Maru versus Moleka in Evoking the Sympathy of the Reader

Maru and Moleka are two men of many similarities but also of vast differences. Maru and Moleka both lived in a small village, Dilepe, in Botswana. At first it seems like Maru and Moleka are inseparable, but the arrival of Margaret Cadmore clearly outlines the differences between the two men.

Maru and Moleka are both leaders of men and have enormous influence over the people they come into contact with. This is stated on page one, where Bessie Head asks the rhetorical question ?who else is born the leader of men..??, referring to Maru. Both men have incredible power for better or worse, and were able to destroy their friendship by their selfishness. Both decided on what to do, and took no consideration of what might be best for the other. With the arrival of the Masarwa, both parties? main goal was to win Margaret, and therefore the great friendship was at risk.

Moleka is an energetic character and does things with enormous spirit and power. Maru though, never has any energy outbursts. He is a gentle, quiet, unchanging and loving person. This is shown on page twenty three, where Dikeledi compares Maru to Moleka. She calls Maru ??a God in his kindness towards people, unlike that swine.? That swine refers to Moleka, who seldom shows any kindness. People always know where they stand with Maru. He is, unlike Moleka, predictable and peaceful, but forceful. His unchanging personality and complete character is very independent and he knows exactly what he wants. Moleka, in contrast, has an incomplete personality. With the arrival of Margaret it seems to change and ?complete itself?. Although Moleka does not win Margaret, he does settle down with Dikeledi, and I would think that he becomes happy.

Moleka is complex...

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...ka showed his love in several ways. One of them is when he dined with all his Masarwa servants to show that they were not inferior. He also walked outside of the village pondering on what to do about this one woman. This showed his love, as he was the type of person who was only involved with women to sleep with them. Moleka supplied Margaret with a bed which Maru ruthlessly took away, but Maru, although he made her life uncomfortable, walked away the victor.

Maru and Moleka were very similar before the arrival of Margaret. They lived in the same community and shared their interests and activities. With the Masarwa?s arrival came a titanic personality clash. Their differences started to grow, and new cracks appeared and grew, until their friendship collapsed. In the end Moleka changed, the friendship was shattered and Maru married the friendship?s doom.