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    Famished Road Wed., 7 Apr To Pg. 307

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    This summary covers key events and ideas from the document's discussion of passages from the novel Famished Road by Ben Okri: 1) It examines themes of the absence of race, the role of the photographer who claims spiritual powers, and the purpose of suffering in the story. 2) It outlines events from Azaro's sickness and his father's fights in the spirit world against Yellow Jaguar and Green Leopard. 3) It discusses the father's new connection to the spirit world, his interest in politics and books, and how he spends money from his fights on a party before a tragic accident occurs.

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    Famished Road Wed., 7 Apr To Pg. 307

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    This summary covers key events and ideas from the document's discussion of passages from the novel Famished Road by Ben Okri: 1) It examines themes of the absence of race, the role of the photographer who claims spiritual powers, and the purpose of suffering in the story. 2) It outlines events from Azaro's sickness and his father's fights in the spirit world against Yellow Jaguar and Green Leopard. 3) It discusses the father's new connection to the spirit world, his interest in politics and books, and how he spends money from his fights on a party before a tragic accident occurs.

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    This summary covers key events and ideas from the document's discussion of passages from the novel Famished Road by Ben Okri: 1) It examines themes of the absence of race, the role of the photographer who claims spiritual powers, and the purpose of suffering in the story. 2) It outlines events from Azaro's sickness and his father's fights in the spirit world against Yellow Jaguar and Green Leopard. 3) It discusses the father's new connection to the spirit world, his interest in politics and books, and how he spends money from his fights on a party before a tragic accident occurs.

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    56 views3 pages

    Famished Road Wed., 7 Apr To Pg. 307

    Uploaded by

    api-25885269
    This summary covers key events and ideas from the document's discussion of passages from the novel Famished Road by Ben Okri: 1) It examines themes of the absence of race, the role of the photographer who claims spiritual powers, and the purpose of suffering in the story. 2) It outlines events from Azaro's sickness and his father's fights in the spirit world against Yellow Jaguar and Green Leopard. 3) It discusses the father's new connection to the spirit world, his interest in politics and books, and how he spends money from his fights on a party before a tragic accident occurs.

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    Famished Road  ‐ Wed., 7 Apr  ‐to pg.

     307 

    Absence of race 

    ‐ homogenous black population? 
    ‐ mom’s story of white people (282) 
    ‐ white supervisor of black labor, workers on the road (277‐8, then 288) 

    Ancient mother 

    ‐ a totem? symbolic? 
    ‐ a different version of Madame K? 

    The role of the photographer 

    ‐ documenting events? 
    ‐ a link to reality, unlike a gateway to spiritual visions /experiences 
    o the photos or the man? (182‐83) 
    o but the photographer brags about his spiritual power/battles 
     ability to kill the rats 
     hides in his camera, travels to the moon (262) 
     later, appears at father’s bedside during healing (362) 

    The role or purpose of suffering 

    ‐ money and power softening that suffering? 
    o Madame K’s shift from benevolent to opponent 

    Famished Road  ‐ Th., 8 Apr  ‐to pg. 347 

    Azaro starving himself 

     drifting in and out of reality 
     but a more explicit parallel between the two worlds – real and spiritual – is spelled out during 
    his sickness/cure 

    Famished Road  ‐ Mon., 12 Apr  ‐to pg. 407 

    Dad’s fight w/ Yellow Jaguar 

    ‐ mentally damaged, as well as physically 
    o but a sense of rebirth 
     “How many times is a man reborn in one life?” (362) 
     “birth brings glory” (345) 
    ‐ the fighting was so intense, that they crossed over into the spirit world? 

    Blind man and his music playing 
    ‐ able to see spirits? a different kind of seeing 
    ‐ is he helping Azaro’s dad or hindering him? 
    ‐ “full ugly power of the music” (362) 

    Money 

    ‐ the worries about money seem to go away (pushed away?) when A’s dad concentrates on 
    his fighting 

    Ade 

    ‐ a new character 
    o why is he named, unlike so many other characters? 
    ‐ another spirit child? 
    ‐  

    Madame Koto’s car 

    Fight w Green Leopard 

    ‐ father covered in mud; dad’s use of mud like Yellow Jaguar in the swamp? 

    Famished Road  ‐ Tues., 13 Apr  ‐to pg. 440 

    Father’s new/reaffirmed connection to the spirit world 

    ‐ his own father was a spiritual leader of his tribe 
    ‐ Father’s new interest in politics, books, reading 
    o Money: is this a mismanagement of his earnings/winnings? 
     short term selfish goals? 
     throws party 
     impulsive; show ‐off 
     long term family goals? 
     Wants family to survive: “we can’t remain poor forever” (411) 

    The Party 

    ‐ Predicted Tragedy w/ Madame K’s car comes true 
    ‐ Father’s attempt at a speech: “TRANSFORM YOUR HUNGER INTO POWER” (420) 
    ‐ photographer appears just before car accident; “silent presence” (421) 

    Family of Beggars w/ Young Girl 

    ‐ she was blind in one eye 
    ‐ associated w/ “distant music” 

    Azaro’s nature 
    ‐ both childlike and very mature, insightful, experienced 
    ‐  

    Famished Road  ‐ Thurs., 15 Apr ‐to end 

    Final page / moment 

    ‐ was it all a dream? “A dream can be the highest point of a life” (500) 
    ‐ Mother’s story / experience w/ white man / Yoruba man who lived many years in a couple 
    weeks (blue sunglasses story) 

    Madame Koto 

    ‐ is she really two hundred years old? needs Azaro’s young blood? (496) 
    ‐ What’s the connection (if any) w/ the white beads? 
    ‐ Could she have organized or worked with the spirit world to get Azaro? 
    o Or is what she wanted more physical (blood)? 

    A’s Father 

    ‐ could he have been the lion, roaring, who drives away Madame K? 
    o He was “sleeping” during this moment, so it could have been his spirit 

    Spirit World = Nigeria (the country)? 

    ‐ “ours too was an abiku nation” (493) 
    ‐ sleeping as a mode of organizing, assembling, ordering 
    ‐ dreams affected (hemmed in or expanded) depending on politics (495) 

    The paradoxes of freedom and limitaions 

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