Diamond Boy

by Michael Williams

Farouk Abdullah/the Baron Character Analysis

The diamond dealer known as the Baron is Boubacar’s boss. He’s also a rival of Uncle James, which is why the gwejana syndicate decides to try to sell him their ngodas. Unlike most diamond dealers, the Baron takes Patson seriously and compensates him fairly for the ngodas—and later, for Patson’s three girazis.

Farouk Abdullah/the Baron Quotes in Diamond Boy

The Diamond Boy quotes below are all either spoken by Farouk Abdullah/the Baron or refer to Farouk Abdullah/the Baron. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Manhood and Growing Up Theme Icon
).

Chapter 12 Quotes

Kamba’s words made me realize that finding a girazi was one thing but getting someone to give you money for it, without stealing it from you, was another thing altogether. My girazi was still just a stone as long as I was unable to find someone to pay me money for it. Finding a diamond was hard enough, but selling it was harder, and more dangerous too.

Related Characters: Patson Moyo (speaker), Kamba, Chipo, Arves, Jamu, Farouk Abdullah/the Baron
Related Symbols: Patson’s Girazis
Page Number and Citation: 130
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Diamond Boy LitChart as a printable PDF.
"My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." -Graham S.
Diamond Boy PDF

Farouk Abdullah/the Baron Character Timeline in Diamond Boy

The timeline below shows where the character Farouk Abdullah/the Baron appears in Diamond Boy. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 7
Corruption and Violence in Zimbabwe Theme Icon
...Boubacar as a coward. Uncle James explains that the Congolese Boubacar is the diamond dealer Farouk Abdullah ’s bodyguard. He fought with rebels in DRC and isn’t trustworthy. (full context)
Chapter 12
Manhood and Growing Up Theme Icon
Corruption and Violence in Zimbabwe Theme Icon
...dangerous. Patson suggests going through Boubacar and selling to Boubacar’s boss, who’s known as the Baron. Jamu supports this idea: his father hates the Baron. (full context)
Manhood and Growing Up Theme Icon
Family and Friendship Theme Icon
Corruption and Violence in Zimbabwe Theme Icon
...will just steal their stones. He supports Patson working with Boubacar to sell to the Baron for as much as he can get—anything is better than nothing. Chipo insists that Patson... (full context)
Chapter 13
Identity and Storytelling Theme Icon
...distance and finds that Arves has dropped his ice cream cone at Farouk Spectacles, the Baron’s shop. (full context)
Chapter 14
Manhood and Growing Up Theme Icon
Family and Friendship Theme Icon
Corruption and Violence in Zimbabwe Theme Icon
Boubacar leads Patson into an office. The Baron, Farouk Abdullah, is sitting behind a desk examining stones. When Boubacar insists Patson is trustworthy,... (full context)
Family and Friendship Theme Icon
While the Baron describes each stone’s qualities to Patson, Boubacar brings a dainty tea set and serves Patson... (full context)
Chapter 15
Family and Friendship Theme Icon
Corruption and Violence in Zimbabwe Theme Icon
...just worried about Patson—though there was a raid on the Dairy Den. Patson accepts the Baron’s deal and asks if the same terms apply should they find a girazi. The Baron... (full context)
Manhood and Growing Up Theme Icon
Family and Friendship Theme Icon
...the money he earned, and Boubacar explains that Patson sold ngodas to his boss, the Baron. But Patson’s father just sadly insists his ancestors are unhappy with him. (full context)
Manhood and Growing Up Theme Icon
Corruption and Violence in Zimbabwe Theme Icon
...insists they stay so he can find more; he’ll be able to sell to the Baron no problem. Patson’s father reminds him of the man who “lost control of his life”... (full context)
Chapter 34
Manhood and Growing Up Theme Icon
Family and Friendship Theme Icon
...asks what Patson wants to do with the girazis. Patson asks him to call the Baron. (full context)
Manhood and Growing Up Theme Icon
Family and Friendship Theme Icon
Identity and Storytelling Theme Icon
Patson describes how the Baron purchased the stones. He now has two prostheses, Boubacar works at a bank, and he,... (full context)