- FAILURE TO GIVE HEED TO ADVICE HAS FAR REACHING CONSEQUENCES. DISCUSS THE TRUTHFULNESS OF THIS STATEMENT BASED ON DIFFERENT STORIES IN A SILENT SONG AND OTHER STORIES
- In BOYI-The father is advised by the wife about the risks of giving Boyi away as he would not return and would be recruited in the militia. Baba defies asking Mama what she wanted him to do? That the militia chopped off the heads of whole families if one did not give them money, carried off fresh like trophies and hanged them on trees and may be ate them like Idi Amin. If she was ready for the torture inflicted with, first, low chopping of the ears then the feeding of worm filled earth to the victims. The consequences of the defiance is that Boyi is recruited into the Militia, becomes Matwa Kei’s right hand man and is then killed by the sergeant by being dropped from an aircraft without a parachute. It also causes untold grief to mama, Baba, and the narrator. Hence failure to give heed to advice has far reaching consequences.
In GOD SEES THE TRUTH BUT WAITS Van Aksionov is advised by the wife not to go to the Nizhiny Fair that day as she had had a bad dream about him; that his hair had turned grey. He insists on going and a mercharnt they had spent the night with was found with his throat cut and a blood stained knife was taken from Aksionov’s bag. He is incriminated and he is bound and put in a cart, feet tied together. His goods are taken from him and is sent to the nearest prison. He is flogged and jailed for twenty six years. Durind this time he is torn away from his very young children and his wife also suspects him. “Vanya dearest, tell your wife the truth: was is it not you who did? Hence failure to give heed to advice has far reaching consequences.
In IVORY BANGLES the chief was told by the seer to beat up the wife and send her back to her parents because the wife was going to die as the spirits were jealous of a happy wife…the chief does not follow these instructions. He says: what can I do to avert this? They can be appeased in another manner. I will give any number of goats.
The chief is advised to marry another wife but refuses. When the wife is attacked by the elephant, he remains alone with only one child.
The wife also does not follow instructions as she tells the husband that the seer once wanted to marry her. She also tells the husband that there must be some way.
The wife also plans to pretend to have been beaten and go to her parents. When her husband came for her, she would refuse which would make the two clans come together to reconcile them. A fine would be imposed on the husband and beer of reconciliation drunk. The spirits would be fooled and life continue as before.
The wife learns of marauding elephants while in the market. On her way back, she hears the scouts telling people to beware of elephants which were coming down in a herd, however on reaching home she out to dig. Consequently, she is attacked by the elephant and stamped to death. Hence failure to give heed to advice has far reaching consequences.
In SINS OF THE FATHERS, Mr Rwafa is opposed to Rondo’s marriage to Selina. When Selina comes to their house for the first time, Rwafa walks out and stays out the whole day. Rwafa also frowned-and even spat- at the relationship. Rwafa also fails to support in their wedding expenses and left town on state business for two weeks after asking
“Who did you say is wedding?”
Consequently, Rondo’s children and father- in- law are killed causing him immense suffering emotionally. The father also commits suicide. Hence failure to give heed to advice has far reaching consequences.
In TALKING MONEY Mukindanyi is warned against selling his ancestral land by his brothers but fails to heed to their advice. He tells his brothers he would not need them calling them “Jinga sana.”This here is my land and I am going to do damn well what I please with it.
Ngoseywe tells him “You will need us some day…you will eat dirt ….you will send for us.”
He ends up losing the land since he had already transferred the land by the time he returns the money , the money, and is in bad terms with the wife whom he has beaten and who forces him to take his money outside after Viganda spirits begin conversing in their house. Hence failure to give heed to advice has far reaching consequences.
