–The narrator tells us that “every new generation finds the doum tree as though it had been born at the time of their birth and would grow up with them.” What do you make of this?
–What seems to be the story’s perspective on the government in newly independent Sudan? What’s the relationship between the government and the villagers?
–Explain the shift in narratorial perspective in the final passages of the story? How does it change our own view of the text
–At the end of the story, the old man refers to his own son and says, “it is my hope that he will stay where his is and not return.” How do you explain this?
–What do you think this story’s ultimate perspective is on the issue of tradition vs. modernity?
What seems to be the story’s perspective on the government in newly independent Sudan? What’s the relationship between the government and the villagers?
The story’s perception of government in independent Sudan shows how modernization had a strong opposition during the 20th century. At the end of the story, the government that controlled Sudan recognized what its citizen’s demands were after becoming aware of the incident regarding the doum tree in Wad Hamid. In response to this, several members of Parliament had resigned and the villagers of Wad Hamid were not bothered anymore by officials who wanted to replace the tree with a water pump or steamer. In addition, a monument and a railing surrounding the tree were built which shows its importance to the villagers. The perspective of government in Salih’s story does not necessarily show that it is selfish or demanding for power but rather that it has empathy for those it has control over.
Until the ending of the story, the government did not see eye to eye with the villagers of Wad Hamid since it wanted to install new technologies that would remove the doum tree. First, the villagers responded with anger towards the district commissioner who wanted to implement an agricultural scheme that would remove the tree. Later in the story, the village became hostile against the official who wanted to put in a steamer and another who wanted a stopping-place built where the tree was. This relationship between the government and the villagers changed in the end when members of British Parliament realized the controversy surrounding the doum tree and decided to leave the villagers and their tree alone.
Explain the shift in narratorial perspective in the final passages of the story? How does it change our own view of the text
At the beginning of the texts, an old man is narrating the story to a young man. At the end, the young man shifts to be the narrator. It changes our own view of the text by realizing that the young man was the narrator since the beginning. Maybe he was telling the story to someone else exactly from what he recalled from the old man.
The narrator tells us that “every new generation finds the doum tree as though it had been born at the time of their birth and would grow up with them.” What do you make of this?
The narrator through this assertion wants to show the reader that the doum is more than a simple tree for the village. The tree is tough and has been there with them and grow up with them. I believe that the Doum tree is for the village tradition keeper, the soul ofthe village. It is mention in the text that the villagers pray the tree and when they are ill they rely on the magic power of the tree to be healed. The tree is transgenerational and acts as God for the villagers.
–What do you think this story’s ultimate perspective is on the issue of tradition vs. modernity?
I believe the story’s perspective on tradition vs. modernity is that the two can co-exist without bothering each other. For most of the story, the villagers protected their traditional interests in the form of the Doum tree. In a sense, the tree is a symbol for traditionalism. While in the end modernity creeped in and “took” the Doum tree as both a catalyst and national icon, the tree still remained. The narrator also blatantly says that both tradition and modernity can co-exist and that while he is unsure of how tradition will hold up, he hopes it will.
What do you think this story’s ultimate perspective is on the issue of tradition vs. modernity?
The quote “there’s plenty of room for all these things: the doum tree, the tomb, the water-pump” reflects the openness to the idea that both modern and traditional entities can co-exist. This is reinforced by metaphor of the pedestal, monument, and fencing around the doum tree. The traditional object of the past has been reinforced or even improved by the innovation of modernity. The story’s ultimate perspective on the issue of tradition and modernity would be that there should be a balance between the two and that conflict isn’t necessary.
The narrator tells us that “every new generation finds the doum tree as though it had been born at the time of their birth and would grow up with them.” What do you make of this?
The doum tree to the villagers has a whole different meaning than it does to the government. The villagers share this close and intimate realtionship with the tree. The Quote “every new generation finds the doum tree as though it had been born at the time of their birth and would grow up with them.” This quote portrays this lifelong connection each villager has with the tree. It has been there for their entire lives, makin it more intimate connection. The goverment comes and makes a memorial for the tress. It separates the village from the tree, from this close connection. To them it was part of the village not some distguish symbol.
The narrator tells us that “every new generation finds the doum tree as though it had been born at the time of their birth and would grow up with them.” What do you make of this?
