THE RIVER AND THE SOURCE - LITERARY DEVICES

Similes

A simile is a comparison of people, places, events, ideas, actions etc. using the words “as” or “like”.

Examples in the novel

·         Later he would say wisely, with something of a turnabout, that a home without daughters is like a spring without a source, for it was his right as a great chief not only to lead but to utter wisdom as well, change of heart notwithstanding. (p11)

·         Now as sure as the sun rises in the east because this is the home of the great were the god of Ramogi, everything in this world has a reason if only you search diligently for it. P12

·         She is as fleet as a gazelle and her flying feet have been incorporated into the sayings of our village so that mothers sending their daughters on errands tell them to run like Adoyo of the flying feet. P21

·         Should I spit in the eyes of were like a snake and deny that he has given me children. P35

·         Were could rescue such a man from being blown away from among the people like so much chaff. P39

·         Not of course that anybody talked about it openly and definitely nobody referred to his wife about the matter, for events were still fresh in the people’s memories and everyone knew that there was no wrath like the wrath of an even tempered man; but one can talk without talking, and the people of Ramogi were masters of that wily tongued act. P46

·         Otieno treated his wives like sluts and they did not fail him, Owuor treated his wife like a queen and she did not fail him either. P47

·         Instead of walking they used swift moving little metal houses which had eyes that shone like the moon at night. P48

·         And wonder of wonders, they were building a long snaking metal line in which it was said that a contraption which looked like a caterpillar carrying many goods could move. P48

·         There were colourful butterflies, light as feather, but so awkward in their flight as if drunk on kong’o. p64

·         She herself should die, for what use was this life if one could be snuffed out like a poorly lit fire, never getting a chance to blaze into a flame. P64-65

·         As it was, his grandmother feared for his life and watched him like a hawk. P67

·         She found her daughter thin to the point of emaciation with her belly sticking out before her like an appendage. When she saw her mother still unbent and unbowed by suffering, looking like a woman half her age, she just broke down and wept in her arms as if she was a little girl again. P75

·         It is for us men to wash away our painful confusion with tears and then carry on, perhaps there might be some meaning in it all that only glimmers like a firefly in a dark night. P75

·         How can you trust one who is so white like the clouds? P76

·         I would not trust your uncle Otieno although he is as black as the bottom of the pot I boil maize and beans in. p77

·         “In the beginning, were was alone in the world which was beautiful. Were is a spirit and a spirit is like a flame, you can easily see it, but you cannot get hold of it. It is like air which you know is there but which you cannot touch. It is like the wind which can uproot a tree and hurl it afar but has no substance. It is like lightning which is seen in many places at once bit is in none. Yes, it is like the essence of man which makes him all that he is yet departs from him quietly and suddenly leaving only a dead image. P81

·         Very few rebelled and were outcast, cut off from the people like a branch from a tree. P87

·         It is a shame for an able bodied person to feed off the sweat of others. It becomes like a sickness of the blood which transmits itself to generations and becomes a curse forever. P93

·         Pain and sorrow all humans feel; but bitterness drops on the spirit like aloes – causing it to wither. P103

·         She suspected that her mother would take on the new faith like ngenge (fish) to water. P108

·         “Yes mother. It is true, I feel like an uprooted tree which cannot reach soil or water”. P111

·         Jonathan was the son of the king and would have been king if God had not chosen David in his stead but he was not bitter for he could see why, David had a soul as pure as spring water and as brave as a lion.

·         Awiti excelled in reading and Owuor took to numbers like a duck to water. P116

·         He had something on his mind for a long time and has been jumpy as an ant with its tail in hot embers. P125

·         Now that her cousin and only close male relative was in the seminary she was the only connection they had to the continuity of the family, something that the Africans, like the Chinese, holds dear to his heart.

·         There was a vice like band around her head and she thought she would faint. In her head one thought went round and round, beating its wings like a trapped bird. P131

·         You shake like a reed in the wind because you have never forgiven God for not giving you as many children as other women whom you consider less worthy. P131

·         Don’t you know that from the height of heaves and the vastness of his eternity he sees you as you shall be a hundred seasons hence when no one on earth will have any memory of you and your bloodline will have mingled and petered out like a well in the dry season. P132

·         Maria eventually subsided and her racing heart stilled within her but when she heard her daughter’s footsteps on the threshold the band tightened around her again and she started breathing fast – like a woman in labour. She struggled to control herself. P132

·         He offered her his hand and since she had been standing there like a fool listening to him, she decided that the least she could do was to shake it and then take off before having a fit or something. P139

·         Her ankles were constantly swollen and every once in a while her heart would do a strange dance within her rib cage – almost like the flutter of a bird trying to break free. P142

·         Further along was the school – the place of learning without which one was as a blind man in a strange house. P145

·         The girl has grown up in Gem because her mother being a widow and having converted to Christianity decided to settle here which is a good thing because now she is like a light to the rest of us. P148

·         But that evening, he came home smelling like a brewery. P160

·         Is this why they refused to take a bride price for her? So that they could treat us like dirt?p167

·         “There is a baby inside there waiting to be born”. Her eyes would then grow as big as saucers. P168

·         He felt like a man who had been hooked on drugs and was trying to throw off the habit. P169

·         After two weeks, she had gained a pound and a half and looked more like human baby than a monkey. P194

·         He had never been much good at hiding things behind a blank mask and Elizabeth could read him like a book. P200

·         Their shared room was therefore like an island on the midst of the tumultuous sea that was the “box”. P226

·         Sometimes they raced the van, grabbed a rail and swung themselves in like large monkeys and one momentarily closed one’s eyes in anticipation of the sound of wheels crunching over a fallen body. P234

·         Vera could collect her wits enough to listen to what the priest was reading and saying, but even before then she felt the peaceful stillness of the place steal into her soul like a fragrance – something that just came and against which one had no resistance. P236

·         I think one has to be tough as nails to survive this course. P248

·         Aoro walked out of the labour room theatre feeling like a punch drunk fighter. P249

·         Aoro was an intern and internship is a period which is marked in every doctor’s mind like a splash of white paint on a dark background. P250

·         A student nurse smiled at him – a smile as warm as the afternoon sun. p253

·         In spite of their hard start in life, or maybe because of it, they had all done very well and the oldest brother in fact owned a company and was very wealthy – a tycoon, though one would never have guessed it by looking at his lean, brown, but friendly face – as handsome as a male model. P266

·         Living with him would be like walking a tight rope. P267

·         Meanwhile in the kitchen Elizabeth and Wandia were getting on like a house on fire. P273

·         Vera and Wandia, who were as different as east from west, yet so similar in some ways, became fast friends.

·         Vera was delighted and treated her like a priceless and breakable porcelain object – which had amused her hugely. P278

·         “How terrible!” she was beginning to sound like a broken record. P280

·         “Where is your God?” A question as old as man’s sojourn on this earth. P289

·         He was now in class seven and was best student, class monitor and games captain and before his voice started breaking he, like his sister, sang like an angel. P293

·         To Wandia, it was like a light at the end of a dark tunnel. P294

·         To her, life was like a river, flowing from eternity to eternity. P298

DIALECT

Dialect is the use of a vernacular language that is unique to a group of people or a community.

Examples of dialects used in the novel

         i.            Dholuo words and phrases

·         Jorochere – White people. P11

·         Were – God of Ramogi. P12

·         Chik – The way of the people. P13

·         Jodongo – Elders. P13

·         Kong’o – Brew. P13

·         Wuon okumba – Bearer of the shield. P14

·         Wuod lando – Son of the brown woman. P14

·         Baba – Father. P15

·         Mama – Mother. P15

·         Dwaro mara – Want mine. P15

·         Migogo – Widow. P15

·         Dak – Neighbourliness. P16

·         Gueyo – Dirge. P14

·         Jomifwadhi – Disorganised sluggards. P16

·         Nak – Initiation. P16

·         Juok – Witchcraft. P17

·         Duol – Chief’s personal hut. P18

·         Nyadhi – Great style. P18

·         Mikai – First wife. P19

·         Samba – Hut. P19

·         Or – Son in law. P22

·         Maro – Mother in law. P22

·         Jawang’yo – Spy. P23

·         Ayie – I have accepted. P24

·         Amen – Wrestling duels. P27

·         Nyatiti – Traditional musical instrument. P28

·         Chieno – Traditional skin. P28

·         Miaha – New wife. P28

·         Nyar yimbo – Daughter of the people of yimbo. P35

·         Nyar asembo – Daughter of the people of asembo. P36

·         Misumba - A bachelor. P38

·         Pesa – Money. P48

·         Chiew – Wake up. P53

·         Jo-ingreza – The English. P59

·         Jo-jerman – The Germans. P59

·         Tao – Fish dish. P59

·         Biuru une – Come and see. P59

·         Sirikal – Government. P60

·         Yap Obanda – Obanda’s dam. P66

·         Thuondi – The brave ones. P82

·         Diyo – Squeeze. P84

·         Askaris – Policemen. P85

·         Ja – mwa - foreigner

·         Apil – Appeal. P89

·         Bwana – Sir. P91

·         Baba-na – My father. P98

·         Tero – Wife inheritance. P99

·         Batiso – Baptism. P105

·         Yeso kristo – Jesus Christ. P105

·         Ngege – Fish. P108

·         Misri – Egypt. P110

·         Ja-mwa – A foreigner. P146

·         Kambi – Company. P147

·         Kit mikai – Rock upon a rock. P147

·         Kech ka-ya – I am hungry. P152

       ii.            Swahili words and phrases

·         Kaptulas – Long shorts. P137

·         Uhuru – Independence. P171

·         Turudi mashambani – Let us return to the land. P171

·         Chapatis. P179

·         Harambee. P209

·         Mzungu – White man. P224

·         Matatu – Van. P234

·         Sukuma wiki – Kales. P238

·         Shamba – Farm. P255

·         Mwalimu – Teacher. P264

·         Daktari – Doctor. P264

·         Ndio mama – Yes mum

      iii.            Agikuyu words and phrases

·         Ruguru – The man from the west. P256

·         Muthoni – Brother in law. P267

     iv.            Latin words and phrases

·         Opus dei – God’s work. P239

·         Pater noster, qui es in coelis – Our father who art in heaven. P111

·         Alleluias – Hallelujah. P111

Idiophones

An idiophone is a sound which mimics the source of the sound.

Examples in the novel

·         The heavy air was split with sounds of amazement and laughter.

“Wolololoyaye!”

“Mama yoo!”

“Biuru une! Come and see!” p59

·         A praying mantis sat on a blade of elephant grass regarding all this unnecessary activity in prayerful contemplation; and in the nearby tree a dove cooed to it mates. “Kech ka-aya! Kech ka-aya!” which meant “I am hungry! I am hungry!” p52

Metaphor            

A metaphor is a comparison of people, places, events, ideas, actions etc. without using the words “as” or “like.”

Examples in the novel

·         “Another rock for my sling,” by which he meant another son. P11

·         Fish came in fresh from the lake and wild fruits abounded; in fact malnutrition at the rates seen among today’s urban and rural poor was unknown; indeed yimbo was a small corner of paradise. P16

·         “Ayie, I have accepted your suit. May the young girl be called so that people of Sakwa may see what jewel we are giving the”. P24

·         “What a brazen lass,” thought Otieno, “Thirty head indeed”.

·         Eventually the Sakwa men broke away with their prize and with one last cry, disappeared into the bush. P27

·         However, a monogamous man was an unknown animal and every man worth his salt tried to marry at least two wives. P30-31

·         “He went to a friend’s funeral the day before yesterday and is due back today. Meanwhile I will teach this she-wolf a lesson”.

·         Do you not know that a man’s mikai is the greatest jewel that adorns his compound? P38

·         Compared to his chatterbox brother and sister, Owang sino was a welcome respite for his mother. P47

·         Two rocks were definitely an improvement to one. P46

·         Maybe he had left early for the fields; but he had the appetite of a starved lion and had never been known to miss breakfast. P53

·         The family had been touched by tragedy and tragedy can sometimes be a habitual drunk who keeps coming back for more. P65

·         “Of course I trust you. I thought of bringing him here, but I decided it was too near the nest of vipers who now occupy the stool of maroko, the first chief”. P78

·         His voice was a loud trumpet – almost as if shouting would make people understand him better. P91

·         Her mother arrived with the speed of lightning to her daughter’s side. P98

·         You know my life is a painful wound to me and much as I try my heart fills with bitterness – for me and also for you. P102-103

·         In truth she just wanted to know and understand better, for catechism is a bare skeleton and she wanted the flesh – something she could sink her teeth into. P106

·         The two women became some sort of a fixture on the green sloping countryside, and the locals, not as motivated as they were, made endless jokes about their iron backs and caked feet. P117

·         It was inevitable that Owuor, whose soul was a mixture of cool clear waters and burning embers, would at some point feel a call to the priesthood. P120

·         The two rascals must be old men now. P144

·         And Elizabeth thought to herself, “What will I do without her when she is gone? She is the steady rock of our lives”. P144

·         For this jewel there can be no price. P148

·         The old woman was beside herself with fury but mark had the determination of a mule, so she went. P161

·         The girl was pretty, very pretty and what’s more, accommodating, but apart from that nothing more could be said of her – except maybe that she had the personality of a leech and could cling closer than a vine. P168

·         We will never take these two useless puppies with us again. P179

·         It is all very well to be dumbfounded before a microscope or a displayed nerve or muscle, but to make a fool of oneself in front of a panel of examiners turned everybody’s insides into heaving molten lava. P246

·         Time to oneself becomes a coveted possession and sleep a jealously guarded mistress. P250

·         And what good have you done you rascal. P263

·         They had had good loving parents and all her brothers and her other sister were happy warm hearted people with ordinary faults, but not with such bitterness- the bitterness of gall – and that in someone so beautiful. P286

·         People tended to take him for pure white, a thing he disliked and which he countered by speaking mostly Swahili, eating mainly African food, and having friends who were practically soot black. P303

·         The donors not particularly impressed by the Capricorn turned guardian angel transformation of the rulers were still withholding aid and the country was going to the dogs, slowly but surely. P304

·         One rascal – her son opiyo’s son mark, actually had his leg placed squarely on another child’s neck. P305

·         My mother is very kind hearted and quite strong though she has always been in the shadow of her mother who is a woman of iron. 141

Parenthesis                        

It is a literary device where sentences are interrupted by brackets to add more information to the main sentence.

Example in the novel

·         Now these ancestral spirits usually sent such vivid dreams that no one was ever left in doubt. In this case the child’s great uncle, recently dead, a medicine man of great renown sent dreams to both the father and the grandmother of the child (the mother was probably too exhausted to dream). P12

·         For example, a child named after a brave warrior may spend most of his life being called Wuon-okumba (bearer of the shield); or another be called Wuod lando (son of the brown woman). For little Adoyo Obanda (for her third name was rarely ever used except by her grandmother) that extra name was Akoko (the noisy one) for she had an extremely powerful set of lungs and she did not mind using them). P14

·         Now, to survive in a household consisting of nine brothers (for it was not until four years later that another girl was born) requires some skill, and Akoko perfected it. P15

·         In that place and in those days, life went on at an interrupted, even keel. Inter clan warfare was rare, for Dak (neighbourliness) and wat (a concept that encompassed a brotherhood so far reaching that it was almost impossible to go anywhere and not find a relative) were valued highly. P16

·         His Jawang’yo (the spy he had sent to inspect the girl) had told him that she had a most beautiful neck, long with lovely creases tracing their way around it. P23

·         Among the suitors was controlled pandemonium; controlled because an or, a son in law, always had to comport himself with great dignity (even if escaping from a house on fire) when in the presence of his in laws, especially the Maro, mother in law, whom they were sure was watching them from some chink in a wall. P22

·         Once she forgot herself to declare that Nyar yimbo (Akoko) had bewitched her son. P34

·         I Akoko Obanda Nyar yimbo (daughter of the people of yimbo) came to the homestead of Owuor kembo, chief, as a pure girl nineteen seasons old. P35

·         Do I not always have enough to eat and more left over to barter in exchange for cattle, goats and sheep? (Indeed the size of her herds had become quite impressive). P35

·         Much has been said by the daughter of the people of Asembo (Nyar asembo) and her son Otieno about the thirty head of cattle that were paid to my father as bride price. P36

·         He also led them (not sent them) to battle, or if he was too old, his eldest son. P57

·         And to this day if you go to Sakwa near ndwara village and ask for yap Obanda (Obanda’s dam) it will be shown to you. P66

·         May were, god of the rising sun (the interpreter translated that simply as god) give his wisdom to you so that you can decide this matter fairly. P87

·         The baby was forthwith named Awiti (feminine for owiti – the one who had been thrown away). P97

·         A husband had to be found from close relatives of the dead man, but such a man had no real rights over the woman, his job being that of siring children to maintain the dead man’s name and to keep his widow from wandering from man to man (a scandal). P99

·         When you have fully understood and you agree with those things which you have been taught you receive the Batiso (baptism), during which you will become a child of God. P105

·         It offered such consolation for one could identify oneself easily with the desolation of Mary (a sword shall pierce your heart), with the joy of Elizabeth (whose barrenness was removed by God), the warm love of weak Peter (lord you know everything, you know that I love you!). p108

·         She wore a long white robe (on loan) with a white scarf on her head. P109

·         Daniel and the lions, Elias, the man who went to heaven on a bicycle of fire (translate chariot of fire); the great friendship of Daudi and Jonathan. P113

·         The lights would be switched on (powered by a generator) and the whole place would be thrown into brilliant light. P119

·         Kong’o was brewed in two large pots; a young bull was selected for slaughter and many cockerels were to meet a sticky end on that day (though they went about the business of intimidating the hens completely oblivious of the fact). P145

·         Now he is a clerk with a big Kambi (company) in Nakuru, where he gets a good salary. P147

Slang      

Slang is a word that is used informally and is not part of the standard language.

Examples in the novel

·         “Hey! Where’s my mother? I want my mother! I am hungry!” p31

·         “For a while there, it had looked as if both mother and daughter were goners”. P32

·         “What the heck is going on?” he asked the empty room. P180

·         “Yak! I’ve got to run honey. I have gallonfulls of bloodletting yet to be done”. P257

·         “No! No! I mean – gosh – am I so obvious?” p296

·         “Yah, I guess. I had been suspended from school for, well, infringement of a few rules and ruffling the head boy’s feathers – they were rather sleek – I couldn’t resist them,” he smiled in remembrance. P259

Repetition

Repetition is a literary device whereby words, phrases, clauses and sentences are repeated in a passage.

