Book Report

The African Queen by C. S. Forester

Publisher : Longman, Green and Co LTD

Year of publish : 1964, new impression 1965; September 1966; April 1967

Illustrated : Gordon Wesley

Number of pages : 120

Genre : Adventure

 Original Books

Publisher : Little, Brown and Company

Year of publish : 1935

Pages : 275
Country : England

Genre : Adventure

 Author Biography

Cecil Louis Troughton Smith (27 August 1899 – 2 April 1966) a.k.a Cecil Scott “C. S”
Forester, is an English novelist that known for writing tales of naval warfare, such as the 12
book Horatio Hornblower series depicting Royal Navy office during the Napoleonic wars.
The Hornblower novels A Ship of the Line and Flying Colours were jointly awarded
the James Tait Black Memorial Prizefor fiction in 1938. His other works include The African
Queen already filmed by John Huston at 1951.

2. Setting

The date of this story is 1914 in the First World War. The place is a part of Africa then held
by the Germans. But mostly this book take place at the river.

3. Mood

It feel sad to know Rose lost her brother. After Allnut came, it became interesting because
they will travel together. It’s really fun to know how their journey work. And finally feel
happy because Rose and Allnut will married.

4. Characters

Samuel : He is a missionary, and always trust in God.

Rose : She is Samuel’s sister and always trust her beloved brother. She is independent
and have her own thought.

Allnut : He is a London working-man employed by Belgians at the gold mine. He knows

Commander : commander of the England ship.

5. Plot
 Exposition : The story begin in the first world war 1914. It takes place at the
part of Africa then held by German. Rose Sayer lived with her brother Samuel Sayer
as a missionaries. But suddenly Samuel killed by Germans. Allnut, a London
working-man employed by Belgians, came and help Rose burried her brother. And
after that, they have a journey with The African Queen. The African Queen is filled
with tinned food. And carries cargo of two hundredweight of blasting gelatin.
  Rising action : They have been travelled over the river and met some obstacle
with the nature. Once they’ve been brought by the waves, and sometimes they got
sick because of the mosquite.
 Climax : The African Queen hit by the waves, and sink in the river. Rose
an Allnut separated in the storm, but both are discovered by German. They’ve been
caught by the Louisa and they became the hostage to truce between German and
England. Both refuse to tell how they came to the lake, but the captain sees “African
Queen” written on Rose’s life-saver and conclude that they must be the mechanics
and the missionary’s sisterfrom the misteriously missing launch.
He realize that it would be uncivilised to execute them, so he flies a flag for truce and
delivers them to the British naval commander.
Louisa and Matilda (England Ship) were having battle on the shore of the lake. They
gun each other until Louisa suddenly fell over on one side. The Louisa went down to
the bottom of the Lake.

 Falling action : England won the battle, and Rose and Allnut send to the British
Consul at Matardi.
 Resolution : They came back to England. Allnut will be a British Army and
Rose will be back to her family. And after that Rose asked Allnut to marry her.
6. Conflict

Rose and Allnut have a different way of thinking which makes them argue over something
again and again. And they have to deal with the nature which is unpredictable.

7. Point of View

The third person omniscient.

8. Theme

The theme of this book is patriotism. Rose and Allnut as an English, want to take revenge
over German that have killed her brother and make African be their army.

And this book also teach us about how to solve problem by discussing. When Rose and
Allnut debate over something, they talk to each other to find the resolution.

9. Language

There are some words that hard to understand and the writer give some footnote over it. So it
help me to understand easily. And here are some figurative language in this book :

 Hyperbole

The iron tiller was so hot that it seemed to burn her hand. –page 8
  Personification

The branches of the river met above them –page 8

 Simile

…’Louisa’ ruled the lake as firmly as Britain ruled the seas … –page 9

They looked more like wild men from...

They felt like animals escaped from the cage... –page 73

 Idiom

… with a cloud of insects round it … –page 11

10. Critical Comments

This book has animated picture that help me to imagine the story of this book. I love the
ending very much, because after their hard work finally they getting married.