THE RIVER AND THE SOURCE: Margaret A. Ogolla EXTRACT 5. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow. There was a short silence as everyone had expected him to continue for much longer with many protestations of innocence. Then everyone started talking at once – one side less indignant and the other but side feeling that Owuor should have used stronger words. Aloo clapped his hands loudly twice for order. “Brothers! Brothers! Let there be peace and understanding. We have not come here to throttle each other to listen to each other. Owuor has spoken words full of wisdom. That we must accept if we are to be fair. He has neither said too much nor too little – the sign of a truly wise man. The insult to us and our sister was grievous but it is now clear that it was from people who do not matter to us directly. After all who knows the goodness of a tree but he who sits under its shade and eats its fruits? Besides Owuor assures us that he had dealt with the ones who brought this matter about. I hope he has found a way of preventing a similar episode occurring again. As for Akoko, I have known you since childhood. I know all your virtues, but your weakest point is your temper and impatience. You must know that you are no longer a child to follow your temper wherever it leads you. Soon you will be a maro with a son or daughter-in-law of your own because children grow so fast. You must exercise self-control. The fair thing to have done here would have been to wait for your husband to see his stand before making a decision. In future please think before you act. I, Oloo son of Olima, have listened to both sides of this matter and I have decided that the son-in-law shall bring a goat to appease the maro – Akoko’s mother, and that tomorrow morning Akoko shall go to Sakwa with her husband. May kong’o be brought so that libation might be poured to Were god of the eye of the rising sun. They thereafter feasted and drank together and good spirits were restored to all. The following morning they started out at dawn for their matrimonial home. Questions (a) Place this extract in its immediate context. (4mks) (a) Akoko had run away from her matrimonial home following a quarrel between her and her brother and mother-in-law. ¹ Accompanied by a council of elders. (Jadong’o) Awuor go to Yimbo to negotiate her return. ¹ Awuor has just addressed the gathering and sat down. ¹ Soon after her return Akoko conceives and Owang’sino is born¹. Before (2mks) Now (1mk) After (1mk) (Total 4mks) (b) What has Owuor said that is full of wisdom? (2mks) (b) Owuor is full of wisdom since he:- - Apologises to the wise men of Yimbo and Sakwa because of the matter. ¹ - Says he was absent when his wife left/had gone on a journey/had attended a friend’s burial. ¹ - Says he has always treated Akoko well/they’ve lived in peace and friendship. ¹ - States that Akoko’s decision was rash and irresponsible and should be warned. - He has already dealt with the two concerned/responsible. ¹ - He pleads with the council to bring the matter to a speedy end. ¹(any 2) (1 x 2) = 2mks) (c) Identify and illustrate any two character traits of Owuor evident in this extract. (4mks) (c) Aloo is: (i) Wise – He uses a proverb “who knows the goodness of ------ (ii) Just – He displays a sense of justice in that he says he has listened to both sides. (iii) Discerning/observant – “I have known you since childhood/I know your virtues”— (iv) Understanding – “Let there be peace and understanding”.(any two well illustrated traits) (1mk for identification, 1mk for illustration (2 x 2) = 4mk) (d) Identify and illustrate any two themes evident in this extract. (4mks) (d) Themes. (i) Marriage/family – negotiation for Akoko’s return to her matrimonial home. (ii) Tradition – pouring of libation to ‘Were’ (god) of the eye of the rising sun. (iii) Conflict – the insult to us and our sister was grievous ----“ (any two well illustrated themes 2 x 2 = 4mks) (e) Identify, illustrate and explain any two stylistic devices used in this extract. (6mks) (e) Figures of speech. (i) Sayings/proverbs ¹ - who knows the goodness ¹---- it means that it’s only Owuor who knows the goodness of his wife. ¹ (ii) Local dialect ¹ - maro, kong’o, Were – they are used for authenticity/local/cultural flavour. (iii) Rhetoric questions ¹ who knows ----- - To show that Owuor values Akoko his wife highly. (f) “Awuor has spoken words of wisdom.” (Rewrite using question tag). (1mk) (f) Awuor has spoken words full of wisdom, hasn’t he? (Comma must be there, the tag must start in lower case/small letter and the question mark at the end. If any misses don’t award). (g) “I know all your virtues, but your weakest point is your temper and impatience.” Give an incident elsewhere in the novel where Akoko demonstrates her impatience and anger. (2mks) When Akoko dares her brother-in-law to fight her. (h) What does Oloo mean when he says, “The insult to us and our sister was grievous: but it is now clear that it was from people who do not matter to us directly.” (2mks) (h) That those who had offended/insulted ¹ Akoko – her brother and mother-in-law were distant relations ¹ to the people of Sakwa.
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