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© Department of Basic Education 2015 This content may not be sold or used for commercial Acknowledgements purposes. The Department of Basic Education gratefully acknowledges the permission granted to reproduce Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) extracts from the original short stories in this CAPS Grade 12 English First Additional Language Mind the *UDGH(QJOLVK)LUVW$GGLWLRQDO/DQJXDJH0LQGWKH Gap study guide for Short Stories *DSVWXG\JXLGHIRU6KRUW6WRULHV ISBN 978-1-4315-1944-6 Extracts from Manhood by John Wain are reproduced by permission of Will Wain for the This publication has a Creative Commons Attribution Estate of John Wain, the copyright holder. NonCommercial Sharealike license. You can use, modify, upload, download, and share content, but you Extracts from The Luncheon by W. Somerset must acknowledge the Department of Basic Education, Maugham are reproduced by permission of AP the authors and contributors. If you make any changes :DWWDW8QLWHG$JHQWV//3RQEHKDOIRIWKH5R\DO to the content you must send the changes to the /LWHUDU\)XQG3UHYLRXVO\SXEOLVKHGLQCollected Department of Basic Education. This content may not Short Stories by W. Somerset Maugham, published be sold or used for commercial purposes. For more by Vintage Classics 2009. information about the terms of the license please see: Extracts from The Soft Voice of the Serpent by http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/. Nadine Gordimer are reproduced by permission of $3:DWWDW8QLWHG$JHQWV//3RQEHKDOIRI1DGLQH Copyright © Department of Basic Education 2015 *RUGLPHUWKHFRS\ULJKWKROGHU7KHVWRU\ZDV 222 Struben Street, Pretoria, South Africa originally published in The Soft Voice of the Serpent Contact person: Dr Patricia Watson and Other Stories, Simon and Schuster, 1952. Email: watson.p@dbe.gov.za Tel: (012) 357 4502 Extracts from Relatives by Chris van Wyk are http://www.education.gov.za reproduced by permission of the author. Copyright Call Centre: 0800202933 Chris van Wyk. Extracts from The Coffee-cart Girl by Es’kia 7KHÀUVWHGLWLRQSXEOLVKHGLQIRUWKH5HYLVHG Mphahlele are reproduced by permission of The 1DWLRQDO&XUULFXOXP6WDWHPHQW 51&6 *UDGH (V·NLD,QVWLWXWH*RWRWKHZHEVLWHZZZHVNLDRUJ]D 0LQGWKH*DSVWXG\JXLGHVIRU$FFRXQWLQJ(FRQRPLFV to download ‘Afrika My Music’ by Es’kia Mphahlele. *HRJUDSK\DQG/LIH6FLHQFHVWKHVHFRQGHGLWLRQ Extracts from The Dube Train by Can Themba (from published in 2014, aligned these titles to the The Will to Die collection, Heinemann Educational Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) Books, 1972) are reproduced by permission of the and added more titles to the series, including the CAPS 'UDPDWLF$UWLVWLFDQG/LWHUDU\5LJKWV2UJDQLVDWLRQ *UDGH(QJOLVK)LUVW$GGLWLRQDO/DQJXDJHMind the '$/52 3W\ /WG6RXWK$IULFD Gap study guide for Short Stories ISBN 978-1-4315-1944-6 Extracts from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty are from My World – And Welcome to It, by James Mind the Gap team Thurber&RS\ULJKWE\5RVHPDU\$7KXUEHU Series managing editor: Dr Patricia Watson 5HSURGXFHGE\DUUDQJHPHQWZLWK5RVHPDU\$ Production co-ordinators for CAPS edition:5DGKD3LOOD\ Thurber and The Barbara Hogenson Agency, USA. DQG*LOO0F'RZHOO All rights reserved. Authors:+DUULHW'DYLV7KREDQL*XPHGH+XJK+XJJHWW Extracts from The Sisters by Pauline Smith are /XQJLOH0JDJD6RQMD0\EXUJK from ‘The Little Karoo’ collection, reproduced by Expert readers:*LOO0F'RZHOO%XODUD0RQ\DNL permission of Special Collections, University of 5RVHOHW1HWVKLODWDDQG:LOOHP5RV &DSH7RZQ/LEUDULHV&RS\ULJKW8QLYHUVLW\RI&DSH Editor:-XOLD*UH\ Town. Proof readers: Catharina Minervini and Pat Tucker Designer: Nomalizo Ngwenya Illustrators: Michele Dean, Ivan Keir, Vusi Malindi, Khosi Pholosa, Kenneth Tekane Series cover illustration: Alastair Findlay Onsite writers’ workshop support: Wayne Cussons © Department of Basic Education 2015 iv INTRODUCTION Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

© Department of Basic Education 2015 Ministerial foreword The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has pleasure in releasing the second edition of the Mind the Gap VWXG\ JXLGHV IRU *UDGH OHDUQHUV 7KHVH VWXG\ guides continue the innovative and committed attempt by the DBE to improve the DFDGHPLFSHUIRUPDQFHRI*UDGHFDQGLGDWHVLQWKH1DWLRQDO6HQLRU&HUWLÀFDWH (NSC) examination. The study guides have been written by teams of exerts comprising teachers, H[DPLQHUV PRGHUDWRUV VXEMHFW DGYLVRUV DQG FRRUGLQDWRUV 5HVHDUFK ZKLFK began in 2012, has shown that the Mind the Gap series has, without doubt, had a positive impact on grades. It is my fervent wish that the Mind the Gap study guides take us all closer to ensuring that no learner is left behind, especially as we celebrate 20 years of democracy. The second edition of Mind the Gap is aligned to the 2014 Curriculum and Matsie Angelina Motshekga, MP Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS). This means that the writers have considered Minister of Basic Education the National Policy pertaining to the programme, promotion requirements and SURWRFROVIRUDVVHVVPHQWRIWKH1DWLRQDO&XUULFXOXP6WDWHPHQWIRU*UDGHLQ 2014. The Mind the Gap CAPS study guides take their brief in part from the 2013 National 'LDJQRVWLFUHSRUWRQOHDUQHUSHUIRUPDQFHDQGGUDZRQWKH*UDGH([DPLQDWLRQ *XLGHOLQHV(DFKRIWKHMind the GapVWXG\JXLGHVGHÀQHVNH\WHUPLQRORJ\DQG offers simple explanations and examples of the types of questions learners can expect to be asked in an exam. Marking memoranda are included to assist learners WREXLOGWKHLUXQGHUVWDQGLQJ/HDUQHUVDUHDOVRUHIHUUHGWRVSHFLÀFTXHVWLRQVIURP past national exam papers and examination memos that are available on the Department’s website – www.education.gov.za. 7KH &$36 HGLWLRQV LQFOXGH $FFRXQWLQJ (FRQRPLFV *HRJUDSK\ /LIH 6FLHQFHV 0DWKHPDWLFV0DWKHPDWLFDO/LWHUDF\DQG3K\VLFDO6FLHQFHV7KHVHULHVLVSURGXFHG LQERWK(QJOLVKDQG$IULNDDQV7KHUHDUHDOVRQLQH(QJOLVK)LUVW$GGLWLRQDO/DQJXDJH ()$/ VWXG\ JXLGHV 7KHVH LQFOXGH ()$/ 3DSHU /DQJXDJH LQ &RQWH[W ()$/ 3DSHU :ULWLQJ DQGDJXLGHIRUHDFKRIWKH*UDGHSUHVFULEHGOLWHUDWXUHVHW works included in Paper 2. These are Short Stories, Poetry, To Kill a Mockingbird, A Grain of Wheat, Lord of the Flies, Nothing but the Truth and Romeo and Juliet. Please remember when preparing for Paper 2 that you need only study the set ZRUNV\RXGLGLQ\RXU()$/FODVVDWVFKRRO The study guides have been designed to assist those learners who have been underperforming due to a lack of exposure to the content requirements of the curriculum and aim to mind-the-gap between failing and passing, by bridging the gap in learners’ understanding of commonly tested concepts, thus helping candidates to pass. $OOWKDWLVQRZUHTXLUHGLVIRURXU*UDGHOHDUQHUVWRSXWLQWKHKRXUVUHTXLUHG WRSUHSDUHIRUWKHH[DPLQDWLRQV/HDUQHUVPDNHXVSURXG²VWXG\KDUG:HZLVK HDFKDQGHYHU\RQHRI\RXJRRGOXFNIRU\RXU*UDGHH[DPLQDWLRQV. _________________________________ Matsie Angelina Motshekga, MP Minister of Basic Education 2015

© Department of Basic Education 2015 Table of contents Dear Grade 12 learner ..................................................................................................... viii How to use this study guide .............................................................................................. ix Top 7 study tips .....................................................................................................................x On the exam day ................................................................................................................. xi Overview of the English First Additional Language Paper 2: Literature Exam ......... xii What is a contextual question? ...................................................................................... xiii What are the examiners looking for? ............................................................................ xiii Question words ..................................................................................................................xiv Short Story 1: Manhood by John Wain ............................................................ 1 1. Summary ....................................................................................................................1 2. Title .............................................................................................................................2 3. Themes .......................................................................................................................3 4. How is the story told? ................................................................................................3 4.1 Setting .................................................................................................................3 4.2 Structure and plot development ........................................................................3 4.3 Characterisation .................................................................................................4 4.4 Style .....................................................................................................................4 4.5 Narrator and point of view ..................................................................................5 4.6'LFWLRQDQGÀJXUDWLYHODQJXDJH ..........................................................................5 4.7 Tone and mood ....................................................................................................5 Activity 1 ...............................................................................................................................8 Activity 2 ...............................................................................................................................9 Short Story 2: The Luncheon by W. Somerset Maugham ............................ 11 1. Summary ................................................................................................................. 11 2. Title .......................................................................................................................... 12 3. Themes .................................................................................................................... 12 4. How is the story told? ............................................................................................. 13 4.1 Setting .............................................................................................................. 13 4.2 Structure and plot development ..................................................................... 13 4.3 Characterisation .............................................................................................. 14 4.4 Style .................................................................................................................. 15 4.5 Narrator and point of view ............................................................................... 15 4.6'LFWLRQDQGÀJXUDWLYHODQJXDJH ....................................................................... 15 4.7 Tone and mood ................................................................................................. 16 Activity 3 ............................................................................................................................ 18 Activity 4 ............................................................................................................................ 20 Short Story 3: The Soft Voice of the Serpent by Nadine Gordimer............. 23 1. Summary ................................................................................................................. 23 2. Title .......................................................................................................................... 24 3. Themes .................................................................................................................... 25 4. How is the story told? ............................................................................................. 25 4.1 Setting .............................................................................................................. 25 4.2 Structure and plot development ..................................................................... 25 4.3 Characterisation .............................................................................................. 26 4.4 Style .................................................................................................................. 26 4.5 Narrator and point of view ............................................................................... 27 4.6'LFWLRQDQGÀJXUDWLYHODQJXDJH ....................................................................... 27 4.7 Tone and mood ................................................................................................. 28 Activity 5 ............................................................................................................................ 30 Activity 6 .............................................................................................................................31 Short Story 4: Relatives by Chris van Wyk ................................................... 35 1. Summary ................................................................................................................. 35 2. Title .......................................................................................................................... 36 3. Themes .................................................................................................................... 36 4. How is the story told? ............................................................................................. 37 4.1 Setting .............................................................................................................. 37 4.2 Structure and plot development ..................................................................... 37 4.3 Characterisation .............................................................................................. 38 4.4 Style .................................................................................................................. 38

© Department of Basic Education 2015 4.5 Narrator and point of view ............................................................................... 39 4.6'LFWLRQDQGÀJXUDWLYHODQJXDJH ....................................................................... 39 4.7 Tone and mood ................................................................................................. 39 Activity 7 ............................................................................................................................ 42 Activity 8 ............................................................................................................................ 44 Short Story 5: The Coffee-cart Girl by Es’kia Mphahlele ............................ 47 1. Summary ................................................................................................................. 47 2. Title .......................................................................................................................... 49 3. Themes .................................................................................................................... 49 4. How is the story told? ............................................................................................. 49 4.1 Setting .............................................................................................................. 49 4.2 Structure and plot development ..................................................................... 50 4.3 Characterisation .............................................................................................. 50 4.4 Style .................................................................................................................. 51 4.5 Narrator and point of view ............................................................................... 52 4.6'LFWLRQDQGÀJXUDWLYHODQJXDJH ....................................................................... 52 4.7 Tone and mood ................................................................................................. 53 Activity 9 ............................................................................................................................ 55 Activity 10 ...........................................................................................................................57 Short Story 6: The Dube Train by Can Themba ........................................... 60 1. Summary ................................................................................................................. 60 2. Title .......................................................................................................................... 61 3. Themes .................................................................................................................... 61 4. How is the story told? ............................................................................................. 62 4.1 Setting .............................................................................................................. 62 4.2 Structure and plot development ..................................................................... 62 4.3 Characterisation .............................................................................................. 63 4.4 Style .................................................................................................................. 63 4.5 Narrator and point of view ............................................................................... 63 4.6'LFWLRQDQGÀJXUDWLYHODQJXDJH ....................................................................... 64 4.7 Tone and mood ................................................................................................. 64 Activity 11 .......................................................................................................................... 66 Activity 12 .......................................................................................................................... 69 Short Story 7: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber ............. 72 1. Summary ................................................................................................................. 72 2. Title .......................................................................................................................... 73 3. Themes .................................................................................................................... 73 4. How is the story told? ..............................................................................................74 4.1 Setting ...............................................................................................................74 4.2 Structure and plot development ......................................................................74 4.3 Characterisation ...............................................................................................74 4.4 Style .................................................................................................................. 76 4.5 Narrator and point of view ............................................................................... 76 4.6'LFWLRQDQGÀJXUDWLYHODQJXDJH ....................................................................... 76 4.7 Tone and mood ................................................................................................. 77 Activity 13 .......................................................................................................................... 79 Activity 14 ........................................................................................................................... 80 Short Story 8: The Sisters by Pauline Smith ................................................ 82 1. Summary ................................................................................................................. 82 2. Title .......................................................................................................................... 83 3. Themes .................................................................................................................... 83 4. How is the story told? ............................................................................................. 84 4.1 Setting .............................................................................................................. 84 4.2 Structure and plot development ..................................................................... 84 4.3 Characterisation .............................................................................................. 84 4.4 Style .................................................................................................................. 86 4.5 Narrator and point of view ............................................................................... 86 4.6'LFWLRQDQGÀJXUDWLYHODQJXDJH ....................................................................... 86 4.7 Tone and mood ................................................................................................. 87 Activity 15 .................................................................................................................... 90 Activity 16 ..................................................................................................................... 92

© Department of Basic Education 2015 Dear Grade 12 learner This Mind the Gap study guide helps you to prepare for the end-of-year *UDGH(QJOLVK)LUVW$GGLWLRQDO/DQJXDJH ()$/ /LWHUDWXUHH[DP 7KHUHDUHWKUHHH[DPVIRU()$/3DSHU/DQJXDJHLQ&RQWH[W3DSHU /LWHUDWXUHDQG3DSHU:ULWLQJ 7KHUHDUHQLQHJUHDW()$/Mind the Gap study guides which cover Papers 1, 2 and 3. 3DSHU/LWHUDWXUHLQFOXGHVWKHVWXG\RIQRYHOVGUDPDVKRUWVWRULHVDQG poetry. A Mind the Gap study guide is available for each of the prescribed literature titles. Choose the study guide for the set works you studied in \RXU()$/FODVVDWVFKRRO This study guide focuses on the eight prescribed short stories examined LQ3DSHU/LWHUDWXUHYou will need to study all eight short stories for the exam: 1. Manhood by John Wain 2. The Luncheon by W. Somerset Maugham 3. The Soft Voice of the SerpentE\1DGLQH*RUGLPHU 4. Relatives by Chris van Wyk 5. The Coffee-cart Girl by Es’kia Mphahlele 6. The Dube Train by Can Themba 7. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber 8. The Sisters by Pauline Smith © Department of Basic Education 2015 viii INTRODUCTION Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

© Department of Basic Education 2015 How to use this study guide There is one chapter for each of the short stories. Each chapter includes a summary, a brief statement of the importance of the title, and the themes. More detail is given on how the story is told by examining: 6HWWLQJ 6WUXFWXUHDQGSORWGHYHORSPHQW &KDUDFWHULVDWLRQ 6W\OH 1DUUDWRUDQGSRLQWRIYLHZ 'LFWLRQDQGÀJXUDWLYHODQJXDJHDQG Look out for Tone and mood. these icons in the All of the above information is also summarised in a set of notes. Use study guide. these notes to hold the eight short stories clearly in your mind. You can test your understanding of each short story by completing the activities, and using the answers to mark your own work. The activities are based on exam extracts. /HDUQ DOO RI WKH YRFDEXODU\ OLVWV IRUNB HDFK VKRUW VWRU\ PAY SPECIAL DW WKH HQGNB ATTENTION RI HDFK chapter. Hints to help you Pay special PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION remember a concept HINT! Activities with questions NB attention hintNB or guide you in solving for you to answer problems HINT! e.g. Use EG - worked examples hint this study guide as a workbook. Make notes, draw exams pictures and e.g. highlight important EG - worked examples ideas. exams activity ACTIVITIES boy and girl-left and right of page activity activity ACTIVITIES boy and girl-left and right of page comment activity Step by step comment Step by step comment comment © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature INTRODUCTION ix

© Department of Basic Education 2015 Top 7 study tips 1. Break your learning up into manageable sections. This will help your brain to focus. Take short breaks between studying one Try these section and going onto the next. study tips to make learning easier. 2. Have all your materials ready before you begin studying a section – pencils, pens, highlighters, paper, glass of water, etc. 3. Be positive. It helps your brain hold on to the information. 4. Your brain learns well with colours and pictures. Try to use them whenever you can. 5. 5HSHWLWLRQLVWKHNH\WRUHPHPEHULQJLQIRUPDWLRQ\RXKDYHWR learn. Keep going over the work until you can recall it with ease. 6. Teach what you are learning to anyone who will listen. It is GHÀQLWHO\ZRUWKUHDGLQJ\RXUUHYLVLRQQRWHVDORXG 7. Sleeping for at least eight hours every night, eating healthy food and drinking plenty of water are all important things you need to do for your brain. Studying for exams is like exercise, so you must be prepared physically as well as mentally. © Department of Basic Education 2015 x INTRODUCTION Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

© Department of Basic Education 2015 On the exam day 1. Make sure you bring pens that work, sharp pencils, a rubber and a sharpener. Make sure you bring your ID document and examination admission letter. Arrive at the exam venue at least an hour before the start of the exam. 2. *RWRWKHWRLOHWEHIRUHHQWHULQJWKHH[DPURRP<RXGRQ·WZDQWWR waste valuable time going to the toilet during the exam. 3. You must know at the start of the exam which two out of the four VHFWLRQVRIWKH3DSHU/LWHUDWXUHH[DP\RXZLOOEHDQVZHULQJ Use the 10 minutes’ reading time to read the instructions carefully. 4. Break each question down to make sure you understand what is being asked. If you don’t answer the question properly you won’t JHWDQ\PDUNVIRULW/RRNIRUWKHNH\ZRUGVLQWKHTXHVWLRQWR NQRZKRZWRDQVZHULW<RXZLOOÀQGDOLVWRITXHVWLRQZRUGVRQ pages xiv and xv of this study guide. 5. Manage your time carefully. Start with the question you think is the easiest. Check how many marks are allocated to each question so you give the right amount of information in your answer. 6. 5HPDLQFDOPHYHQLIWKHTXHVWLRQVHHPVGLIÀFXOWDWÀUVW,WZLOOEH linked with something you have covered. If you feel stuck, move on and come back if time allows. Do try and answer as many questions as possible. GOOD LUCK! 7. Take care to write neatly so the examiners can read your answers easily. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature INTRODUCTION xi

© Department of Basic Education 2015 Overview of the English First Additional Language Paper 2: Literature Exam ,QWKH3DSHU/LWHUDWXUHH[DP\RXQHHGWRDQVZHUTXHVWLRQVIURPWZR sections. Choose the two sections that you know best: Section A: Novel Section B: Drama Section C: Short stories Section D: Poetry A total of 70 marks is allocated for Paper 2, which means 35 marks for each section you choose. You will have two hours for this exam. Here is a summary of the Paper 2 Literature exam paper: Question Title of novel Type of Number of number question marks Section A: Novel If you choose Section A, answer ONE question. Choose the question for the book you have learnt. 1. To Kill a Mockingbird Contextual 35 2. Lord of the Flies Contextual 35 3. A Grain of Wheat Contextual 35 Section B: Drama If you choose Section B, answer ONE question. Choose the question for the play you have learnt. 4. Romeo and Juliet Contextual 35 5. Nothing but the Truth Contextual 35 Section C: Short stories If you choose Section C, answer BOTH questions. You will not know exactly which short stories are included until the exam. TWO stories will be set. Answer the questions set on BOTH short stories. 6.1 Short story Contextual 17 or 18 6.2 Short story Contextual 17 or 18 Section D: Poetry If you choose Section D, answer BOTH questions. You will not know exactly which poems are included until the exam. TWO poems will be set. Answer the questions set on BOTH poems. 7.1 Poem Contextual 17 or 18 7.2 Poem Contextual 17 or 18 t:PVEPOUIBWFUPBOTXFSBMMUIFTFDUJPOTJO1BQFS t#FGPSFUIFFYBNTUBSUTZPVNVTULOPXXIJDIUXPTFDUJPOTZPVBSFHPJOHUP BOTXFS t8IFOUIFFYBNTUBSUT ýOEZPVSUXPDIPTFOTFDUJPOT t.BLFTVSFUPOVNCFSZPVSBOTXFSTDPSSFDUMZoBDDPSEJOHUPUIFOVNCFSJOH TZTUFNVTFEJOUIFFYBNQBQFSoGPSUIFUXPTFDUJPOTZPVWFDIPTFO t4UBSUFBDITFDUJPOPOBOFXQBHF © Department of Basic Education 2015 xii INTRODUCTION Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

© Department of Basic Education 2015 What is a contextual question? In a contextual question, you are given an extract (about 20 lines) from the short story. You then have to answer questions based on the extract. 6RPHDQVZHUV\RXFDQÀQGLQWKHH[WUDFW2WKHUTXHVWLRQVZLOOWHVW\RXU understanding of other parts of the short story: its plot, characters, symbols and themes. Some questions ask for your own opinion about the short story. What are the examiners looking for? Examiners will assess your answers to the contextual questions based on: Your understanding of the literal meaning of the short story. You need to identify information that is clearly given in the short story. Your ability to reorganise information in the short story. For example, you may be asked to summarise key points, or state the similarities or differences between two characters. Your ability to provide information that may not be clearly stated in the text, using what you already know about the short story. This SURFHVVLVFDOOHGLQIHUHQFH7KLVPD\LQFOXGHH[SODLQLQJKRZDÀJXUH of speech affects your understanding of the short story, explaining themes or comparing the actions of different characters. <RXUDELOLW\WRPDNHMXGJHPHQWVDERXWDVSHFWVRIWKHVKRUWVWRU\ and make your own opinions based on information given in the short story. This process is called evaluation. For example, you may be asked if you agree with a statement, or to discuss a character’s motive for doing something. Your ability to respond to the characters in the short story and how it is written on an emotional level. This is called appreciation. For example, you may be asked how you think a certain character feels, or what you would have done if you were in their situation. You may be asked to discuss how the writer’s style helps to describe what a character is feeling. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature INTRODUCTION xiii

© Department of Basic Education 2015 Question words Here are examples of question types found in the exam. Question type What you need to do Literal: Questions about information that is clearly given in the text or extract from the text Name characters/places/things ... :ULWHWKHVSHFLÀFQDPHVRI characters, places, etc. State the facts/reasons/ideas … Write down the information without any discussion or comments. Give two reasons for/why … Write two reasons (this means the same as ‘state’). Identify the character/reasons/theme … Write down the character’s name, state the reasons. Describe the place/character/what Write the main characteristics of happens when … something, for example: What does a place look/feel/smell like? Is a particular character kind/rude/ aggressive … What does character x do when … Write what happened – what the character did. Why did character x do … *LYHQUHDVRQVIRUWKHFKDUDFWHU·V action according to your knowledge of the plot. Who is/did … Write the name of the character. To whom does xx refer … Write the name of the relevant character/person. Reorganisation: Questions that need you to bring together different pieces of information in an organised way. Summarise the main points/ideas … Write the main points, without a lot of detail. Group the common elements … Join the same things together. Give an outline of ….. Write the main points, without a lot of detail. Inference Questions that need you to interpret (make meaning of) the text using information that may not be clearly stated. This process involves thinking about ZKDWKDSSHQHGLQGLIIHUHQWSDUWVRIWKHWH[WORRNLQJIRUFOXHVWKDWWHOO\RXPRUH DERXWDFKDUDFWHUWKHPHRUV\PERODQGXVLQJ\RXURZQNQRZOHGJHWRKHOS\RX understand the text. Explain how this idea links with the Identify the links to the theme. theme x … Compare the attitudes/actions of Point out the similarities and character x with character y … differences. What do the words … suggest/reveal State what you think the meaning is, about /what does this situation tell you based on your understanding of the about … text. How does character x react when …. Write down the character’s reaction/ Describe how something affected … what the character did/felt. State how you know that character x is … What did character x mean by the Explain why the character used those expression … particular words. © Department of Basic Education 2015 xiv INTRODUCTION Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

© Department of Basic Education 2015 Is the following statement true or false? Write ‘true’ or ‘false’ next to the question number. You must give a reason for your answer. Choose the correct answer to complete A list of answers is given, labelled the following sentence (multiple choice A–D. Write only the letter (A, B, C or D) question). next to the question number. CompleteWKHIROORZLQJVHQWHQFHE\ÀOOLQJ Write the missing word next to the in the missing words … question number. Quote a line from the extract to prove your Write the relevant line of text using the answer. same words and punctuation you see in the extract. Put quotation marks (“ ” inverted commas) around the quote. Evaluation4XHVWLRQVWKDWUHTXLUH\RXWRPDNHDMXGJHPHQWEDVHGRQ\RXU knowledge and understanding of the text and your own experience. Discuss your view/a character’s feelings/a Consider all the information and reach theme ... a conclusion. Do you think that … There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answer to these questions, but you must give a reason for your opinion based on information given in the text. Do you agree with … In your opinion, what … Give your views on … Appreciation Questions that ask about your emotional response to what happens, the characters and how it is written. How would you feel if you were character There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answer x when … to these questions, but you must give a reason for your opinion based on information given in the text. Discuss your response to … Do you feel sorry for … Discuss the use of the writer’s style, To answer this type of question, ask GLFWLRQDQGÀJXUDWLYHODQJXDJHGLDORJXH yourself: Does the style help me to … feel/imagine what is happening/what a character is feeling? Why/why not? *LYHDUHDVRQIRU\RXUDQVZHU © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature INTRODUCTION xv

1 Short Stories 1 Manhood by John Wain John Wain was born in England in 1925 and became a university lecturer before he became a writer. He wrote poetry, plays, short stories and novels. He mainly wrote about ordinary people and their problems. His criticism of society resulted in him being called one of the ‘angry young men’ of the 1950-60s. He died in 1994. 1. Summary There are three characters in the story: Mr Willison, Mrs Willison and their WKLUWHHQ\HDUROG VRQ 5RE 0U :LOOLVRQ LV GHWHUPLQHG WKDW 5RE VKRXOG become good at sports and develop his body, because he never had that John Wain chance when he was young. Mrs Willison doesn’t agree with this plan. The story begins when the father and son are going for a bike ride and the father pushes his son to cycle further, even though the boy is tired and wants to rest. He encourages the boy by saying there is a surprise waiting for him at home – he has bought a boxing “punch-ball” so that his son can practise boxing. The boy is exhausted when they return home. The mother is annoyed with the father as she feels that he is pushing the boy too hard. 7KHIDWKHUZDQWV5REWRWUDLQZLWKWKH´SXQFKEDOOµVRWKDWKHFDQJHWVWURQJ HQRXJKWREHVHOHFWHGIRUWKHUXJE\WHDPDWVFKRRO5REWHOOVKLPWKDWWKH team has already been chosen and he has not been selected. The father’s GLVDSSRLQWPHQWLVUHOLHYHGZKHQ5REVD\VWKDWKHKDVEHHQVHOHFWHGWRER[ for the school instead. The mother is very angry that her husband wants the boy to box, as she feels that it is a dangerous sport. The father, however, is very happy about it and looks forward to the boxing tournament with great excitement. He puts all his energy into training his son every day. 2QWKHGD\RIWKHER[LQJWRXUQDPHQW5REFRPSODLQVRIVWRPDFKSDLQV+LV mother wants to get a doctor but, instead of calling the doctor, the father SKRQHVRQHRI5RE·VWHDFKHUVDQGGLVFRYHUVWKDWWKHVFKRROGRHVQRWGR ER[LQJ7KHVWRU\HQGVZLWK0U:LOOLVRQUHDOLVLQJWKDW5REKDVOLHGDERXWWKH boxing tournament. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SH ORT STORIES 1

1 Short Stories 2. Title vocab The story title, Manhood, points to the main theme of the story – questioning what manhood and masculinity mean. Different versions of Manhood: The state masculinity are offered in the story. On the one hand we have the father’s of being an adult man, version, which sees manhood in terms of physical strength and skill. rather than a boy. Contrasted with that is the version that the father was offered when he Masculinity: Having ZDV\RXQJ7KLVLQYROYHGDPDQZRUNLQJKDUGDQGJHWWLQJTXDOLÀFDWLRQVVR qualities traditionally WKDWKHFRXOGKDYHDVHFXUHMRE7KHPRWKHUKRZHYHUGRHVQ·WPLQGWKDW associated with men. her husband is not “manly” and thinks that her son should not be pushed so hard physically as he is still only a boy. © Department of Basic Education 2015 2 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

