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Cont...... A Raisin in the Sun. Act I, scene i
from admin on 07/01/2017 09:53 PMMama and Ruth begin to tease Beneatha about the many activities that she tries and quits, including her latest attempt to learn how to play the guitar. Beneatha claims that she is trying to “express” herself, an idea at which Ruth and Mama have a laugh. They discuss the man that Beneatha has been dating, George Murchison. Beneatha gets angry as they praise George because she thinks that he is “shallow.” Mama and Ruth do not understand her ambivalence toward George, arguing that she should like him simply because he is rich. Beneatha contends that, for that very reason, any further relationship is pointless, as George’s family wouldn’t approve of her anyway. Beneatha makes the mistake of using the Lord’s name in vain in front of Mama, which sparks another conversation about the extent of God’s providence. Beneatha argues that God does not seem to help her or the family. Mama, outraged at such a pronouncement, asserts that she is head of the household and that there will be no such thoughts expressed in her home. Beneatha recants and leaves for school, and Mama goes to the window to tend her plant. Ruth and Mama talk about Walter and Beneatha, and Ruth suddenly faints.
***Analysis***
All of the characters inA Raisin in the Sunhave unfulfilled dreams. These dreams mostly involve money. Although the Younger family seems alienated from white middle-class culture, they harbor the same materialistic dreams as the rest of American society. In the 1950s, the stereotypical American dream was to have a house with a yard, a big car, and a happy family. The Youngers also seem to want to live this dream, though their struggle to attain any semblance of it is dramatically different from the struggle a similar suburban family might encounter, because the Youngers are not a stereotypical middle-class family. Rather, they live in a world in which being middle class is also a dream.
ReplyA Raisin in the Sun. Act I, scene i
from admin on 07/01/2017 09:45 PMIt is morning at the Youngers’ apartment. Their small dwelling on the South Side of Chicago has two bedrooms—one for Mamaand Beneatha, and one for Ruth and WalterLee. Travis sleeps on the couch in the living room. The only window is in their small kitchen, and they share a bathroom in the hall with their neighbors. The stage directions indicate that the furniture, though apparently once chosen with care, is now very worn and faded. Ruth gets up first and after some noticeable difficulty, rouses Travis and Walter as she makes breakfast. While Travis gets ready in the communal bathroom, Ruth and Walter talk in the kitchen. They do not seem happy, yet they engage in some light humor. They keep mentioning a check. Walter scans the front page of the newspaper and reads that another bomb was set off, and Ruth responds with indifference. Travis asks them for money—he is supposed to bring fifty cents to school—and Ruth says that they do not have it. His persistent nagging quickly irritates her. Walter, however, gives Travis an entire dollar while staring at Ruth. Travis then leaves for school, and Walter tells Ruth that he wants to use the check to invest in a liquor store with a few of his friends. Walter and Ruth continue to argue about their unhappy lives, a dialogue that Ruth cuts short by telling her husband, “Eat your eggs, they gonna be cold.”
Beneatha gets up next and after discovering that the bathroom is occupied by someone from another family, engages in a verbal joust with Walter. He thinks that she should be doing something more womanly than studying medicine, especially since her tuition will cut into the check, which is the insurance payment for their father’s death. Beneatha argues that the money belongs to Mama and that Mama has the right to decide how it is spent. Walter then leaves for his job as a chauffeur—he has to ask Ruth for money to get to work because the money he gave Travis was his car fare. Mama enters and goes directly to a small plant that she keeps just outside the kitchen window. She expresses sympathy for her grandson, Travis, while she questions Ruth’s ability to care for him properly. She asks Ruth what she would do with the money, which amounts to $10,000. For once, Ruth seems to be on Walter’s side. She thinks that if Mama gives him some of the money he might regain his happiness and confidence, which are two things Ruth feels she can no longer provide for Walter. Mama, though, feels morally repulsed by the idea of getting into the liquor business. Instead, she wants to move to a house with a lawn on which Travis can play. Owning a house had always been a dream she had shared with her husband, and now that he is gone she nurtures this dream even more powerfully.,,,......To be continue .......
Cont..... HARVEST OF CORRUPTION
from admin on 07/01/2017 09:08 PM
***THEMES***
1.Retribution This is the central theme of the play. The main idea is that a man reaps what he sows. All the corrupt characters are brought to book in the end. Chief is convicted and sentenced to twenty-five years in imprisonment with hard labour and ordered to refund the embezzled funds. This punishment is his harvest of corruption. The humiliation suffered by Aloho for drug trafficking, her pregnancy and death also portray her harvest of corruption. Ochuole and Madam Hoha are sentenced to ten years in imprisonment with hard labour while Madam Hoha’s hotel is also sealed. This is their harvest of corruption. Justice Odili and the Commissioner of Police are sentenced to twenty years in imprisonment for receiving bribe. Ayo, the clerk is also punished as he is sentenced to five years imprisonment for receiving a bribe.
