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SHORT STORY : LEAVING
By M.G. Vassanji
THE AUTHOR : M.G. VASSANJI
• Born on 30 May 1950 in Nairobi, Kenya and raised in Tanzania. • Received a Bachelor of Science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. • Moved to Canada in 1978 where he became the research associate in the University of Toronto. • Published his first novel, the critically-acclaimed The Gunny Sack, in 1989. • Since then has written six novels, two collections of short stories, a memoir and a biography. • A member of the Order of Canada. • Has won several writing awards.
SYNOPSIS OF THE STORY
Aloo and the narrator of the story are the youngest children in a single-parent family. Their older siblings have all left home. Their mother is a widow who has raised five children on her own. Aloo wants to study medicine, not agriculture. He harbours the ambition to go to America to study. He writes to some American universities hoping to get a scholarship. When a well-known American university offers him a scholarship, Aloo's dream looks set to come true.
SYNOPSIS OF THE STORY
However, his mother says that she cannot afford to send him to America. Aloo is very upset. Mother seeks advice from Mr Velji, a school officer. He tells her that getting the scholarship is good for Aloo's future. He also cautions her that she may lose him if she lets him go so far away. Seeing her son's disappointment, Mother decides to let her son go in the end.
PLOT
In the short story Leaving, the main character Aloo dreams of going to America to study. The events leading to the realisation of his dream are revealed through the eyes and mind of Aloo’s elder sibling, the narrator of this tale.
Exposition After Aloo's sister Razia gets married and leaves home, their mother sells her shop and they move to Upanga, a remote part of town. She wants her two youngest children to have a better life instead of helping in her store.
Climax Mother says that there is no money to send him to America. She accuses Aloo of being a disloyal son for wanting to leave her. Aloo is very upset.
Rising Action Aloo spends time with Mr Datoo, an ex-teacher at their local school who moved to America and returns for a visit. Aloo starts dreaming about going to study in America. He writes to American universities to apply for a scholarship. A famous university offers Aloo a scholarship.
Resolution Falling action Mother goes to Mr Velji for advice. He confirms that the scholarship is a great opportunity for Aloo. After thinking about it. Mother relents and finds the money to send Aloo to America. Before giving in, she makes Aloo promise not to marry a foreign wife and to stay away from bad habits.
Aloo writes home from London where he has stopped to visit an old schoolmate. The letter reveals his fascination with the foreign land.
SETTING- PHYSICAL SETTING PLACE
Kichwele Street/Uhuru Street—noisy, busy part of the town Central part of Dar es Salaam, the commercial capital of Tanzania Upanga - a very quiet place, countryside, only a few houses, no streetlights, a 'lonely, frightening' place (p. 32)
KEY EVENTS
where Aloo's family lived before his sisters left home to be married Aloo's mother has a shop here. where Aloo's family moved after Mother sold the shop
SOCIAL SETTING PRESENT DAY TANZANIA, AFRICA
• In this society, education is highly regarded. • School officers and school teachers are respected and influential eg; Mr Velji and Mr Datoo. • The education system does not allow students to choose their course of study —'nobody could change the list' (p. 33) • Life was hard for women and children. If a woman remarries, her children from the first marriage cannot stay with her but are sent to a children's home.