Examples in the novel

·         Had some evil enemy cast a spell? Had she not been properly named? P 12

·         Did I ever turn to the left or to the right of the way you taught me? Did I not honour, love and serve the great chief gogni adinda, mu husband, until the day I buried him in pomp and honour fulfilling all the requirements of chik, the way of our people. P

·         “Brothers! Brothers! Let there be peace and understanding.” P44

·         “Obura! Obura! Chiew!” There was no answer. P53

·         “My chief! My chief! They are both gone. They left last night before the first cockcrow. And and…p54

·         She narrated his birth, the inexpressible joy of being a mother, what a demanding baby he had been, how clever he was, how delighted he had been when his sister was born, how he had carried her out to play as soon as she could sit; how he had taught her to walk with many tumbles, falls and tears; how fun-loving he had been. P63

·         I am afraid mother, I am so afraid! P77

·         The next few days passed pleasantly enough, with mother and daughter chatting for hours about their lives, their people, their past, their future, their hopes and all manner of things. P78

·         It is like air which you know is there but which you cannot touch. It is like the wind which can uproot a tree and hurl it afar but has no substance. It is like lightning which is seen in many places at once but is none. Yes, it is like the essence of man which makes him all that he is yet departs from him quietly and suddenly leaving only a dead image. P81

·         “Are you behind all this you stupid woman? Are you? Tell me, are you? I will kill you, I will whip you and send you back to your village!” p90

·         “I must fight. I cannot give up! I must! I must!” thought her mother. P99

·         “Yes, yes!” replied Pilipo reaching eagerly for the pot. “But I can tell you it is hard. Very, very hard. I failed several times to answer the questions they asked me but eventually I got the hang of it.” P101

·         That God would design to be a man! That he should choose to be born of a woman. A woman! One would think that he would have chosen to be born of the unilateral efforts of a man; but no, a woman it was. P105-106

·         Children were a consolation, laughter and security. Children were everything. P108

·         “Maria! Maria! Tell us about the angel and Maria!” piped her daughter Awiti, now eight years old and her nephew Owuor aged ten.

·         She had looked so well, so chirpy, so like her old self; she had looked worse at other times but had not died – how could she die now when it appeared as if she had rallied out of the worst? P150

·         “Go away! Go away! I don’t want to see you ever again!” p153

·         “Father! I am very sorry, please forgive me. I promise never to do any of those things again. I will work hard. You know how hard I can work. I’ll never make you ashamed of me again. Father! Father…” this last as mark made as if to turn away. P190

·         “A sword shall pierce thy soul! A sword shall pierce thy soul!” and suddenly she realized she had spoken loudly and everyone turned around to stare. P131

·         “You hate me! You never liked me! You only came to my school to spy on me because you are jealous of me you ugly witch, you pretender!” p196

·         They won’t kill you. They can’t tie you down. They may or may not give their blessing, but at least they will know that you are safe and happy. P222

·         Each time you have a different problem, a different experience, a different level of participation, of understanding. P237

·         He needed sleep. Sleep. P254

·         We’ve known each other for six years. Six years! P256

·         It was one hell of a life and one hell of a courtship. P257

·         “Ok! Ok!” p262

·         If she had life – and being a doctor she was under no misapprehension as to how fast one could lose it; if she had life – all else would be hers. P261

·         “Yes! Yes!” she answered jumping to her feet with clarity. P271

·         “Auntie! Auntie! I didn’t know you were here!” p277

·         “Agreed! Agreed!” answered her eldest son waving a juicy looking drumstick in the air. P296

·         “No! No! I mean – gosh – am I so obvious?” p296

·         “What! What do you mean…” still ringing in his ears. P307

Proverbs              

A proverb is a statement that contains wisdom or some general truth.

Examples in the novel

·         Later he would say wisely, with something of a turnabout that a home without daughters is like a spring without a source; for it was his right as a great chief not only to lead but to utter wisdom as well, change of heart notwithstanding. P11

·         To lose one’s mikai is to lose one’s right hand. P38

·         The medicine for stupidity is marriage. P39

·         I have always been taught that honor and pride in oneself and one’s people were of the utmost importance for one’s sense of being, for as the wise men tell us. How can you know where you are going if you do not know where you are coming from? P42

·         The second is unpleasant but insults never break bones. P43

·         After all who knows the goodness of a tree but he who sits under its shade and eats its fruits? P44

·         Yesterday is not today and today is not tomorrow for each day rises fresh from the hands of were god of the eye of the sun, bringing with it gladness and sorrow, sun and darkness, the two faces of were. For how can we appreciate light unless we understand darkness? P75

·         Both evil and the good suffer. How you come through suffering is what will make or break you. P77

·         But to have a child is one thing, to bring it up to be a human fit to live with others is something else altogether – and the way you are going, I doubt if you will be fit to be a mother when the baby comes. P77

·         “Do not decide the wisdom of a man by the brevity of his quiet or the multitude of his words. It is only a wise man who can decide quickly that he doesn’t know and need to seek more knowledge. A fool knows everything. It is only a wise man who does not hide his folly behind many words. I think this Diyo will help me”. P88

·         If you want to cut a tree, take time to sharpen an axe. P89

·         Laziness opens the door for evil to rule one’s mind and body. P93

·         She wondered how long it would be before his wives started making insinuations but she did not allow herself to descend to bitterness; for yesterday is not today and today is not tomorrow. Each day rises fresh from the hands of were and brings with it whatsoever it will. P94

·         Bitterness is poison to the spirit for it breeds nothing but vipers some of which might consume your very self. P103

·         Life is a puzzle and a mystery and the living human mind spends it in yearning, for what it knows not, but search it must. P103

·         As time went by, Nyabera was shown a place to put up a house, being a widow and away from home. It was a very lonely place but then beggars cannot be choosers. P107

·         However, only a fool tries to peer into the future; enough unto the day were the problems thereof and the problem of that particular day was to give satisfaction in catechism and get baptized. P

·         You must be brave for to be a coward is an insult to God and man. P113

·         Eventually they trudged weary and footsore into the little lonely hut; spread out their sleeping skins with the light of the moon and fell into an exhausted slumber, secure in the knowledge that what is good never comes easy and what is good is worth every single struggle. P114

·         It is a fact of life that once a mother always a mother until the day of death, even if the child is seventy. P122

·         Time heals all wounds. P124

·         One wise man said that it was better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. In the same vein, it is better to have buoyed up by hope, the horizon limitless before one, than to have lived in the grey world of timid fearfulness. P126

·         In this life there was one thing one could always count on and that was death. P150

·         Short is the human memory. P206

·         He was beside himself with joy and would have loved to practice some more surgery on a frog, but no amphibian was forthcoming – once bitten twice shy. P210

·         “There are more ways than one to skin a cat,” answered Becky ambiguously as she inserted a key into the lock. P218

·         “Aoro is a very lucky boy – no wonder the Luos say that it is better to be lucky than to be good”. P273

·         Everything that has a beginning has an end. P109

Aposiopesis        

It is a sudden discontinuation of a word, a phrase, a clause or a sentence using ellipsis (…)

Examples in the novel

·         Oh Akelo my sister, is it my fault that you died without issue…? P13

·         “But mother…” started the argumentative Obura. P37

·         “My chief! My chief! They are both gone. They left last night before the first cockcrow. And, and…” here he stammered and then stopped. P54

·         “The names of the three are Obura kembo, Ambere k’ogoso and Nyaroche silwal. They went to fight the Jo – jerman in a place called Tanganyika, a country of black people ruled by Jo-jerman. Of the three only Nyaroche silwal survived and he is…” p60-61

·         “Er, er…” began Opiyo trying to find his tongue. P80

·         “Oh!” I see, but we no longer call the place Kisuma. The sirkal has changed that to Kisumu. Also the big white chief is called a D.O he…” p83

·         He was a young chief and single and his name was Owuor kembo… p154

·         “Father I am very sorry, please forgive me. I promise never to do any of those things again. I will work hard. You know how hard I can work. I’ll never make you ashamed of me again. Father! Father…” this last as mark made as if to turn away. P190

·         “Please, honey…” p288

·         Would they please come immediately? He hung up with his brothers. “What! What do you mean…still ringing in his ears. P307

Chronicles           

Chronicles is the narration of historical accounts or events in a chronological order of time. In the novel “The river and the source” the author has narrated several historical events that takes place worldwide and also within the country of Kenya.

Example of events in the novel and their time periods

         i.            Building of the railway line (1896-1901)

The building of the Kenya-Uganda railway line began in 1896 in the port city of Mombasa and its construction ended in 1901 in Kisumu. There are evidences and clues given by the author of the novel about the early exploration of the white people. We learn about their exploration through Ambere kongoso who disappeared mysteriously and when he returned to Sakwa he told of stories of the white skinned people, who were now ruling most of the land. Ambere also talks about a pipe which could kill with a mere puff of smoke (gun), and instead of them walking they used swift moving like metal houses which had eyes that shone like the moon at night (motor vehicles). He also describes a long snaking metal line (railway line) which was being built by the white people and which looked like a caterpillar carrying many goods (train).

       ii.            First world war (1918)

This has been described as the number of years since the white men god had a son. It has also been described as the year when the white men of Jo-ingreza, the English, had been hard at war with the white tribe of Jo-jerman, the Germans, for the last four years. This statement tells us that the author of the novel gave clues as to when the First World War began i.e. 1914. Obura, Akoko and chief Owuor kembo’s son, was also involved in that war when he together with Ambere kongoso and Nyaroche silwal were taken by the English to go to Tanganyika to fight the Germans. The author also tells us how the Germans started the war with everybody in the world joining and taking their side or the side of the English who eventually won the war.

      iii.            Second world war (1939-1945)

The author of the novel has revealed Mark sigu as a former soldier who fought in the second world war which begun in 1939 and ended in 1945. Mark was discharged from the army two months after the end of the war.

The Second World War was a global war that started when Germany invaded Poland and the subsequent declaration of war on Germany by France and England.

     iv.            Height of civilization (1930s)

It is the year that Akoko made that great journey to Kisumu to seek the white man’s help against her case with Otieno who had taken the chief’s stool with arrogance and had done away with the council of elders. On arrival to Kisumu, Akoko and the twin boys (Opiyo and Odongo) noticed how greatly the dress code of the people living in Kisumu had changed. Apart from the dress code the housing developments had also changed and it was very much different from where they had come from.

       v.            Mau Mau uprising/emergency period (1952-1959)

The Mau Mau uprising begun in 1952 and ended in 1959. It began because the administration of the white men was unjust and unheeding to the pleas and aspirations of their black subjects which led to mass uprising against colonial rule. The mass uprising also led to the death of many people especially the kikuyu who suffered greatly.

     vi.            Independence Kenya (1963)

The author of the novel has described how the mood of the country changed when independence was attained. During that period jomo Kenyatta was installed as the leader and JA Ramogi as his assistant. The author also describes how during that period people worked tirelessly and how Kenyatta made the need to work a clarion call. After independence the white people who had remained in the country and who were also the colonizers left in droves fearing for their lives.

    vii.            Multipartyism (1992)

The year when the first multiparty elections were held in Kenya and which was characterized by confusion and cries of foul by the opposition and declarations of total transparency by the winners. During these period Kenyans had come out shining and the donors were not impressed and were withholding aid.

Epitaph

An epitaph is an inscription or writing on a tombstone, monument of ornament in memory of someone who is dead. The epitaph usually contains the date which a person died and the name of the person. In the novel “The River and the source” chief Owuor kembo is presented with an epitaph in the form of a bracelet bearing the name of his son Obura and the year that he was killed. P65

OWUOR, OBURA KEMBO: KAR MIA 1918

Personification 

Personification is a literary device where human qualities are given to an animal, object, event or an idea.

Examples in the novel

·         Here he stopped to take a sip of Kongo and you could have heard the ants talk, so great was the silence. P21

·         This went on for four days after which a banana trunk was symbolically buried and the people dispersed to their homes except for the close relatives. P61-62

·         She wept late into the night and only dropped off, exhausted, at the hour when the crickets sing loudest and the fireflies flit here and there flashing their glowing torches. P64

·         Were looked down at the world with one fiery eye; the ancestral spirits stirred in the air, whipping into a playful whirl that picked up sand and leaves and hurled them into people’s faces. P64

·         There were colourful butterflies, light as feather, but so awkward in their flight as if drunk on kong’o. p64

·         Were should stab the world with lightning, the sun should hide its face, the very trees should moan in misery. P64

·         The family had been touched by tragedy and tragedy can sometimes be a habitual drunk who keeps coming back for more. P65

·         The dewy grass slapped mostly against their swiftly moving legs and trees and tree stumps rose suddenly out of the darkness making grotesque shadows out of the great shadow of the night. The trees whispered conspiratorially at each other and once in a while an owl hooted, or some animal called its mate, or a hyena laughed hysterically at the night. P80-81

·         It was that dark hour, just before dawn when death, shrouded in darkness, mostly prefers to make his rounds. P149

·         She had in fact been surrounded by death in most of her adult life. It was there, just waiting, never satisfied, a true glutton. P150

·         She watched a dragon fly doing its acrobatics near the surface of water. P152

·         Time to oneself becomes a coveted possession and sleeps a jealously guarded mistress. P250

Allusion

It is a literary device where reference is made to people, places, events, myths, ideas and other literary works.

There are several types of allusions that have been used in the novel. These are:

        I.            Biblical allusion

It is a reference device where reference is made to biblical characters, events and places.

Examples in the novel:

·         Now in that village, a man had once come dressed in a white robe and speaking of a new God who made meaning out of sorrow and suffering and who particularly liked the poor, the orphan and the widow. The man said that the latter two were poor in spirit, for having no earthly support, they could better trust in God. Infect he said that this God so loved people that he had sent his only son to live, suffer and die like man. P100-101

In this extract reference is made to Jesus Christ, who according to Christianity and Judaism was the son of God sent to live, suffer and die for his followers so that he could save them.

·         “Er…about a God-man called kristo who was the son of God, his father. He came to die for our sins, to save us. His mother was called Maria – and she was very pure. They said something about God being three but only one but I didn’t understand that very well.” P102

In this extract the name “Kristo” refers to Christ who was the son of the Christian God. His earthly mother was called Maria i.e. Mary who was a virgin when she gave birth to Jesus. The reference made to God being three but only one is a reference to the Christian doctrine of the trinity which defines God as being three in one – God the father, God the son and God the Holy Spirit.

·         “Er – I don’t remember the rest very well. There were laws which said not to kill, not to steal and to take only one wife. The laws were too hard for me so I came home.” P102 However, it is not for me to discourage you for God loves us and has called all of us to listen to his son yeso kristo whom he sent to live with us as a man and to show us the way to God. P104

In this extract Pilipo makes reference to the Ten Commandments that are found in the book of Exodus. The law which commands Christian and Jews not to kill is the sixth law of the Ten Commandments while the law which commands not to steal is the eighth law of the Ten Commandments. The last law which commands one to take only one wife is a secondary law which is found in several verses of the bible.

·         There were bells in the steeple of angelus – the prayer which the teacher said reminded men three times a day that God had chosen to be born of a woman just like us and had dwelt among us. P105

The Angelus is a devotional prayer that is recited three times daily by catholic faithfuls and which commemorates the incarnation the prayer is usually accompanied by the ringing of the Angelus bell.

·         “Now this is the most important part of the mass for we are all back on Calvary and the sacrifice is being made again. See how he gathers himself to make bread and wine into the real body and blood of kristo. He is us just as he was with peter and john so long ago – in his actual body.” P107

·         It offered such consolation for one could identify oneself easily with the desolation of Mary (a sword shall pierce your heart), with the joy of Elizabeth (whose barrenness was removed by God), the warm love of weak peter (lord you know everything, you know that I love you). And that after he had just denied him to a little slave girl! What ignominy. P108

·         “Tell us about the escape to Misri (Egypt)” p110

·         “Tell us about the bad king Herodes!” p110

·         Like the children of Israel, they left the flesh pots of Egypt for uncertainties of Canaan. P112

·         To keep them distracted Akoko told them stories of the heroes of old and the history of the tribe and Maria told them the adventures of the baby Jesus or whatever stories she could remember from the Old Testament. Daniel and the lions, Elias, the man who went to heaven on a ‘bicycle of fire’, (translate chariot of fire); the great friendship of Daudi and Jonathan. P113

·         What can I do except place myself at the feet of the mother of God who lived with Josef in purity? P111

·         Daudi was a boy who was handsome of face and brave of heart. Because he was the last born, his job was to look after sheep. One day a lion came and grabbed a little lamb. Daudi ran after the lion and hit him on the rump. The lion was so surprised that the lamb dropped out of his mouth and ran bleating to its mother. The lion got so angry that he turned on Daudi: Daudi gripped his beard and plunged his sword into the lion’s heart so brave and good was he that God chose him to be king. You must be brave for to be a coward is an insult to God and man. P113

·         Jonathan was the son of the king and would have been king if God had not chosen Daudi had a soul as pure as spring water and as brave as a lion. Jonathan loved him with all his heart. One day the old king wanted to kill Daudi; but Jonathan warned him just in the nick of time. P113

·         At Eastertime, the traditional time for renewal and baptism, Akoko was baptized veronica after the woman who had wiped kristo’s face. In commemoration, she wore a kerchief on her head. The girl received the name Elizabeth and the boy became petro. P117-118

·         Naturally because his latin was way ahead of English, his pupil reflected his language skills and shortcomings, so he could chant ‘pater noster, qui es in coelis,’ in no time at all but could hardly do the same for ‘Our father who art in heaven.’ P119

·         At the stroke of midnight the candles would be lit in their dozens to celebrate the risen messiah. P119

·         His reading was by now excellent and he read to her frequently especially from psalms. P124

·         This, coupled with the brilliance of her performance, led to bitter taunts. She was variously referred to as ‘the nun,’ ‘virgin Mary,’ and ‘church mouse,’ or other insulting names. P136-137

·         “A sword shall pierce thy soul! A sword shall pierce thy soul!” and suddenly she realized she had spoken loudly and everyone turned around to stare. P131

·         Like Anna and Simeon of old she could now die in peace for her eyes had also seen the promise. P149

·         He waited for his father in the sitting room feeling a great affinity to the proverbial prodigal son, wondering whether using that rogue’s flowery language might help in his case: “Father I have sinned before you and God,” but he knew his father well enough to realize that such language would cause his immediate banishment back to the pig pen. P190

·         The children were growing up and the going away movement was becoming an exodus. P199

·         Her knowledge of scripture was sketchy – mainly the parables that she heard during mass, a sprinkling from epistles, something about peter being the rock upon which the church was built, and other disconnected facts of that nature. P233

·         “A chapel!” she thought, looking around at the unusual decorations on the ceiling and on the altar. A beautiful statue of the virgin, resplendent in a crowd stood in one corner. P236

·         “So when I sit down to read and I get the itch to jump up around to gossip a little, I remind myself that what I am doing is all I have to offer my God and if I do it badly or halfway, I will have botched up my sacrifice, rather like Cain who preferred to eat meat – and give God the vegetables.” Vera laughed at that. P238

·         “Hey man read from the manual!” he waved a scalpel at the four who appeared to have been turned into pillars of salt of the Mrs Lot variety. P244

        I.            Mythological allusion

It is a literary device where reference is made to mythic characters and creatures.

Examples in the novel

·         Now as sure as the sun rises in the east because this is the home of Great were the god of Ramogi; everything in this world has a reason if you only search diligently for it. P12

·         As they waited for the millet gruel and sweet potatoes to be brought, they told the tale of their vanquishing of yimbo men with such embellishment that one would have thought that the girl had been grabbed from the jaws of a determined dragon.

·         On the fourteenth day of the next moon as promised, the cattle were driven into the compound by young men splashed with war paint, whistling and calling out at the top of their lungs and chanting in turn, the names of great warriors of the past such as lwanda magere and Gor mahia.

