The Power of One

An important part of being a writer is to inspire others to read outside of just one persons writing. Below is a small review of a historical fiction novel that is a good read:

In Zakes Mda’s book Cion, Mda used professional mourner Toloki to show how one person can in fact change the lives of an entire family. Toloki spent a year living with the Quigley family in the small town of Kilvert, Ohio. Within his stay with the family of four, Toloki’s presence made them more open to the world and change for the better, as well as finding a small change in his life.
Although Toloki’s immediate presents in the household did not change anything, it did over time drastically change the life of the shy, removed Orpah. Upon his arrival to the house, Toloki saw very little of Orpah but was constantly pulled into her mystery life by her sitar and drawings. It was upon these findings that Toloki vowed to change her life and save her from the Quigley’s. “She was brilliant at school, but had no interest in furthering her education….” (76). Her brilliancy seemed stumped by her father’s close relationship to her. Through Toloki’s continued relationship with Orpah, she began to become more involved; she even attending family dinners and discussions. It was this carefree attitude that leads her to begin spending the night in Toloki’s trailer, sharing her music in benefit concerts and in the end leaving Kilvert with Toloki. Orpah had been sheltered all her life by her family, her mother forcing tradition onto her and her father trying his best to do the right thing for his daughter. Toloki offered intrigue and a non-traditional life. It was only after he incorporated the movement from her and her father’s memories into his mourning, that she really became enthralled and dedicated to following Toloki. All her life, she had been fighting against Ruth and her constant will for tradition, Toloki was Orpah’s way out.
The first Quigley member Toloki came into contact with was the young, misguided Obed. “He never does anything with his own hands. He always finds the slightest excuse to shirk work. He thinks things will just fall into his lap” (76). This description is put forth by Ruth, his mother, who although she loved her son dearly, it was hard to hide the fact that her son had a lack of reasonability and was a first class schemer. Although Toloki claimed that Obed’s change was due to the sorority girl, Beth Eddy, it is clear to readers that Toloki gave Obed a direction. Since the first time they met, Obed followed Toloki with a sense of wonder and intrigue. Throughout the novel, Obed begins to show a sense of pride and dedication to his work. “I can see Obed’s pride from his gestures and his beaming face” (201). That pride helped lead Obed to be a man of God, and join the Appalachia Harvest gleaning group. Obed went from a common scammer to a man with a plan. Although Toloki claimed it was Beth Eddy who brought about the change, Obed followed and learned a lot from Toloki. As well as bringing Beth Eddy into his life through a forced mediation. It was through him that Obed began to show a work ethic and a sense of responsibility.
As always, adults need more persuasion to change. This argument was never truer than in the case of Ruth Quigley. Ruth was a stubborn, traditionalist who would hear nothing about change. The woman held grudges against several people in the Kilvert community. The community center because they continued to give Orpah quilting lessons even after Ruth took the sewing machine away from her. She also is against the town’s church because the priest had been divorced and re-married, the wrong path for a man of God according to Ruth. She also had a problem with the town being highly Democratic; she claimed they were pulled away from the right political group that gave them freedom by the welfare programs. Ruth was a woman who liked to judge people, and when Toloki began to stray from her teaching she became very upset. But through time and Toloki’s persistence, she began to listen and respect her son, “She dare not show me that she is proud of her son…that even she recognizes that he is not a total loss but is good for something”(207). Throughout the book, Ruth talks about the importance of tradition, especially in quilting. But by the end of the novel, even Ruth was willing to embrace a little change by using the rotary cutter that Toloki bought for her, branch into another type of quilting and starts to let her children grow up and move away.
The one man that Toloki was drawn to and wanted to learn more about was Mahlon Quigley. He was a man who always smiled and was highly respected by the men and women of the community and yet said very little. It was Mahlon’s quiet and subdue nature that made Toloki drawn to him. The most interesting thing about him was his garden which consisted of: gnomes, flags, plastic figures and one very stubborn bush. The non-living garden, as told by Ruth, was attributed to him living in the past and not being able to properly mourn for his mother and other loses. Mahlon’s mother was confined to the Ridges after falling in love with a black man. So upon her death, she was buried among the numbered tombs. Toloki is lead to believe that if he were to properly mourn her death he might go back to raising live animals, a proper garden and started living in the present. Because of Toloki’s actions towards Orpah, Mahlon began to shut out Toloki and then Orpah. This did not sit well with Toloki so he took it upon himself to find Mahlon mother’s grave. Upon finding the grave and the proper mourning Mahlon began to change, he began to laugh, bought a cow and “it did not seem like the drought was having any effect on Mahlon’s garden. It was getting greener by the day” (305). It was through Toloki’s actions that Mahlon was able to come out of the past and start living in the present.
Living in the past was a struggle for Toloki as well, even if he did not realize it. In the beginning of the novel, Toloki spoke several times about his lost love, Noria, and the ever constant sciolist. But through time and his newly found relationships with the small family of Kilvert, Toloki found himself moving on emotionally and physically. His lost lover was forgotten, as well as his style of mourning. Incorporating dance and movement into his mourning takes his profession in a whole new direction. With his pursuit to search for new mourning re-energized, he leaves Ohio with Orpah. As they drive away, he talks about the sciolist and how he needed his independence.
Throughout the novel Cion, relationships were changed due to the presence of professional mourner Toloki. Through the journey of change, readers also begin to see a change in the South African. The Quigley family household was set in the ways of tradition, mostly by Ruth, but after a year the family of four was more willing to look towards the future and embrace the changes life brings. Mda’s novel helped readers see that the presence of one person can change the lives of many.
I hope this makes you want to read Cion.