Memories We Lost and Other Stories - Essays and Answers Set 1 of 2

Memories We Lost and Other Stories Essays with answers and marking schemes - Set 1 of 2

The essays below are mostly in marking scheme format. With points that examiners check.

It should be noted that in an exam situation, essays should be written in prose and not point form as in some of the examples below. In an exam, the "Introduction", "Body" and "Conclusion" titles should not be added in your essays. The examples below just guide on the format that your essays should take.

1. Explain the truth of the saying, ”He who desires all loses all.” Draw your illustrations from Leo Tolstoy’s ‘How much land does man need?

Introduction

Though ambition is good and motivates us to keep working, not being contented with what one has can lead to self destruction in the story, how much land does man need is a good example of this. NB show general understanding of the question and then tie to the text.

Body

• Poham, a farmer owns 123 acres of land and pasture. He also had a big house in which five family members lived in as he kept farming the number of the cattle kept increasing. However he was not contented with this, he thought that his land was not big enough. He wanted wider and more fertile lands. He had a desire to farm widely and to keep more livestock. This made him leave his vast lands in search of more. He dies in his quest and loses what he owned.
• Pohom kept thinking about only one thing. How can I have more lands? He loses an opportunity to enjoy what he had remained restless." I have to go there and buy land
• Pohom kept walking under the hot sun in order to get the largest and best land above all people. He has to take off his coat and the shoes because of the heat. His desire to get more land above every one made him lose even the comfort he would have enjoyed. He was in a regular sweat and very thirsty.
• Even after he had walked enough and knew he was supposed to go back a desire to get the hallow made him not to tum. He kept going in order to get more land. He was never satisfied. He kept walking without thinking until it was too late. The only thing that made him stop and turn the hours he would have used to turn back because of his greed for more Even after he realized his body was drained of all energy he begun to run for fear of losing all. His month was perched his breast was working like a blacksmith's bellows, his heart beating like a hammer. Though afraid a death, he could not stop. He ran on and on. At this point he should have stopped but the thought of gaining more land made him push himself to the end losing the land his life.

Conclusion

From the above illustration, it is true to say that our desire to get more and more can make us lose even what we have.

2. Describe the devastating effects that conflicts have on the innocent children and women in Mariatu Kamara’s “The President” in “Memories we Lost and other stories”.

• Conflitcs in society arise as a result of hatred and tribal animosity. This hatred and animosity among citizens leads to unrest and violence. Such violence and conflicts have far reaching consequences and effects on the civilians, mostly children, women and the innocent. As brought out in the President many suffer a lot.
• Members of different families are separated from each other as a result of conflict Many people fear what is brought about by conflict and thus end up running away, and in the process they separate from each other. For instance, Adamsay is dragged away by rebels. Furthermore, Ibrahim and Mohamed are captured and tied and taken away. Kamara is also separated from Mare and Alle because of conflict
• There are a lot of atrocities which are meted on the people during conflict Women and girls end up being defiled, a case of Kamara where she is raped by Salieu at atender age. Many people lose their limbs, for instance rebels cut off people's hands as a way of sending to a message to the president to get out of power. Many people are forced to live in an amputees' camp in free town.
• Many lives are lost. Conflict and violence leads to the killing of many people. The narrator says that she later learnt that as many as hundred people were killed that day. Rebels have no regard for human life, they just kill people.
• In line with war, children are also recruited into war as soldiers. Mostly this is done against their will and they end up missing on their childhood. Kamarais tortured and eventually amputated by child soldiers who are her age mates. She pleads with one child soldier to have mercy on her as she is his age but the child soldier hears none of that. Victims of violence and conflicts are force to live in a camp for amputees in Freetown. This camp is full of filthy litter and full of dirty bodies. More so they are forced to beg on the streets to get what to eat.
• Children who undergo such violence like what Kamara goes through have psychological torture. Kamara mentions that she is enrolled in high school before she is swallowed by thoughts of her past and family.
• It is very clear that conflicts, which are mostly fuelled by hatred has detrimental effects on innocent children and women. They are the ones who suffer the greatest brunt of such. They suffer a lot, they are handicapped displaced from their homes, are forced to live in pathetic conditions and some even lose their lives

Any other relevant conclusion, award 2 marks Introduction 2 marks Content 12 marks Conclusion 2 marks Language: 4 marks

3. Painful experience need not lead one to hopelessness. With illustrations from the story “Mr. President’ by Mariatu Kamara show the validity of this statement.

Introduction

Generally comment on the evils of political violence or instability of the country and devastating experiences of the citizens

Body

Context based- Highlight the points to be discussed as topic sentences without Pre-emptying the details

Point of interpretation

• The girl was chopped of her hand by the political rebels but she still soldier on and went oversees Where he learnt how to operate a laptop
• The girl has lost her parents but was brought up by relatives and she managed to survive the Political turmoil of the time
• The girl was sexually misused at her tender age as the people took advantage of the girl's Helplessness
  Salien the old man had impregnated her. After giving birth with difficulties and Even losing her baby, she still forged on with life and finally going to Toronto where well wishers educated her English as a second language.
• The girl was subjected to untold suffering and living in deplorable and humiliating human Condition. Living in an overcrowded tent with other amputees and living from hand to mouth begging. At last she finds a save larch where her future brightens once more once in Toronto
• The girl finds herself in a difficult situation where communication with the foreigner and other refugees was impossible. She however struggled and can finally communicate in English thus ensuring her survival.

Conclusion

Give a general opinion of the devastating effect of war.

Write a recap of the point discussed above and illustrating briefly their appropriateness
Introduction (2 marks) For well explained points 4x3 each - 12 marks Conclusion 2 marks
Grammar - spelling - 1 mark - Punctuation 1 mark Correct sentence construction 1 mark - Fluency (1 mark)
Total (20 marks)

4. In reference to Marintu Kamara’s story “The President”, demonstrate the adverse effects that conflicts bring to the innocent. (20 marks)

• Conflicts arise as a result of hatred and tribal animosity. The hatred and tribalism lead to violence that have adverse effect on innocent civilians.
• In this story, members of different families are separated from each other as a result of conflict. A lot of people escape from the hot spots thereby separating from their loved ones. Adam say is dragged away by rebels. Ibrahim and Mohamed are captured and tied then taken away. Kamara is separated from.
• Marie because of the conflict.
• A lot of atrocities are meted on the people during conflict. Women and girls end up being defiled, a case of Kamara where she is raped by Salieu at a tender age. Many people lose their limbs. Rebels cut off people’s hands as a way of sending a message to the president to get out of power. Many people are forced to live in an amplitees’ camp in free town. Many lives are lost. Conflict and violence lead to the killing of many people. The narrator says that she later learnt that as many as a hundred people were killed that day. Rebels have no regard for human life, they just kill people. In line with the war, children are also recruited into war as soldiers. Mostly this is done against their will and they end up missing on their childhood. Kamara is tortured and eventually amputated by child soldiers who are her age mates. She pleads with a child soldier to have mercy on her as she is his age but the child soldier hears none of that. Victims of violence and conflicts are forced to live under pathetic conditions, Kamara, her cousins and aunt have to live in a camp. This camp is full of filth. Moreso they are forced to beg on the streets to get food.
• Children who experience violence go through psychological torture. Kamara mentions that she is enrolled in high school before she is swallowed by thoughts of her past and family.
• Effects of conflicts are quite adverse on the innocent especially the children. They are the ones who are handicapped, displaced from this homes, forced to live in pathetic conditions and some even lose their lives.
  (20 marks)

5. With illustrations from Siddartha Gigoo's Story, Umbrella Man, discuss how symbolism has been developed.

Introduction

Umbrella Man, set in an asylum basically employs the umbrella as symbol for rain and by extension a hope for freedom from the mental asylum for the inmate referred to as number 7.
Moreover, the umbrella is also symbolic of protection and companionship.

