Here are the discussion questions for the first part of the book.
Reminder: Please remember not to post spoilers.I know we left off in mid chapter and if you couldn't put the book down, just be aware some people haven't finished yet. If you think you may be posting a spoiler, go ahead and put up a red "SPOILER ALERT" in that part of your post.
2. In “An Ex-mas Feast,” Maisha leaves her family to become a full- time prostitute. Do you think she chose to depart, or did her family’s poverty force her to flee? Is it possible to have complete freedom of will in such a situation? Is it reasonable to judge a person for her actions if her choice is not entirely her own?
3. How did you feel about the use of "kabire" to stop hunger?
4. Can you imagine a life like this family was living? What makes you most sad for the family?
Any questions or thought provoking comments after our reading so far?? Post them here for others. If we get enough I may post another blog post with all the questions.
We will see you back here next Monday (Nov. 14) to discuss pages 95 to 172
I will be posting my thoughts as soon as I get a chance!!! Please post yours here!!
ReplyDelete1. I truly think the element of the stories being told by children makes the events going on more harsh and I had more sympathy for the events happening. In the first story Maisha is still a little girl even though she is a major contributer to her family and a prostitute. We haven't finished the second story but I feel like both children in Fattening for Gabon are so very innocent and about to experience terrible things.
ReplyDelete2. I think a bit of both. I don't really think that its possible to have complete freedom of will in a situation like that. If her family was rich I think she would have lived a very very different life. I feel really sad for her and I think that in our society that would be seen as child abuse (obviously) but in their world that is a part of life. So very sad!
3. The use of Kabire just really conflicts me so much. I was in utter shock and disgust thinking about what the fumes where doing to those children but at the same time is it better to have them starve and be hungry? I can definitely understand them using the kabire but at the same time I keep thinking if I were int he same situation I would do EVERYTHING in my power to make sure my kids where taken care of.....meaning being fed and not having to prostitute themselves :(
4. I can't. Plan and simple I have never ever experienced anything that can make me related. But I have absolute sympathy for them and can't imagine living in those conditions. When they were describing how they were sleeping and how they went to the bathroom - it just rocked me to the core any child having to experience that.
I loved the first story and I feel the second story took a while to get in to but I was hooked by page 95 and can't wait to finish it!
Looking forward to others input!
I'm enjoying reading the book, but wanted to make sure I could post my comments this time without losing everything like I did the first time!
ReplyDelete1. I think reading this story from a child's perspective just makes it more shocking! Just to know that these children have lost their innocence at such an early age is terrible. And I think Akpan did this intentionally to shock us.
ReplyDelete2. I think too it was a bit of both and yet, did she have any choice? Her parents were not able to help her in any way and she felt like she had to do this in order to support her family and allow her brother to go to school. You really can't blame her for wanting to take care of them in the only way she knew how.
3. It is shocking to think that as a parent you couldn't provide for your children. I would work my fingers to the bone in order to bring food to the table, but maybe that wasn't an option here. So sad to think that it would be easier to give Kabire to a family for Ex-mas instead of food...
4. I simply can't imagine ever living like this. You see TV shows with poor and homeless people, but you never see all of the troubles they have - things we take for granted so much. What bothers me the most is that they have accepted their fate and each copes with it in a different way.
I am finding the second story a little harder to read because of their dialect, but it has also become very interesting and I can't wait to find out the fate of these children who are presently so happy to be going to a new family. So many questions right now, but we'll see where it's headed.