THE OLD MAN AND THE MEDAL

THE OLD MAN AND

THE MEDAL.

TITLE: THE OLD MAN AND THE

MEDAL.

AUTHOR: FERDINAND OYONO.

SETTING: CAMEROON DURING

COLONIALISM

MAIN THEME: HYPOCRSY OF FRENCH

COLONIAL ROLE

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INTRODUCTION TO THE NOVEL OLD MAN / MEDAL
The novel of old man and the medal , is about meka , an old
man who has been converted to the religion of Christianity and
very loyal to the new religion and the French colonial role. He
has sacrificed much when fighting for the French against his
fellow Africans the French applied the policy of assimilation
to capture the minds of the Africans who were assimilated and
accepted the French ways of living . the district commissioner
promised him that he would awarded a “medal” to show that a
meka is a true friend of the French and that the colonial
government respects his contribution . the whites (French)
however , didn’t sincerely mean the true friendship . during the
awarding day meka is neglected at the playground for so long
time that he became embarrassed . after the awarding ceremony
the was a party, which was held to entertain the whites. In
the party , meka gets drunk , and he was arrested , when he
was going home at midright for being suspected a animal.
Meka respesents the Africans who abandoned their traditional
ways of life and adopted that of the whites; and acted against their
fellow Africans, but later returned to their previous traditional religion
CHARACTERIZATION
1. MAKALEY
_He is the protagonist of the novel.
_Is married to kelara,brother in law of engamk
_He is a poor old man
_He is pompous
_He is a catholic convert,He lives at mission a Dam.
_He is chronic drunkard at Mamy titi’s place
_He is loyal to the white colonizers.
_He is religious, but not spiritual.
_He is awarded a “medal” but loses it.
_He is a victim of police brututality.
_He has a changing behavior.

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2. KELARA
_She is meka’s wife.
_She is a convert Christian.
_She has a true love.
_She is a victim of world war 2.
_She feels betrayed by her husband.
:_She is highy emotional easily heartbroken.
_She was betrothed, with while she was young.

3. ENGAMBA
_He is kelara’s brother, and meka’s brother in law.
_He is greedy.
_He is very supportive.
_He believes in superstition.
_He was a polygamist.
_He is a traditionalist.
_He is a Christian convert.

4. AMALIA
_She is the wife of Engamba.
_She is very hard working.
_She was married in a polygamous family
_She is sympathetic.

5. .M.FOUCONI
_He is the chief administrator at doum.
_He is a cigar smoker.
_He is a hypocrite.
_He has a terrible temer.

6. .M.VARINI GULLET
_He is the white superintendent of the policemen.
_He is cruel to the Africans.
_He is a heavy cigar smoker.
_He is a hypocrite.

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 THE TITLE OF THE NOVEL, OLDMAN AND MEDAL
The title of the book is; The old man and the medal ; the title of the
book is relevant to the content because:-
i. The whole novel is about the old man called meka who has last
two sons and the land that was given to the whites. He is now very
“old” and lives a very poor life
ii. The old man is given a medal , because of the sacrifices he has
made for the French colonizers and they promised him a “medal”
which he was to be given on the day of 14 th July by the High
commissioner himself. However, he lost it during the night of the
same day. Because of being heavy drunk.
iii. The old man is promised another medal, when gullet later learns
that he has last the first medal that was given. Although up to the
end of the book, he has never received the second medal.
SETTING
The setting of the novel is in cameroon during colonialism, The novel
shows the dilemma the Africa find themselves in living in the two
worlds, that of the black man and his culture, and that of the white men
[French] colonizers. The novel father portray sub section as rural and
urban setting.

RURAL SETTING PORTRAYED BY

This is portrayed, evidenced by mentioning of village like zourian,
where even the mode of transport is mainly walking on foot. Customs
like, polygamy, widow inheritance, early marriage, completes rural
setting.
URBAN SETTING PORTRAYED BY
This is evidenced by mentioning towns like doum, where white men
live, presence of the police station, community center, European clubs.
STYLE OF THE NOVEL
The novelist Ferdinand oyono, has applied different style and technique
to enrich his work of literature
i. MONOLOGUE NARRATIVE; The novel has been written in a
monologue which the author is the narrator, the third person point
of view is the dominant one.

