SHORT STORY ANALYSIS

"LEAVING" by M.G. Vassangi

      The story is a satire. It criticizes an East African society where nepotism is at its best. The story explores social injustice in a society where having a godfather is the only way to gain benefits and possess rights. Aloo, a young intelligent boy gets a scholarship to study at the California Institute of Technology but his mother is unwilling to let him go because she fears that she would lose her son to the 'Western society and its mannerisms' such as drugs, cultism, etc.The peak of her fears is the thought of her son marrying a White woman.
   The story also reveals the pitiable plight of widows who are not among the wealthy in the society. They are neglected and insulted. Aloo's mother is really lonely because her children are gradually leaving home and moving away from her. This is also one of the reasons she is reluctant to release Aloo for overseas studies.
    However, despite the odds, Aloo's dreams of schooling abroad are fulfilled.

POINT OF VIEW
First person point of view.

DICTION/LANGUAGE
There is a tone of lament and the author uses words that spark the imagery of uncertainty, fear of the unknown, ignorance, determination, sympathy and hope

PLOT STRUCTURE
The plot is the linear plot structure

SETTINGS
The era is the post colonial era in Eastern Africa. The geographical locations are Upanga and London.

CHARACTERIZATION
Aloo is the main character and the narrator of the story.