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  • Essay / The Role of Daily Sacrifice in The Rain Came

    People must make sacrifices every day. Whether such sacrifice benefits themselves, those around them, or society at large, people discover that the decision to give up certain aspects of their lives is prevalent in human nature. Both spectrums of this theme are explored in depth in The Rain Came by Grace Ogot. Often in tribal cultures like the one illustrated in this story, members of the tribe are asked to make sacrifices to appease some sort of ancestor or overlord. However, this is not the only example of how individuals throughout history had to decide what sacrifices to make to ensure they achieved what they wanted. While almost every character mentioned in the story must, at some point, give up at least one thing, it is the chief's daughter, Oganda, who faces two instances of personal sacrifice. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The first of many difficult decisions rests on the shoulders of the great chief Labong’o; no father in his right mind would allow his daughter to be sent to die. Labong'o, as strong as he is, struggles to make this decision because he must listen to the rainmaker and sacrifice his only daughter to allow the rain to return to his villagers. “The leader must not cry. Society had declared him the bravest of men. But Labong'o didn't care. He assumed the position of a simple father and cried bitterly. (Ogot 1) Realizing that the decision to sacrifice his own daughter to save the rest of the villagers tears even the strongest and bravest villager to his roots. Labong'o also explores the idea of ​​sacrificing the entire village just to save his sacred and lonely daughter. These thoughts are quickly put aside when the leader realizes that he has a duty to his villagers and cannot allow his interests to be placed before those of the entire tribe. This sacrifice made by Labong'o may very well be the most selfless and difficult of all throughout history. While Chief Labong'o laments having to sacrifice his own daughter, most of the villagers rejoice knowing that their savior has been named. This brief detail illustrates how sacrifice for a larger goal is a joyous thing, only for those who have nothing to lose. Although Oganda is openly a revered member of the tribe, villagers who do not have close personal ties to her almost instantly realize that allowing just one of them to die will save them and bring great prosperity to the tribe. together. The tribesmen even act as if it is a great honor to give one's life for such a sacred goal. They clarify this further by creating a song that says: “It's to save the people, if it's to give us rain, let Ogando go. May Uganda die for its people and for its ancestors” (Ogot 3). This minor detail sheds light on how sacrifice can have incredibly different effects on the people involved. However, the most puzzling dilemma concerns the great chief's daughter, Oganda. Even though she seems to have no choice, Oganda must make the greatest sacrifice possible, giving her own life for the people of her village. This sacrifice benefits him in no way and implies the extent to which his character was raised under strong morals and the idea that the needs of the whole are far higher than the needs of the individual. As strong as this morality is, the survival instinct must kick in at some point. “Forgetting that there was only one door in the hut, Oganda fought desperately to find 1964.