INCIDENT IN THE PARK

BY MEJA MWANGI
About the author

The Title

 The title "The Incident in the Park" is appropriate for the text because it describes an
event that occurs in the park.
 The incident in question is the encounter between the fruit seller and the two city
constables, and the subsequent events that unfold as a result of this encounter, including
the death by stoning of the fruit seller.
 The title captures the central event of the story, which takes place in the park, and it also
reflects the theme of conflict and confrontation that runs throughout the short story.
 The incident in the park serves as a microcosm of the larger social and political issues
that are touched upon in the story, such as class conflict, corruption, and injustice.
 Overall, the title is fitting for the text because it accurately reflects the events and themes
of the story.
 In Incident in the Park, Kenyan author Meja Mwangi paints a grim picture of a loafer-
infested park, with portentous air hanging forlornly over it. The story ends when an
innocent fruit-seller is stoned to death by a mob, in a case of mistaken identity.

The Plot Summary

 The short story opens with a gloomy description of the park. We meet some park
loungers who waste hours on end sleeping in the park. Most of the idlers do not pay heed
to the parliament and City Hall clocks, and would rather loll all day doing nothing.
 At 1:00, office workers come out of their offices in swarms. They are then swallowed by
the sad city as they disperse in search of lunch. The idlers in the park nonchalantly watch
the workers emerge from their offices, disappear into the city and even anticipate the
wave of workers to return from various eateries and flood past the park back to their
various offices.
 “The patched park was almost dead, alive only with a few idlers.”
 Among the idle men sitting or lying under trees and shrubs is a fruit-seller. He sits under
a shrub taking stock of his sales. He mumbles and curses and lays on his back, covering
his face with his bony hands. He lounges during lunch break. Maybe he is too poor to
afford a meal.
 More idle men sit by a small lake watching a couple of men paddling hired boats. These
loafers while away doing this every day.
 The park is poorly maintained. A pond in the park is choking with ugly weeds. An idle
man defies the order not to feed the hungry fish and defiantly throws rubbish into the
water.
 Soon he starts conversing with a fellow idler. They chat about how fish are like people.
The largest fish in the pond bullies the smaller fish as they compete for food in their
feeding ground. The man feeding the fish avers that there is a great big fish that could
drink all the water in the ocean and cause a great drought making the world come to an
end. The huge monster supposedly eats other fish.
  In the park, we also meet two ice cream men who desperately try to sell their ice cream to
no avail.
 Later, city constables confront the fruit-seller about his license and identity card. He
claims that he left them at home and tries to bribe them with five shillings and later ten
shillings but they would hear nothing of it. He desperately pleads with the men to let him
go. He has a case with a judge he calls a tyrant. He sells fruits to raise a fine for the case.
He further offers the constables one basket of fruits and 10 shillings. He even offers them
both his fruit baskets desperately trying to buy his freedom.
 When they remain steadfast, decides to run for it but sadly he is accosted by a mob who
mistake him for a thief and they stone him to death. They judge him based on his dirty
torn clothes and a mean hungry face - the uniform of his trade.
 The police come to collect the body but no one is willing to appear as a witness to
recount the events leading to the poor man’s untimely demise in the hands of a callous
erratic mob.
 The two loungers who were talking about fish witnessed the whole spectacle before
drifting guiltily back to the park to continue loafing.
 The park is once again tranquil, just like a pond moments after someone splashes
something into the water.

Episodes;

1. The description of the city park in August afternoon. (pg 6 - 7).

2. Two idlers' dialogue at the pond. (Pg - 10).
3. An ambush by two city constables in the park ending in violence.
4. The fruit merchant condemned unheard. (pg - 12).

