SETTING
The setting of the book is specifically Uganda though in a broader and general sense it represents the whole of Africa. Furthermore down the line the setting can be subdivided into Urban and rural settings.
Rural Setting. The rural setting occupies the most part of the book and is evident in the following ways/scenarios;
Witchdoctors in Kahina- this is common in rural areas.Spouse beating- this is also common in rural than in urban areas. Eg Adyeri beating Amoti and Uncle Araali is living in the village (Ihunga) where they are using bicycles as means of transport. Names of Villages like Karambi, Bundibugyo, Kalimba, Burungu etc also sum up the rural setting.
Urban setting. People like Akena own a garage. This is common in town. The mentioning of urban centres like Kampala city, towns like Kamwenge, Pallisa, Kachwamba, Kasese etc.
Presence of restaurants, bars are common in town. Prostitution (commercial sex) is also a feature of urban setting.
Other settings
There are also school setting which is not clear whether in town or village. Eg St. Leos High School, St. Maria Goretti, Kyebambe Girls Sec School, Kinyamasika Primary school etc. Hospital setting where Abooki goes for test.
The novel is very rich in its style.
a. Point of view. The writer has used all the three persons. However 3rd person is the dominant one. This is to say the author narrates the story.
b. There is also frequent use of dialogue among characters. Eg the conversation between Adyeri and Amoti when Vicky comes with Akena.
“I have told you that Vicky has come with a visitor”
“A visitor”
“Yes a visitor”
“Is the visitor tall or short?” Asked Adyeri....
c. Also there is the use of monologue / soliloquy. A speech in a play or movie in which a character who is alone speaks his thoughts aloud.
Look at Adyeri in pg 15 “this visitor has really caught us when we are dead broke” he lamented to himself. “What a pity”... I wish I was a rich man or millionaire...”
d. There is the use of songs as in pg 15. Adyeri sings when drunk;
“God bless Uganda Ohoo
Forward Uganda forward
Bravery, honesty, peace ...”
Another song is sung by Kinyamasika Primary Pupils on parents’ day. Pg 22
e. The novel has also used a flashback style. Pg 22 Adyeri’s background. “The story was that he had this lady called Birungi .....” the narrator tells the story of why Adyeri was sacked in from his job as a Headmaster and eventually became a heavy drunkard. Then in pg 24 Adyeri reflects his past “A film rewinded Adyeri’s mind about the other partners he had had at the local drinking club. He had become some sort of a maniac and was picking women at random whenever he was drunk...”
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