Biblical Allusion involves the use of direct references from the Bible either by borrowing a story, a character, event among others within the context of a larger story. In this case, we are going to interrogate how H. R Kulet has employed this style in Blossoms of the Savannah. I should point out in the outset that, Kulet borrows heavily from the Bible than we care to see and understand while reading the book.
To begin with, Resian compares her tribulations in the hands of Olarinkoi and his mother to the trials and testing of Job of the Bible (pg230). This allusion helps to build hope in Resian that no matter what the circumstances, she would prevail. Also, it opens her mind to more brutal suffering that she herself could not handle.
Secondly, when Olarinkoi pays her a visit after her recovery, Resian knows that she is on the verge of the eleventh hour. While waiting for Nabaru, her only hope out of her hell in Inkiito, she experiences helplessness that only comes with the wait than the occurrence the event itself. In such helplessness, she remembers a similar wait in the Bible. A moment when Jesus waited for the hour when he will be persecuted in the garden of Gethsemane. (pg 242)
Finally, there is a quotation of 1st Corinthians 13:12 which proclaims her triumph against the traditionalists and her new path towards her proclaimed destiny: to be a veterinarian and an advocate against FGM.
In as much as the above are among the best allusions we can easily get from the book, there still is a lot to learn about Kulet's writing. On the outset, the book looks like a travelogue through Maasai land- an explorer's journey through the culture, the economic and political intricacies of Nasila. Call it an anthropological tour if you will. But talking about a travelogue, the book takes us to the journey the Israelites had to take from Egypt to the promised land in Exodus.
Although the distance between the modern day Israel and Egypt is less than a thousand Kilometres, the journey to the promised land took 40 years! That is if we take the current Israel and Egypt to be in line with the Biblical stories. Another fascinating find is that Moses led the Israelites through the Red Sea when it could have been easier to pass through Suez into Sinai and finally to Israel. However, some would argue that if he had taken the land route, they would have been recaptured by the Egyptians. That could have been the proximal cause and an agreeable one given that the Egyptians were hot in pursuit but the argument is neither here nor there.
What is here is the comparison between the story in Blossoms of the Savannah and the Bible. Resian had set her sights to joining Egerton University just 22km from Nakuru Town. However, it took her a minor detour in Nasila, Inkiitu, and Ntaare Naaju before she could reach her destined promised land. The journey through the desert, harassment and near death experiences makes Resian and to some extent, Taiyo's life similar to the 40-year experiences of the Israelites on their journey home.
It is noteworthy to remember that my arguments herein present an in-depth discourse into the use of Biblical Allusion not just by direct references but also as a bedrock of works of literature. Many writers have done it and it is still the solid ground upon which many works of art stand. It is important to appreciate the fact that the Bible presents the higher moral ground that many works of literature either emulate or try to debunk. In this regard, Kulet uses the Bible as a motivation for Resian's fight against the untoward Nasilian culture and a reminder of Arthur Ashe quote: "Success is a journey, not a destination."
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