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THE CROW "The Crow" is a story that explores childhood curiosity and senseless destruction resulting from a lack of agency and rational thinking. The two young protagonists embark on a mission to prove their heroism, but ultimately, they are defeated by a crow that refuses to die despite their relentless efforts to destroy it. As a result, their egos are crushed, leading them to abruptly abandon their expedition, casting away their catapults while crying bitterly. The title "The Crow" is fitting because the story centres around the crow's triumph over the boys' unjust pursuit of ending its life.  By extension, the story reflects the exploitative relationship between the whites and the blacks during colonial Rhodesia. The story, thus celebrates the victory that came as a result of the collective struggle of the Africans who fought against colonisers. While the story can be interpreted as a simple childhood adventure, the author also highlights the conseque...

 SHADOWS ON THE WALL The story begins with a motif of shadows. This device runs through the story. This establishes a gloomy atmosphere characterised by hopelessness and dejection of the child narrator. It also emphasises the neglect and emptiness the narrator is experiencing. Even in the presence of his parents, the child feels abandoned. The family is so dysfunctional that the child finds solace in the shadows instead of the real parents. The "wall" symbolises a barrier to freedom and happiness. It represents the depressing effects of the narrator's  parents' tempestuous relationship.  The narrator has lost sense of reality after failing to find love and protection from the parents especially from the father who is abusive and callous. The real world exposes the narrator to cruelty and abuse hence the fascination on the shadows.  Through their sitting location in the hut, a huge social distance between the father and the child is reflected. The father is sitting n...