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 ii. DIALOGUE; The author has used dialogue to bring the events and
characters, which have been employed here and there.
iii. SONGS; The novelist has applied and employed style in the poem
by using the song, in [page 12] where,meka.

LANGUAGE USE
The language used is simple, and straight forward. However, there
are some words used purposely for effect. Abusive language
/22,/3/.
i. SIMILE : The chief was sweating like a wrestler [page 92]
ii. SIMILE: Children today grow up like maize [page 57]
iii. SIMILE: In those days, kelara had breasts as lemons [page
37]
iv. SIMILE: We missionaries are like owls. [page 27]
v. PERSONFICATION: The hut was already alive [page
vi. PERSONFICATION: The hut was already alive
vii. METAPHOR: Now that har husband is going to have a
medal, she will become a white man [page 62]
viii. PERSONFICATION: The mouth has tired itself with talking
[page 13]
ix. PROVERB: The chimpanzee is no brother to gorilla [page
151]
x. HYPERBOL: I am all alone, alone in the world [page 121].

CHAPTER ONE
Meka wakes up at day break , in a very poor hut and finds his
wife kelara still snoring . he wakes up wondering how she can sleep
while her husband has trouble. He has summons to see the commander
this morning. They pray together for the same. Then dresses and his
wife praises him that he like and look an American missionary. He ate
his breakfast and left. His wife warns him to be careful when he present
himself before the white men. He makes his way to town on foot, he
comes a cross the European town and decides to stop at mammy Titi’s

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place to have arki . Arki is an illegal drink. That has been banned not to
be distilled, so that those who sell it do it in secret. We are given a flash
back that Meka, gave his plot of land to the catholic mission and now
lives in a small hut in the village. He was told that it was the will of God
to give his land .
When he finished he started off to the white men. He was singing
a song of war they used to sing. Back in the village catechist Ignatus
Obebe leads a mass of prayers then they dispers. Kalera refuses to go, in
but sits at the door insisting and gazing the direction her husband had
gon. Finally, he comes in a car sitting beside a white man. He informs
the villagers who come and gather around him that the great chief of all
the white men at Timba is coming to award him a medal on 14 th July.
Many people come to his house to her the good news. Meka tells them
how it all happened. Even ignatus Obebe comes to her the good news .
However he seems a bit jealous and gives some remarks, that made him
angry. He leaves they talk of another catechist who loved the wife of the
chief and seduced her.
CHAPTER TWO
This chapter shows the events, taking place at the village of
zourian where Kalera is born. His brother Engamba is eating, but he
seems to hide behind the door so that the passers –by may not join him.
When he finished he gets out. There is noise from the other side of the
village. People come out from every direction they see a stranger who
introduces himself as Nkolo mendo, son of mendo of Ngolman. many
people are interested to know if he brings the good news. After a long
wait of leaving the villagers in suspense, he finally bring the news. He
says that the day before he goes to down to see his future parent in-laws
and gives them a bunch of stock fish they had asked her in order to
marry the daughter. On top of that, he had already given them, thirty
thousands franks, a case of beer ,pith-helmet, a sack of salt, thee
machetes , thee ships; a wate bucket, a cast-iron cooking pot, and a sack
of rise and all that was left the stock fish.
He says when he got to doum, the place was so bus and the
lorries were fill of soldiers who were speech to town. They thought the
war was about to start then he cools them down, because it was not the

