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BEFORE THE SUN by Charles Mungoshi

Mungoshi was born in the Chivhu region of Zimbabwe in 1947. He has written short stories and novels and he has also won awards for his children’s writing. As a child, he grew up on a farm where he helped his parents in the fields. One of his responsibilities was to herd cattle in a forest nearby. As an adult, he went on to work for the Forestry Commission in Zimbabwe.

WORD / DEFINITION
1. chips / a. purifying
2. axe / b. moist
3. settle down / c. fiery particles
4. showers / d. emanates
5. dewy / e. person not arriving on time
6. log / f. makes trumpet-shaped frills
7. gives off / g. sound of a snake or disapproval
8. cleansing / h. heads
9. sawdust / i. small bits of wood
10. flutes out / j. a large sumptuous meal
11. sort / k. group of particles
12. hisses / l. small particles of wood
13. sparks / m. shows a brief signal of friendship/greeting/ or a message
14. latecomer / n. sharp cutting tool
15. feast / o. kind
16. cobs / p. come to lay
17. winks / q. large piece of tree

Write your answers here:

1) / 2) / 3) / 4)
5) / 6) / 7) / 8)
9) / 10) / 11) / 12)
13) / 14) / 15) / 16)
17)

A. Stanza 1 –4

Read these stanzas carefully and make notes. Use the ideas below as prompts.

1. Pick out elements to show what time of day it is:

2. Why do you think the time of day might be important?

3. What contrast is there in the weather? Pick out Effects?

4. What is taking place?

5. Where does it take place?

6. Who is the narrator? Is it the poet’s voice speaking in the poem or is it the voice of someone else, real or imagined? What is the tone? What tense does the poet use?

7. Comment on the form of the poem. What type of poem is it?

8. Is the rhythm fast or slow? Where are the stresses on the words/syllables? Why has the poet chosen this rhythm to express his ideas?

9. Look carefully at the poet’s choice of words. The words used affect the meaning and impact of the poem.

10. Is there a metaphorical meaning to ‘big logs / are what you want’?

11. What are the main images the poet uses? Which images are particularly striking? Why?

B. Stanza 5 – 9

12. Pick out elements linked to the senses.

Sight / Taste / Hearing / Smell / Touch

How does it reflect his mood and how does the poet communicate this to the reader?

13. Comment on the word ‘finally’ in stanza 7

14. Comment on the poet’s use of comparison.

15. Look at the way the boy interacts with the sun when it rises, the way he speaks to it.

16. Comment on the personification of the sun?

17. The eaten cobs are ‘two little skeletons’. Comment on this image.

18. Why do you think the poet has written the poem? Does the title of the poem help you understand the poet’s purpose?

19. What is the mood/tone of the poem? Are you being asked to share something personal?

20. Personal response to the poem – how did you react to it? What effect did it have on you?

21. What are the themes?