Anylitical Essay Topic: the No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander Mccall Smith
Alexander McCall Smith, the author of the award winning novel The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency spoke in a recent interview in The Sydney Morning Herald (December 2006) about his famously optimistic views of Africa and its people. The works of many African authors express rather grim and bleak views in comparison to McCall Smith’s view. In a “Foreign Correspondent” interview McCall Smith says Botswana is a very beautiful country and that Africa transformed him into a best selling novelist and made him famous for his views on hope and optimism. There is a strong sense of family and community that gives cause for belonging, hope and optimism. McCall Smith creates hope and optimism in his novel through his characters and their events.
The main character Mma Ramotswe illustrates the qualities of the conventional patriotism of one’s own country. She is not the only character to demonstrate such virtues. Many of the other characters display pride and dignity for their country. The society of Botswana is proud of their cultural background and they are hopeful and optimistic about their country. Mma Ramotswe is not ashamed for loving her country, she is an African patriot
She loved her country, Botswana, which is a place of peace and she loved Africa for all its trials. I am not ashamed to be called an African patriot, said Mma Ramotswe
(McCall Smith 2003, 2)
Obed Ramotswe, the father of Precious Ramotswe loves his country ‘I love our country, and I am proud to be a Motswana’ (McCall Smith 2003, 17) and then he says on the behalf of his people ‘there’s no other country in Africa that can hold its head as we can’ (McCall Smith 2003, 17). Obed also says his people should love Botswana because
There’s no other country in Africa who can hold up its head like we can. We have no political prisoners, and never had any. We have democracy. We have been careful. The Bank of Botswana is full of money, from our diamonds. We owe nothing
(McCall Smith 2003, 17)
Mr J.L.B
The main character Mma Ramotswe illustrates the qualities of the conventional patriotism of one’s own country. She is not the only character to demonstrate such virtues. Many of the other characters display pride and dignity for their country. The society of Botswana is proud of their cultural background and they are hopeful and optimistic about their country. Mma Ramotswe is not ashamed for loving her country, she is an African patriot
She loved her country, Botswana, which is a place of peace and she loved Africa for all its trials. I am not ashamed to be called an African patriot, said Mma Ramotswe
(McCall Smith 2003, 2)
Obed Ramotswe, the father of Precious Ramotswe loves his country ‘I love our country, and I am proud to be a Motswana’ (McCall Smith 2003, 17) and then he says on the behalf of his people ‘there’s no other country in Africa that can hold its head as we can’ (McCall Smith 2003, 17). Obed also says his people should love Botswana because
There’s no other country in Africa who can hold up its head like we can. We have no political prisoners, and never had any. We have democracy. We have been careful. The Bank of Botswana is full of money, from our diamonds. We owe nothing
(McCall Smith 2003, 17)
Mr J.L.B
Bibliography: McCall Smith, Alexander 2003, The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, Abacus, London, UK Clements, Toby 2006, The Interview: Alexander McCall Smith, The Sydney Morning Herald, December Interview: Alexander McCall Smith, Foreign Correspondent Class notes, sources unknown