Africa Kills Her Sun

How is Bana’s approach to the execution different from Sazan and Jimba’s? What does this reveal about his state of mind? In what ways does Bana choose life? In what ways does he choose death?

To what extent is Bana hopeful about the future of his country and his countrymen?

Is Bana as honest and clear-sighted as he believes himself to be? What forms of honesty are available in this setting? Is he a hero? He never talks about the possibility of being an activist. Was becoming a robber—joining the system—his only choice? How can he reconcile his actions with the belief that he is separate from the complicit government and masses?

How does Bana use nature—ponds, the ocean, sunlight, worms, darkness—to elucidate the human condition and freedom?

Who is the main antagonist in the story—the government, the public, foreign exploiters, the general fallibility and selfishness of humans? Support your response with evidence from the text.

How would the story change if it were not a letter, but was still told from the first-person point of view? Why is the epistolary element important to the themes of the story and to the characterization of Bana?

Evaluate the role of memory in the story. How does Bana’s memory differ from the memory of the general public?

Explore Bana’s relationship with Zole. Does Bana really love Zole, or does he write to her because he has no real intimacy in his life? Why does he choose to write to a past romantic interest rather than a childhood best friend? What role does romance play in the story, if any?