Collector of treasures and villages tales ( Book review)
About the author
Bessie head, one of Africa’s best –known women writers was born in South Africa in 1937, the result of an ‘illicit’ union between a black man and a white woman. Her life was a traumatic one, and she drew heavily upon her own personal experiences for novels. She went to a foster family until she was 13 years old, and then a mission school before training as a teacher. After a few years teaching she left to work as a journalist for golden city post, a drum publication, but an unsuccessful marriage and her involvement in the trial of a friend led her to apply for another teaching post, in Botswana, where she took up permanent exile. She remained there, with the precarious status of refugee for 15 years prior she gained citizenship in 1979, and it was in Botswana that Bessie Head died tragically early, aged 49, in 1986. Botswana is the backdrop for all three of her, based outstanding novels.
When rain clouds gather, her first novel, based on her time as refugee living at the Bamangwato development farm, was published in 1969. This was followed by maru1971 and her instance and powerful autobiographical work A question of power1973. The collectors of the treasures 1977 was her first collection of short stories, followed in 1981 by Serowe: village of the rain wind, a skilful and original historical portrait of 100 years of the Botswana community, reconstructed through the words of different members of the village, and a bewitched crossroad, which appeared in 1984.A woman alone 1990, a collection of Bessie Head’s autobiographical writings, and tales of tenderness and power 1990, a moving selection of famous and previously unpublished works , have been published posthumously. All her works (except for a bewitched crossroad) are available in the Heinemann Africa writers’ series
Condensed summary of when rain clouds gather
When rain clouds gather is a very good short story.it is about Sebembele who was a ruler of a place called Monemapee.he is a good ruler, even some people were very happy to be ruled by him. Within the story there were two groups who did not approve each other. They differed in their thoughts. This was because Sebembele had a love affair with Rakwana who had child called Makobi. Councillors and junior brothers of Sebembele wanted him to think not and not to be influenced by a woman. They wanted him to renounce Rakwana and the child. This was a gigantic problem. Sebembele did not know what he can do. He loved Rakwana .this even affected the position of chieftaincy. Theproblem thatSebembele faced was that was that Rakwana had a child that was not of Sebembele.
This means that the child could get a chance of becoming a ruler of the village. Some people did not see any trouble with this and advocated it. For Sebembele to maintain this position he had to lay to the community that Makobi was young brother to Ntema and Mosemme. Throughout these times he knew it that he has no limits of marrying wives. The problem was that he loved Rakwana nothing else. Mosemme and Ntema and councillors were saying that there was no ruler who would be influenced by a woman. Sebembele desperately came to decision. This was after councillors and his junior brothers’ orchestrated Rakwana a husband in a secreted place. Sebembele in a certain morning walked throughstreets of the town to Rakwana’s father until to the house where rakwana and her husband were been. He took rakwana and child. After that he lost everything even the Rulership.
Sebembele and the other camp that advocated himwere removed from Monemapee to Bomangwato. They all packed their belongings and left Monemapee to southwards in Bomangwato. Makobi who was a child of Sebembele was named to as Talaote, to commemorate their removal from the kingdom of Monemapee. Soma old men still shook their heads for they were removed because of a woman and the ruler. They believed that women were troubles in the world. Junior brothers took over the ruler ship as one voice.
The purpose or audience of the book
Audience of the book would differ from one short story to another. For these stories are different in their themes. They are for everyone who enjoys romanticised and fictionalised stories. Some of short stories in this book are from the history of Botswana in the late 1800. They are similar to televised documentaries. People who are willing to know more about the history of Botaloate tribe of Botswana can get enough information.
My first reaction and evaluation
I was astounded and amazed on how Bessie Head wrote this story. It is very good and stunning. She wrote this book very well that it flows from the scratch to the very well there are no complexity. It is as real things happening. The story shows reasonable deeds from the king and the junior brothers. I managed to fine my evaluation very easy. The way it ended made me realise how to deal with challenges.
Background information.
This short story is very good and logical. It flows good and with no complexity or hidden clauses. Everything is spelt outs that very person may understand the story. Unlike some short stories and books such as The boy form other side, no-man’s-land.it was not good written and sometimes I found wrong spelling.
