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The River and the Source
Introduction
The book The River and the Source celebrates the success of women across generations in a patriarchal society. Akoko, Vera, Awiti and Wandia are portrayed as liberated women who will stop at nothing to get what they in life.
Any other valid introduction.
Content
(i) Akoko is celebrated for standing out among women in her generation. She is the first girl among her 7 brothers
but manages to claim her rightful position in the family. She withstands the many losses in her life. She stands up against Otieno and her mother-in-law when she feels they are unjust. Despite having a strong believe in Were, she allows her daughter Nyabere to go to the mission.
(ii) Wandia beat men in the anatomy class. Aoro states that it was the first time he was beaten by a woman. She
goes ahead to receive the highest accolade in medical academics.
(iii) In primary school, Vera is appointed school captain a position that had been held only by boys there before.
She performs well in all her exams and manages to get into the university. Where she takes a course in electrical engineeting. She later joins the Opus Dei. Becky her rival sister, appoints her the guardian to her children.
(iv) Wandia’s mother in a small way is also celebrated. She single handedly brings up her children and offers them
the best she can. She is not prejudiced about her daughters choice of a husband. She gives them her blessings and does not demand for a bride price as was expected by Mark Sugu.
(v) Awiti stands out in her class. She is the only girl who completed primary school in her year. Despite the many
taunts she gets, she does not give up. She later proceeds to a teachers training college. She is also able to raise her seven children.
(vi) When Nyabera realises that wife inheritance was not doing her any good, she joins Alour mission. Though
faced by many challenges in her life, she forges on with the help of Akoko. She convinces Akoko to join her at the mission centre.
marto answered the question on June 11, 2019 at 06:51
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FIRST LAWYER (bowing):Thank you, your honour. High court of Justice, of all ties of blood are strongest.
Mother and child - is there any intimate relationship? Can one conceived it in the holy ecstasies of love. She has carried it in her womb. She has fed it with her blood. She has borne it with pain. High court of Justice, it has been observed that the wild tigress, robbed of her young, roams restless through the mountains, shrunk to a shadow. Nature herself..........................................
AZDAK (interrupting, to GRUSHA) : What’s your answer to all this and anything else the lawyer might have to say?
GRUSHA: He’s mine.
AZDAK : Is that all? I hope you can prove it. Why should I sign the child to you in any case?
GRUSHA: I brought him up like the priest says “according to my best knowledge and
conscience.' I always found him something to eat. Most of the time he had a roof over his head. And I went to such trouble for him. I had expenses too. I didn’t look
out for my own comfort. I brought the child up to be friendly with everyone, and from the beginning taught him to work. As well as he could, that is. He’s still very little.
FIRST LAWYER: Your Honor, it is significant that the girl herself doesn’t claim any tie of blood
between her and the child.
AZDAK: The court takes note of that.
FIRST LAWYER: Thank you, your HONOUR. And now permit a woman bowed in sorrow __ who has already lost her husband and now has also to fear the loss of her child ___ to adress a
few words to you. The gracious Natella Abashwili is .............
GOVERNOR’S WIFE (quietly) : A most cruel fate, sir, forces me to describe to you the tortures of
bereaved mother’s soul, the anxiety, the sleepless nights the ..........
SECOND LAWYER (bursting out): It’s outrageous the way this woman is being treated! Her husband’s palace is cold -bloodely told that it’s tied to the heir. She can’t do a thing without a
child. She can’t even pay her lawyers!! (To the FIRST LAWYER, who, desperate
about this outburst, makes frantic gestures to keep him from speaking) Dear
Illo Shuboladze, surely it can be divulged now that Abashwili estates are at stake?
FIRST LAWYER: Please, Honored Sandro Oboladze! We agreed............. (TO AZDAK) Of course it is correct that the trial will also decide if our noble client can take over the Abashwilli
estates, which are rather extensive. I say “also” advisely, for in the foreground stands
as human tragedy of a mother, as Natella Abashwili very properly explained in the first words of her moving statement. Even if Michael Abashwili were not heir to their estates, he would still be the dearly beloved child of my client.
AZDAK: Stop! The court is touched by the mention of estates. It’s a proof of human feeling.
SECOND LAWYER: Thanks, Your Honor. Dear Illo Shuboladze, we can prove in any case that the woman took the child is not the child’s mother. Permit me to lay before the Court the
bare facts. High Court of Justice, by an unfortunate chain of circumstances, Michael
Abashwili was left behind on that Easter Sunday while his mother was making her
escape. Grusha, a place kitchen maid, was seen with the baby............
