African Savannah
The narrator depicts the journey to Africa that is both terrifying and exhilarating, with the "scrub, desert, rocky climb up to the mountains," as well as the "fern forests and gorilla forests" on the other side. He likens it to the old days of slavery when slaves made an arduous journey from the center of Africa to its east coast. This draws attention to the injustice of slavery and their lack of choice in making such journeys. Salim finds that much of the area has been destroyed by war or abandoned due to fear. The "low, box-like concrete houses in pale blue or green" hung with vines that die quickly in the tropical climate create an atmosphere of decay and abandonment. Even Nazruddin's shop, which was meant to symbolize his new life there, smells like rats and dung—hardly reassuring sights when paired with such destruction all around him. The imagery evokes unease giving readers a tangible feel for what Salim experiences on his journey into Africa.
Poor State of Affairs
Salim describes his shop as an untidy shambles filled with "junk" such as enamel utensils, iron bedsteads, buckets in zinc or plastic, and bicycle tires. The depiction creates an atmosphere of disarray and neglect that exists in his new dwellings. This impression is reinforced by the narrator's description of his flat—it was once a studio but has since become untidy due to his negligence. The kitchen smells strongly of rust, oil, and kerosene because Metty never cleans the stove, emphasizing the lack of orderliness in the establishment. Finally, when one opens the door onto the landing from which one can access both his shop and flat, they are immediately hit by “the warmed-up shut-in smell.” This encapsulates what life must be like for Ferdinand should he choose to learn from him—an unappealing mix of disorderliness and poverty.
Night Bustle
Salim uses sensory detail to depict the market stalls where villagers come to shop for goods such as fabric and ready-made clothes. Moreover, food items like fried flying ants, hairy, orange-colored caterpillars, or fat white grubs kept moist in small bags of damp earth. Additionally, the description of how they spend their nights cooking in the streets. Consequently, they set up symbolic walls around their sleeping spaces using cardboard fences held between stones or bricks. Finally, there is a sharp contrast between this peaceful scene of people making do with what they have against the rumor of war coming from "the great unknown outside." This heightens the tension that something terrible is about to happen.
Big Boys of Africa
The depiction of the house that Indar's family lived in suggests their wealth and privilege. This image is then reinforced by the idea that Indar feels "money had made him holy," denoting his superiority and entitlement. The second image presented is of Indar traveling to America, staying in an expensive hotel, meeting foreign ministers and presidents, and feeling equal with the "big boys of Africa." This creates a vivid picture of his opulent lifestyle and gives us insight into his mindset at the time. The following depiction is when he visits the man he used to deal with in New York. Here we get a detailed description of the expensive-looking building they visit as well as an insight into how Indar felt about it. He was embarrassed by his situation but still felt entitled enough to expect to be treated as an equal by the man. It reinforces Indar's pride and arrogance even after his fortunes have changed drastically for the worse.
