worked with the Fat Prince is stripped of his judge s robes. The Ironshirts and the farmers tear his gown and beat him. He is about to be hanged when a messenger arrives announcing the Grand Duke would like Azdak to remain as judge, as a thank you for saving his life that Easter Sunday. Azdak presides over a trial in which he must judge who gets Michael Grusha, who has cared for him and put herself through hell for him; or his natural mother, Natella, who abandoned him. A heated debate ensues on who is the rightful owner of the child. The prosecutors explain that Grusha has stolen Natella s child and refuses to hand it over. They advance their case by saying that Grusha does not have any blood relations with the child.


A heated debate ensues on who is the rightful owner of the child. The prosecutors explain that Grusha has stolen Natella s child and refuses to hand it over. They advance their case by saying that Grusha does not have any blood relations with the child. On the other hand, Grusha lays claim on the child by saying that she brought him up and always found him something to eat. Hearing both arguments, Azdak is unable to decide. He adjourns the court to hear the case of an old couple who want a divorce. He tells them he ll think about it. Returning to Michael s case, Azdak invokes the ancient wisdom of the Chalk Circle: Michael is placed in the centre of a circle and whoever is strong enough to pull him out must be the right mother. Grusha won t pull, she cannot hurt him. Azdak orders the women to repeat the trial. Grusha again cannot pull. Azdak judges that she must be the right mother. Natella faints. Simon and Grusha thank Azdak, who signs the divorce papers not the divorce of the old couple but Grusha s divorce from the man she married in the mountains. Everyone dances. Azdak disappears. The Singer explains that the child has been given to the mother who will be best for it and, reminding us of the prologue, that the land should go to whoever is right for it. THEMESCORRUPTION GREED AND MATERIALISMCorruption mainly refers to lack of integrity or honesty and is mainly manifested by accepting bribes. Corrupt individuals use their privileged positions they have been entrusted with to make illegitimate gains, thus undermining their moral integrity. They are usually driven by greed. Forms of corruption vary and can include bribery, extortion, nepotism, and general embezzlement of mainly of public funds. George Abashwili is materialistic. As he makes procession to enter the church fort Easter service, many beggars and petitioners try in vain to reach out to him. We learn through his wife Natella that the governor plans to tear down the slums to create room for the garden of the East Wing of palace. All those wretched slums are to be torn down to make room for the garden. Pg 15 After the coup and the beheading of the governor, we see Natella in a hurry to collect her dresses and shoes.


As he makes procession to enter the church fort Easter service, many beggars and petitioners try in vain to reach out to him. We learn through his wife Natella that the governor plans to tear down the slums to create room for the garden of the East Wing of palace. All those wretched slums are to be torn down to make room for the garden. Pg 15 After the coup and the beheading of the governor, we see Natella in a hurry to collect her dresses and shoes. She abandons her son Michael as she runs for her safety. Later we learn that the main reason she is claiming her son Michael from Grusha is to get inheritance of the vast governor s estates. The Ironshirts are corrupt. They use their privileged positions to execute others and in the process make illegitimate gains. One Ironshirt says, .......This morning they strung up the city judge. As for us we beat them to pulp. We are paid one hundred piasters per man, you understand? The iron shirts follow Grusha and Michael since a good price is offered. Azdak, the judge, is overly corrupt and his greed unstoppable. He openly takes bribes in the court before listening to a case. He begins by saying, I accept, meaning that he is willing to be bribed. As Azdak executes his duties, his deeds do not measure up to the expected standards. He makes controversial judgements that put his integrity into questions. He sits on the statue book when delivering justice. A pointer to his contempt for what is just. He also takes wine in public as he executes his duties. ABUSE OF POWERThe governor, George Abashwili, is said to be as rich as Croesus. He has so many horses in his stable and yet there are so many beggars on his door step. This shows that he amasses so much wealth for himself at the expense of his subjects. They pile along the gate carrying thin children and holding petitions. They cry for mercy and reduction of the high taxes. Pg 14 . The governor has hired two doctors to look after his son Michael-the apple of his eyes. Pg 15 . This is in contrast to the starving and suffering common men who push and shove to see the governor s heir. The governor plans to tear down the slums to start building the East Wing garden for his son Michael. It does not matter to him that those slums are people s homes.