Body

• Every time number 7 steps out of his ward, he rarely fails to carry the umbrella and keenly observes the clouds to see whether they will yield rain. Some how number 7 was hopeful of the rain that evening as well. (pg 46). The barber knows Number 7 is fascinated about the rain and asks him if it will rain soon Number 7 gives him hope that it going to rain soon. I thought you believed in Hope and Nature's miracles. Don't you believe that someday It will rain here and the earth will turn moist and smell of wild flowers. pg 49). In the end hope is fulfilled. It rains even though this happens at night.

• The umbrella as a symbol of protection and companionship not only shields the inmate from the scorching sun, but also keep company from the solidarity confinement of the mental asylum. His umbrella is his playmate. He holds it aloft and walks with it leisurely on the compound. During the lonesome nights, he would imagine he is talking to a child. During such moments, he wakes up and watches the child disturbed by unpleasant dream. He comforts the child to go back to sleep and promises to be by the child's side

• The umbrella does also act as hope for freedom Inmate Number 7 who carries this umbrella everywhere he goes is the only one allowed outside the compound. It takes doctors several months to grant Number 7 permission to go outside the compound This liberty is not an entitlement but a privilege. It is a freedom that can be measured it ends either at the one hundred and ninety-square metre compound of the asylum or the ninety-something yards in the narrow avenue outside the gates that ended at another wall. Finally, the committee members unanimously agree that umbrella man is now fit to go home

Conclusion

Indeed the hope of the umbrella man is fulfilled when it rains on the night that he gets released from the asylum
Mark as follows Any three well developed points Mark 4.4.4 Award 2 marks for Introduction and 2 marks for Conclusion

6. Poverty creates deep social contrast in the way people live in the society. Write an essay in support of the above statement drawing illustrations from No Violet Bulawayo’s story, Hitting Budapest.

Introduction

Paradise and Budapest contrast sharply in their manifestations of the economic duality where extreme poverty is paralleled with abundance and extreme wealth.

Body

• Paradise is prejudiced in food and hunger pangs which drive children into stealing guava fruits as Budapest chocks in plenty and waste. The children sneak out of their dwelling place and go to steal quavas because of hunger. The narrator says he would die for guavas or anything because his stomach feels like somebody just took a shovel and dug everything out ( 971. They have stolen from Chipo's uncle's trees, they have harvested all the fruits at SADC Street and now they are adventuring in the IMF Street where they are sure to find some. By the time they get back to paradise their stomachs are so full they will just drink water for the night listen to Mother of Bone's stories and go to sleep. Contrast this to the experience of Budapest where the woman comes out eating ice cream and can afford to throw the remains into the waste bin. The children wonder because they have never seen anybody throw food away. (pg 100)

• The two neighbourhoods are completely worlds apart in housing and shelter In paradise the narrator says they live in shanties and shacks. No wonder then that they are mesmerized by the Budapest's big houses with graveled vards and tall fences and walls and flowers and green trees, heavy with guava fruits to steal. (pg 98). They even argue about and adopt houses they can only dream about.pg 102, 103) Inequality is also very evident in the distribution of facilities of comfort (recreational facilities) in Budapest, along Hope Street there is a big stadium with the glimmering benches that the children in Paradise will never sit on (pg 97. Mello can afford to eat ice cream the remains of which she even throws into a dustbin. The children from Paradise look at the flying remains of the food flying in the air like a dead bird before hitting the ground. They have never seen anyone throw food away. They can afford to listen to good music not kwaito or dance hall like in Paradise (pg 100). Mello takes pictures for fun She has a nice pink camera which fascinate the children because it is not in their experience. No wonder, taking pictures does not appeal to the children at all (pg 101).
• Contrasted social distance disposition is manifested in relationships and levels of interactions in Budapest and Paradise There is certain level of effervescence in Paradise as opposed to Budapest Children interact easily and even plan to go and steal Guava fruits from the neighbourhood. Women and men can have time for each other ( 97 98 102). And the narrator tells us of Mother of Bones telling them stories in the evenings before they sleep Budapest on the other hand is deserted and forlorn. The narrator says, "Budapest is like a different country But not an ordinary country- It looks like everybody woke up one day and closed their caree, doors and windows picked their passports and left Even the air is empty no burning things, no smell of cooking food or something rotting: just plain air with nothing in its hands. pg 9B)
• Basics in life like clothing and water are so lacking in Paradise whereas there is plenty in Budapest. When Mello run her hands in her hair which looked matted and dirty the narrator wonders and wishes that he was in Budapest ""...If I lived in Budapest / would wash my whole body every day and comb my hair nicely to show was a real person iving in a real place (pg 101) even clothing is a problem in Paradise. Godknows shorts are tor at the back and the white fabric is dirty as Basta wears a wom out T-shirt that makes him look so ugly one cannot tell whether he is a man or a woman in Budapest, Mello is wearing a long neat dress. She is clean and pretty, like a baby. She adorng jewelry and her skin is smooth brown and does not have a scarpg 100, 101) There is no going to school in paradise. In fact the children believe that going to school is not important anymore. They imagine one can make money without going to school. The importance of school only occurs to them when they are taken to a correction home and they can now read and write (pg 103 104-105)

Conclusion

In conclusion the story treats the reader to a clear disparity that is so common in life when it comes to distribution of national resources, one part of the society has in excess what the other part may never live to experience, creating an absurd tilt in life.

7. When a teenage girl is brought up by an absentee mother, she is bound to face countless challenges. Justify this assertion basing your answer on Lesley Nneka’s story 'Light'

Introduction (2mks)

Any plausible introduction

Body(12mks)

• Getting physically lost Enebeli had separated for hours during chaos in market place.
  Unanswered questions may be demonstrated by the wrong people; Enebeli had to handle them though even when he wasn't the right person to do so.
• Biological developments are not clear thus could have humiliated episodes, the girls first monthly period seeped all through the mattress.
• It leads to family conflict and disintegrating: Enebeli is always at loggerheads with the wife because of the girl.
• Breakdown of communications eventually sets in between the mother and daughter making a bad situation worse. The girl stopped talking with the mother. Relationship with other family members is affected: The aunt to the girl

Conclusion (2mks)
any valid conclusion
Language (4mks)

8. ‘In the short story, How Much Land Does Man Need, the author shows human greed’. Write an essay to support the above statement.