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war, but the chief of the white from paris was coming to doum to give
Meka a medal. Engamba was happy to her that because Meka is his
brother-in law Mbogsi, suggest that, Engamba should introduce him to
the commandant that, he is the brother in law of Meka. Even the friends
of Engamba want sue that to gain favours.
Finally all the villagers leave and Nkolo, is left with Engamba.
We are informed that Nkolo is a polygamist. He has five wives and is
soon going to take the sixth. More over we are told that when Engamba
father dies, he left him six young widows to inherit. He enjoys the issues
of inheritance, because women compete in his favour. Things began to
change when the missionaries started to teach about Christian marriage
and some of his wives demanded their liberty to be baptize. Engamba
was the first of the pagans to be converted and Amalia to Christianity in
a church officially.
A flash back is then given that one day Meka passed through
zourian and Engmba
Egamba sees Meka as being lucky and calls him ‘The lucky devil’.
Engamba catches one of his goat called Ebogo [the name of his youngest
wife ]and start his way to doum to attend the celebration of the medal
award.
CHAPTER THREE
The preparation for the 14th of July had changed the atmosphere
of doum, just as Nkolo said. The place was busy preparing for the event
under the supervision of M. Fouconi, the chief administrator. Because of
soldiers were moving here and there in lorries, and practicing in the
street, the Africans were in territory thinking the war is back. After
supervision the preparation, M.Foukon goes back to the residence some
Africans bring the crates of the drinks that will be used that day. To be
used on the celebration. He orders them to take the crates direct to
the .Africa community center where the reception party will take place.
We are told that this center was a corrugated iron hut. It was white
washed all over to hide the colour it had been before
Meka had gone to see the tailor-Ela who was seving his jacked,
and was worried whether it would be ready by the following day. Ela
assires Meka that he will make it ready and Meka will lobe it when the

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tailor is done he gives the jacket to Meka, but he says button will be
sewn by Meka’s wife because he is rushing to go and see his wife who
is sick. Meka pays 500 franks and yet they depart.
CHAPTER FOUR
Engamba and his wife Amalia, were still on the war to doum ;
They procced ed like this until night fell own the bush. Engamba
complained Amalia was going too fast since he was pulling his goat A
Flash back of Amalia’s life is given. She used to carry some heavy
basket of wood when coming from the field, basket of sans for the hut,
basket of stones for the priest houses, so she could go to the confessi on
and the basket of food for the journeys. She had done so purposely
because her mother considered her lazy. Finally the villagers praised her
saying. ‘A girl who will know to feed her husband he will never die of
hunger. Atema, Amalia’s mother had had a daughter among daughters.
Amalia got ten offers of marriages. Among them was wealthy Engamba
of zourian. Amalia preffered this man, though he had many wives. That
was how Amalia married Engamba. They continue with their journey
but it was getting dark and come to Nkango, hamlet
Some one welcomed them to have a meal with them ; because the
night had many mysteries; The man recognized Amalia as entered the
hut, while Engamba was trying his goat outside. The man was Binama
they talked of Meka, getting a future of a medal at the old age. Agatha,
binama’s wife brings them food. When food is over, Engamba raises to
go. Engamba and Agatha escorts them to the river. Binama tells
Engamba that Meka, should tel;l the chief of whites they need a road to
the village. Theey passed through. several villagers at night and there
was one village left. They entered the village of Boton. They had to
cross the whole of Europe quarter pass a cross the African location
before they came to Mekas house.

CHAPTER FIVE
Meka comes back from taking his jacket and find a number of
people at his place, all who come to celebrate with him. He greets them
in a normal traditional way, while joking and bursting into there were
Engamba’s and Essomba’s ,all his causins male and female were there

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with their children,Everyo connected intimately or distantly with kelara,
also were there. For example there was an old women with nursed kelara
mother who died before WW1, there was Nua,Nti,Mvondo,Evina, The
causin of meka, and his wife and their brothers in law who had come
there and post poned their departure. There were also villagers who had
come to honour their fellow country.
Meka, welcomes them all and they start the normal chatting.
Meka retells his story as he has been doing ever since. Kelara brings
them the food, but for me it was not enough as they finished, it before
other managed to reach the plate. After that kelara arranges the bedding
for every body and announce the arrangement. Others slept on beds,
others on sleeping mats and others on banana leaves. Before they sleep,
they remember to tell meka to try his jacket. All others praise it exept
kelara who says it is over size, and not good. Kelara brings the leak
shoes meka has bought at madam pipiniakis, men had gon before foot
until when he married kelara. So his feet were disfigured and that was
complicate by two little toes, which hung on the each side of the feet. So
when he had to bring the canvas shoes,he had to cut two little windows.
For the little does. At the shop he did try to them, on despite the
insistence. Of the white women since he did not want o display his
suffering in front of the stranger. Meka puts them, but they hurt him and
says, he wouldn’t get for with them, the following day. Engamba
suggest that they should fill the sand and moisten the leather a bit to
make them supple.Finally they say, their prayers and go to sleep, while
others are a sleep meka has been sleep less, night because a lot of
thought and imagination of the next cross in his mind, but eventually he
fell a sleep.

