Literary Road Map: Life is Sweet at Kumansenu
Vocabulary List
Plaintive (adj)
*Cajoled (v)
Diffused (adj)
Complacent (adj)
*Surreptitiously (adv)
*Prosperity (n)
*Corrugated (adj)
*Zenith (n)
Veranda (n)
*Myriad (adj)
*Taut (adj)
Galvanized (adj, v)
*Tentative (adj)
*Abated (v)
*Livid (adj)
Sad; expressing sorrow
Coaxed with flattery, soothing
words, or promises
Not focused; scattered
Self-satisfied; smug
Sneakily; stealthily
Condition of being successful or
well-off
Shaped into parallel grooves and
ridges
Highest point
Porch
Countless or of a highly varied
nature
Tightly stretched; tense
Stimulated; excited
Uncertain; hesitant; not definite or
final
Let up; lessened; decreased
Bruised; black-and-blue; very angry
Essential Questions
 Is life sweet?
 Can love overcome all things?
 Are there things that only women understand that men don’t understand?
 Does one’s spirit live on after death?
Literary Definitions
 Foreshadowing—use of clues that hint at what is going to happen later in the
story
 Plot—the events or structure of the story (exposition, rising action, climax,
resolution)
Getting Things Straight
*Please answer these quickly. Don’t worry about writing in complete sentences.
1. Visualize: Draw a picture of the setting.
2. Who is Bola? Who is Asi?
3. What happened to Bola’s children?
4. What is the explanation for the dead children?
5. Infer: Why do you think Bola refused to let them mutilate the child? What did
she do instead?
6. What is the significance of the mark on the baby’s butt?
7. Who is Meji?
8. Why does Bola want to have a big feast for Meji?
9. Predict: Why do you think Asi says he doesn’t have a shadow?
10.What do the villagers think of Bola?
11.How does Bola communicate with her deceased husband?
12.Why is Meji throwing away all the food?
13.Where do you think Meji ran away to?
14.What happened to Meji, according to Mr. Addai? Why does this seem
unbelievable?
15.At what time did he die? Do you see a connection with something that was
mentioned earlier?
16.How does his death explain the scarf?
17.What happened with the locket?
18.Why is Bola angry with what Musa says? Would you agree with her?
Fun with Literary Elements!
1. Foreshadowing: Nicol uses foreshadowing to hint at what is going to happen in
the story. Go back and see how many clues you can find that foreshadow the
truth about Meji. Fill in this chart.
Clue
What it foreshadows
1. The smell of decay in the room
That Meji was already dead
Clue
What it foreshadows
2. Plot Structure: Now, we are going to plot the story structure.
Narrative tradition calls for developing stories with particular pieces--plot elements--in
place.
1. Exposition is the information needed to understand a story. It’s like the
background.
2. Rising Action is the stuff that leads to the climax.
3. Climax is the turning point in the story that occurs when characters try to resolve
the complication. Usually, it’s the most exciting part.
4. Resolution is the set of events that bring the story to a close. It’s like tying up the
loose ends.
What is the most exciting part of the story? This will be the climax. Start there as you
label your plot triangle.
Delve In—Choose just one question to answer. Please have 3 quotes to support your
claim.
1. What is the main message of the story? (i.e. what is the story saying about love?)
2. How would you characterize the relationship between Bola and Meji?