Introduction

Some people are not satisfied with what they have and want more all the time. Leo Toistay's short story "How much land does man need? Is a dear llustration of this.

Body

• He had a farm and a house but wanted more. He had 123 acres of land and pasture.. As he farmed, the number of cattle kept increasing. He had a thought that this land was not enough. He wanted wider and more fertile.. How can I have more land?
• He was easily convinced to go buy land from the Bashkis. A passing dealer tells him there is cheap land in land of the Bashkuris.. I have to go there and buy land he thinks.
  He enquired how to get to Bashkris and buys many presents in the market.. He started on the journey and took his servant with him.
• He could not sleep. thinking of the land he would acquire "If I walk the whole day what a large track I will mark off...... He lay awake all night.. When shown the land his eyes gistered; there was wide land in front of his eyes. "I will get the largest and the best land above all the people!"
• He bit more than he could chew. He tried to get more land than his body could sustain in walking,. He kept walking without thinking. He felt serious pain but pressed on. He threw away his coat, his shoes, his flask and his cap. . His legs gave away beneath him and he fell forward. He dies after straining to get more land.

Conclusion

It is out of greed and obsession to get more land that Palom strains to get and dies tragically,

NB: Expect 4 well illustrated points (3:3:3:3)
Introduction - 2mks
Body - 12 mks
Conclusion - 2mks
Language competence - (4mks)

9. Discuss the major issues highlighted by the writer in the story window seat by Benjamin Branoff.

Introduction

Every writer sets out to pass a certain message or communicate a particular issue to the audience through their work Benjamin highlights a few concepts in the story Window Seat.

Body

• Lawlessness our roads, vehicles should always follow traffic rules on the roads for Safety in this story law and order on roads is not followed as it should be public transport vehides are overloaded. The narrator says a min van meant for te passengers now carry twenty four of them. It is even worse in the rush hour.
• Bribery and corruption-drivers bribe policemen in order to get away with crime. Even when things seem to be okay with the vehicle the policemen solicit for bribes is an extent of removing the car keys from ignition. The bribe is a very powerful voice that the police use to silence the adamant drivers.
• Suffering a passengers. The narrator says that one learns not to commit to a long road because of discomfort. However they don't seem to care or they are used to it They even smack their lips loudly when the policemen take bribes but they don't take any step. It is even because of overloading that makes it easy for Kenga to rob the narrator.
• Poverty people at the bus stop are said to be in sandals and others are barefoot, this means they cannot afford better shoes. The passengers could be suffering in silence In the overloaded daladala because of poverty. This is because they pay less money for fare.The narrator describes Kenga that she has a trim figure probably caused by a lifetime of hardwork and deprivation of luxuries. It also possible that she stole from the narrator because she is poor.
• The word Mzungu means a white men. The Africans call them this to mean be is from the white race. The Africans see the narrator as more superior than them and use even a spectacle that he is using the public. When the guard greets him at the city Chui, everybody turns to see him Africans perceive the white men as rich and wealthy that's why Kanga robs him in the vehicle. The narrator chooses to date Monique a French girl because she is from their race. He says "I should be with the France girl la fille because French woman are absolutely like American men

Conclusion

Major issues that can be related to our day today life's are highlighted in the story. Such issues such as poverty, Lawlessness on our roads and poverty need to be dealt with for better life

10. The villagers are to blame for the death of Esteban. With clear illustrations from Gabriel Marquez’s story The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World write an essay showing how the villagers can be blamed for the death of Esteban.

Introduction

At times people drives others to their deaths without consciously knowing what they are doing. This is the case with Esteban whose death can be blames on the villagers.

Content

• Estaban had been uncomfortable getting into the village houses because the doors were small for him and he had to get in sideways and at times would hit his head on cross beams.
  The chairs in the village were weak for Estaban, something that made him feel out of place in his huge size. He had to stand most of the time as others seat.
• The women always talked negatively about him. They did not appreciate his presence in the homes and reffered to him as 'big boob or "handsome fool."
• The men seem remorseful also for making Esteban feel out of place, in the village even clothes would not fit him and the narrator says.......it was not his fault that he was so big or so heavy or so handsome" (Pg 141). Both the men and the women blame themselves for not making him fit in the village.

Conclusion

Knowingly or subconsciously the villagers made Estab feel out of place. They seem to admit this in the end and give him a good send off after owning him. They also do several things in his memory.

11. “Greed and Materialism can lead to grave consequences.” In reference to the story “How Much Land Does Man a Need by Leo Toistoy, write an essay to illustrate the truth of this statement

Introduction:

The introductory paragraph could either be general or contextualized. It must be an attempt at interpreting the question. Definitions or lifting the question will not score. Eg. They need to amass more and more in terms of money or property is a vice that many people have. However in the pursuit of such, one ends up losing in one way or

Or

Pahom who had so many acres of land, and pasture still gets so interested in getting much more at a cheaper price but then had to walk to get as much land at roubles a day as possible. He exhaust himself and collapses dead in his attempt.

Body

• Pahom's yearning to get more land yet he has 123 acres of land and pasture, a big house and five family members. He thinks the land was not big enough. Wanted wider and more fertile lands Had the desire to farm widely and keep more livestock. kept on thinking about only one thing, how he can get more land
• The news about 13,000 acres of land all for 1000 roubles Pahom gets strongly attracted due to his greed for land . Wonders whether it is true - He says he must go and buy that land. He embarked on the journey and took his servants with him. They walked for seven days to where the land was, got the people of the town and gave them presents. The people promise to do anything for him.
• The prospects of the Pahom owning a large piece of land. He is told that the price of the land is always the same: 1,000 rouble a day. One had to go round on his feet and that land covered would be his, at 1,000 roubles a day. One had to start at one spot, make a round and mark with a spade on the place passed. Once had to make as large a circuit as one pleased, but one had to return to the place one started, otherwise all would be lost. - Pahom could not sleep thinking about how much land he would cover.
• The walk. Armed with his spade, he waited for the sun to rise and started off. He at some point takes off his outer coat and shoes. He was sweating and very thirsty. He was becoming tired he ate quickly to save on time, so that he can walk a greater distance. it was hot, yet he must return to the place where he started. He started walking back in difficulty
• Regrets - Pahom realizes time to sunset was almost gone and he began running back to the hillock. He realizes he had tried too much. He felt serious pain but pressed on, yet he was still far from the hillock. He threw away his coat shoes and flask and cap. He kept only the spade which he used as support, his soaking shirt and trousers stuck to him, his heart beating like a hammer. He was seized with terror and he died of strain. He fell down and died. Because he lost his whole energy to get more land, when he got to the goal, he fell down and died.

Conclusion;

Must be a valid paragraph, related to the requirements of the quattion. In his relentless pursult for more wealth, pahom ended up dead. Unrelentless pursuit for materials wealth can lead to disastrous consequences.