Themes in Incident in the Park by Meja Mwangi

INCIDENT IN THE PARK
THEMATIC CONCERNS
a. Poverty

 Many of the characters in the story are struggling with poverty and financial hardship, as
seen in the fruit seller's efforts to earn money and the idler's request for a cigarette.

b. Problems of urbanization

 Urban population growth, driven by migration and searching for jobs, has become a
significant issue in cities like Nairobi.
 However, the masses end up frustrated due to a skills mismatch in the labour market,
dwindling economy and poor governance. But every now and then, a misplaced person
rose with a start...
 In a few seconds, the thousand or so strong swarm had been swallowed up by the
yawning concrete jungle..
 Urban poverty is also witnessed as many remain loitering and idling reminding the park
loungers just how many hours they had wasted lying idle.'
  'A shaggy thin man sat under a shrub...' (p7). ' hairy loafer' (p8). ' The idler seated on the
bank...' (p8) torn trouser legs.' (p8) 'horny toes. (p9)
 There is also evidence of poor hygiene. The park is littered with debris, cigarette ends
and butts. (p8,9). The two gentlemen share puffs on the cigarette. One offers a full
cigarette, and smoking in this zone could be a form of escapism from their poverty. (p10).
 The fruit seller has only ten shillings which he offers to the constables to spare him. He
cannot afford to pay for the license or even the fine in another case. (p11).

c. Injustice

 The fruit seller is unfairly targeted by the constables and is violently killed by a mob,
even though he was simply trying to make a living. This highlights the injustice and
prejudice that can be present in society.

d. Division of class

 The text touches on the divide between the wealthy office workers and the poor,
working-class people who frequent the park.

e. Conflicts between city authority and street hawkers

 When the two constables accost and demand licenses from the ice cream man and the
fruit peddler, they tell the merchant that he will only explain to the judge.
 The fruit seller already has a case and is trying to sell to afford a fine. (p11). The fruit
seller pleads with the constables, who say nothing. The fruit seller cursed them and their
wives and children... (P11).

f. Brutality

 The violence and murder of the fruit seller demonstrate the potential for brutality and
aggression in human behavior.

g. Mob justice/Social injustice

 The fruit seller is lynched unknowingly by the park people. By the time the constable ran
up, the fruit-peddler lay like a broken and twisted ragdoll at the bottom of the ditch. (p12)
 He cries and pleads for mercy in vain.. had drawn thick red blood over the sparsely
bearded face. Dead' was his verdict (p12)
 The word 'thief' hovered over the assembled crowd. mob universally condemns him, and
it is impossible to tell from which mouth the condemnation is issued. (p12)
 Ironically the mob had had what was right. Justice fairly quickly and completely
administered ... (P12).

h. Isolation
  Many of the characters in the story seem to be isolated and disconnected from others, as
seen in the monosyllabic communication of those who sit in twos or threes and the
muttering of those who sit alone.

i. Abandonment

 The fish pond, which was once a source of beauty and enjoyment, has been abandoned
and left to become overgrown with weeds. This could symbolize the way that society
often neglects and abandons certain areas or groups of people.

Language and Styles in Incident in the Park by Meja Mwangi

INCIDENT IN THE PARK
LANGUAGE AND STYLE
a. Imagery:

 Imagery is a literary device used in poetry, novels, and other writing that uses vivid
description that appeals to a readers' senses to create an image or idea in their head.
 The use of descriptive language to create vivid mental images, such as "the yellow, blue
and purple water lilies struggled with the colourless weeds" and "the largest fish, pitch
black with vast pink blotches on its head and back, caught the cigarette-end and swam
powerfully away from the others towards the centre of the pond".

b. Simile:

 Comparing two things using the words “like” or “as”

 A figure of speech that compares two things using "like" or "as", such as "the reflection
of another man materialized by that of his in the water at his feet" and "the fruit-seller lay
like a broken and twisted rag doll at the bottom of the ditch".

c. Personification

 When an idea or animal is given human characteristics.

 Attributing human qualities to nonhuman things, such as "the yellow, blue and purple
water lilies struggled with the colourless weeds", and "the reflection of another man
materialized by that of his in the water at his feet''.

d. Metaphor:

 Comparing two things without using the words “like” or “as”.

 A figure of speech that compares two things without using "like" or "as", such as "the
yellow, blue and purple water lilies struggled with the colourless weeds" and "the
reflection of another man materialized by that of his in the water at his feet".

e. Foreshadow
  Foreshadowing is a literary device used to give an indication or hint of what is to come
later in the story.
 The use of hints or clues to suggest what will happen later in the story, such as "by the
time the constable ran up, the fruit-peddler lay like a broken and twisted rag doll at the
bottom of the ditch" which suggests that the fruit seller is going to be caught and
punished.

f. Hyperbole

 Hyperbole is a figure of speech in which an exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect.