I think that the narrator means that the tree is like a “tradition” that gets passed down to every new generation. It is part of their culture and because of that, the doum tree is significant in all of their lives.The doum tree is like growing up with something important that has stayed throughout your life. The fact that the government tries to take away something that was so meaningful to the villagers is just wrong. Anyone with that strong of a connection would certainly be upset about it.
1) This tell us that the doum tree is a part of every Villagers lives. This doum tree have been their from so many generation and they do not want to end this tradition because this tree signifies their tradition and culture. Whenever any villager feels ill, they just come near this tree and prays, after praying they start feeling well.
What seems to be the story’s perspective on the government in newly independent Sudan? What’s the relationship between the government and the villagers?
The relationship between the government and the villagers is one that of distrust. The villagers distrust the government and suspect their true motives. The justification for the distrust of the government comes from the old man. The government wants to modernize. The villagers do not want to sacrifice their doum tree in exchange for a steamship that will allow them to travel to the city conviniently. The doum tree has been with the villagers for many generations. It symbolizes unity and connections between people. The villagers do not want to forgo their spiritual and symbolic connections with the Doum Tree. However, the government attempts their best to carry out with their proposed steam ship plan. It wasn’t until the opposition that began protesting that the government stopped and a new government was formed by the opposition.
Although the opposition may seem like a better form of the government. They have their own motives as well. The old man and the villagers know this, they know how dirty politics can be. The opposition was merely using the villagers’ protest to gain power and further their own agenda. The end, the government won. They did not succeed in building the steamship, but they did succeed in cutting off the doum tree’s connection with the villagers by creating a memorial around it and restricting people from touching it.
What do you think this story’s ultimate perspective is on the issue of tradition vs. modernity?
The story shows the reader how modernity disrupts traditions. We learn that the new government wants to remove the doum tree, something that has been traditionally a very important object, with a steamship, something natives don’t want and something that represents modern change. After protest, the tree was saved from being cut off, but we learn that the tree is now covered and “protected” by a fence and cannot be touched. This was created because the politicians were using the doum tree for popular vote. Although it was not cut, the doum tree was now being used as a tool, not a symbol of protection. It was ripped from its traditional purpose, to a modern purpose. This story clearly represents the war between tradition and modernity, where modernity slowly but surly harms the traditional ways of life.
–What do you think this story’s ultimate perspective is on the issue of tradition vs. modernity?
This story’s ultimate perspective on the issue of tradition vs modernity is that conflict is inevitable when modernity tried to take over tradition and vice versa. This is because, in the story, the villagers have a tradition of seeing the Doum Tree of Wad Hamid and believe that it is the source of their health and ancestry. This tradition is in the roots of the people and it stays consistent for many generations. Modernity, on the other hand, is a period of change in both political and social way. For example, the new parliament in Sudan has politicians with more cynical views of the world. They want to build the steamer near the conservative village because of self-interest to make more money. The traditions of the village, on the other hand, are intended for the benefit of the village as a whole, not towards only a small group of people. This clash of values between tradition and modernity is what brings Sudan to have a conflict when deciding what to do with the Doum Tree of Wad Hamid.
1) The narrator tell us that every new generation finds the doum tree as it had been born at the time of their birth and grow up with them. This tree represent the culture and their tradition. this tree become the identity of the village and welcome coming new generation.
The narrator tells us that “every new generation finds the doum tree as though it had been born at the time of their birth and would grow up with them.” What do you make of this?
I think this means the doum tree is the root of all villagers. Despite the fact that narrator knows that there are some conflicts between the tradition and modernity, old generation and new generation, he still wants to show the stranger that the doum tree is the representation of their identity. It is also something that is proud of, regardless of the improvement of technology. In other words, the narrator implies that they do not want to change their tradition by accepting the modernity even though they know that the new generation will adapt to this kind of new world. By saying the doum tree will grow up with the new generation, the narrator also indicates that there is no way for the new generation to deny their identity and their faith because the doum tree is their root.
The narrator tells us that “every new generation finds the doum tree as though it had been born at the time of their birth and would grow up with them.” What do you make of this?
I believe that the doum tree is symbolic of a higher spiritual being that is going to be someones guide in life since the start of their birth. Similar to a god, watching over them, guiding them. This also provides a sense of unity with everyone in the village as they all share the same beliefs and are in the end, connected with the tree.