12. ‘All that glitters is not gold’ with illustration from Leo Toltoy’s ‘How much land does man need?' Write an essay to justify this statement.

Introduction (2 marks)

- Should be relevant
- No definition of terms of proverb

Body /content. (12 marks)

Should have atleast four well explained points.
Each point should have - a topical sentence / introducing the main idea of the paragraph. • Support sentences. - inches / concluding sentences 3 marks x 4 points

Points

• A passing dealer shares with Pahon how he had bought 13,000 acres of land all for 1,000 roubles. He thinks it a catch. In addition all the lands are very fertile. He
  say "I have to go there and buy land. He ends walking there for seven days
• The leader promises to give Pahom anything he could ask for as a reward for the presents he'd given to them. He asks him not to shy asking. He chooses the fertile
  wide land which he had to go round it in a day before owning it.
• Pahom fantasizes making a big pasture in his newly acquired land and build a good cottage. He promises himself to walk the whole day and mark off a large tract. He lays on his bed and could not sleep. He lays awake all night and only dozes off just before down.
• As Pahom resumes walking after a lunch break, he keeps thinking 'An hour to suffer, a life-time to live.' He walks on and just when he was about to turn to the left again, he perceives a damp hallow. He thinks it would be a pity leaving it out as flax would do well there. A desire to get this hollow makes him not totum
• Pahom develops a strong desire to amass even more land. He thus walks without thinking. He suddenly looks at the sun it was nearly half way to the horizon. He decides to walk back. His bare feet are cut and bruised. He longed to rest but it was impossible,
• Though afraid of death, upon hearing the Bashkirs velling and shouting him, he ran on and on as he was quite near his aim. He could see the people on the hillock waving their arms to hurry him up. He eventually reaches the beginning mark and collapses. Pahom dies and he's buried

Conclusion (2 marks)

Any relevant conclusion

Linguistic marks (4 marks)

13. Window seat is like a mirror in which we see our image. Discuss the image of African countries as seen from the view point of the story, Window seat by Benjamin Branof

Introduction
Window seat actually exposes the shortfalls in most African countries like corruption, the bad state of roads and what happens in the matatu industry.
(accept any other relevant introduction )2mks

Body

• The story exposes the madness of the matatu industry. There is a lot of congestion but the traffick police takes bribes (pg 62-63)
• The state of the roads is bad and its too dusty and he has to learn the down town dance on the vehicle (pg64)
• There is poor garbage coolection and a lot of air pollution (pg 65-66)
• Corruption among the traffic police officers (pg 66-68)
• Pick pocketing by the passengers (pg69-70)
• Accept any other relevant point
  Mark 3:3:3:3 (12mks)
  Expect details

Conclusion

• It can be general
• It can be specific

14. Children are imprisoned by mental ailments because of superstitious beliefs of those around them. Write an essay in support of the above statement drawing illustrations from Lidudumalingani Mqombothi’s story Memories We Lost. (20 marks)     

Introduction
In the story, Memories We Lost, those affected by mental diseases may continue suffering if the condition is considered demonic. This is demonstrated in the life of the girl who was suffering from schizophrenia. (Any other relevant introduction)
Content 

1. The first attack is said to come out of nowhere, as ghosts do. It is stated that every time the girl is attacked by the ‘thing’, she returned altered, unrecognizable as if two people were trapped inside her. p. 10-11
2. The victim is subjected to ritualistic practices meant to cure her. She had been through many rituals and church sermons, and nothing had changed. p. 14-16
3. The villagers shout insults to the thing because it remained mysterious to them. The elders even kept referring this thing as the devil’s work and demons. The mother was prompted to question God why he gave the thing to her daughter. p.15
4. There is a plan to take the girl to Nkunzi who was known for ‘baking people’. He claimed to be baking the demons and the patient would recover from the burns a week later. p.17
5. The girl is taken to sangomas who gave her bottles of medication. Unfortunately she did not recover. p.13

Conclusion 
In conclusion, ignorance due to the belief in evil spirits may worsen an illness which can be easily managed through love, care and understanding.  (Any other relevant conclusion)
Language  
0-4 1mk
5-7 2mks
8-10 3mks
11-12 4mks 

15. Moran (Ed.), Memories We Lost and Other stories (20 marks)
Lack of trust destroys relationships. Using illustrations from Dilman Dila’s Stones Bounce on Water, write an essay to illustrate the truth of this statement.

Introduction
Any affair based on mistrust and lies is bound to fail. This is portrayed in the short story Stones Bounce on Water by Dilman Dila.
Body

1. Winnie and her husband
   
   • There exists great mistrust in the marriage of Winnie and her husband Peter; a very uncomfortable marriage. Winnie suspects that Peter and Chelsea have an affair and goes ahead to expose her suspicion and the husband vehemently retrains her p145, 152. She argues that her death would give the two lovers free moments to live together, p160, 163.
2. Winnie and the Paulson’s
   • Winnie suspects that the Paulson’s are out to kill her so that they run the charity organization they share. When the firecracker goes off, Winnie believes it was deliberate and intended to harm her, p148. When she slumps onto Meg’s chair and unknowingly and slips the tea laced with
     Waragi, she becomes convinced that it was all planned against her until Joe corrects her, p 149. She apologizes but remains suspicious. The police also believed the Paulson’s sent their children away to spare them the trauma of witnessing murder, p147. Winnie at the end is murdered.
3. Winnie and Tim Collins
   
   • The other cause of mistrust could be inheritance. Tim Collins is the only relative outside marriage that would want to inherit Winnie’s wealth. He visits the dreaded pond in company of Simon; gets to know its location and the fact that it was feared and abandoned. This makes Winnie suspect him, p152. Tim Collins is suspected to have hired a dart gun from a poacher in Kenya that could have been used to drug the watchman, Okello. The fact that he was the best man in Chelsea/Peter wedding makes him suspect number 1. After the wedding, they struggled
     over the wealth, making it easy for the court to decide, p163.
4. Winnie and Chelsea
   
   • Chelsea is a partner of Winnie in a chain of shopping malls. In case she died, Chelsea stood a chance of having all of them to herself. Winnie mistrusts her and believes she is nurturing a love affair with Peter, p152. After Winnie’s murder, Chelsea and Peter were reported to have married. The Paulson’s skipped the wedding.
5. Winnie and Meg
   
   • Meg’s secret of having secret bottles is revealed in Winnie sipping tea from her cup. This shakes their relationship since the truth is revealed.

Conclusion

• In conclusion, it is therefore correct to argue that whenever we doubt people around us, we end up hurting them. Suspicion is hence the source of all troubles in most relationships.
  • Marking points
  • Introduction 2mks.
  • Four well illustrated points 3:3:3:3.
  • Valid conclusion 2mks.
  • Language up to 4 marks.

16. "It is in life's confinement that positive thinking and hope creates comfort and ultimate success". Using Siddhartha Gigoo's story. "The Umbrella Man" show the truth of this statement.