·         All spoke at once, but eventually the consensus was that never since the days of Nyabera nyar nam had such beauty graced the land. P28

·         Were a great spirit. He saw that the world needed more than that spirit forms. So he created Ramogi and his brothers who were men. Man has a form which is spiritual. Were sent the men he had created to various parts of the world to settle in it. Ramogi he sent to the country around the great lake which was a great favour for he had more spirit than his brothers. The wife whom were gave him was called nyar nam who embodied the spirit of the great lake. They had many children including rachuonyo, Sakwa, asembo, yimbo, gem, uyoma, Nyakach, seme and ugenya among others who settled around the lake, tilling land, taming animals and catching fish. There are the children of Ramogi from whom we all arise. P81-82

·         “I hear you’ve been trying to convince Becky to go home and break the news, eh? It might interest you to know that I have been saying the same thing since we decided to get married; but Becky thinks that her family will think that I am an ogre. Now am I that bad Vera?” he really was a nice guy. P22

·         Of the children of Ramogi many great brave men have arisen. They are called thuondi the brave ones. These men of renown include lwanda magere, so strong and brave a warrior was he that it is rumoured that the sharp spears of lang’o warriors could not pierce his skin. Then there was Gor mahia, the wily one who could change his form into anything at all, thus confounding the enemy.

·         The tale took a mythical proportion in the telling, with their aunt assuming the greatness of the foundress, nyar nam, and they themselves joining the great braves of the tribe, at least in their own imagination. P89

      II.            Historical allusion

It is a literary device where reference is made to historical events.

Examples in the novel

·         The man in the know laughed mysteriously and went away. What a strange place the world was becoming with white people and their dying God! The man in the know did not tell his ignorant friend that the white men of the tribe of jo-ingreza – the English had been hard at war with the white tribe of Jo – jerman – the Germans for the last four seasons. P59

·         “Yes that is so. Now over the last few years, a clan of white people called jo-jerman started a war with everybody joining in and taking their side or the side of our white people the jo-ingreza who have eventually won this war. Now to help them, many young men from all over this country were taken. Three of them came from your village and we have brought tidings to them.” P60

·         One day she was out on exeat by herself, for now no one bothered her at all, when she met a soldier just discharged from the army which was now being disbanded after the Second World War. P137

·         Their joy was however tampered by the fact that owing to the state of emergency, the country was becoming more and more dangerous even for ordinary people. Between the white johnnies on one side and the Mau Mau fighters on the other, death could arrive without warning. P166-167

·         They arrived a little late, for the matatu kept stopping to solicit even disinterested bystanders to get into their van named Apollo ii – the rocket which took the first man to the moon. P235

·         “Oh! They are a mixed group of people – just about anyone who is interested can come. The organisers are members of opus dei – which is latin for God’s work. It is an institution within the catholic church whose founder put forward the idea that the quest for perfection was possible even for ordinary lay people engaged in ordinary occupation.”

    III.            Literary allusion

Literary allusion is a literary device where reference is made to other well-known literary works.

Examples in the novel

·         It was still dark. She checked her watch; it was only four o’clock, so she switched on her bedside lamp and pulled out John Steinbeck’s East of Eden. P230

·         “You will follow the instructions in your Cunningham’s manual of anatomy; and of course I will be here to help out any time you are stuck. Please begin. P244

·         People slept with their Cunningham’s manuals and their Gray’s text book of anatomy. P246

·         The university players were staging the play Our husband has gone mad again. P233

·         Back in their room Maryanne gave Vera a battered copy of The faith explained and a little book called The way.

Paradox

A paradox is a statement that contains two contradictory ideas that seem impossible but it is actually true or false.

Examples in the novel

·         Not of course that anybody talked about it openly and definitely nobody refereed to his wife about the matter, for events were still fresh in the people’s memories and everyone knew that there was no wrath like the wrath of an even tempered man; but one can talk without talking, and the people of Ramogi were masters of that wily tongued act. P46

·         She herself had lived long enough to accept that there was nothing permanent in this world, that even the strongest were so fragile as to be blown by the merest puff of wind. P63

·         Yesterday is not today and today is not tomorrow for each day rises from the hands of were , god of the eye of the sun, bringing with it gladness and sorrow, sun and darkness, the two faces of were; for how can we appreciate light unless we understand darkness. P75

·         Were is a spirit and a spirit is like a flame, you can only see it, but you cannot get hold of it. It is like air which you know is there but which you cannot touch. It is like the wind which can uproot a tree and hull it afar but has no substance. It is like lightning which is seen in many places but is in none. P81

·         “Er…about a God-man called kristo who was the son of God, his father. He came to die for our sins, to save us. They said something about God being three but only one but I didn’t understand that very well”. P102

·         It was inevitable that Owuor, whose soul was a mixture of cool clear waters and burning embers, would at some point feel a call to priesthood. P120

·          “How sweet of you. Whatever I say, you’ll never believe I love him. Of course I like money and all it can buy, but there have been richer men – who are not only black but have offered me even more than he can. Why am I defending myself to you anyway? I am not that bad and you are not that good”. P223

Oxymoron           

An oxymoron is a figure of speech where a combination of words contradicts each other e.g. bittersweet.

Examples in the novel

·         He had felt instinctively that she was one to go at her own pace and never to be pushed, and so he had hastened slowly. P213

·         Here he stopped to take a sip ok Kongo and you could have heard the ants talk, so great was the silence. P21

·         Among the suitors was controlled pandemonium; controlled because an or, a son in law, always had to comport himself with great dignity (even if escaping from a house on fire) when in the presence of his in laws, especially the maro, mother in law, whom they were sure was watching them from some chink in a wall. P22

Hyperbole           

Hyperbole or overstatement is the extreme exaggeration of claims or statements which are not meant to be taken literally.

Examples in the novel

·         The suitors came tumbling over each other, all of them men or sons of men of ability, from good families without a shadow of juok or witchcraft, madness, habitual thievery, laziness or any other undesirable trait against them. P17

·         She is as fleet as a gazelle and his flying feet have been incorporated into the sayings of our village so that mothers sending their daughters on errands tell them to run like Adoyo of the flying feet. P21

·         As for her legs, were must have carved them out personally rather than one of his apprentices. P28

·         How easy. Obura was not afraid to work – his mother had seen to that. His questions flew thick and fast until Nyaroche said to him, p48-49

·         He had married off his eldest daughter at barely sixteen but the bride’s wealth paid for her simply evaporated in that greedy household. P66

·         The sight which met her made her blood run cold with pure horror. P70

·         Weep my child and do not hold pain within yourself for it will turn into a snake that devours you from the inside. P75

·         Her eyes were blazing fit to send sparks to set the thatched roof ablaze. P77

·         Mother and daughter made their preparations in haste as if now that the decision had been made no grass should be allowed to grow underfoot. P112

·         Maria eventually subsided and her racing heart stilled within her but when she heard her daughter’s footsteps on the threshold the band tightened around her again and she started breathing fast – like a woman in labour. P132

·         She was twenty and completely out of her depth, but was she not the granddaughter of Akoko whose straight back had never been known to bend under any pressure? P134

·         “What do you mean you are pregnant?” he asked shaking his head to try and clear the cobwebs. P169

·         On the bank stood Opiyo – perfectly still except for his mouth which continued to emit yells fit to wake the dead. P177

·         His guardian angel must have been working overtime, otherwise he would have died. P177

·         Back at home Aoro was climbing walls with fear and worry. P181

·         “Since when did you see breakfast walking here by itself? Go out and earn yours.” P189

·         Boys like tommy simply don’t grow on trees you know. P227

·         “Don’t you think we should introduce ourselves? If you say ‘hey woman’ to me I might just stick that sharp knife you are holding into your belly” p245

·         You could have cut the tension with a knife after everyone took his place in front of some displayed bit of human tissue or slide under a microscope. P246

·         He might be in theatre or in a ward round with his consultant breathing fire and brimstone down his neck, or he may be held up doing a procedure on a patient. P251

·         But he had to sleep a little bit or burst. P254

·         Don’t count on my being elephant for much longer. The way I am coughing I may just send a baby flying out unceremoniously at any moment. P279

·         The babies seemed to alternate between playing football and handball with her internal organs and they were getting heavier by the minute. P279

·         “That’s because you married the church – you dummy!” p299

Premonition

Premonition is a literary device where a character has a strong and unpleasant feeling that something bad is about to happen.

Examples in the novel

·         Two weeks after the birth of Akoko, chief Odero gogni was gripped in fear because her new born daughter had developed a prolonged bout of colic and screaming that went on all night. P12

·         Because Akoko was one of those women who found it hard to conceive regularly, her mother in law Nyar asembo was reduced to wails, lamentations and dire predictions because both Akoko and chief Owuor kembo were slow in reproducing. Nyar asembo fears came to pass when both chief Owuor kembo and his two sons died and the chief’s stool for the first time in seven generations descended on the shoulders of Otieno kembo.

·         When Obura was seventeen years old, his parents were uneasy because he was not himself. His uneasiness was brought about by the need to tour the world and his parents were against it. His mother prayed fervently to were to make the evil spell pass and to give her the happy boy she had known before. After his disappearance from Sakwa, the search parties that had been sent by chief Owuor to track him returned with the news that he and his two friends, Nyaroche and Ambere, had been taken by the white men to work for them and that they do not know where they might have gone. When Akoko heard about the news from the search parties she felt as if his son had died. P55. A year after the disappearance of Obura, Akoko’s fears became a reality when two strangers who had been sent by the white men government arrived in Sakwa with a message to chief Owuor kembo about the death of his son Obura.

·         After the death of Owang sino, it became clear to Akoko that Otieno would not relinquish the chief’s stool once Owuor came of age. Because of this situation Akoko feared for the life of Owuor and watched him like a hawk. After pondering over her predicament she made a decision to contact the Sirikal and seek their intervention. When her daughter Nyabera learnt about her mother’s decision to seek justice from the white men government, she showed opposition because she feared of what might happen to her mother and also to Owuor whom she thought that Akoko had left behind in Sakwa. P77

·         After successfully finishing her primary education, Awiti was invited to a newly opened teachers training college and the people of Aluor prophesied darkly that no man would marry her. Her mother was also gripped in fear because she thought that her daughter was being taken away from her which would have led to her death because she was the only child who had defied all odds and lived to adulthood. P130-131

·         The telegram that arrived from Aluor with the message that Maria was very ill, her daughter Elizabeth had the most oppressive premonition of something bad was about to happen to her mother. Her fears came true when together with her husband travelled to Aluor to check on her condition and on reaching there she found that her mother had been taken to a hospital in Maseno. When Awiti went to Maseno to check on her mother who had suffered a massive stroke and was in coma, the clinical officer on duty confirmed to her that there was no hope for Maria cementing Awiti’s fears. P200

·         In the conversation between Vera and Wandia, Wandia tells Vera that there was cause for worry because Becky had lost a significant amount of her weight. Wandia suspected that Becky might be having AIDS since she was promiscuous and her weight had decreased significantly. Wandia’s observation brought fear to Vera and her fears were later confirmed when Becky developed full blown AIDS that led to her death.       

Sarcasm

Sarcasm is a literary device that is used to show weakness of someone by mocking or ridiculing them in order to be unpleasant or to make fun of them.

Examples in the novel

·         “Let them show us that my daughter is not going to starve in that wasteland they call home.” They trooped back into the hut and the negotiations began in earnest. P21

·         “What? Are you crazy? Not even a bargain?” p23

·         “He went to a friend’s funeral the day before yesterday and is due back today. Meanwhile I will teach this she-wolf a lesson.” This from Otieno her brother in law. Pp37

·         “Our chief we are all saddened by this unfortunate state of affairs, but you must admit that your mother has a point or two. Long have we pleaded with you to take another wife for yourself and you have adamantly refused. Now she has left you, you are like a misumba, a bachelor which would have not been the case if you had another wife. We beg you to take another wife for yourself.” P38

·         “Then I advise you to marry a girl from Chumbu kombit. I understand you have to walk for almost five days before you reach there,” said his mother in jest. P49

·         “Oh mother you know very well I don’t mean that. I won’t marry until I am at least twenty four seasons old. There is no hurry. Besides, I won’t marry until I meet a girl exactly like you. Girls can be so empty headed.” P49

·         “I keep my ears open, my friend; I am not like you who sleep on both your ears. I keep one open and sleep on the other one!” The man in the know laughed mysteriously and went away. P59

·         “And what, may I ask are the two of you doing this far from home? Have you turned into vagabonds or something?” she asked. P80

·         “What! Are you crazy or is he? I will have none of it. Go back this instant before I throw something heavy at you!” p80

·         “Apart from the fact that we would like to come with you, we cannot go home because your brother has made it quite clear that our lives would be in danger. So throw whatever it is you want to throw and then we’ll get on with it,” replied the unflappable Odongo smiling even more broadly. P80

·         “Go away you fool,” answered she, quite calmly. “Are you the village chief or the village fool? All the same if you want to fight I am willing to oblige. You may be twice my size, but I have three times your courage.” p90

·         “What brings Owuor here at this hour? It can’t be for love of weeding. He has had something on his mind for a long time and has been as jumpy as an ant with its tail in hot embers. Speak up young man.” P125

·         She was variously referred to as ‘the nun,’ ‘virgin Mary’ and ‘church mouse’ or other insulting names. P136-137

·         “Yes. She is my wife, but you will soon be a stranger if you don’t leave us alone. I’ll put you on the bus this evening. You should go back and look after your husband.” The old woman was beside herself with fury but Mark had the determination of a mule, so she went. P161

·         “It looks as if you two have become thieves as well.” The boys froze. P178

·         “What is it, you ugly boy?” asked Becky sweetly. P181

·         “You think! You know something – you were always weird. If you want to break off with a man, make it clean. There is no point leaving one dangling around – they just annoy you. Ask me a few tricks on how to say no in such a way that even the dumbest man will understand and still think you are an angel. Why did you break up with Tommy? I thought he was exactly your type – good, hardworking, clean living – that sort of thing. You have someone else in mind? P217

·         “Listen you dummy. You don’t drop a man unless you have a good reason to and the only two good reasons I know are either he is two timing you, or you have found someone else.” P218

·         “Hey, I believe you actually loved the creep!” p218

·         “I know he is an angel, but do you believe he will hang around waiting for you? If so, then he must be as weird as you are.” P218

·         “Miss you! In this town full of pretty girls?” then he saw the look on Vera’s face, laughed and hastened to add: of course I missed you. I even miss you when you go down town to do some shopping. Who’s your friend?” p220

·         “Don’t you think we should introduce ourselves? If you say ‘hey woman’ to me I might just stick that sharp knife you are holding into your belly.” P245

·         “It’s good to see I have not been completely forgotten,” she said. “I’ve not heard from you for a whole month. I thought I’d find a female firmly installed in my place.” P254

·         “You are really a comedian, you know. What are you still doing here – an underpaid intern? You should be out there earning your millions with Bill Cosby and the rest.” P257

·         “Last time I checked there wasn’t so much as an onion in that house,” said Wandia laughing. “I wonder what he cooks. Even the cockroaches looked thin.” P270

·         “Ok. I’ll tell all my patients to postpone their illnesses for one year – till you get back. How about that?” p294

·         “A year is not very long you know, honey. We will survive. I know you don’t trust me – but do you have to show it so blatantly?” p293

·         “It is not every day my grandchildren – all of them, come to see me; and I am a farmer; I have plenty of food – fresh from the garden, not like that frozen tasteless stuff you people eat in the city.” P296

·         “That’s because you married the church – you dummy!” Her brother laughed with him. They regarded each other with affection then started running towards the house – for all the world as if they were boys again. P299

Asyndeton

It is the absence of conjunctions in a sentence or paragraph where they are needed instead commas are used.

Examples in the novel

·         “My father, my brothers, I think you are greatly mistaken. Not all women are the same. This woman is going to be my mikai not just any wife. Besides, I have set my heart on marrying her. We shall do as they say”. P23

·         In fact he was reprimanded more than any other child, and to hear his mother, one would have thought her son a good for nothing, slow witted, lazy bones. P29

·         She narrated his birth, the inexpressible joy of being a mother, what a demanding baby he had been, how clever he was, how delighted he had been when his sister was born, how he had carried her out to play as soon as she could sit, how he had taught her to walk with many tumbles, falls and tears, how fun-loving he had been. P63

·         Were should stab the world with lightning, the sun should hide its face, the very trees should moan in misery. P64

·         Daniel had Down syndrome and five years later Wandia still remembered the shock, the pain, the sheer disbelief she had experienced when she held her infant son in her arms for the first time. P283

·         Like her daughter before her, she was beyond tears, beyond action. She stood in that hut for two hours, not moving, not talking, as people milled around her, trying to comprehend the magnitude of her loss. P71

·         Further, that he should dwell among us, just exactly like one of us! Eating, breathing, touching, loving, sorrowing, weeping! A man like other men! P106

·         It offered such consolation for one could identify oneself easily with the desolation of Mary (a sword shall pierce your heart), the joy of Elizabeth (whose barrenness was removed by God), the warm love of weak peter (lord you know everything, you know that I love you!). p108

·         She had meant to resist, to say nothing, as she had said nothing when going but before she knew what was happening,  sob upon agonizing sob broke from her throat and the story, the longing, the backtracking, the failure came pouring from her mouth. P122-123

·         Their daughter was a prize, a beacon, a source of pride for the entire clan. P146

·         “Don’t big heart me, Vera. I am still the same – I love the good things of life – comfort, expensive clothes, good looking men – the works. And talking of men, the reason I haven’t gone home to see the old folks is my current boyfriend. You’ll see when we get home. Do you have a boyfriend? Still seeing tommy?” p217

·         “Why did you break up with Tommy? I though he was exactly your type – good, hardworking, clean living – that sort of thing. You have someone else in mind”. P217-218

·         It was there, just waiting, never satisfied, a true glutton. P150

·         “Well I have my lectures, my assignments, my work,”she replied beginning to vaguely see. P238

Vivid Description             

Vivid description is the description of an event, action, idea, place, person or thing to create a mental picture of what is being described.

Examples in the novel

·         When chief Owuor kembo went to Yimbo to ask for Akoko’s hand in marriage, his appearance when he arrived in chief Odero gogni’s compound has been vividly described.  P18

·         Akoko’s marriage to chief Owuor kembo has been vividly described. After chief Odero gogni asked for thirty head of cattle as bride price for her daughter the mood that developed among the suitors has been vividly described. P22

·         Fourteen days after the marriage negotiation between chief Owuor kembo and chief Odero gogni, the author has vividly described the way in which Akoko was removed from her grandmother’s hut. P27

·         Akoko’s physical beauty has been vividly described by the author of the novel. P28

·         The events leading to the birth and after the birth of Nyabera has been vividly described. P32

·         Chief Owuor kembo’s physical appearance has been vividly described by the author of the novel. P46

·         Ambere kongoso vividly described the appearance of the white people and the things that they possessed. P48

·         The two strangers who arrived in Sakwa with a message to chief Owuor kembo’s house have been vividly described. P59

·         The death of Owang sino has been vividly described by the author of the novel. P70-71

·         Nyabera vividly described the dream that she had to her mother Akoko.

·         Akoko vividly described their god were to Opiyo and Odongo when they were travelling to Kisumu. P81

·         The twins (Opiyo and Odongo), Akoko and Otuoma’s dress code have been vividly described by the author of the novel while they were in Kisumu.

·         The mock burial of Obura has been vividly described by the author of the novel.

