The Setting Stone and the Rolling World

subjunctive

- Express a wish, a hope, or statement contrary to fact EX: If Musoni WERE traveling, he would walk. - Express a request, demand, or proposal EX: Musoni asks Nhamo BE cautious.

Where is the setting of the story?

- Farm, at sunset

conditional

- Refers to something that many or may not happen EX: I COULD go see Chirmba. I COULD go to swim practice. - Express uncertainty EX: I MIGHT travel by plane. IT MIGHT rain tomorrow.

Main Ideas

- The father gets mad because his son, Nhamo, is going away - He is afraid that his son will get hurt - His father wants his son to stay with him and farm - His son thinks that if he does not go and away into the world, his education will be put to waste - The old man says that he doesn't have anything in the world left - The father makes his final decision and lets his son leave - The father wants his son to know that even if he leaves, his father will be his home. - Nhamo is filled with emotions - He is finally free

Summary

A discussion between an older African farmer by the name of Musoni and his youngest son Nhamo. Nhamo wants to go off alone into the world to find something that he perceives to be a future that is better than what his father's hard-soiled farmland will ever reap for him. Energetic Nhamo sees this move as something full of prospect and hope, whereas his experienced father sees the dangers and broken hopes that will result. Although Musoni may seem like an overbearing, overprotective father, he reveals that "he himself had taken chances before, in his own time". As the story develops, Nhamo reveals that he not only wants to get away from the physical land from which he was born, but also to get away from the tradition that he was brought up to believe. The story ends with Musoni giving his blessings to his beloved son who walks into the uncertain sunset.

Theme

Although it can truthfully be said that there are more than one theme in this short story, perhaps the main one is self-sacrificing current pleasures in order to plant a better future. One way that the author does this is by using foil - Nhamo displays the exact opposite traits of his father - Nhamo sees the opportunities that are presented upon leaving home whereas Musoni sees only the risks - but nonetheless displays a spirit of self-sacrifice of current pleasures just as his father does. For Nhamo, the main one being leaving the comforts - although he will not admit it at the moment - of living at home. For Musoni, the main one is coincidentally the same - Nhamo leaving the comforts of home, but for this character, this realization is constantly in front of him. As a short example of this, consider a clip from their conversation; ""There is no only way out in the world. Except the way of the land, the way of the family." "The land is overworked and gives nothing, father. And the family is almost broken up"" (1), which shows how different Musoni and Nhamo's viewpoints are and thus an example of foil. Another literary device used in this story is that of foreshadowing. What Nhamo says at the beginning foreshadows his 'victory' in the argument with his father in the end; ""I have thought everything over, father, I am convinced this is the only way out" ... "Go son, with my blessings..."" (1, 3), thus foreshadowing Nhamo's success in convincing his father of his need to spread his wings so to speak. This is essential to the story because Nhamo has to get his father's blessing before he embarks on his journey. A third literary device used in this story is imagery. For instance, during one section of the story where the audience sees Musoni's perspective, he uses a word picture to depict how young his son is in his mind; "And where do you think you are going, a mere beardless kid with milk not yet dry on your baby nose?", which shows the audience that Musoni is so worried about his son, not just because he is his son, but even more so because in his eyes his son isn't even grown up yet. This helps to progress the story as part of it's exposition so as to introduce Musoni and his viewpoint. Thus, there are many literary devices in this story, and each one is essential to the story's being.

interogative

Asks a question EX: IS Nhamo happy about leaving? Where ARE you going?

Obligations

DFN: debts to someone due past promise or favors SYN: agreement, duty

Psychological

DFN: of the mind; mental SYN: emotional

Patronized

DFN: treated someone as inferior(lesser) SYN: be gracious to

indicative

Declare a fact or opinion EX: The land IS dry. The capital of Massachusetts IS Boston.

imperative

Give a command EX: DO NOT leave! June STOP talking!

What does his father want?

His father wants him to stay home with him. He is afraid that his son will get hurt.

Exposition -

Introduction to 'Old Musoni' and his son Nhamo approaching him

Rising Action -

Musoni expresses his agitation that his son keeps thinking that the outside world is better than what he his father as well as his land provides; Nhamo is agitated that his father is so overprotective

Resolution -

Musoni lets his son go but still hopes that he will be protected by the charms

Climax -

Nhamo 'convinces' his father to let him go and Musoni gives him a blessing

Falling Action -

Nhamo walks into the sunset

What does Nhamo want?

Nhamo wants to go into the world and do something with his education

The Overview

The audience is first introduced to Old Musoni and then to his son Nhamo as part of the exposition which is important to the story so that the audience knows the background of each individual so that they can understand the characters' viewpoints later on in the story. During the rising action, Musoni and Nhamo have a conversation with each other and also an inaudible 'conversation' with the audience wherein they express their opinions on whether or not Nhamo should be allowed to venture off and make a mark in the world - Musoni thinks only of the dangers whereas Nhamo thinks only of the opportunities. In the climax, the long-running conversation reaches its end as Nhamo finally convinces his father to let him go and Musoni gives him a blessing; "They had taken over two months discussing all this. ... Mere thoughts. Mere words. And what are words? Trying to grow a fruit tree in the wilderness. "Go son, with my blessings. I give you nothing. And when you remember what I am saying you will come back. The land is still yours."" (2) While walking off into the sunset during the falling action, Nhamo reveals to the audience that he is not only happy to find more opportunities in the world that his home would never offer, but also to 'grow past' the charms that he was brought up believing were so protective. As for the resolution, Musoni goes through his mind once again how his son's leaving really gives him an uncertain future and hopes that the charms he will use the following day will prove to help Nhamo as much as possible.

Conflicts

The main source of conflict in the story is external conflict between the only two characters who are talking - Musoni and his son Nhamo - regarding the main theme of self-sacrifice for a better future. The main conflict of course is the father-son conversation/argument about whether or not Nhamo should go out into the world to find a better future. It is resolved with Musoni in a sense begrudgingly blessing his son who resolutely resolves to set out into the world no matter what and will not be convinced to "throw [his education] on the rubbish heap and scrape for a living on this tired cold shell of the moon" (2). A second key problem is Nhamo's internal conflict which contributes to the external conflict with his father - he wants to set himself from the traditions of his father which include "the charms... and it's sickening environment" (3), but cannot escape what he is - an African boy who would be targeted by "beasts that would not leave an unprotected homeless boy alone [particularly] the metal white bird" (1). The 'resolution' to this problem is when Nhamo walks into the sunset and away from his family so that "the psychological ties were now broken, only the biological tied him to his father". (3) A third problem is Musoni's internal conflict which contributes to his external conflict with his son, which can be summed up nicely with this quote; "he himself had taken chances before, in his own time, but he felt too much of a father". (1) The resolution to this problem is the same as with the last problem - sending Nhamo away with a blessing.

Significance of the Title

The title "The Setting Sun and the Rolling World" relates to the major theme of self-sacrifice for a better future practically perfectly. The "setting sun" part demonstrates the better future seen through Nhamo's eyes as well as the uncertain future that is seen through Musoni's eyes. The "rolling world" part demonstrates the constant movement needed to achieve such a future. Thus, the theme and title are linked very tightly which can be seen through even a little bit of perception after reading the story.

At the end of the story does his father say yes or no?

Yes, his father allows him to go into the world, but he wants Nhamo to know that he is his home.