SHORT STORY: LEAVING

PERSONAL RESPONSE: SAMPLE QUESTION & ANSWER

From the short story ‘Leaving’ by MG Vassanji, write about a character that you think is a good role
model for teenagers.

From the short story ‘Leaving’ by MG Vassanji, a character that I think is a good role model for
teenagers is Aloo. He is a good role model for teens because he is resourceful, obedient and hard-
working.

The first reason why I say he is a good role model is because he is resourceful. Resourceful is
defined as able to deal well with new or difficult situations and to find solutions to problems. It is an
admirable trait to have. Aloo is resourceful because when he is offered to study in the university, he
gets agriculture instead of medicine. Nonetheless, he does not resign to his fate. Instead he does
research and looks at prospectus of universities abroad. He also writes letters to overseas
universities to find a place. His resourcefulness pays off when his mother sees the prospectus and
finally lets him go. Aloo’s resourcefulness is why he is a good role model for teenagers.

The second reason is because Aloo is obedient to his mother. Obedient here means that doing, or
willing to do, what you have been told to do by someone in authority, in this case, his mother. Aloo
is obediant to her because he does not fight her back when she says she does not want him to leave
him. He accepts her mother’s will even though he really wants to study overseas. By being obedient,
he did not hurt his mother’s feelings that in the end she softens and understands his ambition. Aloo
as an obediant son is why he is a good role model to teenagers.

The third reason why Aloo is a good role model for teenagers is that he is hard-working. Hard-
working is a person who puts a lot of time and energy in doing something. Aloo is hard-working as
he puts a lot of energy into researching overseas universities after Mr Velji returns from America and
tells him of the opportunities to study there. He writes letters to universities and reads a lot of
prospectus. He never gives up until he finally gets a place in Caltech University, one of the leading
universities in America. His hard-working attitude is why I say he is a good role model for teenagers.

In conclusion, Aloo is a fantastic role model for teenagers because of his resourcefulness,
obedience to his mother and his industrious attitude.