2.Corruption The author illustrates the bribery, large-scale embezzlement in official quarters, drug trafficking, sexual immorality perpetuated by highly placed personalities who are supposed to be policy makers and law enforcement officers. Frank Ogodo Ogbeche shows how corruption permeates government institutions and every fabric of the society as well as the devastating effect corruption has on our everyday life.
3.Betrayal of Public Trust Chief Haladu-Amaka, the Minister of External Relations betrayed the trust reposed in him by virtue of the public office he holds through large-scale embezzlement of public funds, forgery, fraud and bribery. The author advocates a political, social and moral re-birth.
Cont..... HARVEST OF CORRUPTION
from admin on 07/01/2017 09:02 PM***CHARACTERS***
1. ALOHO Aloho is the main character in the play. She is a young and naïve university female graduate desperately searching for a job. In her desperation, she ignorantly becomes part of a criminal network involved in drug trafficking in spite of her friend’s constant warning to keep away from notorious Ochuole. Aloho is arrested and detained for drug trafficking. Upon her release, she suddenly realizes that she is pregnant for Chief Haladu-Amaka and eventually dies during child-birth. The author uses Aloho’s character to portray the ordeals of many young and jobless Nigerian graduates, how they are easily taken advantage of and lured into crime in their desperation to eke out a living.
2. OCHUOLE Ochuole is Aloho’s classmate in the University. She is portrayed as notorious and wayward. Ochuole works as Chief Administrative Officer at the Ministry of External Relations. She aids Chief’s sexually immoral lifestyle by providing him with ladies. She lures Aloho into drug trafficking in the guise of helping her to secure a job with the Ministry of External Relations.
3. CHIEF ADE HALADU-AMAKA He is the Minister of External Relations and the epitome of corruption in the play. He is the ring leader of a criminal network of drug peddlers. He engages in bribery, large scale embezzlement of public funds, sexual immorality and fraud. His character is ironical. As a Minister of External Relations, he is supposed to promote his country’s image in the comity of nations. On the contrary, Chief Haladu-Amaka through his many vices portrayed his country in a bad light.
4. OGEYI Ogeyi is Aloho’s friend and confidant. Aloho lives with Ogeyi in her small apartment in Pannya. She tries to discourage Aloho from taking Ochuole’s job offer and warns her to keep away from Ochuole. She seeks justice for Aloho by reporting Chief to the police. She is the voice of reason in the play.
5. MADAM HOHA Madam Hoha is the proprietress of Akpara Hotel. The hotel is where Chief perpetuates his criminal activities. She is sentenced to ten years imprisonment with hard labour along with Ochuole and her hotel was sealed.
6. ACP YAKUBU Yakubu is an Assistant Commissioner of Police. He stands out as an incorruptible and honest police officer. He withstood pressures from his boss, the Commissioner to stop investigating Chief’s activities at the Ministry of External Relations. His investigations led to the arrest and prosecution of Chief, Ochuole, Madam Hoha, the Commissioner of Police and the corrupt Justice Odili.
HARVEST OF CORRUPTION
from admin on 07/01/2017 08:54 PMThe play revolves mostly around Aloho, a naïve and jobless university undergraduate who is desperately searching for a job. She meets Ochuole, a notorious old school mate of hers who is the Chief Administrative Officer at the Ministry of External Relations. Ochuole offers to help her secure a job by speaking with the Honourable Minister of External Relations, Chief Ade Haladu-Amaka on her behalf. Aloho is offered a job as one of Chief Ade Haladu-Amaka’s protocol officers. However, she does not know that Ochuole is actually being used by the Chief to perpetrate criminal activities especially drug trafficking. Madam Hoha’s hotel is the hideout for these criminal activities.
Chief Ade Haladu-Amaka gives Aloho a package containing hard drugs to deliver in the United States of America. Aloho unknowingly accepts the package and gets arrested at the airport by drug law enforcement officers. Chief Ade Haladu-Amaka bribes the judge and the prosecutors to set Aloho free.
Upon Aloho’s release from detention, she discovers she is pregnant for Chief Ade Haladu-Amaka. She makes futile attempts to abort the pregnancy and eventually dies while giving birth to the child. Meanwhile, a honest police officer, ACP Yakubu initiates investigations into allegations of embezzlement of the sum of One point two billion naira embezzled by Chief Ade Haladu Amaka. Ayo, a clerk in the office of Chief provides necessary documents to the police to unravel the crime after receiving a bribe. Ogeyi, Aloho’s friend seeks justice by reporting Chief to the police. Justice prevails in the end as all the corrupt characters are punished and made to pay for the crimes committed.
