Get premium membership and access questions with answers, video lessons as well as revision papers.

Bad decisions can adversely affect our lives. Write an essay in support of the statement with illustrations from the novel Blossoms of Savannah

      

Bad decisions can adversely affect our lives. Write an essay in support of the statement with illustrations from the novel Blossoms of Savannah

  

Answers


Peter
The Choices we make can affect us positively or negatively. Bad choices definitely have adverse effects on our future. A character like Ole Kaelo makes several bad choices which not only affect his life but also his daughters.
Ole Kaelo is advised by his friend what kind of man Oloisudori is. He is told that he is not a man of integrity and warns him about doing business with him. He even warns him to keep his daughters from him. Oloisudori is unheeding to this warning. He goes on to sign business contracts and receiving a loan from him. Later, this man causes him great worry when he threatens to bring his business down if he does not give him his daughter in marriage.
Ole Kaelo makes the bad choice of agreeing to give his daughter Resian in marriage to Oloisudori. He does this to save his business empire and to acquire more wealth as dowry from him. This unleashes a myriad of problems in his family. He keeps assuring himself that his choice of Oloisudori is good and that the man is not all bad but inwardly, he has reservations about such a marriage. His decision worsens the already poor relationship between him and his daughter, who ran away and gets into more trouble with Olarinkoi. Taiyo also has her life ruined by being forcefully circumcised before being forced to marry Oloisudori. Finally, he loses his daughters trust and his fate is unknown because Oloisudori might come for him in person.
Olarinkoi is not known by the Kaelos yet nobody asks questions about him. He seems a mystery and with time becomes like a member of the family. This earns him trust among the Kaelos to the point that Resian trusts him to take her to Minik’s ranch. This man who the family trusted so much turns into a beast by raping Resian and even planning to circumcise her by force before marrying her. If the Kaelo’s had not trusted the stranger, Resian suffering in his hands would have been avoided.
Mama Milanoi makes a bad choice of giving over her daughter Taiyo to three strange women cheating her that she was being taken to her sister. Her plans is to have Taiyo circumcised before being married by Oloisudori. This action makes her lose the trust her daughters had for her. The wound she has caused them will definitely take time to heal. They too are angry with her that they vow that they would not want to be like her in marriage.
Bad decisions made knowingly or unknowingly will definitely have negative impact in our lives or on those that are dear to us.


OR

At particular times in our lives, we may chooose to make deceisions which are either good or bad .Good decisions may bring in positive outcomes while bad decisions bring in negative ones. In H.R Ole Kulet's novel blossoms of the Savannah, Individuals like Ole Kaelo, Olusoidori, Olaronkoi and Mama Milanoi all make bad decisions as illustrated below.


Ole Kaelo makes a bad decision of embracing the idea of being Olusoidori's busuniness associate despite being warned by Ole Supeyo. Olusoidori who is an extortionist came to Ole Kaelo's house with an aim of exhorting money from him. However, he changes his mind after he saw Resian. He demanded to be given Resian's hand in marriage .His decision to practice murky business makes him loose more than he could gain since he looses his daughters and being forced to give in to Olusaidori's demands which tortures him.


Olosuidori smeared himself with mad and had to face that when he chose to claim either Taiyo or Resian from Menik ene Nkoitoi's ranch. He gathers his team in a convoy of vehicles as he headed to get one of them. He sticks to the fact that the bride price he paid was enough for both of them. The workers at the ranch clobbered him and his men and in the end his expensive vehicles are reduced to a mass of burning tires.


Olorinkoi makes a bad decision when he chose to play a trick to Resian.Instead of taking her to Emakererei's house he takes her to his house. He leaves her in his house with an oder that she prepare him his meal. This is from the assumption that he creates therefore imagining that he has already made her his wife. He comes home at midnight while drunk. He again tries to rape Resian who bites his finger near amputation. Resign later escaped to Emakererei's house something that thwarts Oloronkoi's plan of circumcising her and escaping with her to Tanzania.