Manhood 1 3. Themes Besides the theme of ‘manhood’, another theme is how people’s failure to communicate openly and clearly can lead to unfortunate events. The theme of lack of communication is evident when Mr Willison shows no LQVLJKWLQWRWKHIDFWWKDWKHVKRXOGQRWIRUFHKLVRZQZLOORQ5REDQGOLYH his dreams through him. Another main theme in the story is that the boy is dominated by the power of his father%XW5RELVWRR\RXQJDQGLPPDWXUHWRVWDQGXSWRKLVIDWKHU so he tried to please him, even though he is deceitful in doing so. 4. How is the story told? 4.1 Setting 7KHVWRU\VWDUWVZLWK0U:LOOLVRQDQG5REWDNLQJDELF\FOHULGHLQWKHFRXQWU\ This event shows how the father pushes his son beyond his physical limits. +HIRUFHV5REWRFRQWLQXHULGLQJHYHQZKHQWKHER\LVH[KDXVWHG7KHUHVW of the story takes place in the home of the Willisons, where the tension between Mr and Mrs Willison rises. 4.2 Structure and plot development From the start of the story it is clear that Mr Willison has an inferiority complex (feels that he is a failure) because of his lack of training in sports when he was young, and that he was not able to develop his physique KLVSK\VLFDOERG\ +HEHFRPHVREVHVVHGZLWKWKHLGHDWKDW5REZLOORQO\ become a man by being good at sports. With this in mind he constantly advises, instructs and encourages his son to do the things he never had the chance to do when he was young. 0U :LOOLVRQ SXWV 5RE XQGHU D ORW RI SUHVVXUH WR H[HUFLVH DQG WUDLQ 5RE LV SDVVLYH DQG GRHV QRW VWDQG XS WR KLV IDWKHU EXW 0UV :LOOLVRQ does not like it. She complains about it and tries to protect her son. This creates the rising tension in the story. The complication in the story is WKDW5RE·VPRWKHUDQGIDWKHUKDYHRSSRVLQJLGHDVDERXWZKDWLVEHVWIRU 5RE7KLVFUHDWHVFRQÁLFW in the relationship between them. An example of this is when each of the parents talks of “my big night”. To the mother, “my big night” means the night her son was born, the most important event in her life. This contrasts with the father, whose “my big night” means the night his son will take part in a boxing tournament and make him proud. He feels he is getting a second chance to live his life again, through his son. The climaxRIWKHVWRU\LVWKHGD\RIWKHWRXUQDPHQWZKHQ5REFRPSODLQV RIVWRPDFKSDLQVMXVWEHIRUHWKHWRXUQDPHQW+HDQGKLVPRWKHUWKLQNWKDW he is suffering from appendicitis (infection of the appendix). Instead of JHWWLQJWKHGRFWRUWKHIDWKHUSKRQHVRQHRI5RE·VWHDFKHUVRQO\WRGLVFRYHU WKDWWKHVFKRROGRHVQRWGRER[LQJ&OHDUO\5REKDVOLHGWRKLVIDWKHU © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SH ORT STORIES 3

1 Short Stories There is no resolution to this story as we are not told what the father says WRKLVVRQDIWHUÀQGLQJRXWWKHWUXWKDERXWWKHER[LQJWRXUQDPHQW7KH story ends with an anti-climax, as the father “put down the telephone, hesitated, then turned and began slowly to climb the stairs”. The words “hesitated” and “slowly” tell us clearly of his disappointment when he realises that his son has been lying to him. It could also be that he realises ZK\5REOLHGWRKLPDQGKHFOLPEHGWKHVWDLUVLQDVDGDQGDFFHSWLQJZD\ He was not angry with his son but is perhaps embarrassed for having IRUFHGKLVVRQWROLHZKHQ5REIRXQGKLPVHOILQVXFKDGLIÀFXOWVLWXDWLRQ 4.3 Characterisation There are three characters in the story: Mr Willison is the protagonist in the story, as he is the central character and controls the actions that take place. Mrs Willison opposes his plans and actions, so she is the antagonistLQWKHVWRU\ZKLOH5RELVFDXJKWLQ the middle between his parents. 0U:LOOLVRQZDQWVWKHEHVWIRU5REEXWKLVDWWLWXGHFDXVHV5REWRUHVRUW to deceit and telling lies in the end, even though he tries to please his IDWKHU5RELVSDVVLYHDQGVXEPLVVLYH²KHGRHVQ·WVWDQGXSIRUKLPVHOI but knows he will get support from his mother against his father’s plans. It could be argued that he is too scared and weak. 0U:LOOLVRQLVVWURQJZLOOHGDQGREVHVVHGZLWKWUDLQLQJ5RE7KLVRQHVLGHG YLHZVWRSVKLPIURPUHDOLVLQJWKDW5RELVQRWLQWHUHVWHGLQVSRUW,IKHZDV a more mature and sensitive father he might have understood his son better and not pushed and manipulated him. Perhaps then he would not have allowed such a situation to develop. His attitude could be said to have made the boy submissive and ultimately dishonest. Perhaps Mr Willison has missed the point, which is that being a man involves good sense as well as physical strength. Throughout the story Mrs Willison is opposed to her husband’s behaviour towards and treatment of their son. It could be argued that Mrs Willison ZDVEHLQJWRRSURWHFWLYHRI5REDQGQRWDOORZLQJKLPWRVWDQGRQKLVRZQ feet. 4.4 Style The main stylistic device that the writer uses to show us more about the characters is through their dialogue rather than through descriptions or the thoughts of the characters. An example of how the dialogue shows the tension between the characters is when Mr and Mrs Willison have a GLVDJUHHPHQWDERXWZKDWLVEHVWIRU5RE “What nonsense. You’re taller than I am and I’m –” “No son of mine is going to grow up with the same wretched physical heritage that I –” “No, he’ll just have heart disease through over-taxing his strength, because you haven’t got the common sense to –” 1RWLFHKRZWKH\GRQ·WDOORZHDFKRWKHUWRÀQLVKWKHLUVHQWHQFHVDGGLQJWR the sense of tension and mis-communication between them. © Department of Basic Education 2015 4 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

Manhood 1 4.5 Narrator and point of view The “narration” or “narrative” The narrator is not one of the characters in the story, so the narrative is means the story. The told using the third person. The narrator refers to the characters as he, she “narrator” is the or they. This third person point of view helps the reader see the story from person telling the story, the story-teller. a wider perspective than from only one character’s view point. 4.6 Diction and figurative language The words the writer uses and the way they are used also help to carry meaning in the story. For example, Mr Willison’s enthusiasm for training 5RELVVKRZQLQWKHZD\KHRUGHUV5REDERXW “Don’t lie there,” said his father. “You’ll catch cold.” “I’m all right. I’m warm.” “Come and sit on this. When you’re overheated, that’s just when you’re prone to –” “I’m all right, Dad. I want to lie here. My back aches.” “Your back needs strengthening, that’s why it aches. It’s a pity we don’t live near a river where you could get some rowing.” $QGODWHUKHIRUFHV5REWRSXQFKWKHSXQFKEDOO vocab “Take a punch at it,” Mr Willison urged. Diction: The choice of “Let’s go and eat.” words a writer uses to “Go on. One punch before you go in. I haven’t seen you hit it yet.” create meaning. 0U:LOOLVRQ·VUHODWLRQVKLSZLWK5RELVEDVHGRQWKHVRQEHLQJIRUFHGWRGR what his father wants him to do, without being able to negotiate. %\KLVXVHRIZRUGVWKHZULWHULQGLFDWHVWKDW5RELVQRWFRPSOHWHO\KDSS\DQG MXVWSXWVXSZLWKDOOWKHJRRGLQWHQWLRQVRIKLVIDWKHU7KHZULWHUGHVFULEHV WKHER\´IDOOLQJVLOHQWµ5RE´OD\OLNHDVXOOHQFRUSVHµ VLPLOH KH´ORRNHG KRUULEO\OLNHWKHYLFWLPRIDQDFFLGHQWµ VLPLOH ´$VOHQGHUVKDGRZµ5RE never really tells his father honestly how he feels and this leads to further deception later. 0UV :LOOLVRQ RSSRVHV 0U :LOOLVRQ·V SODQV IRU 5RE 7KH WHQVLRQ EHWZHHQ WKHPLVVKRZQE\ZRUGVVXFKDV´JODULQJKRWH\HGDWHDFKRWKHUµDQG´KHU eyes brimming with angry tears”. At the end of the story Mr Willison comes to a realisation when he phones 5RE·VWHDFKHU7KHXVHRIWKHZRUGV´:LWKOHDGLQKLVKHDUWDQGLFHRQKLV ÀQJHUVµKHOSWRHPSKDVLVHKLVVKRFN+HUHDOLVHVWKDW5REKDVOLHGWRKLP to them all – and that he may partly be to blame. He also realises that he KDVIDLOHGWRIXOÀOKLVGUHDP 4.7 Tone and mood Throughout the story the writer makes us aware of how Mr Willison tries WR NHHS 5RE·V FRDFKLQJ RQ WUDFN E\ WKH WRQH RI KLV upbeat and encouraging advice (often from what he has read, not what he himself has experienced): © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SH ORT STORIES 5

1 Short Stories “When fatigue sets in, the thing to do is to keep going until it wears off. Then you get your second wind and your second endurance.” “If you hit with your left hand and then catch it on the rebound with your right, it’s excellent ring training.” “No boxer ever went into a big fight without spending an hour or two in bed, resting.” However, ironically, his tone is not uplifting, but rather creates a note of tension LQ WKH VWRU\ DV 5RE GRHV QRW UHVSRQG SRVLWLYHO\ WR KLV IDWKHU·V ZLVKHV5RELVVXOOHQVXON\VLOHQWDQGPRVWO\QRWDVNHHQRQKLVIDWKHU·V plan as the father would like. The angry and worried tone of Mrs Willison’s words to the father also adds to the unease and tension in the story: Notice how the word ‘Boxing?’ Grace Willison put down the teapot, her lips compressed, and is in italics. This is looked from one to the other. “Boxing?” she repeated. to emphasise the “Boxing,” Mr Willison replied calmly. word. “Over my dead body,” said Mrs Willison. “That’s one sport I’m definite that he’s never going in for.” As the story proceeds she becomes very angry with Mr Willison and the reader realises that their relationship is at a crisis point: “Go away, please,” said Mrs Willison, sinking back with closed eyes. “Just go right away and don’t come near me until it’s all over.” “Grace!” “Please. Please leave me alone. I can’t bear to look at you and I can’t bear to hear you.” The tone of the last line of the story contrasts with how Mr Willison is characterised earlier in the story: He put down the telephone, hesitated, then turned and began slowly to climb the stairs. He is no longer full of energy and enthusiasm. The story ends with a gloomy tone. Mood: How does this story make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? What are the reasons it makes you feel this way? © Department of Basic Education 2015 6 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

Manhood 1 summary Manhood by John Wain 1. Title t “Manhood” points to the question being asked: what is manhood and masculinity? 2. Themes t The meaning of “manhood” and “masculinity” t Power of the father in the family t Lack of communication in the family 3. How is the story told? 3.1 Setting On a country road in Britain; and in the family’s house. 3.2 Structure and plot development t Rising tension: Mr Willison puts Rob under pressure; Rob is passive; Mrs Willison resists t Complication and conflict: The parents have conflicting ideas about what is best for Rob t Contrasts: “My big night”– for Mrs Willison it’s the night she gave birth to Rob; for Mr Willison, the night of his son’s boxing tournament t Climax: The day of the boxing tournament, when Rob complains of stomach pains t Resolution: None – Rob’s lie about the boxing tournament is unresolved. The conflict between his parents is also unresolved. t Anti-climax: Mr Willison “put down the telephone, hesitated, then turned and began slowly to climb the stairs”. 3.3 Characterisation t Protagonist: Mr Willison (Rob’s father) controls the action in the story. t Antagonist: Mrs Willison (Rob’s mother) opposes Mr Willison’s actions. t Caught in the middle: Rob, the son of Mr and Mrs Willison. 3.4 Style t Dialogue: Main stylistic device to establish character; unfinished sentences show lack of communication between them. 3.5 Narrator and point of view t Third person 3.6 Diction and figurative language t Rob lay like a sullen corpse Simile t He looked horribly like the victim of an accident Simile © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SH ORT STORIES 7

1 Short Stories summary t A slender shadow Metaphor t With lead in his heart and ice on his fingers Imagery stressing Mr Willison’s shock as he realises his dream has failed 3.7 Tone and mood t Tone: Begins being upbeat and encouraging (although Rob appears quite defeated); unease and tension grow through the story; tone becomes angry when Mrs Willison confronts her husband on the night of the boxing tournament; ends with a gloomy tone. t Mood: How does this story make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? Give reasons for your answer. Activity 1 5HDGWKHH[WUDFWEHORZDQGDQVZHUWKHTXHVWLRQVWKDWIROORZ Extract A “When do they pick the team?” Mr Willison asked. “I should have thought they’d have done it by now.” “They have done it,” said Rob. He bent down to pick up his socks from under a chair. “They have? And you —” 5 “I wasn’t selected,” said the boy, looking intently at the socks as if trying to detect minute differences in colour and weave. Mr Willison opened his mouth, closed it again, and stood for a moment looking out of the window. Then he gently laid his hand on his son’s shoulder.“Bad luck,” he said quietly. 10 1. To which sports team is Mr Willison referring in line 1? (1) 2. Mr Willison opened his mouth, closed it again, and stood for a moment looking out of the window. Choose the correct word to show Mr Willison’s feelings when he says. ‘Bad luck’. A Pleased B Disappointed C Furious D Disinterested (1) 3. Why does Mr Willison insist that his son train as a sportsman? (2) *LYHWZRUHDVRQVIRU\RXUDQVZHU [4] © Department of Basic Education 2015 8 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

