THE SAMARITAN BY JOHN LARA ACT II SCENE III (PRO-OUSTER TACTICS)

THE SAMARITAN BY JOHN LARA

ACT 2 SCENE 3 (PRO-OUSTER TACTICS)

This scene comes in the wake of a successfully thwarted ouster motion by Mossi- Oa Tunya and Bembe faction. The vanquished Ted, Seymour and Ramdaye faction decries a more than meets the eye kind of military operation planned by Mossi  to stop the no confidence vote on the floor of the Municipal Chambers. Hooligans burnt tyres, mattresses, hurled rocks and were overly chaotic. However, as Hon. Seymour says, they would not be cowed as they would go on with the ouster plans. Ted, who had been tasked with the role of canvassing the Councillors and Aldermen reports his categorization into four groups of those he approached.  Firstly, there are the indecisive type like Hon. Ferreira (Mr. Key 🔑) who don't know which fence to sit on. Secondly, there are the headless type like the Councillors and Aldermen allied to Hon. Basdeo (Official opposition leader, Maracas Municipality) and Hon. Mossi (the Mayor, Maracas Municipality. These follow blindly what their ethnic leaders tell them.  Thirdly, there are the entrepreneurial type who would only be nudged to act on the allure of money 💰.  Fourthly, there are the independent minded individuals who work for their people and have amazing development track records.  Examples are Mr. Developer and Mr. Torch 🔦🔥.  From his findings, Ted reports that there is no significant support forthcoming.  The option they have is to now enlist the support of Hon. Basdeo, he suggests. Apparently, we find out that Hon. Ramdaye, the deputy Mayor, had also made contact with Hon. Basdeo who should make his way in Madingo Golf Club anytime. They have agreed that his Councillors will support Mossi's ouster motion and in return he'll be made the Deputy Mayor.  Hon. Basdeo enters the Jungle room. He says that before the quartet talks about Hon. Mossi's ouster, they need to contemplate on ways to isolate him and his ethnic group from the rest of  the Municipality. When Hon. Ramdaye suggests that they cash in on his unfulfilled development promises, Hon. Basdeo disagrees. Basdeo asserts that development neither excites nor incites the people. He adds that to incite and excite the people, one needs to grant them an enemy to hate and blame. He therefore offers a few suggestions on their ostensibly maligning campaign of Hon. Mossi. First, he suggests that Mossi be portrayed as favouring his ethnic group at the expense of other tribes. Secondly, he suggests historical revisionism which he says could come in form of a story of maybe an egg 🥚 that bursts and out a man issues out of it then marries two girls and that is how ethnic groups with the exception of Hon. Mossi's tribal group have a common ancestry. Thirdly, he proposes a campaign of saying that Hon. Mossi's tribesmen smell differently from the rest of the tribes.  With little resistance from Ted, the resolutions are carried. Hon. Ted is to assign the points to good orators among the Councillors and Aldermen. A campaign rally is the slated for Wednesday at Atobold stadium.

CHARACTERIZATION 

HON. RAMDAYE

(i) Fearful (p.75)

(ii) Inquisitive (p.76,77)

(iii) Abusive (p.77,79)

HON. BASDEO

(i) Smart/neat  (p.81)

(ii) Malicious  (p.81)

(iii) Inciteful (p.81)

(iv) Manipulative (p.82)

(v) Deceitful/Dishonest (p.82)

(vi) Tribal (p.83)

HON. SEYMOUR 

(i)Brave/Courageous/Daring (p.74)

(ii)Observant/Keen (p.75)

(iii)Relentless/Insistent/Defiant (p.75)

(iv)Inquisitive (p.76)

(v)Contemptuous (p.78)

HON. TED

(i) Observant  (p.77,79)

(ii) Abusive (p.77)

(iii) Candid/Honest (p.79)

(iv) Infantile/childish (p.84)

(v) Assertive (p.82)

ASPECTS OF STYLE 

SIMILES

the rock flew.... like a rocket 🚀 propelled grenade (p.74)

Ramdaye whizzed passed me like an express train (p.75)

It was like a military operation (p.75)

They are like a headless chicken (p.77)

obediently like little puppies (p.82)

METAPHOR

Headless chickens (p.77)

Bridge 🌉 (p.76)

..... his political star....(p.78)

IMAGERY

.... there is always a winner even in the beauty contest of a monkey 🐒🙈🙊 (p.79)

IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS 

There is more than meets the eye (p.75)

We will not be cowed (p.75)

Mr. Key has never seen a fence on which he can't sit. (p.76)

With him (Basdeo) in the bag 🎒 (p.80)

HYPERBOLE 

......missed my head by the thickness of a pig's bristle (p.74)

whizzed past me like an express train (p.75)

Hon. Ferreira (Mr. Key 🔑) has difficulties deciding what and how much to eat. (p.77)

The story on historical revisionism (p.83)

SYMBOLISM

(i) Corruption

(ii) Ethnicity/Tribalism 

(iii) Racism 

(iv) Violence

(v) Malice

(vi) Dishonesty/Deceit 

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