 Example from the text: "The constables looked furtively around for someone to blame.
No one looked guilty enough." (This is an exaggeration, as it is unlikely that no one in the
crowd looked guilty at all.)

g. Irony

 The definition of irony as a literary device is a situation in which there is a contrast

between expectation and reality.
 A contrast between what is expected and what actually occurs, such as the old man being
caught for selling fruit without a license, when he was only doing so to pay the fine for a
different case he has coming up.

h. Symbolism

 Symbolism is a literary device that uses symbols, be they words, people, marks,
locations, or abstract ideas to represent something beyond the literal meaning.
 The use of symbols to represent abstract ideas, such as the fish pond representing the
deterioration of the park.

Characters and Characterization in Incident in the Park by Meja Mwangi

INCIDENT IN THE PARK
CHARACTER AND CHARACTERIZATION
List of Characters

1. The narrator
2. Couple of men paddling in small hired boats
3. Men sitting on cement bank
4. Ice cream man
5. Man throwing debris at fish in fish pond
6. Stranger standing by fish pond
7. Hairy loafer sitting on "DO NOT FEED FISH" board
8. Fruit seller
9. Two city constables
10. Office workers
11. Man who nabbed fruit seller
12. Inspector
 13. Regular park loungers

Character Traits
a. The narrator:

 Observant: the narrator is described as having "undivided interest" and "sharp eyes" and
pays attention to the actions of the other characters.
 Reflective: the narrator seems to be thinking about the actions and behavior of the other
characters, and is able to draw conclusions about their motivations and personalities.

b. The idle loafer:

 Disrespectful: he throws rubbish into the fish pond and seems to take pleasure in
disturbing the fish.
 Lazy: he is described as a "hairy loafer wearing worn slippers" and is sitting idly by the
fish pond.

c. The stranger:

 Helpful: he offers the idle loafer a cigarette when asked.

d. The ice cream man:

 Persistent: he continues to ring his bell and try to sell ice cream, even though no one is
interested.

e. The city constables:

 Authoritative: they demand to see the ice cream man's license and are described as
"demanding" and "harsh".

f. The fruit seller:

 Desperate: he pleads with the constables to let him go and offers them money and his
fruit baskets in exchange.
 Fearful: he is afraid of the judge and thinks he will be punished severely for not having a
license. That is he will be fined or be castrated by the tyrant judge.
 He is a poor old man who sells fruits at the park. He has no license or identity card.
 He is a responsible man as he remembers he has a family which depends on him when
accosted. I have a wife and children and...
 He is hardworking because he sells fruits (two baskets) to earn his living despite being
unable to afford a license.

g. The police officer:

  Authoritative: he takes charge of the situation when the fruit seller is found dead and
demands to know what happened.

Essay Questions on Incident in the Park by Meja Mwangi

Lack of courtesy between the police and civilians leads to lethal conflicts. Justify the
validity of this statement using illustrations from Meja Mwangi’s incident in the park.

Answer

Lack of courtesy between the police and civilians leads to lethal conflicts. justify the validity of
thisstatement using illustrations from meja mwangi’s incident in the park. (20 marks).

Across the world, over centuries, the behaviour of some of the police officers has caused dire
repercussions.

Sometimes this happens due to excessive use of force or simply wrongful application of the law
and policies, but majorly this occurs as a result of impolitel interactions between the two parties.

Incident in the Park shows how city dwellers, hawkers and loafers find themselves in conflicts
with the police over flimsy and petty reasons often ending unpleasantly.

When the two constables accost the fruit peddler, he gets startled and confused. They demand for
his licence and identity card which he obviously doesn’t have.

Then he offers five shillings which doesn’t seem good enough as one constable shrugs.

This means that at times if the offer were attractive, they would have accepted it and left him.

The police refuse to listen to the fruit merchant and harshly shove him along the street to the city
telling him he will explain to the judge.

