Critical Analysis of The Clever Young Man and the Monster

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            The Clever Young Man and the Monster is an old tale that speaks of the importance of progress over time. The tale originated in Tanzania with a theme of overcoming against great odds. From a modern point of view, I find the story to be proper for its time, yet outdated from a present-mind approach. Its theme is simple and is understandable for its time. Yet, the modern day might require the story to update itself with a more believable plot.

            The plot of The Clever Young Man and the Monster is simple enough for it to be understandable by those who read the story. This is relevant because as an old tale, it needs to be simple for the readers of the time, most of whom may not be very educated or fully literate. The idea that a young boy would increasingly be able to kill bigger and more difficult foes as time goes on is a lesson for the people of the time that perseverance is important in the overarching goal of finding success. However, the story is also filled with various elements that make it unsuitable for the modern day as one that could be remotely believable. For example, the plot of the story being that the monster had swallowed all of the people in the town, and that those people would be released at a later time once the monster is slain, is one that is impractical. In the present-mindset, such an idea sounds quite far-fetched, even in a fictional story where we are supposed to suspend our beliefs. There are likely better ways to communicate the theme of perseverance and courage against great challenges than a story with such an unrealistic plot.

            Overall, I find that the story of The Clever Young Man and the Monster to be a good and teachable story for the people of Tanzania during its time. However, the present setting is likely to require the story to update itself with more realistic elements. We can teach a similar theme to readers with a plot that’s more realistic and believable.