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Read the narrative below and answer the questions that follow.

      

Read the narrative below and answer the questions that follow.

THE CRUEL STEP – MOTHER

Once upon a time, there was a man and wife who had a baby girl. Unfortunately, the wife died and so, the man married again. He got another girl with the second wife.
The two girls became extremely close, so close that whenever the mother sent one on an errand, the other was sure to accompany her. The mother, however, did not like the child of the deceased. She would always show her dislike by denying her certain favours. Her feelings became so bad that she decided to get rid of the girl. To do this, she dug a hole in her bedroom on a day when the husband was absent and covered the hole with a cow’s hide. She then called her daughter and sent her to the house of a friend some kilometers away. As usual, the two girls wanted to go together but the woman refused, giving the excuse that she wanted to send the other one elsewhere.
After the departure of her daughter, she called the other girl and sent her for her snuffbox in the bedroom. Unaware of what lay ahead, the girl eagerly rushed into the room only to fall into a hole! The mother very quickly filled the hole with soil, completely disregarding the girl’s screams for help.
When the daughter came back, she merely assumed that the absence of her dear companion was justified. After hours of waiting, she, however, became impatient and questioned the mother.
‘Where is my sister?’ she asked.
‘But she followed you. As soon as she did what I wanted, she ran after you. Now stop bothering me,’ the mother retorted.
Time passed and the now anxious girl went round calling out the name of the other one, but all in vain. Alas…. She cried the whole night and the next day and refused to touch any food. The father helped in the search but to no avail.
After three days, the girl still cried and called the other one. She then heard a very weak voice responding in song:

Maalya Maalya
Maalya Maalya
Na mwenyu niwe mwai iiee malya,
Ekwinza muthiko iiee malya,
Wakwisa kunthika iiee malya
Wakwisa kunthika iiee malya
(Maalya Maalya
And your mother is the wise one iiee malya,
She dug a grave iiee malya,
For interring me in iiee malya.)

The girl dashed towards the direction of the voice, repeated her cries and again go the same response. She came to the conclusion that whoever was responding was definitely underground somewhere in the house. Immediately theThe husband then explained the truth of the matter and told his in-laws to take their daughter with them. They said that if that was what she had done to the girl, they couldn’t have such a monster in their house. The woman was disowned by all and chased away.

QUESTIONS

(a) To which audience and when can such a story be told? (2 mks)

(b) Explain three features of style employed in the narrative . (6 mks)

c) Contrast the character of the mother and her blood daughter. (4 mks)

(d) Explain two problems you are likely to encounter when collecting materials for such a genre. (4 mks)

(e) What does the author mean by the following sentences as used in the passage?

(i) 'When the daughter came back, she merely assumed that the absence of her dear companion was justified.' (1mk)

(ii) And your mother is the wise one iiee Malya. (1mk)

(f) What is the moral lesson of this narrative? (2mks)

  

Answers


Martin
(a) - The audience — Young women preparing to get married - when - when being prepared for marriage/being educated as the role of good wife. (2mks)

b) Features of style used.

(i) opening formula - Once upon a time ………………………announcing the coming of the narrative or attracts the attention of the audience.

(ii) Use of song - Maalya ………………..Maalya - Ironically emphasizing the wrongness of the mother’s deed.

(iii) Dialogue - Between/ mother and daughter - Character of sister brought out as loving/concerned/ character of the mother as being cruel comes_out.

c) The mother is cruel/callous as seen from the mistreatment she gives to the step-daughter whereas the daughter is kind/loving/ concerned as seen from the concern she has for the step sister when she goes missing. (4mks)

(d) Problems you are likely to encounter when collecting materials for the given genre: - Suspicion by some members of the community from which-you do your research. - informants may demand cash payment - Language if research is carried out of ones community - Good informants and performers may not be available - Religious convictions

(e)
(i) It never occured to her that her dear companion was being gotten rid of for no apparent reason*

(ii). It is ironical reference to the mother's cruel character.

(f) That we should show love to all irregardless of their relationship to us.
marto answered the question on March 21, 2019 at 07:44


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