Manhood 1 Answers to Activity 1 1. The rugby team (1) 2. B Disappointed (1) 3. He wants his son to be a strong man. He wants his son to have a chance to build himself up physically because he never had that opportunity when he was young. (2) [4] Activity 2 5HDGWKHH[WUDFWEHORZDQGDQVZHUWKHTXHVWLRQVWKDWIROORZ Extract B Mrs Willison did not lift her eyes from the television set as he entered. “All ready now, Mother,” said Mr Willison. “He’s going to rest in bed now, and go along at about six o’clock.” I’ll go with him and wait till the doors open to be sure of a ringside seat.” He sat down on the sofa beside his wife, and tried to put his arm round 5 her. “Come on, love,” he said coaxingly. “Don’t spoil my big night.” She turned to him and he was startled to see her eyes brimming with angry tears. “What about my big night?” she asked, her voice harsh. “Fourteen years ago, remember? When he came into the world.” 10 “Well, what about it?” Mr Willison parried, uneasily aware that the television set was quacking and signaling on the fringe of his attention, turning the scene from clumsy tragedy into a clumsier farce. “Why didn’t you tell me then?” she sobbed. “Why did you let me 15 have a son if all you were interested in was having him punched to death by a lot of rough bullet-headed louts who —” “Take a grip on yourself, Grace. A punch on the nose won’t hurt him.” “You’re an unnatural father,” she keened. 20 1. Where are Mr Willison and his son planning to go at six o’clock? (1) 2. :K\GRHV0U:LOOLVRQVD\LWLVKLV´ELJQLJKWµ"*LYH7:2UHDVRQV for your answer. (2) 3. What happened on Mrs Willison’s big night? (1) 4. :KDWLV0UV:LOOLVRQ·VDWWLWXGHDWWKLVVWDJH"*LYHDUHDVRQIRU your answer. (2) 5. :KRPGR\RXWKLQNLVULJKWWKHIDWKHURUWKHPRWKHU"*LYHa reason for your answer? $QVZHU758(RU)$/6(DQGJLYHDUHDVRQIRU\RXUDQVZHU Mr Willison’s big night is successful. (2) [9] © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SH ORT STORIES 9

1 Short Stories Answers to Activity 2 1. They are planning to go to the boxing tournament at his son’s school. (1) 2. He has been looking forward to watching his son take part in a sports tournament. He wants his son to be a good PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION sportsman. (2) NB NB 3. +HUVRQ5REZDVERUQ (1) 4. Mrs Willison does not want her son to box because she thinks it is dangerous. (2) 5. The father is right because it is important for boys to do sports if For question HINT! they want to be proper men. hint HJWFZPVPXO PQJOJPOBOECBDL 25 The mother is right because the father is forcing the child to do JUVQXJUIBSFBTPO5IFTF something dangerous. (1) BOTXFSTBSFFYBNQMFT 6. )$/6(²+LVVRQZDVO\LQJDVWKHUHLVQRER[LQJWRXUQDPHQW (2) e.g. EG - worked examples [9] exams words to know Glossary 'HÀQLWLRQVRIZRUGVIURPWKHVKRUWVWRU\ free-wheeling riding without pedalling haunches thighs activity fatigue tiredness, exhaustion endurance ACTIVITIES boy stamina and girl-left and sullen right of page corpse sulky, stubborn dead body clambered climbed activity doggedly with determination physique body prone likely rebellion GHÀDQFH Step by step comment comment simultaneously happening at the same time mittens gloves landmark an important event tournament competition trials tests acutest sharpest, smartest satchel school bag to limber up loosen up, prepare keened wailed, said sadly louts thugs compel force appendicitis infection in the appendix, an organ in the body jabbering chattering, chatting defensive apologetic queries questions © Department of Basic Education 2015 10 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

Short Stories 2 The Luncheon by W. Somerset Maugham William Somerset Maugham was born in 1874 in Paris. His parents died when he was young and he was sent to live with an aunt in England. He WUDYHOOHGLQ(XURSHDQGHYHQWXDOO\WUDLQHGDVDGRFWRU+RZHYHUKLVÀUVW novel, Liza of Lambeth, was so successful that he took to writing full-time. He wrote many plays, short stories and novels. He was a very popular writer in his time and one of the most highly-paid writers during the 1930s. He travelled widely and later settled in the south of France. Many of his novels and stories, such as Being Julia and The Painted Veil, have been made into ÀOPV+HGLHGLQ 1. Summary W. Somerset Maugham When the story begins a writer is at the theatre one night where he meets a woman whom he has not seen for 20 years. At that time she had admired DQRYHOKHKDGMXVWSXEOLVKHG$WWKHWKHDWUHVKHUHPLQGVKLPRIWKHLUÀUVW meeting 20 years ago. The writer thinks back to that time, when he was poor and he had to make very little money last for a whole month. The woman had sent him a letter complimenting him on his writing and inviting him to take her to lunch when she was in Paris, where the young writer lived. The luncheon took place at Foyot’s, a very expensive restaurant. Nevertheless, he felt ÁDWWHUHG WKDW VKH ZDQWHG WR PHHW KLP :KHQ WKH PHQX FDPH KH ZDV startled, as the prices were much higher than he had expected. Therefore, he was relieved when his guest said that she only ever ate one thing for luncheon. Unfortunately, she went on to order some of the most expensive things on the menu – caviare, salmon, asparagus, peaches, ice cream and champagne. The more food she ordered, the more the writer got into a panic. He tried to economise by only ordering a mutton chop for himself. As the meal proceeded he began to imagine how he would react if the bill was too large for him to pay. First he thought of claiming that someone had picked his pocket. Then he thought that he would leave his watch at the restaurant and come back later and pay. Finally, when the bill arrived and he paid it, he realised that he had no more money to live off for the rest of the month. Now, 20 years later, the writer tells us that he had “revenge at last” because the woman now weighs 21 stone (the equivalent of 136 kilograms). © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 11

2 Short Stories 2. Title The story title, The Luncheon highlights the importance of that particular event for the writer. It was a very stressful occasion for him, and ended with him having no money to live on for the rest of the month. By remembering this luncheon the writer remembers how young and immature he was at that WLPH+HUHPHPEHUVKRZÁDWWHUHGKHZDVWKDWWKHZRPDQVKRZHGVRPXFK LQWHUHVWLQKLPDQGKRZKHDJUHHGWRHYHU\WKLQJVKHUHTXHVWHG²KHUFKRLFH of restaurant, her choice of food – as he was too immature to oppose her. $OXQFKHRQLVGHÀQHGDVDIRUPDOPHDOEXWLWLVXVXDOO\DVPDOORQH7KH woman’s huge meal contrasts with the tiny meal the writer had. 3. Themes The main themes of story of The Luncheon are the FRQÁLFWEHWZHHQWUXWK and lies and the contrast between appearance and reality. At the restaurant the woman repeatedly says that she only eats one thing for lunch, but she contradicts herself by ordering more food. At their meeting 20 years later the © Department of Basic Education 2015 12 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Luncheon 2 woman tells the writer: “You asked me to luncheon”. The reality is that she had suggested that the writer “give her a little luncheon at Foyot’s”. Twenty years ago the writer may have pretended to be more successful WKDQKHUHDOO\ZDVEXWKHZDVWRRSURXGWROHWWKHZRPDQNQRZWKDWKH vocab could not afford the meal, so he kept up appearances. He even lied about Keeping up appearances: never drinking champagne, so that he could save some money. 1SFUFOEJOHUPCFTPNFUIJOH ZPVBSFOPUHJWJOHBO BQQFBSBODFPSJMMVTJPO 4. How is the story told? 4.1 Setting The main story takes place at Foyot’s, a very expensive restaurant in Paris where French senators dined, and where the writer knew that he would struggle to pay for the meal. 4.2 Structure and plot development NB PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION The writer uses the present tense to begin the story, but then takes us back in time to the memory of the earlier meeting with the woman. This literary device is known as a ÁDVKEDFN. The main action or plot of the story WDNHVSODFHLQWKHÁDVKEDFNWRDSDVWHYHQW²WKHOXQFKHRQ7KHVWRU\LV A flashback HINT! structured so that only the beginning and end of the story are told in the hint BMMPXTUIFXSJUFSUP TIPXFWFOUTUIBU present tense. IBQQFOFECFGPSFUIFUJNFPG At that time, 20 years before, the young writer knew the restaurant was UIFQSFTFOUOBSSBUJPO WRRH[SHQVLYHIRUKLPZKLFKZDVFRQÀUPHGZKHQKHVDZWKHSULFHVRQWKH menu. The woman, however, kept ordering expensive things to eat, creating e.g. EG - worked examples the rising tension in the story as the young man became more stressed. The complication is that the young writer was too afraid to stop the woman ordering more food, even though he knew he could not afford it. exams The FRQÁLFW in the story is created by the tension between the writer’s SDQLF DQG HPEDUUDVVPHQW DQG WKH ZRPDQ·V JUHHG\ GHVLUH WR HQMR\ KHU meal at his expense. A “twist The writer experienced a great deal of anxiety and panic about how he in the tale” is also known as an ironic twist or a plot would pay the huge bill at the end of the meal. As the meal proceeded he twist. It is an unexpected began to imagine how he would react if the bill was too large for him to pay. activity change in the outcome or First he thought of claiming that someone had picked his pocket, then he ending of a story. ACTIVITIES bo thought that he would leave his watch at the restaurant and pay later to and girl-left a right of page get it back. The climaxRIWKHVWRU\RFFXUVZKHQWKHELOOÀQDOO\DUULYHV+H found that he could manage to pay it, but would have no more money left activity for the rest of the month. 1RZ\HDUVODWHUWKHVWRU\ÀQDOO\UHDFKHVDresolution as it ends with an ironic ‘twist in the tale’. The narrator tells us that he had “revenge at last” because the woman was now very overweight. Step by step commen © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 13

2 Short Stories 4.3 Characterisation There are three characters in the story – the young writer, the woman he takes to lunch and the waiter at the restaurant. The writer is the protagonist, the main character. The woman is the antagonist, as she stands in opposition to him and creates the tension in the story. The young writer is very scared of the forty-year-old woman so he allows himself to be manipulated into buying her an expensive meal. He is too proud to tell her that he cannot afford the restaurant, being a young, inexperienced and upcoming writer. His youth and inexperience contrast with the woman’s UXWKOHVV VHOÀVK EHKDYLRXU +H DGPLWV WKDW KH LV ÁDWWHUHG WKDW VKH KDG admired his writing: “she seemed inclined to talk about me” vocab The writer says he was “prepared to be an attentive listener”. This shows Flattery:&YDFTTJWFBOE how he is easily seduced by ÁDWWHU\. JOTJODFSFQSBJTF In the story we only see the woman from the writer’s point of view. He describes the woman in unpleasant terms: “She was not so young as I expected and in appearance imposing rather than attractive.” She seemed to have a big mouth and more teeth than she needed and he is repulsed by the sight of her eating the asparagus: “I watched the abandoned woman thrust them down her throat in large voluptuous mouthfuls” Apart from the fact that the woman is not truthful, she is also bossy, as she constantly tells him that he is wrong to eat what she refers to as a ´KHDY\OXQFKHRQµDQGWRÀOOKLVVWRPDFKZLWK´DORWRIPHDWµ6KHKDVQR sensitivity, as she does not see that one chop is not a “heavy luncheon”, in contrast to what she has eaten. The woman has no understanding of or insight into the writer’s dilemma. When he leaves only a small tip for the waiter (which is the only money he has left), she thinks he is mean. At the end of the luncheon she does not understand that the writer is telling the truth when he says he will “eat QRWKLQJIRUGLQQHUµ,WDSSHDUVWRKHUWKDWKHLVMRNLQJDQGVKHWKHUHIRUH vocab calls him a “humorist”. At the end of the story we see that the woman has never admitted the truth to herself about her eating habits, because after Obese:&YUSFNFMZGBU 20 years of excessive eating she is now obese. At the end of the story we see how, 20 years later, the writer has changed and feels differently about the woman’s behaviour. He is not, as he admits a “vindictive” man, as he did not do anything to her, or say anything to show how unfairly she had treated him. However, he is comforted that circumstances (“the immortal gods”) made her pay for her greedy self-indulgence. Now he can look at her without fear or anger, but with “complacency” (self-satisfaction), because clearly years of eating so much have resulted in her being very overweight. The only other character mentioned in the story is the waiter. The writer feels that he is “ingratiating” and “false”, which makes him seem as if he only wants to please the woman. The waiter has a “priest-like face”, which gives the appearance that he is very serious, and perhaps also © Department of Basic Education 2015 14 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Luncheon 2 intimidating to the young man. It seems that the young man was in such a The waiter panic about paying the bill that he thought the waiter was working against may have encouraged him by encouraging the woman to order expensive food. In reality, he was the woman to order more perhaps simply being a good, attentive waiter. food, so he could get a bigger tip. The higher the bill, the bigger the tip would be. 4.4 Style In the story the writer emphasises how the woman contradicts herself by saying one thing but doing another. The repetition of her words: “I never eat more than one thing” or “I never eat anything for luncheon” are used HDFKWLPHMXVWEHIRUHVKHGHFLGHVVKHZDQWVWRRUGHUVRPHWKLQJHOVHWR eat. The narrator does this to indicate how the meal progressed. The more food she ordered, the more he began to panic. In contrast, the writer only orders a mutton chop and drinks water instead of champagne. The contrast between the two characters and what they eat highlights the differences in their experience of the meal. Both were not being truthful, but for different reasons: the woman was not telling the truth because she was pretending she was not greedy and the writer was not telling the truth because he was too proud and afraid to tell her that he did not have much money. The more food the woman orders the more anxious the writer becomes. The tension builds in the story very effectively so that the reader also starts IHHOLQJDQ[LRXVXQWLOWKHSRLQWLQWKHVWRU\ZKHQWKHELOOÀQDOO\DUULYHV 4.5 Narrator and point of view The writer The story is narrated from a ÀUVWSHUVRQ perspective. The narrator is the uses “I” to indicate WKH¿UVWSHUVRQ older writer, remembering an event that took place 20 years before. He point of view. LV DEOH WR VHH KRZ \RXQJ DQG LPPDWXUH KH ZDV DW WKH WLPH DQG KRZ manipulated he was by the woman. 4.6 Diction and figurative language Some examples of ÀJXUHVRIVSHHFK in the story include: Irony The writer makes use of irony a great deal in the story. Irony is when the narrator suggests that the situation appears to be the opposite of what it really is. For example, it is ironic that the woman often repeats that she does not eat much even when she orders many dishes and certainly eats much more than “one thing”. 6KHJRHVRQWRFULWLFLVHWKHZULWHUIRUÀOOLQJKLPVHOIXSRQPHDWHYHQ though all he ate was one chop. At the end of the luncheon the writer tells her that he will not eat again that day. Ironically, this is one time when he is telling the truth, but she WKLQNVKHLVMRNLQJ Similes The descriptions of the food in the story are very vivid because of the ÀJXUDWLYHODQJXDJHXVHG In one effective simile the writer compares the effect of the smell of © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 15