It is evident that optimism is what needs to endure toughest of times and see through to success as demonstrated by the inmate, No.7

• No.7 is given to the priviledge of going out of the gates because of his obedience and calmness, a position that the other inmates do not enjoy
• He ensures that he is psychologically at peace with himself and when there is threat of loneliness in the night, he recreates amity with a child in his dreams. He keeps consoling the child until it becomes happy
• He turns a rejected umbrella and makes it his soul mate and gives him hope to surge on and live in permanent expectation or good tidings. It becomes his comparison and he psychologically thrives in its companionship the symbolic expectation of rains that eventually comes with positivity
• Rain signifies and with it abundance and constant hope. The conversation he has with the barber shows how deeply inclined he is to the hope of a brighter future and he urges the barber to see it his way. And as if to confirm his belief it rains the very day he is released
• The punny little fellow is sympomatic of the yearning for freedom
• Conclusion
  In coclusion, No7 keeps to the faith as he lives it and at the end, the hope is realized when he is released from both physical and psychological bondage

17. Chris Wanjala (Ed.), Memories We Lost and Other Stories.
Discuss the challenges facing developing nations in Africa, with close reference to Window Seat by Benjamin Branoff.

• The developing nations in Africa experience many problems. Most times, these problems stem from ignorance, irresponsibility and lack of resources. Benjamin Branoff explores these problems in the short story, Window Seat.
• Developing nations experience garbage problems. The narrator sees dirt fly by as he sits by the window seat. There is grass and dirt throughout the journey. “The dirt and the grass are clumsy and foolish .. People are burning rubbish and dead foliage in piles by the roadside. A rancid smell is evident as they approach the town. It smells of garbage and human filth.
• Overloading
• The vehicle carries at most 28 passengers when it is made for 10. the narrator sits in a foetal position and jabs the man in front of him because they are congested inside the vehicle.  They all fuse their backs together and become one.
• Poor/ dusty roads
• The roads are full of potholes. The roads are dusty too. “I can read my location from the consistency of this dance. Pg 64. A few more stops down the dusty road.
• Corruption
• The police officer takes a bribe from the congested vehicle. He does not inspect it to check if it was roadworthy.pg 68.
• Human Traffic
• People are all over. “Through the sea of human traffic past the market; there anything can be bought. Congestion causes chaos. “I try to ignore the enticing shouts” pg 65. The feet are dangerously close to the now moving daladala.
• Thievery
• I reach into my right pocket for the money. Not there. Nope. Desperately, I search my back pockets

18. Traveling from one point to another can be a nightmare in many third world cities. Using illustrations from the short story Window Seat by Benjamin Branoff, show the validity of the assertion above. / Drawing illustrations from Window Seat by Benjamin Branoff, show the truthfulness in the observation that  “Travellers are sometimes subjected to pathetic travelling conditions on most of the Kenyan roads.”( 20mks)

Introduction
Candidates should show the difficulties associated with public transport
Accept:
General
Both general and contextual
An outline/ summary (2 mks)
Points of Interpretation

• It is uncomfortable to use public means of transport on Kenyan roads as one is exposed to uncouth conditions such as Air/noise pollution….endless dirt drifts through the window ….it finds crevices on my body… and sneaks into the stitching of my clothes pg63/65
  Air pollution seen when he says …the rancid smell from the burning garbage oozing into the vehicle from nearby rots . pg 65
  Noise pollution… when they reach the bus stop, they are exposed to the smelling bodies of the passengers.
• The roads are unworthy hence they are in pathetic conditions. The narrator says he is uncomfortable in the vehicle he is travelling in sitting at the window seat. This does not help as his head knocks on rusty ceiling many times.
• They are sometimes pickpocketed by pretty thieves. There are many people who engage in pretty stealing, pickpocketing like the kanga woman who pretends to be an innocent traveller but ends up stealing from the mzungu. He is left without money to pay for his fare.
• The roads are poorly maintained…while travelling the narrator says : The black asphalt is a slick and old and wise and grabs the dirty grass with confidence.
• The indifferent police officers that are bribed yet the vehicle is full. At chou, there is a sentry guard who although stops the overloaded vehicle does not make any effort to correct it…he was bribed but smiles instead.
  Accept any other relevant point. Expect any four areas. Mark 3:3:3:3= 12 mks

Conclusion
Using public transport can be frustrating sometimes.
Accept any other relevant conclusion. (2 mks)

19. Drawing illustrations from window seat by Benjamin Branoff, show the truthfulness in the observation that “travelers are sometimes subjected to pathetic travelling conditions on most of the Kenyan roads”. (20 mks)

Introduction

• Candidates should show the difficulties associated with public transport
  Accept:
  General
  Both general and contextual
  An outline/ summary (2 mks)

Points of Interpretation

• It is uncomfortable to use public means of transport on Kenyan roads as one is exposed to uncouth conditions such as Air/noise pollution….endless dirt drifts through the window ….it finds crevices on my body… and sneaks into the stitching of my clothes pg63/65
  Air pollution seen when he says …the rancid smell from the burning garbage oozing into the vehicle from nearby rots . pg 65
  Noise pollution… when they reach the bus stop, they are exposed to the smelling bodies of the passengers.
• The roads are unworthy hence they are in pathetic conditions. The narrator says he is uncomfortable in the vehicle he is travelling in sitting at the window seat. This does not help as his head knocks on rusty ceiling many times.
• They are sometimes pickpocketed by pretty thieves. There are many people who engage in pretty stealing, pickpocketing like the kanga woman who pretends to be an innocent traveller but ends up stealing from the mzungu. He is left without money to pay for his fare.
• The roads are poorly maintained…while travelling the narrator says : The black asphalt is a slick and old and wise and grabs the dirty grass with confidence.
• The indifferent police officers that are bribed yet the vehicle is full. At chou, there is a sentry guard who although stops the overloaded vehicle does not make any effort to correct it…he was bribed but smiles instead.
  Accept any other relevant point. Expect any four areas. Mark 3:3:3:3= 12 mks

Conclusion
Using public transport can be frustrating sometimes.
Accept any other relevant conclusion. (2 mks)

20. ‘Self-will is the key to surviving life threatening conditions’ Support this statement basing your illustrations on the story ‘No Need to Lie’ by Rolf Schmidt.

INTRODUCTION (2MKS)
The candidate should show understanding of the question and the effort Rolf puts in to overcome the challenges of cancer (It can be general/contextual or both)

CONTENT (12MKS)

• Food- Rolf ensures he eats food by forcing it down his throat despite the pain (pg126-127)
• Radiotherapy- Despite the dreadfull and almost frightening radiation apparatus as well as the side effects of radio therapy,Rolf faces the treatment bravely . This decreases the swelling on his neck.
• Chemotherapy Rolf is ready to follow through with the doctor’s advice on chemotherapy ( pg 123,128,131,135)
• Friends- Rolf keeps in touch with his friends who assist him to endure the pain by being there for him and providing financial assistance. He vows not let them down.
• Sporting activities- Rolf continues with his Pollo game at the club as a way of occupying himself and fighting the effects of cancer.(pg 129,131)
• Right attitude – Rolf’s right mind set makes him convince himself that he is not going to die. He tells himself that those who give up end up losing to cancer.
• Family – Rolf’s strong desire to be there for his wife and children give him enough reason to be strong enough and defeat cancer. He pulls himself away from pity party and realizes he has a family that needs him to live.

