Texte 9 : An impossible match

Introduction

This text is a dialog extract from a novel Night of the Lions written by Kuki Gallmann on 1999. “An impossible match” deals with two friends : Kuki a young wife who lives in Kenya and Julius a young Kenyan boy who studies in UK. Julius announces he wants to marry with a girl, but he can’t because she belongs to the enemy tribe.

I. Julius’s new life

a. From Kenya to England (line 110)

He wants to England to study. He was student at Cambridge. Cambridge is one of the best universities along with Oxford. Such a move turned Julius into a new man: he changed his behaviour and mentality. Manner of speaking “his accent was more polished, the words chosen slowly and with care” (line 4/5) = he is posher + he has the SBE (SOUTHERN BRITISH ENGLISH) Physical appearance “he had grown a light moustache” (line 2) “He seemed thinner, taller” (line 4)

He became westernized as he adopted western habits and culture.

b. Love at first sight

He fell in love with such a beautiful girl: Olinda « I have a girl friend» (line 10) “I love her very much” (line 12) “She is so beautiful” (line 14)

He came back to Kenya so as to break the news to his family and his friend. He is moved. The girl is even comparated to a “fairy which eluded him” (line 14/15) There is even “a longing in his voice” (line 14) Julius is so frustrated that all matters to him is the fact they are separated.

II. A forbidden love

a. two different tribes, two different worlds

Julius comes from kikuyu tribe and Olinda comes from Luo tribe. “They have always been traditional enemies” (line 29)

In Kenya tribal culture is still very rooted in the daily life and most importantly in human relationships.

Tribal rivalry matters more than feelings and emotion.

When western settlers left Africa they drew borders arbitrarily. =This led to post-colonization conflicts.

These two tribes are very different “language, appearance, customs, taste,