Aloo and the narrator of the story are the youngest children in a singleparent family. Their older siblings have all left home. Their mother is a
widow who has raised five children on her own. Aloo wants to study
medicine, not agriculture. He harbours the ambition to go to America to
study. He writes to some American Universities hoping to get a
scholarship. When a well-known American University offers him a
scholarship, Aloos dream looks set to come true. However, his mother
says that she cannot afford to send him to America. Aloo is very upset.
Mother seeks advice from Mr Velji, a school officer. He tells her that
getting scholarship is good for Aloos future he also cautions her that she
may lose him if she lets him go so far away. Seeing her sons
disappointment, Mother decides to let her son go in the end.
resolution
falling
action
climax
rising
action
exposition After Aloo's sister Razia married and leaves home, their
Plot
Characters and
characteristics
Aloo
Character traits
Obedient dutiful child
Ambitious
Determined
Resourceful
Adventurous
Emotional
Mother
Became a widow at the age of thirty-three
Ran a shop business in town
Character traits
Loving, protective
Self-sacrificing
Traditional-minded
Examples of textual
evidence
Raised five children without a
husband. (P.38)
Her children are polite and
smart
Reminds Aloo not to smoke and
drink when he is away from
home (p.40)
Gives up her shop so that her
children can focus on their
studies instead of helping her in
the shop (p.31)
Refuse to remarry for the sake
of her children (P.38)
Narrator remembers how
Mother used to hug him/her so
tightly that is was hard to
breathe (p.40)
Sad to see her daughters leave
home (p.31)
Does not want her son to leave
her (P.34)
Lets Aloo go to America even
though she knows that he may
not return to her and that she
may lose her youngest son
(p.40)
Makes Aloo promises not to
marry a foreigner (p.40)
Narrator
The fourth of the five siblings
A university student
Character traits
Understanding
Caring
Responsible, mature
Observant
Quite , passive
Mr Velji
A school officer
He has a large head, a small neat body and looks clever
Character traits
Helpful
Examples of textual
evidence
Understand Mothers concern`if you send him, you will lose
your son (p.37)
Mr Datoo
Mehroon
Razia
Firoz
Setting
The story opens in a small town in Tanzania, in a less populated area called
Upanga. The family has moved there from Kichwele Street which was later called
Uhuru Street. There are only a few houses in Upanga and it adjoins a forested
area. The sound of insects, small animals and the wind rustling leaves are in
sharp contrast to Kichwele Street where the sounds were of vehicles in a busy
street.
Physical setting
Place
Kichwele Street/ Uhuru
Street
Central part of Dar es
Salam, the commercial
capital of Tanzania.
Upanga
Social setting
Present day Tanzania, Africa
In this society ,education is highly regarded
School officers and school teachers are respected and influential
Key event
Where Aloos family lived
before his sisters left home
to be married
Aloos mother has a shop
here
Where Aloos family moved
after Mother sold the shop
Life was hard for women and children. If a woman remarries, her
children from the first marriage cannot stay with her but are sent to
a childrens home.
The education system does not allow students to choose their
course of study - `nobody could change the list (p.33)
Theme
Moral values
Self-sacrifices
Self-reliance
Aloos mother could have married again so that she had a husband
to take care of her. However, for the sake of her children, she
decided to be self-reliant and take care of her family herself. She
provided for the family by opening a shop. Her children have turned
out well.
Leaving
By: M.G Vassanji