This is in contrast to the starving and suffering common men who push and shove to see the governor s heir. The governor plans to tear down the slums to start building the East Wing garden for his son Michael. It does not matter to him that those slums are people s homes. The soldiers also abuse power. ........... Soldiers push the crowd back lashing at them with thick whips. Pg 14 When the crowd pushes to have a peep at their heir-baby Michael- the crowd is pushed back by the iron shirts using thick whips. The Fat prince abuses power when he conspires and overthrows the governor from power. He The Fat prince then orders the governor to be beheaded and his head hanged at the entrance of the palace for all to see. He then orders the iron shirts to follow Grusha and get Michael back; he intends to kill him too. The fat prince also abuses power by practising nepotism, where he intends to have his nephew, Bizergan Kazbeki, to be bestowed as the new judge. ............. So I ve bought along my dear nephew Bizergan Kazbeki, He ll be the new judge, hm? Pg 71 The judge, Azdak abuses power openly by accepting bribes. Before considering any case he utters a short statement- I accept- to mean he is ready to take a bribe. All the cases he judges are in favour of the suffering poor. He fines the wealthy like the farmers heavily, in this way he abuses power to help the poor. LOVE COMPASSIONThe playwright explores the theme of love and friendship through various characters in the play. This is mainly portrayed through the parental love between the governor and his son Michael, Grusha, the kitchen maid and Michael, Grusha s romantic love with Simon Shashava and finally between Grusha and her brother Lavrenti Vashnadze. Michael does not experience the motherly love from his biological mother Natella Abashwili. Fortunately, his father, the governor of the Caucasian City bestows on Michael fatherly love. Michael is attended to by two doctors who never mover from his side to keep him in good health. The Fat prince also notices the child on their way to church and comments that, And little Michael is a governor from head to foot! Pg 15 .


Fortunately, his father, the governor of the Caucasian City bestows on Michael fatherly love. Michael is attended to by two doctors who never mover from his side to keep him in good health. The Fat prince also notices the child on their way to church and comments that, And little Michael is a governor from head to foot! Pg 15 . Natella, Michael s biological mother, is jealous of the attention Michael is given by his father. She says it is impossible for them to live in the slum but her husband would build the East Wing for Michael since he is the apple of the governor s eye. .............. Will only build for little Michael...........Michael is all.......... pg 18-19 . Finally she abandons him. Grusha loves Michael. She has to overcome a strong tide of opposition from the other servants before she rescues Michael. The groom tells her, Better put him down, I tell you. I d rather not think what d happen to anybody who was found with the baby. Pg 27 The older woman tells her, Grusha, you re a good soul, but you are not very bright, and you know it. I tell you, if he has plague he couldn t be more dangerous. Pg 27 . Grusha watches over Michael the whole night and by morning as the writer puts it, the seduction between Grusha and Michael i complete, .............till morning the seduction was complete.......she crept away, pg 29 . She also saves the child from being killed by several iron shirts. Just like a mother who loves her child, she makes several sacrifices. She is forced to buy him milk at an exorbitant price using her meagre weekly pay. She risks her life to save Michael by hitting a corporal with a wooden log and crosses over to the Northern Mountains using a broken bridge. She has to marry a dying man - Jussup- for Michael s sake and thus risks her engagement with Simon Shashava. The climax of Grusha s love for Michael is shown at the trial scene. Grusha defends for her love towards Michael by saying that she brought him up and that she married because of Michael. When Azdak, the judge, asks for Michael so that he can choose his true mother, Michael s love for Grusha is seen when he smiles at her.


The climax of Grusha s love for Michael is shown at the trial scene. Grusha defends for her love towards Michael by saying that she brought him up and that she married because of Michael. When Azdak, the judge, asks for Michael so that he can choose his true mother, Michael s love for Grusha is seen when he smiles at her. After drawing the Chalk Circle, Azdak orders the two women to pull the child out of the circle. Meanwhile, Grusha refuses to pull portraying her motherly love and finally she says, I brought him up! Shall I also tear him to bits? I can t. pg 98 As Grusha flees to the north, she comes across a bridge on the glacier. She is determined to cross but the merchants caution her against risking her life and that of Michael, The merchant woman tells her, But you can t take the child on that bridge. It s sure to break. And look! Pg 41 The next man warns her to think of the baby, I think of the baby. Risk your life not a child s pg 41 . This shows their love and compassion for Michael. The love relationship between Grusha and Simon is romantic. It is already sealed through an engagement. They exchange intimate words and inquire about each other s background. Simon removes a chain from his neck and tells Grusha, ...........my mother gave me this cross.....please wear it. Pg 22 . Grusha promises Simon that she would wait for him. She says, Simon Shashava.....it is just as it was. Pg 23 . Grusha is introduced to the idea of getting married to Jussup due to the illegitimacy of the child. However, deep within her, she loves Simon and wishes that the union would not last long so that she may re-unite with her fianc whom she thinks would willingly take care of Michael. This turns out to be true. True love unfolds when Simon testifies at the court that he is Michael s father. I am the father, your honour. Pg 93 . The climax of the sincere love for each other is portrayed when Grusha informs Simon that, Now I can tell you: I took him because on that Easter Sunday I got engaged to you. So he s a child of love. Michael, let s dance. Pg 99 .