This complicates matters even more because the fruit- seller fears the judge more, It throws him
into more panic as he has a case that is coming up the following week and the judge is a “tyrant”.
He explains further that he is selling this time so that he can afford a fine but all his entreaties fall
on deaf ears

They remain unimpressed saying nothing until he breaks away and flees into the crowded city.

The situation escalates when the constables chase the fleeing man shouting for help from the
passers-by. They actually betroth him unto the mob.

A city man intercepts him and another man lunges for him as shouts increase. Tossed here and
there as a suspect, the desperate fruit peddler stumbles and falls into a ditch, No one seems to
care to find out what really is happening before taking action.
No one listens as he pleads for mercy, This is where he meets his Verdict’ which is death.
According to the crowd, ‘justice’ is administered. The mob universally condemn him without
plausible evidence.

By the time the police arrive at the scene, it is too late. Their action is irreversible and fatal. The
mob has already killed him for being a “thief”.

They who are supposed to ensure public safety and security have aided the killing of a
hardworking hawker by their silly mistake.

This should not have happened if they had treated the man politely. An innocent life is so
unnecessarily lost. This makes the public lose confidence in the police.

After investigations the truth will come out and it will be hard to trust the police.

In a nutshell, wanton conflicts and deaths of innocent citizens could be averted if the police
handled matters with courtesy and sobriety

Essay 2
Drawing illustrations from Meja Mwangi's an incident in the park, write an essay to
discuss the problems of urbanization

Points of interpretation

 Unemployment
 Overpopulation
 Social injustice/mob justice
 Poverty
 Conflict between the constables and the hawkers
 Unhygienic condition
 Drug abuse

Essay 3
"The efforts employed by different individuals in society barely bear fruits. " Using
evidence from the story , "An Incident in the Park." by Meja Mwangi, write an essay in
support of this assertion.

Ponits of intepretation

 Identification of a character.
 Explaining the efforts the character employs.
 Show the outcome whihc is inversely proportional to the input.

INTRODUCTION
In our day to day lives, we put a lot of efforts in our endeavors but the outcome sometimes
demoralizing since it does not merge with the input.

For instance, the Azimio leadership put in place all that is expected to win a presidential election
hut the outcome was not only demoralizing but also traumatizing. This is also the case in An
Incident in the Park." by Meja Mwangi as explained below.

The second ice cream man-sales. When the floodgates open, workers swam down the hill into
the park. They pass the first ice cream man but the second one, in an effort to sale, he blocks the
only way on to the highway, determined to make a sale that day.

The swarm swirls round him and over and away. Irrespective of his efforts, that day. just like the
day before, not one bar of ice cream is bought by the hungry ones. His bell to attract customers
ring lonely and unwelcome like a lost leper's warning bell. (Page 7)

In addition, his cries do not yield to any sales as a few men sitting on the cement bank ignored
the ice cream man's cries. (Page 8).

He is criticized by the loafer and another man when he rings his bell, they say that he is crazy
and that he is always hammering the bell and no one wants to buy his ice cream. In fact they
suggest that he should go where children are. (Page 9)

The shaggy thin man. From the description, the man has been selling fruits since morning but
when he makes his calculation, he looks disillusioned from the returns and falls unceremoniously
on his back and covers his rough bearded face with two bony hands.

A shaggy thin man sat under a shrub, scratching numbers and letters on his black dry skin with a
used match. By his side were the two oversize fruit baskets he had been selling from morning
and which he would resume hawking after the lunch break.

Now he scratched his head with the matchstick and tried to balance the morning sales. He
mumbled to himself, cursed and, rolling up his trouser legs, continued writing on his thigh.

Finally, he flung the stick away and, wetting his palm with saliva, violently erased what he had
scribbled. Then he fell unceremoniously on his back and covered his rough bearded face with
two bony hands. (Page 7-8)

The fishpond board markers. At the fishpond, there is a board with the words DO NOT FEED
FISH-BY ORDER. However, a loafer wearing torn slippers sits on it and carelessly tosses
debris, tiny bits of grass and soil at the hungry fish.

