Skip to main content

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.
    Posted by
    Labels:

    Comments

    Post a Comment

    Popular posts from this blog

    An Analysis of The Tribe of Graves By Basil Diki: Act 1 Scene 2

    Posted by
    Table of Contents An Analysis of The Tribe of Graves By Basil Diki: Act 1 Scene 2  Plot Overview The scene opens with the celebration of a wedding, with the couple seated on a mat as guests present gifts, share snuff, and ululate in joy.  The festive atmosphere is heightened by the rhythm of drums, and people compete to outdo each other in dancing. A remarkable unnamed young female dancer dominates the stage, leaving many young men too tired to keep up with her. Suddenly, the herdboy interrupts the merriment, rushing in to stop the drummers. He brings terrifying news of the arrival of Europeans, who he describes as "ghosts." Mushore, a staunch believer in traditions, interprets this as divine punishment for the lenient punishment given to Chikwete's son for committing bestiality. There's is a debate on how to respond, with Wedenga suggesting hiding from the Europeans while Zindonga and the herdboy refuse, considering it cowardice. Duri arrives to th...
    2 comments
    Read more

    ANALYSIS OF CHAPTER ONE OF THE NOVEL "THE TIES THAT BIND" BY PHILLIP KUNDENI CHIDAVAENZI

    Posted by
    THE TIES THAT BIND CHAPTER 1 By Kosam Ndlovu The first chapter of the text The Ties That Bind is expository in nature. The major characters as well as the major themes are highlighted for further exploration in the subsequent chapters. Through the use of suspense and foreshadowing, the reader is kept spellbound by the fascinating multi-plotting presented in this introductory chapter. Told from the third person omniscient perspective, the reader has a panoramic view of the entire scope of the issues that are brought out physically and through the thinking processes of the characters. Jacqueline is portrayed as an individual with authority and confidence. The onomatopoeic   clanking sound of her shoes emphasises her self-assertive character with regards to her professionalism in conducting her duties as a law practitioner and her personality. The foregrounding of Jackie (Jacqueline) as a confident law practitioner, hints on her prudence and keen judgement of character which becom...
    20 comments
    Read more

    How to Write a Continuation of a Given Passage: Opportunity for an Imaginative Response

    Posted by
    Table of Contents How to Write a Continuation of a Given Passage Opportunity for an Imaginative Response When tasked with a question that offers a candidate the opportunity to give an imaginative response, the main challenge is smoothly blending your own writing with the original text. Perhaps this is why this type of question is among the most dreaded. However, it is not an unsolvable riddle. It simply requires a deep understanding of the given passage's stylistic features, plot, characterisation, tone, atmosphere e.t.c. In a nutshell, your response is an analysis presented creatively. Bear in mind also that this question usually asks candidates to highlight the challenges they faced as they wrote their continuation. Identify the Stylistic Features of the Given Passage Before continuing the passage, it is crucial to analyse the stylistic features used by the original author. Consider the register used. Is it formal or colloquial? Look at sentence construction. Doe...
    Post a Comment
    Read more