Title:              The Gleaming Man

Author:                     Blessing Ibebunjo-Anozie

Title of book:          The Betrothed

Editors:                     Amala, E. et al.

Publisher:                Literaseed Print

Genre:                       Short Story

Synopsis:

“The gleaming” man is about Alemo, a young man who struggles several times to gain admission into higher education after successfully completing his secondary education all to no avail. At the last attempt, this time overseas, he secures admission to his and his family’s jubilation. In spite of Alemo’s father’s (Jonathan Bejo) attempt to conceal his reservation to his son’s travelling overseas, his neighbours still receive the news. Nwaigwe, Jonathan Bejo’s next door childless neighbour becomes jealous of Alemo’s success and vows to overturn the Bejos family’s plans and prevent Alemo from his mission by tampering with their vehicle. After his farewell party, and on his way to bed, Alemo is confronted by his father who appears out of nowhere in a gleaming light and informs him of his inability to sponsor his trip overseas. Thereafter,  he is awoken by his wailing mother who informs him that they were involved in an accident en route their family visit and that his father was engulfed in the fire that wrecked the car, thereby dashing his dream of travelling overseas for further studies.

Exposition

Plot: The story opens with the narration of Alemo’s educational pursuit and his inability to successfully gain admission for further studies despite a number of attempts. The reader is informed that Alemo finally seeks, with his father’s consent, and secures admission overseas from a school in Texas, USA to his overjoy and jubilation of his family.

Complication/Conflict: Conflict arises   when Janet Bejo, Alemo’s mother, remarks on Jonathan Bejo’s (Alemo’s father) concealed reservation to Alemo’s impending travel. Despite his denial and annoyance at such an accusation, Jonathan goes on to agree with his family to vacate the house for Alemo to have a farewell party with his friends. 

Rising action: Nwaigwe, the next door neighbour of the Bejos, who is childless though having adopted children, is unhappy with the news of Alemo’s impending travel overseas for further studies.  He vows to do all he can to avert the journey. In the night, Nwaigwe put a piercing  object in the Peugeot vehicle of the Bejos.

Climax: After the farewell party in the middle of the night, as he gets set to sleep, Alemo hears repeated knocks on the door and after opening the door and meeting no one, he suddenly becomes suspicious and afraid. He is confronted by his father who appears suddenly from nowhere looking unusual in a gleaming light. Mr. Jonathan calmly informs him of his inability to fulfil his promise to sponsor his studies overseas as he has been taken off home. This he repeats despite Alemo’s protests and confusion.

Falling Action:  Alemo manages to get some sleep but awakes in the morning to his mother’s shoves and wailing as she informs him that they were involved in a ghastly motor accident which wrecked the whole care and got his father burnt up in it.

Resolution: Alemo realizes that the ghost of his father (which appeared in a gleaming light) had come to inform him earlier that his hope of ever studying overseas has been dashed.

Setting in Place: The immediate setting is the home of Mr. Jonathan Bejo where discussions take place concerning Alemo’s oversea travel and studies. It is observed that their home is in an unnamed village.

Time: It is a contemporary story as some events in the story depict modern lifestyle.  This includes Alemo’s educational pursuit,  his father’s occupation, and people’s belief system: believe in ghosts.

Characterisation

Alemo:  Alemo is the protagonist. He is tenacious which is demonstrated in his zeal  to further his studies. He is intelligent and homely.

Mr. Jonathan Bejo: Pa Bejo is Alemo’s father and the sponsor of Alemo’s quest to further his studies. He is shown as a caring father as he stands by his son in his several attempts to gain admission both within and outside the country, going up to the extent of giving bribes which didn’t yield any fruit.

Despite his support, he nurses some unexplainable reservations at his son’s oversea travel, but that did not deter him from going on with the family’s plan until death put an end to it.

Mrs Jonathan Bejo: Janet Bejo, Alemo’s mother, is portrayed as  a caring, loving and supportive wife and mother, who alongside her husband strives to ensure that their son fulfils his dream of gaining admission into a higher institution. She is also seen as an observant wife who takes notice of her husband’s queer reservation to Alemo’s impending travel to the USA.

Nwaigwe:  He is the wicked childless neighbour to the Bejos who despite having adopted children and servants, vows that Alemo will not realise his dream of gaining further studies since he Nwaigwe is unable to have any child of his own. His wicked thoughts lead him to secretly orchestrate the accident that claims the life of Alemo’s father, thereby nullifying Alemo’s educational ambition.

Themes

Aborted Dream: Despite several failed attempts and having succeeded in obtaining admission from a school overseas, Alemo still could not have his dream of attaining higher education realised. This story ends on a tragic note.  Any hope of having his dream come true is dashed by his father’s death. 

Jealousy – It is jealousy of his neighbour’s son’s successful admission that drives Nwaigwe to vow to abort Alemo’s educational quest. This makes him plant the device that causes the accident that claims Pa Bejo’s life.