COOK: All her mistress was thinking of was what dresses she’d take along
(a) Explain what happens shortly before and after the extract.
(b) In not more than thirty (30) words, summarize the points in the argument that the first lawyer gives in favour of Natella Abshwili.
(c) Explain any two character traits of each of the following characters
(i) Natela Abashwili
(ii) Grusha
(d) Identify and illustrate one theme in the extract and show how it is brought out elsewhere in the play
(e) Explain the relevance of the following stylistics devices as used in the extract
(i) Ellipsis
(ii) Rhetorical questions
(f) (i) ‘I always found him something to eat.” Rewrite, adding a question tag
(ii) Azdak: Is that all? I hope you can prove it. Rewrite in indirecct speech.
(g) Explain the meaning of
‘..................... it has been observed that the wild tigress, robbed of her young....................
(h) Give two possible meanings of the word ‘Permit
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SINGER: So many words are said, so many left unsaid.
The soldier has come Where he comes from, he does not say.
Hear what he thought and did not say:
“The battle began, gray at dawn, grew bloody at noon.
The first man fell in front of me, the second behind me, the third at my side.
I trod on the first, left the second behind, the third was run through by the captain.
One of my brothers died by steel, the other by smoke.
My neck caught fire, my hands froze in my gloves, my toes in my socks.
I fed on aspen buds, I drank maple juice, I slept on stone, in water.”
SIMON: I see a cap in the grass. Is there a little one already?
GRUSHA: There is, Simon. There’s no keeping that from you. But please don’t worry, it is not mine.
SIMON: When the wind once starts to blow, they say, it blows through every cranny. The wife need
to say no more. (GRUSHA looks into her lap and is silent)
SINGER: There was yearning but her was not waiting.
The oath is broken. Neither could you why.
Hear what she thought but did not say:
“While you fought in the battle, soldier,
The bloody battle, the bitter battle
I found a helpless infant
I had not the heart to destroy him
I had to care for a creature that was lost
I had to stoop for breadcrumbs on the floor
I had to break myself for that which was not mine
That which was other people’s
Someone must help!
For the little tree needs water
The lamb loses its way when the shepherd is asleep
And its cry is unheard!'
SIMON: Give me back the cross I gave you. Better still, throw it in the stream. (He turns to go.)
GRUSHA: (getting up) Simon Shashava, don’t go away! He isn’t mine! He isn’t mine! (She hears the
children calling.) What’s the matter, children?
Questions.
1. Place the extract in its immediate context.
2. With illustrations from the extract make notes on experiences during the war expounded in the extract.
3. 'But please don’t worry it is not mine,' Who is it in the statement and explain why Grusha says it is not hers?
4. Explain the mood of the extract.
5. How are Grusha and Simon potrayed in the extract?
6. What is the role of the Singer in this extract?
7. Identify and illustrate one theme from extract.
8. Grusha tells Simon Shashava, “Don’t go away! He isn’t mine! He isn’t mine!” From elsewhere in
the play, quote the instances where she states the opposite.
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Read the excerpt and answer the questions that follow.
GRUSHA Noon time is meal time. Now we’ll sit hopefully in the grass, while the
good Grusha (to the CHILD): goes and buys a little pitcher of milk. (She lays the CHILD down and
knocks at the cottage door
OLD MAN: Milk? We have no milk. The soldiers from the city have our goats. Go to
the soldiers if you want milk.
GRUSHA: But grandfather, you must have a little pitcher of milk for baby?
OLD MAN: And for a God-bless-you, eh?
GRUSHA: Who said anything about a God-bless-you? (She shows her purse.) We’ll
pay like princes. “Head in the clouds, back-side in the water.” (The peasant
goes off, grumbling, for milk). How much for the milk?
OLD MAN: Three piasters. Milk has gone up.
GRUSHA: Three piasters for this little drop? (Without a word he old man shuts the
door in face). Michael, did you hear that? Three piasters! We can’t afford it!
(She goes back, sits down again, and gives the CHILD her breast). Suck.
Think of the three piasters. There’s nothing there, but you think you’re
drinking, and that’s something. (Shaking her head, she sees that the child
isn’t sucking any more. She gets up, walks back to the door, and knocks
again). Open grandfather, we’ll pay. (softly). May lightning strike you!
(When the OLD MAN appears). I thought it would be half a piaster.
But the baby must be fed. How about one piaser for that little drop?
