The Wind and A Boy

A BRIEF SUMMARY
-In a ward named, Ga-Sefete-Molemo, resided Sejosenye who was a grandmother to a
boy named Friedman. Sejosenye was raising her grandson while the mother continued
working in the city as a typist. Sejosenye loved her grandson dearly and would do about
everything to ensure that Friedman is well and taken care of. Sejosenye was very proud
of her grandson and she let everyone who cared to listen know this. Friedman was the
apple of her eye, they spent so much time together on a daily basis.
-Sejosenye once shocked the entire village during her youth days by leaving her own
village to live with a married man in Ga-Sefete-Molemo. She got married to the man
eventually and that led to her settling in Ga-Sefete-Molemo. In her old age, Sejosenye
remained as beautiful as ever. Confidence was visible in the way she walked and talked,
everyone in the village looked up to her. Not only was she beautiful but Sejosenye was
well acquainted with ploughing the fields, which was quite rare to find women who
could plough.
-Friedman, himself, was also the envy of women in the village. They envied him so much
that they turned a blind eye on all his bad deeds, instead they would find ways to justify
his behaviour. His grandmother had told him all those stories about hunters, warriors
and emissaries of old. As he grew older, it meant more responsibilities. He grew more
and more devoted to his grandmother and assisted her in every way. He wanted a
bicycle to assist him on a day-to-day basis with executing his errands & chores. His
mother sent him money to purchase the bicycle and Friedman couldn’t be more
happier.
-One fateful day, Sejosenye sent Friedman to the shops to buy things that they had ran
short of. Upon completion of the errands that he had been sent to do, Friedman pushed
his bicycle through the sandy pathway and reached the high embankment of the main
road. A truck came speeding his way and before he could fathom what was happening,
the truck had run him over. This accident broke the hearts of the residents of Ga-Sefete-
Molemo. When the dreadful news of Friedman’s premature death reached Sejosenye’s
ears, she collapsed and got hospitalised. The people of the village buried Friedman and
none of them had the guts to go near the hospital where Sejosenye lay. Two weeks later,
Sejosenye died.
-The events of this story took place when Botswana was on the verge of gaining its
independence. The developments that were supposed to uproot and uplift Ga-Sefete-
Molemo brought along dire consequences and misery upon the people.

THE MEANING OF THE TITLE.

The word “wind” is used figuratively and it means changes. Friedman is a young boy
who has a magical wind blowing for him. He has a typical boy’s “bad phase” but he
changes and learns about “life and its responsibilities”, influenced by his grandmother’s
stories. The winds of change are the results of the new attitudes and lifestyles of the
community at large. The wind also became the cause of the boy’s death. Figuratively,
Friedman lived in a care-free world with no rules and consequences and he became a
victim of the winds of political change in his community.

SETTING.
The story takes place in a rural village in Ga-Sefete-Molemo ward, it is at the dawn of
independence in Botswana (1960’s). This means that it was at the beginning or
emergence of a new era in Botswana.

THEMES.

1. Gender Roles
-In this story, there is no sense of equality between males and females. Boys do as they
please, and no one gives them guidance on how to behave as they grow up. They go
wherever they want, leaving home in the morning only to come back after sunset.
-Girls stay at home and perform household duties that include fetching water. There is
an assumption that they do not need any education, and that puts a spotlight on gender
roles.
-When the people learnt that Sejosenye can plough, they became envious of her as that
had been perceived as a man’s duty.

2. Loyalty
-Through everything, Friedman remained loyal to his grandmother. He listened to her
stories and teachings, and emulates the heroes from the stories that he has listened to.
-He would go hunting for the purpose of providing food for his grandmother to eat.
-As he grew up, he became more loyal to his grandmother and wanted to help her in any
way he could.
-Sejosenye was loyal to Friedman too, as she had always been there throughout his life.
-She took him everywhere she went and didn’t cease to express how proud of her
grandson she was.
 3. Change and modernity.
-Towards the end of the story, there is evidence of change and modernity. Although the
village is still rural and predominantly agricultural, there is an emergence of new class
of people who are modern and buying cars.
-The driver of the truck that resulted in the death of Friedman did not have a driver’s
license and he rushed to get a truck so that he could fit into the privileged class.

CHARACTERISATION.
1. FRIEDMAN.
-He is a young lovable boy who is brilliant, talented and naughty.
-He is imaginative. This can be seen from the way he loved listening to the stories his
grandmother told him and he got captivated by Robinson Crusoe’s heroic actions.
-He is very loyal. He remained close to his grandmother and wanted to help her all the
time.

2. SEJOSENYE.
-She is a loving grandmother who loves her grandson wholeheartedly and
unconditionally.
-She is a non-comformist. She did not conform to societal expectations and lived her
life the way she saw fit.
-She is a confident woman. She held her head high even when the society said that she
had committed scandalous acts.
-She is physically strong and independent. Whilst the other women waited for their
husbands to plough the fields, she did it herself.

3. Dr Friedman.
-He is friendly. He was the foreign doctor who worked at the hospital where baby
Friedman was born.
-He is exemplary/role model. Sejosenye saw it fitting to have her grandson named after
him because of his persona and friendly behaviour toward her.

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE.
1. Simile.
“from side to side like a cobra” (Page 134)– Friedman’s movements are compared to
those of a cobra when it moves side to side in the grass.

2. Metaphor.
“small dark shapes” (page 133) – The narrator compares the village boys to small dark
shapes as they sped out of the village to the bush.
“extravagant care” (page 133) – The overgenerous care with which Sejosenye takes care
of Friedman is compared to an extravagent gift of love.
“a small dark shadow” (page 134) – Young Friedman is compared to a small dark
shadow.
“leave your handbag at home sometimes” (page 134)- This is the way other women
referred to Friedman because he never left his grandmother’s sight.
“he was crossing swollen rivers.” (page 137)- The overflowing river is compared to
something that is swollen.

3. Personification.
-“a porcupine hurled his poisonous quills” (page 133)- The speed with which the
porcupine raises its quills is compared to someone throwing something.

4. Irony.
“the gift brought the story of his life abruptly to a close.” (page 138)- It is ironic how the
gift that was supposed to help Friedman ends up being the one to cut his life
prematurely.
“he belonged to the new, rich civil servant class…first announced themselves to the
village.” (page 138) – It is ironic how the presence of the civil servants that was
supposed to bring development in Ga-Sefete-Molemo ended up bringing carnage and
fear instead of hope and joy.

APPROACHING QUESTIONS.
If there’s a question on irony, it is important to show both sides of the events, the
expected and the unexpected.
If a question says you should discuss your view, you may take a stand but be careful not
contradict yourself because doing so will result in you forfeiting marks. However, you
may also decide not to take a stand, when you do this you neither agree nor disagree
with the question. Rather you show both sides. It is advisable to use “however” when
you start taking another side.

Note to you:
I hope today’s lesson was fruitful, I wish you luck on the rest of the year. May God be
with you, remember to pray always. Always do your best and bear in mind that your best
is enough!! Congratulations on making it this far, I’m proud of you.