The narrator and the protagonist character of this novel-Jacque belongs to a poor family. While his maternal Grand Mother plays the big boss role in the house and takes care of all home affairs though maintaining reticence. His maternal uncle Arne is a laborer.His mother-Kaith,though young and beautiful,is a widow and earns some
money out of the odd house hold jobs at the neighbor hoods.As a widow she had had to wear only black uniform and keep her hair style simple as a custom and tradition.One day the little jacque surprised to realize that one gentleman-Mr Antho,who sells
fish at the market,began to visit his house more frequently and her mother too began to look more happier than ever ! Mr. Antho though looked healthy fit and smart but he seemed too talkative and boasting enough to vitiate the already tense
atmosphere of the house.Although, the little boy was too young to understand the ground situations and do not know what to do and whom to ask and what ?! he kept observing this according to his capacity.And one day when his mother insisted to cut her dull and drub hair in modern style the Grand Mother protested and began to conspire plots and schemes to block and hinder her way through secret meetings with his brother !Mr. Antho too began to realize this fact that the things aren't the same now as before ! And one bad day the insidious frustration burst out open and his uncle and Mr. Antho fought together outside just outside the house in which Antho got injured ! Mother didn't eat anything at that day and kept weeping throughout the night.But next morning everything got back to normal.The little boy saw that his mother remained put on that black widow uniform and kept performing her routine work as usual. Apart from his uncle there is one another character-Mr. Bern. Who was a primary school
teacher of our protagonist.He was very learned man and thinks that the punishment is necessary thing in the modern
education as it instill discipline among students.But the way he teaches, the narrator wrote,attracts and impress the little protagonist.Mr.Bern kept talking about new writers and books and eagerly lend them when the boy asked one to read.In fact Mr.Bern wanted his pupils to learn and know more.And if Jacque turned unfaithful and atheist later in his life it was all due to that teacher,who played a crucial role in shaping out the intellectual progress for the long.When the jacque family insisted and pressurized him to do a
job at the young age of 10-12,to cater the need of the family.Mr Bern came into the scene requesting his family members to let his brilliant student to continue his higher education.His Grand Mother,though not completely agreeing on this he had to join the job ! Just before the new academic session,ensuring the recruitment manger that he wouldn't leave the job in the middle.But could fulfill his promise and had to leave the job midway! The manager got angry and confiscated his salary ! That' s really like a bolt from the blue !It's not so that his maternal Grand Mother didn't want the protagonist to take higher education but she was aware of this fact that he might not be able to complete his study due to scarcity of money,despite the advocacy and praises lavished by the teacher ! So, standing before the grave of his father the protagonist didn't feel emotional.Instead he feels his father inside him and far far away as an unknown man ! He have been curious to know more about his father.That's why he traveled all the way from France to Algeria, gleaning every loose end facts together to chart out a history of himself ! He searched his lost father as the first man and says every man of this world is the first man !!
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