Question

What does button A stand for in Wole Soyinka's A Telephone Conversation?

• A. It is the button used to end the call
• B. It is the button used to connect the call
• C. It is the button for volume control
• D. It is the button for turning on the speaker

Answer 1

Answer:

B. It is the button used to connect the call

• Button A is mentioned in the poem "Telephone conversation".

• The poem describes a phone call between a landlady and the speaker, who is black, about renting an apartment.

• The landlady is pleasant until she learns that the speaker is "African," at which point she demands to know how "light" or "dark" the speaker's skin is. In response, the speaker cleverly mocks the landlady’s ignorance and prejudice, demonstrating that characterizing people by their skin color diminishes their humanity.