CONCLUSION(2 MKS)

In conclusion we all need a strong will in life at one point or another in order to see another new day.
AWARD 2:3:3:3:3:2 + 4mks language= 20mks

21. Secrecy and mistrust can damage relationships. Discuss with illustrations from Dilman Dila’s Stones Bounce on Water.

People who keep issues from one another are hound to have poor relations especially it the truth is uncovered.
(Any relevant introduction)

• The secret affair between Peter and Chelsea creates a sense of mistrust in Winnie. Winnie almost drops her cup when Chelsea remarks that she would spend her next honey moon there, Pg 152. ‘You won’t shut me up! There is something between you and Chelsea! This assertion is true as in the end Peter and Chelsea get married after Winnie’s death.
• Simon secretly adds alcohol to Meg’s tea against Joe’s wishes. On pg 148. Joe had always suspected that Meg had secret bottles and on asking Simon he denies it, Joe looks at Simon with a sneer to show his disapproval. Meg is actually driven into alcoholism due to the mistrust that exists between her and the business partners. Simon says that he as sure Joe would reprimand Meg. p 149.
• Tim. Winnie’s Cousin, secretly plans Winnie’s murder so as to be a beneficiary of Winnie’s wealth. Pg 149, Winnie talks about the how Tim would inherit her money and when Winnie’s body is found and investigations are conducted, Okello the guard says that lie was drugged, even though the evidence is scanty it is later discovered that Tim had contacted a poacher in Kenya before he got to Uganda (dart gun).
• Even after conspiring to murder Winnie and become heirs of her wealth, Tim and Peter do not trust each other and they disagree on how they are to share what they had acquired. They testify against one another making it easy for the courts to make a judgement, pg 163.
• Winnie mistrusts everybody who is around her. She believes someone wants to kill benefit from her wealth. When fire cracker goes off. She believes it was asset up for them to run so as someone would add poison to her tea. She cannot even eat the food prepared by the cooks it is poisoned. She even asks whether they would deposit her body at the pond, pg 152.

Conclusion
In conclusion, relationships shrouded in mistrust and secrets are bound to fail.

22. Mentally ill patients need love and care. Using illustrations from LidudumaLingahi Mqombothi’s short story, Memories we lost. Write an essay to justify this statement. (20 mks)

Character presented

• Narrator, mother, neighbours, school fraternity.
  The narrator supports the sister by being truant from school to take care of the sister who had dropped out.
  Prevents the sister from inflicting self injury (p 11-12)
  Helps the sister escape from home to prevent the mother from taking her to the Sangoma.
  She gets rid of the needless medication.
• Mother
  She fearlessly searches for the daughter after others had given up at night and comes carrying her. (p.11)
  She desperately tries to get help for the daughter as she takes her to the Sangomas.
• Neighbours
  Helps in searching for the sick girl when she runs away at night (p 10) men and boys emerged from their houses with machetes.
  The villagers ‘United with the mother in support of organising a ceremony which was expected to cure the sick girl. (p. 14).
  “The entire village gathered outside our house for another ritual meant to cure my sister”
  This showed the frantic effort by the neighbours to support the cure of the sick girl.
  The school fraternity was able to accommodate the sick girl until she became very violent. However the teacher informs the narrator that the sick girl was suffering from schizophrenia and the narrator felt that all the medicine being given by the sungomas would not help her sister. She finally helps the sick sister to get rid of the medicine. (p. 13)

23. Basing your answer on Leo Tolstoy’s How Much Land Does One Need? Show how lack of contentment with what one has leads to destruction.

Introduction
Lack of contentment in life can lead to greed and even in some case death. Leo Tolsoy in the story, How Much Land Does One Need? reminds us that we do not need a lot in life and we should be content with what is enough. Pahom looks for more land yet he has more than what many people have.
Accept any other introduction 2marks

Points of interpretation

• Ci: Attraction
  Lack of contentment can lead one to destruction as seen with Pahom. He is a farmer who owns 123 acres of land and pasture but he still wants more. He keeps thinking of how he wants more land. When a man tells him of the land of the Bashkirs and how cheaply it is sold, he is strongly attracted.
• Cii: Sleep
  Pahom learns from the Bashkir leader that he was to walk the whole day and return before sunset and all the land he had marked would be his for 1000 rubles. He is unable to sleep as he thinks of the large tract of land he will get if he covers a large area.
• Ciii: Walking
  When Pahom starts to cover ground, he sees more fertile land farther and farther away and all he thinks about is how to get all the land for himself. He keeps moving towards more land and he loses track of time. He is willing to even throw away what he has to get what he can see and unfortunately never have.
• Civ: Running
  Pahom removes his shirt and throws away his water bottle. He suffers because he wants to walk to more of fertile land that he can see, the more he sees, the more he runs towards it. It is almost sunset and he runs fast as he wants to beat the sunset deadline and own all the land he has marked. He is tired and his heart beats very hard. Unfortunately, he falls to the ground dead because he had lost a lot of energy. His servant buries him and says that all Pahom needed was six feet from his head to his heels.
  3:3:3:3=12 points

Conclusion
Pahom dies because he is not satisfied with what he has. In his quest to acquire more fertile land, he missed out on time. In the end, it is greed that kills him, yet all he needed was some land.
Accept any other valid conclusion 2marks

24. Cancer is a disease that can be conquered. Using illustrations from the short story, "No Need to Lie," justify the truth of the statement (20mks)

INTRODUCTION
Thousands of people suffer from, and die of cancer; and thousands more, probably millions, suffer from it, defeat it and live to share their experiences. The story, "No need to lie," by Rolf Schmid bears this out.