2 Short Stories the asparagus on him to the effect of the delicious smell of temple VDFULÀFHVWR*RGPDGHE\WKH-HZVLQDQFLHQWWLPHV The smell of the melted butter tickled my nostrils as the nostrils of Jehovah were tickled by the burned offerings of the virtuous Semites. Metaphor One effective metaphor is the comparison of peaches to the rosy skin of a young girl, or to the colour found in an Italian landscape: ´7KH\KDGWKHEOXVKRIDQLQQRFHQWJLUOWKH\KDGWKHULFKWRQHRIDQ Italian landscape.” Cliché A cliché is an expression that is unoriginal and is so often repeated that its original effect is lost. Clichés, however, are expressions which tell a truth. In this story they are used effectively to express the writer’s emotional state during the luncheon. Here are some examples of clichés from the story: ´+RZWLPHGRHVÁ\µ “I was earning barely enough money to keep body and soul together.” The prices were “beyond my means”. My mouth “watered”. “My heart sank” 4.7 Tone and mood At the beginning of the luncheon the tone is friendly and polite. The narrator is feeling generous and encourages the woman to order food at the restaurant. As the story progresses he becomes more depressed and the tone becomes anxious,DVUHÁHFWHGLQWKHVHZRUGV “My heart sank a little.” “I fancy I turned a trifle pale.” “Panic seized me.” The tone lifts again in the last paragraph of the story when the narrator tells us that the woman, 20 years later, has become very overweight. This ‘twist in the tale’ is told in a light-hearted way that contrasts with his anxiety in the rest of the story. Mood: How does this story make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? What are the reasons it makes you feel this way? © Department of Basic Education 2015 16 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Luncheon 2 summary The Luncheon by W. Somerset Maugham 1. Title t By calling it The Luncheon the author highlights the importance to him of that lunch date. 2. Themes t Conflict between truth and lies t Contrast between appearance and reality 3. How is the story told? 3.1 Setting t Mainly in Foyot’s the expensive restaurant in Paris 3.2 Structure and plot development t Flashback: From the present to a past event t Rising tension: The woman ordering expensive things to eat t Complication: The young writer is too afraid to stop the woman ordering more food t Conflict: Tension between the writer’s panic and embarrassment and the woman’s greed t Climax: The arrival of the bill t Resolution: The ironic ‘twist in the tale’ when the writer sees the obese woman 20 years later 3.3 Characterisation t Protagonist: The writer is the main character. t Antagonist: The woman stands in opposition to him. t The waiter: Serious and “false” 3.4 Style t Repetition: The woman’s words, “I never eat more than one thing”. t Contradiction: Her words (above) contradict her actions. t Tension: This contradiction builds the tension in the story. 3.5 Narrator and point of view t First person 3.6 Diction and figurative language t “I’ll eat nothing for dinner tonight.” Irony t “The smell of the melted butter tickled my nostrils as the nostrils of Jehovah were tickled by the burned offerings of the virtuous Semites.” Simile t “They had the blush of an innocent girl; they had the rich tone of an Italian landscape.” Metaphor t “How time does fly”; The prices were “beyond my means”. Clichés © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 17

2 Short Stories summary 3.7 Tone and mood Tone: Begins with a friendly and polite tone; becomes anxious as tension mounts; and ends with a light-hearted tone. Mood: How does this story make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? Give reasons for your answer. Activity 3 5HDGWKHH[WUDFWEHORZDQGDQVZHUWKHTXHVWLRQVWKDWIROORZ Extract A [The narrator and his guest are about to order their meals.] I was startled when the bill of fare was brought, for the prices were beyond my means. But she reassured me. “I never eat anything for luncheon,” she said. “Oh, don’t say that!” I answered generously. “I never eat more than one thing. I think people eat far too much 5 nowadays. A little fish, perhaps. I wonder if they have any salmon.” Well, it was early in the year for salmon and it was not on the bill of fare, but I asked the waiter if there was any. Yes, a beautiful salmon had just come in, it was the first they had had. I ordered it for my guest. The waiter asked her if she would have something 10 while it was being cooked. “No,” she answered, “I never eat more than one thing. Unless you have a little caviare. I never mind caviare.” My heart sank a little. I knew I could not afford caviare, but I could not very well tell her that. I told the waiter by all means to bring 15 caviare. For myself I chose the cheapest dish on the menu and that was a mutton chop. 1. Describe the events that lead to the narrator and his guest having lunch together. (2) 2. 5HIHUWROLQHV² ´,ZDVVWDUWOHG«,KDGDQWLFLSDWHGµ a) Explain what the word “startled” suggests about the kind of restaurants the narrator usually visits. (2) "OTXFSRVFTUJPOTJOZPVSPXO b) Write down the more commonly used word for “bill of fare”. (1) XPSETVOMFTTZPVBSFBTLFEUP c) Choose the correct answer to complete the following RVPUF sentence: The real reason that the narrator agrees to take the guest out for lunch is because he is … $ÁDWWHUHG B forced. C intimidated. D kind. (1) © Department of Basic Education 2015 18 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Luncheon 2 3. 5HIHUWRWKHIROORZLQJVHQWHQFHLQOLQH´%XWVKHUHDVVXUHGPHµ From your knowledge of the story as a whole, explain why the guest is NOT reassuring. (2) 4. Complete the following sentences by using the words provided in the list below. VHQVLWLYHSROLWHVLQFHUHPDQLSXODWLYH The narrator and his guest are different in character. The narrator is a) … while his guest is b) … (2) 5. ,VWKHIROORZLQJVWDWHPHQW758(RU)$/6("8VLQJ\RXURZQZRUGV give a reason for your answer. The narrator does not order asparagus for himself because he hates it. (2) 6. 5HIHUWROLQH ´0\KHDUWVDQNDOLWWOHµ a) ,GHQWLI\WKHÀJXUHRIVSHHFKXVHGKHUH b) ([SODLQZK\WKHQDUUDWRUKDVXVHGWKLVÀJXUHRIVSHHFK 7. Consider the story as a whole. If you were the narrator, what would you have done in this situation? (2) [17] Answers to Activity 3 PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION 1. The guest said that she had read his book and wanted to NB discuss it. She suggested he take her to lunch at Foyot’s. (2) 2. a) The narrator never visits any restaurant because he cannot afford to. 25 "OZ580PGUIFTF HINT! The narrator goes to cheaper restaurants because that is what he can afford. hint BOTXFSTXJMMHFUZPV NBSLT 25 The narrator hardly ever goes to such expensive (2) restaurants because he cannot afford them. b) Menu/price list (1) e.g. EG - worked examples F $ÁDWWHUHG (1) 3. She keeps ordering more expensive dishes causing the narrator to become more anxious. (2) exams 4. a) polite "MXBZTHJWFBSFBTPOGPS b) manipulative (2) BOTXFSJOHUSVFPSGBMTFPS PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION NB ZPVXJMMHFUOPNBSLT 5. False. (He loves it but) he cannot afford it. /He will need his money to pay for her meal. (2) 6. a) metaphor (1) b) The writer shows that the fear/panic the narrator experiences is similar to a sinking man/ship. (2) activity 5IJTRVFTUJPOBTLT HINT! 7. I would politely tell her that I do not have enough money and hint GPSZPVSPQJOJPO5IJT ACTIVITIES boy and girl-left and that she can only order certain dishes. (2) BOTXFSJTBOFYBNQMF right of page [17] activity e.g. EG - worked examples © Department of Basic Education 2015 exams Step by step comment Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 19

2 Short Stories Activity 4 5HDGWKHH[WUDFWEHORZDQGDQVZHUWKHTXHVWLRQVWKDWIROORZ Extract B >7KHQDUUDWRUDQGKLVJXHVWDUHÀQLVKLQJWKHLUPHDO@ “You see, you’ve filled your stomach with a lot of meat” – my one miserable little chop – “and you can’t eat any more. But I’ve just had a snack and I shall enjoy a peach.” The bill came and when I paid it I found that I had only enough for a quite inadequate tip. Her eyes rested for an instant on the three 5 francs I left for the waiter and I knew that she thought me mean. But when I walked out of the restaurant I had the whole month before me and not a penny in my pocket. “Follow my example,” she said as we shook hands, “and never eat more than one thing for luncheon.” 10 “I’ll do better than that,” I retorted. “I’ll eat nothing for dinner tonight.” “Humorist!” she cried gaily, jumping into a cab. “You’re quite a humorist!” But I have had my revenge at last. I do not believe that I am a 15 vindictive man, but when the immortal gods take a hand in the matter it is pardonable to observe the result with complacency. Today she weighs twenty-one stone. 1. 5HIHUWRSDUDJUDSK 4XRWH21(ZRUGWRVKRZWKDWWKHQDUUDWRUKDVQRWHQMR\HGKLV meal. (1) 2. Consider the story as a whole. ,VWKHJXHVWWHOOLQJWKHWUXWKZKHQVKHVD\V´%XW,·YHMXVWKDGD snack…”? Explain your answer. (2) 3. 5HIHUWRSDUDJUDSK Why does the narrator become even more anxious when his guest takes a peach, in particular? State TWO points. (2) 4. Why does the narrator feel the tip he leaves for the waiter is “inadequate”? (1) 5. 5HIHUWROLQH ´)ROORZP\H[DPSOH«µ Explain why it would not be good to follow the guest’s example. State TWO points. (2) 6. 5HIHUWROLQH ´,·OOHDWQRWKLQJIRUGLQQHUWRQLJKWµ Using your own words, explain the following: a) How the guest understands these words (1) b) What the narrator means (1) 7. 5HIHUWRWKHODVWSDUDJUDSK OLQHV² a) Write down ONE word to describe how the narrator feels. (1) b) Explain why the narrator’s desire for revenge is “pardonable”. (2) © Department of Basic Education 2015 20 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Luncheon 2 8. From your knowledge of the story as a whole, do you think the narrator is a “mean” person? Explain your answer. (2) 9. The narrator is to blame for what happens at the restaurant. Do you agree? Discuss your view. (2) 10. Explain why the title The Luncheon is suitable. (1) [18] Answers to Activity 4 1. “miserable” (1) PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION 2. No. She orders salmon, caviar, giant asparagus, champagne, NB a peach, ice cream and coffee, amounting to a full meal. (2) 3. Peaches are not in season and, therefore, very expensive. (2) 4. It is only three francs. /The amount is very small. /She glances at it suggesting that it is inadequate. (1) "OZ0/&PGUIFTF PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION HINT! NB 5. The guest contradicts herself. She goes against what she says. hint BOTXFSTUPRVFTUJPO XJMMFBSOZPVBNBSL She becomes fat. She suffers from obesity because she followed her own example. Her example is not worthy of being followed. (2) e.g. "OZ580PGUIFTF EG - worked examples HINT! 6. D 6KHWKLQNVKHLVEHLQJIXQQ\MRNLQJ (1) hint BOTXFSTUPRVFTUJPO PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION b) He has no money left/cannot afford food/he has NB BSFDPSSFDU spent all his money on her. (1) 7. D 6PXJVDWLVÀHGFRPSODFHQWWULXPSKDQWYLFWRULRXV (1) exams b) He was not responsible for her weight gain/for what e.g. EG - worked examples happened to her. "OZ0/&PGUIFTF HINT! She brought it upon herself/the immortal gods had a hint BOTXFSTJTDPSSFDU hand in it/it was fate. (2) 8. Yes. He should not punish the waiter for his guest’s exams behaviour, he should have returned with a better tip. activity 25 e.g. EG - worked examples ACTIVITIES bo No. He really did not have enough money to give the waiter and girl-left a right of page a better tip. (2) exams activity 9. Yes. He is trying to impress his guest by pretending to be rich. "MXBZTTVQQPSUZPVSPQJOJPOT 25 activity XJUISFBTPOT5IFTFBOTXFST No. He was trying to be polite to his guest by not stopping in questions 8 and 9 are ACTIVITIES bo her from ordering all the expensive dishes. (2) FYBNQMFT and girl-left a right of page 10. The title is suitable because the entire story is about the luncheon. /It is suitable because the word “luncheon” refers to a formal lunch activity Step by step commen and this is what the story is about. (1) [18] activity ACTIVITIES bo and girl-left a Step by step right of page commen activity Step by step commen © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 21

2 Short Stories words to know 'HÀQLWLRQVRIZRUGVIURPWKHVKRUWVWRU\ bill of fare menu, price list caviare H[SHQVLYHÀVKHJJV effusive enthusiastic airy gesture light-hearted wave of the hand mortifying humiliating, make feel ashamed succulent MXLF\ voluptuous self-indulgent discoursed discussed, talked ingratiating trying to please intimidating scary, frightening contradict go against, oppose manipulative LQÁXHQFHFRQWURO ÁDWWHUHG feeling pleased after being complimented humorist MRNHU © Department of Basic Education 2015 22 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

Short Stories 3 The Soft Voice of the Serpent by Nadine Gordimer 1DGLQH *RUGLPHU ² ZDV D 6RXWK $IULFDQ ZULWHU ZKR ZURWH many short stories and novels. Most of her work concerns the political situation in South Africa. She often spoke out against apartheid and censorship. The Soft Voice of the SerpentFRPHVIURPKHUÀUVWFROOHFWLRQ of short stories, published in 1952. She won many international prizes for her work. In 1991 she won the most important prize a writer can win, the 1REHO3UL]HIRU/LWHUDWXUH 1. Summary A 26-year-old man has lost his leg. While he is trying to get used to this Nadine Gordimer situation, his wife often wheels him into the garden. As he sits in the garden he thinks about his missing leg. He hopes that one day he will be so used to the loss of his leg that it will feel like it has always been gone. In the garden one morning, when his wife gets up to fetch some tea, she accidently knocks a locust. The young man watches the locust try to move, and he notices that it has lost a leg. He feels that he and the locust are experiencing the same situation – they both have to cope without a leg. The realisation that he is not alone makes him feel much happier. :KHQ KLV ZLIH UHWXUQV ZLWK WKH WHD KH VKRZV KHU WKH ORFXVW DQG MRNHV about the fact that they both have a leg missing. The wife tries to touch WKHORFXVWZLWKDVWLFNDQGFDXVHVLWWRVXGGHQO\Á\DZD\7KHPDQUHDOLVHV WKDWKHKDGIRUJRWWHQWKDWXQOLNHKLPORFXVWVFDQÁ\2QFHDJDLQKHIHHOV alone. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 23