CHARACTER
Aloo • The youngest child in the family • Finishing secondary school • A smart student—achieved all A's in the school exam (p. 37)
ALOO CHARACTER TRAITS
Obedient dutiful child
EXAMPLES OF TEXTUAL EVIDENCE
Ambitious Determined Resourceful
Adventurous Emotional
Prepared to give up his dream to study in America when his mother says there is no money to send him (p. 36) Wants to study medicine (p. 33) Writes to universities in America (p. 32) Looks up names of universities in books to apply for scholarships on his own (p. 32) Wants to go to another country, likes travelling (p. 32) Cries and shouts when his mother does not his decision to study in America (p. 36)
Mother • Became a widow at the age of thirtythree • Ran a shop business in the town • Changed with age—from a smiling and pretty woman to one who is worried and unsmiling, deep lines on her face, less hair, a rounder body and a voice no longer soft (p.38)
MOTHER CHARACTER TRAITS
EXAMPLES OF TEXTUAL EVIDENCE
Strong and independent
Responsible mother
Loving, protective
Possessive of her children
Self-sacrificing
Traditional-minded
Raised five children without a husband (p. 38) Reminds Aloo not to smoke or drink when he is away from home (p. 40) Refuses to remarry for the sake of her children (p. 38) Does not want her son to leave her (p. 34) Lets Aloo go to America even though she knows that he may not return to her and that she may lose her youngest son (p. 40) Makes Aloo promise not to marry a foreigner (p. 40)
Narrator • Aloo's elder sibling (it is not revealed whether the narrator is a boy or a girl) • A university student
NARRATOR CHARACTER TRAITS
Understanding
Caring
Responsible, mature Observant
EXAMPLES OF TEXTUAL EVIDENCE
Quiet, ive
Understands mother's struggles and sacrifice for the children when she chose not to remarry (p. 38) Plays card games with Mother when she is sad (p. 32) Mother looks to him/her for confirmation about the scholarship offer (p. 34) Notices when Mother is sad (p. 32) Watches what happens but does not interfere
MINOR CHARACTERS
Mr Velji • A school officer, he has a large head, a small neat body, looks clever (p. 36) • Helpful, understands Mother's concern - 'if you send him, you will lose your son...' (p. 37) Mr Datoo • An ex-schoolteacher who went to America • Influences Aloo to dream of going to America to study
Mehroon and Razia • Aloo's married sisters Firoz • Aloo's older brother, a school dropout
THEMES
Leaving and letting go This story’s title Leaving reveals the theme of the story. Aloo wants to pursue his dream to study medicine in America. To realise his ambition, he has to leave his country, his home, his family and his mother. For him, leaving is his desire, but for his mother, letting him go is a sacrifice.
Mother has never believed in leaving her family behind. When her husband died and left her alone with five children, she chose to stay with her children rather than remarry and lose them. This was her sacrifice. She is angry that Aloo wants to leave her and she is worried that she will lose him. He may never return.
In the end, her love for her child wins over her need to keep him at her side. She finds the money and lets Aloo go to America. She could have made Aloo stay, but she chooses to let go because his happiness is more important than hers.
THEMES
Ambition Aloo is a very ambitious boy who wants a better life for himself. Instead of being content with the offer to study at a local university, he seeks a better opportunity and is ecstatic to receive the scholarship to study in America. He has a hunger to learn more than what his little town has to offer and seems to soak up all the new things he sees and experiences in London.
THEMES
Fear of the unfamiliar Both Mother and Mr Velji seem to have great suspicion of the unknown, especially the Western countries and people. Once Aloo has been accepted into the American university, both Mother and Mr Velji believes that he will never return. Mother also fears that Aloo would pick up the negative habits such as smoking and drinking, and makes him promise that he would never marry a white woman.
MESSAGE
Love means letting go Aloo wants to go to America to study but his mother does not want him to leave her. She knows that once Aloo goes to a foreign land, he may not return home. However, when she sees how disappointed and unhappy her son is, she decides to his
She gives up her own selfish hopes for her children and raises the money to send Aloo overseas. Out of love for her son, she lets him go and trusts him to keep his promises to her.
MESSAGE
The of family and community is important When Aloo receives the scholarship offer, he is very excited. However, his dream is in danger of being destroyed because his mother says that she does not have the money to send him to America. She also does not his plan to leave because she wants him to stay by her side.
Seeing his unhappiness, Aloo's mother seeks the advice of a school officer, Mr Velji. He helps the boy's mother understand that getting the scholarship is good for him. This makes Mother think about it seriously and she decides to her son's dream. Without Mr Velji's advice and Mother's , Aloo would not be able to achieve his dream to go to America.
MORAL VALUES
It is important to seize opportunities given to us. In the story, Aloo studies very hard and does well in his exams. He also applies to many universities in America in the hope to further his studies there. His hard work is not in vain as he receives an offer to study at the prestigious California Institute of Technology on scholarship. Knowing how precious the opportunity is, he tries his best to convince his mother to let him go. He knows that this is an opportunity that he must not up.
We must respect our elders. When Mother first objects his decision to study in America, Aloo does not pursue the matter further and seems resigned to study agriculture at the local university. Out of respect, he does not rebel against his mother's decision and only speaks of the matter again after she asks him about it. Both the narrator and Aloo's respect for MrVelji is apparent when they stand up as he enters the room.