THEMES IN THE NOVEL

1. AFRICAN TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS
The novelist has portrayed the following themes;-
A. Bride pays, The author has portrayed that before a girl is
married in this society, the bride price has to be paid; Nkolo
mendo pays a bundle of stock fish.

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 B. Superstition; When nkolo comes to Engambas house to bring
the news of meka’s medal award, he warns one of the men who were
there. Don’t start your witch craft.
When meka goes back home after the mistreatment he had
received from the whites, he decided to pick back his superstition
believes, he had before he become a Christian.
C. widow inheritance; this has been portrayed who Engamba
inherit the wives of his father.
D. Polygamy;In this society men mary wives for pleasure and enter
entertainment. Engamba had six wives, Nkolo mendo is a polygamist
with five wive.
E. Early marriage; In this society, kelara is betroth to meka when
he was baby child.
F. Food taboos; In this society, the youth are not allowed to eat
the etails of the sheep with out permission of the elders. If one did, he
was change and fined a ram a punishment.

2. CONFLICT
Is a situation of the misunderstanding between the two sides; in the
novel, Old man and medal there are following;-
i) Intrapersonal conflict ; This happen’s when meka summoned to
go to see the commandant, he was wondering what would
happen to him. He asks kelara to pray for her.
On the 14th July, he was left in the hot sun, wait to be awarded a
medal, he was wondering whether to go away or wait for it.
ii) Personal conflict; This happens between meka andhis police
men, this happens when meka walk without a lamp at night and
without an ID.
iii) Cultural conflict; There is a cultural conflict between the two
cultures. Europeans preach that the distilling and drinking of
the local brand ‘arki’ is a mortal sin, but imported drinks like
wine and whisky.
iv)Political conflict; There is a conflict between the European and
the African are forced to labour for the whites.
2)

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 3. POSITION OF WOMEN IN SOCIETY.
a) Women have been portrayed as tools of pleasure. Men mary
many wives, because they use them as the sourse of sexual
pleasure. Nkolo has five wives, Engamba had six wives.
b) Women are portrayed as people who are emotional they are
portrayed as people who cant handle disapporntments. When
Amalia is reminded of her dead sons, she cried bitterly as
receiving news for the first time.
c) Women are portrayed as parents and caretakers in this novel we
have seen women playing the good role of good and care takers.
d) Women are portrayed as sympathetic people. When kelara
weeps for her lost sons, and Amalia joins in the weeping.
e) Women are portayed as true love; Women are portrayed to have
sincere love, because the medal offered to meka as a
compensation to her lost son is a betrayal.
f) Women are portrayed as weak people Women seen to have no
say in the society, they are married in a polygamous setting and
they are victims of early child marriage.

4. AWARENESS
Is the knowledge of knowing what is going on around you. Awareness is
portrayed as;
1) Africans are a were of the hypocrisy of the white who tell them, they
have become more friends and they are now brothers.
2) Meka is a were of the hypocrisy of the white people and the
friendship they are talking about
3) Kelara is a were of the white men hypocrisy in awarding the medal to
her husband.

5. HYPOCRISY
Hypocrisy is a situation of pretending to have qualities or
beliefs you don’t have; the white men are portrayed to be
hypocritical;-
a) White praise meka for his contribution, but they don’t mean
it from their hearts.

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 b) Mr. Fouconi, is a hypocrite, he lived with the Africa women
but used to hide her in the whenever he had visitors.
c) The white missionaries are hypocrite in a war they preach,
that drinking of ‘arki’ is illegal and sin, but they drink
imported drinks from Europe.
d) Father vandermayer is a hypocrite, He is a religious leaders
but practices recisim.
e) Also, Father vandermayer, chases beggers from his church.