Summary of the main point of the short story
• “I do not know what can I do”, this was the time at which Sebembele had to take decision whether to renounce Rakwana with the child. He did not know what to do because it eradicated his position as a ruler of the village. He loved her only and still knew that he chance to marry as much as he wants.
• Sebembele in the morning walking with Makobi in his arm to Rakwana’s father and to the house where Rakwana was hidden in with the orchestrated husband. He took his decision which was to marry Rakwana. He decided to lose everything.
• “All right you can go”. This the time where Sebembele and the group that advocated him got removed from Monamepee to anywhere in the southwards. They went to Bamangwato.
How well has the book achieved its goal?
The goal of the book is being achieved very well that I saw the way the author used Sebembele as a ruler who had responsibilities and independent. I saw that the author got it right that the ruler suffered the consequences of the decision he made.
What is the possibility book?
The possibility of the story is that Sebembeleto be very responsible for all his deeds. He did what he thought was the best for him and Rakwana and child even some of the people. Life continued even if he lost the rulership.
What has the book left out?
This short story is good but it left some of things. The author did not write anything about the life after Sebembele and his people were removed from Monamepee. Even the life of the two junior brothers after they removed their brother I do not read anything or reforms. The author did not take into consideration the other group of people that remain in Monamepee.
Condensed summary of looking for a rain god
This short story is about a village called kgotla where there was a seven year drought from 1958. Before 1958 people living there had a very good life that rain was falling very well. People could dig water while they were in their lands. Children could eat fig and any berries that would be in season. From 1958 rain started to be very scarce and it led to lack of food. The animals died from lack of good green pastures. People could not plough for there was no rain. Trees were dry and hard and land was dusty. People suffered from different illnesses and malnutrition.
One day an old man known as Mokgobja came with an ancient memory that he witness while he was young. This was because people were dying every day. There only people that survived this hunger were charlatans, incanters and witchdoctorsfor they were pay to talismans and herbs to rub on the plough for the crops to grow and rain to fall. Mokgobja also wanted rain as much as others. He remembered how ancestors’ rain making ceremony was conducted but he did not remember vividly. Him and Ramadi killed two little girls and buried them in the lands. Late police found out and incarcerated Mokgobja and Ramadi for ritual murder. They were sentenced to life. Rain never fell even after the ritual murder of the two girls. It became worse that men went out of their families to commit suicide and hung themselves.
The purpose or audience of the story
This short story is for everybody who wants to know when to persist during tough times.it gives any reader a better understanding of the drought that took place late in the 1950s. This story depicts two different times of life which would be tough and good times where things were very good.
My first reaction and evaluation
This short story is very stunning that all of everything in the story is real that even today, people are still doing this kind of thing for example some parents kill their children of flesh for money. This story is very good. Children are still been killed for ritual motives.
The background of the short story
This story compared to what I have read s very good. It is real because some short stories are factious that we do not whether it will take place or not. This is real mostly to black people or devils. The other short story that I read is village of the rain wind.
Summary of the main point of the short story
• “They experienced all kinds of things once they left the village”, this was the time at which everything was there from figs to berries. The bush was like a jungle people enjoyed themselves.
• From 1958 a seven year drought, now it is the commencement of the drought where people started to suffer from hunger as an outcome of lack of rain. All this led to food inflation.
• “Rain making ceremony”, this led to death of two young girls because of Mokgobjawho did not remember well because of Christianity. This made him not do the ceremony very good. He killed the two little girls with his son Ramadi. They went to jail after the police found out.
How well has the book achieved its goal?
The book in this story has achieved the very well that its aim is to educate people to persist in hard times. It shows the start of the life before drought comes to suck all water in the lands. Usually people who commit ritual murder come out to be innocent but here I read justice that is needed in South Africa.
What is the possibility book?
The possibility would be that the murders were incarcerated after the police found out. This needs to be done to every person who kills another person.it will give people better understanding.
What has the book left out?
I thing had not realised that its people that complained about the disappearance of the two little girls. This is because after Mokgobja and Ramdi were sentenced to life in prisonI read nothing from the people living in the village.
In the collector of treasures there are 21 short stories, and I read five short stories. Then I reviewed two short stories of the best short stories. The stories in this book are about life in the daily basis. The author wrote all the stories very well.