·         The buildings and streets of Kisumu where Akoko went to seek justice have been vividly described by the author of the novel. P84

·         The clerk who filed Akoko’s case at the tribunal has been vividly described. The author has described his dress code and physical appearance. P85

·         The D.O in Kisumu who presided over the tribunal that sat to listen to Akoko’s appeal has been vividly described. The author has described his physical appearance. P86

·         Odongo, one of the twins who escorted Akoko to Kisumu, vividly describes their journey to Kisumu to one of his grandson years later. P89

·         The D.C who listened to Akoko’s complaints against Otieno has been vividly described. P91

·         The Catechist that Nyabera met first met in Aluor has been vividly described. P104

·         Elizabeth physical attributes have been vividly described by the author of the novel. P135

·         Mark sigu’s physical attributes and dress code has been vividly described by the author of the novel. P137

·         The hut that Akoko, Nyabera, Awiti and Owuor lived in while in Aluor has been vividly described. P144

·         The author has vividly described Mark’s physical appearance when he and his entourage went for marriage negotiation to ask for Awiti’s hand in marriage. P146

·         The author has vividly described Owuor’s physical appearance when he went back to Aluor to bury his grandmother. P153

·         Awiti’s dressing during her wedding to mark has been vividly described. P157

·         Vera and Becky physical appearance have been vividly described by the author of the novel. P173

·         The drowning of Odongo in a river has been vividly described. P177

·         Wandia’s physical attributes have been vividly described by the author of the novel. P247-248

·         Michael, Esther’s husband, physical appearance has been vividly described. P264

·         Wandia’s physical beauty has been vividly described. P273

·         Alicia physical attributes has been vividly described by the author of the novel. P277

·         The author has vividly described Becky’s physical appearance when she had full blown AIDS. P284

Flashback             

It is the narration of past events in a literary work.

Examples in the novel

·         The wizened old man who accompanied chief Owuor kembo to Yimbo to ask for Akoko’s hand in marriage, narrates to chief Odero gogni the passing of chief Kembo k’agina who had died a month ago. P18-19

·         The author flashes back and narrates the birth of Akoko comparing it to that of Nyabera. P32

·         Aloo k’olima narrated to chief Owuor kembo and his entourage who had come to negotiate the return of Akoko to her matrimonial home how Akoko arrived in Yimbo fourteen days ago and made her complaint to her brother Okumu who was the new chief. P42

·         Chief Owuor kembo narrated to the elders of Sakwa of his whereabouts when Akoko got into conflict with his mother and Otieno. He also narrated how the last several seasons he has lived with Akoko. P43-44

·         Chief Owuor kembo narrated to his son Obura how after the death of his father he went by himself to Yimbo to negotiate his marriage to his mother Akoko. P50

·         After the death of Obura, Akoko narrated the life of Obura to Nyabera in an effort to console her.  She narrated to him about his birth and the life that he led when he was a little child. P63

·         Akoko flashes back and remembers how the messengers sent by the government tried to make contacts with her father but because he was bitter after the death of Obura he sent them away. P73

·         Akoko narrated to the D.O the events that happened before she decided to seek justice from the government.  She told the D.O about the death of his first son who died in war fighting the Germans, the accidental death of his second son Owang sino, the taking over of the chief’s stool by Otieno and the grabbing of her late husband’s wealth as well as hers by Otieno. P86

·         Odongo narrated to his grandson how they had journeyed with their aunt Akoko to make an appeal to the white chief. P89

·         The author flashes back and narrate about the day in which Owuor kembo went to pay suit to the great chief Odero gogni of Yimbo for the hand of his daughter Akoko Obanda. P145

·         Awiti flashes back and remembers the journey to Aluor they took together with her grandmother Akoko, her mother Nyabera and her cousin Owuor. P152

·         After the death of Akoko, Nyabera narrates certain events that took place in Akoko’s life to her daughter Awiti. P154

·         The author flashes back and narrates how Vera attacked a playmate who had crossed Becky’s path. P166

·         Becky flashes back and remembers the conflict that her father Mark had with her brother Aoro. P199

·         Mark sigu flashes back and remembers how he had nearly broken of his engagement to Elizabeth after the death of Akoko. P201

·         Wandia flashes back and remembers her childhood years when she visited her family in Muranga. P255

·         Aoro flashes back and remembers his suspension from school and his father’s reaction and action when he learnt that he had been suspended.  P267

·         On the last chapter of the novel, Elizabeth remembers how her past life and been. P305-306

Epistolary

It is the use of letters in a literary work.

Examples in the novel

·         Mark sigu wrote a letter to Elizabeth Awiti while she was still in the teachers training college. In one of her letters he tells her how his day had been, the work that he was doing and he flashes back and tells her about his time as a soldier. P140

·         Elizabeth wrote a letter to Mark sigu telling him about her family that consisted of her grandmother, mother and cousin who was studying to be a priest. In the letter she also informs him about the passing of his grandfather and father and how she had been brought up by her grandmother and mother. She also tells her the medical condition of her mother which worried her so much. P140-141

·         Becky wrote a letter to her sister Vera when she was going to seek employment as an airhostess in Nairobi.  In her letter she tells Vera that she was leaving home to go and stay with some of her friends in Nairobi who were also going to give her connections so that she could become an air hostess. She also requests her sister to tell their parents not to worry and that she has always felt like an outsider. P211

·         Aoro wrote a letter to his parents informing them that he had completed his internship and that he was bringing a girl home who he intended to marry. P268

Monologue

A monologue is a conversation in a literary work where only one character speaks.

Examples in the novel

·         Grandmother Nyar alego’s speech when she was called to find a solution to Akoko’s prolonged sickness. P12-13

·         Chief Owuor kembo’s uncle speech in yimbo when they went to ask for Akoko’s hand in marriage.p18-19

·         Nyar asembo monologue when it became clear that chief Owuor kembo’s rate of reproducing was too slow. P34

·         Akoko’s narration to Nyabera about Obura’s past. P63-64

·         Akoko’s speech when she was advising her daughter not to be lazy. P66

·         Odongo’s speech when he was telling his grandson about their journey to Kisumu to seek justice against Otieno. P89

·         The old woman speech when she found Awiti had been thrown on the foot path. P97

·         The catechist’s speech when he was telling the mass the meaning of the rituals that were being performed in the church by the priest. P107

·         The priest’s speech when he was baptizing Maria. P109

·         Nyabera’s confession to the catholic priest. P123

·         Awiti’s speech after the death of Akoko. P153

·         Peter Owuor’s speech when he was with Mark after the burial of Akoko. P153

·         Nyabera’s talk with Awiti to console her after the death of Akoko. P154

·         Mark sigu vows during his wedding to Elizabeth. P158

·         Elizabeth’s consolation to Mark after she lost her pregnancy. P160

·         Mark sigu’s speech when tony was sick and he was left alone in his sons’ room. P180

·         Elizabeth’s consolation to her children after Tony’s operation. P182

A song is a composition of words that are meant to be sung.

Examples of songs in the novel

a)      Praise songs – These are songs sung to praise or worship gods, men, animals, places, ideas, objects or actions. In the novel the young men who had been sent to Yimbo to take Akoko’s dowry sung songs in praise of themselves. P26

b)      Elegy – An elegy is a poem or a funeral song sung for the dead to express sorrow or praise the life that they had lived. After the death of chief Owuor kembo, Akoko sang a song to express sorrow and to praise her dead husband. P69-70

c)       Gospel songs – A gospel song is a song sung during religious events and in praise of a religious figure or god. When Vera and Maryanne were going to the recollection in Kangemi, the matatu that they were travelling in had a sticker stuck on the windscreen and on the sticker was a speed song.

Foreshadowing 

Foreshadowing is a literary device in which the author or characters in a literary work give clues or hints about what is going to happen in a literary work.

Examples in the novel

·         In the opening of the novel, the author has foreshadowed the coming of the white men and the construction of the railway line. The author’s predictions come true when later in the novel Ambere kongoso brings stories of the white people who had become rulers of most of the land and who were building a railway line that carried their goods. P11

·         The naming of Akoko as Obanda is a foreshadowing that Akoko would once become as great as her uncle Obanda. When she grew up and was seventeen years of age, her fame spread through the land and many Nyatiti singers sung songs praising her. It is because of her fame and beauty that if someone goes to Sakwa near Ndwara village he or she will get a dam named after her.

·         The people of Yimbo foreshadowed that Akoko would be a determined person. P14. The people of Yimbo predictions come to fruition because we see later that Akoko shows a lot of determination to fight for her rights and to empower other people to fight also for their rights. She also shows determination through her hard work which enables her to build wealth for herself, her daughter and her grandchildren.

·         The marriage negotiation between chief Odero gogni and chief Owuor kembo and his entourage is a foreshadowing that Akoko was to become chief Owuor kembo’s wife. These predictions come true after chief Owuor kembo agrees to pay the bride price set by Akoko’s father and two weeks later Akoko is married off by chief Owuor kembo and she starts a new life in Sakwa with her new husband.

·         Nyabera’s painful birth is a foreshadowing of how painful her life would be when she grows up. When she was fourteen years of age, she loses her brother obura and nine years later her father dies. After she got married a string of bad luck follows her and during that period she loses her husband and six children.

·         Nyar asembo predicted the death of obura when she realized that his son was opposed to the idea of marrying another wife because the rate at which his son and Akoko were reproducing was too slow. P24

·         When Akoko left her matrimonial home after getting into conflict with her mother in law and Otieno, the author foreshadows the arrival of elders from Sakwa to Yimbo to negotiate the return of Akoko to Sakwa.

·         Aloo k’olima foreshadows that Akoko would return to her matrimonial home after he successfully presided over conflict that Akoko had with her mother in law and brother in law. Later in chapter six of the novel we learn that Akoko had returned to her husband’s home and she conceived just after her return.

·         Aloo k’olima also foreshadows that one day Akoko would be a mother in law. His predictions come true when her son Owang sino marries Alando nyar uyoma and the two have a son who they call Owuor.

·         After the death of Obura, the author foreshadows that Akoko and Nyabera’s life was going to change drastically. P65. Later on the two women lives change as predicted by the author as both of them suffer when one tragedy after another follows them.

·         After the death of her two sons, Nyabera tells her mother that she has been having dreams about Obura. When she tells her mother about the dream, her mother tells her that the dream is a message of hope from the spirit world and it intimately concern the unborn baby. Nyabera’s dream was a foreshadowing that her unborn baby would survive. Nyabera also foreshadows that if her pregnancy comes safely she would name the baby Obura.  After Nyabera safely delivers her baby she names her Obura after her brother who died while fighting the Germans in Tanganyika.

·         In her conversation with her daughter, Akoko foreshadows her upcoming journey to Kisumu to seek justice from the white men government. Later in the text, Akoko together with her two twin nephews journey to Kisumu where they present their case to the D.O.

·         The D.O who was presiding over Akoko’s case foreshadows the dispatchment of a team to investigate whether Akoko’s complaints against Otieno were true and if indeed it was true Akoko may bring her appeal in three months to the D.C. The D.Os predictions came true because twelve days later his messengers arrived in Sakwa to investigate Akoko’s claims which they found was true and before the three months were over Akoko found herself in Kisumu again but in front of the D.C where she repeated the injustice that had been done to her by his brother in law.

·         The author of the novel foreshadows that Nyabera would seek another way of life because her current life was full of bitterness and anger. P100. The author’s predictions come to pass when Nyabera travels to Aluor and converts to the new religion which according to her offered hope to the widows and orphans.

·         The author foreshadows that one day Nyabera would be baptized and she would formally become a member of the Catholic Church. The author predictions about Nyabera comes true when one fine easter time morning, Nyabera gets baptized and she is given the name Maria.

·         Akoko’s nephews, Opiyo and Odongo, foreshadowed that Akoko’s wealth would grow again because they knew she was hardworking.

·         Owuor’s call to priesthood is a foreshadowing that one day he would become a catholic priest. This prediction comes true when his grandmother gives him the green light to join the priesthood. After his grandmother agreed to his call, Owuor joins the seminary and his journey to join the priesthood begins. Later on the author foreshadows that Owuor would advance and become a father and maybe one day a bishop. In one of the conversations between Vera and Maryanne we learn from Vera that Owuor had become a Catholic bishop.

·         After finishing her primary school and passing her exams, Awiti received a letter inviting her to join the newly opened teachers training college. The letter hinted that later in her life Awiti would become a teacher. After she finished her college and getting her teacher’s training certificate, she becomes a teacher and gets posted back to her old school.

·         After the death of Akoko, Peter Owuor foreshadows that in a year or two he would be ordained to the priesthood. P154

·         When she got pregnant again after losing her first pregnancy, Awiti foreshadows that she would give birth again and she would call her baby Veronica after her grandmother. P161. Awiti’s predictions come true two years later when she gives birth to twins and she names one of them Veronica after her grandmother.

·         Aoro’s surgery on a frog is a foreshadowing of the career path that he was about to take. After successfully operating on an amphibian, the author says that his love affair with medicine had begun. On the other hand his younger brother Tony interests and curiosity with religion was a prediction of the path that he will choose once he comes of age. Becky too gives hints about what career choice she was interested with. She tells her father that she would like to become an air hostess and years later she joins Kenya airways and becomes an air hostess.

·         Vera’s foreshadows that one day he would cut any emotional attachment with her sister Becky because of her selfishness. Later on in the novel we see that the emotional attachment between the two sisters is strained and Becky claims that she had not really felt being part of their family. The author also confirms that the relationship between the two sisters never recovered after Becky accused Vera of going to her school to spy on her and that she was jealous of her.

·         During one of her conversations with Maryanne, Vera tells her that his brother Aoro would be joining medical school in September. This is a foreshadowing of Aoro joining university later where he goes and do medicine.

·         Aoro’s letter to his parents is a foreshadowing of events that would take place during that month. In his letter he tells his parents that on Thursday 28^th he would bring the girl that he intends to marry to their home in Njoro. In his letter he also foreshadows his marriage to Wandia which takes place later in the novel.

·         Vera foreshadows that one day Wandia’s agnostic stance on God would change. Her predictions do not take long to materialize and Wandia finds herself seeking God’s assistance after her son is diagnosed with leukaemia.

Cacophony

It is the use of harsh words in a phrase or sentence.

Examples in the novel

·         However, at the first cockcrow, a piercing whistle was heard followed by a blood curdling whoop. P27

·         This was answered by a whoop from the young men and a bitter wail from Akoko. P27-28

·         The poor thing buzzed madly trying to escape and you laughed so much that you got hiccups! P63

·         The trees whispered conspiratorially at each other and once in a while an owl hooted or some animal called its mate, or a hyena laughed hysterically at the night. P81

·         The baby yelled so lustily on its first gulp of acrid air, that the chief strolling around unconcernedly as befitted his station and manhood, thought with satisfaction, ‘another rock for my sling,’ by which he meant another son, p11

·         When she was two weeks old the baby developed a prolonged bout of colic and screaming that went on all night. P12

·         This was answered by a whoop from the young men and a bitter wail from Akoko. P27

·         “Careful!” hissed the ubiquitous aunts. P23

·         “The first time must have been a lucky shot,” grumbled Nyar asembo. P34

·         The crowd hissed; such a thing was unheard of. P36

·         She looked at him straight in the eye and hissed “just you dare!” he retreated at the pure venom in her eyes. P37

·         The magic was incomprehensible for they could kill with a mere puff of smoke and a bang from something that resembled a pipe. P48

·         Above and between the sounds of wailers an eerie sound was heard once again. P61

·         A strange strangled sound- a cross between a moan and a gurgling laugh rose from the corner where the young girl had been sitting mutely for the last hour. P64

·         She herself should die, for of what use was this life if one could be snuffed out like a poorly lit fire, never getting a chance to blaze into a flame? P64-65

·         Maria on the other hand felt her heart thumping away in her chest, her mouth tasted bitter and she felt nauseated. P131

·         He would move house as soon as possible in case the neighbours started blabbing. P170

·         Vera sniffed angrily, madder now at the uncontrollable dams that were in her eyes. P196

·         One moment he would be a calm adult and the next a squirming baby. P205

Flash Forward

It is the interruption of a literary work by narrating a future event that would take place in the literary work.

Examples in the novel

·         In the opening of the novel, the author narrates the coming of the white people and the construction of the railway line.

It was about thirty seasons before that great snaking metal road of jorochere, the white people, reached the bartering market of Kisuma. P11

·         The author narrates the action that Oloo took when Akoko left her matrimonial home after the death of her husband and two sons.

Her brother Oloo, in fact, loved her so much that decades later, he did an unheard of thing by taking her, a widow, beaten and bruised by life back into his house. P15

·         The author narrates that later in her life Akoko would be a famous singer of the dirge.

Later she would be a famous singer of the dirge, gueyo in its complete range; but for now she was just a temperamental baby. P14

·         The author narrates how years later Akoko’s nephews would narrate their journey to Kisumu to their peers, their own children and grandchildren.

So at dawn the following day Akoko left for Sakwa with her nephews who later would relate their adventures to their less lucky peers, later still to their own children and grandchildren. The tale took on mythical proportions in the telling, with their aunt assuming the greatness of the foundress, Nyar nam, and they themselves joining the great braves of the tribe, at least in their own imagination.

“When my brother and I took my aunt to make an apil (appeal) to the big white chief whose name was diyo,” would begin Odongo to some round eyed grandson many years later, “we found and overcame many dangers on the way for our courage was boundless. Our aunt walked with her head high for she was the daughter of a chief and the spirit of her ancestors rested fully on her. She faced the white chief unflinchingly, and told him her story, the greed and arrogance of her brother in law Otieno, chief by default”. P89

·         The author narrates how in later years politicians would incite Kenyans to violence.

Finally each Kenyan loved his own skin dearly and though politicians would try to incite them to violence in later years, the basic love of self would see the people through such difficult times as would have set the peoples of other African nations at each other’s threats without compunction. P172

·         The author narrates the death of Mark one year after his wife’s death.

Mark himself sat next to the coffin, rigid and mute, trying to grapple with the enormity of his loss and the magnitude of his loneliness. He himself would follow his wife within the year. She after all had been his life. P307

Onomatopoeia  

It is the use of words that imitate sounds.

Examples in the novel

·         “Hey! Where’s my mother? I want my mother! I am hungry!” p31

·         “Ahem!” said he. P43

·         “Uuwi! Uuwi! I have found a baby! Someone has thrown away a baby! Owite! Owite!” she picked the baby up and came with it into the compound. P97

·         “Yes!” choke choke! P98

·         “Ah, child, I thought you would never ask! Of course I will come with you.” P112

·         “Huff!” snorted his mother. Mark was almost sorry he had stopped by to see his mother on his way back to Nakuru. P167

·         “Uh – uh, don’t know. Ask her.” P168

·         “Huh?” Mark couldn’t believe his ears; but then now at least it made some sense/ p175

·         “Um” mumbled Aoro sleepily then rolled over and fell promptly asleep again. P180

·         “Yak! I’ve got to run, honey. I have gallon full of bloodletting yet to be done” p257

·         “Ugh! I could never be a doctor. Though teaching has its miseries – especially the pay” p263

Dream Vision     

A dream vision is a literary device where the dream or vision of a character reveals a truth that is not available to the dreamer while he/she is awake.

Examples in the novel

·         The ancestral spirit of Akoko’s great uncle sent vivid dreams to chief Odero gogni and grandmother Nyar alego leading to the first born daughter of the chief to be named Obanda. P12

·         The second night after the birth of Obura, chief Owuor kembo dreamt that his late father, chief Kembo k’agina, was handing him a baby boy from his right hand – a sign that the old chief’s spirit was well pleased with his son and grandson. P29

·         When Nyabera was pregnant with Awiti she dreamt of his late brother Obura. According to Akoko the dream was a message of hope from the spirit world and when Nyabera gave birth, the baby was named obura though she was a girl. P75-76. Nyabera’s dream was symbolic because it revealed the many descendants of Akoko that were to be born through her granddaughter Awiti.

