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Coming of the Dry Season: A Quick Guide

Table of Contents

    Summary of Coming of The Dry Season

    Studying Coming of The Dry Season? This quick revision guide is designed to help you to grasp the key thematic concerns of the text in just a few minutes. Exploring the themes of the text will simplify your revision process and make it easy to group stories with similar themes for better understanding. You will also be able to establish the centrality of the titular story, Coming of The Dry Season and its key thematic concerns. Your understanding of the themes will also make it easy for you to understand the narrative style employed by the writer.

    Shadows 

    This story explores the theme of dysfunctional families, highlighting estranged relationships between spouses and parents and children. It also delves into issues about emotional and physical pain. The child narrator endures cruelty and child abuse within a loveless family characterised by child abuse and domestic violence.

    The Crow

    The Crow focuses on the themes of growing up and childhood. The story also brings out the theme of imposition of religion (Christianity) and colonisation. It is a metaphoric narrative that explores broader issues of colonisation, displacement and defiance of the blacks in the face of disenfranchisement perpetrated by the whites.

    The Mountain

    One of the themes of this story is the clash between traditional African beliefs and Western education. It also focuses on hypocrisy, inequality, colonial education and superstition. Feminism also emerges as the story explores the triumph of traditional beliefs against Christianity. 

    The Hero

    The story focuses on dysfunctional family structure and dysfunctional educational system. Amid all this, the story also celebrates love that transcends all obstacles. The story examines the effects of these failing institutions upon children.

    The Setting Sun and The Rolling World

    A generational divide is highlighted as tradition conflicts with modernity. The story also explores family ties and cultural heritage. The younger generation's desire is at odds with the established traditional and religious beliefs. Colonisation emerges as one of the themes as well as the aspect of change.  

    The Lift

    The story portrays the suffering of the black people under a system characterised by colonisation.  Racism and segregation emerge as one of the thematic concerns of the author. It also dwells on the theme of inner turmoil as the two young men face discrimination and joblessness.

    The Ten Shillings 

    Racial segregation and prejudice are some of the themes explored in this story. Characters find themselves having to navigate through an unjust society (injustice). The protagonist is disillusioned (disillusionment) upon realising the reality of the suffering of blacks in urban areas and the pain of joblessness.

    Coming of The Dry Season

    This titular story touches on family ties and personal choices. It also dwells on passage of time as well as hardships and immorality and mortality (death). It also signals the looming liberation struggle with the challenges associated with it metaphorically. The story also focuses on tradition and search for meaning.

    S.O.S From The Past

    The story addresses the theme of communal ties. It also focuses on human nature and rural-urban migration. Colonisation and the hardships associated with it are central in the story. The author also touches on displacement and suffering due to the pressure of adapting to a changing world.

    The Accident

    Colonisation and racism are at the heart of this story. It also focuses on segregation as a result of the arrival of the whites. The story signals the birth of revolution due to the oppressive regime of the time. 

    This guide serves as a starting point for you to further explore the issues. Remember also to analyse the narrative techniques and stylistic features, showing how they bring out these and other key themes. For a comprehensive, detailed commentary, feel free to reach out through the contact details provided on the"Contact Us" page.
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