Mama Milanoi also makes a bad decision choosing not to play any role in the liberation of her children from the chains of injustices that bound them with the cause of that being Ole Kaelo. She does all that she can to please her husband and also to stick to the primitive traditions and this costs her daughter's who face excruciatingly painful experiences. She lies to Taiyo that her sister had totally refused to eat unless she saw her.Taiyo came to realise that it was a plan to forcefully circumsice her and marry her off to Olesuidori. This makes her loose her daughter's trust and they flee to Emakererei's house where they find refuge.
Musyoxx answered the question on March 6, 2018 at 15:37


Next:  “The strong bond between Resian and Taiyo contributes significantly to their triumph.” Write an essay in support of the statement.
Previous: Gender inequality is tantamount to violation of human rights. Write an essay in support of the assertion drawing your illustrations from Blossoms of the Savannah....

View More English Literature Questions and Answers | Return to Questions Index


Learn High School English on YouTube

Related Questions


  • “The strong bond between Resian and Taiyo contributes significantly to their triumph.” Write an essay in support of the statement.(Solved)

    “The strong bond between Resian and Taiyo contributes significantly to their triumph.” Write an essay in support of the statement from Blossoms of Savannah.

    Date posted: March 6, 2018.  Answers (1)

  • “Though Resian goes through the valley of death, her determination leads her to a victorious life.” Write a composition to show the validity of...(Solved)

    “Though Resian goes through the valley of death, her determination leads her to a victorious life.” Write a composition to show the validity of this assertion from Blossoms of Savannah.

    Date posted: March 6, 2018.  Answers (1)

  • Explain the themes highlighted in Blossoms of The Savannah by Ole Kulet. (Solved)

    Explain the themes highlighted in Blossoms of The Savannah by Ole Kulet.

    Date posted: March 6, 2018.  Answers (2)

  • How did the death of Adika form a foundation of change in Kafira?(Solved)

    How did the death of Adika form a foundation of change in Kafira?

    Date posted: March 4, 2018.  Answers (1)

  • Culture is dynamic and those who recognize and accept this make meaning of all that happens around them; those who do not, live miserable lives....(Solved)

    Culture is dynamic and those who recognize and accept this make meaning of all that happens around
    them; those who do not, live miserable lives. Drawing illustrations from the Whale Rider show the truth
    of this statement.

    Date posted: March 1, 2018.  Answers (1)

  • “Francis Imbuga effectively uses satire to expose the ills bedeviling society.” Using illustrations from Francis Imbuga’s play, Betrayal in the City show the truth of this...(Solved)

    “Francis Imbuga effectively uses satire to expose the ills bedeviling society.” Using illustrations from
    Francis Imbuga’s play, Betrayal in the City show the truth of this statement.

    Date posted: March 1, 2018.  Answers (1)

  • Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow. Vera did not want to be held, and the big ?ashing eyes on her...(Solved)

    Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow.
    Vera did not want to be held, and the big flashing eyes on her skinny face were restless and tempestuous. Even adults were a little afraid of her. She however had one saving grace; her capacity for love. Hers was and would remain a passionate nature. She took nothing for granted. She was completely loyal and from an early age her sister was the object of love and protection. It was her business to see to it that Becky was happy and had everything she needed. She was willing and ready to do battle with anyone who crossed Becky’s path and she was a fearless fighter although tears were ready to fall at the slightest provocation. Once when she was about five, she almost tore a playmate apart before anyone realized what was happening because she was screaming at the top of her lungs while pummeling him. The boy remained mute and shocked and did not or could not utter a sound. He only remembered to snivel a little when they pulled the screaming Vera off him.
    When the girls were two, Mark got his long awaited promotion and moved to a slightly bigger house which had an extra bedroom. It was just in the nick of time for Elizabeth was pregnant again and sleeping arrangements were becoming tricky. Their joy was however tempered by the fact that owing to the state of emergency, the country was becoming more and more dangerous even for ordinary people between the White Johnies on one side and the Mau Mau freedom fighters on the other, death could arrive without warning. It was therefore decided that as soon as the baby was born, Elizabeth would move back to her old teaching job at Aluor where it was much safer, being far from the central region which was the enclave of the freedom fighters.
    Aoro, a bouncing boy and the apple of his father’s eye was born in the middle of a long dry season-thus his name. When he was two weeks old he was whisked off to Aluor with his sister. When she heard about it, their paternal grandmother was furious.
    “How can you allow that woman to take off with my grandchildren? Is this why they refused to take a bride price for her? So that they could treat us like dirt?”
    “Mother nobody is trying to treat anyone else like dirt. It is just that there is no suitable school for her to teach in around here. She can bring the children over during the holidays.”
    “Huff!” snorted his mother. Mark was almost sorry he had stopped by to see his mother on his way back to Nakuru. Things became very bad and lorries carrying the dead, purportedly Mau Mau were a common sight. There was suspicion everywhere - white against black and black against white. The Kikuyu especially suffered greatly-and could be shot, maimed, killed or translocated at a moment’s notice. They returned atrocity for atrocity and blood flowed- both black and white. Mark was very lonely without his wife and children. He particularly missed little Vera’s constant chatter which he had found so irritating before. She had been tireless and irrepressible, but now he would have given anything to hear her say: “Father why is mother’s stomach so big?”

