MEMORIES WE LOST KCSE ESSAY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Memories we Lost Essays & Answers PDF

Memories We Lost Essay Questions 

MEMORIES WE LOST KCSE ESSAY QUESTIONS-"MEMORIES WE LOST" LIDUDUMALINGANI MQOMBOTHI

Write a composition to show how mental health patients and those around them experience many challenges, citing illustrations from Lidudumalingani Mqombothi's 'Memories we Lost' (20 Marks)

Mental health problems bring along with them a myriad of challenges. The patients and the people around them graple with problems such as injuries, ignorance, misdiagnosis et cetera. We should understand these challenges and help make life comfortable for such people. 

The people's ignorance made it difficult to control the illness. They refer to it as a thing meaning they have no idea what it is. The narrator likens it to a monster with spikes and horns and an oversized head. She wishes she could see it approaching so as to stop it. They resort to naïve ways like involving traditional healers to perform rituals and cleansing ceremonies. The mother takes the patient to many 'sangomas' and church and she's given bottles of medication until she is unresponsive. The needless medication only destroys the patient further. They do not understand that she suffers from Schizophrenia which is an illness without a cure. Her sister is forced to get rid of the  useless medication. The 'sangomas' and pastors promise that she would be healed but the illness keeps recurring. The villagers cursed the illness saying its caused by demons. When her mother plans to take the sister to a 'sangoma' called Nkuzi, who uses brutal 'healing methods',  the narrator is forced to escape with her sick sister from home in a bid to protect her. The incomprehension makes the girl suffer more.  

 The illness makes the patient to run away from home in the middle of the night. The mother and the entire village are abducted from their sleep. Men and boys organized a disoriented search party in small uncoordinated groups. Children are frightened. The entire village searches for her in the darkness facing the risk of plunging down a cliff. They would search and search for  the whole night. The narrator's father also had the same illness. He left on a horse to see distant relatives but never returned. He was spotted in some village twice but did not when someone yelled at him. The narrator has no memory of her father but she hopes he would return.

 The illness makes the patient injure herself and even hurt her sister. She smashes her head on the wall until she bleeds. Her terrified sister grabs her and tries to protect her but all in vain since she becomes quite strong. She cracks the wall open with her hand. At some point she throws hot porridge on the sister scalded her chest. The protective sister protects her by saying she accidentally poured hot water on herself. She had to run for safety when her sister had unconsciously flung the pot with hot porridge across the room.She did not mean to hurt her sister. She did it unconsciously since when she gained consciousness she is shocked and devastated. Had she known what she had done, she would never have forgiven herself.

 Mental illness causes disruption of education for both the patient and her sister. She had to drop out of school. When she's attacked by a bout of schizophrenia,  she swings a desk across the room and smashes a window. She had smashed a chair against a wall and and was screaming incoherent words. Her eyes are red. She only comes to her senses when she spots her sister in the crowd.After this incident, her sister also goes truant. She feigns illness to stay at home with her sister. She tells her “I want to be in the same class with you”. They stay together doing sketches and the patient convinces the sister to go back to school and even coaxes her in a wheedling way. Over the years the girls missed so much school that her younger sister caught up and went two grades higher than her.

 The sisters are forced to run away from home when the narrator eaves drops on the mother planning to have her sister taken to a traditional healer named Nzuki. He lives in a remote village miles away from there home. He is famous for ‘baking’ mentally ill people claiming to cure them. He would make a fire from cow dung and weeds and then tie the ‘demon possessed' person on a zinc roofing and place it on fire. This brutal method resulted in death since the narrator does not know anyone who survived Nzuki's ‘baking’. They flees home at sunset. They wander  far away from their village to a village she thinks is known as Philani. She takes her sister to hospital.

 Sick people and those around them undergo many challenges. We should care for such patients with compassion, love and understanding.

Write a composition entitled: Caring for the sick in our societies basing your illustrations on Lidudumalingani Mqombothi's "Memories we Lost".  (20 Marks)

MEMORIES WE LOST KCSE ESSAY QUESTION "HOW MUCH LAND DOES MAN NEED?" LEO TOLSTOY

Unchecked desires result in losses. Write an essay to qualify this statement making reference to Leo Tolstoy’s ‘How Much Land Does Man Need?’ (20 marks)

Pahom's mind is completely filled with abnormal desire to acquire land. This excessive preoccupation with acquiring a lot of land leads to his downfall when he loses everything and ends up dead.

Pahom has a large piece of land but he keeps thinking of only one thing! How he can have more land. Pahom owns 123 acres of land and pasture. He also owns a big house where he lives with his family members. He is, however, not contented with this possession. He desires wider and more fertile land to farm and keep his livestock. He is strongly attracted when a passing dealer tells him about how he acquired 13, 000 acres of land from the Bashkirs. This obsession of acquiring more land makes him to buy many presents for the Bashkirs and to take a seven day journey to the land of the Bashkirs, with a view of acquiring a lot of land. He instead loses everything when he walks for the whole day hoping to get the land for 1, 000 roubles a day. He dies of exhaustion and loses all his property.

 Pahom is so obsessed with the land that he hopes to get the largest and best land above all the people. He starts to walk towards the meadows, as soon as the sun appeared above the rim. He does not even take breakfast. He even has to the take off his outer coat and shoes. He walks for as long that the hillock is scarcely visible and the people look like black ants. He feels he is in sweat and is thirsty. He only turns when its noon. The heat from the sun does not make him stop. He takes his lunch, bread and water, while standing to save time. Eventually he loses everything when he walks for so long, collapses and dies of exhaustion. He loses his newly acquired land and all his old property.

 Despite the physical and mental exhaustion, Pahom does not stop, due to his obsession. After walking for a long time, it was terribly hot and he feels sleepy. The heat makes the air hazy that the people on the hillock can barely be seen. He says it’s better to suffer for an hour and live for a lifetime. He equates the acquisition of land to eternal life. Pahom feels serious pain but he pressures on. He walks with difficulty. His bare feet are cut and bruised. His legs begin to fail but due to his obsession he does not rest. He is so exhausted that he throws away his outer coat, shoes, flask and cap. He only keeps his spade to use as a support. His mouth is parched.  His breast works like a blacksmith’s bellows and his heart beats like a hammer. Even after he feels like he could die of strain, he does not stop. Eventually, he dies of exhaustion and loses everything.

 Lastly, Pahom is so obsessed with acquiring land that he can barely sleep. He lies on his bed but could not sleep. He thinks about walking the whole day in order to mark off a large tract. He lays awake all night and dozes off only before dawn. The next morning his eyes glisten when the chief shows him the land. He could see that it is all virgin soil at a glance. He is told that all he has to do is circumnavigate before the sun sets. Due to his obsession, Pahom walks the whole day, thus becoming totally exhausted and eventually dying due to exhaustion. He loses all the land he had gained and is buried in a six feet piece of land.

 Obsession of any kind is dangerous. Pahom’s downfall is surely due to his lack of contentment and preoccupation with acquiring a lot of land.

MEMORIES WE LOST KCSE ESSAY QUESTION "The President" Mariatu Kamara

Write a composition on the effects of war, using illustrations from ‘The President’ by Mariatu Kamara.

 War is a devastating experience. When a country experiences war, the effects are disastrous. In the absence of peace both adults and children suffer. There is displacement and separation of families. Children’s education may be disrupted. People also suffer physical harm.