About the author
Bessie head, one of Africa’s best –known women writers was born in South Africa in 1937, the result of an ‘illicit’ union between a black man and a white woman. Her life was a traumatic one, and she drew heavily upon her own personal experiences for novels. She went to a foster family until she was 13 years old, and then a mission school before training as a teacher. After a few years teaching she left to work as a journalist for golden city post, a drum publication, but an unsuccessful marriage and her involvement in the trial of a friend led her to apply for another teaching post, in Botswana, where she took up permanent exile. She remained there, with the precarious status of refugee for 15 years prior she gained citizenship in 1979, and it was in Botswana that Bessie Head died tragically early, aged 49, in 1986. Botswana is the backdrop for all three of her, based outstanding novels.
When rain clouds gather, her first novel, based on her time as refugee living at the Bamangwato development farm, was published in 1969. This was followed by maru1971 and her instance and powerful autobiographical work A question of power1973. The collectors of the treasures 1977 was her first collection of short stories, followed in 1981 by Serowe: village of the rain wind, a skilful and original historical portrait of 100 years of the Botswana community, reconstructed through the words of different members of the village, and a bewitched crossroad, which appeared in 1984.A woman alone 1990, a collection of Bessie Head’s autobiographical writings, and tales of tenderness and power 1990, a moving selection of famous and previously unpublished works , have been published posthumously. All her works (except for a bewitched crossroad) are available in the Heinemann Africa writers’ series
Condensed summary of when rain clouds gather
When rain clouds gather is a very good short story.it is about Sebembele who was a ruler of a place called Monemapee.he is a good ruler, even some people were very happy to be ruled by him. Within the story there were two groups who did not approve each other. They differed in their thoughts. This was because Sebembele had a love affair with Rakwana who had child called Makobi. Councillors and junior brothers of Sebembele wanted him to think not and not to be influenced by a woman. They wanted him to renounce Rakwana and the child. This was a gigantic problem. Sebembele did not know what he can do. He loved Rakwana .this even affected the position of chieftaincy. Theproblem thatSebembele faced was that was that Rakwana had a child that was not of Sebembele.
This means that the child could get a chance of becoming a ruler of the village. Some people did not see any trouble with this and advocated it. For Sebembele to maintain this position he had to lay to the community that Makobi was young brother to Ntema and Mosemme. Throughout these times he knew it that he has no limits of marrying wives. The problem was that he loved Rakwana nothing else. Mosemme and Ntema and councillors were saying that there was no ruler who would be influenced by a woman. Sebembele desperately came to decision. This was after councillors and his junior brothers’ orchestrated Rakwana a husband in a secreted place. Sebembele in a certain morning walked throughstreets of the town to Rakwana’s father until to the house where rakwana and her husband were been. He took rakwana and child. After that he lost everything even the Rulership.
Sebembele and the other camp that advocated himwere removed from Monemapee to Bomangwato. They all packed their belongings and left Monemapee to southwards in Bomangwato. Makobi who was a child of Sebembele was named to as Talaote, to commemorate their removal from the kingdom of Monemapee. Soma old men still shook their heads for they were removed because of a woman and the ruler. They believed that women were troubles in the world. Junior brothers took over the ruler ship as one voice.
The purpose or audience of the book
Audience of the book would differ from one short story to another. For these stories are different in their themes. They are for everyone who enjoys romanticised and fictionalised stories. Some of short stories in this book are from the history of Botswana in the late 1800. They are similar to televised documentaries. People who are willing to know more about the history of Botaloate tribe of Botswana can get enough information.
My first reaction and evaluation
I was astounded and amazed on how Bessie Head wrote this story. It is very good and stunning. She wrote this book very well that it flows from the scratch to the very well there are no complexity. It is as real things happening. The story shows reasonable deeds from the king and the junior brothers. I managed to fine my evaluation very easy. The way it ended made me realise how to deal with challenges.
Background information.
This short story is very good and logical. It flows good and with no complexity or hidden clauses. Everything is spelt outs that very person may understand the story. Unlike some short stories and books such as The boy form other side, no-man’s-land.it was not good written and sometimes I found wrong spelling.
