Bola tha dialogue4/11/2023 ![]() ![]() His travels in the US even highlight his otherness as a novelty. He doesn’t really feel welcome in the UK while knowing he could not return to Congo. As an immigrant and son of refugees, the lines defining his identity are blurry. Significantly, Michael is battling with feeling that he belongs no where. His Mum, his friends, his students, the women he might love. The Selfless Act Of Breathing questions finds Michael questioning not only whether his own life is worth living for – really, he’s also asking what his life means to the people who love him. If the idea of a man who is only willing to live as long as his travel budget allows sounds desperate- that’s because it is. Travelling with Michael across states and back and forth through time, the reader gets on with him and you can feel how sad and vulnerable he is. Struggling with his father’s death, faith and his identity, he takes his life savings out of his account and plans to live his dreams until he’s out of cash- then end it. He is a British-Congolese teacher who finds himself questioning what his life is worth during a time of hopelessness. ![]() The Selfless Act Of Breathing by JJ Bola is a novel that tracks the protagonist, Michael Kabongo, during a critical period in his depression.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |