Synopsis

Aloo and the narrator of the story are the youngest children in a single-parent family. Their
older siblings have all left home. Their mother is a widow who has raised five children on her
own. Aloo wants to study medicine, not agriculture. He harbours the ambition to go to
America to study. He writes to some American Universities hoping to get a scholarship.
When a well-known American University offers him a scholarship, Aloo’s dream looks set to
come true. However, his mother says that she cannot afford to send him to America. Aloo is
very upset. Mother seeks advice from Mr Velji, a school officer. He tells her that getting
scholarship is good for Aloo’s future he also cautions her that she may lose him if she lets
him go so far away. Seeing her son’s disappointment, Mother decides to let her son go in
the end.
 Plot

•After Aloo's sister Razia married and leaves home, their mother sells her
shop and they move to Upanga, a remote part of town. She wants her two
youngest children to have a better life instead of helping in her store.
exposition

•Aloo spends time with Mr Datoo, an ex-teacher at their local school who
moved to America and returns for a visit. Aloo starts dreaming about going
to study in America. He writes to American universities to apply for a
scholarship. A famous university offers him a scholarship. rising action

•Mother says that there is no money to send him to America . She accuses
Aloo of being a disloyal son for wanting to leave her. Aloo is very upset.
climax

•Mother goes to Mr Velji for advice. He confirms that the scholarship is a

great opportunity for Aloo. After thinking about it, Mother relents and finds
the money to send Aloo to America. Before giving in, she makes Aloo
promises not to marry foreign wife and stay away from bad habits. falling action

•Aloo writes home from London where he has stopped to visit an old
schoolmate. THe letter reveals his fascination with the foreign land.
resolution
 Characters and characteristics

Aloo

 The youngest child in the family

 Finishing secondary school
 A smart student- achieve all A’s in the
school exam

Character traits Examples of textual evidence

Obedient dutiful child  Promise his mother not to marry a
foreign wife and to avoid smoking
and drinking. (p.40)
 Writes home soon after he leaves.
(p.40)
Ambitious  Wants to study medicine. (p.33)
Determined  Writes to universities in America.
(p.32)
 Willing to work in America to get
money for his studies. (p.34)
Resourceful  Looks up names of universities in
books to apply for scholarships on
his own. (p.32)
Adventurous  Wants to go another country, likes
travelling. (p.32)
Emotional  Cries and shouts when mother does
not support his decision to study in
America. (p.36)
 Angry at Mr Velji remark. (p.37)
 Mother
 Became a widow at the age of thirty-three
 Ran a shop business in town

Character traits Examples of textual evidence

Strong and independent Raised five children without a husband.
(P.38)
Responsible mother Her children are polite and smart
Reminds Aloo not to smoke and drink
when he is away from home (p.40)
Loving, protective Gives up her shop so that her children
can focus on their studies instead of
helping her in the shop (p.31)
Refuse to remarry for the sake of her
children (P.38)
Narrator remembers how Mother used
to hug him/her so tightly that is was
hard to breathe (p.40)
Possessive of her children Sad to see her daughters leave home
(p.31)
Does not want her son to leave her
(P.34)
Self-sacrificing Let’s Aloo go to America even though
she knows that he may not return to
her and that she may lose her youngest
son (p.40)
Traditional-minded Makes Aloo promises not to marry a
foreigner (p.40)
 Narrator
 The fourth of the five siblings
 A university student

Character traits Examples of textual evidence

Understanding  Understands Mother’s struggles and
sacrifice for the children when she
choose not to remarry (p.38)
Caring  Plays card games with Mother when
she is sad (P.32)
Responsible, mature  Mother looks to him/her for
confirmation about the scholarship
offer (P.34)
Observant  Notices when Mother is sad (P.32)
Quite , passive  Watches what happens but does
not interfere

Mr Velji

 A school officer
 He has a large head, a small neat body and
looks clever

Character traits Examples of textual evidence

Helpful Understand Mother’s concern- `if you
send him, you will lose your son…’
(p.37)
Mr Datoo

 An ex-schoolteacher who went to America

 Influences Aloo to dream of going to
America to study

Mehroon

 The oldest of the five siblings

 Married and lives in the same town with
her husband

Razia

 The second of the five siblings

 Married to a rich man and lives in the
town called Tanga

Firoz

 The third of the siblings

 He did not complete his final year in school
 He works in the office of a big shop
 Setting

The story opens in a small town in Tanzania, in a less populated area called Upanga. The family has
moved there from Kichwele Street which was later called Uhuru Street. There are only a few houses
in Upanga and it adjoins a forested area. The sound of insects, small animals and the wind rustling
leaves are in sharp contrast to Kichwele Street where the sounds were of vehicles in a busy street.

Physical setting

Place Key event

 Kichwele Street/ Uhuru Street
 Central part of Dar es Salam, the
commercial capital of Tanzania.
 Upanga
 Where Aloo’s family lived before his
sisters left home to be married
 Aloo’s mother has a shop here
 Where Aloo’s family moved after
Mother sold the shop

Social setting
Present day Tanzania, Africa
 In this society ,education is highly regarded
 School officers and school teachers are respected and influential
 Life was hard for women and children. If a woman remarries, her children from the
first marriage cannot stay with her but are sent to a children’s home.
 The education system does not allow students to choose their course of study -
`nobody could change the list’ (p.33)
 Theme

 Leaving and letting go

 Loneliness and sadness
 Understanding the sacrifices of others
 Having hope for the future
 Understanding one’s finance

Moral values

Self-sacrifices

 Aloo’s mother became a widow at a young age. She had five children to care for. If
she remarried she would have an easier life. However, in their country, her children
from the first marriage will have to go to a children’s home. She refused to marry
again because she wanted to keep her children safe with her. She sacrificed the hope
of an easier life for the sake of her children.
Self-reliance

 Aloo’s mother could have married again so that she had a husband to take care of
her. However, for the sake of her children, she decided to be self-reliant and take
care of her family herself. She provided for the family by opening a shop. Her
children have turned out well.
 Leaving
By: M.G Vassanji