 As a result of war, children may be recruited as soldiers in the war. Such children are misused by the rebel soldiers. The child soldiers are dehumanized.  They taunt Kamara before chopping her hands off. The leader asks her to go before he calls her back. The other boys train their guns on her. She begs the boys to spare her since they are age mates. She says that they may be friends. “We are not friends,” the boy scowled pulling out his machete. She tells them to kill her instead of chopping her hands. “We’re not going to kill you,” one boy says. They even ask her to choose which hand she wants to lose first and to ask the president for new hands. After chopping off her hands, they laugh callously and give each other high fives.

 Another effect of war is physical mutilation. The citizens are punished by having their hands chopped off. They are asked to go and show the president their stumps and ask him for new hands. This inflicts physical pain on victims such as Kamara, who does not know what a president is. She feels a sharp, darting pain up and down her arms and feels sicker than she has ever been in her life. Her three cousins Ibrahim, Mohammed and Adamsay also have their hands chopped off. They have to use their stumps to feed, wash themselves, and brush their teeth, yet they are wrapped with bandages. In high school Kamara is faced with a challenge of writing without hands. She has to hold a pen or pencil between her arms. She even fails some exams. The effects of war are surely devastating.

 War leads to separation of families. Kamara is forced to live with her father’s sister, Marie, and her husband, Alie, in Magborou village. They later move to Manarma. She is separated from her family during the rebel attack when her cousins Ibrahim and Mohammed are captured and tied up. Her little cousin Adamsay is dragged by her hair. They are later reunited in Freetown, together with her aunt and uncle. Kamara is separated from her family again, when a good Samaritan, Bill, air lifts her to Canada after her sees her photo, holding her son Abdul when he was five months old, in the newspaper. Here, she later lives with a Sierra Leonean couple who takes her to school. Although, she is in Canada she feels that she needs to support her family in Sierra Leone for they depend on her.

 War also leads to disruption of education for school going children. Kamara, like other children, stopped going to school. Kamara is forced to live in the amputee camp after the rebel attack.  She manages to resume her studies after her relocation to Canada to stay with Kadi and Abou Nabe, a Sierra Leonean couple. Kamara tells them that she needs education to better her life. She is, however, scared to go to school, meet strangers and learn without hands. She is forced to learn a new language and how to write without hands. She graduates from her ESL course with a diploma, ten months after arriving in Canada.

 War leads to children without parents/orphans. Kamara discovers she is pregnant when she is in hospital. She becomes a single mother. The father of her child, Salieu, was shot dead in front of her during a rebel attack. Since her birth canal is too small, she is forced to undergo a caesarean operation. She has to beg on the streets in order to fend for herself and Abdul, her son. Unfortunately, he dies due to malnutrition when he was only ten months old. He is buried in the camp’s mosque. Kamara is devastated.

War results in loss of life. Kamara learns that as many as a hundred people were killed on the day she was separated from her cousins.  She and her cousins were lucky to survive. Salieu, the father of her child, is shot dead by the rebels right in front of her. Abdul, Kamara’s child, is thus fatherless.

 Children are forced to beg on the streets in order to survive. Kamara are her cousins are reduced to beggars since they have no one to provide for their basic needs. Kamara hates every moment of it. On a good day they could make as much as 10,000 Leones (just under ₤2) by pooling their money. When she gives birth to Abdul, she earns more money than her cousins combined. One day, a man drops 40,000 Leones (about ₤7.50) in her shopping basket.  

 Victims of war are forced to live in refugee camps when they re displaced from their homes. Kamara and about four hundred amputees are forced to live in a camp the size of a football stadium. About 1600 family members also move there to take care of them. The camp is filthy with litter and smell of rubbish, dirty bodies and cooking food. The conditions are sickening. They do not complain since it is peaceful. Kamara loses her child due to malnutrition. It is a reprieve for her when Bill offers to bring her to Canada.

 War is a torturous experience for the victims. Innocent civilians are subjected to physical and psychological torture. The process of chopping hands is slow and painful. Kamara is taken back and forth before her hands are chopped. She begs for mercy. The rebels refuse to kill her. They ask her to pick a hand to be chopped first. She tells her age mates that they may be friends. The rebels enjoy the torturing process. They laugh and give each other high fives. Salieu, the father of Kamara’s son, is shot dead right in front of her. She is pregnant in hospital with no hands. She is too young to give birth normally. She has to undergo a cesarean operation. This is both physically and emotionally painful.

 In brief, war is not a solution. It brings about suffering to innocent people. Children like Kamara are the most affected.

MEMORIES WE LOST KCSE ESSAY QUESTION "Stones Bounce on Water" Dilman Dila 

We gain nothing when we betray others. Write an essay to validate this statement basing your illustrations on Dilman Dila's Stones Bounce on Water.

Some people double-cross others while on the pursuit of personal gain. They may go as far as harming or killing loved ones hoping to gain from the betrayal. In Stones Bounce on Water by Dilman Dila, Winnie’s murderers leave empty-handed even after killing her. Chelsea, the Paulsons, Peter and Tim gain nothing from her death.  

Chelsea betrays Winnie. She is Winnie’s business partner. They manage a chain if shopping malls named The Gala together. First, she has an affair with Winnie’s husband Peter. Winnie scowls when Peter and Chelsea talk about honeymoons. She nearly drops her tea (pg 146). When the firecracker goes off, Chelsea hides behind the sofa together with Peter. Strangely, Winnie seeks comfort in Tim's arms rather than her husband’s. Simon also tells the cop Pascal Kivumbi that there is something between Chelsea and Peter. This is after Winnie goes missing. Kivumbi says that many people kill because of love than because of money (pg 160). When Tim suggests that Winnie is hiding and not murdered , Chelsea questions why she would do that to them, her best friends. One wonders then why she would have an affair with her best friend’s husband. The cat is let out of the bag when she marries Peter after Winnie’s death. The Scotland Yard indicts Chelsea and the others for conspiring to kill Winnie for personal gain. Chelsea was to assume sole ownership of the Gala. Simon, the cook, tells the police officer that Winnie suspected everyone including Chelsea. Winnie’s lawyers later prevent Chelsea from inheriting Winnie’s money and The Gala. Chelsea does not gain from Winnie's death.

Joe and Meg Paulson also betray Winnie. The couple is friends with Winnie. They also run a charity organisation together with her. The charity organisation, which includes schools and health centres, was started by Winnie. She funded it for years before it became operational and stable (pg 148). The project is a lucrative business because you get a lot of money and you don’t get to pay taxes. Winnie is the chairperson of the board. If Winnie dies, Joe takes over as the chair (pg  148). Simon and others suspect that the Paulsons are in it for the money and not to help the poor. Winnie suspects that the two also want her dead. The mistrust makes Meg to become an alcoholic. The situation is compounded by relatives who believe she is swimming in money. After Winnie’s disappearance, Simon tells sergeant Kivumbi that the charity project is worth millions of dollars. The Paulsons wanted to control the money. They betray Winnie because of greed. The police officer remarks that money killed Jesus (pg 159-160). After Winnie’s body is found, the police question the Paulsons about the project. The Scotland Yard claims that the Paulsons and others conspired to kill Winnie. Their effort bears no fruit since the charity ceases all operations two years after Winnie’s death. The bad publicity surrounding the murder hurt the charity bringing it to its knees. The Paulsons also fall out with Peter, Chelsea and Tim. They skip Peter and Chelsea’s wedding. They do not profit from the betrayal.

