Essay Questions

What is a drug overdose?

The novel begins with the mention of the fact that the main character’s cousin died from a drug overdose. While it is not stated what type of drugs Oslo was using, is important to understand what a drug overdose is. A drug overdose is when a person uses a much larger quantity than recommended from some type of drug. While it may not be the case every time, some people who overdose may end up dying. Frequent drug users have a higher risk of overdosing accidentally because over time, their body builds up a resistance to the drugs they were using. Thus, a larger quantity of drug may become necessary in time to obtain the same effect. This however implies great risks as the body of the user ends up being too affected by the drugs and eventually collapses.

What is the book of Enoch?

Benton mentions at one point the book of Enoch he learned about a few days before leaving Ethiopia. The book of Enoch is not usually included in the Biblical canon but it is used and mentioned in the Jewish fate. The book of Enoch was supposedly written by Enoch, Noah’s grandfather. In the book, the fall of the angels is described. It also includes certain prophetic dreams and visions Enoch may have had. While the book is generally considered as being non-canonical, it is still seen as valuable by both the Christian community and the Jewish one and it is included in the Biblical canon in various countries in Africa and other parts of the world.

What is a missionary?

One of the main characters in the novel is a missionary sent to Ethiopia to spread the word about the Bible. While the term is most commonly associated with Christianity, in reality every religious faith can send missionaries to different part of the world where their religion is not known. By definition, a missionary is a member of a certain religious group sent in another country to spread a religious faith. The first missionaries were the disciples in the Bible sent by Jesus Christ to spread the new faith. In time however, other religions such as the Islam began sending their own missionaries in different countries to spread their faith and their religion.