A Bend In The River

Some scholars have claimed that the novel takes place in Zaire, though Naipaul never identifies the specific country in which the novel is set. Why might the author have made the choice not to explicitly identify the setting of the novel? What effect do the political events of the novel have, given that they cannot be identified in real-life history?

Consider the role of women in the novel. How are Yvette, Shoba, and Zabeth each portrayed? How are they similar or different? What can you infer from the way the male characters treat them about the culture in which they live and/or the decade in which the book was published?

Does the novel offer a satisfying conclusion for you? What do you think Salim learned, if anything, over the course of the novel, and how do you think any knowledge gained will affect his life in the future?

In what ways does the Domain represent both the past and the future of the town? How does it affect Salim’s attitudes about the town and about his own life?

The Liberation Army pamphlet states “We only know the truth” (212). Salim reflects that colonial newspapers “told a special kind of truth” (181). What is the truth of the situation in the town, according to Salim, Metty, and Ferdinand? What can do you understand about the greater meaning of truth from the novel?

In what ways is Salim enriched by his affair with Yvette? Why does the affair end badly and in what ways is Salim’s treatment of Yvette symbolic of bigger events in the novel?

When Salim sees the ruins in town not long after he arrives, he thinks, “You felt like a ghost, not from the past but from the future” (27). What does he mean by this? Why do you think Naipaul switches from first to second person in this statement and what effect do you think it has on the reader?

Is Salim a reliable narrator? Why or why not? How do his reflections on his life influence the reader’s view of his character?