The No. 1 Ladies’ The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency Detective Agency

ByBy

Alexander McCall SmithAlexander McCall Smith

Alexander McCall SmithAlexander McCall Smith

British but born in ZimbabweBritish but born in Zimbabwe Went to school in Zimbabwe and Went to school in Zimbabwe and

ScotlandScotland Wrote many stories about children Wrote many stories about children

and adultsand adults Currently lives in Edinburgh, Scotland Currently lives in Edinburgh, Scotland

with wife and two daughterswith wife and two daughters

Background and ThemesBackground and Themes

Touches on larger problems in Touches on larger problems in modern Africa.modern Africa.• Children being killed for Children being killed for mutimuti

(witchdoctor’s medicine)(witchdoctor’s medicine)• The terrible disease The terrible disease AIDSAIDS• Human Nature and Mma Ramotswe Human Nature and Mma Ramotswe

instinctive understanding of it is an instinctive understanding of it is an important theme.important theme.

• Truth and lies – important themeTruth and lies – important theme

Themes and Motifs ContinuedThemes and Motifs Continued

Relationship between blacks and whites in Relationship between blacks and whites in the novelthe novel

Discovery in Botswana of three of the Discovery in Botswana of three of the world’s richest diamond mines as world’s richest diamond mines as economic stroke of luck for the nationeconomic stroke of luck for the nation

Author’s integration of the ideas of Author’s integration of the ideas of feminism and chauvinism into the feminism and chauvinism into the narrativenarrative

History, individual and general affects the History, individual and general affects the characters of the text.characters of the text.

Setting and SocietySetting and Society

Novel takes place in the capital city Novel takes place in the capital city of Gaborone.of Gaborone.

Mma Ramotswe’s place within Mma Ramotswe’s place within societysociety

Effect of physical topography and Effect of physical topography and geography of Africa on storygeography of Africa on story

History of BotswanaHistory of Botswana

Central South African country smaller Central South African country smaller than Texas, but larger than Californiathan Texas, but larger than California

Hinges on gaining independence in Hinges on gaining independence in 1966 from the United Kingdom1966 from the United Kingdom

Independence due in large part to Independence due in large part to development of extensive diamond development of extensive diamond reserves.reserves.

Structure and PlotStructure and Plot

Use of third person narrationUse of third person narration Switches to first person narration in Switches to first person narration in

Chapter 2 and has Obed Ramotswe Chapter 2 and has Obed Ramotswe narratenarrate