Summary of the main point of the short story
• “I do not know what can I do”, this was the time at which Sebembele had to take decision whether to renounce Rakwana with the child. He did not know what to do because it eradicated his position as a ruler of the village. He loved her only and still knew that he chance to marry as much as he wants.
• Sebembele in the morning walking with Makobi in his arm to Rakwana’s father and to the house where Rakwana was hidden in with the orchestrated husband. He took his decision which was to marry Rakwana. He decided to lose everything.
• “All right you can go”. This the time where Sebembele and the group that advocated him got removed from Monamepee to anywhere in the southwards. They went to Bamangwato.
How well has the book achieved its goal?
The goal of the book is being achieved very well that I saw the way the author used Sebembele as a ruler who had responsibilities and independent. I saw that the author got it right that the ruler suffered the consequences of the decision he made.
What is the possibility book?
The possibility of the story is that Sebembeleto be very responsible for all his deeds. He did what he thought was the best for him and Rakwana and child even some of the people. Life continued even if he lost the rulership.
What has the book left out?
This short story is good but it left some of things. The author did not write anything about the life after Sebembele and his people were removed from Monamepee. Even the life of the two junior brothers after they removed their brother I do not read anything or reforms. The author did not take into consideration the other group of people that remain in Monamepee.
Condensed summary of looking for a rain god
This short story is about a village called kgotla where there was a seven year drought from 1958. Before 1958 people living there had a very good life that rain was falling very well. People could dig water while they were in their lands. Children could eat fig and any berries that would be in season. From 1958 rain started to be very scarce and it led to lack of food. The animals died from lack of good green pastures. People could not plough for there was no rain. Trees were dry and hard and land was dusty. People suffered from different illnesses and malnutrition.
One day an old man known as Mokgobja came with an ancient memory that he witness while he was young. This was because people were dying every day. There only people that survived this hunger were charlatans, incanters and witchdoctorsfor they were pay to talismans and herbs to rub on the plough for the crops to grow and rain to fall. Mokgobja also wanted rain as much as others. He remembered how ancestors’ rain making ceremony was conducted but he did not remember vividly. Him and Ramadi killed two little girls and buried them in the lands. Late police found out and incarcerated Mokgobja and Ramadi for ritual murder. They were sentenced to life. Rain never fell even after the ritual murder of the two girls. It became worse that men went out of their families to commit suicide and hung themselves.
The purpose or audience of the story
This short story is for everybody who wants to know when to persist during tough times.it gives any reader a better understanding of the drought that took place late in the 1950s. This story depicts two different times of life which would be tough and good times where things were very good.
My first reaction and evaluation
This short story is very stunning that all of everything in the story is real that even today, people are still doing this kind of thing for example some parents kill their children of flesh for money. This story is very good. Children are still been killed for ritual motives.
The background of the short story
This story compared to what I have read s very good. It is real because some short stories are factious that we do not whether it will take place or not. This is real mostly to black people or devils. The other short story that I read is village of the rain wind.
Summary of the main point of the short story
• “They experienced all kinds of things once they left the village”, this was the time at which everything was there from figs to berries. The bush was like a jungle people enjoyed themselves.
• From 1958 a seven year drought, now it is the commencement of the drought where people started to suffer from hunger as an outcome of lack of rain. All this led to food inflation.
• “Rain making ceremony”, this led to death of two young girls because of Mokgobjawho did not remember well because of Christianity. This made him not do the ceremony very good. He killed the two little girls with his son Ramadi. They went to jail after the police found out.
How well has the book achieved its goal?
The book in this story has achieved the very well that its aim is to educate people to persist in hard times. It shows the start of the life before drought comes to suck all water in the lands. Usually people who commit ritual murder come out to be innocent but here I read justice that is needed in South Africa.
What is the possibility book?
The possibility would be that the murders were incarcerated after the police found out. This needs to be done to every person who kills another person.it will give people better understanding.
What has the book left out?
I thing had not realised that its people that complained about the disappearance of the two little girls. This is because after Mokgobja and Ramdi were sentenced to life in prisonI read nothing from the people living in the village.
In the collector of treasures there are 21 short stories, and I read five short stories. Then I reviewed two short stories of the best short stories. The stories in this book are about life in the daily basis. The author wrote all the stories very well.
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