Dreams from My Father

by

Barack Obama

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Yusuf Character Analysis

Yusuf is one of Barack’s uncles and the Old Man’s half brother. Granny is his mother. He’s slight and wears a moustache. Yusuf insists that the Luo are too stubborn and uneducated, as they won’t adopt Western farming techniques that would allow them to better use the fertile land around Alego, but Sayid insists that Yusuf doesn’t lead by example. In Sayid’s estimation, having been educated in the city and then introduced to the concept of poverty, Yusuf has simply given up and no longer finds meaning in the traditional way of life in Alego.
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Yusuf Character Timeline in Dreams from My Father

The timeline below shows where the character Yusuf appears in Dreams from My Father. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 18
Family and Community Theme Icon
Fathers, Sons, and Manhood Theme Icon
...depot. They take two matatus (minibuses) and get off at a clearing where Barack’s uncles, Yusuf and Sayid, greet the travelers. Yusuf and Sayid lead them to a compound where Granny... (full context)
Fathers, Sons, and Manhood Theme Icon
As Granny serves tea, she explains that she and Yusuf couldn’t work the land all by themselves, so she’s given some land away and sells... (full context)
Family and Community Theme Icon
Storytelling and Truth Theme Icon
After dinner, Roy leaves to visit friends. Yusuf brings out an old radio and, in the distance, they hear a moan. Auma jokes... (full context)
Family and Community Theme Icon
Race and Identity Theme Icon
Storytelling and Truth Theme Icon
In the morning, Sayid and Yusuf show Auma and Barack around the land. Yusuf explains that the land is good, but... (full context)
Family and Community Theme Icon
Race and Identity Theme Icon
Storytelling and Truth Theme Icon
Sayid notes that Yusuf doesn’t work and suggests that education doesn’t do much without sweat. Barack thinks that Sayid... (full context)