43 pages • 1 hour read
Kennedy Odede, Jessica PosnerFind Me Unafraid: Love, Loss, And Hope In An African Slum
Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 2015A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Chapters 2-4Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 2 Summary: “kennedy”
In Chapter 2 we learn more about Kennedy’s birth and impoverished childhood in the slums. His mother was an unwed 15-year-old, which meant danger for Kennedy: “In the village, it was common for the mother’s male relatives to kill baby boys born out of wedlock” (21). When both his mother, Ajey, and he survived the breech birth, and rains quickly followed what was an intense drought, the elders viewed Kennedy as a good omen, thus sparing his life. He was named after John F. Kennedy because of the study abroad program in America, started by JFK, that educated many young Kenyans.
His grandmother, Esther, raised him with kindness and joy until her death when he was only 3 years old, after which he was sent to live with his mother in the capital city of Nairobi where was treated poorly by his alcoholic and abusive stepfather, Babi. His mother had previously escaped two arranged marriages to older men, literally running away from them, but when she was given the ultimatum to either get married or be ostracized from her community, she chose marriage. They lived in such intense poverty that they often didn’t have food, weren’t able to wash and had bug problems.
While his mother was too proud to let Kennedy beg for food, he often asked neighbors or searched trash piles to have something to eat. Kennedy had a neighborhood friend, Omondi, who would often share his food. Omondi was able to attend school and taught Kennedy when he got home, but he got sick and died at the age of 8.
Things worsened when Babi was falsely accused of stealing from the job site and thrown in jail, and even at such a young age Kennedy saw himself as a protector and caretaker: “As my mom lay on the floor holding her belly, crying and broken, I promised myself that I’d become an ogwanjo, a warrior, for her” (34). After his mother started a woman’s club at church, Kennedy was made the secretary because his friend Boniface had helped him learn to write. A priest at the church helped him to practice his reading and writing on Saturdays.
His mom started a women’s lending circle, inspiring the women to gather each week and lend one woman a thousand shillings to start a business. Through his role as club secretary, Kennedy learned lessons from his mother that “sometimes trust demands sacrifice” and that God is “busy” (38), so we have to work towards helping ourselves.
Chapter 3 Summary: “jessica”
Jessica is still intent on exploring the slum on her own, stubbornly not allowing Kennedy to guide her. She takes the matatu, local unregulated bus, on her own but quickly becomes lost. Kennedy arrives home and finds her: “‘Someone came to my house,’ he offers sheepishly. ‘They said, “Mayor, there is a muzungu walking around lost, she must be here to see you”’’ (44). She requests again to stay at his house instead of the designated homestay outside of the Kibera, convincing both her study abroad coordinator and Kennedy that she is capable of being the first white person to stay in the slums.
Their conversation flows easily as she gets a tour of his small home and the toilets that are shared with the neighborhood. As she sees the conditions of the area, she starts to doubt her decision to stay. Kennedy has eight siblings, two of which join them for dinner. They normally sleep in Kennedy’s room, but they will sleep with their mother and other siblings at their nearby shack to make room for Jessica.
Jessica and Kennedy end up sharing the twin-size bed after arguing who will to sleep on the couch, not something she had planned. She waits in line for the toilets while the entire neighborhood stares at her. Jessica learns how to shower using two basins and how to filter her water before brushing her teeth.
The next day Kennedy, his friend Antony, Jessica, and her friend Kyla spend the day listening to music and laughing. They have a great time but later that night she gets a text from Kyla, “‘My host sister says it is not Kenyan custom to hold hands!’ My face flushes” (54).
Kennedy and Jessica have a conversation about the difficulties women face in Kenya. Kennedy points out that women in America have unrealistic expectations and that women are viewed as sacred in Africa. Kennedy offers to do Jessica’s laundry, stating that he is “a different type of Kibera man” (56).
Chapter 4 Summary: “kennedy”
When Babi was released from prison, Kennedy’s childhood went from bad to worse as he had to not only face the dangers of living in poverty but also of living with an abusive stepfather. Kennedy spent most of his time trying to shield his siblings and his mother from Babi’s abuse. They often went days without eating, while Babi spent any money they had on alcohol. Out of desperation, Kennedy stole a mango, but he was quickly caught and beaten by onlookers (a common occurrence in the slums). He was saved by a “man of God” who paid for the mango and took him to get food. This incident made him believe in God, the church, and the Bible.
At just 10 years old, Kennedy started providing for his family by begging for food at the Missionaries of Charity. One kind nun took pity on him and would give him food each week. Walking home one day a group of boys attacked him and stole his food: “I’ll never forget how terrible it was for someone to snatch away what I considered as important as my life” (63). Kennedy trained a street dog to follow him each week as protection.
When the Sister that was feeding him was transferred to another location, Babi beat Kennedy for not bringing food home. Kennedy decided to sleep on the streets instead of angering Babi and putting his family in danger, as his stepfather was increasingly targeting him. One of his former friends, Kamau, was a member of a street gang. They allowed him to join the gang after he successfully stole a woman’s purse. He wasn’t beaten any more, and he had food to eat, but it did require that he steal or beg for food and money to contribute to the group. Kamau teaches him how to steal car parts or get money: “This is the deal, you will ask for money. You be the nice one at them. Whoever refuses to give us something, I will throw shit in their faces” (72). Kamau also teaches Kennedy how to sniff petroleum to get high. Kamau is killed by a crowd when he steals a purse.
After his friend’s death, Kennedy can’t steal again. He starts to help out at a restaurant, at first for free, then in exchange for small pay and food. A priest takes interest in Kennedy and offers him a spot in school.
Chapters 2-4 Analysis
Dialogue and first-person narration play an important role in the story and character development by providing a sense of immediacy, connection, and real-time insight into each speaker’s unique perspective. By engaging in dialogue, the reader feels that they are present in the story at the time it happened.
As Kennedy and Jessica take turns narrating and revealing more about their backgrounds and how their relationship began, themes of difference and sameness begin to emerge. Whether by language (Kennedy often includes words in Swahili), culture, or place, Kennedy and Jessica are characterized by striking socio-economic differences. Yet, even in these early chapters, their shared commonalities and traits of hope, service, and compassion suggest that a powerful bond and mutual affection between the two is forming and that will grow even stronger as their personal and professional relationship develops.
The issues of women’s rights and female empowerment appear in both Jessica and Kennedy’s chapters. Kennedy’s mother struggled to overcome male domination and physical and economic powerlessness, and her strength and determination is a means of inspiration and hope for him. He views the role of women very different that his community does, and his mother is his main teacher. His experience as the secretary of the women’s lending club founded by his mother, as well as watching her struggle, inspired Kennedy to create the women’s empowerment program at SHOFCO. Jessica, who also deeply cares about these issues, isn’t afraid to ask Kennedy questions about rape in marriage, male ownership and culturally hegemonic practices, and her own interest in the gender inequities in the region forge an even tighter bond between the two.
