ISALC: ESL 411: College Prep. Reading/Writing - Spring 1998
Diversity and Civil Rights in the U.S.

As time went by, my son, Kunta, was gradually growing into a man. I was very proud of his bravery although he made some mistakes. After he completed his manhood training, I felt mixed feelings again, but I was very glad of his accomplishment as he left my house. I could imagine he was going to be a great man. However, one day strange news paralyzed me in a moment. Kunta did not come back after he went to the jungle to make a drum for his younger brother. A few days have already passed since Kunta has gone. He actually became a man, but I still worry about him. At that time, I was thinking about where Kunta had gone and felt that something that I could not see had happened around here. Something was going very bad as what we had been building was breaking down in some invisible place. Although I had an idea that Kunta might have been caught by white men, I just did not want to think that way. My mind was totally painted by black so that I could not see anything. However, I could not be sure that anything bad was going on because I actually had not seen anything. So I tried to have a hope to find Kunta even if it was very tiny, as tiny as dust.

Finally, as nothing was going to happen if I waited for him and worried about him very much, my friends and I went to look for Kunta. It was really hot day as if the sun kept us from seeking him. I walked for a long time, looking down to find something belonging to him. It was really hard work as I walked all day long without any rest. I soon got thirsty. My throat became a dreadful desert without any oasis. My feet were heavy like roots grew from them and also grew steadily into the ground. Moreover, weeds entangled my feet and told me not to seek him. Around there, I could not see any trees. There was only sand and weeds. Nothing else. Nothing covered us from sunshine which was red heat. Nothing made us comfortable. The absence of sound made my ears ring, and I smelled sultry weeds which were basked too much by sunlight. I felt everything was like foes for us. I thought if there was hell, this must be it. However, I did not give up. I did not give up until I saw what was going on and my hope was stolen.

I did not know how long had passed since we started to look for my son, Kunta. My body was exhausted as a dog who had just come back from playing. My walking pace was also like an elephant, and there was already no energy left to smell, to listen, to speak. I was like a man without spirit, but I kept seeking him, my dearest boy. Suddenly, one man shouted to us. My tiredness had gone at the moment like a whirl-wind, and before I thought he must have found something, I started to run. I ran and ran as fast as I could. My heart beat rapidly and I could hear it while I was running. I could hear my breathing clearly as if someone was breathing close to me. Then, I found the amulet which Kunta always wore around his neck and which I had given him after his manhood training. At that moment, my heart stopped beating, and I could not breathe. "This is a dream, this is only a dream. If I wake up, Kunta will come to see me and smile at me. Yes, I do not have to worry about anything....," I said to myself, but this could not be a dream, and I realized this event was real. I felt myself as a dead tree. Every part of my body was dried up and my feet were broken silently. I picked it up to make sure again. However, nothing changed.

Rapidly, the memory of the time that I spent with Kunta for years flashed across my mind. His clear eyes impressed me when he said to me that he had never run away from a leopard and I was very proud of him though I scolded him. After his manhood training, his eyes told me that he had changed into a man though he sometimes made mistakes. I loved him very much. However, from then on, I found that I would not be able to see his smiling face, innocent mind, and bravery any more. Darkness was gradually covering me. I wished I could go back in time. I could not feel anything but demoralized. I could not believe anything, even god. The only thing I could hear was the sound of what I had built was collapsing and darkness covered my mind completely. When I came to, I was screaming.......

Return to Diversity home page.
Return to Michael Krauss home page.

Created by: krauss@lclark.edu
Updated: 12/25/07