SHORT STORY : LEAVING
By M.G. Vassanji
THE AUTHOR : M.G. VASSANJI VASSANJI • Born on 30 May 190 1 90 in Nairo!i" #$nya an% rais$% in Tan&ania. T an&ania. • R$'$i($% a Ba')$*or o+ S'i$n'$ +ro, Massa')-s$s Insi-$ o+ T$')no*o/y. • Mo($% o ana%a in 192 )$r$ )$ !$'a,$ )$ r$s$ar') asso'ia$ in )$ Uni($rsiy o+ Torono. • 4-!*is)$% )is 5rs no($*" )$ 'rii'a**y6a''*ai,$% T)$ G-nny Sa'7" in 1929. • Sin'$ )$n )as ri$n si8 no($*s" o 'o**$'ions o+ s)or sori$s" a ,$,oir an% a !io/ra)y. • A ,$,!$r o+ )$ Or%$r o+ ana%a. • Has on s$($ra* riin/ aar%s.
SYNOPSIS OF THE STORY A*oo an% )$ narraor o+ )$ sory ar$ )$ yo-n/$s ')i*%r$n in a sin/*$6ar$n +a,i*y. T)$ir o*%$r si!*in/s )a($ a** *$+ )o,$. T)$ir ,o)$r is a i%o )o )as rais$% 5($ ')i*%r$n on )$r on. A*oo ans o s-%y ,$%i'in$" no a/ri'-*-r$. H$ )ar!o-rs )$ a,!iion o /o o A,$ri'a o s-%y. H$ ri$s o so,$ A,$ri'an -ni($rsii$s )oin/ o /$ a s')o*ars)i. )$n a $**67non A,$ri'an -ni($rsiy o;$rs )i, a s')o*ars)i" A*oo
SYNOPSIS OF THE STORY
Ho$($r" )is ,o)$r says )a s)$ 'anno a;or% o s$n% )i, o A,$ri'a. A*oo is ($ry -s$. Mo)$r s$$7s a%(i'$ +ro, Mr V$*ji" a s')oo* o='$r. H$ $**s )$r )a /$in/ )$ s')o*ars)i is /oo% +or A*oo
4>OT
In )$ s)or sory >$a(in/" )$ ,ain ')ara'$r A*oo %r$a,s o+ /oin/ o A,$ri'a o s-%y. T)$ $($ns *$a%in/ o )$ r$a*isaion o+ )is %r$a, ar$ r$($a*$% )ro-/) )$ $y$s an% ,in% o+ A*oo?s $*%$r si!*in/" )$ narraor o+ )is a*$.
Exposition After Aloo's sister Razia gets married and leaves home, their mother sells her shop and they move to Upanga, a remote part of town. She wants her two youngest children to have a better life instead of helping in her store.
Climax Mother says that there is no money to send him to America. She accuses Aloo of being a disloyal son for wanting to leave her. Aloo is very upset.
Rising Action Aloo spends time with Mr atoo, an e!"teacher at their local school who moved to America and returns for a visit. Aloo starts dreaming about going to study in America. #e writes to American universities to apply for a scholarship. A famous university offers Aloo a scholarship.
Resolution Falling action Mother goes to Mr $el%i for advice. #e confirms that the scholarship is a great opportunity for Aloo. After thin&ing about it. Mother relents and finds the money to send Aloo to America. efore giving in, she ma&es Aloo promise not to marry a foreign wife and to stay away from bad habits.
Aloo writes home from (ondon where he has stopped to visit an old schoolmate. )he letter reveals his fascination with the foreign land.
