Dimensions: 5th Reading Assignment

A Bend in the River
Parts 11, 12
(Pages 167-196)

Part Eleven:
     After the steamer left, Yvette and Salim went to the Tivoli (a resturant) for a snack. Yvette saw a family in the resturant that upset and angered her. Salim was a little frightened and bewitched by her attitude toward them; he had never experienced a woman who showed such irritations. Yvette invited Salim to a business-type lunch the next day.
     The lunch at Yvette's had been cancelled, but Salim still went because he hadn't been told about the cancellation. Salim was led to the same room the party had been held in, but it was much different than before. In the bright sunlight shining through the windows, Salim noticed cracks in the walls, dust on the record player, and no feeling of shelter in this home. He then saw Yvette as an ordinary housewife until she appeared; his fascination with her returned.
     Salim invited Yvette to the Hellenic Club for the next afternoon. This would be the second day in a row of a planned get together and the third day of seeing one another overall. When Yvette got to Salim's flat, they didn't go to the Club. They made love, which was special to Salim because of his obsession with her. This was the start of their affair.
     A few days before this, at Yvette's house, Salim had requested to see some of Raymond's writings in order to get closer to Yvette. When he ended up reading them, he realized that Raymond didn't have as much real knowledge of Africa as the people Salim himself knew. Raymond didn't see "the strangeness and wonder" of Africa like Father Husimans had.

Chapter Three: The Big Man
Part Twelve:
     Salim speculates that if he had read the articles by Raymond when Yvette had first given them to him, then he probably wouldn't have gotten "entangled" with her. Now he realizes Yvette's "ambition, bad judgement, and failure." Salim wanted to be "taken up to the skies," not be involved with someone who was "just as trapped" as himself.
     (I used a lot of small quotes from page 183 when summarizing the start of this chapter. I feel like those quotes are the best way to show how Salim was feeling regarding his new discoveries about Yvette.)
     Salim has photographs of Yvette that she had given to him. Salim further explains his relationship with Yvette in his narration. The reader learns that, by some unspoken agreement, the two didn't exchange tender words, embrace upon meeting, and seldom kissed.
     Yvette begins to talk about when she met Raymond and her meetings with the President. She seems more affected than Raymond about not hearing from Indar or someone else from the capital. Salim notices that Raymond is at a place that is now his home, while Yvette doesn't feel that way.
     Salim visits Yvette's house sometimes for dinner with other visitors. Raymond is always working in his study and usually never comes out until it's time to eat.
     A small book of the President's speeches is published, but it is not Raymond's. At first there is a high demand for it but the hype soon dies down. Salim can see that Yvette is growing bored with the subject of the President. Yvette's restlessness is a bad thing for Salim; he doesn't want her to leave.