Peter Hoodge betrays his wife Winnie. First, he has an affair with Chelsea. Winnie suspects that he is cheating on her with her business partner. They hide together when a firecracker goes off and scares members of the party. When Winnie becomes paranoid that someone wanted to kill her, Peter tries to calm her down. She, however, retorts that Peter is the top suspect (pg 148). She also says that the police will question him first in the event that she is killed and dumped in the pond. Since they are married with no children he stands to inherit Winnie’s money and estates. Winnie says that they quarrel every time (pg 152). Simon leaves when Peter and Winnie are fighting, shouting and trying to hit each other. That night she locks herself in her room and Peter sleeps in Tim's room (pg 153). When she disappears, Chelsea insinuates that Peter may be the killer (pg 157). The police officer suspects that Winnie was killed by a man since a woman could not carry a corpse all the way to the pond. Peter is a suspect. Tim also claims that Peter made Winnie feel worthless (pg 161). When Winnie’s body is found in the pond, the police officers question him at length about their quarrels (pg 162). Peter does  not inherit Winnie’s money. Her lawyers block him. Many people believe that he conspired with Chelsea and Tim to kill his wife. Although Tim is the best man at Peter and Chelsea’s wedding, they later disagree on how to share what they acquired. They split the loot and testify against each other in court, giving the police an easy time. The betrayal turns out to be futile.

Lastly, Tim betrays his cousin Winnie. He is only 35 but unbelievably greedy and disloyal. Tim is the only relative Winnie has. When she dies, he stands to inherit her money. He accompanies Simon to the pond where murderers reportedly dump their victims. Winnie is worried that the cook could poison her and dump her body in the pond. She asks why Tim accompanied him to the pond. When Winnie locks herself in the room, Peter sleeps in his room. Were they planning something? When she disappears, Tim insists that she is not dead; just hiding. Peter suspects that he killed Winnie, but he refutes the claims. The police officer suspects the four men including Tim. When the body is found in the pond, the policeman questions him about his relationship with Winnie. Suspiciously, his clothes that he wore to the pond do not have thorns yet Simon’s clothes do. The Yard discovers that Tim called a poacher in Kenya shortly before he came to Uganda. This is in connection with the guard, Okello, who was tranquilized by a dart gun. Ultimately, Winnie’s lawyers block him from inheriting her money. Ironically, he is the best man when Peter marries Chelsea but then they disagree on sharing their ill-gotten wealth and even testify against each other in court. Tim, like the others, does not benefit even after betraying his cousin.

Clearly, when we betray others, we stand to lose rather than gain. 

MEMORIES WE LOST KCSE ESSAY QUESTION "Memories we Lost" Lidudulimalingani Mqombothi 

Mentally ill patients need love and care. Write an essay in support of this statement basing your illustrations on Memories we Lost by Lidudumalingani Mqombothi.

Sick people need love and compassion in order to live more bearable lives. In Memories we Lost, the sick girl suffering schizophrenia faces numerous challenges but her sister is always by her side. The love and kindness displayed by her thoughtful sister help her to cope with the trials of mental illness.

First, she gets rid of the needless medication that was destroying the patient instead of helping her (p 13). When she learns about the condition her sister has – schizophrenia, she decides to get rid of her arsenal of ineffectual medication. She learns about schizophrenia from her teacher in school. Although the condition has no cure, she knows that her sister deserves to feel something, anything. Initially, the patient had ingested so much pointless medication that she had become unresponsive. She could only afford to nod at irrelevant moments. Together, the duo covertly do away with the medication by burying the roots the patient had to chew and throwing away the medication drink after taking empty sips. This helps the patient to begin to recognize herself. The sisters begin to communicate again after inventing a new language made up of gestures and a few words. They begin to love each other again. They sit together staring at the horizon, smiling, laughing, crying and holding hands. They jump and laugh in the rain creating new memories, in order to fill the void left by the memories they lost. The previously forlorn patient returns; she even manages to smile and laugh (p 14). Her sister’s love makes her life more tolerable.

The considerate girl goes truant from school in order to take care of her sister who had had to drop out. Things get worse for the patient in November while she is at school. She flings and breaks furniture and smashes a window while screaming strange words. When she spots her younger sister in the crowd, she calms down. She is forced to drop out of school. Every morning, her sister throws up feigning sickness. Their mother asks her classmate to tell the class teacher that she had come down with an illness. She offers to wait for the sister to get better and says she wants to be in the same class as she. The patient knows that their mother and the teachers would not allow it so she begs her kind sister to go back to school. Their stay together at home is fruitful since they spend the week together drawing sketches of each other – looking alive, more happy and less torn. The sister eventually returns to school but the sick girl misses so much school that her younger sister catches up with her and goes two grades above her (p 12-13). All in all, her sister’s concern and care make her life more bearable.  

The considerate girl tries to prevent her ailing sister from inflicting self-injury (p 11-12). This is when the patient bangs her head against a wall till she bleeds. This happens when they are playing together, racing around the rondavel and talking about physical changes in their bodies.  The kind girl always hoped that she would see the attack approaching so that she could stop it. She was convinced at the time that if one observed more carefully they could see it coming. She envisions it having horns, spikes and an oversized head. She hopes her sister could not see the “monster” approaching, because it is unbearable to see a monster coming for you and not being able to run. When the patient begins hitting her head against the wall gently, her sister thinks she is providing a rhythm for her anecdote. However, she screams and smashes her head until she bleeds. The sister shows compassion when she tries to grab her and make her stop. She holds her hands and binds them behind her back and lays her body against her sister’s but the patient easily pushes her away. For a long time, the smell of blood lingers in her dreams, clothes and everything. She tries to protect her sister from injuring herself because she loves her.

The compassionate girl helps her sister to escape from home to prevent her mother from taking her to a callous sangoma (traditional healer) known as Nkunzi (p 17-18). When she goes to milk the goat she eavesdrops on her mother and uncle talking. Since the medication and rituals are not working, their mother and Smellyfoot plan to send the schizophrenic girl to Nkunzi. Nkunzi is famous for “baking” schizophrenic patients. He makes red hot fire from cow dung and wood and ties the “demon possessed” person onto a zinc roofing placed on the fire. He claims to be baking the demons. This is a cruel and life-threatening procedure. The young girl cannot allow it to happen to her sister since she loves her so much. They escape together with her sister but she tells her that they are visiting a sick aunt. They walk for a long time going by a river, up a mountain and down into another village. She has no idea where they are going but cannot return home as long as their mother is alive. Their mother’s and the villager’s ignorance aggravates the situation rather than improve it. They resort to purposeless measures like numerous church sermons, bootless rituals and unavailing medication. They also insult “the mysterious thing” disturbing the ailing girl. The considerate girl cannot tell her sister the real story about the escape and her disease – a mental disorder. She conceals the truth with a view of protecting her. They end up at a hospital – light at the end of the tunnel. Because of her loving and kind disposition, the young girl helps her sister get by with the burden of living with a chronic mental disorder.

Lastly, when her sick sister throws hot porridge on her, she is not angry with her (p 12). The patient hovers over hot porridge and suddenly flings the pot across the room, scalding the sister's chest barely missing face. The sister runs through the door of the rondavel and tears off her clothes. The pain is unbearable. When the patient regains consciousness, she is devastated. The thoughtful girl protects her by saying that she accidentally poured hot water on herself. Had she been told the truth, the patient would never have forgiven herself.