SETTING6 4H@SIA> SETTING 4>AE
#i')$*$ Sr$$U)-rSr$$noisy" !-sy ar o+ )$ on $nra* ar o+ Car $s Sa*aa," )$ 'o,,$r'ia* 'aia* o+ Tan&ania Uan/a 6 a ($ry D-i$ *a'$" 'o-nrysi%$" on*y a +$ )o-s$s" no sr$$*i/)s" a <*on$*y" +ri/)$nin/< *a'$ . 3F
#E@ EVENTS
)$r$ A*oo
SOIA> SETTING 4RESENT CA@ TANANIA" ARIA
• In )is so'i$y" $%-'aion is )i/)*y r$/ar%$%. • S')oo* o='$rs an% s')oo* $a')$rs ar$ r$s$'$% an% in-$nia* $/K Mr V$*ji an% Mr Caoo. • T)$ $%-'aion sys$, %o$s no a**o s-%$ns o ')oos$ )$ir 'o-rs$ o+ s-%y i+$ as )ar% +or o,$n an% ')i*%r$n. I+ a o,an r$,arri$s" )$r ')i*%r$n +ro, )$ 5rs ,arria/$ 'anno say i) )$r !- ar$ s$n o a ')i*%r$n
HARATER
A*oo • T)$ yo-n/$s ')i*% in )$ +a,i*y • inis)in/ s$'on%ary s')oo* • A s,ar s-%$na')i$($% a** A
A>OO HARATER TRAITS
O!$%i$n %-i+-* ')i*%
ELAM4>ES O TELTUA> EVICENE
A,!iio-s C$$r,in$% R$so-r'$+-*
A%($n-ro-s E,oiona*
4r$ar$% o /i($ - )is %r$a, o s-%y in A,$ri'a )$n )is ,o)$r says )$r$ is no ,on$y o s$n% )i, . 3 ans o s-%y ,$%i'in$ . 33 ri$s o -ni($rsii$s in A,$ri'a . 3F >oo7s - na,$s o+ -ni($rsii$s in !oo7s o a*y +or s')o*ars)is on )is on . 3F ans o /o o ano)$r 'o-nry" *i7$s ra($**in/ . 3F ri$s an% s)o-s )$n )is ,o)$r %o$s no s-or )is %$'ision o s-%y in A,$ri'a . 3
Mo)$r • B$'a,$ a i%o a )$ a/$ o+ )iry6 )r$$ • Ran a s)o !-sin$ss in )$ on • )an/$% i) a/$+ro, a s,i*in/ an% r$y o,an o on$ )o is orri$% an% -ns,i*in/" %$$ *in$s on )$r +a'$" *$ss )air" a ro-n%$r !o%y an% a (oi'$ no *on/$r so+ .32
MOTHER HARATER TRAITS
ELAM4>ES O TELTUA> EVICENE
Sron/ an% in%$$n%$n
R$sonsi!*$ ,o)$r
>o(in/" ro$'i($
4oss$ssi($ o+ )$r ')i*%r$n
S$*+6sa'ri5'in/
Tra%iiona*6,in%
%$
Rais$% 5($ ')i*%r$n i)o- a )-s!an% . 32 R$,in%s A*oo no o s,o7$ or %rin7 )$n )$ is aay +ro, )o,$ . 0 R$+-s$s o r$,arry +or )$ sa7$ o+ )$r ')i*%r$n . 32 Co$s no an )$r son o *$a($ )$r . 3 >$s A*oo /o o A,$ri'a $($n )o-/) s)$ 7nos )a )$ ,ay no r$-rn o )$r an% )a s)$ ,ay *os$ )$r yo-n/$s son . 0 Ma7$s A*oo ro,is$ no o ,arry a +or$i/n$r . 0
Narraor • A*oo
NARRATOR HARATER TRAITS
Un%$rsan%in/
arin/
R$sonsi!*$" ,a-r$
ELAM4>ES O TELTUA> EVICENE
O!s$r(an
-i$" assi($
Un%$rsan%s ,o)$r
MINOR CHARACTERS
Mr Velji • A s')oo* o='$r" )$ )as a *ar/$ )$a%" a s,a** n$a !o%y" *oo7s '*$($r . 3 • H$*+-*" -n%$rsan%s Mo)$r
M$)roon an% Ra&ia • A*oo
THEMES Leaving an letting go T)is sory?s i*$ >$a(in/ r$($a*s )$ )$,$ o+ )$ sory. A*oo ans o -rs-$ )is %r$a, o s-%y ,$%i'in$ in A,$ri'a. To r$a*is$ )is a,!iion" )$ )as o *$a($ )is 'o-nry" )is )o,$" )is +a,i*y an% )is ,o)$r. or )i," *$a(in/ is )is %$sir$" !- +or )is ,o)$r" *$in/ )i, /o is a sa'ri5'$.
Mo)$r )as n$($r !$*i$($% in *$a(in/ )$r +a,i*y !$)in%. )$n )$r )-s!an% %i$% an% *$+ )$r a*on$ i) 5($ ')i*%r$n" s)$ ')os$ o say i) )$r ')i*%r$n ra)$r )an r$,arry an% *os$ )$,. T)is as )$r sa'ri5'$. S)$ is an/ry )a A*oo ans o *$a($ )$r an% s)$ is orri$% )a s)$ i** *os$ )i,. H$ ,ay n$($r r$-rn.