OLD MAN: Two
GRUSHA: Don’t shut the door again. (She fishes a long time in her bag). Here are
two piasters. The milk better be good. I still have two days’ journey ahead
of me. It’s a murderous business you have here – and sinful, too!
OLD MAN: Kill the soldiers if you wan milk.
GRUSHA: (giving the CHILD some milk): This is an expensive joke. Take a sip, Michael; it’s a week’s pay.
Around here they think we earned our money just sitting
on our behinds. Oh, Michael, Michael. You’re a nice little load for a girl to
take on! (Uneasy, she gets up, puts the CHILD on her back, and walks on.
The OLD MAN, grumbling, picks up the pitcher and looks after her unmoved
SINGER: As Grusha Vashnadze went northward
The Princes’ Ironshirts went after her.
CHORUS: How will the barefoot girl escape the Ironshirts,
The bloodhounds, the trap-setters?
They hunt even by night.
Pursuers never tire.
Butchers sleep little.
(a) Explain what happens immediately before this excerpt?
(b) As Grusha’s Vashnadze went Northwards, the princes Iron shirts went after her.
Using the excerpt and elsewhere from the text, explain the importance of this mission to the soldiers.
(c) What is the attitude of the Old man towards the soldiers?
(d) Explain two character traits of Grusha as brought out in the excerpt.
(e) What is the significance of the song in the excerpt?
(f) Identify and explain two stylistic devices used in the excerpt.
(g) It is a murderous business you have here and sinful too. (Add a question tag).
(h) Identify and illustrate two themes evidently brought out in the excerpt.
(i) Give the meaning of the following statements as used in the passage.
(i) This is an expensive joke
(ii) And for a God-bless-you, eh!
(iii)Blood hounds.
Date posted: June 7, 2019. Answers (1)
- Read the narrative below and answer the questions that follow. (Solved)
Read the narrative below and answer the questions that follow.
Long, long time ago animals and birds spoke just like men do. When God had to stop them speaking, he
made birds sin, like this chrrip! Chrrip……… Lions to roar like this graagh! Graagh! And hyenas to howl like
this huuu! Huuu!
And do you blame God? Listen to what naughty hyena who had gone two days without any meat did. He had
been wondering up and down the hills when he suddenly stopped, nose in the air, one foot raised.
Do I smell, eh…………smell food? He slowly raised his head to the skies as if to say, “Please God, let me
find some food, even one rotting bone will do.”
Slowly, he followed the smell, sniffing hard, stopping now and again, over grinning wider as the smell
became stronger. “Here at last”, He said as he came in sight of a calf that seemed dead, flies buzzing over its
excrement.
“God, no time to waste. Who knows the owner may be around. Oh, no, 3 see it is secured to a tree with a
“Mukwa” I’ll take my time.
Ha, I am tired too, come to think of it. God gave us pretty strong senses of smell, generous old…… man.
Still I do think some people tend to exaggerate, now who was it saying the other day ‘ati’ God is the giver of
everything and that we should be grateful. O.K.
Tell me, did God give this calf? Did you God? I found it myself, smelled my way there, all the way. Nice calf
too, rather thin but it will do. I’ll take the head home and make soup with herbs. I especially like ‘muthathii’,
and I see one over there.
OK. Here we go, where shall I start, this lovely neck? No, I know, I will start with the ‘mukwa’ then I’ll get
on to the soft stuff, the tail, the rump, ‘Mahu’……….'
After chewing up half of the ‘mukwa’ the hyena brushed his teeth with the twig of a ‘muthiga’ a tree of
stimulate his appetite. He stepped on the calf’s tail, stuffed it in his mouth and ‘snap’ it went. The calf which
was only very sick and tired shot up and bolted away in the twinkling of an eye.
The hyena rubbed his eyes, ambled after the disappearing calf and soon fell
down in exhaustion. He looked up again to the heaven, tried to speak but no words came. Hyenas have never
been able to speak ever since…….
(a) Categorise this narrative and give a reason for your classification.
(b) Identify and explain two characteristics of oral narratives evident in this story
(c) Describe two character traits of the hyena as depicted in the narrative.
(d) Identify one economic aspect of the community described in this narrative and give a reason for your
answer.
(e) What moral lesson do we learn from this narrative?
(f) Give a proverb with the same moral lesson as this narrative.
(g) If you are asked to go and collect this story in the field, state:
(i) Three things you would do before the actual field trip.
(ii) Two problems you are likely to encounter
Date posted: May 28, 2019. Answers (1)