Window seat Benjamin Branoff | Memories we Lost

Discuss the major issues highlighted by the writer in the story window seat by Benjamin Branoff.

 Introduction

Every writer sets out to pass a certain message or communicate a particular issue to the audience through their work. Benjamin highlights a few concepts in the story “window seat”

1.      Lawlessness on our roads, vehicles should always follow traffic rules on the roads for safety in this story law and order on roads is not followed as it should be. e.g public transport vehicles are overloaded. The narrator says a min-van meant for ten passengers now carry twenty four of them. It is even worse in the rush hour.

2.      Bribery and corruption - drivers bribe policemen in order to get away with crime. Even when things seem to be okay with the vehicle the policemen solicit for bribes to an extent of removing the car keys from ignition. The bribe is a very powerful voice that the police use to silence the adamant drivers.

3.      Suffering passengers. The narrator says that one learns not to commit to a long road because of discomfort. However they don’t seem to care or they are used to it. They even smack their lip s loudly when the policemen take bribes but they don’t take any step. It is even because of overloading that makes it easy for Kenga to rob the narrator.

4.      Poverty-  people at the bus stop are said to be in sandals and others are barefoot; this means they cannot afford better shoes. The passengers could be suffering in silence. In the overloaded daladala because of poverty. This is because they pay less money for fare. The narrator describes Kenga that she has a trim figure probably caused by a lifetime of hardwork and deprivation of luxuries. It also possible that she stole from the narrator because she is poor.

5.      The word Mzungu means a white men. The Africans call them this to mean he is from the white race. The Africans see the narrator as more superior than them .When the guard greets him at the city , Chui, everybody turns to see him, Africans perceive the white men as rich and wealthy that’s why Kanga robs him in the vehicle. The narrator chooses to date Monique a French girl because she is from their race. He says “I should be with the France girl la fille because French woman are absolutely like American men.

Conclusion

Major issues that can be related to our day today life’s are highlighted in the story. Such issues such as poverty, lawlessness on our roads and poverty need to be dealt with for better life.