Idiomatic Expressions    

An idiomatic expression is a group of words whose meaning is different from the meaning of the individual words but describe the same thing. It is also a group of words containing idioms.

Examples in the novel

·         The baby yelled so lustily on its first gulp of acrid air, that the chief strolling around  unconcernedly as befitted his station and manhood thought with satisfaction, ‘Another rock for my sling,’ by which he meant another son. P11

·         However, a monogamous man was an unknown animal and every man worth his salt tried to marry at least two wives. P31. The idiom ‘worth his salt’ means someone who deserves respect.

·         She met one and all with such a sunny smile that she soon earned herself the name Nyabera, the good one. P32-33. A sunny smile is an idiom meaning a happy and friendly smile.

·         Her daughter in law, a relentless worker, had been out in the field all day, so it was not until evening that she got wind of the matter. P34. To get wind of the matter is an idiom meaning to hear about something.

·         The only saving grace would be the high esteem in which they held their son in law Owuor kembo – the chief. P37. Saving grace is an idiomatic expression meaning a good quality that someone has.

·         His questions flew thick and fast until Nyaroche said to him, “why don’t you come with us next time?” p49. Thick and fast is an idiomatic expression meaning happening quickly.

·         There are two ways to deal with pain – either bear it until time heals, for time is a master healer of even the deepest wounds; or commit suicide. Time heals is an idiomatic expression meaning that pain will grow less as time passes.

·         Besides the death of her son, the apple of her eye was still raw on her heart. P67. The apple of her eye is an idiomatic expression meaning the person someone like most and is proud of.

·         He tried the best of his ability to step into his dead brother’s shoes and to heal the sorrow in his parents’ hearts. P68. To step into his brother’s shoes is an idiomatic expression meaning to try and replace someone.

·         It was disquieting to have all one’s eggs in this one tiny frail basket. P74. To have one’s eggs in one basket is an idiomatic expression meaning to have a dependency on only one thing.

·         This is a very deep and serious matter which cannot be decided in one sitting. P87. One sitting is an idiomatic expression meaning a short period of time.

·         They came so unobtrusively that even Akoko did not get wind of their presence until two days later and the careless chief four days later for most people did not bother to keep him informed due to his extreme arrogance. P90. To get wind is an idiomatic expression meaning to hear or learn about something.

·         The DO was lost in thoughts for a few minutes. P80. Lost in thoughts is an idiomatic expression meaning not to be aware of something.

·         I know you won’t believe it but I was stone sober, anyway I tripped and fell into this pool and awakened a family of frogs and you couldn’t believe the noise they made. P140. Stone sober is an idiomatic expression meaning not drunk.

·         Her heart did a flip flop and her knees felt quite weak. P143. Flip flop is an idiomatic expression meaning to change in intensity.

·         So your son will be bringing a light to your home – an educated woman. P139. Bringing a light is an idiomatic expression meaning to bring enlightenment.

·         Elizabeth was a different kettle of fish altogether. P151. Different kettle of fish is an idiomatic expression meaning completely different from someone else.

·         She was the most beautiful girl in the whole village and the eldest daughter of the great chief Odero gogni and the apple of his eye. P154. Apple of his eye is an idiomatic expression meaning the person someone like the most and is proud of.

·         It was just in the nick of time for Elizabeth was pregnant again and sleeping arrangements were become tricky. P166. In the nick of time is an idiomatic expression meaning just in time.

·         Her school work was satisfactory, for poor work was very likely to bring down the ceiling around one’s head at home. P174. Bring down the ceiling is an idiomatic expression meaning to bring trouble.

·         He burst into their room throwing his manners, completely to the wind. P180. Throwing his manners completely to the wind is an idiomatic expression meaning without caution.

·         Back at home Aoro was climbing walls with fear and worry. P181. Climbing walls is an idiomatic expression meaning to be extremely nervous or upset.

·         The bay now five was no longer a baby but an active little girl – a bit spoilt by having so many older sisters and brothers at her beck and call, not to mention a doting father. P185. Beck and call is an idiomatic expression meaning ready to obey.

·         He walked on air for days and felt like crowing especially when he remembered his mother’s scathing remarks about his character in general and his laziness in particular. P186. Walked on air is an idiomatic expression meaning to be very happy.

·         Becky who was now well aware of the importance of doing well at school, not for her parents sake, but for her own, was a close to a nervous breakdown and she drove herself to work at a pace she was unaccustomed to; again, Vera had ceased to take her side automatically and now tended to bite her head off at the slightest provocation. P196 bite her head off is an idiomatic expression meaning to get angry at someone.

·         “Well my friend, that describes me to a T.” Vera’s face clouded again. P238. To a T is an idiomatic expression meaning rightly.

·         That’s all he wanted and he would work his boots off if need be to provide for them. P161. To work boots off is to work tirelessly.

·         “An air hostess?” Mark could not believe his ears. “Over my dead body.” P199. Over my dead body is an idiomatic expression meaning under no circumstances.

·         It must have been eight o’clock, but she simply turned on her heels and went out to the car again despite the protests of the villagers. P202. Turned on her heels is an idiomatic expression meaning to leave.

·         He would have loved to steal a quick look at Elizabeth – for guidance and inspiration – but obviously could not. P206. To steal a quick look is an idiomatic expression meaning to peek or glance.

·         “Who is this Tommy?” he asked to buy time. P207. To buy time is an idiomatic expression meaning to increase time available for a specific purpose.

·         Although Lisa left the house looking spick and span with hair in a ponytail, well pressed tunic and clean white blouse, by the end of the day she would be in total disarray; clothes hanging anyhow, with hair in spikes, but her books will somehow survive – neat and clean enough to eat on. P293. Spick and span is an idiomatic expression meaning clean and neat.

·         To Wandia, it was like light at the end of a dark tunnel. P294. Light at the end of a dark tunnel is an idiomatic expression meaning the end of a difficult situation.

·         Mugo already had a reputation of being a tough cookie. P291. Tough cookie is an idiomatic expression meaning someone strong.

Interior Monologue

Interior monologue is a literary device where the thoughts of a character are reported by the author or narrator.

Examples in the novel

·         The baby yelled so lustily on its first gulp of acrid air, that the chief strolling around unconcernedly as befitted his station and manhood, thought with satisfaction, ‘another rock for my sling,’ by which he meant another son. P11

·         They moved some distance away and Akoko watching from her mother’s kitchen thought amusedly to herself, “I should ask father to give me a piece of land to settle on because at this rate I shall never leave this house”. P22

·         “Giving us” thought Otieno in annoyance.” “At this rate there will be no cattle left for me to pay bride price with”. P24

·         “What a brazen lass”, thought Otieno, “Thirty head indeed!” p24

·         She noticed these things and wondered. How could such common place things continue to happen when the chief’s heir lay dead and unfulfilled in some strange land? Were should stab the world with lightning, the sun should hide its face, the very trees should moan in misery. She herself should die, for what use was this life if one could be snuffed out like a poorly lit fire, never getting a chance to blaze into a flame? P64-65

·         “Oh the bottomless pit of ignorance”, thought the man to himself. P84

·         “I must fight. I cannot give up! I must! I must!” thought her mother. P99

·         “Elizabeth Awiti”. She answered, then wondered at herself in amazement. ‘What could be wrong with me? Maybe I have cerebral malaria!” she surreptitiously felt her forehead. It was cool. P138

·         And Elizabeth thought to herself, “What will I do without her when she is gone? She is the steady rock of our lives”. P144

·         Others looking at him thought ‘what sacrifice, what courage!’ he felt only fortunate that God should call even one such as him. P156

·         She tried to keep up her anger. After all she had been the wronged one, but when he had not come by late that night and on the following day, her anger turned to alarm and raw fear. Where could he be? Had he left her? If he had she had only herself to blame. P160

·         Vera wondered whether that could be said of her. “I am sure if I died only mum and dad would really miss me or even know that I had ever existed. I am only existing, not really living”. P230

·         “A chapel!” she thought, working around at the unusual decorations in the ceiling and on the altar. P236

·         “It makes me very sad to see a catholic, a child of God, called by the baptism to be another Christ – calming his conscience with a purely formal piety, with a religiosity that leads him to pray now and again, and only if he thinks worthwhile”, said the priest and Vera thought to herself, “What! Is the guy reading my mind or something?” p236

·         A little fear is not a bad thing, she thought to herself; especially for one such as you. P267

·         “As if I have read enough to last me two lifetimes!” she thought irreverently as the applause rose to a crescendo. P300

Poetic Justice     

It is a literary device whereby the antagonist or villain is punished by an ironic twist of fate or destiny and the protagonist or the good characters are rewarded. In the novel “THE RIVER AND THE SOURCE” the antagonists, Otieno and Becky, are punished because of their bad qualities and the way they treat other characters. Otieno who becomes an instant enemy of Akoko after her marriage to chief Owuor kembo takes away part of Akoko’s wealth and appropriates the wealth of his brother chief Owuor kembo after his death. Because of his oppression towards Akoko, Akoko decides to take matters in her own hands and travels to Kisumu to seek justice from the white people. On her return from Kisumu she finds that the plunder of her cattle had reached major proportions, Otieno having taken advantage of her heaven sent absence. Unknown to Otieno, Akoko had travelled to Kisumu and got the help of the white people who send a contingent of askaris to forcibly remove him from the chief’s stool. To Akoko the removal of Otieno from power was a victory for her and her infant grandson who was the rightful heir of the chief’s stool. Otieno’s downfall can be attributed to her arrogance, selfishness, greed and oppression.

Becky who was also an antagonist is punished by fate because of the way she treated other people and of the bad qualities that she possessed. Compared to her sister Vera, Becky developed a lot of jealousy and selfishness which affected her children. She was also egocentric and had developed a promiscuous way of life after her divorce from John Courtney. Her promiscuous lifestyle led her to contract AIDS which eventually killed her.

Catastrophe

A catastrophe is a literary device where one of the main or several characters die at the end of a literary work.

In the novel “THE RIVER AND THE SOURCE,” the story ends in tragedy with the death of three major characters. The first person to die was Becky who had developed full blown AIDS before her death. Since her family knew of her impending death, they met and after deliberations they decided that it would be least disruptive for Becky’s children if they went and lived with Aoro and Wandia. The second death occurs a day after Wandia graduated with a doctorate in medicine. The death was that of Elizabeth Awiti who had fallen sick on the outskirts of Nakuru. She had developed problems with her breathing before she was rushed to the hospital where she died. Within that year her husband Mark sigu also died.

Propaganda        

It is the spreading of false information through rumours or campaigns in order to gain sympathy or to show weakness of an individual, community or institution.

Examples in the novel

·         Nyar asembo spread falsehoods when she declared that Akoko had bewitched chief Owuor kembo not to marry another wife. P34

·         When Obura was speaking to his mother he spread falsehoods when he said that girls were empty headed. P49

·         When Akoko was planning to go to Kisumu, her daughter Nyabera tried to prevent her from going by giving her false information about the white people. She told her not to trust people who were white like the clouds and that maybe they were not even human. P76

·         Elizabeth spread falsehoods when she accused Mark of having deliberately given her chloroquin to make her sterile. Because of her false accusations Mark nearly struck her.

·         When Odongo nearly drowned in a river, together with his twin brother Opiyo they spread falsehoods that Aoro and Tony had forced them to get into the water. They did this to get sympathy from their parents so that they could not face their wrath.

·         When Aoro was suspended from school, he spread falsehoods to his parents that the head prefect and the house captain were always picking on him which indeed was false because he was the one lacking discipline. P188

·         Becky spread falsehoods to John Courtney to prevent him from going to see her parents because she thought her parents would be against their union since they were both from different cultures and races.

Jargon   

It is the use of language that is either professional or occupational in a literary work which is often meaningless to an outsider. In the novel “THE RIVER AND THE SOURCE” the author has used medical and agricultural terms and phrases which the reader might find difficult to understand.

Examples in the novel

·         Anyone who has induction of labour will tell you that natural labour is much easier. P194. Labour is a medical term meaning the period of time before giving birth to a baby.

·         “You must remember always that the cadaver before you was once a human being with feelings and who deserved a decent burial but is here for your sakes so that you may learn the science of anatomy which is the cornerstone of medicine. The cadaver must therefore be treated with utmost respect and any part not under dissection must be properly covered. I repeat, expose only the part under dissection. Any question?” p224   . Cadaver and anatomy are medical terms which mean a dead body and the human structure respectively.

·         “No, it will not rot. The body has been preserved with formalin – a powerful chemical – notice the smell in air. It will last more than one year you will take to dissect it from head to toe,” answered Gitonga. P244. Formalin is a chemical liquid with a strong irritating smell that is used for the preservation of animal tissue.

·         Little did they know that the cadaver would become so much part of their existence that they would barely remember to wash their hands before lunch after a morning of delving deep into the human tissue. P245. A tissue is a combination of cells that makes the various parts of the human body.

·         To carry in one’s head the names, distribution and function of hundreds of muscles, nerves, blood vessel, parts of the brain, the skeleton, and all the internal organs require a no mean feat of memorization.

·         “Besides you showed me dust in physiology and biochemistry”.

·         There was a case of severe fetal distress with poor progress of labour. Would he join the resident in theatre at once to assist with the case? P249

·         On his way out he passed the paediatric resident who had also been called in readiness to resuscitate the endangered baby. P249

·         The obstetric resident was in his final year of training and was therefore quite fast. He had the abdomen open and the baby out in exactly ten minutes. The baby was covered in its own waste showing just how severely distressed it had been. He gave it to the nurse who rushed the limp form to the waiting paediatric resident for resuscitation. P249

·         It was his job to present his case, take most of the blame and do all the donkey work – like collection of specimen, administration of intravenous drugs and collection of reports from different laboratories. P252

·         “This is Helena kituku, twenty nine year old female who has had a bad obstetric history. She has one living child and has lost four pregnancies at about six months. She is now twenty eight weeks pregnant and was admitted with lower abdominal pains of four hours duration. A diagnosis of premature labour was made and we have started her on treatment and put her on bed rest to try and reverse the labour”.p252

·         “Have you done a blood slide for malaria parasites?” p253

·         “A blood slide?” the case was so cut and dried that Aoro had not thought to investigate the patient for other causes of miscarriage.

·         Sickness and death never far from her since the death of her father from liver failure two years before. P255

·         “She has not been very well you know. She is diabetic and I hear her blood sugar’s out of control and she has an ulcer on her foot that won’t heal.” P255

·         She had aged beyond her years due to worry and overwork and lately from the ravages of diabetes; but around her was a calm serene air – a spirit at peace with itself and the world. P258

·         She was now busy trying out all kinds of things in her little farm – she was especially delighted with zero grazing and her herd of Friesians. P260

·         Anyway you doctors can do miracles these days. A mere VD cannot elude a cure for too long. P262

·         Daniel had Down syndrome and five years later Wandia still remembered the shock, the pain, the sheer disbelief she had experienced when she held her infant son in her arms for the first time. P283

Diatribe

It is the act of criticizing someone to show their weakness or something bad that they have done.

Examples in the novel

·         Nyar asembo bitterly criticized her son chief Owuor kembo because his rate of reproducing was too slow and because he was refusing to marry another wife. P34

·         After Nyar asembo falsely accused Akoko of witchcraft, Akoko woke the entire village the day after being accused by wailing and screaming. After a sizeable crowd had gathered outside her house, she used the opportunity to directly criticize both Nyar asembo and Otieno for falsely accusing her. P36

·         Nyar asembo criticized his son chief Owuor kembo when he almost struck her and throttled his brother half to death. P37

·         After Akoko left her matrimonial home and went back to Yimbo, the council of elders of Sakwa bitterly criticized chief Owuor kembo because of his monogamous state. P38

·         During the negotiation between the elders of Sakwa and those of Yimbo to sort out the conflict that had arisen after Akoko was accused by Nyar asembo for bewitching chief Owuor kembo, Aloo k’olima criticized Akoko for being temperamental and impatient. P44-45

·         Akoko criticized her son Obura for thinking that girls were empty headed. P49

·         In chapter 8, the stranger who told his friend about the white people and their son god, criticized his friend for being behind with the current events. P59

·         Akoko bitterly criticized her daughter Nyabera when she told her not to trust the white people since they may not be humans. She also criticized her for thinking that she did not trust her with Owuor and for thinking that their family was cursed. P77

·         Akoko criticized his brother Oloo for sending his two sons to accompany her to Kisuma. P80

·         When Akoko went to Kisumu to get justice against his brother in law, she bitterly criticized him in front of the D.O who was listening to her case. P86-87

·         The catechist in the mission in Aluor bitterly criticized Nyabera for thinking that she was questioning God since she asked so many questions. P107

·         Akoko criticized her daughter Nyabera for being selfish after they both learnt that Awiti has been called to a teachers’ training college. P131-132

·         Nyabera criticized Awiti when she told her and Akoko about her intentions to get married to Mark whose roots and antecedents they didn’t know. P143

·         Marks sigu bitterly criticized the pretty girl when she declared that she was pregnant. P169

·         Aoro was criticized by his father when his father learnt that he had been suspended from school for being undisciplined. P188-189

·         Awiti criticized her daughter Becky for getting into conflict with their little sister Mary. P196

·         Becky criticized her sister Vera for being jealous of her. P196

·         Elizabeth criticized her husband Mark for not being reasonable when Vera asked permission from them to go to the movies with Tommy muhambe. P207

·         Vera criticized her sister Becky for not considering the opinions of Mark and Elizabeth when she wanted to get married to John Courtney. P221

·         Vera criticized her sister Becky for always being pre-occupied with herself. P221

·         Wandia bitterly criticized Aoro for calling her ‘woman ‘during their first initiation into the medical school.

·         Mark sigu criticized his son Aoro for getting too quick into marriage and for getting onto marriage with a girl not from their tribe.

·         Aoro criticized his father for thinking that since Wandia was a Kikuyu she was not fit to be Aoro’s wife. P271-272

·         Vera criticized Becky when she realized that her influence on her children were not good. P277

Metonymy

It is a literary device where a concept or thing is given a name that closely associates with it.

Examples in the novel

·         That a man and a chief at that should even take notice of a girl child was unusual; after all a son meant continuity and a girl would only depart to go and cook for some other clan, but chief Odero found the child irresistible. P15

·         “Our daughter, Adoyo Obanda is a great beauty whose assets have been praised and sung by many Nyatiti singers from here to Chumbu kombit from Sakwa to Loka nam”. P21

·         That way he felt that he could at least have a foothold on all those beautiful herds. P100

·         I know you won’t believe it but I was stone sober, anyway, I tripped and fell into this pool and awakened a family of frogs and you couldn’t believe the noise they made. P140

·         At sixteen she was a breath taking beauty and had a horde of admirers and aspiring boyfriends none of whom she had yet shown an interest in. p181

·         The six month old bundle of energy took to her aunt at once and was bouncing away and blowing bubbles to her heart’s content when her mother walked in, at which point she defected-letting it be known at the top of her lungs just whom she preferred. P262

Situational Irony               

It is a literary device whereby a situation or event which is not expected to happen takes place.

Examples in the novel

·         Chief Odero gogni did not expect that his second wife Aketch was going to give birth to a baby girl. He thought that the baby who had been born was a boy.

·         It was ironical that after Akoko resigned to the fact that were had forgotten to create a man good enough for her, a man by the name of Owuor kembo who was the chief of Sakwa appears later and asks for her hand in marriage.