3 Short Stories 2. Title The title of the story brings to mind the biblical story about Adam and Eve LQ WKH *DUGHQ RI (GHQ ,Q WKH %LEOH VWRU\ WKH VHUSHQW WHPSWV (YH WR GR what she has been told not to do, with the result that she and Adam are thrown out of Eden. The use of alliteration in the title (the repetition of “s”) vocab reminds us of the hissing sound that snakes make. Allegory:"TUPSZJOXIJDIUIF ,Q*RUGLPHU·VVWRU\WKHORFXVWLVOLNHWKHVHUSHQW,WWHPSWVWKHPDQLQWKH DIBSBDUFSTBOEFWFOUTBSFUP story into feeling that he can cope with his situation. Just as Adam makes CFVOEFSTUPPEBTSFQSFTFOUJOH a mistake by believing in the serpent, so the man makes a mistake in PUIFSUIJOHTUIFZCFDPNF believing that the locust can help him cope. TZNCPMT These biblical references indicate that the story is an allegory. © Department of Basic Education 2015 24 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Soft Voice of the Serpent 3 In an allegory the characters and events become symbols because they also express a deeper, often spiritual or moral, meaning. The symbolism of the locust and garden is moral. The garden in which the man sits is like Eden as it is a peaceful, beautiful place where he can think and come to terms with his disability. 3. Themes The man who has lost his leg is struggling to come to terms with his situation. +HÀQGVVRPHFRPIRUWZKHQKHQRWLFHVWKDWWKHORFXVWLVDOVRVWUXJJOLQJWR cope without one of its legs. At the end of the story the man realises that he must not depend on others, but must learn to cope on his own. The themes in the story include: Loss and how we deal with it: The man in the story feels a connection with the locust when he realises they share the same loss. Hope and the loss of hope: The locust’s struggle to walk and its persistence gives him hope. However, the sense of hope is lost again DWWKHHQGRIWKHVWRU\ZKHQWKHORFXVWÁLHVDZD\ 4. How is the story told? 4.1 Setting The story is set in a garden, where the man’s wife wheels him every day. The garden reminds us of Eden. Just as Adam was in Eden before entering WKHZLGHUZRUOGVRWKHPDQFDQDGMXVWEHIRUHJRLQJRXWLQWRWKHZRUOGZLWK one leg: Perhaps there was something in this of the old Eden idea; the tender human adjusting himself to himself in the soothing impersonal presence of trees and grass and earth, before going out into the stare of the world. 4.2 Structure and plot development At the start of the story we learn what the complication is: the man has to get used to having only one leg. Sitting out in the garden in a wheelchair every day gives him a lot of time to think about his missing leg. He reads a book in order to distract himself and not to feel overwhelmed by his loss. The tension rises in the story through the man’s mental struggle to get used to the loss of his leg. This is mirrored by his wife’s reaction to the VXGGHQDUULYDORIDORFXVW6KHLVDIUDLGRILWDQGMXPSVXSNQRFNLQJLWDZD\ When she goes inside, the man notices that the locust has lost a leg and LV VWUXJJOLQJ WR ZDON +H LPPHGLDWHO\ LGHQWLÀHV ZLWK WKH ORFXVW·V physical GHIHFW,QVRPHZD\VKLVLGHQWLÀFDWLRQZLWKWKHLQVHFWcontrasts with his relationship with his wife. She caused the locust to lose its leg, and so he uses the locust’s dilemma to make fun of her. He teases her by saying: “Don’t encourage it to self-pity” © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 25

3 Short Stories The climaxRIWKHVWRU\WDNHVSODFHZKHQWKHORFXVWVXGGHQO\ÁLHVDZD\ The situation does not have a happy resolution because the man feels IRROLVKDQGOHWGRZQZKHQKHUHPHPEHUVWKDWORFXVWVFDQÁ\DQGKHFDQ·W Perhaps he also realises that he has to face his situation alone. 4.3 Characterisation The main characters in the story are the man and his wife. The man is the main character or protagonist in the story. He has recently lost his leg and is having to face a new life without it. Mostly, he shares OLWWOHDERXWKLVLQWHUQDOHPRWLRQDODQGPHQWDOFRQÁLFWZLWKKLVZLIH The wife is the antagonist in the story. She tries to support her husband by taking him into the garden and looking after him. She does not speak to her husband directly about the loss of his leg. She is, however, the cause of the ORFXVWORVLQJLWVOHJDQGRIWKHORFXVWÁ\LQJDZD\%\GRLQJVRVKHGHSULYHV him of hope and some comfort through a sense of shared experience with the locust. He has to face his loss alone again. The locust is also a character in the story. The writer emphasises this by the way the other characters refer to the locust: It looked like some little person out of a Disney cartoon. “isn’t he a funny old man?” “The poor old thing” 7KH PDQ LGHQWLÀHV VWURQJO\ ZLWK WKH LQVHFW +H VWXGLHV LW YHU\ FORVHO\ ,W comes to represent his own suffering and challenges. By talking about the locust the man and his wife are able to talk indirectly about the man’s loss. 4.4 Style The writer does not give the characters names or describe what they look like, because the main focus is on the complication – the man trying to cope with the loss of his leg. Neither the man nor the woman makes direct UHIHUHQFHVWRWKHORVWOHJLQIDFWDWWKHEHJLQQLQJRIWKHVWRU\WKH\KDUGO\ talk at all. The man’s distress is internal – he tries to come to terms with his condition in his mind. Although he feels very fearful and powerless he vocab does not talk about it to his wife. After a couple of weeks the man starts to take more notice of his Empathy: 5PJEFOUJGZXJUI surroundings in the garden: the trees, the birds. Then he studies a locust IBWFTZNQBUIZGPS very closely. The description of the locust in the story is very detailed. The writer does this to help the reader feel empathyIRUWKHORFXVWMXVWDVWKH man has empathy for it when he realises it, too, has lost a leg. The only dialogue between the man and his wife is about the locust. The locust becomes a symbol of what the man is experiencing – his anxiety, his need to cope and become independent, and his hopefulness when he sees KRZZHOOWKHORFXVWLVFRSLQJZLWKRXWDOHJ7KHLULGHQWLÀFDWLRQZLWKWKHORFXVW is shown in the way they talk about the locust. The man says: “I’ve been watching it, and honestly, it’s uncanny. I can see it feels just like I do!” © Department of Basic Education 2015 26 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Soft Voice of the Serpent 3 “Funny thing is, it’s even the same leg, the left one.” She looked round at him and smiled. “I know,” he nodded, laughing. “The two of us ...” And then he shook his head and, smiling, said it again: “The two of us.” The writer emphasises the link between the man and the locust by repeating the line “The two of us.” 4.5 Narrator and point of view The narrator is not one of the characters in the story. The narrative is told using the third person. The narrator refers to the characters as “he”, “she” or “they”. 4.6 Diction and figurative language The writer uses descriptions of nature to show the man’s internal feelings. The man remembers when he was a young carefree boy, swinging in a tree, and this memory gives him hope: A first slight wind lifted again in the slack, furled sail of himself; he felt it belly gently, so gently he could just feel it, lifting inside him. Here, the writer uses the metaphor of a sail on a boat opening in the wind, to describe his feeling of hope. 7KHZULWHUXVHVÀJXUDWLYHLPDJHU\LQWKHGHVFULSWLRQRIWKHORFXVW,WVERG\ is compared to an aeroplane in this simile: flimsy paper stretched over a frame of matchstick, like a small boy’s home-made aeroplane. The locust’s movements are compared to a man’s in another simile: Just as a man might take out a handkerchief and pass it over his brow. The woman compares the locust to an old man in an extended use of SHUVRQLÀFDWLRQ: “Shame, isn’t he a funny old man” “The poor old thing” The woman does not realise that her pity for the locust is an extension of her unspoken pity for her husband. He does not want her pity and his vocab irritation becomes clear in his use of sarcasm in response to her comments Sarcasm: "OJSPOJD about the locust : FYQSFTTJPOPSUPOFPG WPJDFXIJDIJTVTFEUPCF “Don’t encourage it to self-pity” VOLJOEUPPSNBLFGVOPG “Get another little chair made for him and you can wheel him out TPNFPOF here with me.” “Or maybe he could be taught to use crutches.” © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 27

3 Short Stories 4.7 Tone and mood At the beginning of the story the tone is gentle and calm. The garden is seen as a good place for the man to recover: the tender human adjusting himself to himself in the soothing impersonal presence of trees and grass and earth +RZHYHUWKHWRQHFKDQJHVVOLJKWO\ZKHQWKHZULWHUGHVFULEHVKRZGLIÀFXOW it is for the wife to push the man’s wheelchair into the garden, indicating WKDWVKHLVDOVRKDYLQJGLIÀFXOW\DGMXVWLQJWRKLVVLWXDWLRQ$VZHZLWQHVVWKH mental and emotional struggle the man faces, the tone becomes gloomy. /DWHUWKHZLIHFDXVHVWKHORFXVWWRORVHLWVOHJ:KHQWKHPDQZDWFKHV the locust struggling to cope without its leg he gains a sense of hope that he, too, will overcome his loss. His tone of speech becomes more hopeful. However, when his wife begins to express sympathy with the locust, the man becomes irritable and sarcastic. This tension rises until, at the end of WKHVWRU\WKHORFXVWÁLHVRIIDQGWKHUHLVDSDXVH There was a moment of silence. The tone changes here and becomes hopeless again, as the man is left again with a feeling of loss and he says to her in a harsh tone: Don’t be a fool. Mood: How does this story make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? What are the reasons it makes you feel this way? summary The Soft Voice of the Serpent by Nadine Gordimer 1. Title t Allegory: the biblical reference changes characters and events into symbols of morality. t Alliteration: The repetition of “s” sound reminds us of a snake. 2. Themes t Loss and how we deal with it t Hope and the loss of hope 3. How is the story told? 3.1 Setting t In a garden, which reminds us of the Bible’s Garden of Eden 3.2 Structure and plot development t Complication: The man getting used to having only one leg t Tension: The man’s mental struggle to deal with his loss t Contrast: The man’s identification with the locust in contrast to his distance from his wife © Department of Basic Education 2015 28 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Soft Voice of the Serpent 3 summary t Climax: The locust flying away t Resolution: The man realising he can’t fly and feeling alone with his loss again 3.3 Characterisation t Protagonist: The man is the main character in the story. t Antagonist: The wife, who cannot connect with her husband and hurts the locust. t The locust: Represents the suffering of the man 3.4 Style t Internal thoughts and feelings of the man: His silent thoughts and feelings t Dialogue: The only dialogue between the man and his wife is about the locust. 3.5 Narrator and point of view t Third person 3.6 Diction and figurative language t “A first slight wind lifted again in the slack, furled sail of himself” Metaphor t “flimsy paper stretched over a frame of matchstick, like a small boy’s home-made aeroplane.” Simile t “Just as a man might take out a handkerchief and pass it over his brow.” Simile t “Shame, isn’t he a funny old man”; “The poor old thing” Personification t “Or maybe he could be taught to use crutches.” Sarcasm 3.7 Tone and mood t Tone: Begins with a gentle and calm tone; changes to a gloomy tone as the man struggles with his loss; becomes hopeful when the man sees the locust; ends with a hopeless and harsh tone when the locust flies away. t Mood: How does this story make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? Give reasons for your answer. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 29

3 Short Stories Activity 5 5HDGWKHH[WUDFWEHORZDQGDQVZHUWKHTXHVWLRQVWKDWIROORZ Extract A [The lady wheels the man into the garden.] A first slight wind lifted again in the slack, furled sail of himself; he felt it belly gently, so gently he could just feel it, lifting inside him. So she wheeled him along, pushing hard and not particularly well with her thin pretty arms – but he would not for anything complain of the way she did it or suggest that the nurse might do better, for 5 he knew that would hurt her – and when they came to a spot that he liked, she put the brake on the chair and settled him there for the morning. That was the first time and now he sat there every day. He read a lot, but his attention was arrested sometimes, quite suddenly and compellingly, by the sunken place under the 10 rug where his leg used to be. There was his one leg, and next to it, the rug flapped loose. Then looking, he felt his leg not there; he felt it go, slowly, from the toe to the thigh. He felt that he had no leg. After a few minutes he went back to his book. He never let the realisation quite reach him; he let himself realise it physically, but he 15 never quite let it get at him. He felt it pressing up, coming, coming, dark, crushing, ready to burst – but he always turned away, just in time, back to his book. &RPSOHWHWKHIROORZLQJVHQWHQFHVE\ÀOOLQJLQWKHPLVVLQJZRUGV Write down only the word(s) next to the question number (1(a) – 1(d)). The man is being pushed in a (a) ... by his (b) ... He spends much time (c) ... in the garden. Sometimes he thinks about the (d) ... he lost. (4) 5HIHUWR´VODFNIXUOHGVDLORIKLPVHOIµ OLQH D ,GHQWLI\WKHÀJXUHRIVSHHFKXVHGKHUH E ([SODLQZK\WKHZULWHUKDVXVHGWKLVÀJXUHRIVSHHFK 3. How do you know that the woman is not good at pushing the man? (1) 4. The man does not complain about how the woman pushes him. What does this tell you about him? State TWO points. (2) 8VLQJ\RXURZQZRUGVEULHÁ\GHVFULEHKRZWKHPDQIHHOVDERXWKLV loss. State TWO points. (2) 5HIHUWROLQHV² ´+HIHOWLWUHDG\WREXUVWµ What does the use of the word “crushing” tell you about the man’s feelings? (2) 7. In your view, should the man keep quiet about how he feels about KLVORVV"*LYHDUHDVRQIRU\RXUDQVZHU [16] © Department of Basic Education 2015 30 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Soft Voice of the Serpent 3 Answers to Activity 5 1. (a) wheelchair PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION (b) wife NB (c) reading (d) leg (4) 2. (a) metaphor (1) E 7RVKRZWKDWKHIHHOVMXVWOLNHDVDLOWKDWKDVORVWLWVDLU (2) "OZPGUIFTF HINT! 3. She has to push hard. /She is not doing particularly well. /Her arms are thin. /The man actually thinks that the nurse may do hint BOTXFSTUP RVFTUJPOTXJMM PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION better. (1) NB FBSOZPVNBSL 4. He is sensitive. He is tolerant. e.g. EG - worked examples He is patient. (2) "OZ580PG HINT! 5. Emotionally he has not come to terms with his loss and he feels a sense of helplessness/sadness/hopelessness. (2) hint UIFTFBOTXFSTUP 6. It emphasises the impact the loss has on him. exams RVFTUJPOTBOE XJMMFBSOZPVNBSLT He feels devastated. He is extremely hurt. (2) 7. No. It is better for him to share his feelings. It helps with the e.g. EG - worked examples healing process. 25 Yes. He needs to come to terms with his loss./He must accept exams activity his loss before anybody else can help him. (2) ACTIVITIES bo and girl-left an [16] right of page activity activity Activity 6 ACTIVITIES bo and girl-left an Step by step rightcommen of page 5HDGWKHH[WUDFWEHORZDQGDQVZHUWKHTXHVWLRQVWKDWIROORZ activity Extract B [They talk about the locust.] “Get another little chair made for him and you can wheel him out Step by step commen here with me.” “Yes,” she laughed. “Only for him it would have to be a kind of little cart, with wheels.” “Or maybe he could be taught to use crutches. I’m sure the 5 farmers would like to know that he was being kept active.” “The poor old thing,” she said, bending over the locust again. And reaching back somewhere into an inquisitive childhood she picked up a thin wand of twig and prodded the locust, very gently. “Funny thing is, it’s even the same leg, the left one.” She looked round at 10 him and smiled. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 31