***TYPE OF DRAMA***
The play, Harvest of Corruptionis a satire. A satire is a literary work that exposes vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings with the intent of shaming individuals, corporations, government or society itself, into improvement.Through this play, Frank Ogbeche condemns the ills and foibles of the contemporary Nigerian society. Harvest of Corruption illustrates how corruption permeates the fabric of the Nigerian society and affects institutions like the police force, the judiciary, and government ministries.
Harvest of Corruption is also a tragedy. A tragedy is a play portraying the suffering of the main character, especially one concerning the downfall of the main character and having an unhappy ending. Aloho endures years of joblessness, struggles to get a job, gets arrested for drug trafficking and eventually dies in her struggle to make ends meet.
***SETTING***
The play is set in Jabu, a fictional Nigerian city. Much of the action takes place in different locations- Ogeyi’s apartment in Pannya, Madam Hoha’s hotel at Darkin, Police Headquarters at Darkin, Ministry of External Relations in Maisama, and the Court Room. The play was written during the period of transition to democratic government.
The Blood of a Stranger
from admin on 07/01/2017 08:25 PMMaligu, the Chief Adviser to Santigi (King of Mando) receives a letter to the effect that a white man (Mr Whitehead) is coming to Mando for tobacco farming. He approaches Soko, the corrupt priest of Mando and convinces him to prophesy to the king and the people that they should welcome the visitor. Meanwhile, Mando has witnessed a number of wars in the past and has not been accepting visitors. To them, visitors mean sickness, disease and war. However, because they view Soko as a trusted intermediary between them and the spirit of their forefathers, they welcome Mr. WhiteHead.
Kindo, the chief warrior and king’s son is suspicious of Soko’s claims having known Soko and Maligu to be corrupt men. On his arrival, Whitehead reveals to Maligu that his true motive is to harvest Mando diamonds and not tobacco farming. He plans to take advantage of the people’s ignorance by telling them that the diamonds are the devil’s stones. Whitehead has also lied to the king that he is going to help the village. Whitehead gives the people including the king, hard drug, gin and tobacco which intoxicate them and make them misbehave. This represents the bad influence of western culture. Whitehead attempts to rape Wara, Kindo’s woman but his plan fails.
This represents the rape of Sierraleone’s (and indeed Africa’s) rich resources by the British (and other colonialists) during the colonial and pre-colonial era.
The story ends on a tragic note. Soko the priest is killed by Parker, Whitehead’s right hand man. Kindo finds out and kills Parker and exposes their evil plans. Maligu and Whitehead insist that Kindo should be banished in line with custom and tradition having killed Parker during peace time. The king banishes Kindo, his own son. Kindo kills Whitehead and leaves the village with his warriors. Kindo remains the voice of reason all through the play.
Theme:
The Blood of A Stranger is a story of greed, selfish ambition, human deceit, corruption, and exploitation.
Setting:
Its location is the village of Mando, old Sierraleone during the colonial era. The play is a tragedy with a linear plot structure
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WAEC LITERATURE SYLLABUS FOR 2016-2020
from admin on 07/01/2017 08:09 PM
*Unseen Drama
Williams Shakespeare: Othello
*African Prose
Amma Darko: Faceless
Bayo Adebowale: Lonely Days
*Non-African Prose
Richard Wright: Native Son
Patience Swift: The Last Goodman
*Non-African Drama
Oliver Goldsmith: She Stoops to Conquer
Lorraine Hansberry: A Raisin in the Sun
*African Drama
Frank Ogodo Ogbeche: Harvest of Corruption
Dele Charley: The Blood of a Stranger
*African Poetry
Birago Diop: Vanity
Gbemisola Adeoti: Ambush
Gabriel Okara: Piano and Drums
Gbanabam Hallowell: The Dinning Table
Lenrie Peter: The Panic of Growing Older
Kofi Awoonor: The Anvil and the Hammer
*Non-African Poetry
Alfred Tennyson: Crossing the Bar
George Herbert: The Pulley
William Blake: The School Boy
William Morris: The Proud King
Robert Frost Birches: Birches
Williams Shakespeare: Shall I compare thee to a Summer's Day?
