Post A

Sired-Father or forefather.

Placate- to appease or pacify.

Bemused- To bewilder or confuse.

"We call the black women 'nannies' and the black men 'boys.'"(26) The way Europeans classify the African-Americans is demeaning. Black women aren't mean't to just be mothers, and the black men mature just as much, if not more than the European men. This story takes place in Africa, so for the white people to be showing prejudice in a mostly black populated state, shows how arrogant and snobbish people can be.

"[...] would pump the fighting blood of the young men." She uses the words fighting and blood in the same sentence. It seems like she is implying that fighting a is human instinct. We are all natural born fighters.

"The land is still unblinking[...] it will absorb white man's blood and the blood of African men[...] it doesn't care." When she talks about the land unblinking, it feels like a metaphor that is comparing the land and human greed. Some people will do anything to achieve the desired goal. Whether it is more land, or more power. Even if it means sacrificing the lives of others.

Qoute:
"the white men came. They said, 'What name do you give this place?'
'Kadoma,' they said. [...] means, 'Does not Thunder or Make Noise'. The white men call that place Gatooma. 'And what name do you give this place?'
'Ikwelo,' they said.[...] means 'Steep Sides of the Riverbank'. The white men called that place Gwelo.'" In this qoute, the white men are pictured badly. They don't respect the names of African cities. They change them to their liking, and in a way this demonstrates how disrespectful different races can be towards one another.

Theme: There is plainly a theme of racisim towards both white and blacks. I think that there is a theme of arrogance and disrepect as well in this novel. This could be viewed being the same as racism, however I feel this theme is directed to all humans in general. The black men often talk trash about the white people, and the white people seem to think they are superior to other races and can change the names of cities at thier wim.