3 Short Stories “I know,” he nodded, laughing. “The two of us ...” And then he shook his head and, smiling, said it again: “The two of us.” She was laughing and just then she flicked the twig more sharply than she meant to and at the touch of it there was a sudden flurried 15 papery whirr, and the locust flew away. She stood there with the stick in her hand, half afraid of the creature again, and appealed, unnerved as a child, “What happened. What happened.” There was a moment of silence. 20 “Don’t be a fool,” he said irritably. They had forgotten that locusts can fly. 1. In line 1 the man says that the locust needs a “little chair”. (a) Why does the locust need a chair? (1) E :KRGRHVWKHPDQWKLQNLVUHVSRQVLEOHIRUWKHORFXVW·VLQMXU\" (c) Do you think he is being serious when he suggests that the woman should wheel the locust around? Explain your answer. (2) 2. What point is the man making in his statement in lines 5–6 when he says, “I’m sure the ... being kept active”. (2) 3. Choose the correct answer to complete the following sentence: When the man refers to “The two of us” in line 12, he means the ... A man and the locust. B woman and the locust. C man and the woman. D man and his nurse. (1) $WWKHHQGRIWKHVWRU\WKHORFXVWÁLHVRII (a) Explain how the man’s mood changes. (2) (b) Why does his mood change in this way? (2) ,VWKHIROORZLQJVWDWHPHQW758(RU)$/6("*LYHDUHDVRQIRU\RXU answer. In the title of the story the serpent refers to a real snake in the garden. (2) 6. Consider the story as a whole. The woman experiences mixed feelings towards the locust. What are these feelings? (2) 7. Do you admire the woman? Discuss your view. (2) 8. The main theme of the story is about coming to terms with one’s disability. How can disabled people be helped to come to terms with their loss? Discuss your view stating at least TWO points. (2) [17] © Department of Basic Education 2015 32 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Soft Voice of the Serpent 3 Answers to Activity 6 1. (a) The locust has lost its leg. (b) The woman / his wife. F 1R+HLVPHUHO\PDNLQJDMRNH+HNQRZVYHU\ZHOOWKDWLWLVQRW possible. 25 Yes. He is using the locust to point out/emphasise his own GLVDELOLW\GLIÀFXOW\LQPRYLQJDURXQG (2) PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION /RFXVWVDUHSHVWV WKDWGHVWUR\FURSV 7KHIDUPHUVZRXOGEH NB happy that the locust was kept busy elsewhere. (2) 3. A /the man and the locust. (1) 4. (a) His mood changes from happiness to irritation. +HZDVMRNLQJDWÀUVWEXWKHODWHUEHFDPHQDVW\DQJU\ "OZ580PG HINT! +HZDVKDSS\EXWRQFHWKHORFXVWÁHZRIIKHEHFDPHXQKDSS\ (2) hint UIFTFBOTXFSTUP RVFTUJPOTB C E +HUHDOLVHVWKDWWKHORFXVWLVDEOHWRÁ\ BOEXJMMFBSOZPVNBSLT The locust is able to move but he cannot. $OWKRXJKWKHKDVORFXVWORVWDOHJMXVWOLNHKHKDVWKHORFXVWFDQ Á\DZD\EXWKHLVVWLOOVWXFNLQWKHZKHHOFKDLU (2) e.g. EG - worked examples 5. False. The serpent refers to the locust. ,WUHIHUVWRWKHWHPSWDWLRQLQWKH*DUGHQRI(GHQ It refers to the temptation that there is hope in end. exams (False hope for the man). (YHU\WKLQJFDQEHÀ[HGLQWKHHQG (2) $WÀUVWVKHLVDIUDLGRIWKHORFXVWDQGWKHQVKHIHHOVVRUU\IRUWKH PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION locust. NB She feels sorry for the locust and then becomes afraid of the locust. (2) 7. Yes. She takes good care of her husband. /She is patient / activity tolerant. Questions HINT!7 and ACTIVITIES bo and girl-left an 25 No. It is her duty to take care of him even if he is disabled. (2) hint BTLGPSZPVS PQJOJPO#BDLVQ right of page 8. They should be helped. activity ZPVSWJFXXJUISFBTPOT5IFTF They should be helped to become independent. BOTXFSTBSFFYBNQMFT They should be counselled. e.g. EG - worked examples They should not be treated like outcasts. (2) [17] Step by step commen exams activity ACTIVITIES bo and girl-left an right of page activity © Department of Basic Education 2015 Step by step commen Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 33

3 Short Stories words to know 'HÀQLWLRQVRIZRUGVIURPWKHVKRUWVWRU\ fervently eagerly furled sail sail that is folded up arrested stopped, put on hold compellingly forcefully, powerfully unobtrusive not noticed, not obvious annealment strengthening, healing lugubrious sad hypnotic making somebody feel controlled, unable to get away or look away dread fear armour metal clothing worn in battle kinship connection, similarity pulsations of a heart beating of a heart effaced withdrawn aperture hole, opening reproachfully disapprovingly loathed hated compassion sympathy, pity solemn serious inquisitive curious unnerved afraid © Department of Basic Education 2015 34 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

Short Stories 4 Relatives by Chris van Wyk Christopher van Wyk (1957–2014) wrote poetry, stories and autobiographical works. He is best known for his autobiographical novels Shirley, Goodness and Mercy and Eggs to Lay and Chickens to Hatch, as well as a children’s illustrated version of Nelson Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom. As in Relatives, many of Van Wyk’s stories are based on family relationships and the community he came from. In 1996 he won the 6DQODP/LWHUDU\$ZDUGIRUWKLVVKRUWVWRU\ 1. Summary Chris Van Wyk In the story a 21-year-old writer goes down to the Cape. He spends a week in Cape Town, then visits his family in Carnarvon. After two weeks he gets bored and decides to return by train to Johannesburg. In a train compartment he meets three friendly men and they exchange stories. When they leave the train the writer is left in the compartment with vocab two brothers who are not friendly. As time passes the writer realises that Juvenile delinquent: the brothers are juvenile delinquents (boys from a reformatory). The writer "ZPVOHDSJNJOBM" is afraid of them as they discuss how they will kill their brother’s murderer reformatory is a prison- when they get to Johannesburg. MJLFTDIPPMXIFSFKVWFOJMF EFMJORVFOUTBSFLFQUBXBZ While the writer is thinking about how to get away from the brothers and GSPNTPDJFUZ ÀQGDQRWKHUFRPSDUWPHQWWRVOHHSLQRQHRIWKHEURWKHUVDVNVKLPDERXW his grandmother. They tell him that he is related to them. The writer is very relieved, as they no longer pose a threat to him. Three years later the writer reads in the newspaper that the brothers have GLHGLQJDQJUHODWHGYLROHQFHMXVWOLNHWKHLUHOGHUEURWKHU © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 35

4 Short Stories The title also makes us think about what would have 2. Title happened to him if he 7KHWLWOH´5HODWLYHVµVKRZVWKDWWKHVWRU\LVDERXWZKDWIDPLO\PHDQVWR had not been related SHRSOH$WÀUVWWKHZULWHUZDVDIUDLGRIWKHWZRER\VZKRZHUHVWUDQJHUV to the boys! WRKLP:KHQKHÀQGVRXWWKDWWKH\DUHUHODWLYHVDVWKHLUJUDQGPRWKHUV were sisters, he loses his fear of them. They no longer seem like enemies to him, as he has a connection to them. 3. Themes The main themes of the story are: The importance of memories and family: The writer tells us that in Carnarvon his relatives spend a lot of time together, having long meals and discussions about family history. Note how the fear that © Department of Basic Education 2015 36 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

Relatives 4 the writer feels disappears as soon as he discovers that the two brothers on the train are his relatives, and therefore, they cannot be Note the a threat. irony that the young writer visited Cape The power of stories to entertain and teach us about life. The story relatives for material for a DOVRKDVVWRULHVZLWKLQLWIRUH[DPSOHWKHVWRU\RI*HRUJLHWKDWWKH story. But it is the unplanned writer relates. meeting with the gangster Coincidences:7KHÀUVWLVWKDWERWKVWRULHV *HRUJLH·VVWRU\DQGWKH brothers, his distant relatives, that this story brothers’ story) that are told on the train concern murder. The next is is really about. that the gangster brothers have family ties with the writer, so they are his relatives. Crime and gang violence: The brothers are clearly already involved in crime as they are in a reformatory. They want to take revenge for the death of their brother by killing their brother’s murderer. The cycle of gang violence tragically results in their own death. 4. How is the story told? 4.1 Setting The main setting is a compartment on a train travelling between Johannesburg and Cape Town where the young writer chats to people. 4.2 Structure and plot development We are introduced to the writer, who is an aspiring (inexperienced) 21-year-old writer who decides to visit his family in Carnavon in the Northern Cape to get information about his roots. He wants to write a “family saga” (history of his family). After two weeks he becomes bored with the dry, dusty place and conversations that are repeated over and over and decides to return home to Johannesburg. On the train back to Johannesburg he meets: Three friendly carpenters or builders, laughing and drinking beer (“their conversation was full of the hammers and nails of their SURIHVVLRQµ DQG 7ZRTXLHWEURWKHUVZKRVLWKXGGOHGLQDFRUQHUDQGUHIXVHWRMRLQLQ the conversation. 7KHWKUHHIULHQGO\\RXQJPHQDVNKLPDERXWKLVMRXUQH\WRWKH&DSHDQGKH tells them a story about it which he had already told his relatives in Carnarvon. He believes that the story is excellent because he feels that it has all the vocab necessary basic features of a good story, passing what he calls his litmus Litmus test: A test that test. EFýOJUFMZQSPWFTXIFUIFS TPNFUIJOHXPSLTXFMMPS 7KHZULWHUWHOOVWKHPWKHVWRU\RI*HRUJLHZKRPKHPHWRQWKHZD\IURP EPFTOPUXPSLXFMM -RKDQQHVEXUJWR&DSH7RZQ*HRUJLHWROGKLPDVWRU\DERXWKRZKHKDG killed a man (the story within the story), as a warning to the writer not to try to steal his luggage. The comic ending and anti-climaxRIWKLVVWRU\ *HRUJLHLVSXEOLFO\VODSSHG LQWKHIDFHE\KLVZLIH LVWKRURXJKO\HQMR\HGE\WKH\RXQJPHQ 8SXQWLOWKLVSRLQWWKHZULWHULVUHOD[HGDQGHQMR\LQJWKHMRXUQH\DQGWKH company. Then there is a complication. As the writer puts it: © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 37

4 Short Stories But then my journey took an unexpected turn. Quite suddenly, and without much warning, the three friendly men leave the train. The writer is left in the compartment with the two unfriendly brothers. The rising tension in the story begins when the writer looks at the brothers more closely and realises that they are wearing the khaki uniforms worn E\ MXYHQLOH GHOLQTXHQWV +H DOVR UHDOLVHV WKH\ GR QRW KDYH D JXDUG ZLWK them. Suddenly their behaviour changes and they begin to act aggressively – they start talking loudly, swearing, spreading their luggage all over the compartment and littering. Then they start discussing their brother, who was killed by a gang in Coronationville, Johannesburg. They are on their way to attend his funeral and swear to take revenge on his killer. The brutal and violent way they plan to take revenge scares the writer terribly. The FRQÁLFW in the story grows: The writer is now scared to be alone with the brothers. They start looking at him straight in the eye, scaring him even more. He thinks about asking for a transfer to another compartment, but is The brothers may be the writer’s too afraid to leave his luggage behind. relatives, but they are clearly planning violence. The tension within the writer is now so great he cannot even eat. Would you feel safer knowing such people are The story reaches an amazing climax when one of the brothers recognises your relatives? him as “that clever boy who used to read books and write stuff”. Their grandmothers were sisters, so in fact the writer and the two brothers are UHODWLYHV)URPWKHQRQKHEHJLQVWRUHOD[DQGHQMR\WKHMRXUQH\ The resolution to the main story and the story told by the brothers comes three years later, when the narrator reads in the newspaper about ´UDPSDQW JDQJ FULPH LQ WKH VWUHHWV RI :HVWHUQ 7RZQVKLS DQG DGMDFHQW Coronationville”. The two brothers who had “never reached twenty-one” had been stabbed to death in the violence, and were now “in the same graveyard as their brother, killed three years ago”. 4.3 Characterisation The narrator is the writer. He is the protagonist, as he is the main character. The two brothers, his relatives, are the antagonists in the story. The brothers contrast with the writer in every way. For example, while the writer tells a funny story about a man who pretended to be a murderer, the brothers are plotting a murder in real life. In a train compartment (which is the main setting for the story) the different passengers also form a contrast to one another. The three young men who are carpenters or builders are very friendly to WKH\RXQJZULWHU,WLVWRWKHPWKHZULWHUWHOOVWKHVWRU\DERXW*HRUJLH 4.4 Style The story makes use of the stylistic device of “a story within a story”. The bigger story is of the young writer visiting his relatives in Carnarvon to write a family saga. This is the outer frame of the story. His experiences with the people in his compartment on the train back to Johannesburg form the © Department of Basic Education 2015 38 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

Relatives 4 LQQHUIUDPHRIWKHVWRU\7KHFHQWUHIUDPHLVWKHVWRU\RI*HRUJLHZKLFKWKH writer tells to his companions as comic relief. vocab Comic relief:)VNPVS used to lighten the tone 4.5 Narrator and point of view PGBTFSJPVTPSGSJHIUFOJOH TUPSZ The narrator is the main character in the story. The story is told from the ÀUVWSHUVRQSRLQWRIYLHZ ´,µ 4.6 Diction and figurative language The way the writer uses language conveys meaning in the story. For example, at the beginning, when the narrator is visiting his elderly uncle, the description of the old men emphasises the slow pace of their lives: conversations consisting of long, trailing life histories that made the old men in their elbow patches stammer and squint into the past from behind their thick spectacles The conversational, chatty tone of the characters when telling their stories vocab together with the use of dialect is very effective. For example, in the story Dialect:"GPSNPGTQFFDI RI*HRUJLHKLVZLIHJUHHWVKLPE\VD\LQJ´Ses maande en djy skryf niks, XIJDIDPNFTGSPNB phone niks, not a blerry word van djou.” The Cape Coloured use of a QBSUJDVMBSSFHJPOBOE combination of English and Afrikaans is very effective, as it gives us a sense DPNNVOJUZ of the rhythms and pronunciation of this speech. The narrator’s fear is conveyed not only through his thoughts, but also by using many short sentences, which are very dramatic. For example: I began to worry He knows what I’m thinking, I thought. My companions glared at me again. I had no appetite. 7KHÀQDOVHQWHQFHRIWKHVWRU\LQSDUWLFXODULVYHU\FOHDULQLWVPHVVDJHDERXW the unfortunate effect of gang crime: “They had never reached twenty- one.” The reader is given insight into the characters through the vivid descriptions of their appearance. For example, the two brothers are described as having “sandy hair that had been cut so short that the hairs grew in sharp italic spikes”. Here, a metaphor is used to compare the short, bristly quality of their hair to italic writing. In the line, “When the train slithered out...”, a metaphor is used to compare the train to a snake sliding along the ground. 4.7 Tone and mood In the story the writer uses dialogue and descriptions to show how the tone changes in the story. For example, when the narrator meets the young men on the train the tone of their conversation is friendly and happy: their conversation was ... punctuated with laughter and inane arguments. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 39