In conclusion, it is important to show love and kindness to the sick among us. This makes their lives more bearable.  

MEMORIES WE LOST KCSE ESSAY QUESTION "The Folded Leaf" Segun Afolabi

Write a composition to show how unscrupulous preachers take advantage of Christians to enrich themselves basing your illustrations on The Folded Leaf by Segun Afolabi.

Some exploitative preachers dupe unsuspecting faithful and cheat them out of their hard-earned money, with a view of enriching themselves. They encourage the congregants to give generously in order to fund their lavish lifestyle while promising to heal or help the gullible flock. In The Folded Leaf, Pastor Adejola Fayemi is one fine con artist that tricks many people and lives opulently.

Pastor Adejola Fayemi has enriched himself at the expense of his credulous followers (p 81). When Reverend Abbe prays, she asks God to allow his messenger – Pastor Fayemi, to heal his children; Bunmi, Samuel, Tunde and Mrs. Kekere. The preacher is famously known Daddy Cool because he owns a helicopter and a Gulfstream jet and has homes in Florida, Switzerland and the Caribbean. He is also frequently featured on TVs, newspapers and magazines. He has a proclivity for wearing dark glasses. When they get to his church, Tunde is interested in seeing his aeroplane or helicopter. He is disappointed to see many wheelchairs instead. Although they have faith when they visit Lagos for healing, eventually the journey turns out to be fruitless when they return the same way they came. This is even after they give a generous donation in church (p 88). When the miracles do not happen, Bunmi notes that Papa must return home to face her mother, Reverend Abbe, Reverend Okulaja and all the congregants and offer an explanation since they have given away all the donation - that took months to raise – in one single collection. They return empty handed (p 92). The unchecked trust they have in the conniving pastor does not pay off. He exploits them for his own benefit.

Secondly, the pastor's sermon is hinged on the gospel of prosperity and healing (p 86). He says that God does not like the poor. He talks of having all the riches of the world right there, right then and that there is more wealth than we can imagine. He urges thousands of church goers to give generously claiming that giving is pleasing the Lord. Papa distributes funds they raised for months at their local church to Tunde, Mrs. Kekere, Sam and Bola. They give all the money to pastor Fayemi hoping to receive miracles and healing in return (p 88). Bunmi can hear a voice different from pastor Fayemi's booming, urging people to give all they can. He cautions them that God sees into their hearts and they should not cheat Him. The man is simply trying to squeeze money out of the hopeful faithful. This money is used to fund the pastor's affluent lifestyle. The church is full of people expecting healing or miracles. The pastors promise that there will be healing. They claim to cure cancer, arthritis and other ailments. However, Bunmi, Sam, Tunde and Mrs. Kekere who are disabled do not receive any miracles even after offering generous church donations.

Mr. and Mrs. Ejiofoh are treated with utmost decorum since they are rich. When they arrive at Pastor Fayemi's church, they are whisked away to the VIP area whereas Sam, Bunmi and Mrs. Kekere are ushered to the back of the arena. The couple's outward demeanour depicts them as opulent so the greedy ushers give them preferential treatment since they expect generous donations from them. Mrs. Ejiofoh's embroidered lace is soft and cost a lot of money. Mr. Ejiofoh is a wealthy  man. He takes his family to Rome for a vacation. They stay in expensive hotels such as Intercontinental while on such sabbaticals. Bimbo, his daughter drives a Volkswagen Passat. Mr. and Mrs. Ejiofoh believe that you give and you receive in abundance. They are famous for their church donations. Unsurprisingly, they are accorded VIP treatment at Pastor Fayemi's church, since imminently they would donate generously to the church. The preacher takes advantage of their faith to fleece them.

Pastor Fayemi and associates use fake miracles to give the congregants false hope, while tricking them into having greater conviction thus easily defrauding them. The church is packed to capacity with disabled people seeking miracles or healing. Tunde exclaims that the place is wheelchair city (p 87). Papa desperately says that they should run when the pastor calls them. They travel from Leke Street all the way to Lagos in pursuit of miracles. Reverend Abbe prays to God to heal Bunmi, Sam, Tunde and Mrs. Kekere, through his messenger - Pastor Adejola Fayemi. The church is full of people to the point that it is stifling. The pastor declares that there will be healing and asks someone to stand up from a wheelchair. Sam tries to stand up in vain. Mrs. Kekere says that she is prepared to receive healing. The pastors claim to cure many ailments including cancer and arthritis. Papa tells Bunmi, his blind daughter, that she will see them tonight after she is healed. An old woman throws her cane down and starts dancing stage (p 89). This gives them false hope that Mrs. Kekere and Sam will receive a miracle and dance too and Tunde's heart will be healed. They are, however, not allowed on stage. They have to return home disappointed after the trip and their efforts prove futile. Papa has to face Rev. Abbe, Rev. Okulaja, Mama and other congregants and tell them how their months worth of donations was given away in one collection only for them to return the same way they went. Pastor Fayemi uses fake miracles to deceive unsuspecting Christians and cheat them out of their money.

The world has good people and evil people. Some people hide behind religion to swindle desperate faithful of their hard-earned money. Such preachers become opulent by exploiting guileless believers. 

MEMORIES WE LOST KCSE ESSAY QUESTIONS-"WINDOW SEAT" BENJAMIN BRANOFF

Developing African countries face many challenges in a quest for urbanisation. Write a composition in support of this statement citing illustrations from Window Seat by Benjamin Branoff.

Many African countries are faced with problems like poor roads, ineffectual public officers, noise and air pollution among others. In Window Seat, Branoff experiences some of the trials bedeviling African countries, while on a bumpy daladala ride in Dar es Salaam.  

The daladala (van) that the mzungu boards is overloaded and thus quite uncomfortable. Most residents of Dar es Salaam are forced to use this means of transportation. The old Hyatt van is extremely crowded. The van is built to carry about ten people but nearly twenty five people ride in it. The van has three rows packed with 4 people each, 2 half rows of 2 people, a backward facing row which sits on the engine and is thus hot and 2 passengers sit in front with the driver. The van is so brimful that the conductor is forced to stand by the door. It gets worse during the rush hour. Four more people stand with the conductor, bringing the total number of passengers to twenty eight yet the family van is built for eight (p 63). The mzungu tries not to jab the man in front of him. However, he concludes that that the man will not care since this is not his first time in the van, which he humorously calls sardine tin. The mzungu sits in a foetal position with his knees wedged between the abdomen and the front seat since the van is packed to capacity. The seats are too high and some passengers keep hitting the rusty ceiling (p 62). At his stop, the narrator has to squeeze his way out of the unbelievably packed daladala. In the second bus which is equally overloaded, he gives up his seat for an old lady (p 68). When the van stops, he intrudes into people’s personal spaces inadvertently. He grabs a man's shoulder. Overcrowding in public transportation is a common problem in developing African countries.