By M.G. Vassanji
THE AUTHOR : M.G. VASSANJI
• Born on 30 May 1950 in Nairobi, Kenya and raised in Tanzania. • Received a Bachelor of Science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. • Moved to Canada in 1978 where he became the research associate in the University of Toronto. • Published his first novel, the critically-acclaimed The Gunny Sack, in 1989. • Since then has written six novels, two collections of short stories, a memoir and a biography. • A member of the Order of Canada. • Has won several writing awards.
SYNOPSIS OF THE STORY
Aloo and the narrator of the story are the youngest children in a single-parent family. Their older siblings have all left home. Their mother is a widow who has raised five children on her own. Aloo wants to study medicine, not agriculture. He harbours the ambition to go to America to study. He writes to some American universities hoping to get a scholarship. When a well-known American university offers him a scholarship, Aloo's dream looks set to come true.
SYNOPSIS OF THE STORY
However, his mother says that she cannot afford to send him to America. Aloo is very upset. Mother seeks advice from Mr Velji, a school officer. He tells her that getting the scholarship is good for Aloo's future. He also cautions her that she may lose him if she lets him go so far away. Seeing her son's disappointment, Mother decides to let her son go in the end.
PLOT
In the short story Leaving, the main character Aloo dreams of going to America to study. The events leading to the realisation of his dream are revealed through the eyes and mind of Aloo’s elder sibling, the narrator of this tale.
Exposition After Aloo's sister Razia gets married and leaves home, their mother sells her shop and they move to Upanga, a remote part of town. She wants her two youngest children to have a better life instead of helping in her store.
Climax Mother says that there is no money to send him to America. She accuses Aloo of being a disloyal son for wanting to leave her. Aloo is very upset.
Rising Action Aloo spends time with Mr Datoo, an ex-teacher at their local school who moved to America and returns for a visit. Aloo starts dreaming about going to study in America. He writes to American universities to apply for a scholarship. A famous university offers Aloo a scholarship.
Resolution Falling action Mother goes to Mr Velji for advice. He confirms that the scholarship is a great opportunity for Aloo. After thinking about it. Mother relents and finds the money to send Aloo to America. Before giving in, she makes Aloo promise not to marry a foreign wife and to stay away from bad habits.
Aloo writes home from London where he has stopped to visit an old schoolmate. The letter reveals his fascination with the foreign land.
SETTING- PHYSICAL SETTING PLACE
Kichwele Street/Uhuru Street—noisy, busy part of the town Central part of Dar es Salaam, the commercial capital of Tanzania Upanga - a very quiet place, countryside, only a few houses, no streetlights, a 'lonely, frightening' place (p. 32)
KEY EVENTS
where Aloo's family lived before his sisters left home to be married Aloo's mother has a shop here. where Aloo's family moved after Mother sold the shop
SOCIAL SETTING PRESENT DAY TANZANIA, AFRICA
• In this society, education is highly regarded. • School officers and school teachers are respected and influential eg; Mr Velji and Mr Datoo. • The education system does not allow students to choose their course of study —'nobody could change the list' (p. 33) • Life was hard for women and children. If a woman remarries, her children from the first marriage cannot stay with her but are sent to a children's home.
