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John Ruganda, Shreds of Tenderness 'During a civil war, those who flee their country suffer as much as those who remain behind.' Drawing illustrations from Ruganda's Shreds...

      

John Ruganda, Shreds of Tenderness

'During a civil war, those who flee their country suffer as much as those who remain behind.'
Drawing illustrations from Ruganda's Shreds of Tenderness, write an essay in support of this statement.

  

Answers


Martin
Introduction

- The introduction should show awareness of the two reactions to a civil war: those who flee and those who stay on.
(i) Those who flee their country suffer a lot because they get alienated from those they love. In the same way, those who stay on are alienated from those who flee. As Odie says, "BROTHER a nice and endearing family word full of warmth......and shreds of tenderness.....But guerrilla guns have put holes into it" (pg 140)

(ii) Civil war brings fear and uncertainty to both those who flee and those who remain. When Wak gets back, he is afraid; he has to take Vodka to steady his nerves, and when he knocks at the door, his brother Odie is" shocked and petrified" (pg 77). There is fear and suspicion, (pg 80-81)
There is perpetual fear of one losing one's job.

(iii) Civil war brings about mental/ emotional torture to both groups. Those who remain are tortured by the constant shooting and killing: those who flee are Tortured by the risks in the paths of escape, (pgs 28, 116, 80-81, 103, 107, 13)
As Stella puts it, the refugee on his path of escape crosses the river with "croc~ in tf~ river and guards at the bank. Guns at the ready" (pg 86).
There is also the barbarism refugees suffer in a foreign country, (pg 93)

(iv) Both the 'stayees' and the 'returnees' suffer from the breakdown of social structures, which lead to escalation of crime and social evils. In the home country this is a direct result of the civil war; in the country of refuge as a result of the influx of refugees, (pg 33, 105)
- Lack of food
- Lawlessness
- Queuing for basic commodities.

(v) Civil war leads to the erosion of social structures and the breakdown of family ties. In Shreds of Tenderness the civil war fuels minor sibling conflict between brothers, and this affects both the one who left and the one who remained, (pgs 118, 55-57, 20-21, 23-24)

Conclusion

The conclusion should round the essay by emphasizing that those who left are not "unforgivable cowards and deserters" (pg 15) as Odie says. They are bold enough to to know that they are more useful to their country alive. They suffer in the same way.
marto answered the question on April 3, 2019 at 05:35


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    jk32120191221.png

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    - Buy oranges!

    From Scared Hope by Agostino Neto,
    Tanzania Publishing House, 1974, 12 - 14

    QUESTIONS

    (a)Identify the three voices in this poem. 3mks

    (b) What is the Poet’s attitude to the market woman? 2mks

    (c)What is the theme of the poem? 3mks

    d) Describe the feeling of the market woman. 3mks

    e) Identify the lines spoken by the persona in his role as an observer. 3mks

    f) Explain the meaning of the following lines. 6mks

    (i) I exhausted the similes
    With which I cried
    I no longer cry

    (ii) Even my pain
    and the poetry of my naked breasts
    I gave to the poets
    ……………………………………………………………………………………………My price is only one: - Blood

    Date posted: March 21, 2019.  Answers (1)

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