Leaving by Vassanji

 Synopsis

Leaving is set in Tanzania. It is a story of a woman  who raises her five children alone after the early death of her husband.After her  two elder daughters get married and the eldest son acquires a job,the mother focuses on the two younger ones, Aloo and the youngest (the narrator). Aloo is in his final year in school and the girl is in university.She pins all her hopes on them that they will have a better education.She sells their store and moves them to Upanga.The place is quieter and provides a better environment for them to study.The return of Mr Datoo, a former teacher inspires Aloo to think of furthering his education in America. He wants study medicine. He starts writing to American universities to get the necessary information .He is not keen on studying agriculture in a local university.He is offered a place with a scholarship in the California Institute of Technology. However,his mother would not allow him to accept the offer,citing finances and fear of losing him as the reasons.Finally,on the advice of a school officer,the mother relents and accepts the idea of allowing Aloo to leave home for a different sky.The narrator,for the first time,sees her mother as a person and not just as her mother-someone who has always thought only of the children's welfare.Aloo's first letter was a graphic enthusiastic account of London but to the mother,she is uncertain of his return.

Plot

1. Exposition: Mother and her two children move to Upanga

2. Rising action: Aloo writes to universities in America

3. Climax: Aloo is offered a scholarship to study in America and discusses the offer with his mother

4. Falling action: The family goes to see Me Velji and mother allows Aloo to go to America

5. Resolution: Aloo leaves for America 

Character and characteristics

Main characters:

 

1. Aloo

youngest child in the family-doing his final year in school.

a good student who does well in school examinations,straight As.

is inspired by a former teacher who returns from America for a visit to think o furthering his education overseas in America.

not keen on studying agriculture at a local university

diligent-writes to universities to get necessary information for further studies

ambitious-wants to study medicine

extremely happy when offered a scholarship to study in California Institute of Technology

spirited and courageous-willing to do part-time work while studying

tries to convince other that he will definitely return to his homeland after his studies

obedient-willing to accept mother's decision-does not speak about overseas education and prepares to study agriculture locally

could not suppress his excitement when mother finally allows him to go overseas

writes from London to mother-letter so full of excitement creates doubts in mother's mind about the future.

2. Mother

mother of the five children and runs a store in Uhuru Street-single-handedly raises five children after early death of husband

Aloo's mother became a widow at thirty-three and had refused ever since to marry for fear that the next husband would ask her to take her children to the 'boarding'

thinks of the children's future-willing to sacrifice for them -closes down the store and moves family to a quieter part of town-better environment for studying-a big change for her

ambitious about her children's education-wants them to do well

afraid to let youngest son go for overseas education-afraid he might not return home,take a European wife or forget his roots

at the same time wise or understanding about situation-children have to grow up and leave home one day-but hopes to hold on to them as long as possible

loving and caring-take steps to ensure youngest son leave for further studies with a happy frame of mind

after receiving letter from Aloo who writes letter from London-feels unsure that Aloo will return to hometown in Tanzania

Minor characters

1. Aloo's sibling (narrator)

second youngest in family and studying in a local university

supportive of and understands Aloo's needs to study overseas and not in local university

loving and caring of mother and understands mother's refusal to allow Aloo to study overseas

observant-observes mother's face and sees her as a person and not just as their mother-recalls mother's worried unsmiling face looking after them in her own

2. Mr Datoo

a former teacher in Aloo's school-came back from America for a visit

it was his visit that inspired Aloo to think about his future-of studying overseas in America

3. Mr Velji

a school officer who gives an objective comment about Aloo's studies overseas

knows that Aloo will get a good education but fears mother may lose a son

has an understanding look when he reads the content of Aloo's letter from London

Themes

1. Mother's love

2. Separation from loved ones

3. Seizing opprtunities

4. Sacrifice/Selflessness

5. The importance of education

6. Fear of the unfamiliar

7. courage and strength to stand up to one's principles

8. determination brings success

9. parental sacrifice for family members

10. .letting go of family members to let them become independent

11.  willingness to gain new experience and exposure

THEMES  AND EVIDENCES FROM THE STORY

1. Separation

 The story deals with the theme of separation between Mother and her children.

