Diop Murambi Study Questions

General Study Questions

  1. See the document I have placed in Diop Resources, On the Writing of Murambi. Then, as you read the novel, consider Diop’s narrative strategies—multiple, sometimes fragmented or kaleidoscopic viewpoints, alternation between first-person and third-person narratives, entering into the minds of victims, perpetrators, bystanders and outsiders, and the incorporation of both linear and non-linear timelines.

  2. In a novel, i.e, a written text, about genocide, what are the significance and implications of the following: Jessica: “Even words aren’t enough” (96); Siméon: “There are no words to speak to the dead” (167); Gérard: “All the beautiful words of the poets, Cornelius, can say nothing" (175)? Consider this question in relation to Cornelius’ comments near the very end of the novel.

  3. To what extent, as we negotiate the novel, are we in a similar position to that of Cornelius, trying to piece together an unimaginable event from which we were absent? Is he a kind of bridge for us as readers, being both an insider and an outsider? Also, why do you think that his narrative is not ever presented in first-person, like that of Jessica, his father, and other characters? Finally, keep in mind that, in a book about understanding and remembering a traumatic historical event, Cornelius is a history teacher.

  4. Consider the ways in which both Cornelius and Jessica are neither fully victims nor perpetrators, though both are connected to violence, Cornelius via his father and Jessica in relation to her work for the resistance.

  5. While the massacre in Murambi depicted in the novel is historical, Doctor Joseph Karekezi is a fictional creation. Assess his character. For example, what is the significance of depicting the “Butcher of Murambi” as an apparently liberal (at least earlier), educated man who was even at one point a former Tutsi sympathizer? How does he view himself? How do characters like Colonel Perrin, Siméon, and Gérard view him? Do we ever get a clear sense of Cornelius’ view? Why do you think Karekezi did what he did? What is the effect of Diop’s choice to have Karekezi narrate his own section of the novel?

  6. How in general does the novel treat the Hutu-Tutsi ethnic distinction and conflict? How do the different characters view it? What are the different views of Rwanda’s past we encounter over the course of the novel?

  7. Consider the different types of Rwandans we encounter: Tutsi exiles, Tutsi victims, a Hutu exile, different types of Hutu perpetrators, and so on. How do their different situations affect their views past and present?

  8. How does the novel address the basic fact that the genocide occurred? To what extent does it make it seem inevitable? Do any of the characters feel that way?

  9. How does the novel describe the perpetrators, both in terms of the acts they commit and the different reasons they participate? How do some of the characters view the perpetrators?

  10. Consider as a whole the novel’s description of the genocidal atrocities—which ones are depicted and how?

  11. How does the novel characterize the attitudes of non-Rwandans (or non-Africans) towards Rwanda and Africa in general? How do some of the Rwandan characters describe Africa?

  12. The book is set in 1998. What outlook does it seem to provide regarding Rwanda’s future? Is the reality that has transpired in Rwanda over the last 20 years consistent with or divergent from that outlook?


Specific Study Questions

Part One, Fear and Anger: Michel Serumundo

  1. What kind of character is the narrator of this chapter (Michel)? Is he meant to represent a “typical” Tutsi during this time? What is the effect of reading this first-person, present-tense narration, given what we know is almost certain to happen to Michel and his family?

  2. What makes him begin to suspect “this was a day unlike any other” (5)?

  3. What event does he learn about, and how have conditions changed on the streets?

  4. What does he say about the fanatical young Hutu with whom they live (9)?

  5. What does he say about the outside world’s view of Rwanda? What does he say about his own engagement with atrocities across the world?

  6. How does he conclude the chapter?

Part One, Fear and Anger: Faustin Gasana

  1. What does Faustin’s father thinks needs to be done, and how does Faustin feel (15)?

  2. What lesson from the past does the father draw upon?

  3. What does the father urge the son to explain to those under his command (17)?

  4. What historical parallel arises (17)? Pay attention to other times in the novel when references to other genocides and mass atrocities arise.

  5. How does Faustin feel about Tutsis and the work he is about to undertake (19)?
    Do we get the sense that Faustin only feels this way due to his upbringing?

  6. Is Faustin’s repulsion at his father’s physical decay and repugnance to be taken more than literally?

  7. What does he say about those who take refuge in churches (20)?

  8. Whose restaurant do they stop at, and how is he described? What do you notice about Faustin’s interaction with him here, given what he is about to do?

  9. What does his girlfriend not want him to get involved in?

  10. As with Michel, is the narrator of this section (Faustin) meant to represent a type, in this case, a young Hutu extremist? What is the combined effect of these first two first-person narratives, one from a victim and one from a perpetrator (and neither of which will reappear in the novel)?

Part One, Fear and Anger: Jessica

  1. How does Jessica feel about their prospects for victory (26)?

  2. What are Theresa’s and Jessica’s differing views about taking refuge in a church?

  3. What is everyone listening to?

  4. What has happened to moderate Hutu politicians already?

  5. What is Jessica’s family background and upbringing? What have been her activities as part of the Tutsi resistance?

  6. What incident closes the chapter? Does this compromise Jessica in any way?

Part Two: The Return of Cornelius

  1. What is Cornelius’ background? Where was he raised? When and why did he flee Rwanda? Where is he returning from? What has happened to the rest of his family?

  2. How is Cornelius’ father characterized at this point (40)? How does this explain why, even though he is Hutu, Cornelius fleed Rwanda?

  3. What do the events described during their childhood suggest about Rwanda’s past (41)?

  4. What does he say has always been his view of Rwanda (43)?

  5. How does he explain his reasons for returning (44)?

  6. In the letter Stanley had written to Cornelius, what does he say about the Holocaust?

  7. What does Stanley say about being a Rwandan? About the chances of violence erupting again (48)? What does he mean by the “mechanics of power in Africa”?