    (a) Place the extract in its immediate context.

    (b) Characterize Vera according to the extract.


    (c) Identify and illustrate two features of style employed in the extract.

    (d) What are some of the themes brought out in the extract?

    (e) In a paragraph of not more than 20 words write a summary of the effects of war as seen in the extract.
    (f) Mark is said to have been lonely. This loneliness leads to something. Briefly say what happens.

    Date posted: March 1, 2018.  Answers (1)

  • Society will always use its culture as a weapon against women”. Using illustrations from Witi Ihimaera’s, The Whale Rider, Write an essay to support this...(Solved)

    Society will always use its culture as a weapon against women”. Using illustrations from Witi Ihimaera’s, The Whale Rider, Write an essay to support this statement.

    Date posted: March 1, 2018.  Answers (1)

  • Drawing illustrations from what Grusha goes through in order to save and adopt Michael, write an essay on the challenges of being a good person...(Solved)

    Drawing illustrations from what Grusha goes through in order to save and adopt Michael, write an essay on the challenges of being a good person in a rotten society.

    Date posted: March 1, 2018.  Answers (1)

  • Discuss the major issues highlighted by the writer in the story ‘WINDOW SEAT’ by Benjamin Branoff.(Solved)

    Discuss the major issues highlighted by the writer in the story ‘WINDOW SEAT’ by Benjamin Branoff.

    Date posted: February 28, 2018.  Answers (1)

  • Discuss the traits of Ali Mahfouz as brought out in this story ALMOST HOME by Barry McKinley.(Solved)

    Discuss the traits of Ali Mahfouz as brought out in this story ALMOST HOME by Barry McKinley.

    Date posted: February 28, 2018.  Answers (1)

  • 'Wealth and money cannot afford happiness' citing evidence from the Pearl by John Steinbeck, Discuss(Solved)

    'Wealth and money cannot afford happiness' citing evidence from the Pearl by John Steinbeck, Discuss.

    OR

    John Steinbeck: The Pearl

    Wealth and money cannot afford happiness. With illustrations from John Steinbeck’s The Pearl, validate this statement.

    Date posted: February 28, 2018.  Answers (1)

  • The play ‘Betrayal in the City’ by F. Imbuga focuses on the problems facing a post-independence developing nation. Discuss any four of such problems using...(Solved)

    The play ‘Betrayal in the City’ by F. Imbuga focuses on the problems facing a post-independence developing nation. Discuss any four of such problems using appropriate examples from the play.

    Date posted: February 28, 2018.  Answers (1)

  • Discuss the role of family in the novel the River and the Source(Solved)

    Discuss the role of family in the novel the River and the Source

    Date posted: February 28, 2018.  Answers (1)

  • ‘Bitterness breeds courage and opportunities to some but breeds vipers to others.’ Support this using The River and the Source (Solved)

    ‘Bitterness breeds courage and opportunities to some but breeds vipers to others.’ Support this using The River and the Source

    Date posted: February 28, 2018.  Answers (1)

  • "The gap between the rich and poor can be controlled through the use of social justice."Write an essay in support of this proposition drawing illustrations...(Solved)

    "The gap between the rich and poor can be controlled through the use of social justice."Write an essay in support of this proposition drawing illustrations from Bertolt Brecht's Caucasian Chalk Circle.

