THE SAMARITAN GUIDE FOR KCSE

 Beginner’s Guide to Analyzing The Samaritan by John Lara 

How to interpret and respond to KCSE essay questions on The Samaritan

Wafula Wekati 

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a)     Study the text with a view of unearthing the author’s intended message

b)     Which lessons can high school students (the society) draw from the play?

c)      The lessons are drawn from universal human values as espoused in the syllabus

 

The Samaritan: Reading and analysis

        i.            The initial reading helps the learners to understand the gist of the story.

     ii.             In subsequent readings, the learner should read more intensively for the purpose of precise analysis.

   iii.             They should draw lessons from characters’ actions and the outcomes of these actions.

 

For example: We learn that stealing public funds for selfish gains comes with unpleasant consequences. Justice Ian Jaden’s action of stealing public funds to amass a fortune for himself results in suffering when he is exposed. He is worried of imminent prosecution after the exposé. He experiences painful ulcers and hallucinations. (P112)

 

Reading The Samaritan with KCSE in mind

        i.          Divide the text into episodes

     ii.            Read and internalize the details in each episode

a.      What is the event?

b.      Who are the characters involved?

c.       Which actions/activities are they involved in?

d.      What are the reactions of other characters?

e.      What is the moral lesson in the episode?

   iii.             Cluster: Read related episodes at the same time e.g to understand the story of Bembe read the following pages (P20-32, 37-48, 93-98, 99-112, 123-124, 126, 131, 138)

 

Episodes in The Samaritan

¡  The launch and the award (P1-13)

¡   Mossi’s change of heart (P14-19)

¡   Leaders’ urgent meeting (P20-36)

¡   Mossi’s allies meeting (P37-48)

¡   The students’ plea (49-50)

¡  The parable of the Good Samaritan (P50-51)

¡   Principal Narine summons Nicole (P54-59)

¡   Worried mayor spills the beans (P59-71)

¡   Angry mayor (P71-73)

¡  The convention of the rebels (74-86)

¡  A lesson on ethics (P87-92)

¡  Nicole arrested (P93-98)

¡  Bembe meets Mossi (P99-101)

¡  The grain scandal (102-113)

¡  Jaden seeks Harvester’s help (114-119)

¡  Seeking redemption (P120-127)

¡  Principal's reproach (P128-130)

¡  Remorseful leaders (P130-137)

¡   Justice at last (P137-139)

 

 

Responding to KCSE essays based on The Samaritan

 

1.       Read the question carefully in order to interpret it correctly.

2.      Understand the demands of the question. What is the test?

3.       Identify the keywords in the question.

4.      Identify a character's actions and the outcomes.

5.      Come up with points of interpretation.

 

 

The Samaritan: Sample essay question #1

 

When citizens elect bad leaders, they suffer. Write an essay to support this statement basing illustrations on the Samaritan.

 

a)     Key words: Elect, bad, suffer

b)     The test: Identify an elected leader who is bad and show how citizens suffer as a result of his bad actions.

c)      Cite illustrations on: Bad actions of the elected leaders, details of the citizens suffering, background information events leading to the situation.

d)     The points of interpretation the learner identifies should be based on the test. Anything outside this is tantamount to unpointed narration.

 

 

·         Identify a bad elected leader

·          Cite textual proof of their badness

·          Cite textual proof of the citizens’ suffering

·          Give some background information that is directly related to the situation - citizens electing a bad leader despite his glaring shortcomings e.g. Ted King is elected despite being an apathetic DJ who was notorious for noise pollution, drunkenness and piracy.

 

Guidelines

1. Answer the question on the first line of each paragraph. Demonstrate the correct interpretation of the demands of the question.

2. Come up with points of interpretation and give sufficient textual illustrations based on the leaders' bad actions and the outcome (Citizens suffering)

 

Points of interpretation

1.       Mossi: (Bad actions) Ineptness, misallocation of funds, stealing (34) municipal capture, corruption, abuse of office (39) gang involvement, misuse of public funds (45-48) admission of guilt (60) bribery (61) inflating costs of projects, presiding over shoddy municipal works (62) abdication of duty (67) impuissant (68) under development (81) (Suffering) Runs a criminal gang responsible for lawlessness (7) citizens feel beaten, robbed, stripped and left for dead (51)
2.      Ted King: (Bad actions) Supplying air (24) poor waste disposal (33) misallocation of funds (34) nepotism, favoritism (64) stealing public funds, shoddy work (64) alcoholism (65). (Suffering) Hospitals barely have medicine (9) No drugs in hospitals because of theft (91) serious health hazard (33) public outcry (24)
3.      Seymour: (Bad actions) Corruption, approves improper buildings, runs a murderous gang (66) shootings, violence, selling drugs (66) supply of air (24) misallocation of funds  34 (Suffering) Possibility of disaster in case of an earthquake in the seismically active area, disappearance of people, murder, shootings, violence, ruined many lives (66) children drop out of school, become cabbages,  roam aimlessly, lost their minds, died (67)
4.      Ramdaye: (Bad actions) Broken drains (33) Greed (42) his companies, relatives win tenders for road construction (62) misappropriation of funds (63) poorly constructed and maintained secondary roads (62) fake title deeds, conman/swindling people (63) nepotism (69) (Suffering) Serious health hazard (33) impassable roads (62) ruined lives of countless people through his greed (42)

 

The Samaritan: Sample paragraph #1

 

Citizens suffer after they vote in Seymour overwhelmingly despite his moral failings. He is responsible for misallocation of funds, supply of air to the municipal council, selling drugs, running a murderous gang that is responsible for shootings and violence, corruption and approval of improper building plans posing a great risk to the citizens. There is a public outcry over his bad leadership. Citizens who cannot bribe him suffer delays in issuance of building approvals. Citizens also live in constant worry of imminent disaster in case of an earthquake in the seismically active area. They also suffer because Seymour is responsible for murder, shootings, violence and mysterious disappearance of people thanks to his gang - Black Swan. His involvement in drug trafficking has made many children to drop out of school, some roam aimlessly, others have become cabbages and yet others have lost their lives. People elected him despite using drug money to bribe them. Indeed, when we elect bad leaders like Seymour we suffer the unpleasant results of poor leadership. (P24, 34, 66-67)

 

 

The Samaritan: Structure of the essay

 

Introduction

Briefly explain your understanding of the demands of the question in your own words.  When necessary, mention relevant characters.

 

Write the body of the essay in four distinct paragraphs. Stick to the test in the question and cite sufficient illustrations from the text.

 

Conclusion

Sum up the argument in your own words.

 

 

The Samaritan: Practice Questions

1.      It is impossible to stop an idea whose time has come. Write an essay to support this statement citing illustrations from The Samaritan

2.      People who unite for selfish reasons cannot achieve their objectives. Citing illustrations from The Samaritan, write an essay to support this statement.

 MORE ESSAY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

• Fathers of Nations Essay Questions & Answers
• Parliament of Owls Essay Questions & Answers
• A Silent Song Essay Questions & Answers
• The Samaritan Essay Questions & Answers 
• An Artist of the Floating World 

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