The historical change in this society is illustrated quite vividly in this essay. Clearly, this is a country undergoing political change, and there will be unrest for some time. The coup has removed law and order from the streets and replaced it with looting and violence, and it has sent the officials of the country packing, so there will be disorder and fear for some time to come. This is a drastic change in society, and that is made clear throughout this essay. The author makes it quite clear they are fearful, that the country is undergoing drastic change, and that things will not ever be quite the way they were before the coup. It reveals that politics in many of these developing nations is volatile at best, and that people can never take their safety and security for granted, because there is always someone ready to take their way of life away in an instant. It also reveals that the leaders, both of the coup and of the deposed government...

The reader feels the author's fear and understand it, and sees first hand how a coup occurs. That is a valuable document because it helps others feel and respond to what is happening, and it captures a specific moment in time so that it will be remembered for posterity. it's also valuable because it gives information on how they family survived the coup, through bribes and friends and remaining uninvolved, and it shows that even the most violent people are sometimes moved to act righteously when given the chance. It is a vivid account of a dangerous time, and it makes the reader feel as if they were right there, in the middle of the coup itself.
References

Andrews, T. Letters from a 1990s bush doctor.