CHARACTER
Aloo • The youngest child in the family • Finishing secondary school • A smart student—achieved all A's in the school exam (p. 37)
ALOO CHARACTER TRAITS
Obedient dutiful child
EXAMPLES OF TEXTUAL EVIDENCE
Ambitious Determined Resourceful
Adventurous Emotional
Prepared to give up his dream to study in America when his mother says there is no money to send him (p. 36) Wants to study medicine (p. 33) Writes to universities in America (p. 32) Looks up names of universities in books to apply for scholarships on his own (p. 32) Wants to go to another country, likes travelling (p. 32) Cries and shouts when his mother does not his decision to study in America (p. 36)
Mother • Became a widow at the age of thirtythree • Ran a shop business in the town • Changed with age—from a smiling and pretty woman to one who is worried and unsmiling, deep lines on her face, less hair, a rounder body and a voice no longer soft (p.38)
MOTHER CHARACTER TRAITS
EXAMPLES OF TEXTUAL EVIDENCE
Strong and independent
Responsible mother
Loving, protective
Possessive of her children
Self-sacrificing
Traditional-minded
Raised five children without a husband (p. 38) Reminds Aloo not to smoke or drink when he is away from home (p. 40) Refuses to remarry for the sake of her children (p. 38) Does not want her son to leave her (p. 34) Lets Aloo go to America even though she knows that he may not return to her and that she may lose her youngest son (p. 40) Makes Aloo promise not to marry a foreigner (p. 40)
Narrator • Aloo's elder sibling (it is not revealed whether the narrator is a boy or a girl) • A university student
NARRATOR CHARACTER TRAITS
Understanding
Caring
Responsible, mature Observant
EXAMPLES OF TEXTUAL EVIDENCE
Quiet, ive
Understands mother's struggles and sacrifice for the children when she chose not to remarry (p. 38) Plays card games with Mother when she is sad (p. 32) Mother looks to him/her for confirmation about the scholarship offer (p. 34) Notices when Mother is sad (p. 32) Watches what happens but does not interfere
MINOR CHARACTERS
Mr Velji • A school officer, he has a large head, a small neat body, looks clever (p. 36) • Helpful, understands Mother's concern - 'if you send him, you will lose your son...' (p. 37) Mr Datoo • An ex-schoolteacher who went to America • Influences Aloo to dream of going to America to study
Mehroon and Razia • Aloo's married sisters Firoz • Aloo's older brother, a school dropout
THEMES
Leaving and letting go This story’s title Leaving reveals the theme of the story. Aloo wants to pursue his dream to study medicine in America. To realise his ambition, he has to leave his country, his home, his family and his mother. For him, leaving is his desire, but for his mother, letting him go is a sacrifice.
Mother has never believed in leaving her family behind. When her husband died and left her alone with five children, she chose to stay with her children rather than remarry and lose them. This was her sacrifice. She is angry that Aloo wants to leave her and she is worried that she will lose him. He may never return.
In the end, her love for her child wins over her need to keep him at her side. She finds the money and lets Aloo go to America. She could have made Aloo stay, but she chooses to let go because his happiness is more important than hers.
THEMES
Ambition Aloo is a very ambitious boy who wants a better life for himself. Instead of being content with the offer to study at a local university, he seeks a better opportunity and is ecstatic to receive the scholarship to study in America. He has a hunger to learn more than what his little town has to offer and seems to soak up all the new things he sees and experiences in London.
THEMES
Fear of the unfamiliar Both Mother and Mr Velji seem to have great suspicion of the unknown, especially the Western countries and people. Once Aloo has been accepted into the American university, both Mother and Mr Velji believes that he will never return. Mother also fears that Aloo would pick up the negative habits such as smoking and drinking, and makes him promise that he would never marry a white woman.
MESSAGE
Love means letting go Aloo wants to go to America to study but his mother does not want him to leave her. She knows that once Aloo goes to a foreign land, he may not return home. However, when she sees how disappointed and unhappy her son is, she decides to his
She gives up her own selfish hopes for her children and raises the money to send Aloo overseas. Out of love for her son, she lets him go and trusts him to keep his promises to her.
MESSAGE
The of family and community is important When Aloo receives the scholarship offer, he is very excited. However, his dream is in danger of being destroyed because his mother says that she does not have the money to send him to America. She also does not his plan to leave because she wants him to stay by her side.
Seeing his unhappiness, Aloo's mother seeks the advice of a school officer, Mr Velji. He helps the boy's mother understand that getting the scholarship is good for him. This makes Mother think about it seriously and she decides to her son's dream. Without Mr Velji's advice and Mother's , Aloo would not be able to achieve his dream to go to America.
MORAL VALUES
It is important to seize opportunities given to us. In the story, Aloo studies very hard and does well in his exams. He also applies to many universities in America in the hope to further his studies there. His hard work is not in vain as he receives an offer to study at the prestigious California Institute of Technology on scholarship. Knowing how precious the opportunity is, he tries his best to convince his mother to let him go. He knows that this is an opportunity that he must not up.
We must respect our elders. When Mother first objects his decision to study in America, Aloo does not pursue the matter further and seems resigned to study agriculture at the local university. Out of respect, he does not rebel against his mother's decision and only speaks of the matter again after she asks him about it. Both the narrator and Aloo's respect for MrVelji is apparent when they stand up as he enters the room.
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