Dreams from My Father

Chapter 15

Introspection and Reflection Questions

Discussion Questions

Open ended question: What did you learn about Obama from reading this chapter? What was of most interest to you? What do you need more information about? What, if anything, was confusing to you?

At the beginning of Chapter 15, Obama describes himself as being uneasy: “A Westerner not entirely at home in the West, an African on his way to a land full of strangers.” What does he mean by this? Why does he feel uneasy, and what does that tell you about his ongoing struggle to understand himself and his identity?

On page 305, Obama arrives at the airport in Kenya where he meets a woman who recognizes his name. Why is this important to Obama? What does it mean in terms of Obama’s quest to understand his identity?

In Chapter 15, Obama meets several members of his father’s family including his father’s wife, sisters, and children. Make a list of all the family members that you encounter and write a sentence describing his/her relation to Obama.

Auma has a dream for her future. What is that dream and what are some of the problems she encounters as she tries to achieve it?

Cultural and Historical References
	Kenyatta - p. 300 A leader in the Kenyan struggle for independence from Great Britain Jomo Kenyatta (1894 – 1978) became the first President of Kenya.
	Nkrumah - p. 300 A leader of the Ghana independence movement, Kwame Nkrumah (1909-1972) was one of the founding spirits behind the pan-African movement and helped to found the Organization of African Unity.
	Roots - p. 302 Written in 1976 by Alex Haley, Roots: The Saga of an American Family, traces the history of an African-American family from pre-slavery through the 20th century.
	Kimathi - p. 311 Called a terrorist at the time, Dedan Kimathi (1920-1957) was one of the leaders in the Kenyan struggle for independence, and is now considered a national hero.
	Nat Turner – p. 311 In 1831, Nat Turner (1800-1831) led a slave revolt.
	Isac Dinessen and Out of Africa - p. 314 Perhaps most well known for her autobiographical work, Out of Africa, author Isak Dinesen (1885-1962) also wrote short stories and a novel.