·         It was ironical that with all the wealth that chief Owuor kembo had, he still did not want to marry another wife yet he helped his brother and poor cousins to pay off their dowry.

·         It was ironical that chief Odero gogni expected a spirited fight from chief Owuor kembo and his entourage to reduce the number of cattle to be paid as bride price but chief Owuor kembo accepted his offer.

·         It was ironical that though Obura’s parents were proud of him because of his amazing characters, he was reprimanded more than any other child, and to hear his mother one would have thought that Obura was a good for nothing boy.

·         It was ironical that Obura disobeyed his parents and disappeared with Nyaroche and Ambere yet in the whole village he was the only seventeen year old who obeyed his mother without a question.

·         It was ironical that for the first time chief Owuor kembo who was never known to raise his voice in anger screamed at the hapless herdsman who he had sent to know about the whereabouts of Nyaroche and Ambere.

·         It was ironical that Akoko sought the help of the white people to help her remove Otieno from the chief’s stool yet it was the white man’s government that caused the death of her son Obura.

·         It was ironical that after having misfortunes in her life, Nyabera sought the religion of the white man yet she discriminated them because of their skin colour.

·         It was ironical that Otieno was delighted after hearing the death of Obura yet as a close family relative he should have been in a sombre mood about the loss of his nephew.

·         It was ironical that Owuor decided to join the priesthood yet he knew that his grandmother Akoko wanted him to reclaim back the chief’s stool from the council of elders who had been the guardian of power in the village of Sakwa.

·         It was ironical that Nyabera did not want her mother to go to Kisumu to seek justice from the white men government yet she chose to go to Aluor and converted to the white man’s religion.

·         It was ironical that when Akoko and her two nephews travelled to Kisumu to seek justice against Otieno, the first person that they met in Kisumu worked at the Dos office.

·         It was ironical that after Otieno was forcibly removed as the chief of Sakwa, it was only a matter of time before the hereditary chiefdoms were done away with totally.

·         It was ironical that both Akoko and Nyabera who had earlier been steeped in their traditions converted to Christianity and devoted their lives serving the Christian God instead of were.

·         It was ironical that Nyabera thought that her mother would not want to accompany her to Aluor and when she asked her about it she readily accepted to go.

·         It was ironical that after being baptized in the Christian faith and having accepted Christian teachings, Nyabera went back to Sakwa to start a union with Ogoma kwach. This was contrary to the teachings of the Christian faith which Nyabera found hard to embrace because of her desire to have another child.

·         It was ironical that Owuor who had never really known his father or the joys of a father – son relationship, dreamt of being the spiritual father of many.

·         It was ironical that the locals of Aluor prophesied darkly that no man would marry Elizabeth because of her brilliance yet she got married to a former soldier who was called Mark sigu.

·         It was ironical that Elizabeth found that Mark was a former military man and was literate yet she had always thought that military men were a bunch of illiterates.

·         It was ironical that Mark sigu did not send a spy to find out about the background of Awiti though traditions demanded it.

·         It was ironical that Becky confessed to Vera that she had always been jealous of her because of her brilliance in school.

·         It was ironical that Wandia suspected Becky of having HIV because her weight had decreased at a fast rate. Wandia suspicions come true when Becky develops full blown AIDS.

·         It was ironical that Aoro married Wandia who was a Kikuyu and Becky got married to John Courtney who was a Canadian and white yet their father expected them to marry from their own tribe.

·         It was ironical that Vera remained single while Maryanne who had introduced her to opus dei got married to Mathew saisi.

·         It was ironical that Vera who had wanted to be near her sister Becky made a promise to herself to go very far away from her as soon as she could because Becky had become extremely selfish.

·         It was ironical that Mark sigu who was opposed to his son joining the priesthood was full of pride during Tony’s ordination.

Oral Traditions  

Oral tradition is a literary device where culture, traditions and beliefs of a community are transmitted through the word of mouth from one generation to another. The messages are transmitted through folktales, sayings, songs and speech.

Examples in the novel  

·         In the opening of the novel Nyar alego gives a brief oral narration of the creator of the luo people whom they called were. P12. She also gives a brief speech on some of the cultural practices that the luo people practiced and their beliefs.

·         During the marriage negotiation between chief Owuor kembo and Akoko, chief Odero gogni reveals the cultural practice of paying dowry. His spokesman, Aloo k’olima, reveals how marriage was carried out and what was to be avoided (taboo) before marriage took place. P20-21

·         During the discussion between chief Owuor kembo and the elders from Sakwa on how Akoko would return back to her matrimonial home, they discussed several issues that touched on the traditions and beliefs of the luo people.  Oyier reveals one of the practices that the luo people practiced which was polygamy. Chief Owuor kembo also reveals how important a man’s first wife was according to the traditions of the luo people. Still in their discussions, one of the elders narrates how important the first born son was. P38-39

·         Aloo k’olima, chief Odero gogni’s spokesman reveals orally the tradition which involved the appeasement of the mother in law as was in the case of Akoko and chief Owuor kembo. P45

·         Obura reveals to Nyaroche and Ambere that as the first born son he was the next in line to become the chief of Sakwa. P49. His father also reveals to him how courtship and marriage was carried out by their community. P50

·         In the conversation between Akoko and Nyabera it was clear that the luo community believed in the importance of dreams and the interpretation of such dreams was highly valued. P76

·         The messengers who were sent by the D.O to investigate Otieno narrate to the D.O some of the cultural practices of the luo community. The messengers also narrate the tradition of wife inheritance and how a bad chief was to be removed and how the succession of the chieftainship was carried out. Akoko p92

·         Oyange silwal reveals to mark and his entourage the requirements of chik when paying a bride price. He also reveals who takes the bride price in the case when a girl’s father is deceased. P148

Apostrophe        

It is a literary device whereby a character or a speaker in a literary work addresses someone who is dead or absent or addresses a nonhuman entity as if it were human.

Examples in the novel

·         When grandmother Nyar alego was called to help unravel what was causing Akoko to scream all night, she addresses were and several of her dead relatives as if they were alive.

Symbolism

Symbolism is a literary device whereby an object, a person, a situation, an action, a word, a place or an idea has some hidden meanings in a literary work or represents an idea.

Examples in the novel

         i.            Symbolism of characters

·         Akoko – She is a symbol of sacrifice, determination, feminism, change, beauty, love, wealth, womanhood, courage, motherhood, wisdom, selflessness and inspiration.

·         Nyabera – she is a symbol of pain and suffering, bitterness, determination, change, obsession and desperation.

·         Chief Odero gogni – He is a symbol of leadership and authority.

·         Chief Owuor kembo – He is a symbol of leadership and authority.

·         Otieno – He is a symbol of greed, oppression, envy and arrogance.

·         Owuor – He is a symbol of purity, succession and continuity.

·         Obura – He is a symbol of continuity and rebellion.

·         John Courtney – He is a symbol of cultural diversity.

·         Wandia – she is a symbol of determination, cultural diversity and hope.

·         Wangechi – She is a symbol of determination.

·         Tommy muhambe – He is a symbol of cultural diversity.

·         DO – He is a symbol of change, authority and government.

·         DC – He is a symbol of change, authority and government.

·         Becky – She is a symbol of materialism, rebellion, beauty and determination.

·         Elizabeth – She is a symbol of determination, motherhood, feminism, wisdom and love.

·         Mark sigu – He is a symbol of fatherhood.

·         Vera – She is a symbol of determination and sacrifice.

·         Aoro – He is a symbol of determination.

·         Alicia – She is a symbol of cultural diversity.

       ii.            Symbolism of events

·         Akoko’s birth – It symbolizes continuity and change.

·         Akoko’s death – It symbolizes the end of an era.

·         Nak – It symbolizes adulthood.

·         Owang sino’s death – It symbolizes change and discontinuity.

·         Akoko’s journey to Kisumu – It symbolizes victory, courage and change.

·         The coming of jorochere – It symbolizes change and colonialism.

·         Chief Owuor kembo’s dream – It symbolizes the birth of a son.

·         Nyabera’s birth – It symbolizes pain and suffering.

·         Nyabera’s journey to Aluor – It symbolizes hope and new beginning.

·         Vera’s nightmare – It symbolizes the death of Becky.

·         Death of Awiti – It symbolized the end of an era.

·         Nyabera’s dream – It symbolizes hope for the future.

·          

      iii.            Symbolism of places

·         Sakwa – It symbolized oppression and injustice.

·         Aluor – It symbolized Christianity and hope.

·         Kisumu – It symbolized change.

·         Nairobi – it symbolized westernization and civilization.

·         Yimbo – It symbolized safety.

·         Tanganyika – It symbolized death.

·         Central province – It symbolized rebellion.

·         Westlands – It symbolized wealth.

·         Eastlands – It symbolized economic hardships.

·         University of Nairobi – It symbolized knowledge.

     iv.            Symbolism of objects

·         Kong’o – It is a symbol of sacredness and friendship.

·         Samba – It is a symbol of stability.

·         Bracelet – It is a symbol of remembrance.

·         Chief’s stool – It is a symbol of leadership and authority.

·         River – it is a symbol of life.

·         Matatu – It is a symbol of recklessness.

·         Railway – It symbolized change and civilization.

·         Pesa – it symbolized change in trade.

       v.            Other symbols

·         HIV/AIDS – It symbolizes moral corruption.

·         Awiti’s miscarriage – It symbolizes threat to continuity.

·         Priesthood – It is a symbol of sacredness.

·         Were – It symbolizes the supernatural.

·         Dowry – It symbolizes good faith and thankfulness.

Soliloquy             

It is a literary device where a character speaks his or her thoughts aloud.

Examples in the novel

·         Akoko spoke her thoughts out aloud on learning that his son Obura had disappeared without informing them.

“Great were, please spare my son. Protect him. Remember all the sacrifices I have offered you on his behalf and be merciful”. She prayed fervently to herself fearing to raise her voice in case the very air grabbed her words and made her fears a terrible reality. P54

·         After the death of Owang sino, Nyabera was angry at were for making her mother go through pain and suffering. Her speeches to express her disappointment towards were were a soliloquy.

        Nyabera was summoned immediately, dark as it was, to keep her mother company.  She in her turn was not tongue tied this time round and she kept up a bemused, if angry soliloquy.

What has she ever done to deserve this? Does were really exist? Why does he permit such terrible things to happen? She, who has never looked at anyone with an evil eye, never denied food to anyone; has she not been generous in sacrifice and libation? Does it not pay to lead an upright life? Why does were give children only to strike them dead at the threshold of life? What has mother ever done to deserve this? P71

Nyabera was summoned immediately, dark as it was, to keep her mother company. She in her turn was not tongue tied this time round

·         When Nyabera converted to Christianity, she spoke her mind out when she wanted to know more about the new religion.

        Why for example did an all-powerful God chose such an ignominious death? Could he not have just willed our salvation thus bringing it about? Why so much suffering? If God was good and all powerful, why allow so much suffering? P106

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

A self-fulfilling prophecy is a statement by a character in a literary work that directly or indirectly causes it to become true in the future.

Examples in the novel

·         Aoro’s letter to his parents informing them that he was bringing a girl home so that they could get to know her is prophetic. Aoro’s letter to his parents was prophetic because he goes ahead and takes Wandia to Molo where she meets his parents.

·         Nyar asembo prophesied the death of Obura when she realized that his son was opposed to the idea of marrying another wife and because the rate at which chief Owuor kembo and Akoko were reproducing was too slow. P34. Nyar asembo prophetic utterances came true years later when Obura went to work for the white men and he got killed in Tanganyika while fighting the Germans.

·         Aloo k’olima prophesied that one day Akoko would be a mother in law. His prophecy comes true when Owang sino marries Alando nyar uyoma and her daughter Nyabera gets married by Okumu ang’olo.

·         After the death of her two sons, Nyabera tells her mother that she has been having dreams about Obura. When she tells her mother about the dream, her mother tells her that the dream is a message of hope from the spirit world and intimately concerned the unborn baby. Nyabera soon prophesy that if her pregnancy goes through safely she would name the baby Obura. Nyabera prophecy comes true as she safely delivers a baby girl and she promptly names her Obura. During the conversation between mother and daughter, Akoko also prophecy that were will one day give her daughter Nyabera a child who will survive. Akoko’s prophecies come true because of all of Nyabera’s children only Obura survives to adulthood.

·         Akoko prophesy her upcoming journey to Kisuma to seek justice against Otieno from the white man’s government. Later in the text we see that Akoko together with her two twin nephews’ journey to Kisumu where they present their case to the D.O.

·         When she got pregnant again after her first miscarriage, Awiti prophesy that she will give birth to a girl and she would call her Veronica after her grandmother. Awiti’s prophecy comes true when she gives birth to twins and she names one of them Veronica after her grandmother.

·         During one of her conversation with Maryanne, Vera tells Maryanne that her brother Aoro would be joining medical school in September. Vera’s utterances were prophetic because Aoro joined university where he studies medicine.

·         Vera’s prophecy that one day Wandia’s agnostic stance on God will change. Her prophesy does not take long to become true as Wandia finds herself seeking God’s assistance after her son is diagnosed with leukaemia.

Juxtaposition     

It is the placing of objects, characters, ideas, events, actions and places side by side in a literary work to show similarity or difference between them.

Examples in the novel

·         Grandmother Nyar alego has juxtaposed how she was raised by her mother and how she raised her son chief Odero gogni.

Daughter of the rocky county of seme, my dearest mother, did you not teach me how to conduct myself as a good wife?

Did not my upright son, Odero, rule in his father’s stead and have I not always guided him to listen to the counsel of Jodongo, our elders? P13

·         The author has compared the country of Seme and Sakwa. Grandmother Nyar alego says that seme was a rocky country and chief Odero gogni asks chief Owuor kembo and his entourage how the savannah country of Sakwa was.

·         The author has juxtaposed the role of the girl child and that of the boy child.

That a man and a chief at that should even take notice of a girl child was unusual; after all a son meant continuity and a girl would only depart to go and cook for some other clan, but chief Odero gogni found the child irresistible. P18

·         The author has juxtaposed the appearance of chief Owuor kembo, his uncle and Otieno when they arrived in Yimbo to ask for Akoko’s hand in marriage.

His face was ritually tattooed, his head sat proudly on his shoulders and he wore only a tiny piece of leopard skin which barely reached his mid-thigh, from under which two powerful legs protruded. On his right was a wizened old man and on his left a young man who closely resembled him, as well as six other men. P18

·         The author has juxtaposed how a girl would traditionally approach her husband to be with how Akoko approached chief Owuor kembo after the marriage negotiation.

Traditionally the girl at this point should have been the picture of demure shyness, her eyes fixed firmly on the floor, her hands held together in front of her mouth. Not Akoko. She walked in; steps measured, head held high, hands at her sides. P24

·         The author has made a comparison between the children of Otieno with that of Obura.

Besides, Otieno, Owuor’s younger brother had wasted no time in marrying two wives one after the other and already had two children and was expecting two others. The fact that his children were completely lacklustre and unlike obura was completely beside the point. P30

·         Nyabera has been compared to her father chief Owuor kembo.

The baby was not only pretty but had her father’s even temper. P32

·         Owang sino has been compared to his brother obura and sister Nyabera.

Compared to his chatterbox brother and sister, owing was a welcome respite for his mother. His demands were few and he was easy to please as his father. P46-47

·         Chief Owuor kembo’s family has been compared to that of his brother Otieno.

Even by the standards of the time, it was a close knit family, with the father standing resolutely between the world and his little band that everyone so longed to enlarge. In fact he was well pleased for his father before him with many wives also had what he had achieved with one wife – two sons. His brother on the other hand made up for Owuor’s reserve. He had four wives and eighteen children. P47

·         The way Otieno treated his wives has been compared to the way chief Owuor kembo treated Akoko.

Otieno treated his wives like sluts and they did not fail him. Owuor treated his wife like a queen and she did not fail him either. P47

·         The author of the novel has juxtaposed ways in which human beings dealt with pain.

There are two ways to deal with pain – either bear it until time heals, for time is a master healer of even the deepest wounds; or commit suicide. P62

·         Owang sino and his late brother have been compared by the author of the novel.

Though lacking in the abundant charisma that his brother had had, owing sino was a good steady lad with a level head and a lot of personal strength. P68

·         The author has compared chief Owuor kembo’s treatment of the messengers who had been sent by the government with Owang sino’s overtures to the messengers’ government.

Once or twice since then, tentative messengers had been sent to try and make contact with chief Owuor kembo, but being full of bitterness because of his dead son obura, he had sent them away without a word – young chief owing sino had started to make overture on his part towards the outside world, but had died before his efforts could bear fruits. P73

·         Akoko made a comparison between Nyabera and her sister in law when she was reprimanding her when Nyabera thought that her mother did not trust her and that’s why she never brought Owuor to stay with her.

But to have a child is one thing, to bring it up to be a human fit to live with others is something else altogether – and the way you are going, I doubt if you will be fit to be a mother when the baby comes. You may be just like Alando your sister in law. P77

·         The author has juxtaposed the physical qualities of the D.O and the D.C.

He was actually white – not cloud white, but an indefinable translucent colour with spots of red on the cheeks, the ears and the tip of his long nose. His hair was an amazing yellow and wonder of wonders his eyes were blue. Nevertheless he was human and spoke with a human if strange voice – rather resonant with an unusual timbre, somewhat harsh to the ear. P86

The D.C was a white man alright but was as different from the first one as east is from west. His hair was reddish brown and his eyes were very pale grey. His skin was tanned so deeply that it had almost taken on the hue of some light skinned people. His voice was a loud trumpet – almost as if shouting would make people understand him better. P91

·         The author has juxtaposed the god of the luo people to the Christian God.

Were had been benevolent; but this God was a loving father. It was the only explanation. P106

·         The author has juxtaposed Awiti and Owuor’s determination in learning the new religion.

Like his father before him, Owuor was a steady slugger – a non-quitter. His cousin Awiti was a fast but unsteady leaner. She could mesmerize the class with her powers of recall, then sit through another class and learn absolutely nothing for she could open a window in her mind and escape, to go and play in the warm inviting sun, her feet sinking in the soft green grass and her eyes following the multi-coloured butterfly, that warbling bird or that variegated leaf. She had a powerful imagination which was at once her strength and her weakness. P115

Awiti was very good at memorizing prayers both in Latin and vernacular while Owuor was formidable in catechism. P116

The only other subject taught was numbers. Here again, Awiti excelled in reading and Owuor took to numbers like a duck to water. P116

·         The author has compared the life that Akoko and her family experienced in Aluor with that of their home in Sakwa.

They went in the middle of the day to a frugal meal of ugali and herbs. Later as their elders became more settled there would be occasional chicken and very rarely, fish for this was far from the great lake. Meat was unheard of for an animal was only slaughtered ceremoniously during a funeral or a betrothal. Back home, meat had been plentiful for there had been enough animals to slaughter just for food and no other reason, but here they were only poor orphans and widows. P116

·         Mark has juxtaposed the courage he had while fighting the Germans and the courage to talk to a girl.

“Please don’t run away. I won’t harm you. I have waited to meet you for the last six weeks. During the last exeat, courage deserted me. It is easier to fight the Germans and their allies than to get the courage to talk to a girl. I was supposed to report to a civilian job two weeks ago but I couldn’t go without speaking to you. So you see, you should not run away.” P138

·         In one of her letters to Mark, Awiti makes a comparison between her grandmother and her mother.

