Choose two of the following essay prompts. Respond to each in a paragraph. Write your answer in complete sentences. (16 pts )

Question

Prompt I. In both "Marriage Is a Private Affair" and "A Meeting in the Dark," young men fret that their fathers will disapprove of their potential wives. Compare these two stories by looking at how the personalities of the young men and their fathers help to shape the eventual outcomes.

Prompt II. Examine how white people and black people regard each other in "No Witchcraft for Sale," "The Moment Before the Gun Went Off," and "The Prisoner Who Wore Glasses." How do they help to both teach and support each other, and how do they fail? Think about what each group is trying to protect and when it withholds something from the other.

Prompt III. A theme that runs through the poems in this unit is that a sense of pride is important to a sense of self-worth. What do you think is the connection between this theme and Africa's history of colonial rule? Support your view with details from at least two of the selections you have read.

Answer 1

Prompt I: In both "Marriage Is a Private Affair" and "A Meeting in the Dark," the young men and their fathers play significant roles in shaping the outcomes of their relationships. In "Marriage Is a Private Affair," Nnaemeka is a young man who falls in love with a woman named Nene, but he fears his father's disapproval due to their cultural differences. Nnaemeka's father holds traditional values and wants his son to marry within their tribe, while Nene is from a different tribe. Despite his father's disapproval, Nnaemeka stands his ground and decides to marry Nene. In "A Meeting in the Dark," John is a young man who is hesitant to introduce his fiancée, Wamuhu, to his father, fearing that his father's disapproval will jeopardize their relationship. However, his father's negative perception of Wamuhu turns out to be misplaced, as she is a kind and caring woman. In both stories, the young men's determination to follow their hearts eventually leads to a resolution, either by defying their fathers' expectations or proving them wrong.

Prompt III: The theme of pride being integral to a sense of self-worth ties in with Africa's history of colonial rule in the poems we have read. In "Telephone Conversation" by Wole Soyinka and "A Far Cry from Africa" by Derek Walcott, the poets explore the impact of colonialism on the African identity and the struggle for self-esteem. In "Telephone Conversation," the narrator faces discrimination and racism when attempting to rent an apartment over the phone. The poem highlights the unjust treatment faced by Africans due to the color of their skin, leading to a loss of pride and self-worth. Similarly, in "A Far Cry from Africa," the poet grapples with his mixed heritage and the violent history of colonialism in Africa. The poem showcases the conflict between the poet's ancestral roots and the influence of the colonizers, causing an internal struggle and hindering a complete sense of pride. These poems shed light on the detrimental effects of colonial rule on Africans' self-perception and emphasize the importance of reclaiming their pride and sense of self-worth.