The Samaritan Excerpts Questions and Answers
The Samaritan Excerpt 5 Questions and Answers (Page 95- page 97)
Read the following extract from the play "The Samaritan” by John Lara and then answer the questions after. (25 marks)
Bembe: You have a reputation for being too strong-willed to be suitable for a school teacher. You're as stubborn as a mule.
Nicole: What crime is that?
Bembe: Well, it is not a crime as such; but don't you think it is a bad influence to the students? (Bangs the table violently and shouts an order. Two police officers enter.) Handcuff her! (There is a commotion as the officers reach out to Nicole. She resists but is overwhelmed. There is an interval of silence as Bembe begins to rummage through papers on Nicole's table. Nicole refuses to move and sits down on the floor. The officers drug her on the door) Stop. (The officers stop. There is silence. Then Bembe moves behind Nicole'stable and starts pulling the drawers open, one after the other) Where have you hidden it?
Nicole: Hidden what?
Bembe: The Samaritan! (Nicole is visibly surprised at the answer and remains silent) I will tell you this, whenever you see me personally involved in an arrest, you must know it's a serious matter, as serious as death. And you should be afraid. Very afraid!
Nicole: I am not guilty of anything, and I refuse to be intimidated! (Inspector Bembe bangs the table violently with his gun. Nicole recoils with a start.) Woman! Show some seriousness! This is no laughing matter. Are you willing to talk?
Nicole: About what? (There is silence as Inspector Bembe wears his beret and places his sceptre under his armpits)
Bembe: About The Samaritan
Nicole: What about The Samaritan?
Bembe: Where is it?
Nicole: I don't understand you?
Bembe: Where is it? (He repeats angrily)
Nicole: (Swinging her head in disbelief) I have no such thing in my possession, but you can download it from the internet.
Bembe:(Hitting Nicole on the face with a bunch of papers) Now you have to tell those two students to shut that thing off. Alright?
Nicole: Why should I?
Bembe: Because it is the right thing to do!
Nicole: I have no right to dictate what they do with their App.
Bembe: Then you have to shut it down yourself! We believe The Samaritan is your brainchild! The two students are just a cover-up! And the App is a grave danger to society!
Nicole: Mr. Inspector, when The Samaritan helps us fight environmental degradation by exposing the culprits, is that dangerous?
Bembe: Fighting environmental degradation is none of the school's business! We have competent agencies employed to do that! Teach the authorized curriculum
Nicole: When it helps us to know who supplies air to the Municipal Council instead of goods and services, is that dangerous?
Questions and Answers on The Samaritan Excerpt 5
(a) Briefly outline the events preceding this excerpt. (3 marks)
• Inspector Bembe accuses Nicole of having stolen the school generator.
• Nicole threatens the Inspector that if he insists on fabricating anything against her, she could make it the darkest day in his career.
• Nicole tells Bembe that he must not break the law by accusing her of crimes that she has not committed
(b) In light of what has been happening in the text, why does Inspector Bembe tell Nicole that she has a reputation for being too strong-willed to be suitable for a school teacher? (2 marks)
• Inspector Bembe tells Nicole that he has a reputation for being too strong-willed to be suitable for a school teacher because he considers her rebellious and, therefore, not fit to be a students' role model. She has turned a deaf ear to Mayor Mossi's coercion to have The Samaritan halt its activities and Narine's persuasion about her doing something about the Mobile App.
(c) Discuss two thematic concerns of the writer raised in the excerpt. (4marks)
• Violence/Brutality
Inspector Bembe is violent. He bangs the table violently and shouts an order for his officers to handcuff Nicole/Inspector Bembe hits Nicole on the face with a bunch of papers/The police officers drag Nicole on the floor.
• Bad governance/ineffective leadership
The Municipal Council leadership has neglected its role in conserving the environment and, thus, environmental degradation is evident.
● Corruption
Nicole wonders why The Samaritan should be shut off when it has helped expose corrupt dealings and the culprits.
• Intimidation/Blackmail
Inspector Bembe appears to intimidate and blackmail Nicole into complying with his demand when he tells her that she should be very afraid when she sees him personally involved in an arrest since the matter warranting such an arrest is as serious as death.
(d) Identify one character trait of each of the following characters:
(i) Inspector Bembe
He is:
• Accusing/blaming/charging/implicating
He accuses Nicole of having a reputation for being too-willed to be suitable for a school teacher/He accuses her of being as stubborn as a mule.
● Intimidating/threatening/blackmailing
He tells Nicole that he should be very afraid when she sees him personally involved in an arrest since such a matter is very serious.
• Brutal/violent/explosive/furious
Out of fury, he hits Nicole on the face with a bunch of papers.
• Ignorant/unknowledgeable
He thinks The Samaritan is a physical thing (device) and asks Nicole about its whereabouts.
• Sarcastic/contemptuous/spiteful
In a feat of anger, he bangs the table violently with his gun and spitefully addresses Nicole as
"woman".
(ii) Nicole
She is:
• Strong-willed/obstinate/stubborn
Inspector Bembe observes that she has a reputation for being too strong-willed to be suitable for a
school teacher.
• Rebellious/defiant/resisting
She resists being handcuffed until she is overpowered by the police officers.
• Determined/unappeasable/unyielding
She determinedly tells Bembe that she is not guilty and, thus, refuses to be intimidated.
• Realistic/matter-of-fact/practical
He wonders if it is realistic to halt The Samaritan that has helped them fight environmental
degradation by exposing the culprits.
(e) (i) Because it is the right thing to do! (Rewrite replacing "Because" with another
subordinating conjunction) (1 mark)
• Since/For it is the right thing to do.
(ii) You're as stubborn as a mule. (Rewrite adding a question tag) (1 mark)
• You're as stubborn as a mule, aren't you?
(iii) You're just confirming some of the other accusations that have been made against you.. (Rewrite replacing the underlined word with a phrasal verb) (1 mark)
You're just beaming out/backing up/checking out some of the other accusations that have been against you.
(f) Pick out two stylistic devices employed in the excerpt and illustrate them. (4 marks)
• Use of similes e.g. You're as stubborn as a mule... you must know it's a serious matter, as a serious as death.
• Rhetorical questions e.g. Mr. Inspector, when The Samaritan helps us fight environmental degradation by exposing the culprits, is that dangerous?/When it helps us to know who supplies air to the Municipal Council instead of goods and services, is that dangerous?
• Symbolism: Bembe's gun is a symbol of intimidation/threat: Nicole recoils (in fear) when the the inspector bangs the table violently with it.
(g) (i) We believe The Samaritan is your brainchild! (Rewrite in the passive voice) (1 mark)
The Samaritan is believed to be your brainchild!
(ii) Then you have to shut it down yourself! (Rewrite ending with "then") (1 mark)
You have to shut it down yourself then!
(h) Explain the meanings of the following words used in the excerpt. (3 marks)
• Download - get off/compute/load/log in
• Brainchild - creation/invention/innovation
• Grave - serious/solemn/earnest