SHORT STORY : LEAVING

SHORT STORY : LEAVINGBy 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 storyAloo 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. 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.

Synopsis of the storyPLOTIn 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 Aloos elder sibling, the narrator of this tale.

ExpositionAfter 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.Rising ActionAloo 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.ClimaxMother 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.Falling actionMother 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.ResolutionAloo writes home from London where he has stopped to visit an old schoolmate. The letter reveals his fascination with the foreign land.Setting- Physical settingPlaceKey EventsKichwele Street/Uhuru Streetnoisy, busy part of the townCentral part of Dar es Salaam, the commercial capital of TanzaniaUpanga - a very quiet place, countryside, only a few houses, no streetlights, a 'lonely, frightening' place (p. 32)where Aloo's family lived before his sisters left home to be marriedAloo's mother has a shop here.where Aloo's family moved after Mother sold the shopSOCIAL SETTINGPresent 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.CHARACTERAloo The youngest child in the family Finishing secondary school A smart studentachieved all A's in the school exam (p. 37)

Character TraitsExamples of Textual EvidenceObedient dutiful child

AmbitiousDeterminedResourceful

AdventurousEmotional

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 support his decision to study in America (p. 36)

alooMother Became a widow at the age of thirty-three Ran a shop business in the town Changed with agefrom 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)

motherStrong and independent

Responsible mother

Loving, protective

Possessive of her children

Self-sacrificing

Traditional-mindedRaised 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)

Character TraitsExamples of Textual EvidenceNarrator Aloo's elder sibling (it is not revealed whether the narrator is a boy or a girl) A university student

narratorUnderstanding

Caring

Responsible, mature

Observant

Quiet, passiveUnderstands 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 interfereCharacter TraitsExamples of Textual EvidenceMinor charactersMr 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

ThemesLeaving and letting goThis storys 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.

AmbitionAloo 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.ThemesFear of the unfamiliarBoth 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.ThemesLove means letting goAloo 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 support his ambition. MESSAGEShe 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.

The support 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 support his plan to leave because she wants him to stay by her side. MESSAGESeeing 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 support her son's dream. Without Mr Velji's advice and Mother's support, Aloo would not be able to achieve his dream to go to America.

MORAL VALUESIt 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 pass 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.