Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Courie of Hope
Courie of Hope
A Cowrie of Hope is a novel written by Binwell Sinyangwe and published in the year 2000.
It is set in the early nineties, a period that was, across the continent, marked by economic reforms
and structural adjustments; changes in government or democratization; and the discovery and
spread of the HIV/AIDS disease. To these add, and as part of the setting, drought. Thus, as the
author puts it ‘These were the nineties, the late nineties. They were lean years. They were
the years of each person for himself and hope only under the shadow of the gods’ (Pg 14).
These were the nineties becomes the singular refrain in this novel, an indication of the
importance of such a decade. It is the turning point in the politico-economic structure of most
African countries with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) adding as a condition, political
and economic reforms, to aid.
It is in this period that Nasula, widowed and her husband's family having captured his property
after refusing to marry his younger brother, had to find the means to see her daughter, Sula,
through school. Wobbling/trembling on the edge of poverty, either she falls into starvation and
death or abandoned her single-mindedness of schooling her daughter - an idea that had almost
become a disease; she did not hesitate but chose the former.
The main action of the text takes place in a period of great crisis in the life of the protagonist,
Belita Bowa, who, according to African practice, is named Nasula ( meaning the mother of let
things be) after the birth of her only child, a daughter, Sula (Let things be).
She is a loving and caring mother to Sula, her only daughter. She is in a state of abject poverty
but tirelessly, struggles to see her daughter through school so that the girl can have a better
future. She loves the child with such intensity that at times the feelings threaten to suffocate her.
Albeit so fateful and seems to be deserted by the gods, Nasula is so persistent, optimistic for the
best and that is why she is not willing to stop at anything and watch things crumble. Even when
waves of defeat keep oscillating from her mind to heart, she pays no attention because a power
she could not overcome, which was from a bleeding heart, tells her not to listen to the whispers
of discouragement and defeat, or give up when she had already suffered so much. She never
gives up till the last minute of her predicament.
Nasula is a woman whose destiny lies solely on pitiable achievement. She is depicted as a strong
willed woman. She understands her plight but does not just let things be neither does she resigns
to fate. She confronts the situation head-on to find remedy for Sula. She confronts Isaki to give
her money for Sula`s schooling.
She is a resilient/determined woman who withstands all forms of hardships to remain steadfast in
search for her daughter’s school fees. “Days had injured her to many things and turned her into
hard wood”. For Nasula, it is not over until it is over.
Nasula is a very hard working woman. Despite the poor weather conditions characterized by
long drought, she toils on her plot of land and also does piece-work to supplement the meager
income from her crops. Sula is enrolled in school, where she excels, rising above the
taunts/mocking and ridicule she experiences because of her poverty.
Nasula never gets discouraged or frustrated. Though many people, with excessive description of
Gode's nefarious/evil behavior as regards ploy/strategy and arrogance, she is never discouraged
to continue searching for him till he was arrested and detained by the inspector of police.
In a closely related way, the novel depicts Nasula as a furious woman who engages Gode in a
physical confrontation, demanding that he returns her bag of beans or pays for it. The fact that
she does this to a man that everyone in Lusaka fears depicts her as a fierce woman who should
be dealt with very carefully.
Nasula never loses focus to her mission until it is complete. Bearing in mind that to her it is not
over until it is over; she sets out to look for fees for her daughter and does all that is within her
ability to get it. The man at the market cons her beans but she just does not let the matter go. She
pursues it to the very last.
Being do daring, she goes to the in-laws who hate her so much. As a matter of fact, she goes to
ask for money from Isaki for her daughter`s schooling. She also dares to ask the bus conductor to
refund her money without fear and contradiction and she cancel her journey to Swelini to go
back to Lusaka to hunt down the man who stole her beans.
To her dear friend, who is there as her cowrie of hope, she is always thankful Nalukwi for her
love and care in her time of need. She is now willing to offer her only chicken to Nalukwi as a
way of expressing her gratitude.
Points in Summary
Ø Mother to Sula
Ø Responsible
Ø Loving and caring
Ø So persistent
Ø Optimistic
Ø Strong willed woman
Ø Confronts situation head-on
Ø Determined
Ø Hard working
Ø Never discouraged
Ø Furious woman
Ø Never loses hope
Ø Daring
Ø thankful
2) Sula
She is the only daughter to the now dead Winelo (her father) and Belita Bowa (her mother) who
in the African culture is named after her daughter Nasula meaning mother of Sula.
Albeit she does not actively participate much in the events that unfold and her character is
slightly sketched, the story in the novel is about her. In fact she is the reason behind the events
that take place in the book and without whom; the reader would have missed much.
She is a cowrie of hope to her mother and that is the reason the mother does everything within
her power to see her through school.
She is not easily discouraged by the scorn and abuses she gets from fellow pupils in school
because of her poverty (Pg 73).
Unlike other children in Swelini and the surrounding villages, Sula never complains about her
poor state, she never demanded anything from the mother (pg 73).
She is known for being obedient to her mother’s instruction and advice on many occasions.
She understands situations and adjusts accordingly.
She is an intelligent girl. Soon after she had begun school, words started coming home that she
was an intelligent, determined girl (pg 73).
She is hard working.
Points in summary
Ø Daughter to Nasula Belita Bowa and the late Winelo
Ø Her character slightly sketched
Ø She is the reason behind the book
Ø She is a cowry of hope to her mother
Ø Not easily discouraged
Ø Never complains
Ø Obedient
Ø Understanding
Ø Intelligent
Ø Hard working
3) Nalukwi
Ø In the Novel, the suffering of Nasula is mostly generated by her in-laws who decide to mistreat
her in many ways after the death of her husband Winelo. This reflects the difficulty and the
suffering of many Ugandan women who are tortured by their in-laws. After the death of their
husbands, their property is confiscated and they are left with children to look after with little or
no means of livelihoods. This is common in the rural areas.
