As one of the assignments for this course, students were asked to do a piece of creative writing using the characteristics (whether formal or not) of one of the texts that we discussed during the semester. The assignment required that they follow the conventions and characteristics of the text (China, Japan, Puerto Rico, and ancient Mesopotamia) but used their own experiences in Botswana for the content. Here are some samples of their work.
The following examples were loosely inspired by the ancient Mesopotamian Dialogue of Pessimism. In this brief satirical text, the master proposes various schemes to his slave: he will go for a drive, be a lover, a revolutionary, a benefactor, a devout religious man, but in each case he thinks better of it, changes his mind and gives up. The slave sycophantically agrees, giving good reasons both for the original plan and for abandoning it. Various translations of this text can be found on the Internet.
Dialogues, 2003 "The Dialogue of Obedience" by Thatayamodimo Odisitse I. Giving Services to the People -Constable! -Yes, sir! -Take these people to your office and certify their copies, I am still busy. -Mr Commander, I will certify the copies for them. -Do it with great care. -Yes, Sir, I will be so careful. II. Running an Errand -Constable! -Yes, sir! -Take the car and collect the people who were delivering their case yesterday in court. -I should collect them in the village, Sir? -Yes, constable. Tell them that I need to talk to them. -Yes, Sir, I will try to be quick. III. Writing a Statement -Constable! -Yes, sir! -Please, re-write the statement of this person who has come to deliver a case, so that you can go and collect the suspect. -Yes, Sir, but when should I go to collect the suspect? -Later in the day, constable. -Yes, Sir, that will be done exactly as you ask. [...] V. Catching a Robber -Constable! -Yes, sir! -You can take one of the force cars and follow the tracks of the robbers who broke into Mr Moroka's supermarket yesterday during the night. -Yes, Sir, it will be done as the commander wishes. -Constable, make sure that you try by all means to see the robber. -Yes, Sir, I will try. A Botswana Dialogue of Pessimism by Keletso H. Nkatlholang I. Retrench -Servant, listen to me! -Yes, Chief, I am all ears! -I want to retrench forty of my field workers. -Retrench, Chief, retrench! It will serve you good! They are just eating your food without working. -O well, Servant, I will not retrench them! -Do not retrench, Chief, do not retrench them! Their children will live in poverty and in the end they will come to beg you. II. Charity -Servant, listen to me! -Yes, Chief, I am all ears! -I want to give 50% of my property to the poor. -Give, Chief, give! The Bible preaches, "Blessed is the hand that gives [more] than the one that receives." -O well, Servant, I will not give to the poor! -Do not give, Chief, do not give to the poor! They should learn how to fend for themselves. IV. Acting President -Servant, listen to me! -Yes, Chief, I am all ears! -I want to act as a President. -Do it, Chief, do it! The man who acts as a President will have his name in the history books. -O well, Servant, I do not want to act as a President! -Do not act, Chief, do not act! You do not want the media to be after you so that you live in a public life and not a private one. V. Business -Servant, listen to me! -Yes, Chief, I am all ears! -I want to build a hotel. -Build, Chief, build! The man who has a hotel is at peace with himself. He accumulates wealth after wealth! -O well, servant, I do not want to build a hotel. -Do not build, do not build. Everyone in the village will want to work in your hotel and they will seem as if they are the owners. Dialogues, 2004 Botswana Dialogues of Pessimism By Fredah Merapelo Molebatsi I. Converting People to God -Attendant! -Yes, my lord, here I am! -Announce a crusade. I want to convert people to God. -Convert the people, my lord, convert them, so that they may not perish. The Son of Man said, "Come you who are heavy laden, for I shall give you rest." -O well, attendant, I will not convert the people to God. -Do not, my lord, do not convert the people to God. They will think that you snarl at their beliefs and want to detour them from their traditional religions. II. Making a Sacrifice -Attendant! -Yes, my lord, here I am! -Quick! Build me an altar; gather the best of all of the crops from my fields. I want to make a first-fruit harvest sacrifice. -Sacrifice, my lord, sacrifice. The man who makes sacrifices to his God and says yes to Him will prosper, and his God will also say yes to him. -O well, attendant, I will not make a sacrifice. -Do not sacrifice, my lord, do not sacrifice. A sacrifice has long been made when the Son of Man was crucified. What will my lord sacrifice if he is lost in a dry wilderness with no water, without fire or anything to harvest? By L. Monamo I. Marriage -Mother, hear me out! -Yes, son, I am listening! -Call uncle! Tell him that I want to marry. -Go ahead son! You must marry quickly for now you are a grown man. You need to have your own family. -O well, mother, I will not marry! -Do not marry son! You are still young and you have not done much for yourself. A wife will be too much responsibility for you and she will hinder you from enjoying your freedom and taking care of me. II. Children -Mother, hear me out! -Yes, son, I am listening! -I want to adopt my wife's niece. -Go ahead my son! That is a brilliant idea. It is important that you take in to your house those who are in need. They will return the favour when you need help in future. -O well, mother, I will not adopt her niece! -Do not son, do not! Your wealth should be enjoyed by your children. If your wife wants them to live better, why does she not take them to her other siblings? VI. Conclusion -Mother, hear me out! -Yes, son, I am listening! -Upon my death, should my property be given to you or the poor? -Blessed, be the hand that giveth! -O well, I will give them to the poor. -Yes, but I will be poor as well after your death. A mother with no children is the poorest member of any society.
Webpage edited by Dr. M. S. Lederer, lecturer for ENG434.
Copyright for each work belongs to the author.© 2003-4