‘O’ LEVEL ENGLISH (OLE)
FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS
Analysis of ‘Mabala the Farmer’
By Emmanuel Kachele
Published by:
www.kacheleonline.co.tz
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Copyright © 2018 by Emmanuel Kachele. All Rights Reserved.
Published by www.kacheleonline.co.tz
P. O. Box 294,
Mpanda
Katavi
Tanzania
Email: [email protected]
Mob: +255622 009 566/+255765 884 936
Website: www.kacheleonline.co.tz
No part of this eBook may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or
otherwise without the written permission from the author or publisher.
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ACKNOWLEGDEMENTS
I sincerely acknowledge the good support I have been receiving from Mr Reuben Swilla (my first Headmaster
from Mwese Secondary School). He has been my precious guide since 2012. I also specifically extend my
gratitude to Headmistress of Karema High School, Ms ElinesiMwangomba for her support and recognition of
my work.
I can’t forget my fellow teachers from English Language and Literature Department from the following
schools: Lukima Secondary School (Mbinga, Ruvuma, from 2011 – 2012), Mwese Secondary School
(Mpanda DC, Katavi, from 2012 – 2014), Karema High School (Mpanda DC, Katavi, from 2015 – 2019), and
Sibwesa Secondary School (Mpanda DC, Katavi, from 2019 – present) for their linguistic and departmental
support.
I also thank my fellow UDOM Alumni: Mwalimu Nicholaus Mwanjabala, Mwalimu Million Luka, and
Mwalimu Leonard Mshang’a for their mutual support for my work.
I also extend my heartfelt gratitude to all my students wherever they are for their support and trust.
Emmanuel Kachele
2018
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEGDEMENTS ................................................................................................................................... 3
TABLE OF CONTENTS ....................................................................................................................................... 4
ABOUT THE STORY WRITER........................................................................................................................... 5
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................. 5
ANALYSIS OF THE SHORT STORY ................................................................................................................. 5
THREE THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE GETTING STARTED .................................................................. 5
Setting .................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Characters .............................................................................................................................................................. 5
Language ................................................................................................................................................................ 6
Figures of Speech ................................................................................................................................................... 6
ANALYSIS OF THE STORY’S CHAPTERS ...................................................................................................... 7
Chapter One: Mabala ............................................................................................................................................. 7
Chapter Two: Mabala’s first day on the farm ........................................................................................................ 9
Chapter Three: Mabala has a rest......................................................................................................................... 10
Chapter Four: At the mtama bar .......................................................................................................................... 11
Chapter Five: The Hoe and the gallon can........................................................................................................... 12
Chapter Six: Mabala and the fertilizer ................................................................................................................. 14
Chapter Seven: Mabala wins respect ................................................................................................................... 16
MESSAGE OF THE STORY .............................................................................................................................. 18
LESSONS (TEACHINGS/MORALS) OF THE SYORY ................................................................................... 18
PHILOSOPHY OF THE WRITER ..................................................................................................................... 19
RELEVANCE OF THE STORY ......................................................................................................................... 19
REFERENCE ....................................................................................................................................................... 19
GET MORE BOOKS & SERVICES FROM KACHELE ONLINE ................................................................... 21
ABOUT THE AUTHOR ..................................................................................................................................... 25
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ABOUT THE STORY WRITER
Richard S. Mabala is a Tanzanian writer who has authored several books. Among of them is Hawa the Bus
Driver and Mabala the Farmer, the famous short stories that are the among the Class Readers studied in Form
One and Form Two in Tanzanian Secondary Schools. These two short stories are the best works for the
Children Literature that’s why they are taught in Lower Secondary School Classes.
INTRODUCTION
‘Mabala the Farmer’ is a short story about one man called Mabala. This Mabala lived in Dar es Salaam and
worked as a clerk. He did not save money and he was very stubborn. He decided to go to live and work in
shamba in the village but he did not know how to cultivate. He made a lot of mistakes on the farm. His wife
helped him and later he worked as a village accountant and he won the respect of the villagers at last.
This short story is the collection of seven (7) chapters that all narrate the life of Mabala, his work, and his
family experiences.
ANALYSIS OF THE SHORT STORY
THREE THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE GETTING STARTED
1. Brainstorming (Before Reading). Before reading a Class Reader, the teacher should guide students to use
and discuss title, cover, blurb and other book illustrations to predict what a book will be about.
2. Reading. The students should also be guided to read a part of the Class Reader or the whole Class reader
and answer the questions (obviously guiding questions given by the teacher) on various aspects like chapter’s
events, characters, settings, and message. They should do this task in groups or pairs.
3. Writing a book report (After Reading). The students are also guided by the teacher to write a book report.
In their level, it is just a simple book report in which they can include only important details of the book they
have read. Most commonly, the book report they should write should include the following aspects:
• Title
• What is the story about?
• The Setting of the story
• The characters of the story (Main and minor characters)
• Events of the story (general or for each chapter)
• The message of the story
• The lesson of the story
• How does the story ends?
Setting
The short story is set in Dar es Salaam, Morogoro, Tabora, the village, Mtama bar, and the shamba.
Characters
The short story has several characters like:
The short story has several characters like:
Mabala, clerk and village accountant, Mauja’s husband
Mauja, Mabala’s wife
Martina, their daughter
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Mabala’s drinking pals at Mtama bar,
Villagers
Language
The writer has applied a very simple language that suits the level of Form One and Form Two Students.
However, in some cases, the writer has applied Swahili words such as Bwana, Bwana Shamba, and others
which can be difficult for Non-Swahili speakers.
Some of Kiswahili words
Bwana Haambiliki (Mr Never-Told)
Baba – Father
Bwana Shamba – Agricultural officer
Chapatti – Unleavened bread
Jamani – a cry to all attention and sympathy
Mama – Mother
Mama Martina – In Tanzania, people are often addressed as being the father or mother of their child. So
‘Mama Martina’ means the ‘mother of Martina.’
Mtama - millet, the local beer brewed out of millet
Mzee – Elder, old man.
Figures of Speech
As usual, Form One and Form Two Students are only introduced to a few examples of figures of speech, and in
this story, the following figures of speech can be identified:
Sayings
These are statements that are considered wise and they teach the truth or a moral lesson.
Mama Martina says: “In Kiswahili, they say that if a child cries for a razor blade, give it to him.” (Page 20)
Men: “Drinking and farming cannot be cooked in the same pot.”
Simile
This is the figure of speech that compares two things by using conjunctions such as, ‘like’ and ‘as’. For
example:
“Plants are like men, he told us.”
“Plants are hungry, he said,”
“Their leaves are open like mouths.”
“A hoe is not like a pen.”
Personification
This is the figure of speech that makes inanimate objects act like human beings. For example:
“Plants don’t like sugar.”
“Seeds get lonely he says.”
“Give them food,
“Pour it down their throats.” (Page 25)
“The plants never said thank you.”
“His stomach complained again.” (Page 7)
Imagery
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