A Character Schetch of Chief Matenge in Bessie Head's "When Rain Clouds Gather"
Chief Matenge as an example of corrupt leadership in Bessie Head's "When Rain Clouds Gather"
Character Sketch - Chief Matenge
Chief Matenge is first revered to in the novel as Pamount Chief Sokoto's
"troubIesome and unpopular younger brother". p.18)
We has "an overwhelming avariciousness and unpleasant personality". p.
18)
He is "intensely disliked by the villagers". (p. 18)
Chief Sekoto 'wanted his brother [Matenge] destroyed for all the family feuds and intrigues he had instigated." p.19 - 20)
"Chief Matenge lived in the central part of the village in a big cream painted mansion. He had once been married and divorced, his wife retaining the two children of the marriage. For many years he had lived done in the cream mansion until quite recently he had acquired a guest and friend in a certain politician named has Tsepe." p.41)
He keeps slaves that he "'received as part of his heritage" (p. 42)
"The mansion, the slaves, and a huge cream Chevrolet, which he parked under a tree in the yard, were the only things that gave Matenge a feeling of security in the village." (p. 42)
He "commanded the largest following of diehard traditionalists, the ones who h m generation to generation saw to it that things remained as they were". (p. 42 - 43)
He "understood tribalism". p.43)
"Matenge was the epitome of this darkness with his long, gloomy, melancholy, suspicious face and his ceaseless intrigues, bitter jealousy and hatred." (p. 43)
"It had always been his policy to transfer hate h m one object to another".
(P. 43)
"Matenge had hated his brother because he felt the chieftaincy should be his" (p. 43)
He hated Dinorego "who had refused to sit on his advisory council". (p.
43)
He hated Gilbert. (p. 44)
Chief Sekoto considered Matenge to be "belonging to the insane part of mankind". (p. 49)
He is extremely paranoid. He believes that Gilbert are plotting to murder him. (p. 54)
He "administers the village" and is "responsible for the comings
Character Sketch - Chief Matenge
Chief Matenge is first revered to in the novel as Pamount Chief Sokoto's
"troubIesome and unpopular younger brother". p.18)
We has "an overwhelming avariciousness and unpleasant personality". p.
18)
He is "intensely disliked by the villagers". (p. 18)
Chief Sekoto 'wanted his brother [Matenge] destroyed for all the family feuds and intrigues he had instigated." p.19 - 20)
"Chief Matenge lived in the central part of the village in a big cream painted mansion. He had once been married and divorced, his wife retaining the two children of the marriage. For many years he had lived done in the cream mansion until quite recently he had acquired a guest and friend in a certain politician named has Tsepe." p.41)
He keeps slaves that he "'received as part of his heritage" (p. 42)
"The mansion, the slaves, and a huge cream Chevrolet, which he parked under a tree in the yard, were the only things that gave Matenge a feeling of security in the village." (p. 42)
He "commanded the largest following of diehard traditionalists, the ones who h m generation to generation saw to it that things remained as they were". (p. 42 - 43)
He "understood tribalism". p.43)
"Matenge was the epitome of this darkness with his long, gloomy, melancholy, suspicious face and his ceaseless intrigues, bitter jealousy and hatred." (p. 43)
"It had always been his policy to transfer hate h m one object to another".
(P. 43)
"Matenge had hated his brother because he felt the chieftaincy should be his" (p. 43)
He hated Dinorego "who had refused to sit on his advisory council". (p.
43)
He hated Gilbert. (p. 44)
Chief Sekoto considered Matenge to be "belonging to the insane part of mankind". (p. 49)
He is extremely paranoid. He believes that Gilbert are plotting to murder him. (p. 54)
He "administers the village" and is "responsible for the comings