35 pages • 1 hour read
When Rain Clouds Gather
A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Summary
Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Character Analysis
Themes
Symbols & Motifs
Important Quotes
Essay Topics
Tools
BetaSymbols & Motifs
Golema Mmidi
The central setting of Head’s narrative, Golema Mmidi is not a sophisticated or affluent town. Nonetheless, it is the novel’s symbol of potential, progress, and change, a site of alteration and improvement on a few different levels. Most obviously, Golema Mmidi is the home base for Gilbert’s agriculture and livestock projects, which transform the economy of the town and may have the power to transform the whole of Botswana. The village is also a place where psychological and personal change are possible; here searching individuals, such as Makhaya and Paulina, can evolve into new, more enlightened, more optimistic versions of themselves.
Religion and the Bible
For Mma-Millipede, the bible is more than an enthralling narrative or a set of devotions; its emotional and personal relevance resonates with everyday life. At key points in the narrative, religious and biblical forces guide the destiny of the real world. The novel ends by pointing to the influence of the “Good God” in African life, indicating that communities such as Golema Mmidi and countries such as Botswana thrive, prosper, and fulfill their destinies with the help of a divine will.
The Vultures
Because they feed on dead animals, vultures are a natural and obvious symbol of death. What is interesting about the vultures in When Rain Clouds Gather, though, is how unfailingly they appear when a character’s death is about to be revealed. Gilbert, Makhaya, and Paulina observe vultures circling the cattle ranch where Paulina’s son lies dead; similarly, Gilbert and Makhaya catch sight of vultures circling the area around Matenge’s mansion, only to discover Matenge’s death shortly after. The foreshadowing in each case is both stark and reliable.
Rainclouds
Symbolically, rain clouds lend Head’s novel its title. After Makhaya has returned from dealing with the remains of Paulina’s son, Maria tells Makhaya that “all good things and all good people are called rain. Sometimes we see the rain clouds gather even though not a cloud appears in the sky. It is all in our heart” (164). Rain clouds represent that positive change that comes from within, from reserves of “heart” or determination, and may transcend random misfortune. Head’s novel may be understood as a gathering of “good people,” such as Makhaya, Gilbert, and Paulina Sebeso, people who—like rain clouds—bring fertility to the land.
Unlock all 35 pages of this Study GuidePlus, gain access to 8,800+ more expert-written Study Guides.
Including features:
Related Titles
By Bessie Head