Many government officials in developing African countries especially police officers are corrupt and ineffective. When the vehicle stops near a policeman, the American narrator is the only one who fails to see apparently obvious problem with the police officer. Everyone else does and smacks their lips in disapproval. The policeman stops the van in an authoritative motion and casually inspects the vehicle. He inspects the blinkers, light and windshield and seemingly everything is in order. The mzungu notices that the driver and conductor are ostensibly annoyed by the policeman. In this happenstance, they lose not only time but also money since the unprincipled policeman is trying to squeeze a bribe out of them. He has something other than civil service on his agenda (p 66). An argument ensues between the officer and the driver. The policeman grabs the car keys despite the spirited objections from the driver and conductor. Only one thing could end the ordeal – the driver bribing the officer. When he does, the corrupt officer waves them away, never mind that the van is overloaded. Corruption is a big challenge in developing African countries.

Most African cities are unbelievably noisy and chaotic. At Mwenge, a man moves around on a mobile music stand with tonnes of CDs and a large stereo system. He blasts some horrible 80s music through the speakers. Conductors shout at the top of their voices, advertising their daladalas. The mzungu is dubious about the whole idea since it seems like they are trying to convince travellers to abandon their original ideas and jump on their daladala. As he heads towards Posta buses, he is barraged with relentless enticing shouts of daladala advertisements. He muses that the persistent offers make him to begin to rethink his route. Maybe he should go to Bagamoyo or Msasani instead of Posta. The noise is undeniably annoying and unnecessary. Noise pollution is a common problem in developing African nations (p 64-65).

African cities are faced with the challenge of overpopulation. The cities are overcrowded making them uncomfortable, unsafe and undesirable. When the bus stops, the narrator sees a million feet shuffle in and out of his window view. He spots a white woman in the crowd but when he alights he can barely find her in a sea of heads; swaying with the currents of human traffic. He drops the idea of foolishly running through the crowd shouting to get her attention. He has to go through a sea of human traffic to get to the Posta buses. When he boards one, they manoeuvre through the human sea, their feet dangerously close to the moving daladala. They return to the road after negotiating the sea that occupies the bus station. Overpopulation is one of the unpleasant problems African cities grapple with (p 64-65).

Another challenge facing developing African nations is poor waste management (p 65). People burn rubbish and dead foliage in piles on the side of the road. The fires burn the surrounding grass also. The mzungu picks up various smells – some are pleasant while others are rancid. The smell drifts in through the cabin, through the front window and out through the narrator's. Watching the heads of the front seat passenger by the window, he pretends to be detective Sherlock Holmes, trying to look for obvious warnings of an intruding aroma. When a rancid smell fills his nose, he wishes he could pass the excess around. It smells of garbage, human filth and decomposition. The waste is managed inefficiently by piling it up and letting it rot or burning it. The foul smell lasts a little longer than a few moments. Surely, many African countries are plagued with the challenge of garbage disposal.

Lastly, poverty in developing countries sometimes results in petty theft. The mzungu narrator meets a beautiful young lady he calls “Kanga”. Her body has been moulded by a lifetime of never ending work and deprivation of luxuries. They smile at each other and exchange greetings. He is besotted with her. Since the bus is packed like sardines, the passengers intrude into each other's personal spaces inadvertently. Mzungu could feel the cold warmth of Kanga's hand on his waist. The grip is firm at first and he notices it loosening, as her other hand slips off his jeans. After a long tiresome journey, the mzungu is awakened from his sleep by the conductor, who demands his bus fare. He realizes that his wallet is missing. He checks his right and left pockets and looks back into the floor of the daladala. He checks his back pocket although he never puts money there. He only finds a note from Kanga – the petty thief who pinched his wallet. Poverty and crime are incessant problems in developing countries.  

Developing African countries grapple with a myriad of challenges.

MEMORIES WE LOST KCSE ESSAY QUESTIONS "MISSING OUT" LEILA ABOULEILA. 

Staying overseas can make an individual alienated from their people or cultural practices. Write a composition in support of this statement using illustrations from Missing Out by Leila Abouleila.

When Majdy goes to London to study, he feels homesick and badly wants to return home – Sudan. However, he later feels more at home in London and becomes harshly critical of Sudan. He drops conservative rituals like compulsory prayers and becomes more detached from his people, their way of life and way of thinking.

First, Majdy is no longer loyal and committed to prayers. He quarrels with his wife Samra because he does not own a prayer mat. Furthermore, he does not know where the qibla is since he cannot figure out the direction of the Ka'ba. From Britain, Mecca and Saudi Arabia are south-east but Majdy cannot tell the south-eastern direction from his room. He has been there a whole year without praying! He does not attend the Friday prayers either. This shocks Samra who suggests that he should skip his Friday classes to attend prayers. Majdy prioritises his study and tells Samra that her suggestion is stupid. She is hurt. To make it up to her, he takes her to the Central mosque and buys her a red prayer mat, a compass - which points to the direction of Mecca, and a prayer booklet. On each page was a month with rows showing days and columns showing different prayers. Samra is excited about the prayers but Majdy is aloof and indifferent. He is glad that she says “I” not “we” when talking about the strict prayer schedule. She would pray whether he joined her or not. Samra is hell bent on influencing Majdy to commit to prayers. He remains committed to his course which he says is too hard for him to play truant. Majdy is happy that the trip to the mosque satisfied Samra but he remains disinterested. To her, prayer offers protection, grace and guidance. Majdy is alienated. He is a lazy and half hearted believer who argues that prayer is a distraction, an interruption and an inconvenience especially in the fast-paced civilization of London. He asks Samra to stop nagging him about prayers. He is surely detached from some sacred, compulsory practices of his people.

Majdy is so alienated from Sudan that he feels London is much more civilized. When he returns to London after his summer holiday in Sudan, he enjoys the tranquil quietness away from Khartoum’s perpetual hum that is pleasantly absent. In London, there is continuity of life. When it rains people go about their lives with umbrellas, shelves in supermarkets empty and fill up again and the postman delivers mail everyday. Majdy considers this civilization – security to build ones life and make something out of it. He feels that Samra does not belong in London. Nevertheless, he cannot fathom why she is not excited by the new opportunities in London. She does not admire the way people go about their business with efficiency and decency. Here, the ambulance and fire engines never let anyone down. Furthermore, financial transactions using cheque cards are convenient and pigeons and ducks in the parks are not molested or eaten. Majdy feels that London is a paragon of civility and Sudan is too far behind to catch up. He plans to get a work permit once his student visa expired, and remaining in London after his PhD.

Thirdly, Majdy feels that his home, Sudan, is backwards and uncivilized. When students demonstrate over the planned execution of an opposition leader, Majdy does not have the anger in him to join the demonstration. Back in London, he wants to get a work permit since he does not plan to go back to Sudan after he gets his PhD. Samra wants him to return to Sudan and work as a lecturer. He says if he did, he would not be able to afford an apartment because of the poor pay. Other problems bedevilling Sudan include lack of fuel and unreliable electricity supply. Defrosted fridges are used as cupboards with soggy food rotting inside as a result of frequent power blackouts. Also, most people waste valuable time bickering about politics and job promotion is based on political inclination and not merit. Majdy refers to Sudan as a large crazy country owing to its backwardness. Samra thinks he is disloyal. Due to shortage of public transport vehicles, Majdy's mother is forced to hike a lift from a stranger after waiting in vain for hours. She is forced to make several trips to the central post office in Khartoum and sit for hours on the uncomfortable wooden benches in the stifling heat in order to communicate with her son. Poverty stricken children try to sell hairpins, chewing gum and matches and beggars sit by the mosque. Samra's teacher irks her when she says she must be relieved to be away from war and famine in Sudan. Majdy is alienated because of the fact that Sudan is uncivilized compared to London.