***********
LONELY DAYS - BY BAYO ADEBOWALE Chapter 1.0
from admin on 07/01/2017 07:48 PMTHE night ajumobi died, nine full moons ago, a shooting star zoomed down the empty sky in a long line of fire; the people of kufi heard the go-away bird hooting a sad mournful tune in the bough of iroko. The meaning of all this was clear to yaremi: ajumobi had been accepted by his maker. His spirit had gone straight to heaven - not missing the way! Yeremi's eyes twinkled. She did not know whether to begin to shed tears of sorrow or tears of gratitude. But because her husband had left alone to the wicked world, 'just like that;and' without a word of farewell; she quickly made a choice : it must be tears of sorrow. Sorrow from the abyss of a trouble heart! Yeremi's face instantly was shadowed in deep misery, and the whole world immediately went blank before her eyes. She made efforts to console herself-even as the distrustful eyes of 'sympathisers' glared from helms of garment, secretly castigating. Yaremi wondered... . Her husband certainly did not die a disgraceful death. For this, she told herself, she must be thankful! Ajumobi did not due an abominable death. No. He did not drink poison out of frustration with life, and he did not fall from the slippery chips of the palm tree on a rainy day. He was not struck by lightning, not by bitten by a cobra and not crushed to death between the falling walls of the village mud buildings. Ajumobi did not hang himself with a rope on the kolanut like the aku firewood cutter whose dead body the people had cut down and had buried at the iloro with indecent haste, inside a shallow, nameless grave filled with loose soil and porous sand. No suicide for Ajumobi. He live like a man, and died like a man. Yeremi was thankful. But the tears now rolled in torrent down her face, streaming into the corner of her mouth and tasting like salt. The temporariness of man's passage on earth was a certainty! Yeremi, at once, surrendered herself to the design of destiny and to the agony of, what seemed to her, an irreplaceable loss. She was the last woman being Ajumobi saw when his eyes were finally closing up in death. What a great honour! Her husband gave her that last- minute parting stare-quick, penetrating, and meaningful... There there was an expression of hot and disappointment in Ajumobi's dying black eyes Yeremi got the massage and with all her heart she tried to communicate to Ajumobi, not only Sorrow and solidarity, but also deep apology For all the wrong she probably had committed. Something told her husband deeply, reproachful glare. She was just ready now to beg, ready to atone, an ready to apologise! The painful finality of ajumobi's last minute on earth rang in Yeremi 's head, splitting her brain with remembered image. She stumble as she stepped out into the sun to pick up her head-tie which had fallen on the ground during the course of prolonged wailing. She was scanned by mourners in all direction. All eyes followed every footstep she took with hostile closeness. And all ears listened, ready to catch her every word in a set-trap. These, obviously were not people merely sitting in silent sympathy in presence of death, but people who were fully bent on humiliating her and destroying her reputation.
• • • •
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http://www.nasblog.com.ng/2016/09/novel-lonely-days-chapter-1-by-bayo.html
Native son
from admin on 07/01/2017 04:30 AM
Summary
An alarm clock rings in a dark Chicago apartment. Bigger Thomas, a young black man, shares the apartment with his mother, his sister Vera, and his brother Buddy. The apartment has only one room, which forces Bigger and Buddy to turn their backs to avoid the shame of seeing Vera and their mother dress.
A huge black rat runs across the floor. Vera cowers and Mrs. Thomas jumps on the bed while Bigger and Buddy frantically try to kill the rat. The rat attacks Bigger, biting a hole in his pant leg before it is cornered. Bigger smashes the rat with a skillet and then crushes its head with a shoe, cursing hysterically. Before disposing of the rat, Bigger holds it up by the tail in front of Vera, taking pleasure in her fear until she faints.
With the immediate danger gone, Mrs. Thomas turns all her attention on Bigger, first asking him why he has frightened his sister, then blaming him for the family’s poverty and accusing him of thinking only of himself. She warns him that if he does not change his ways and stop associating with his “gang,” he will end up in the gallows. Bigger tries to shout his mother down, but his voice is filled with nervousness and irritation, and he longs for silence.
Bigger hates his family because of their poverty and suffering and because he feels there is nothing he can do to help them. He believes that he cannot afford to let himself feel their shame and misery too strongly without also feeling the urge to kill himself or someone else. He has cultivated a façade of outer toughness to protect himself from the unbearable pressure he feels as a result of his family’s social position.
Bigger’s mother sings a spiritual while preparing breakfast—a song that annoys Bigger. She begins to prod Bigger about a job he has been offered with a man named Mr. Dalton. She tells him that if he takes the job, the family will be able to move to a nicer apartment. If he does not, he will lose his relief money and the family will starve. Resentment builds in Bigger, as he feels that his family is tricking him into giving up. Frustrated by his narrow range of choices, he storms out of the room and into the building’s vestibule, where he broods while watching the traffic through the window.
click below link to continue
www.sparknotes.com/lit/nativeson/