BODY

• Determination and positive thinking are important as personal defence to an infected person. The narrator keeps positive thoughts coupled with strong will to live; he would summon the faces of his children one by one as a visual reminder of the reasons he had for living. Moreover, he kept telling himself, "you can't die, not now." Further more, as a theuparatic measure, he carry on with his everyday activities like playing polo with his friends in spite of his condition. His determination play a great role in his healing process.
• The narrator's trust in God, and his wife's constant prayers for him plays an important role too. Asmahan, his wife constantly says a prayer for him, "Bismillahi rahmani Rahim," as he drives himself to Nairobi Hospital. More over, on their way to the airport the wife reminds him, "God
  will be with you, and we shall all pray." His faith and trust enables him to have a settled mind which in turn contributes to his body responding to treatment well.
• Support from his spouse and friends helps him to accept his condition. Terminal illnesses become a challenge when people around you discriminate or stigmatize you. This is not the case in Rolf's situation. The wife encouraging him and friends like Gideon coming to visit and making contributions towards his medication help him to accept his condition, and move to various stages of treatment without a problem.
• Cooperating with the medical personnel is key to conquering the disease. From the moment Rolf goes to hospital thinking that he has tonsillitis, he begins a long medical journey which starts at Karen Surgery. His reference to Nairobi Hospital by Dr Mrs Van Enk to see a specialist, Dr Rupani, is accepted though it raises in him questions about his condition. More so, he goes through radiation processes and later chemotherapy at Nairobi Hospital without any objections. When he is later referred to Katharinen Hospital in Germany in the last stages of his treatment, which would involve operation, he cooperates. This cooperation enables treatment procedures to be completed on schedule.
• Food and food drinks are essential components in the fight against cancer as it helps the body gain from food nutrients that build body's strength against diseases. Though taking them can be a challenge because of open wounds on the throat, gums or lips, the narrator divices a method with the help of his medicare team to use a pipe inserted in his throat through which he would pour the fluid food and water right into his food pipe. This requires perseverance and endurance but it is advised in order to help the patient stay strong. The narrator's ability to persevere and endure all the pain is what finally brings him healing and full recovery.

CONCLUSION
With early diagnosis, detection, and adherence to the doctors' advice, and self acceptance, and the will to live, cancer can be conquered.

25. In life, it is positive thinking and hope that creates comfort and ultimate success. Using illustrations from Umbrella Man by Siddhartha Gigoo, justify this statement.

Introduction
In the story “umbrella Man” it is evident that optimism is what one needs to endure toughest of times and see one through to success as demonstrated by the inmate, Number 7.

• Number 7 is given the privilege of going out of the gates because of his obedience and calmness, a position that the other inmates do not enjoy. (46).
• He ensures that he is psychologically at peace with himself and when there is threat of loneliness in the night, he recreates amity with a child in his dreams. He keeps on consoling the child until it becomes happy. (pg48, 50)
• He turns a rejected umbrella and makes it his soul mate and it gives him hope to surge on and live in permanent expectation of good tidings. It becomes his his companion and he psychologically thrives in its companionship, the symbolic expectation of rains that eventually comes with positivity (pg 48)
• The rain is important to the umbrella man. Rain signifies life and with abundance and constant hope. The conversation he has with the barber shows how deeply inclined he is to the hope of a brighter future and he urges the barber to see it his way. And as if confirm his belief, it rains the very day he is released. (pg 46,48,50)
• The puny little fellow is symptomatic of the yearning for freedom. (49,50)

Conclusion
In conclusion, Number 7 keeps to the faith as he lives it and at the end, the hope is realized when he is released from both physical and psychological bondage.

26. Using illustrations from Rolf Schmid’s short story, “No Need to Lie”, write a Composition on the agonizing effects of cancer. (20 marks)

Introduction:
The cancer scourge continues to cause pain, suffering and loss of lives amongst Kenyan families. The greatest challenge has been that it’s difficult to detect the disease early and most patients cannot afford the medical care. Although Rolf Schmid in the story No need to Lie, discovers the cancer early, he goes through hell before he fully discovers.

Body

Cancer makes   eating   nightmares   to   the   victims.   When   Rolf experienced the pain for the first time, it was unbearable and he could hardly swallo Pg. 122. He was also scared to eat. The thought of food passing through his mouth scared him. Dr. Rupani threatened to feed him intravenously. Rolf opted to feed himself through rubber pipe inserted in his throat. The experience was still painful and torturous. He had raw lips,  gums and sore throat and  when food touched any this, he could groan in pain.

• The pain associated with cancer is unbearable. After going through radiation, Rolf felt excruciating pain in the nec His moth was full of ulcers, skin covering the gums had peeled off. Furthermore, chemotherapy was so painful and led to loss of hair, nausea and vomiting. An eight-inch cut on his neck had to be cleaned and he often fainted during the procedure.
• Cancer causes deformation. In the patient room, Rolf saw patients who had lost hair. He lost weight significantly. The muscles were was Once he was 125kg but now was weighed 87.3kg. Chemotherapy also led to loss of hair and brought a lot of misery to the patients. In fact, Rolf lost his hair and a beard, his head was swollen such that one could not see the neck. A number of patients were paralyzed.
• Cancer leads to psychological torture. When Rolf was required to see the doctor, we are told fear gripped him. He didn’t know what he was suffering from. When he thought of cancer, he was scared to death. The family could not sleep that night when they waited for biopsy results. His wife Asmanham cried when news broke that he had cancer. Again Rolf was intimidated when he saw the radiation apparatus. He also felt ashamed when his friends paid him a visi They heard him scream and thought he was critically ill. When he was driving to town, he felt angry such that he almost caused an accident. We dreaded chemotherapy because those who went through it died one week later. They died out of despair. Pg. 133.
• Cancer leads to loss of friends making one feel lonely. Rolf lost several fiends because of his health; those who hanged around discouraged him.
• Cancer leads to financial strain. Rolf thought that his insurance company would pay all his medical expenses, however, the company paid only up to a certain amount forcing him to raise the remaining cash from friends and other well-wishers.
• In conclusion, we can win war on cancer if the government declares it a national disaster. By doing this, all resources would be directed towards combating the scourge thus preventing loss of lives, pain and suffering.

For a candidate to score a full, the following demands of the question must be met:

• Episodes/background information
• Details of the agony – agony must come out
• Details of the effects of cancer

27. Our actions or inactions can lead to disastrous consequences. With clear illustrations from Gabriel Marquez’s “The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World,” write an essay illustrating the villager’s role in the death of Esteban.  

Occasionally, we could lead others to disastrous situations if we do not pay keen attention to our actions or inactions.  Esteban death can be blamed on the villagers.
Content

• The doors being too small, Estaban had always got in sideways. This made him uncomfortable getting into the village houses and at times he would hit his head on crossbeams.
• The chairs in the village being weak and too small for Estaban, always made him feel out of place and made him to always remain standing while others sat.  
• On their part, the women constantly spoke negatively about him. They did not Appreciate his presence in the homes and referred to him as “big boob” or” handsome fool.”
• The men are equally remorseful for making Esteban feel out of place, in the village. Even clothes would not fit him and the narrator says, “…….it was not his fault that he was so big or so heavy or so handsome” (Pg141). Both the men and the women blame themselves for not making him fit in the village.
  Conclusion
  The quest to belong is almost an innate desire for every human and being denied this subjects one to psychological anguish whose net effect could be fatal. The villages treatment of Estaban consigned him to his early death. 

28. “Economic duality is evident in our contemporary society” substantiate the validity of this assertion drawing your illustrations from the short story Hitting Budapest by Noviolet Bulawayo. (20mks)

SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONTRASTS BETWEEN BUDAPEST AND PARADISE.