Majdy feels that Samra is stuck in the past by adoring Sudan since she misses out on the present. Instead of enjoying London’s beauty, she broods over how poor her own people are. He finds her homesickness irrational and is baffled by her unwillingness to embrace the new life. This blindness blocks her progress and possible gains. She misses out on so many choices and opportunities. Majdy feels that other Sudanese women in London blossomed in the new surrounding – they wear tight trousers and smoke cigarettes. He does not expect Samra to necessarily ape this but expects her to capture and embrace the spirit. She, however, remains shy and reserved. She insists on wearing her tobe - the traditional Sudanese attire and covering her hair. Despite being far away from home Samra prays faithfully. She acquires a prayer mat, a compass and a prayer book. Majdy wants her to enjoy the lively, civilized London life. She should be grateful to him for rescuing him from the backward Khartoum. She on the other hand wants Majdy to return to Sudan after his studies overseas. She fantasizes about sleeping in the afternoon under a fan, their children playing on the roof, taking mint tea and gossiping with neighbours. Majdy is worried about Samra's aloofness that he enrolls her for word processing classes to keep her busy. She drops out of the school when the teacher talks impertinently about her beloved home country Sudan. He finally capitulates and sends her back to Sudan – much to her delight.

Being away from home can alienate one from his people or their culture.

MEMORIES WE LOST KCSE ESSAY QUESTION "No Need to Lie" Rolf Schmid

Strong will and optimism help one overcome challenges. Write a composition to validate this statement making reference to Rolf Schmid’s No Need to Lie.

Diseases like cancer bring along with them many predicaments. Many patients die because they lack hope and despair on life. If treated or well managed, cancer can be defeated. One needs strong willpower and optimism in order to beat cancer. Rolf Schmid’s obstinate refusal to be defeated by cancer is a perfect example of mind over matter tenacity.   

After developing scary health and physical symptoms, Rolf Schmid is fearful about the impending diagnosis. However, when doctor Rupani tells him that he has cancer, he says that his willpower is strong and determined (p 125). What starts as persistent sore throat turns out to be a more grave illness when Rolf's doctor Mrs. Van Enk suggests that he sees a specialist. Fear grips him. He wonders if it is AIDS which he considers a death sentence. He is concerned about the stigma and what his family, friends and guests at his restaurant would say. He even contemplates suicide. He is determined to live and opines that suicide is for cowards. He manages to keep calm but the word AIDS keeps creeping up (p 123). The ghosts of cancer and AIDS haunt Mr. Schmid and he is really scared. His strong willpower and determination to live are evident when he says that his children need him and he wants to see them grow up. “I could not let myself die,” he thinks. Worry robs his wife Asmahan and him of sleep. He thinks of people that die of cancer everywhere and his mind is preoccupied with “cancer, cancer, cancer” (p124). Dr. Rupani finally informs Rolf that he has cancer but tells him that he can battle and win. Rolf thinks of his children, wife, business and future and declares that he is not going to die. He is too young to die. He repeats this message over and over to send it to every cell in his  body (p 125). Before he travels for his operation at Katharinen Krankenhaus in Germany he is trapped in worries. He remembers doctor Meister, who did not make it after an operation, and he was diagnosed with a similar illness as Rolf. He thinks of being buried next to his grandmother in the event that he dies during the operation. However, he remains optimistic that he is not going to die. He tells himself, “You are not ready to die.” (p 132).  Rolf resolutely declares that he is not going to give in to cancer (p124). He battles cancer bravely  and eventually manages to beat it. Surely, strong willpower is important when battling predicaments such as cancer.  

Rolf determinedly endures the unpleasant side effects of treatment bravely because of  his strong willpower. When he goes for radiation treatment, the room is full of patients who have lost their hair and look appalling. The humongous radiation apparatus are intimidating and  threatening (p 125). The radiation treatment continues for a month. Furthermore, Rolf has to undergo four sessions of chemotherapy to kill the cancer in his body. He dreads the word chemotherapy. It makes patients feel sick and brings with it a myriad of miseries e.g. loss of hair. The thought sends shivers down his spine. Nonetheless, he hopes it will cure his cancer. He is still worried that he will lose his hair and be very sick. His friend Alberto tells him to be brave. He tells him that some people get violently sick while others do not and that it all depends on the patient’s mind and physical constitution. Rolf bravely endures an eight hour drip without experiencing nausea or vomiting. The nurse tells him that he is a really strong ndume (man). He even goes to his Polo Club to show everyone how strong he was (p 128). Due to the treatment, he loses half his hair and part of his beard. His tumor shrinks and this is a glimmer of hope. He knows he is not going to die (p 129). After the operation, his head swells twice its size and half of his neck is missing. He faints when he notices this and every time the wound is cleaned. He manages to walk out of the hospital thinking he had beaten cancer. Eventually he returns to Kenya having defeated cancer (p 135). Surely, strong willpower is vital for survival.  

Rolf Schmid resolutely endures the pain that comes with cancer. His mouth is full of ulcers and the skin is peeling. The pain is excruciating. He cannot take it any longer (p 125). Rolf has difficulty in feeding because of the pain. He cooks minced meat and vegetables, celery, leek, carrots and 3 litres of water, cools it down to body temperature and strains it through cloth. The mere thought of the liquid passing through his mouth scares him. The ritual of feeding through a half inch pipe is painful and torturous. He has no option since he needs food and lots of fluids to beat cancer. He struggles to eat determinedly lest Dr. Rupani confines him in a hospital and feeds him intravenously (p 126). If anything touched his raw lips, gums or sore throat he would groan in pain. Despite the  severe agony, he has to continue with this ritual, his only chance of survival. He compares cancer to a rival in a judo match – he is determined to defeat him with a full “ippon” – a knockout  win! He sips his “survival juice” and urges himself to go on and congratulates himself when he succeeds. Sometimes he chokes and coughs and screams in pain – it feels like a ghost is biting and tearing his neck and throat. He is ashamed when his friends find him screaming in pain (p 127). Sometime he feels mental rejection of the food. He realizes that cancer patients die because of lack of hope or because of despairing on life. He has a strong unstoppable desire for health and life. He remains strong for the sake of his wife Asmahan. He wants to continue playing Polo and making sculptures (p 128).

Rolf Schmid suffers weight loss but he remains resolute until he beats cancer. Rolf Schmid is a big athletic man weighing 120kgs. He could bench press 165kgs and squat 240kgs. As a result of the cancer, he looks like a malnourished old man. A friend muses that he looks like a Labrador puppy. He loses 300 grams in one day. He weighs 87.3kgs down from 125kgs. He is a pale shadow of his former brawny self – a powerlifter with a chest of 54 centimetres and very wide biceps. This makes him think of death. However, summoning the faces of his children, he has a reason to live. His ardent personality keeps reminding him not to give up.  “You cannot die now” (p 126). When he goes for his Polo game, he is almost 36kgs lighter than before. His horses must mistake him for someone else (p 129-131). One of his clients is astounded by the change. He has dropped almost 40kgs in 3 months. His face is hollow, hair and beard almost nonexistent (p 132). Nevertheless, Rolf fights stubbornly until he beats cancer.

Rolf manages to beat cancer because of his mind over matter attitude and his stubborn refusal to die. His strong willpower and optimism are admirable.