6. OPPRESSION
The white in this book are portrayed as oppressors to the Africans.
Oppression has been portrayed in the following ways.
a) Black are tortured and oppressed by the police constable led by.
M.Virini-Gullet. Meka was tortured and oppressed by the police
when he was arrested and sent to the police station. He is beaten by
police including Gullet himself despite the fact that he explained
he was innocent.
b) Africans had to walk with the ID and when he was found without
an identity card, He was arrested when the police found meka; the
first thing they asked was the papers when he failed to produce he
was arrested.
c) Africans land was taken by force from the blacks. The Africans
loses their land to the French colonizers through the land
alienation. Moist Africa had to go and work for the Europeans to
earn a living.
d) Africans are arrested for distilling and drinking local beer [arki].
Africans were not allowed to make and sell local beer instead, they
had to buy beer and other drinks imported from France. Those who
sold and drink the local brand, had to do it secrety.

7. NEPOTISM
The people in this society portray the spirit of nepotism.
a) The whole village, close and distant relatives from distant place
come to join meka, in his celebration of the medal a ward, so that
b)

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 c) they can be know to meka, as a result they can be treated with
preference.
d) The stanger suggest that it should not be confined in the sphere of
close relatives, but also to friends of meka.
e) They believe that even other development project like the
construction of roads have been treated under the guise of
nepotism. Whe Binama and Engamba discuss about the problem of
road construction from zourian to doum, Binama suggest that
Engamba should inform meka, may send the message to the chief
of whites.

8 RACISM/ RACIAL DISCRIMINATION

Racism means discrimination and abuse behavior towards other
members of the society based on their race [colour] in this book, racism
is shown in the following ways
a) Father vandamayer segregated meka because of being an African,
while he was white. He gives meka a lift at the back of the car
when he drives to the African community center. Father
vandamayer is a racist.
b) The whites refuse mekas invitation to eat a goat, with him
pretending that they were going away. They said , they will eat his
goat in through
c) On the celebration day, the whites sit alone on the plat and the
blacks were saying, there was no African on plat form.
d) There are special residential areas for whites and Africans.
Africans lives in their own local areas while European sit and lives
in their own residential area After celebration, European go back to
European club, where M. Ripianikis goes to celebrate legion
d’honneur.
e) M. Fouconi lived with an African woman but he used to hide her
in the store room, whenever he had the European visitors. And the
day before the governor arrival he is sent back to the African
location.

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 9 MORAL CURRUPTION
In this society , people are morally corrupt in some ways. The following
are few cases in point;
a) Prostitution; Because of life difficult some women decided to
engage themselves in prostitution to earn a living. This
causes serious moral corruption in the society. The author
uses ignatus to present the point.
b) Alcoholism; Alcoholism is rampant in this society both local
and imported. Moist Africans wake up and go at mammy titi;
place to drink alcohol on the day also of the award of medal,
they were invited to drink to the capacity to the level of
bringing them to shame.

10. MESSGES/LESSON FROM THE NOVEL

The author has highlighted the following message in the novel;-
1) Polygamy, bride price, superstition, widow inheritance, early
marriage, food taboos. These are out dated customs. They should
be discouraged as they lead to the necessary conflict in the society.
2) We should fight against oppretion, hypocrisy, exploitation and
classes, in our societies.
3) Alcoholism and prostitution are not solutions the problems
affecting our society.
4) Nepotism and racism should be discouraged in the society.
5) We should be a were of the oppression, and injustice in our society
fight it.

11. RELEVANCE
Although the novel is set back during the colonial period, there are
themes still relevant today, in our contemporary society in a number of
ways;-
1) Classes, oppression, hypocrisy, and exploitation are still
prevalent in our contemporary society.

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2) Polygamy, bride price, superstition, widow inheritance, early
marriage, and food taboos, and other out dated customs are
still practiced in most rural Africa communities
3) Moral corruption especially prostitution and alcoholism is
prevalent in big cities and rural communities.
4) Racism and racial segregation is still practiced in many
countries in the world. There are also few cases of racism in
Tanzania as well.

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