ort Storie
Sh s
English FAL
Grade 10
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy, share, or sell our content
without permission.
, Contents
Her three days Sembene Ousmane
Mr Nakasa goes to Harlem Nat Nakasa
Nostalgia C.A. Davids
The boy who painted Christ black John Henrik Clarke
The Darling Anton Checkov
The Late Bud Ata Aidoo
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy, share, or sell our content without permission.
,Her Three Days
BY SEMBENE OUSMANE
Summary
In ‘Her Three Days’ Sembene Ousmane introduces to us Noumbe, a woman married to
Mustapha’s as the third wife. According to the muslim tradition of polygamy, there is a rule that
a husband must spend at least three days a month with each wife, but he doesn’t show up at
Noumbe’s house during her three days. The writer captures the efforts and sacrifices made by
Noumbe as she prepares for her husband’s coming to her house for her three days. She waits
in anticipation for her husband who doesn’t show up until the third day late in the evening when
Noumbe is already exhausted with worry, frustration and anxiety of waiting. She humiliates and
mocks her husband in front of his companions because of the pain she feels about the
treatment that Mustapha subjected her to.
Title
The pronoun ‘her’ in ‘Her Three Days’ shows possession. Noumbe’s entitlement to the
three days with her husband as per custom.
The title of the story can have a literal as well as a figurative meaning. The story ‘Her Three
Days’.
Literal Meaning Figurative meaning
Implies her three days of emptiness and
loneliness while waiting for her husband.
The three days of the realization that her
husband no longer favoured her just like
Refers to Noumbe’s right to the three days
he used to, his attention has shifted to
with her husband Mustapha as dictated by
the fourth, youngest wife.
Islamic culture in polygamous marriages.
The three days it took for her realisation
that there is a need to stand up for
oneself and perhaps break free from the
shackles of polygamy.
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy, share, or sell our content without permission.
, Themes
Polygamy and its effects on women
Mustapha is married to four wives.
Noumbe (the third wife) finds herself experiencing difficulties in the marriage.
She is a victim of the Muslim polygamic rule that every wife of a muslim is entitled to three
days of her husband’s company.
This was no longer the case for Noumbe as her three days were spent elsewhere.
The wives are also pitted against one another as they fight for the husband’s attention.
Patriarchy
In a patriarchal system men and boys assume more power and are held in high esteem than
women and girls.
The men in Noumbe’s village go out with friends, they work and take decisions on behalf of
the families, they have more freedom and opportunities than women do.
Women are expected to stay at home and take care of the children just like Noumbe is
doing.
We see the extent of suffering she goes through because of this.
When Mustapha doesn’t arrive for her three days she puts blame on the other wives
suggesting that they were keeping him in their houses deliberately instead of holding him
accountable for his actions.
Culture and community
The women in the story are potrayed as very close to one another.
They know about one another’s business; They know that it is Noumbe’s turn for the three
days with her husband according to the culture of polygamous marriages.
They joke and tease her about it while laughing to show acceptance of this norm of
polygamy.
Reputation/Image
This is evident through Noumbe worrying more about her image when Mustapha doesn’t
come.
She hides the pain of the futile waiting from other women, she defends her husband while in
essence she was defending her own worth.
Jealousy
When Mustapha doesn’t arrive Noumbe thinks he might be with the the young, fourth wife.
She imagines all that this woman must be doing with their husband which she was
supposed to be doing by now because it was her three days.
The more she thought about it, the more pain she felt as she remembered the days when
she was the youngest wife.
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy, share, or sell our content without permission.
Sh s
English FAL
Grade 10
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy, share, or sell our content
without permission.
, Contents
Her three days Sembene Ousmane
Mr Nakasa goes to Harlem Nat Nakasa
Nostalgia C.A. Davids
The boy who painted Christ black John Henrik Clarke
The Darling Anton Checkov
The Late Bud Ata Aidoo
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy, share, or sell our content without permission.
,Her Three Days
BY SEMBENE OUSMANE
Summary
In ‘Her Three Days’ Sembene Ousmane introduces to us Noumbe, a woman married to
Mustapha’s as the third wife. According to the muslim tradition of polygamy, there is a rule that
a husband must spend at least three days a month with each wife, but he doesn’t show up at
Noumbe’s house during her three days. The writer captures the efforts and sacrifices made by
Noumbe as she prepares for her husband’s coming to her house for her three days. She waits
in anticipation for her husband who doesn’t show up until the third day late in the evening when
Noumbe is already exhausted with worry, frustration and anxiety of waiting. She humiliates and
mocks her husband in front of his companions because of the pain she feels about the
treatment that Mustapha subjected her to.
Title
The pronoun ‘her’ in ‘Her Three Days’ shows possession. Noumbe’s entitlement to the
three days with her husband as per custom.
The title of the story can have a literal as well as a figurative meaning. The story ‘Her Three
Days’.
Literal Meaning Figurative meaning
Implies her three days of emptiness and
loneliness while waiting for her husband.
The three days of the realization that her
husband no longer favoured her just like
Refers to Noumbe’s right to the three days
he used to, his attention has shifted to
with her husband Mustapha as dictated by
the fourth, youngest wife.
Islamic culture in polygamous marriages.
The three days it took for her realisation
that there is a need to stand up for
oneself and perhaps break free from the
shackles of polygamy.
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy, share, or sell our content without permission.
, Themes
Polygamy and its effects on women
Mustapha is married to four wives.
Noumbe (the third wife) finds herself experiencing difficulties in the marriage.
She is a victim of the Muslim polygamic rule that every wife of a muslim is entitled to three
days of her husband’s company.
This was no longer the case for Noumbe as her three days were spent elsewhere.
The wives are also pitted against one another as they fight for the husband’s attention.
Patriarchy
In a patriarchal system men and boys assume more power and are held in high esteem than
women and girls.
The men in Noumbe’s village go out with friends, they work and take decisions on behalf of
the families, they have more freedom and opportunities than women do.
Women are expected to stay at home and take care of the children just like Noumbe is
doing.
We see the extent of suffering she goes through because of this.
When Mustapha doesn’t arrive for her three days she puts blame on the other wives
suggesting that they were keeping him in their houses deliberately instead of holding him
accountable for his actions.
Culture and community
The women in the story are potrayed as very close to one another.
They know about one another’s business; They know that it is Noumbe’s turn for the three
days with her husband according to the culture of polygamous marriages.
They joke and tease her about it while laughing to show acceptance of this norm of
polygamy.
Reputation/Image
This is evident through Noumbe worrying more about her image when Mustapha doesn’t
come.
She hides the pain of the futile waiting from other women, she defends her husband while in
essence she was defending her own worth.
Jealousy
When Mustapha doesn’t arrive Noumbe thinks he might be with the the young, fourth wife.
She imagines all that this woman must be doing with their husband which she was
supposed to be doing by now because it was her three days.
The more she thought about it, the more pain she felt as she remembered the days when
she was the youngest wife.
© 2026 Knap Opsommings
All notes, summaries, and study materials are owned by Knap Opsommings. Please use them only for your personal school learning. Do not copy, share, or sell our content without permission.