The idler sniggers and throws,more rubbish into the water. (Page 8) A huge piece of rock is
added and a flattened cigarette. (Page 9).

This is contrary to the board markers instructions that flatly fails to achieve fish feeding.
The fruit-seller-pleas. When the two constables come along, they demand for a licence from him.
He is first surprised, he searches himself for a few seconds, shakes his head and helplessly
declares that he left it at home.

He too lacks his identification card. He tries to bribe the constables with five shillings but he is
shoved along. When he is told that he will explain everything to the judge, more pleas follow,
"You can't take me to that judge, the man will have me hung this time... I've this other case
coming up next week... he will surely have me castrated.... I've ten shillings."

He swears and offers all the baskets and the cash but when it looks like the constables won't let
him go, he flees. (Page 11) His efforts to save himself comes to a sad end when a mob kills him.
Here lay a desperate thief, attired in the unmistakable uniform of his trade- dirty torn clothes and
a mean hungry face. (Page 12)

The two constables/police. The fellows blatantly refuses to listen to the fruit-seller's pleas and
take his bribe. They are all committed to ensure that they take the man to a court of law. One
says, "You will explain to the judge. No licence, no identification..." (Page 11).

They shoved him even when he offers them ten shillings and offers the two baskets. When he
breaks lose, the constables pursue him... The constable shot after the fleeing man across the park
shouting for help from passers-by.

The shouts from one of the constables instead of making passers-by arrest them and hand him to
them, they lynch him thinking that he is a thief. The police feel uneasy and uncertain and leave
empty-handed. (Page 12)

In conclusion, efforts put in something must be directly proportional to the output.

Essay 4
People commit unethical acts as a result of lack of care. Citing illustrations from Incident
in the Park by Meja Mwangi, write an essay to validate this statement.

Immorality stems from people’s indifference. Unethical acts like negligence and brutality result
from lack of care. Blood thirsty city dwellers brutally murder an innocent fruit seller without
batting an eyelid in Incident in the Park.

Government workers go about their business ignoring the ravaging effects of the drought on the
neglected park. The park is dirty and brown.

There was no promise of rain that August. The ground is dusty brown, bare and parched. The
ministerial offices, City Hall and parliament buildings and the ominous cathedral are a stone
throw away from the pathetic looking park.
The ministerial offices are modern fortresses and its occupants conveniently ignore the park
which clearly lacks proper care. This is evidenced by the dry bits of grass, dry leaves and thirsty
trees.

Only delicate flowers, planted like oasis islands at various spots, are watered in a desperate effort
to keep the dirty brown park beautiful. The sad-looking boathouse and dirty, muddy water sum
up the government's lack of care for the park.

Secondly, the park is filled with many idlers who have little care in the world. They waste many
hours lying idle in the park. They ignore the city and parliament clocks which strike suddenly,
together - reminding them of how much time they had wasted.

They care less about being useful. The clocks’ pleas go unheeded. Some insolent loafers simply
shake their heads defiantly, curse loudly, face the other way and go back to sleep. Only every
now and then, does a misplaced idler heed the clocks nagging disapproval and accusing fingers
and walk away.

The park people have no intention to go anywhere else but while away. They are here to stay.
They have arrived. During the afternoons, the park looks parched and almost dead, dotted with a
few loungers.

More idlers sit by the lake watching the rowers, day in day out. This unproductive lot is a burden
to the city and to society.

The neglected pond in the park is another sign of lack of care by relevant authorities. The fish
pond is dangerously overgrown with weeds.

Colourless weeds choke the yellow, blue and purple water lilies. An ugly mishmash of weeds has
replaced the aesthetic blue-green surface of the once beautiful pond. Initially, the pond flowers
stuck out buds, thick colorful fingers and proclaimed order but not anymore - the existence of
these beautiful fauna has been snuffed out by a riot of unclassifiable intruders and bastard
flowers.

To make matters worse, the park soil has collapsed, forcing the pond’s murky, brown water and
bewildered fish to the deeper, further end. The sorry state of the pond points to acute lack of
attention or care.

The hairy loafer who feeds the fish is defiant. He ignores the public notice on the board that
cautions people against feeding the fish. He carelessly tosses debris, tiny bits of grass and soil at
the hungry fish.