  8. What seems to surprise Cornelius about the city (49)?

  9. Whom does Cornelius meet at the café and what unusual events occur there?

  10. What does Stanley say about forgetting, both for himself and in general (53)?

  11. What is the gist of Cornelius’ play? What is its style? Keep this in mind when you reach the end of the novel.

  12. As he heads to Jessica’s, how does Cornelius now describe Kigali, at least this part of it (60-1)?

  13. How does Jessica respond when Cornelius asks her if she regrets “it” (63)? What does Jessica now do in Rwanda?

  14. What do they talk about with respect to modern atrocities?

  15. What did Cornelius and Zakya debate? How did she respond to his claim that “Nothing divides us” (66)?

  16. What parallel is raised on page 67?

  17. What, at this point, does he think happened to his family based on his attempts to reach them during the genocide?

  18. What does the story of Lucienne and Valence signify?

  19. What do they see on their trip to Nyamata? What happened to Theresa Mukandori?

  20. Why does Cornelius continue to feel ill at ease in Kigali (75)?

  21. What does Jessica reveal to Cornelius? How did his father get out of Rwanda?

  22. What does Jessica say about the number of deaths?

  23. What does Jessica say at the top of page 79? What does she then say about the “real problem” in the case of Rwanda?

Part Three: Genocide

  1. As with the beginning of Part One, Part Three introduces us to some characters who appear only briefly. What is their significance?

  2. What does Aloys Ndasingwa describe (83-5)?

  3. What does the conflict between the local prefect and Aloys’ commander suggest?

  4. How do Aloys’ comments on page 86 recall the advice of Faustin’s father earlier in the novel?

  5. What is Marina’s father’s dilemma? How does he resolve it (88)? When he comes home, what does he do?

  6. Who is the anonymous woman who approaches Jessica? What does she describe (92-3)? Why is Jessica desperate to know her name, and how does the woman respond (94)?

  7. How does this chapter conclude?

  8. What does the “Rosa Karemera” chapter suggest about the motivations of some of the Hutus?

  9. Following the anecdote about the dog with the child’s foot in its jaws, what does Karekezi say about himself and his actions?

  10. What does he say about the camaraderie that has developed during the genocide (103)?

  11. What has Colonel Musoni heard in Paris about Karekezi?

  12. What does Colonel Musoni say about the war and the Interahamwe (105)? What does he point out regarding the role of the French?

  13. What does Karekezi say regarding his own family (107)?

  14. What does he say are the consequences of his “youthful mistake” (107)?

  15. Comment on the final paragraph that concludes this chapter.

  16. Who is Félicité and what did she do?

  17. What does Jessica think about the significance of her actions (111)? What does she say about trials?

  18. What does she say about the killing at Murambi? What does she mean by “a second genocide” (112)? What does say about the screams of the perpetrators?

  19. How does Colonel Perrin initially feel about the “Butcher of Murambi” (115)? What is Colonel Perrin’s purpose in Rwanda (116)?

  20. What does the Colonel say about the French government’s stance? What does he say about Operation Turquoise?

  21. The Colonel asks Karekezi whether it’s really more important to kill all the Tutsis than to defeat the RPF (123). How does Karekezi respond to him? What does the Colonel conclude (124)?

  22. What do the Colonel and Jean-Marc Gaujean discuss?

  23. What does Karekezi say about regret? About human life (126-7)?

  24. What does the Colonel say about Karekezi being “special” (127)? What is his closing assessment of the doctor?

  25. What does Jessica say about Operation Turquoise?

Part Four, Murambi

  1. What childhood memory does Cornelius recall (140)?

  2. What does Siméon say about how some survivors feel (143)?

  3. What is unusual about the remains at the Polytechnic? How does Cornelius react?

  4. What does he say about his past and his destiny (146)?

  5. What does Cornelius say about the Rwanda authorities’ decision not to bury the bodies?

  6. Gérard bluntly expresses his anger toward Cornelius. Does the anger seem to stem more from the fact that he is Karekezi’s son or that he was in exile (150)?

  7. What does he say about the phrase “I drank blood” (153)?

  8. What is Siméon’s view of Karekezi (154-6)?

  9. What does Cornelius say is the source of Africa’s problem (159)?

  10. What was the “best day of his life”? How was he able to read Karekezi’s intentions (161)?

  11. What was Siméon able to do?

  12. Comment on Siméon’s statements, “I can’t find words to speak to the dead.” “There are no words to speak to the dead.” “They won’t get up to answer you” (167).

  13. How does he summarize and characterize Rwanda’s history (169-70)? What does he say about the ability of that history to explain the genocide? What is the “incredible stupidity” he refers to?

  14. What does he say about those who conquer?

  15. How does Cornelius summarize Siméon’s message (171)?

  16. What does Stanley say about Jessica (172)? Why?

  17. Comment on Gérard’s story about what he endured. What does he say about the difference between what occurred in Bisesero and Murambi (175)?

  18. In his insistence on the reality of what he saw and experienced, is Gérard, while speaking to Cornelius, also speaking to us as readers?

  19. What is Cornelius’ hope for Gérard (176)?

  20. What are some of Cornelius’ reflections toward the end of the novel?

  21. What does Cornelius mean when he says that genocide is not just “any kind of story,” and why does he call Siméon a storyteller of the eternal (179)?

  22. How does Cornelius feel about his proposed play that we read about earlier in the novel? What type of writing and language does he now stress? What is the significance of the metaphors he uses?

  23. What does every chronicler need to do? In these final thoughts, does it seem that Diop himself is speaking through Cornelius?

  24. What impact does his encounter with the young woman in black who regularly visits the Polytechnic have on Cornelius?