The climax of the sincere love for each other is portrayed when Grusha informs Simon that, Now I can tell you: I took him because on that Easter Sunday I got engaged to you. So he s a child of love. Michael, let s dance. Pg 99 . This she does after the judgement where she wins the child. When Grusha runs to the North and arrives at her brother s house, her brother sympathises with her and gives her a roof and even makes arrangements for her to get married to the dying man, Jussup. After the marriage, Jussup takes in both her and the child without asking questions, It is her compassion for Michael that makes her to agree to be married yet she is engaged to Simon. NEGLIGENCE OF DUTY IRRESPONSIBILITYNegligence refers to failure to give somebody or something enough care or attention. It also refers to failure to perform one s duty which impacts negatively on others. Georgi Abashwili is the Governor and therefore responsible for the welfare of those under him. Although he is rich, he has so many beggars from the gateway, holding up thin children, crutches and petitions. Although they have come for help, he does not attend to any. It is Easter and therefore one would expect he would be compassionate enough to listen to their grievances. They complain of taxes being high. One petitioner laments: The child is starving in my arms pg 14 . Although there is a servant collecting their grievances and another distributing coins from a purse, none of their petitions is attended to and eventually they are driven back with whips. Despite being in a high position and being responsible for the welfare of the people, we are surprised to learn that, he knows nothing about the approaching war and therefore no safety measures have been put in place. When asked about the war, he indicates lack of interest. The Governor has ignored the plight of his subjects. There are so many of them in the slums. To make matters worse he has decided to tear down the slums to make room for a garden for the East Wing he is about to construct. People are complaining of hunger, yet his child has two doctors, The two doctors are also irresponsible in that none wants to take responsibility over the discomfort of the child. They blame each other over luke warm bath water used to bath the child.


To make matters worse he has decided to tear down the slums to make room for a garden for the East Wing he is about to construct. People are complaining of hunger, yet his child has two doctors, The two doctors are also irresponsible in that none wants to take responsibility over the discomfort of the child. They blame each other over luke warm bath water used to bath the child. The governor is informed by his Adjutant that an injured young rider has come as a messenger from the capital, bringing him confidential papers. He neglects his responsibility to see him and after waiting in vain the messenger mutters a curse and leaves. We are not surprised when we learn that the plotting against the Governor by The Fat Prince happened in the capital therefore we can guess that the messenger comes to warn him. Eventually, the governor loses his life. It is strange that the Governor refuses to talk to the wounded Rider when he appears again but prefers to confer with the architects. The Adjutant says of him, The governor does not wish to receive military news before dinner- especially if it s depressing pg 19 . Because of his irresponsibility in choosing his priorities, he is caught unawares and is beheaded. That is why the singer laments over the blindness of the great who, ...........go their ways like gods....sure of hired fists. Trusting in their power. But long is not forever. Pg 20 It is the height of irresponsibility when Natella Abashwili takes her time choosing the dresses and shoes to carry. She finally leaves and forgets her child whom she had directed to be laid on the floor. She is busy rummaging through clothing when the Adjutant is busy pleading that they should run for their lives. She does not care about the many people she is exposing to danger by her delay, Maro, a servant, realizes that, only beasts can leave children behind. She says, They left it behind, the beasts pg 26 Lavrenti, Grusha s brother, is irresponsible and neglects her when he fails to look after her. He marries her off to a total stranger and a dying man it becomes a double tragedy when Jussup does not die and Grusha does not know what to do with a total stranger who is unaware of her plight and yet she cannot marry her lover Simon.