My grandmother is a real character, but she has been sickly of late. I am very worried about her. I owe her so much. My mother is very kind-hearted and quite strong though she has always been in the shadow of her mother who is a woman of iron. P141

·         The burial of Akoko has been compared to the traditional burial of the people of the luo community.

They buried her in the ‘limbo’ the hallowed burial ground which the church had prepared. This was a break with the requirements of chik, which had demanded that a married woman be buried in her husband’s ancestral home to the left of the entrance to her house; but then Akoko had left that home never to return, over fifteen years before. P151-152

·         The author has made a comparison of the qualities of Becky and Vera.

Veronica and her sister Rebecca arrived within minutes of each other at the general hospital. Veronica was smaller than Rebecca but was more vociferous. Apart from the difference in size, their personalities were completely different from the first day. Rebecca was plump, pretty and contented. She smiled at everyone including the flies on the wall. Her sister was skinny and avid. P165

At five months, Vera sat up on her own while her sister remained content to lie on her back for another two months – by which time Vera was crawling all over the house. Becky decided that this was too much and tried to imitate her sister. P165

Becky seemed to draw love from one and all from a very early age. She was soft, cuddly and pretty, and just plain irresistible. People wanted to touch her, to hold her and she was quite accommodating. Vera did not want to be held, and the big flashing eyes on her skinny face were restless and tempestuous. Even adults were a little afraid of her. P166

If it were not for the fact that she was open and friendly and never put anyone down, it would have been quite easy to dislike her, but Vera was ever ready to help and assist and so was quite popular in spite of her brilliance and force of personality. When she was fourteen and in the top of class of her primary school, they made her the school captain – a position which had only been held by boys before. Her father was quite beside himself.

Becky was a different kettle of fish altogether. There was no denying the fact that she was a beauty and would always be one. She had large limpid eyes, a perfect face and a soft fine skin. It was not that Becky was lazy, or even stupid; she just did not know the meaning of exerting herself. She got whatever she wanted without creating any waves or getting into any unpleasant situation for she was very fastidious and utterly selfish. Her school work was satisfactory, for poor work was very likely to bring down the ceiling around one’s head at home. P173-174

When they sat for their primary school examination, Vera as was expected had an almost perfect score and with it she won a place at a top national school for girls. Becky only did well enough to get a place in the district school. P176

·         The author has made a comparison of Aoro to his great uncle Obura.

Aoro sigu was a throwback to his great uncle obura – he was swift and bright; confident and curious. P176

·         The author has made a comparison of Aoro’s qualities to that of his brother Tony.

Aoro was the leader and tony his determined and fearless shadow. Aoro’s temerity was well balanced by Tony’s calm courage. The younger boy had no sense of physical fear and did not know the meaning of giving up. His brother was endowed with brains and physical agility. Tony was short and squat and while lacking Aoro’s almost mad genius, he was no fool and he had determination. Aoro maintained a brilliant record at school without trying. Tony maintained a brilliant record without appearing to try. P179

·         Vera compared how people would view her sister Becky because of her marriage to John Courtney.

Other people won’t understand at all; and some will think that you only married him for his money; others will hold their breadth to see how soon he discards you for another pretty face. P222

·         The author has made a comparison between Becky’s children and Wandia’s children.

The Courtney children had become so much a part of the family that Wandia never dreamed of excluding them from her calculations. Johnny now a strapping lad of thirteen was particularly close to her – not surprising for he had never had much of a mother or a father for that matter – john had disappeared without a trace. Daniel in his happy way would survive. Little Mugo already had a reputation for being a tough cookie. All Alicia wanted was to be like Vera – whose very feet she worshipped. Lisa was a highly strong, sensitive and extremely intelligent child. Lisa and Johnny were devoted to Wandia and did everything to make her happy. P291

Direct Address   

It is a literary device whereby a character addresses another character by using his or her name.

Examples in the novel

·         Chief Odero gogni directly addressed his spokesman during the meeting to negotiate Akoko’s bride price.

“My fathers,” he began, “This is my eldest daughter and as you may know I have dispatched twelve suitors, but I like this group of people as the young man is obviously of good stock and his uncle a good spokesman. However, I would like to trim their arrogance a bit. You Aloo k’olima have been my spokesman all along and you will remain so. Set the price at thirty head.” P20-21

·         Otieno directly addressed his brother when they were negotiating the bride price for Akoko.

“This is enough to marry three wives. Women are all the same Owuor – let’s get out of here”. P22

·         Chief Owuor kembo spokesman addressed him using his name when they were negotiating Akoko’s marriage to Owuor.

“Please be careful how you address the chief,” reprimanded the old man. “Owuor, my son, I see what you mean. An or’s honour is a great thing and if your in-laws despise you, it is something that is very difficult to live down. Let us shock them by accepting their offer without bargaining. That way your name will be repeated from mouth to mouth for years to come. You will be Owuor kembo, a man of style, the famous or who paid up without demur. Let’s go in”. p23

·         Chief Owuor kembo’s spokesman directly addressed chief Odero gogni using his name when he accepted the bride price to be paid for Akoko.

“Brothers, people of yimbo; Odero great chief, son of gogni, we are aware of the honour you have accorded us, having listened to our suit with patience. May were shower you with many blessings. My nephew and I have consulted and we have decided that on the fourteenth day of the next moon, thirty head of cattle will be driven by our young men into your homestead so that the marriage may take place”. P23-24

·         Aloo k’olima directly addressed Akoko during the meeting that took place to decide whether she should go back to her matrimonial home.

As for Akoko, I have known you since childhood. I know your virtues, but your weakest point is your temper and impatience.p44

·         Akoko directly addressed her son when he approached her to get her permission to travel the world.

“Obura,” remonstrated his mother, ‘It seems I don’t give you enough work. Only an idle mind can think up such nonsense. You are the chief’s son. It your duty to marry as soon as you can and provide grandchildren for me. Besides, only were knows where this world begins or ends, for he made it, you could work for the rest of your life and not reach its end. Now go and help the herdsmen with their task. You have become such a lay about”. P49

·         The strangers, who arrived in Sakwa to relay the government’s message, addressed chief Owuor kembo using his name.

“We greet you. O chief Owuor, we are people sent by sirkal, the government, with a message for you,” the white garbed one who was obviously the spokesman declared. P60

·         Akoko directly addressed her daughter when they were discussing about her journey to Kisumu to see the white people.

“Now Nyabera, I don’t believe a daughter of mine could sound so foolish. Of course they are human, that is why they are called white people, not white animals. And trust is something to give people who have earned it and therefore you have to give them a chance to do so. I would not trust your uncle Otieno although he is as black as the bottom of the pot I boil my maize and beans in. finally you’d better know that I aim to get some help from them against Otieno. The future of your nephew Owuor is in their hands so start praying”.p77

·         Akoko directly addressed her daughter for being selfish.

“Nyabera, you are not the woman I brought you up to be. I know you have suffered, but suffering is the lot of many.” P78

·         Oloo directly addressed his sons when he wanted them to accompany Akoko to Kisumu.

“You Opiyo and you Odongo, you will accompany your aunt Akoko on her journey. If anything happens to her please don’t come back for I’ll hold you responsible. You will go a day before she leaves your cousin Nyabera’s house, join up with her there and travel with her to and from Kisuma. You understand?” p79

·         Nyabera directly addressed Pilipo when she wanted to get more information about the mission in Aluor.

“Pilipo,” began Nyabera, “I know you are a much travelled man. You have learned the new religion of the white man and in gratitude they have given you a new name.” p101

·         Awiti and Owuor directly addresses Nyabera when they wanted to listen to the story about the bad king Herodes and the escape to Misri.

“Maria! Maria! Tell us about the angel and Maria!” piped her daughter Awiti, now eight years old and her nephew Owuor aged ten. P110

·         Owuor directly addressed Nyabera when he was telling him about his call to join the priesthood.

“Maria, I think God is calling me to priesthood,” he said quietly. P124

·         Akoko directly addressed Owuor when he found her weeding at her farm.

“What brings Owuor here at this hour – it can’t be for love of weeding. He has had something on his mind for a long time and has been as jumpy as an ant with its tail in hot embers. Speak up young man”. P125

·         Akoko directly addressed her granddaughter when she wanted her to read what the letter from the teachers’ college said.

“Come in, Awiti, and read for us the letter the teacher gave you.” P132

·         Mark directly addressed Elizabeth during their first meeting and after introducing themselves.

“I am very pleased to meet you, Elizabeth.” P139

·         Mark directly addressed his son Aoro when he learnt that he had been suspended from school for being undisciplined.

“Aoro, school is not necessary for a bright, strong fellow like you. School is only for those fools who still want to learn. Today I will give you food. Tomorrow you go out and earn it. I will also allow you to stay in this house for one month after which I expect you to move out and look for a place of your own” p189

·         Elizabeth directly addresses her last born daughter after giving birth to her.

“I baptize you, Mary, in the name of the father, the son and the holy spirit” p194

·         Elizabeth directly addressed Vera when Vera got into conflict with Becky.

“Leave your sister alone! I expected better of you Vera, I really did” Vera sniffed angrily, madder now at the uncontrollable dams that were in her eyes. P196-197

·         Elizabeth directly addressed her husband when they were discussing about the friendship between Vera and tommy.

“Mark sigu; have you ever heard of the word friendship? It is possible for two people to be friends without it leading to anything else. I know that sometimes an apparently intelligent person can make mistakes, but again one can only hope. Accept the fact that you have daughters and that men are going to show interest” p208

·         Becky directly addressed Vera when they first met after Becky left Nakuru to work in Nairobi.

“Don’t big heart me, Vera. I am still the same – I love the good things of life – comfort, expensive clothes, good looking men – the works. And talking of men, the reason I haven’t gone home to see the old folks is my current boyfriend. You’ll see when we got home. Do you have a boyfriend? Still seeing Tommy?” p217

·         Becky directly addressed her husband when she arrived with her sister in her house.

“Ok john. Did you miss me?” p220

·         Becky directly addressed Vera when she was introducing her to John.

“Not my friend. This is my sister Vera. Vera, this is john Courtney – he is a pilot and my fiancée, we intend to get married next month.” P220

·         John directly addressed Vera when he was introduced to her by Becky.

“Hi Vera. I’ve heard a lot about you” p220

·         John directly addressed Becky when she wanted to leave the two sisters to talk.

“I must leave you girls to catch up on news about each other. Becky I’ll be in the bedroom” p221

·         Vera directly addresses Becky when Becky suspected that Vera was angry with her because of the way she treated their parents.

“Look Becky. You are an adult. Surely you can face your own father and mother and tell them that this is the man you have chosen” p222

·         When Maryanne and Vera returned to their university room from their recollection that took place in Kangemi, Vera directly addressed Maryanne so that she could more information about the people that they had met at the recollection.

“Tell me Mary, who are those people anyway?” p239

·         Wandia directly addressed mark when Aoro took her to see his parents.

“It was touch and go between you and me, Sigu; it could have gone either way,” offered the young lady. P247

·         Elizabeth directly addressed Wandia when she asked her to help her in the kitchen when Wandia was visited them in Nakuru.

“Why don’t you help me get some tea, Wandia?”p271

·         When they were discussing about Aoro, Wandia directly addressed Elizabeth.

“But you hardly know me Mrs Sigu,” protested Wandia. P273

·         When Wandia and Aoro took their son Daniel to hospital for a medical check-up, the sister in charge who was at the hospital directly addressed Wandia when she told her to return later to check on her son.

“I think you should return later Dr Sigu,” suggested the sister in charge. P289

·         Wandia directly addressed Jonny when Jonny suggested to her that he wanted to change his name.

“Jonny, you are the most lovable person I know. I couldn’t love you more if you were my own son, but never blame the colour of your skin for anything – that is just a crutch that some people use to cover up their weaknesses and short comings” p303

Climax

The climax of a story is the point in a story where tension is high. A story can have more than one climax where both the readers and the characters experience high tension. In the novel “THE RIVER AND THE SOURCE”, the climax of the story is reached in several instances. These are:

         i.            Conflict between Akoko and Nyar asembo

The climax of the conflict between Akoko and Nyar asembo reached its climax when Nyar asembo declared that Akoko had bewitched her son chief Owuor kembo so that she could not marry another wife. When Akoko learnt about the accusations coming from grandmother Nyar asembo, she calls out a crowd the following morning and she addresses the crowd by telling them of how Nyar asembo had wrongly accused her of casting spells on chief Owuor kembo to prevent him from marrying another woman. She also tells the crowd of how Nyar asembo and her son Otieno were bitter because the bride price paid to chief Odero gogni did not translate to children as the two had expected.

       ii.            Conflict between Otieno and chief Owuor kembo

The climax of the conflict between Otieno and chief Owuor kembo is reached when chief Owuor kembo returns from a friend’s funeral and finds out that his wife had left and went back to her father’s home. When he learns the truth about what had happened that made her to go he goes berserk and throttles his brother because he was the cause of her leaving.

      iii.            Conflict between chief Owuor kembo and Nyar asembo

The climax of the conflict between chief Owuor kembo and his mother is reached when chief Owuor kembo learns that because of her accusations towards Akoko, Akoko had decided to return back to his father’s home. When chief Owuor kembo learnt from his children and villagers of what had caused Akoko to return to Yimbo he nearly struck his mother.

     iv.            Conflict between Akoko and Otieno

The climax of the conflict between Akoko and Otieno is reached after Akoko returns from her first journey from Kisumu. During that period messengers sent by the DO arrived in Sakwa to investigate if Akoko’s claims against her brother in law were indeed true. When Otieno learnt that there were strangers in Sakwa nosing around his affairs he was furious and he summoned Akoko who refused to go. Because Akoko had refused to accept his summons, Otieno went in search of her and when she found her he threatened to kill her and send her back to Yimbo.

       v.            Conflict between Vera and Becky

The climax of the conflict between Vera and Becky is reached after the birth of Mary. When Mary was born she became so much attached to his father and Becky started to dislike Mary because she wanted to be the centre of attention and Mary was a threat to her. When the two twins were about to sit their ordinary level examinations, Becky who was close to a nervous breakdown because she was studying at a pace that she was not accustomed to took her frustrations on Mary and this made Vera to become more and more scathing towards Becky until one night when the conflict between the two blew up and the two nearly fought before being separated by their mother.

Story within a Story         

A story within a story is a literary device where a story is told within another by one of the characters in the main story.

Examples in the novel

·         While they were on their way to Kisumu from Sakwa, Akoko told her nephews, Opiyo and Odongo, stories about the history of their tribe that included their god were, their ancestor Ramogi and his descendants and the brave men and women of the tribe. P81-82

·         When Nyabera returned back to Sakwa after her baptism into Christianity while she was in Aluor, on her way back to Aluor after staying in Yimbo for six months, tells her daughter Awiti, her nephew Owuor and her mother Akoko the biblical story of David and Jonathan. P113-114

·         After the death of Akoko, Nyabera tries to comfort her daughter Awiti by telling her stories about her grandmother’s life. P154

Nostalgia             

It is a literary device where a character in a literary work remembers or narrates memories from the past which makes him/her happy or sad.

Examples in the novel

·         After learning about the death of Obura, Nyabera who was fourteen at that time took the news of her brother’s death with shock. Her mother Akoko realized that her daughter was undergoing a difficult part in her life since she was pubescent. To try and console her she narrates to her daughter the memories of the past about Obura so that she could be consoled. In her narration she tells Nyabera about the early life of obura. She tells her about his birth, how demanding he was as a baby, how clever he was and how he interacted with her little sister. P63

·         Years after journeying to Kisumu with her aunt Akoko and twin brother Opiyo to make an appeal to the white chief, Odongo narrates to his grandchildren about the happy memories and the victory that they achieved while seeking justice against Otieno. In his narration he tells them of how their journey from Sakwa to Kisumu was dangerous but due to the courage of their aunt they reached Kisumu and faced the white chief unflinchingly to tell him of the greed and arrogance of Otieno. P89

·         When Wandia was travelling from Machakos to Muranga she passed through Nairobi to see her boyfriend Aoro who was doing his medical internship in Nairobi. When Wandia met Aoro she started having sweet memories of her past life while she was still young.  In her thoughts she remembers the interaction she had with her mother and the conversation the two had regarding the career path that she wanted to take. P225

·         When Aoro was taking Wandia to see his parents, he narrates to her sad memories about his past which had changed his relationship with his father. He tells Wandia how his father once tried to starve him for being suspended from school for being undisciplined. Though the memories were from a sad experience Aoro was grateful that because of his father’s strictness and toughness he made him the man that he was. P267

·         Before her death, Elizabeth Awiti remembers some of the sweet and sad memories from her past. This happens during the party to celebrate Wandia’s graduation. P305-306

Narrative Hook

It is a literary device where the opening of a literary work hooks the attention of the audience or reader so that they keep listening or reading.

In the novel “THE RIVER AND THE SOURCE,” the birth of Akoko in the opening of the novel acts as a narrative hook. The reader is first meant to believe that the baby about to be born is a boy and the quote by chief Odero gogni, “Another rock for my sling” meant that he too was anticipating a baby boy. After the birth of the baby who turns out to be a girl, the reader of the novel is again hooked to know what name will be given to her. The baby is given several names including Adoyo and Obanda but her third name Akelo is given to her by her grandmother following her grandmother’s lamentations. Grandmother Nyar alego lamentations also hook the readers firmly to the story since there is anticipation by the readers to know why the baby was crying.

Fatal Flaw            

It is the weakness of a major character, either the antagonist or the protagonist or any other main character which leads to tragedy. In the novel “THE RIVER AND THE SOURCE”, Otieno’s greed and arrogance was one of the major causes of his downfall. His treatment towards Akoko makes her to seek the help of the white people who after confirming that indeed Otieno had committed an injustice towards Akoko forcibly remove him as the chief of Sakwa. Becky also suffers a tragedy which leads to her death. Tragedy befalls her after she gets married to John Courtney who later divorces her because of her infidelity. After her divorce, Becky throws caution to the wind and becomes promiscuous which leads to her contracting AIDS. Her condition deteriorates which causes a lot of concern to her immediate family members. As a result of contracting AIDS she loses her life leaving her children without their biological parents.

Archaism              

It is the use of an old world or phrase that is no longer common in speech or writing.

Examples in the novel

Out of the depths I have cried

Unto thee o Lord

Lord hear my voice, be attentive

To my supplication

If thou, Lord, Should mark iniquities

Who shall stand? P124

“A sword shall pierce thy soul! A sword shall pierce thy soul!” and suddenly she realized she had spoken loudly and everyone turned around to stare. P131

80 K.P.H – Guide me Oh Thou Great Jehovah

100 K.P.H – God will take care of you

120 K.P.H – Nearer my God to Thee

140 K.P.H – This world is not my home

160 K.P.H – Lord I am coming home

Over 180 K.P.H – Sweet memories.

Cliché

A cliché is a phrase or sentence that has become overused to the point of losing its originality.

A cliché may be a proverb, a simile, a metaphor, an idiomatic expression, an oxymoron, a synecdoche, a symbol or a slang that has been overused in a literary work.

