The Theme of Loss in Veronica and A Stench of Kerosene

The Theme of Loss in Veronica and A Stench of Kerosene

Both stories Veronica and A Stench of Kerosene have a strong theme of

love and loss. The story Veronica by, Adewale Maja-Pearce is set in

Africa and is basically about a young girl called Veronica growing in

a small village in Africa. The main characters are Veronica and Okeke.

Okeke is a friend of Veronica's and is leaving for the city to get an

education, he has feelings for Veronica this is clearly shown when he

tries to convince Veronica to come with him. She declines his offer

and stays back to look after her family and home. 10 years later Okeke

returns from the city to find Veronica, when he speaks to her he hears

that her parents are died and her brothers and sisters are all grown

up and have left her and that she is now married. War breaks out in

the village and Okeke looses contact with Veronica for 3 years. When

he returns to her hut he find he lying on the floor in a bad state.

When Okeke tries to help her she says no, she does not want to be

helped after all her husband and child are dead as a consequence she

has nothing to look forward to. So she turns her head and dies. Okeke

that night cries for "a devastating loss."

A stench of Kerosene also has the theme of love and loss. A Stench of

Kerosene is written by Amrita Pritam. This story is basically about a

girl called Guleri she lives in a small village near Chamba in Asia

with her husband Manak. The main characters are Gueri and Manak.

Guleri is allowed to visit her parents once a year after the harvest

has been gathered, for a few days. So this year exited as every year

she gets ready to go to her parents house but Manak asks her not to,

he could have demanded her not to however he does not. So as every

year Guleri leaves for her parent's house, someone comes to collect