Ø The corruption that takes place at the police station where Nasula and the con man Gode are
taken, Gode bribes the office and he is unprofessionally set free though criminal while Nasula
remains tormented, is synonymous to what goes on at the different police stations in Uganda
today. Many criminals bribe the police in Uganda today and they are vindicated/set free, out of
the House of Commons and they continue to terrorize people.
Ø When Nasula embarked on hunting for Gode, to every group she would find herself, she is
advised to live Gode alone because he is a man feared by everybody including the police. People
fear to disclose the whereabouts of Gode because if he learns of it, Lusaka would be too small
for them (pg 118). The same is true in Uganda today, there are those thugs who are feared by
everybody and even if they are known, nobody dares to touch them.
The above given relevance are only illustration answers. The student can read the text and still
find many other relevant points. Students are therefore advised not only to stick to the points
given in this sample but to read the text extensively for more points.
What Lessons do we learn from the Novel, A Cowrie of Hope?
In answering the question of lessons learnt, the student must be sure to talk about practical
teaching drawn from the book. Once again, a student must be careful not to confuse lessons
learnt with relevance of the text. See the sample answer to the question of lessons learnt from the
Novel below:
Ø After reading the novel, we learn that determination pays. Nasula, although she is poverty and
suffering metaphorically, she only remained determined at every level and never losing focus
and that is why in the end, she succeeds in all her struggles.
Ø One of the lessons we learn is that tough times do not last but tough people last. Nasula has seen
tough times in her life throughout the Novel but because she seen as a tough woman, she
manages to come out of the tough times.
Ø The reader of the novel learns that you reap what you sow. Gode sows trickery and theft and by
the end of the novel, he is apprehended and locked up in the (CID). The police officer who
accepts bribe from Gode is dismissed from his job for his gross misconduct. The eventualities
that happens to these two characters brings a relief to the reader because they finally paid for
their sins (they reaped what they had sown).
Ø The old saying “A friend in need is a friend indeed” is one thing that the reader of A Cowrie of
Hope draws from the Novel. Nalukwi is always there to comfort the suffering Nasula at the time
of need. For instance, in Swelini as Nasula searches for solution to her problem of school fees, it
is Nalukwi who finally hatches the plan for selling the only bag of beans. Even when from
Lusaka she is conned, Nalukwi is there to comfort her.
Ø One of the lessons we draw from the book is there is time for everything. (explain this in relation
to Nasula`s struggle).
The above given lessons are only illustrations. The student can read the text and still find many
other lessons to be learnt. Once again, students are advised not only to stick to the points given
in this sample but to read the text extensively for more points
NARATIVE TECHNIQUES IN THE NOVEL “A COWRIE OF HOPE”
The narrative techniques also commonly referred to as language and style is a particular
methodology or vehicle the writer employs to pass or convey his message to readers more
effectively.
In A Cowrie of Hope, Binwell Sinyangwe has used a number of techniques and among which
are: symbolism, Drama, dialogue, suspense, Irony, Metaphor, Flashbacks and others.
I) dialogue
A greater percentage of the novel is filled up with dialogue. For instance, there is dialogue
between Nasula and Sula, Nasula and Nalukwi, Nasula and the police boss Samson Luhila, etc
(ch 9).
II) Irony
Talking about the con man Godie, Binwell employs the language of irony. He portrays Godie as
a very smart man and nobody would suspect him for a thief but unfortunately, he is the very one
who ends up conning the beans of Nasula. This is very ironical that the least expected thief is
actually the most senior one. It is no wonder that the author calls him the smart con man (ch 5).
III) Drama
It is true that Binwell uses long passages of description. Although so, we get relief a few times
when he dramatizes the disagreements. The struggle between Nasula and the conman Godie in
(chapter 8 pgs 124-128) makes this clear
IV) Symbolism
As a symbol of the death of hope, Binwell uses the black bus that Nasula finds in the bus park.
The bus was as black as the funeral bus. With this black bus, Binwell wants to show how the
hopes of Nasula seems to be in ruins especially after the only bag of beans gas been conned by
the smart man Godie that leaves Nasula with nothing to hope for but death (ch 7, pg 97).
These and many others unmentioned here are the techniques that Binwell Sinyangwe uses in his
novel to pass on his message to the readers. Students are encouraged to read more and come out
with more techniques used by the author of A Cowrie of Hope.
Some sample and guiding questions
1. Of what relevance is the Novel: A Cowrie of Hope to the Modern society in Uganda?
2. What Lessons do we learn from the Novel, A Cowrie of Hope?
3. Why is Nasula an admirable character in the novel A Cowrie of Hope?
4. Discuss the meaning and appropriateness of the title, A Cowrie of Hope to the novel.
5. How has Nasula not lived up to her name (Mother of let things be)?
6. What would the reader miss if the character of Sula did not exist in the novel, A Cowrie of
Hope?
7. With close reference to the novel A Cowrie of Hope, expound on the theme of struggle to
survive.
8. Who do you sympathize with most in A Cowrie of Hope and why?
9. Describe any two themes and ideas Binwell Sinyangwe has brought out in his novel.
10. “These were the nineties…” reflects the author of A Cowrie of Hope. In what ways has this
period of setting affected the characters in the novel