The fish fight for the useless things but let go when they realize they are worthless. The idler
throws in more rubbish and carelessly sniggers - he has no iota of empathy whatsoever. He also
drops in a piece of soil at the fish.
When he learns that fish feeds on insects, he tries to find some and later decides to throw in a
flattened cigarette end when he cannot catch any insects. The big fish that catches the cigarette
butt releases it since it is useless.

At last, the uncaring idler curses after violently hurling a large rock at the confounded fish. His
lack of empathy leads him to defy the order not to feed the fish and as a result he harms the
fishes.

The police constables are callous. They harass innocent people heartlessly, displaying no shred
of sympathy. The two city constables accost the old fruit seller and demand for his license and
identification.

As fate would have it, he has neither. He cannot afford a licence. The old man nods
uncomprehendingly and shakes his head sadly when the police demand for a license. He
desperately tries to bribe the constables by offering five shillings; all he had made that day.

The policeman grabs him by his old coat and remarks that he would explain it to the judge. The
old man swears by his mother. He is devastated because he has another case with the cruel judge.

A tyrant who would hang him this time round. The fruit seller cries that the judge is crazy and
would castrate him but his pleas fall on deaf ears. He offers the constables a 10- shilling bribe
and even his foot baskets.

The constables remain indifferent even when he cries that he has a wife and children. They do
not care. They match him right ahead. When he realizes that he is talking to a brick wall, he
decides to leap and run for it but not before cursing the cops, their wives and their children.

The judge is portrayed as being unjust or outrightly cruel. When the police insist on taking him
to the judge, the old fruit seller cries desperately. He has no licence and identification. He swears
by his mother.

He already has a case with the judge and he does not want to be taken back. He believes the
judge will hung him. He is selling the fruits in order to afford the fine that was earlier imposed.

He pleads with the police men as brothers. He even tells them that the judge is a tyrant - a crazy
man who will have him castrated. The allusion to his wife and children does not bear any fruits.

He tries to bribe the police with 10 shillings and appease them with his fruit basket but the
uncaring constables match him ahead. The fruit seller curses the policemen and their families
and decides to bolt. He takes this desperate measure to avoid facing the evil, apathetic judge.

The bloodthirsty city dwellers have no regard for human life. Realizing that the city constable
were adamant about taking him to the judge, the fruit seller decides to run for it.

He leaps, breaking away, leaving the policeman holding onto a piece of his one coat. He runs
across the park.
The policeman shouts for help. The old man hopes to get protection by disappearing into the city
dwellers. That was not to be.

The barbarous city dwellers lunge at him trying to nab him. The old man is savagely desperate to
escape. When he stumbles and falls into a ditch, the ferocious mob stones him to death.

He cries out pleading for mercy. The bloodthirsty crowd leaves him for dead, looking like a
broken twisted rag doll, covered in stones and a thick red blood. The crowd mistakenly label him
as a thief.

Lastly, the injustice witnessed after the innocent fruit seller killed is the height of brutality and
lack of care. The constable strives to shift blame.

No one looks guilty enough. The constables conveniently withdraw. An inspector confirms that
the man is dead. The crowd that stoned him and those that witnessed his savage murder lower
their eyes.

Unwilling to openly testify, some of the residents hurriedly return to their offices, indifferently.
The word ‘thief’ oozes out discreetly from mouth to mouth.

They mistakenly condemn the man to be a desperate thief. They judge him by the unmistakable
uniform of his trade - dirty torn clothes and a mean hungry face. Even the inspector of police is
uneasy and doubtful about his next course of action.

The poor man finds no justice even in his death. All and sundry conclude that a thief is a thief.
The twisted garbage-strewn dark alleyways are lawlessly governed by one savage unwritten law
concerning the fate of apprehended thieves.

Ironically, the man is killed before his identity is established. Sadly, he can only be identified by
his grieving wife and children in a cold room.

An innocent life is cut short due to the heartless nature of idle, uncaring city dwellers and the
inept police department.

In conclusion, any society that lacks benevolence disintegrates into an abyss of lawlessness and
immorality.