WEEK 3-5: Literature-In- English Notes
OBJECTIVES
By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:
1. Summarize the events that occur in Act 1.
2. Identify key plot points, conflicts, and turning points.
Key Plots Points (Act1)
· The scene takes place in a grove.
· In the background, there are metallic clinking sounds of gongs and chants of Ogun.
· Ajanaku, about to be enthroned as king, sits bare-chested on a stool.
· Two elderly men, Odejimi and Ogundele, stand by his side
Act One Analysis of Once Upon an Elephant
Act One
This scene takes place in the grove. In the background are the metallic clinking of gongs and chants of Ogun. Ajanaku, about to be enthroned as the king, sits bare-chested on a stool.
Two elders, Odejimi and Ogundele, voice their unease about Ajanaku's transformation into an immortal through the Olubori rites. Despite King Akinjobi's living presence, Serubawon pushes for Ajanaku's coronation as the new king, seeking control over him and the gifts he brings.
Serubawon claims Akinjobi's illness renders him unfit to rule and insists on progress. He dismisses accusations against Ajanaku, portraying him favorably. However, Ogundele counters that though Akinjobi is sick, he remains the rightful king by tradition.
Odejimi joins the argument, asserting that Serubawon's authority isn't absolute; appointing a king is a council's duty. He suggests better heirs exist, challenging Serubawon's agenda.
Serubawon defends his position, emphasizing his role as a kingmaker and downplaying Ajanaku's past misbehavior. He reminds them of past favors from Ajanaku, implying indebtedness.
Odejimi insists on considering other heirs, mentioning Baderin's eldest son. He urges reporting to the elders for guidance. However, Ogundele fears disbelief due to their involvement.
Odejimi persists, rejecting Ajanaku's ascent. Ogundele proposes reviving Akinjobi as a delay tactic against Serubawon. He then accepts his gift, while Odejimi remains indifferent.
In this tense exchange, the village's future hangs in the balance as conflicting interests clash, highlighting the struggle for power and the complexities of tradition versus personal gain.
WEEK 4: ACT2 Analysis- Once Upon an Elephant
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of the lesson, students should be able to :
1. Highlight the key points and conflicts in Scene 2
2. Summarize Act2 of the play ‘Once Upon An Elephant’
KEY POINTS
Ø Desola and Odekunle meet secretly in the bush due to family and societal pressures.
Ø Odekunle's feigned illness shows his strong love for Desola.
Ø Desola's dream reflects her worries about their future together.
Ø Family tensions and political intrigue affect Desola and Odekunle's relationship.
ACT TWO:
Act 2 unfolds in a bush, where Desola, Serubawon's daughter, eagerly awaits someone beneath a towering tree. Odekunle, Odejimi's son and Desola's beloved, stealthily approaches to playfully startle her. They've chosen this spot for clandestine meetings before. Odekunle explains his tardiness, having feigned illness to avoid his father's company on a hunting trip, preferring instead to rendezvous with Desola.
He shares news of hunters preparing for the new king's coronation, but his heart lies with Desola, not the hunt. Desola joyfully reveals her father's consent for their union after the next harvest, prompting Odekunle to express gratitude through song.
Their happiness is tinged with worry, however, as Desola confides in Odekunle about unsettling dreams plaguing her sleep. She recounts a vivid nightmare of their wedding, where she's struck silent during a crucial chant, causing distress to both herself and her mother.
Desola's fears deepen as she reveals Yosola, her friend, has already divulged the dream to her mother, who may in turn tell Serubawon. Odekunle advises against sharing such omens, cautioning Desola against potential repercussions on their marriage plans.
Their conversation turns to the brewing tensions between their fathers, particularly over Prince Olaniyonu's candidacy for king. Desola believes the elders selected the prince, but Odekunle asserts Serubawon's unilateral decision.
Despite the looming coronation, Odekunle urges Desola to prioritize their relationship over the kingdom's affairs, hoping to quell her anxieties and focus on their love.
WEEK 5: ACT 3 Analysis- Once Upon an Elephant
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of the lesson, students should be able to :
1. Highlight the key points and conflicts in Scene 2
2. Summarize Act3 of the play ‘Once Upon An Elephant’
Act Three
This Act takes place in the Village Square: The Coronation of Ajanaku. There is heavy drumming, singing, and dancing. Ajanaku addresses the people.
He narrates how he came by the name Ajanaku. He says as an infant, his father saw the greatness in him in the way he grasped and struggled to suck breasts from his mother.
He saw the crown placed on his head and called him Ajanaku.
His father would explain further that, “He is Ajanaku, more than ‘I have caught a glimpse of something, ‘ for when you see an elephant, you surely have seen something huge, awesome, imposing…even impregnable like a rock.”
When he started crawling and fighting with his age-mates and beating them, his father would say he was showing the strength of an elephant. He says that elephants crush anything that stands in their way.
Serubawon also says the assembly is for the people and it is only the king that can unite the people.
Ajanaku then asks if there are people who don’t support him. Ogundele responds and pledges the total support of the people to the king.
Odegbami also promises that the Council will address some things the king has heard or seen. Ogundele and Odejimi also say that the elders are in absolute support of the king.
Ajanaku continues by condemning his predecessors. He says he will not follow their footsteps and their weak approaches to resolving matters. He says his own is a new beginning.
Everybody shouts Kabiyesi o! “We have been given power to rule; and rule we shall. Celebrate!” Ajanaku says and he exits.
Odegbami calls the elders to move to the courtyard for celebration. Odejimi then calls the attention of the elders to the royal speech.
Ogundele comments that it is a declaration of war and Odejimi condemns his lineage and calls his father a failure.
Ogundele sees nothing wrong in it and says times are changing. He says the king’s father should be left out of the conversation and should think on how to help the new king. They afterward join the other people.
ASSIGNMENT: Highlight and discuss the key points and conflicts in the act 3
