The River and the source traces where the river begins where it gets its waters from.This is about a number of generation,from a typical village life where Akoko is born,where culture and traditions rule,to life in Nakuru and Nairobi,Where Akoko's great grand children live among other Kenyan tribes
a)The girl child:
It clearly captures the birth and life of Akoko,a girl who matures into a lady,and who dominates the story all through.Akoko is born extra ordinary.Her first cry made her father think that it was a boy,at marriage,her father asks for thirty head of cattle -unheard of those days.When her mother in law becomes unbearable to Akoko,the later threatens to sever her marriage relationship-again unheard of.Akoko makes the all important journey to Kisuma to seek justice for her young grandson and for herself against chief Otieono.She gets justice.This subtitle aptly captures the all-important role played by Akoko in the development of the story as a girl child.
b)The Art of Giving
It is simply the ability to give without expecting to receive in return.Nyabera in an effort to find peace and happiness,decides to join Alour mission to get the new faith,she convinces her mother to join her.She is baptized Maria and her mother Veronica.Owour and Awiti join catechism classes and later on Owour,now known as peter,joins the vocation of his choice ,priesthood,as Awiti,now Elizabeth,goes to a a teacher training college to a teacher.This is despite Maria's fears and reservations about her daughters safety.Mark Sigu and Elizabeth are allowed to marry despite each of the families having scanty knowledge of each other.They even hold a church wedding,all these acts of giving and concessions are made possible by Akoko's spirit.
c)Love and life
This refers to strong bond between members of the opposite sex and among members of a family and for the former,the ability to reproduce and continue God's assignment of creation,Mark Sigu has extra marital affair in the absence of the absence of his wife.Vera's love for Becky is exemplified when she foregoes her place at a national school to join Becky at Riverside High School.The Sigus have seven children who all go to school and do quite well,Becky runs away from home to pursue the career of her dream-air hostess.She gets married to a Canadian but she leads a luxurious and promiscuous life that leads to her divorce and subsequent death.Vera decides to give her life
for the service of God by being non-marrying member of Opus Dei.
d)Variable winds
These are the changes taking place in the society.Wandia and Aoro are great antagonists academically,but this brings them close together and later they get married.Wandia even proposes to Aoro when she realizes that he is taking too long to do it.Aoro,a luo,marries a kikuyu,something that was otherwise unheard of there before,Wandia acquires doctorate in medicine.Becky dies from HIV/AIDS,she appoints her sister vera as a guardian of her children.Vera in turn places them under custody of Aoro and Wandia.
All these changes help not only in the development of the story but also assist in getting us to understand the changes that life brings with it.Life is dynamic and therefore,it can safely be said that each of these subtitle compliment one another in bringing out a clear picture of the society.
marto answered the question on June 13, 2017 at 13:32