MEMORIES WE LOST KCSE ESSAY QUESTION "How Much Land Does Man Need" Leo Tolstoy

Greed causes suffering. Write an essay to justify this statement citing illustrations from Leo Tolstoy’s “How Much Land Does Man Need?”

Pahom is filled with intense and selfish desire for land. His irrational avarice makes him to suffer greatly. Due to his lack of contentment, he undergoes intense distress of body and mind and eventually loses his life.

Despite owning 123 acres of land and pasture, Pahom desires to have more land. Pahom is a relatively rich farmer living in the countryside of Russia. Apart from land, he also owns a big house in which he lives with five family members. Furthermore, he keeps cattle whose number keeps increasing. He thinks that his land is not big enough. He wants wider and more fertile lands. He has a desire to farm widely and keep more livestock. All day, he keeps thinking about only one thing: “How can I have more lands?” Despite having all these possessions, Pahom lacks happiness and satisfaction because of his greed.

When a passing dealer tells Pahom about the land the Bashkirs are selling, he is strongly attracted due to his greed. The passing dealer stops to get some feed for his horse. When taking tea, they have a talk. He is returning from the land of the Bashkirs which is very far away. He had bought 13,000 acres of land all for 1000 roubles. Pahom asks whether it is true but says, “There must be a catch.” The dealer shows him his title deed and tells him there is more land than you could cover if you walked a year. The lands are very fertile and the best for farming. Pahom declares that he has to go there and buy land. After inquiring where the Bashkirs are, he buys many presents and takes his servant with him. They take seven days to find the Bashkirs. The chief promises to give him anything he asks for, as a reward for the presents. Pahom says that he would like to have some land for himself. He is mesmerized by the wide fertile lands. The leader tells him that he could have as much as he wanted if he could go round on his feet in a day. However, he must return to the starting point before sunset, otherwise everything would be invalid. Pahom is willing to go to these lengths just to acquire land. His greed causes him distress.

Pahom cannot sleep at night due to the excitement caused by his greed. He is delighted by the Bashkir’s offer. He keeps thinking about the land. He plans to walk the whole day and mark off a large tract. He also plans to make a big pasture in his newly-acquired land and to build a big cottage. Pahom lays awake all night and dozes off just before dawn. In the morning, the chief tells him he could have any part of the land. His eyes glisten with burning desire. It was all virgin soil. The leader puts his fox-fur cap on the ground to mark the starting point. All land Pahom goes round would be his. Because of greed, Pahom could not sleep at night.  Greed is surely a source of distress.

Pahom declares that he would get the largest and best land above all people, betraying his greedy nature. He starts walking towards the meadow, thinking that he must lose no time. He laments that time goes fast. It grows quite warm so he takes off his outer coat and shoes. He walks until the hillock is scarcely visible. People on it look like black ants. He feels sweaty and thirsty but goes on and on. He begins to grow tired. The grass is high and it is very hot. At noon, he decides to rest. Pahom endures suffering because of his unquenchable greed.

At noon, Pahom thinks, “I must have a rest!” He stops walking to have lunch. To save more time, walk more and get more land, he stands while eating bread and water. At first he walks easily since the food strengthens him. It becomes terribly hot and Pahom feels sleepy. In the face of misery, he thinks: “An hour to suffer, a life-time to live”, and goes on. He is about to turn left but changes his mind when he perceives a damp hollow. He thinks that it would be a pity to leave it out. He thinks that flax would do well there. A desire to get the damp hollow makes him not to turn. The heat makes the air hazy. The hillock seems to be quivering and people on it can scarcely be seen. Pahom suffers as a result of his irrational obsession for land.

Pahom loses track of time because of his excessive desire for land. He feels it is too early to return to the hillock despite having walked for a long time and acquiring a great deal of land. He concludes that it is not the time to go back yet. He steps faster in a bid to get more land. He goes over the plain – walking without thinking. The sun is nearly halfway to the horizon. The leader's words hit Pahom’s head and he’s filled with worry. He starts rushing back to the hillock in a straight line. Worry eats him up. Did he go too far? He is in a lot of distress while walking towards the hillock. He walks with difficulty. He was done up with the heat. His bare feet are cut and bruised. His legs begin to fail. He longs to rest but it is impossible. The sun, waiting for no man, sinks deeper and deeper. Pahom is worried that all his effort and money would be in vain. He suffers greatly because of greed.

Pahom is worried that he may lose everything so he begins running. He is distressed that he may have blundered trying for too much. He is far from his goal and the sun is already near the rim. “What if I am too late?” He feels serious pain but still presses on. He throws away his outer coat, his shoes, his flask and his cap. He keeps the spade for support. His shirt and trousers are soaking with sweat. His mouth is parched. His breast is working like a blacksmith’s bellows. His heart is beating like a hammer. His legs are giving way as if they do not belong to him. Pahom is seized with terror. He could die because of strain. Though afraid of death, he could not stop. His greed fuels his ambition and he suffers in the process.

The last nail on Pahom's coffin is that he actually dies and loses everything. He runs on and on and he can hear the Bashkir's shouting to him. He can see the people on the hillock. He can see the fox-fur cap on the ground so he rushes on with all his remaining strength. He bends his body forward but his legs can hardly follow fast enough to prevent him from falling. When it grows dark, he gives out a distressful cry, “All my labour has been in vain.” The Bashkir's urge him on when he is about to stop. He takes a long breath and runs up the hillock. His legs give way, he falls and reaches the cap with his hands. The leader is mesmerised by Pahom's determination to get much land. He exclaims that he is such a fine fellow. Unfortunately , he had lost all his strength and died. Despite suffering dreadfully and gaining much land, he is buried by his servant in a six foot grave. That’s how much land he needed. Pahom's greed results in his loss, misery and death.

In conclusion, lack of contentment is dangerous. If we do not check our greed, we suffer great losses. Pahom loses everything including his dear life because of his insatiable desire for land.

MEMORIES WE LOST KCSE ESSAY QUESTION "Umbrella man" Siddharta Gigoo

Inmates in asylums experience many challenges. One needs hope in order to survive. Write an essay to show the truth of this assertion basing your  illustrations on Siddartha Gigoo's "Umbrella Man". 

In the face of trials or challenges, we need to remain positive, confident or hopeful. Number 7 endures the desolate life in confinement with buoyancy. He is finally released.

The inmates are confronted with the challenge of restricted movement. First, they are allowed to go out of their cells only in the evenings. Even then, they can  only stroll within the compound of the asylum. Due to his obedience and calm disposition, Number 7 is the only inmate allowed to saunter out of the gate. Even he can only enjoy limited liberty. He walks along the 90 something yard avenue that ends at the wall. The inmates are restricted within the 120 square metres asylum. Beyond the stone-and-brick wall, there is nothing but vast darkness or oblivion. Their lives ended at the wall (pg. 46). While enjoying his limited freedom, he is alerted by the booming siren to return to his cell (pg. 49). He seems to envy the puny little fellow, who is free to do whatever he wanted to do and roam about without any restrictions (pg. 50). Despite this problem, Number 7 remains hopeful. He walks around with his umbrella hoping it would rain, even though for seven months it has not rained. He waits patiently for the swelling clouds and rain. Despite the restricted freedom, Number 7 clings to hope since he has something to look forward to.  