In )$ $n%" )$r *o($ +or )$r ')i*% ins o($r )$r n$$% o 7$$ )i, a )$r si%$. S)$ 5n%s )$ ,on$y an% *$s A*oo /o o A,$ri'a. S)$ 'o-*% )a($ ,a%$ A*oo say" !- s)$ ')oos$s o *$ /o !$'a-s$ )is )ain$ss is ,or$ i,oran )an )$rs.
THEMES Ambition A*oo is a ($ry a,!iio-s !oy )o ans a !$$r *i+$ +or )i,s$*+. Ins$a% o+ !$in/ 'on$n i) )$ o;$r o s-%y a a *o'a* -ni($rsiy" )$ s$$7s a !$$r oor-niy an% is $'sai' o r$'$i($ )$ s')o*ars)i o s-%y in A,$ri'a. H$ )as a )-n/$r o *$arn ,or$ )an )a )is *i*$ on )as o o;$r an% s$$,s o soa7 - a** )$ n$ )in/s )$ s$$s an% $8$ri$n'$s in >on%on.
THEMES
Fear of the unfamiliar Bo) Mo)$r an% Mr V$*ji s$$, o )a($ /r$a s-si'ion o+ )$ -n7non" $s$'ia**y )$ $s$rn 'o-nri$s an% $o*$. On'$ A*oo )as !$$n a''$$% ino )$ A,$ri'an -ni($rsiy" !o) Mo)$r an% Mr V$*ji !$*i$($s )a )$ i** n$($r r$-rn. Mo)$r a*so +$ars )a A*oo o-*% i'7 - )$ n$/ai($ )a!is s-') as s,o7in/ an% %rin7in/" an% ,a7$s )i, ro,is$ )a )$ o-*% n$($r ,arry a )i$ o,an.
MESSAGE
Love means letting go A*oo ans o /o o A,$ri'a o s-%y !- )is ,o)$r %o$s no an )i, o *$a($ )$r. S)$ 7nos )a on'$ A*oo /o$s o a +or$i/n *an%" )$ ,ay no r$-rn )o,$. Ho$($r" )$n s)$ s$$s )o %isaoin$% an% -n)ay )$r son is" s)$ %$'i%$s o s-or )is
S)$ /i($s - )$r on s$*5s) )o$s +or )$r ')i*%r$n an% rais$s )$ ,on$y o s$n% A*oo o($rs$as. O- o+ *o($ +or )$r son" s)$ *$s )i, /o an% r-ss )i, o 7$$ )is ro,is$s o )$r.
MESSAGE
The support of family and community is important )$n A*oo r$'$i($s )$ s')o*ars)i o;$r" )$ is ($ry $8'i$%. Ho$($r" )is %r$a, is in %an/$r o+ !$in/ %$sroy$% !$'a-s$ )is ,o)$r says )a s)$ %o$s no )a($ )$ ,on$y o s$n% )i, o A,$ri'a. S)$ a*so %o$s no s-or )is *an o *$a($ !$'a-s$ s)$ ans )i, o say !y )$r si%$.
S$$in/ )is -n)ain$ss" A*oo
MORAL VAL!ES
It is important to seize opportunities given to us. In )$ sory" A*oo s-%i$s ($ry )ar% an% %o$s $** in )is $8a,s. H$ a*so a*i$s o ,any -ni($rsii$s in A,$ri'a in )$ )o$ o +-r)$r )is s-%i$s )$r$. His )ar% or7 is no in (ain as )$ r$'$i($s an o;$r o s-%y a )$ r$si/io-s a*i+ornia Insi-$ o+ T$')no*o/y on s')o*ars)i. #noin/ )o r$'io-s )$ oor-niy is" )$ ri$s )is !$s o 'on(in'$ )is ,o)$r o *$ )i, /o. H$ 7nos )a )is is an oor-niy )a )$ ,-s no ass -.
We must respect our elders . )$n Mo)$r 5rs o!j$'s )is %$'ision o s-%y in A,$ri'a" A*oo %o$s no -rs-$ )$ ,a$r +-r)$r an% s$$,s r$si/n$% o s-%y a/ri'-*-r$ a )$ *o'a* -ni($rsiy. O- o+ r$s$'" )$ %o$s no r$!$* a/ains )is ,o)$r
