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DANIEL The novel The Ties That Bind is rich in biblical allusions. This does not come as a surprise given the fact that the writer Chidavaenzi is a Christian and that the novel seeks to establish God or religion as a panacea for the perplexing challenges of, among other things, HIV and AIDS. The various experiences and circumstances surrounding some characters are aptly captured through a number of carefully chosen biblical references.  The book of Daniel chronicles the experiences of Daniel, a Jew in a foreign land, Babylon.  The most defining attribute of Daniel is his steadfastness regarding his faith in God. Although he was in a foreign land abound with many foes, he remained truthful to God. By referring to herself as Daniel, Jacqueline brings out the difficulties she faced as a child growing up in a family afflicted by dire poverty. Saying "it was a hard act playing Daniel in a den of lions" portrays Highfield neighbourhood as an unsafe place for a growing girl chil...

SO LONG A LETTER, CHAPTER ONE By Kosam The opening line, “Dear Aissatou,” is personal and confidential. It indicates that Ramatoulaye is just about to confide in her   childhood friend Aissatou, issues that affect her personally. The salutation also serves to engage readers by generating a feeling that they are the ones being addressed in the letter since the text is epistolatory in nature. This sense of reader involvement is further emphasised by the use of the first person pronoun “I” which puts the reader in the shoes of Ramatoulaye by evoking sympathy towards her. Readers can be both addressees and senders at the same time. Mariama Ba, thus manages to captivate the readers by preparing them to pursue the story of Ramatoulaye in a personal way. Ramatoulaye starts off by establishing her childhood acquaintance with Aissatou, tracing their childhood experiences and highlighting the ...

THE TIES THAT BIND CHAPTER 3  By Kosam Ndlovu The chapter opens with contrasting tones. There is tension between optimism and pessimism symbolised by “the solid black gate” that “reluctantly” opens. The gate that opens reluctantly indicates hope for a better future for characters particularly Lincoln and Chiedza.   The element of pessimism is brought out through symbolism conveyed by the “black” and “solid” nature of the gate. The black colour suggests bleakness while the solid states denotes difficulties. This reflects the emotional agony which Lincoln is going through as he contemplates the prospect of having a romantic relationship with Chiedza. He regards his health status as a stumbling block to this relationship which he desperately needs. The gate that opens, albeit reluctantly, parallels the bright future that lies ahead of Lincoln’s life. It heralds the era in his life, unclouded by his gory past wh...

THE TIES THAT BIND CHAPTER 2 By Kosam Ndlovu The second chapter of the text The Ties that Bind focuses on thematising mainly poverty, among other issues. Abject poverty affects many a youngster, making it impossible for them to reach their potential. through flashback, the difficult life Jackie experienced as a child is highlighted. The writer employs a Biblical allusion to illustrate the challenges youngsters encounter while growing up in poverty stricken families and communities. Reference is made to the story of Daniel who was thrown into the lion’s den following his adamant attitude of praying to God, contrary to the decree of king Darius the Medes. However, Daniel is miraculously saved from being eaten by the lions. This allusion demonstrates how difficult it is for the youths to find focus and direction within an environment that is not supportive as a result of poverty and orphanhood. The intervention of the Masosa family in the social and educational life of Jackie demonstra...

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...

The character of Getrude is a product of a society that thrives on degrading women and treating them as second class citizens. Getrude represents women who are desperate. These women are driven by desperation to devise ways of survival within a system characterised by toxic masculinity and patriarchy. For many a woman, marriage is a far fetched dream. The societal expectations regarding a woman who qualifies to be in a marriage are just too high, or perhaps too low to make marriage attractive to women. The cost of getting married involves forfeiting educational endeavours, depriving oneself of personal pleasurable activities such as smoking, drinking and choosing what one wants to wear. The marriage institution represents a hindrance in a woman’s life. It is for this and other reasons that Getrude jettisons the idea of getting married albeit subjecting herself to a life of desperation. The description of Getrude as a “nice” woman is based on her acceptance of the position ...

The poem Poetry with a Mission is a sequel to the poem Youthful Vignettes  both from a thematic and stylistic point of view. The progressive nature of composing poetry is brought out through a series of extended metaphors which create vivid images. Composing poems is an arduous exercise requiring hard work and perseverance. The elementary skills expressed in a crude manner are captured by the metaphor of a "crayon." Naiveté and childlikeness associated with lack of experience come out clearly through the associations connected with the object, crayon. Crayons are associated with infancy as young children, when being introduced to writing use crayons. The stage of using crayons has no permanence hence the expression written in crayon "melts quite fast". Once started, the process of writing poems becomes developmental. The poet employs a reassuring tone as he communicates with the budding poets encouraging them not to be discouraged by the immature expressions o...