She does not care about the many people she is exposing to danger by her delay, Maro, a servant, realizes that, only beasts can leave children behind. She says, They left it behind, the beasts pg 26 Lavrenti, Grusha s brother, is irresponsible and neglects her when he fails to look after her. He marries her off to a total stranger and a dying man it becomes a double tragedy when Jussup does not die and Grusha does not know what to do with a total stranger who is unaware of her plight and yet she cannot marry her lover Simon. As an older brother of Grusha, Lavrenti fails in his responsibility to support her. The monk hired to officiate the wedding is irresponsible. He agrees to join a girl to a dying man. We are surprised that, the monk, a man who should be a role model is upholding morals in a society is called from a tavern. He is drunk. DECEIT, RELIGIOUSITY AND HYPOCRISYReligion refers to having or showing belief in and reverence for a deity on the other hand hypocrisy is deception by pretending to entertain on set of intentions while acting under the influence of another. In The Caucasian Chalk Circle cases of religious hypocrisy are common. Act one of the play begins with Governor Georgi Abashwili going for Easter mass. He is accompanied by his wife Natella, and Michael, their child. Although he would like to pass as a devoted Christian, his regime has oppressed the people it serves. As they enter the church, beggars and petitioners cry over all sorts of problems that bespeaks of a people who have been living in an oppressive regime. They lament, Mercy! Mercy, your Grace! The taxes are too high. I lost my leg in the Persian war....The child is starving in my arms....the water inspector takes bribes...... pg 14 As for the Fat Prince, hypocrisy reigns supreme. He attends church, wishes the Governor a happy Easter Sunday and bows before Michael. He tickles the child after commenting, I love a gay sky.....little Michael is a Governor from head to foot! Pg 15 . He also tells the governor there is good news after so much bad. This is total deception that he is loyal to the Governor s family. Plans to behead the Governor and end Michael s life are already in place.


He also tells the governor there is good news after so much bad. This is total deception that he is loyal to the Governor s family. Plans to behead the Governor and end Michael s life are already in place. While he directs the soldier to fasten the Governor s head in the middle, he displays his hypocrisy when he says, This morning at the church....Abashwili...I love a gay sky....prefer the lightning that comes out of a gay sky. Pg 28 The Monk who is supposed to be religiously inclined is portrayed as hypocritical. He presides over the wedding between Jussup and Grusha while drunk. He is found in the tavern perhaps taking alcohol by Grusha;s mother-in-law who threatens to expose him. He is also paid to do the same. Even when Jussup fails to take the vows and instead his mother does it on his behalf, he goes hiding and he has to be looked for by the mother-in-law. Being a religious person, his character should be beyond reproach. It smacks of religious hypocrisy for Jussup to go through the rigorous of a wedding, a much valued religious ceremony, yet he knows he is pretending to be a dying man. Grusha is hypocritical because she is not committed to the marriage as she does it for own expediency. The mourners are also hypocritical. They gobble down the cake without being seriously mournful. They seem to expectantly look forward to the death of Jussup. They are sincerely not sad, only greedily wolfing down the funeral cakes. Aniko pretends to have religious principles that she does not possess. In fact, her hypocritical nature is displayed in her meanness. Lavrenti says she is very sensitive, People need only mention our farm and she is worried. Pg 48 . Her servants seem to suffer under her as she shouts orders all over. The maid may not be well paid. She once goes to church with a hole in her stocking. Ever since, Aniko has worn two pairs of stockings in church. She is truly hypocritical, feigning to be concerned about Grusha yet she is not. She has false appearance as a devout woman. Lavrenti is afraid of her. He tells Grusha, You can t stay here long with the child. She id religious, you see. Pg 46 . Aniko id painted as really heartless.


He tells Grusha, You can t stay here long with the child. She id religious, you see. Pg 46 . Aniko id painted as really heartless. She is the exaggerated embodiment of certain aspects of religious opinions. Lavrenti is also hypocritical. He also makes Grusha who is honest to be dehumanized by leading her to engage in a fake wedding. He cannot stand up for his sister but sings to the whims of Aniko, You need a place to go......because of the child.....have a husband, so people won t talk.....can find you a husband. Pg 48 The mother-in-law is hypocritical. She deceives the mourners that Grusha is a bride to Jussup. She pretends that Grusha came from the city to find Jussup alive. The first woman confidentially seems to know Jussup is faking illess and near death to avoid conscription to the war. Another feels it would be a blessing if he does not suffer too long; so she wishes he dies especially now he is of no use as a farmer as the corn is ripe and there is no one to harvest. POLITICAL AND SOCIAL TURBULENCEBertolt Bretcht has profoundly raised the issue of political intolerance that has consequently resulted to social instability. The ruling class has no regard for the woes of the have- nots. Poor leadership has led to violence and suffering of both the nobles and the masses. First, we are presented with a desperate and deplorable Caucasian village due to war. It is described as war ravaged and is in ruins, That s where we stopped three Nazi tanks but the apple orchard was already destroyed......Our beautiful daily farm: a ruin. Pg 97 The number of villages have declined and people have relocated to other areas. We are told by a wounded soldier, Comrade, we haven t as many villages as we used to have. We haven t as many hands. Pg 8 The village has been ruined with almost everything being rationed. All pleasures have to be rationed. Tobacco is rationed and wine. Pg 8 People s normal lifestyle is affected as evident when the Goat Herding commune is forced to relocate on orders from the government. They fight to reclaim the land for they are not satisfied with their new grazing land. An old man comments, You can t live there.