    Date posted: February 27, 2018.  Answers (1)

  • Read the Oral poem below and then answer the questions that follow. HUNGER Hunger makes a person climb up to the ceiling And hold on to the rafters It...(Solved)

    Read the Oral poem below and then answer the questions that follow.
    HUNGER
    Hunger makes a person climb up to the ceiling
    And hold on to the rafters
    It makes a person lie down.
    But not feel at rest.
    It makes a person lie down
    And count the rafters.
    When the Moslem is not hungry, he says:
    “We are forbidden to eat monkey.”
    When Ibrahim is hungry, he eats baboon!
    When hunger beats the woman in the Koinange,
    She will run out into the street in daytime.
    One who is hungry does not care for taboos
    One who is hungry does not care for death
    One who is hungry will take
    Out of the sacrifice money
    Hunger will open it.
    “I Have filled my belly yesterday”
    Does bite with hunger.
    We have to sacrifice daily to it.

    Date posted: February 27, 2018.  Answers (1)

  • The River and the Source: Margaret A. OgolaRead the excerpt below and answer the questions that follow.“Hey, was an army passing this way, Mother?” asked...(Solved)

    The River and the Source: Margaret A. Ogola
    Read the excerpt below and answer the questions that follow.
    “Hey, was an army passing this way, Mother?” asked Aoro.
    “It is not every day my grandchildren – all of them, come to see me; and I am a farmer; I have plenty of food – fresh from the garden, not like that frozen tasteless stuff you people eat in the city.”
    “Agreed! Agreed!” answered her eldest son waving a juicy looking drumstick in the air. She noticed with motherly approval that he had started to fill out and his eyes were happy and settled. For a while, she had feared that this particular son was headed for trouble. But that had been long ago in his boyhood. She had been mistaken – happy mistake. She noted with concern, however, that Wandia seemed to have little to say. Something was a miss.
    After the meal the children ran out to chase whatever farm animals they could find and to exercise their city cramped limbs. Aoro and Tony decided to take a walk together. Opiyo and his twin went to admire a herd of high breed cattle. Mark sat on the veranda admiring his scampering many hued grandchildren and Elizabeth and Wandia went to the kitchen – the only place where a woman can expect not to be disturbed for a while, especially when all are well fed.
    “Yes tell me. Is he giving you a hard time or something?” Elizabeth asked and Wandia looked at her startled.
    “No! No! I mean – gosh – am I so obvious?”
    “ I can read you like a book, my girl.”
    “I have a scholarship to study in America for a year.”
    “And he is against it?”
    “No! He is not. In fact he is all for it. But how can I leave him with five children?”
    “Don’t worry about him. You see if you don’t go, it is something that will haunt you – a lost chance is very hard to live with. We will all chip in to give him a hand with the children. Mary is also there in Nairobi with absolutely no responsibility whatsoever. They will be OK. Just organize your affairs and go do what you have to do.
    “Oh, thank you so much! Now I can tell the good news to my own family. I didn’t want to have to disappoint them.” The two women looked at each other with understanding. The leaving and cleaving was always more difficult for a woman who has to tear herself from so much, and give so much – which almost always went unnoticed.
    The children, who apparently have some very powerful grinders in their tummies started rushing back into the house to ask for this, that or the other to eat and their solitude was broken as they attended to their needs, but Wandia was now at peace.
    Father Tony and Aoro were reminiscing, about the escapades of their boyhood and each memory was punctuated by great gales of laughter. Eventually they got around to more serious talk.
    “Great girl you have there.” Observed Tony.
    “Yes. I am a lucky man. She does a wonderful job with the kids – Becky’s as well as ours. How about you Tony?
    How’s the priesthood? Are you happy?”
    “Absolutely. It is my life and it fulfills me completely. You know the priesthood is quiet like medicine.

    Date posted: February 27, 2018.  Answers (1)

  • Communication technology has given impetus to effective communication inspite of various complications that it has posed.Explain this statement(Solved)

    Communication technology has given impetus to effective communication inspite of various complications that it has posed. Explain this statement

    Date posted: February 27, 2018.  Answers (1)

  • “Betrayal in the City” Francis Imbuga. “When the Madness of the entire nation disturbs a solitary mind, it is not enough to say the man is...(Solved)

    “Betrayal in the City” Francis Imbuga.
    “When the Madness of the entire nation disturbs a solitary mind, it is not enough to say the man is mad”. Basing your answer on Francis Imbuga’s Betrayal in the City show the validity of this statement.

    Date posted: February 22, 2018.  Answers (1)