Examples in the novel

·         First and foremost, puny she might be, she was physically fearless and would take tumbles and tosses with a determined smile. P15

·         However, a monogamous man was an unknown animal and every man worth his salt tried to marry at least two wives. P30-31

·         The only saving grace would be the high esteem in which they held their son in law, Owuor kembo – the chief. P37

·         There were colourful butterflies, light as feather, but so awkward in their flight as if drunk on kong’o. p64

·         Jonathan was the son of the king and would have king if God had not chosen David in his stead but he was not bitter for he could see why, Daudi had a soul as pure as spring water and as brave as a lion. P113

·         Is this why they refused to take a bride price for her? So that they could treat us like dirt? P167

·         Living with him would be like walking a tight rope. P267

·         To Wandia, it was like light at the end of the tunnel. P294

·         The second is unpleasant but insults never break bones. P43

·         It was a very lonely place but then beggars cannot be choosers. P107

·         Time heals all wounds. P124

·         He was beside himself with joy and would have loved to practice some more surgery on a frog, but no amphibian was forthcoming – once bitten twice shy. P210

·         “There are more ways than one to skin a cat”, answered Becky ambiguously as she inserted a key into the lock. P273

·         Besides the death of her son, the apple of her eye was still raw on her heart. P67

·         He tried the best of his ability to step into his dead brother’s shoes and to heal the sorrows in his parents’ heart. P68

·         It was disquieting to have all one’s eggs in this one tiny frail basket. P74

·         Elizabeth was a different kettle of fish altogether. P151

·         She was the most beautiful girl in the whole village and the eldest daughter of the great chief Odero gogni and the apple of his eye. P154

·         Aoro, a bouncing boy and apple of his father’s eye was born in the middle of a along dry season-thus his name. p167

·         Becky was a different kettle of fish altogether. P173

·         The baby now five was no longer a baby but an active little girl-a bit spoilt by having so many older sisters and brothers at her beck and call not to mention a doting father. P185

·         “An air hostess?” Mark could not believe his ears. “Over my dead body”. P199

·         “Who is this Tommy?” he asked to buy time. P207

·         Intelligent because according to her, stupidity in a woman was a sin only greater that stupidity in a man, for a man can always find an astute wife to cover for his folly, but there is no man born who can cover a gaping hole left by a foolish woman, fast because were in his wisdom gave only so many hours in which to get one’s work done and time never waited for anyone.

·         When she got back home, Akoko found that the plunder of her cattle had reached major proportions, the chief having taken advantage of her heaven sent absence. P89

·         The sky was the limit for them mainly because the people they would lead had a few unusual characteristics though no one realized it then. p171

·         It was his job to present each case, take most of the blame and do all the donkey work-like collection of specimen, administration of intravenous drugs and collection of reports from different laboratories. P252

Charactonym      

It is a literary device whereby the name of a character is a reflection of a character’s personality.

Examples in the novel

·         Akoko – She was given that name because she was noisy. P14

·         Ong’ong jaber – His second name “Jaber” meant someone who is handsome. P26

·         Obura – He was given the name because he was wise. P29

·         Nyabera – She was given the name Nyabera because she was good and generous to everyone. P32-33

·         Alando nyar uyoma – she was given the name Alando because of her light skin. P83

·         Maria – Nyabera was baptized and given the name Maria because of her wisdom, courage and purity of heart. P109

·         Vera – She was named after her great grandmother because her personality reflected that of Akoko.

Historic Recurrence

A historic recurrence is the repetition of similar events that happened in the past to events that happen in the present.

Examples in the novel

·         After the birth of Akoko she was given the name Obanda after her great uncle who had recently died. Nyabera was also given the name Odero after her grandfather who had also died a few years before her birth.

·         Akoko’s beauty has been replicated by her great granddaughter Becky who the author says that she was a beauty and would always be one.

·         The arrival of chief Owuor kembo in Yimbo to ask for Akoko’s hand in marriage is a bit similar to that of Mark when he arrived in gem to ask for Elizabeth’s hand in marriage. Chief Owuor kembo arrived in Yimbo in traditional regalia and with his entourage which included his uncle. Years later Mark sigu also arrived in Gem wearing traditional regalia and an entourage which included his uncle.

·         Aloo k’olima who was the spokesman of chief Odero gogni during the marriage negotiations between Akoko and chief Owuor kembo also acted as a spokesman to bring together Akoko and chief Owuor kembo when they had separated.

·         Chief Odero gogni dispatched several suitors who had come to ask for Akoko’s hand in marriage and years later Akoko also dispatched several suitors who had come to ask for Nyabera’s hand in marriage.

·         Peter Owuor’s decision to join the priesthood is repeated again years later by his nephew Odongo who joins the seminary to become a priest.

·         One of Elizabeth and Mark’s daughter was given the name Veronica after Akoko their great grandmother.

·         Akoko’s brother Oloo had twins who were called Odongo and Opiyo and years later Elizabeth also gave birth to a set of twins whom she named Odong’o and Opiyo.

·         Two major world events took place in the novel which involved bloodshed. The first event was the First World War which was fought between the Germans and the English and which Obura took part in.  The second similar event was the Second World War which Mark sigu took part in.

·         The disasters that Nyabera faced during her lifetime were just the same as her mother’s. Nyabera had lost all of her family members only remaining with one daughter just exactly the way that Akoko remained with her.

·         The decision by Becky to run away from home and go to look for work in Nairobi is similar to the decision that Obura made several years before when he run away from Sakwa to go to Tanganyika to work for the white man.

·         The deaths of Akoko, Nyabera and Elizabeth are similar in that they died peacefully in their sleep.

·         Aoro who had done medicine in university was similar to the decision that Jonny took years later when he decided to also do medicine in university.

·         Several months after Akoko joined Christianity she was baptized and given the name Veronica just like her daughter who had earlier been baptized and given the name Maria.

Suspense             

It is a situation whereby an author of a literary work leaves out certain information from the work leaving the reader in anticipation and wanting to know more.

Examples in the novel

·         The author does not give the exact number of chief Odero gogni’s wives and daughters.

·         The author does not give the names of all of Akoko’s brothers and sisters except Oloo and Okumu.

·         The author does not give detailed information about the fate of Tommy muhambe after Vera refused his marriage proposal.

·         The author does not give the names of all the children born by Nyabera except Awiti and sidande.

·         The author does not give the exact time period that Akoko was born.

·         The author does not say how the conflict between Akoko and Nyar asembo was resolved.

·         The author does not disclose how Becky got employed as an airhostess.

·         The author does not reveal the name of the catechist who welcomed Akoko and her family to Aluor.

·         The author has failed to give the name of chief Owuor kembo spokesman during the marriage negotiation between chief Owuor kembo and Akoko.

·         The author does not give the names of the messengers who brought the news about Obura’s death.

·         The names of the DO and DC have not been revealed.

·         The author has not disclosed the names of Otieno’s wives nor his children.

·         The author has not revealed the cause of death of chief Odero gogni, Akoko, Nyabera, Awiti and Mark.

·         The author has not revealed whether Wandia finally travelled to America  to study haematology.

·         The author has not revealed whether Mary agreed to mark’s proposal of helping in the household chores when Wandia wanted to travel to America to study.

·         The author has not mentioned the name of the village that Nyabera lived after she was married.

·         The author has not fully disclosed how Aoro and Wandia got into a relationship.

Epiphany              

An epiphany is a literary device where a character achieves realization, awareness or a feeling of knowledge.

Examples in the novel

·         When Akoko reached nineteen years of age, she came to the realization that were had forgotten to create a man good enough for her. P17

·         When chief Odero gogni learnt that her second wife had given birth to a baby girl, he comes to the realization that a home cannot prosper without the girl child. P11

·         When chief Owuor kembo first laid his eyes on Akoko, he realizes that he had fallen deeply in love with her and he became determined to make her his wife.

·         After listening to stories from Ambere and Nyaroche about the other parts of the world, Obura came to the realization that his destiny was to travel the world. After one year had passed after Obura broached the subject of travelling the world with his parents, he reached a decision that his plans to travel the world were tenable. P52

·         The death of Nyabera’s children and her husband Okumu ang’olo, made her to come to the realization that she needed to change her way of life and embrace the new religion that promised hope to the widows and orphans. P102-103

·         After the death of Owang sino, Akoko came to the realization that she was at crossroads since the chieftainship had descended on the shoulders of Otieno. She also came to the realization of the weight of injustice that women have felt since time immemorial. P73-74

·         After the death of Obura, Nyabera came to the realization that life continued as if nothing had happened. P64

·         Akoko had an epiphany that the only people who could help her get justice against her brother in law were the white people. P73

·         When Akoko and her nephews reached Kisumu they came to the sudden realization that change had started taking place in some parts of the country. P83

·         When Nyabera travelled to Aluor and started to learn about the new religion, she came to the realization that she did the right thing by joining the new religion. P105

·         After being baptized in the new religion, Owuor realized that his purpose was to serve the church and God as a catholic priest. P120

·         Nyabera undergoes an epiphany when she realizes that in her search for a son, she had completely forgotten Owuor who loved her like a mother. P124

·         When Elizabeth first met Mark while she was still in college, she realizes that the feelings she had for Mark was completely different from that of the other men who had tried to win her heart. P138

·         When Awiti told her mother and grandmother about mark, Akoko’s eyes gleamed because she realized that her river was yet to dry up. P143

·         When Tony was taken ill, her sister Vera had an epiphany when she noticed that Becky showed no concern for their sick brother. P181

·         When Aoro performed a surgical operation on a frog and the frog survived he came to the realization that he loved medicine. P183

·         Aoro had an epiphany when his father disciplined him for being suspended from school for lack of discipline. P189

·         When Becky was going to sit for her ordinary level examinations she realizes that education was important not for her parents sake but also for her own sake. P196

·         When the relationship between Vera and Tommy muhambe came to an end, Vera had an epiphany that a new page of her life was just beginning. P216

·         When Wandia discovers that her son Daniel was sick she realized the importance of prayer and she started to believe in the existence of God.

Zoomorphism    

It is a literary device where animal qualities are given to human beings or other inanimate objects.

Examples in the novel

·         She is as fleet as a gazelle and her flying feet have been incorporated into the sayings of our village so that mothers sending their daughter tell them to run like Adoyo of the flying feet. P21. Here gazelles are meant to be animals that have speed and agility and has been used as a simile to show how fast and agile Akoko was.

·         Should I spit in the eyes of were like a snake and deny that he has given me children? P35. Here snake is meant to be an animal that is vindictive and poisonous and has been used as a simile to show how ungrateful and vindictive someone can be.

·         As it was, his grandmother feared for his life and watched him like a hawk. P67. A hawk is meant to be an animal that is observant and has been used as a simile to show how observant grandmother Akoko was towards Owuor.

·         She suspected that her mother would take on the new faith like ngege (fish) to water. P108. Ngege is a delicacy among the luo people living on the shores of Lake Victoria and the author has used it to show how quickly Akoko would accept the new religion.

·         Daudi had a soul as pure as spring water and as brave as a lion. P113. A lion is meant to be an animal that is brave and courageous and has been used as a simile to show how courageous and brave Daudi was.

·         Awiti excelled in reading and Owuor took numbers like a duck to water. P116. A duck is an animal that likes swimming and has been used to show how easy it was for Owuor to learn numbers.

·         Her ankles were constantly swollen and every once in a while her heart would do a strange dance within her rib cage – almost like the flutter of a bird trying to break free. P142. A bird is an animal which hovers by flapping its wings and the simile has been used to show how weak Akoko’s heart was.

·         Sometimes they raced the van, grabbed a rail and swung themselves in like large monkeys and one momentarily closed one’s eyes in anticipation of the sound of wheels crunching over a fallen body. P234. Monkeys have been used to show movement and as a simile to show how the touts behaved when Vera and Maryanne were travelling to Kangemi.

·         He was not even the most gifted – that honor went to Alicia out of whose hands beautiful things and beautiful music were already being created apparently quite effortlessly and who sang like a bird. P . A bird has been used to show how musical Alicia was.

·         Maybe he had left early for the fields; but he had the appetite of a starved lion and has never been known to miss breakfast. P53

·         “Of course I trust you. I thought of bringing him here but I decided it was too near the nest of vipers who now occupy the stool of Maroko, the first chief”. P78

·         The old woman was beside herself with fury but mark had the determination of a mule, so she went. P161

Analogy

It is a literary device whereby one situation is compared to another either by the author of a literary work or by one of the characters in the literary work.

Examples in the novel

The elders of Sakwa drew an analogy between chief Owuor kembo’s monogamous state with that of an attacked man who only had a single arrow in his quiver and when an animal attacks him he shoots and misses. This analogy was used by the elders of Sakwa to persuade chief Owuor kembo to marry another wife. (p39)

Plot Twist

A plot twist is a literary device where there is unexpected change in the direction of the plot which alters the storyline.

Examples in the novel

·         The birth of Akoko which chief Odero gogni thought that she would be a boy.

·         The marriage of Akoko to chief Owuor kembo after Akoko had resigned herself to the fact that were had failed to create a man good enough for her.

·         The death of Obura who was to take over as the chief of Sakwa after the passing of his father.

·         Owuor’s conversion to Christianity and joining the priesthood though he was to take over as the chief of Sakwa when he reached of age.

·         The conflict between Akoko and her in laws which forced her to go back to Yimbo.

·         The death of chief Owuor kembo.

·         The death of Owang sino which led for the first time in seven generations, the chiefdom to descend to another family.

·         The taking over of the chief’s stool by Otieno which brought suffering to Akoko.

·         Akoko’s journey to Kisumu to seek justice against Otieno.

·         The removal of Otieno as the chief of Sakwa.

·         Conversion of Akoko and Nyabera to Christianity which freed them from the harsh culture and traditions of the luo society.

·         Akoko’s acceptance to peter Owuor’s call to priesthood.

·         Awiti’s invitation to the newly opened teachers college which defined her career path.

·         Awiti’s first encounter with Mark sigu which led to the marriage between the two.

·         Mark’s involvement with a pretty girl which made him realize how he loved his family.

·         The death of Akoko which signalled the end of an era.

·         The conflict between Vera and Becky which defined the relationship between the two sisters.

·         The birth of Mary which was a source of conflict.

·         Aoro’s punishment by his father which helped to shape the decisions that he made in life.

·         The death of Becky which led to the adoption of Jonny and Alicia by Aoro and Wandia.

·         The conflict between the colonialists and the locals which brought independence in Kenya.

·         Tony’s sickness and subsequent operation which defined Aoro’s career path.

·         Vera joining the opus dei which defined her outlook on life.

·         Vera’s encounter with Becky at the airport which resulted in the closure of conflict between the two sisters.

·         The diagnosis of Daniel with leukaemia which defined Wandia’s relationship with Aoro and God.

·         The marriage between Aoro and Wandia who were both from different tribes.

·         The death of Mark and Elizabeth which brings closure to the novel’s plot.

Humour

It is the writing of the author or the speech of a character in a literary work that amuses and entertains the audience or the reader or other characters in the work.

Examples in the novel

·         Obura amuses the readers when he tells his mother that girls can be so empty headed. He was saying this when his mother suggested to him to get married. (p49)

·         Opiyo amused Akoko when he told her that he will keep Odongo quiet so that he doesn’t annoy her. (p80)

·         Mark sigu’s first letter to Awiti while she was in college was full of humour. In the letter she tells Awiti how he went for a walk during the dark and in his walk he tripped and fell into a pool awakening a family of frogs which made a lot of noise with the bull frog outdoing itself thinking that he was a rival. (p140)

·         John Courtney humours the readers when Becky asked him if he has missed her.  John Courtney reply was a bit humorous though he composed himself when he noticed that Vera was present in the room. (p220)

·         Maryanne amused Vera when the two were talking about the recollection that they had attended in Kangemi. In her speech Maryanne made a comparison of her sacrifice to the vegetables that Cain gave to God. Vera also amuses the readers when she refers to Cain’s vegetables as carrots and sukuma wiki. (p238)

·         When Wandia first went to Njoro where Mark and Awiti lived, she amused everyone in Mark’s house when she said that even the cockroaches in Aoro’s house looked thin. (p270)

·         Wandia amused Vera when she was explaining to her how she felt while she was pregnant. In her own words she told Vera that her unborn relatives were giving her insides a thorough beating making her feel as if Gor mahia versus Afc football clubs were vying for some trophy at city stadium. (p279)

Adage    

An adage is a phrase or sentence that expresses a general truth about a person, a situation or the world as a whole.

Examples in the novel

·         Later he would say wisely, with something of a turnabout, that a home without daughters is like a spring without a source; for it was his right to utter wisdom as well, change of heart notwithstanding. P11

·         Show us, O were and ye departed spirits of our ancestors, where we have gone wrong so that we may rectify ourselves and save this little one, for a home without daughters can never prosper but is faced with eventual poverty and lack of friendships forged in marriage. P13

·         Children are a gift from were both to the deserving and the undeserving. P35

·         Indeed the people of Ramogi had a saying which declared that the medicine for stupidity is marriage. P39

·         I have always been taught that honor and pride in oneself and one’s people were of the utmost importance for one’s sense of being, for as the wise men tell us, how can you know where you are going if you do not know where you come from? P42

·         The next day, the sun rose and hung warm and red in the sky, but obura had lived under his mother’s adage that the sun should never rise and find a man still asleep and was therefore an habitual early riser, did not make his appearance. P52

·         “I greet you, young men,” he also answered formally. “What news do you bring?” he asked as if it was not self-evident; but good manners is the fabric that holds the community together. P55

·         There are two ways to deal with pain – either bear it until time heals, for time is a master healer of even the deepest wounds, or commit suicide. P62

·         Her therapy was simple for there is no greater psychologist than the one who graduates from the hard school of life. P63

·         Yesterday is not today and today is not tomorrow for each day rises from the hands of were god of the eye of the sun, bringing with it gladness and sorrow, sun and darkness, the two faces of were, for how can we appreciate light unless we understand darkness? P75

·         To suffer is not a curse unless you have earned it and I have never done anything to earn a curse. Both the evil and the good suffer. How you come through suffering is what will make or break you. P77

·         This was not just a past time but a bounden duty – for the history of the tribe could only be transmitted by mouth from generation to generation, else how can you know where you are going unless you know where you are coming from? P81

·         “You know my child, human beings are all the same world over, with good ones and bad ones. The bad ones serve to highlight the goodness of the good ones”. P93

·         Eventually they trudged weary and footsore into the lonely hut; spread out their sleeping skins with the light of the moon and fell into an exhausted slumber, secure in the knowledge that what is good never comes easy and what is good is worth every single struggle. P114

·         It is a fact of life that once a mother always a mother until the day of death, even if the child is seventy. P122

·         One wise man once said that it was better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. In the same vein, it is better to have been buoyed up by hope, the horizon limitless before one, than to have lived in the grey world of timid fearfulness. P126

·         But to each, an allotted lifespan is given and against this, there is no appeal. P143

·         “God has no time for the lazy, but the devil has,” was a favourite saying of hers. P145

·         “My son,” said Akoko. “Do not decide the wisdom of a man by the brevity of his quiet or the multitude of his words. It is only a wise man who can decide quickly that he doesn’t know and needs to seek more knowledge. A fool knows everything. It is only a wise man who does not hide his folly behind many words. I think this diyo will help me”.

·         The dead have no use for the living who have eventually to tear themselves away so that the business of life might somehow continue. P204

·         Innocence has a tendency to disappear when one discovers in oneself the power to really hurt – good intentions notwithstanding. P215

·         Nothing breeds generosity like the need to share equally when you know that by thus doing you will go hungry. P264

·         “There is this saying that you don’t have to be good, all you have to be is lucky. Aoro is one such lucky man. I suppose it is the law of fair distribution”. P281