Secondly, the inmates have no visitors or worldly possessions. Number 7 has not had any visitors for many years. None of the inmates has visitors. They also have no material possessions other than two sets of clothes – woolen and cotton. The umbrella is Number 7’s only companion is his solitary cell. His beautiful umbrella makes him smile. Not many in the asylum know what beauty is. He takes leisurely walks on sunny afternoons, holding it aloft. Despite not having any visitors or belongings, Number 7 is happy and satisfied since he owns the beautiful yellow-and-red stripped umbrella. He keeps hope alive that one day it would surely rain (pg. 48).

Also, the inmates locked up in the asylum endure loneliness. On lonely nights, Number 7 imagines he is not alone in the cell. He would see the image of a child. He would wake up from his nervy sleep to comfort the child. Stroking his hair tenderly, Number 7 would say, "Go back to sleep, I’m by your side".  Number 7 worries about the child and talks to it night after night. As much as he lives a lonesome, desolate life, Number 7 keeps hope alive and offers his imaginary friend companionship. He stays optimistic and hopeful when he prays for the child, hoping for some divine help from the infinite universe. He is a father and mother to the child. He grows old but remains hopeful like a child. It is important to remain hopeful in spite of any challenges we encounter.

Number 7’s chance of freedom is dependent on the decision of other people. They have to put up with unsmiling doctors. On the day of his release, Number 7 receives the news from two attending doctors beaming with smiles. They don’t smile on most days. The doctors claim their effort had yielded fruit and Number 7 is free to go now. This is after they assessed evidence and facts and conducted a careful examination. The committee agreed to their assessment. Number 7 thinks the committee is made up of serious members who never concurred or signed any discharge papers. He knows that their fate was determined by the doctors and the committee. Despite this, number 7 remains sanguine and hopeful until he tastes release and permanent freedom.

Life in incarceration is riddled with a myriad of challenges that can only be overcome if one remains hopeful.

MEMORIES WE LOST KCSE ESSAY QUESTION "The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World" Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Write an essay to show how admirable people inspire change, basing your illustrations on The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World.

Magnificent people motivate us to change or improve our lives. Esteban’s arrival in the village makes the villagers aware of their myopic vision and, without uttering a single word, the dead man persuades the villagers to transform their way of life.

Esteban inspires the villagers to build better houses. The village is made up of twenty-odd wooden houses with stone courtyards that are devoid of flowers. The houses are spread about gauntly on the end of a desert-like cape. The women sewing clothes for Esteban think that if this magnificent man lived in the village, his house would have the widest doors, highest ceilings and strongest floors. After Esteban’s arrival, they decide that everything would be different from then on. Their houses would have wider doors, higher ceilings and stronger floors to enable Esteban’s memory to roam without bumping into beams. They also plan to paint the fronts of their houses gay colors to make Esteban’s memory eternal. Indeed, impressive men transform others.

Before Esteban’s arrival, the villagers were unware of their stark streets and dry courtyards. They become aware of these inadequacies  while fighting for the privilege of carrying Esteban along the escarpment. His beauty persuades them to change this. Their courtyards have no flowers but this will change. The women imagine that Esteban could put so much work into his land that springs could burst from among the rocks enabling him to plant flowers on the cliffs. They even dismiss their own men that for all their lives they could not do what Esteban could do in a day. However, after the encounter with Esteban the villagers decide that henceforth they would put great effort into digging for springs among the stones and planting flowers on the cliff. In future, the smell of gardens would awaken passengers on great liners and captains would admire the village and label it “Esteban’s village”. Surely, great men inspire change.

Esteban persuades the villagers to organize a splendid funeral for him. Initially, they would throw the few dead among them off the cliff. The men plan to get rid of Esteban in a similar fashion. They improvise a litter with remains of foremasts and gaffs and plan to sink Esteban into the deepest waves where fish are blind and divers die of nostalgia. They don’t want him to be brought back to the shore by bad currents. However, when they see his face, they are awestricken by his beauty, the truth in his manner and his sincerity. Surprisingly, they fight for the privilege to carry him on their shoulders. They let him go without an anchor so that he could return if he wanted. Surely, Esteban’s greatness inspires the villagers to change the way they treat their dead.

Esteban arrives in the village as a stranger but later he unites the whole village. First, the women unite to make clothes for him. The tallest men's holiday pants would not fit him nor the fattest one’s Sunday shirts. His feet would not fit in the shoes of the men with the biggest feet. Fascinated by his huge size and beauty, the women decide to make him some pants from large pieces of sail and shirt from the bridal Brabant linen so that he could bear his death with dignity. They sit in a circle sewing. Then, the inhabitants in the village are united as kinsmen. This is because they could not let Esteban return to the waters as an orphan. They choose a father and our mother for him from the best people. They also choose aunts and uncles and cousins and he thus unites them as one large happy family. While the women work together to bring many flowers, the men not only make a litter to carry Esteban but also fight for the privilege of carrying him on their shoulders. This point clearly depicts how a great man inspires change.

At first, the men are not as obsessed with Esteban as the women are. When the women learn that he is not from the neighboring village, they jubilate and praise the Lord saying “He's ours.” The men dismiss this excitement as womanish frivolity. Since they’re tired, all they want to do is to get rid of the corpse once and for all. They plan to sink it in the deepest sea to ensure it wouldn’t come back. The men are jealous when they notice that the women are overly excited and passionate about the dead man. With a tinge of mistrust in their liver, they contemptuously refer to him as a drifting corpse, a drowned nobody and a piece of cold Wednesday meat. But when they see his face, they are left breathless too.  They are impressed by his handsomeness and the truth in his manner. They shudder at Esteban’s sincerity. They end up giving him the most splendid funeral they could conceive for an abandoned drowned man. Clearly, magnificent people motivate others to change.

In conclusion, marvelous people like Esteban have the uncanny knack to inspire transformation.

 

MORE ESSAYS FROM MEMORIES WE LOST AND OTHER STORIES

MEMORIES WE LOST KCSE ESSAY QUESTION "Window Seat" Benjamin Branoff. 

Write a composition entitled: The challenges of urbanization in developing African countries, making reference to Benjamin Branoff’s “Window Seat”. 

MEMORIES WE LOST KCSE ESSAY QUESTION "The Umbrella Man" Siddhartha Gigoo

In the face of affliction hope is essential for man's survival. Write an essay to validate this statement in reference to Siddharta Gigoo's The Umbrella Man. 

 

MEMORIES WE LOST KCSE ESSAY QUESTION "Hitting Budapest" NoViolet Bulawayo

Children need compassion, guidance and love without which they become delinquents. Write an essay to qualify this assertion citing illustrations from NoViolet Bulawayo's Hitting Budapest. 

 

MEMORIES WE LOST KCSE ESSAY QUESTION "Light" Lesley Nneka Amirah. 

Write a composition on the challenges experienced by a single parent raising a teenager citing illustrations from ‘Light by Lesley Nneka Amirah. 

 

MEMORIES WE LOST KCSE ESSAY QUESTION "The Folded Leaf" Segun Afolabi

Self acceptance is vital for a meaningful life. Write a composition to validate this statement citing illustrations from The Folded Leaf

 

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Read the analyses of the following stories. Use the links below:

Memories we Lost

How Much Land Does Man Need?

Light

My Father's Head

The Umbrella Man

Window Seat

The Folded Leaf

Hitting Budapest

Missing Out

No Need to Lie 

The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World

Stones Bounce on Water

 

Enjoy these essays on The Pearl , A Doll's House and Blossoms of the Savannah.