• Paradise and Budapest contrast sharply in their manifestations in the economic duality where extreme poverty is paralleled with abundance and extreme wealthParadise is prejudiced in food and hunger pangs which drive children into stealing guava fruits as Budapest chocks in plenty and waste. The children sneak out of their dwelling place and go to steal guavas because of hunger. The narrator says he would die for gulyas or anything because his stomach feels like somebody just took a shovel and dug everything out (pg 97). They have stolen from Chipo's uncle's trees, they have harvested all the fruits at SADC Street and now they are adventuring in the IMF Street where they are sure to find some. By the time they get back to paradise their stomachs are so full they will just drink water for the night, listen to Mother of Bone's stories and go to sleep. Contrast this to the experience of Budapest where the woman comes out eating ice cream and can afford to throw the remains into the waste bin. The children wonder because they have never seen anybody throw food away. (pg 100)
• The two neighbourhoods are completely worlds apart in housing and shelter. In paradise the narrator says they live in shanties and shacks. No wonder then that they are mesmerized by the Budapest's big houses with graveled yards and tall fences and walls and flowers and green trees, heavy with guava fruits to steal (pg 98). They even argue about and adopt houses they can only dream about.(pg 102, 103)
• Inequality is also very evident in the distribution of facilities of comfort. In Budapest, along Hope Screet there is a big stadium with the glimmering benches that the children in Paradise will never sit on (pg 97). Mello can afford to eat ice cream the remains of which she even throws into a dustbin. The children from Paradise look at the flying remains of the food flying in the air like a dend bird before hitting the ground. They have never seen anyone throw food away. They can afford to listen to good music, not kwaito or dance hall like in Paradise (pg 100). Mello takes pictures for fun. She has a nice pink camera which fascinate the children because it is not in their experience. No wonder taking pictures does not appeal to the children at all (pe 101).
• Contrasted social distance is manifested in relationships and levels of interactions in Budapest and Paradise. There is certain level of effervescence in Paradise as opposed to Budapest. Children interact easily and even plan to go and steal Guava fruits from the neighbourhood. Women and men can have time for each other (pg 97, 98, 102). And the narrator tells us of Mother of Bones telling them stories in the evenings before they sleep. Budapest on the other hand is deserted and forlorn. The narrator says, "Budapest is like a different country. But not an ordinary country it looks like everybody woke up one day and closed their gates, doors and windows picked their passports and left...Even the air is empty no burning things, no smell of cooking food or something rotting: just plain air with nothing in its hands. pg 98)
• Basics in life like clothing and water are so lacking in Paradise whereas there is plenty in Budapest When Mello run her hands in her hair which looked matted and dirty the narrator wonders and wishes that he was in Budapest, I lived in Budapest I would wash my whole body every day and comb my hair nicely to show I was a real person living in a real place."pg 101) even clothing is a problem in Paradise. Godknows shorts are tom at the back and the white fabric is dirty as Basta wears a wom out T-shirt that makes him look so ugly one cannot tell whether he is a man or a woman. In Budapest, Mello is wearing a long neat dress. She is clean and pretty, like a baby. She adorns jewelry and her skin is smooth brown and does not have a scar. (pg 100, 101)
• There is no going to school in paradise. In fact the children believe that going to school is not important anymore. They imagine one can make money without going to school. The importance of school only occurs to them when they are taken to a correction home and they can now read and write. (pg 103, 104-105)

29. Even in the midst of gloom and despair, one can find inspiration that keeps them going. Using illustrations from Siddhartha Gigoo’s ‘The Umbrella Man’, write an essay to justify this assertion.

• The inspiration of the umbrella- it was the most beautiful thing in the asylum, it brought a smile on his lips (pg 48)  and gave him the hope for the rain (pg 46)
• The conversations with the imaginary child- he would comfort the child, pray for grace upon the child. This talk helps him express his thoughts. Pg 48
• Interactions with the barber- he narrated humorous anecdotes to the inmates (pg 48) and engages Number 7 in a conversation. 
• Interactions with the puny little fellow- the friendly chats (pg 49) keep him going
• The doctors- grant him permission to saunter out of the gates due to his obedience and calm disposition pg  (46) and the good news about his freedom (pg 50) provide hope to him. 
• The doctors also find inspiration in treating Number 7- It is encouraging to see the progress Number 7 makes and this makes the doctors give him freedom to go out of the asylum gate after many months of treating him (pg 46) as well as the good news of is ultimate freedom (pg 50). Their efforts have yielded fruit....

30. Chronic illness affect the victim and their families in equal measure. Drawing the illustration from the story, “Memories we lost” by Ludumalingani, write an essay in support on the statement

Introduction
When a person falls ill, the family members too become sick in a way. The family members have to alter their engagements in order for them to adequately take care of the sick person. The story Memories we Lost has clearly proven this.

• Both the patient and the sister’s education is disrupted due to mental illness. She has to drop out of school. When she is attacked by a bout of schizophrenia, she swings a desk across the room and smashes a window. She smashes a chair against a wall and screams words which are incomprehensible. When her sister sees her reaction, she also goes truant and fakes illness so that she can stay at home with her sister. The sister says, “I want to be in the same class with you”. They stay together doing sketches. Over the years, they miss so much education that the younger sister goes two grades higher than the sick girl.
• The sickness causes the patient to not only injure herself but also her sister. She bleeds after smashing herself on the wall. When her sister grabs her trying to protect her, she becomes quite strong and overpowers her sister. She even cracks the wall open with her hand. The sick girl throws hot porridge on her sister scalding her chest. The sister, however, protects the sick girl by saying that she accidentally poured hot water on herself yet she had to run for safety when her sister had flung the pot with hot porridge across the room. The sick girl does it unconsciously and does not mean to hurt her sister. When she gains consciousness, she is shocked and devastated by her actions. Had she known what she had done, she would never have forgiven herself. Both the sick girl and her sister suffer because of the schizophrenia.
• The patient runs away from home in the middle of the night. The mother and the entire village are abducted from their sleep. Men and boys organize a disoriented search party in small uncoordinated groups. Even the children are frightened. As they search for her, the village is risking plunging down a cliff. They would search and search for the whole night. When the mother finally finds her, she carries her on her back and ‘she would scream at interval as to taunt’’ the mother (p11). The mother would take her risk daughter to moreThe sisters are forced to run away. When the narrator finds out that the mother is planning to take her to Nkunzi, a traditional healer, they opt to run away. The healer lives in a remote village miles away from their home. He is famous for “baking” mentally ill people claiming to cure them. He would make a fire from cow dung and weeds then tie the sick person on a zinc roofing and place it on fire. This resulted to death of the ‘demon-possessed’ since the narrator does not know anyone who survived Nkunzi’s ‘baking. They therefore flee home at sunset. They wander to a village, Philani where she takes her sister to hospital. When the narrator and the sister are playing in the rail, the mother is so fearful that she “thought that this was going to come again” and organizes for another ritual meant to cure….She loses faith in God “….Was torn and defeated and questioned why God gave this thing to my sister and my father”. Pg 15

Conclusion
Sick people and those around them experience a lot of challenges due to illnesses. It is good if we can stretch a helping hand to them.