- “And why do you want to go away, so far from us? What kind of son are you? You want to leave me and go away to a foreign place? Won’t you miss us? Are we so unimportant to you? If something happens…” (page 34)

-“But if you send him, you will lose your son… It is a far place, America.” (page 37)

 Mother is sad having her children leave home.

-My two sisters got married, and Mother was sad to see them leave home. (page 31)

 Mother finally lets Aloo go to America with a heavy heart after a lot of thinking.

-“If you go away to the moon, my son, what will happen to me?” Mother asked, smiling. (page 38) -“Promise me… promise me that if I let you go, you will not marry a white woman.” (page 40)

-“And promise me that you will not smoke or drink.” (page 40)

2. Ambitiousness

 Aloo wants to study medicine instead of studying agriculture.

-He wanted to study medicine, but they gave him a place to study agriculture. Aloo was not interested in farming; he wanted to live and work in the city. (page 33)

-“Agriculture?” He laughed. “They can forget it!” (page 33)

-Mother was not made of stone. She knew how Aloo felt about studying agriculture. (page 36)

 Aloo considers studying abroad instead of just studying in a local university.

-All through the rest of that year he wrote to universities in America, finding their names in books. (page 32)

 Aloo still wants to further his education in America even though he has no money.

-Of course, it was expensive, but could he perhaps win a scholarship to pay for it? (page 32)

-Aloo’s hopes began to look unreal. She was right; he would need much more money than that.

(page 34)

-“Can’t we borrow some money?” he asked. “I’ll work in America. Yes, I’ll work in a restaurant or something – I know students can do that. I’ll send the money back!” (page 34)

3. The importance of education

 The story revolves around studying and continuing education.

-Firoz, my older brother, did not finish his last year at school, and no one was surprised at that. He was working in the office of a big shop. (page 31)

-By now I was at university, living there during the week and coming home at weekends. (page 32)

-All through the rest of that year he wrote to universities in America, finding their names in books. (page 32)

 Mother wants her youngest two children study hard instead working early.

-Mother’s hopes were now on the youngest two of us, Aloo and me. She wanted us to study hard and not spend time working in our store. (page 31)

 Aloo is excited at the prospect of continuing his studies in America.

-Could he perhaps get into an American university? (page 32)

-All through the rest of that year he wrote to universities in America, finding their names in books. (page 32)

-Could he get there? Was he good enough? (page 33)

-Aloo could not believe it at first. He read the letter again and again. Then he asked me to read it. When he was sure there was no mistake, he was so happy. (page 33)

-“It’s something, isn’t it?” whispered Aloo. He could not hide the excitement in his voice. “They teach everything there,” he said. “They send rockets to the moon…” (page 38)

4. Selflessness

 Mother rather works alone by herself at the store without the help of her two remaining children.

 -She wanted us to study hard and not to spend time working in our store. (page 31).

 Mother does not remarry so that her children can be under her care.

-In the years after his death several men asked her to marry them, but she always refused to marry again, because of us. Children of a first marriage cannot stay with their mother in a second marriage; they are sent to a children’s home. (page 38)

 Mother finally lets Aloo study abroad even though she wants him by her side.

-“Promise me… promise me that if I let you go, you will not marry a white woman.” (page 40)

5. Fear of the unknown

 Mother and Mr. Velji fears that Aloo will not return once he goes to study in America.

-“If you go away to the moon, my son, what will happen to me?” Mother asked, smiling. (page 38) -“Promise me… promise me that if I let you go, you will not marry a white woman.” (page 40)

-“But if you send him, you will lose your son… It is a far place, America.” (page 37)

  Mother worries that Aloo will pick up bad habits while being in America.

-“And promise me that you will not smoke or drink.” (page 40)

Moral Values

1. Hard work and patience will be rewarded

2. Good education is very important

3. we must not let opportunities pass us by.

4. We must be grateful to our parents.

5. We must try not to be judgmental about the things we do not understand