Chapter 1 - The Dark Snake

As an artist my goal is to explore.
Explore many things, places, spaces and faces.
My first trip into exploring and traveling was Upper Guinea.
Going into this land i was interested in many of the traditions and the culture in the land.
As i was walking through the local library i found a book that looked interesting in the autobiography section called The Dark Child, the books name grabbed on to me and i found it interesting due to the fact that the book talks about a boys life and adaptation to the land because of its culture. Reading the back of the book i found it interesting because as a 17year old girl i myself have cultural traditions to follow and i myself need to find the right path to the destination i would like to end up in.
The first chapter was very interesting it introduced the story and foreshadowed a part of the culture.
The first chapter tells us about the author and character of the book Camara Layes life as a child, we are introduced to new characters such as his father. the chapter talks about the young boy and the mystery that goes through his mind along with his curiosity. The curiosity of a child is something you can’t really control,they always want to know what’s going on and why. The first sign of curiosity was when Camara saw a snake roaming around where he was playing and was surprised why it wasn’t killed and his mother had told him that the black snake is the “guiding spirit of your father”. He was then questioning his father and what his father had to do with this snake, Camara wanted to find the right time to ask his father however his curious mind couldn’t wait any longer, as said on Page.23 “Finally, unable to restrain myself any longer I asked”, this was a moment where he was connecting with his father and it was something that always stayed within Camara as he grows up. The introduction of the black snake was discussed and Camara’s father had believed that he was possibly ready to get the knowledge of the snake significance.Camara’s father had talked about how the snake would visit his father during the time he would work as a blacksmith and that the snake was the guiding spirit of the people and the his father and helps his father lead the society, the snake shows spirituality and religious views. As his father had told him on Page.24 as he says “ the snake is the guiding spirit of our race, do you understand that” and then exploring how the snake had come into the life of his father. The snake provided luck and a good vibe in which helps with the father’s way of leading. After discussing the snake and what the snake has to offer to camara's father, his father talks to him about his future, which he is sort of concerned about saying that " he is not often in his company" on page 27 which shows that his father does not really keep an eye on him to talk and connect with him. Camara finds himself questioning his future and his position at a really young age. The chapter ends off with Camara wondering about the snake and the acceptance he will receive from the snake, and the hope that the black snake will provide the same good vibe and guidance that has been given to his father. The most significant part of this chapter was indeed the part where he was contemplating whether or not the snake would accept him on Page 28 " Yet I should have liked so much to place my hand, my own hand, on that snake, and to understand and listen to that tremor too; but i did not know whether the snake would have accepted my hand, and i felt now that he would have nothing to tell me. i was afraid that he would never have anything to tell me."
This chapter expresses the first view of what the book is about and where the book is set and the character of Camara Laye.

When i first got this book off the shelf i thought it was going to be interesting and as i read the first chapter, i found myself engaged and interested, more thoughts on the book coming up.

enjoy your beautiful day my readers