4 Short Stories In contrast, the two brothers’ conversation has a dark tone – it is full of swearing and details about how they will murder their brother’s killer: They no longer muttered but spoke loudly, spicing their conversation with vulgarities. The light-hearted tone at the beginning of the story changes to a dark and sombre tone as the story goes on. The story ends on a note of sadness, as it brings to mind the theme of the tragedy of gang crime. The death of the young brothers highlights the tragic waste of life that is the result of gang violence. Mood: How does this story make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? What are the reasons it makes you feel this way? summary Relatives by Chris van Wyk 1. Title t The writer no longer feels threatened once he knows he’s related to the juvenile delinquents. 2. Themes t The importance of memories and family t The power of stories to entertain and teach t Coincidences t Crime and gang violence 3. How is the story told? 3.1 Setting t Mainly the compartment of a train 3.2 Structure and plot development t “Georgie’s” story: Story within a story, with a comic ending and anti-climax t Complication: The three friendly men leaving the train unexpectedly t Rising tension: The writer realises that the two brothers are juvenile delinquents. t Conflict: The increasingly vulgar and loud behaviour of the two brothers t Tension: The writer becomes so anxious he cannot even eat. t Climax: One of the brothers recognises the writer as a relative. t Resolution: Newspaper article about the death of the two brothers in gang crime 3.3 Characterisation t Protagonist: The narrator is the writer and the main character. t Antagonists: The two brothers (the relatives) t The three young men: Their friendliness contrasts with the behaviour of the brothers. © Department of Basic Education 2015 40 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

Relatives 4 summary 3.4 Style t Stories within a story: The outer frame of the story is the trip to Carnarvon. t The inner frame is the writer’s experiences in the train compartment coming home to Johannesburg. t The centre frame is Georgie’s story. 3.5 Narrator and point of view t First person 3.6 Diction and figurative language t “Ses maande en djy skryf niks, phone niks, not a blerry word van djou” Dialect t “I began to worry”; “I had no appetite”; “They had never reached twenty-one.” Short sentences for dramatic effect t “sandy hair that had been cut so short that the hairs grew in sharp italic spikes” Metaphor t “the train slithered out” Metaphor 3.7 Tone and mood t Tone: Starts off friendly and happy but becomes darker as the two brothers get louder; ends with a gloomy and sad tone. t Mood: How does this story make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? Give reasons for your answer. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 41

4 Short Stories Activity 7 5HDGWKHH[WUDFWEHORZDQGDQVZHUWKHTXHVWLRQVWKDWIROORZ Extract A [The narrator is remembering his journey.] Then followed an hour’s drive to Carnarvon by way of long, hot, dusty, potholed roads past waving, poor people on foot or pushing bicycles, and carrying bundles of wood or things wrapped in newspaper. Carnarvon was a place in the middle of nowhere where nothing 5 happened. Simple breakfasts, lunches and suppers were linked together by chains of cigarettes and conversations consisting of long, trailing life histories that made the old men in their elbow patches stammer and squint into the past from behind their thick spectacles, as they dredged up anecdotes from the dry riverbeds 10 of history. Oh, how wonderful it was listening to those minutely detailed sagas. But after two weeks I was bored out of my wits. The novel could wait, I decided as I packed up and was driven back to Hutchinson Station. The train from Cape Town – the very same one 15 that had brought me there two weeks before – slid into the station. I bade Uncle Henkie goodbye with a promise that I would feature him prominently and truthfully in my novel. When the train slithered out, I turned to the passengers in the compartment with whom I was going to spend the next sixteen 20 hours or so on the way to Johannesburg. 1. 5HDGWKHIROORZLQJVWDWHPHQWDQGFRPSOHWHWKHVHQWHQFHVE\ÀOOLQJLQ the missing words. Write only the words next to the question number (1(a) and1(b)). The narrator (person who is telling the story) is visiting Carnarvon because he wants to write a novel about his family (a) … Before going to Carnarvon, he spends a week in (b) … (2) 2. What are “chains of cigarettes” in line 7? (1) 3. ,QOLQHVî´WKHGU\ULYHUEHGVRIKLVWRU\µDUHPHQWLRQHG a) ,GHQWLI\WKHÀJXUHRIVSHHFKXVHGKHUH b) E[SODLQZK\WKHZULWHUKDVXVHGWKLVÀJXUHRIVSHHFK 4. The narrator is surprised and pleased by the way the three big men in the compartment treat him. State TWO ways in which these men make him feel like an old friend. (2) 5. Explain how the narrator feels about the other two passengers in the compartment at this point in the story. State TWO points. (2) 6. When the three men leave, the behaviour of the two boys changes. *LYH7:2UHDVRQVIRUWKHFKDQJHLQWKHER\V·EHKDYLRXU 7. *LYH7:2UHDVRQVZK\WKHQDUUDWRUGHFLGHVQRWWRDVNWKH conductor to move him to another compartment. (2) © Department of Basic Education 2015 42 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

Relatives 4 8. ,VWKHIROORZLQJVWDWHPHQW758(RU)$/6(":ULWH´WUXHµRU´IDOVHµ and give a reason for your answer. Before they tell him, the narrator is certain that the two boys are brothers. (2) 9. The narrator in this story researches his family history. Do you think it is a good idea for one to do this? Discuss your view. (2) [18] Answers to Activity 7 PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION 1. a) history/roots/background/saga NB b) Cape Town (2) 2. Cigarettes smoked immediately after one another/in close succession. (1) 3. a) Metaphor (1) .BOZPGUIFTF HINT! E +LVWRULFDOIDFWVDUHKDUGWRÀQGMXVWOLNHZDWHULVKDUGWRÀQG hint RVFTUJPOTPOMZBTL GPS580SFBTPOTGPS in a dry riverbed. 25 NBSLT5IFTFBSFFYBNQMFT History is as boring as a dry riverbed is dry and lifeless. PGDPSSFDUBOTXFST 25 e.g. EG - worked examples He wanted to convey/emphasise/show that historical facts are KDUGWRÀQGERULQJ (2) 4. They smile at him. 7KH\DVNKLPDERXWKLVYLVLWMRXUQH\WR&DSH7RZQ exams They listen to his conversation with real interest. One of them offers him a beer. 7KH\ODXJKDWKLVVWRU\ DERXW*HRUJLH$EUDKDPV When they leave, they shake his hand/slap his back. (2) 5. He is scared of them. They are not to be trusted. activity He is worried that they might harm him. ACTIVITIES bo and girl-left a He is afraid that they might steal his luggage. right of page He feels indifferent. (2) 6. They are no longer outnumbered. activity They realise the narrator is scared. The narrator is, more or less, the same age as the boys. They are bullies, exploiting the fact that he is young and scared. (2) Step by step commen 7. He is afraid that they will steal his luggage while he is out. He is afraid that they will know why he is going to the conductor. (2) 8. True. They look exactly alike/identical./They have identical lips and eyes/features. (2) 9. Yes. It is good to know one’s background/heritage. You might come across family members you never knew. (2) "MXBZTTVQQPSUZPVSPQJOJPOT 25 XJUISFBTPOT5IFBOTXFSTUP No. You may discover some disturbing facts. It is better to leave RVFTUJPOBSFFYBNQMFT the past alone and start afresh. (2) [18] © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 43

4 Short Stories Activity 8 5HDGWKHH[WUDFWEHORZDQGDQVZHUWKHTXHVWLRQVWKDWIROORZ Extract B [The narrator tells his fellow passengers about Georgie Abrahams.] He threw the remains of the dead man out of the window in the dead of night, and wiped the blood carefully from the windowpane, the green leather seat, the floor. When the conductor questioned the whereabouts of the missing man, Georgie merely shrugged and uttered a melodious “How should I know? Nobody asked me to take 5 care of him.” But even as Georgie was relating this tale of theft and murder in all its horrific detail, I knew it was a lie, simply a more elaborate version of my mother’s dire warnings to yours truly at seven, “If you eat in bed you’ll grow horns”, or the more convincing “Go to bed with wet hair 10 and you’ll suffer from a smelly nose for the rest of your life”. Georgie was in fact warning me to stay clear of his luggage! And the story had quite an amusing ending. When we reached Cape Town Station, a toothless woman in a lopsided jersey, stretched to twice its original size (which used to be XL) welcomed the murderer home with an 15 unceremonious slap across his face, while I looked on together with a brood of his startled children who didn’t know if they should laugh with delight at their papa’s homecoming, or cry for the humiliating onslaught he was being subjected to. “Ses maande en djy skryf niks, phone niks, not a blerry word van 20 djou!” 1. :K\ZDV*HRUJLH·VZLIHDQJU\ZLWKKLPZKHQVKHPHWKLPDWWKH station? State TWO points. (2) 2. 'RHVWKHZULWHUZDQWKLVUHDGHUVWREHOLHYHWKDW*HRUJLHNLOOHGWKH PDQ"*LYHDUHDVRQIRU\RXUDQVZHU 3. $IWHUOLVWHQLQJWRWKHVWRU\RI*HRUJLH$EUDKDPVWKHSHRSOHLQWKH compartment have different reactions. Describe the different reactions the friendly men and the two boys have. (2) Why is the narrator not surprised by the boys’ reaction? (1) 4. 5HDGWKHIROORZLQJVWDWHPHQWDQGFRPSOHWHWKHVHQWHQFHVE\ ÀOOLQJLQWKHPLVVLQJZRUGV:ULWHRQO\WKHZRUGVQH[WWRWKHTXHVWLRQ number (4(a) and 4(b)). The two boys are on their way to their a) … funeral. He was a b) … leader in Coronationville. (2) 5. The narrator discovers that he is related to the two boys. a) How does this fact change his feelings towards them? b) How does the boys’ behaviour change because of this new-found relationship? (2) 6. Choose the correct answer to complete the following sentence. Write only the answer (A–D). (1) © Department of Basic Education 2015 44 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

Relatives 4 One of the themes in this story is … A romantic love. B sibling rivalry. C fear. D greed. (1) 7. Explain what makes the ending of the story sad. (2) 8. Discuss your views on the following statement: Family background does not determine what you will become in life. (2) [17] Answers to Activity 8 PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION NB 1. He had been away from home for 6 months/a long time. He never wrote or phoned/made contact./She never heard from him. (2) 1R+HWHOOVWKHVWRU\RI*HRUJLH·VZLIHVODSSLQJKLPLQSXEOLF² "OZ580PGUIFTF HINT! something a cold-blooded murderer would not allow. 25 hint SFBTPOTXJMMFBSO ZPVNBSLT 1R7KHQDUUDWRUVWDWHVWKDWKHNQHZLWZDVDOLHMXVWDZDUQLQJWR KLPWROHDYH*HRUJLH·VOXJJDJHDORQH (2) 7KHIULHQGO\PHQODXJKFKXFNOHHQMR\WKHVWRU\KLVDFFHQW The boys refuse to laugh (although they listen to the story). (2) e.g. EG - worked examples The young writer is actually telling the story to the other three/is trying to ignore the boys. (1) 4 a) brother’s (1) exams b) gang (1) 5 a) He is no longer afraid of the boys./He becomes more relaxed/ at ease./His appetite returns. (1) b) They invite him to share their supper/meal. They strike up a conversation with him. 7KH\UHFRJQLVHKLPDVDXQW\5LD·VJUDQGFKLOGFOHYHUER\ They become friendly. (2) activity PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION 6. C/fear (1) NB ACTIVITIES bo and girl-left a 7. Both boys are killed. right of page They are still very young/not even 21. 25 activity They die a violent death at a young age. (2) 2VFTUJPOBTLT HINT! 8. The support of family strengthens one and often makes success easier to achieve. The three characters in this story hint GPSZPVSPQJOJPO 5IFBOTXFSTHJWFO come from the same family yet they all turn out differently. IFSFBSFFYBNQMFTPGDPSSFDU Step by step commen 25 SFTQPOTFT Your background does not necessarily determine your success or failure in life. People can rise above their circumstances. (2) e.g. EG - worked examples [17] exams © Department of Basic Education 2015 activity Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 45 ACTIVITIES bo and girl-left a

4 Short Stories words to know 'HÀQLWLRQVRIZRUGVIURPWKHVKRUWVWRU\ family saga family history meandering rambling, winding dredged up anecdotes remembered old stories prominently importantly exuberant energetic, full of life inane foolish, silly supercilious arrogant, proud undertones quiet talk conniving plotting, scheming fugitives people running away from the law ÁDPER\DQW vivid, colourful elementary basic vulgarities swear words juvenile delinquents young criminals caterer person who serves food rampant out of control futility uselessness © Department of Basic Education 2015 46 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

Short Stories 5 The Coffee-cart Girl by Es’kia Mphahlele Es’kia Mphahlele (1919 – 2008) was born in the slums of Pretoria and went on to become a world famous writer, educationist, artist and activist. He only began attending school regularly when he was 15 and went on WRÀQLVKKLJKVFKRROE\SULYDWHVWXG\,QKHWDXJKWDW2UODQGR+LJK School in Soweto. As a result of his protests against Bantu Education he ZDVÀUHGIURPKLVWHDFKLQJSRVW+HHYHQWXDOO\MRLQHGDrum magazine in 1955, where he made a name for himself as a serious writer. ,Q0SKDKOHOHZHQWLQWRH[LOHDWÀUVWLQ1LJHULD+HUHKHFRPSOHWHG KLVÀUVWDXWRELRJUDSK\Down Second Avenue (1959), which was banned in South Africa. Es’kia Mphahlele Mphahlele went on to get his doctorate from the University of Denver, USA, LQDQGZDVQRPLQDWHGIRUWKH1REHO3UL]HIRU/LWHUDWXUHLQ +HÀQDOO\UHWXUQHGKRPHIURPH[LOHLQZKHUHKHZHQWRQWRIRXQG WKH8QLYHUVLW\RIWKH:LWZDWHUVUDQG·V$IULFDQ/LWHUDWXUH'HSDUWPHQW²WKH ÀUVWGHSDUWPHQWRI$IULFDQ/LWHUDWXUHLQWKHFRXQWU\²LQ+HLVZLGHO\ Did you know? celebrated as being the Father of African Humanism. 5IF&TLJB*OTUJUVUFXBT FTUBCMJTIFEJO*U EFWFMPQTBOETVQQPSUT 1. Summary DPNNVOJUZBSUJTUJDBOE DVMUVSBMQSPKFDUT8FCTJUF The story takes place in the industrial part of a city during apartheid, where XXXFTLJBPSH[B a young woman called Zodwa works at a coffee-cart. She sells coffee and pancakes to the workers who pass by. One day there is a strike at the QHDUE\0HWURSROLWDQ6WHHO:LQGRZV/WGIDFWRU\7KHVWULNLQJZRUNHUVPDUFK in the street where Zodwa’s coffee-cart stands. She is so absorbed in the strike that she doesn’t realise that the marching crowd is getting bigger DQGPRUHUHVWOHVV7KHUHLVFRQÁLFWEHWZHHQWKHDSDUWKHLGSROLFHDQGWKH black people who are striking. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 47

5 Short Stories 2QHRIWKHVWULNHUVD\RXQJPDQQDPHG5XEHQ ZKRVHQLFNQDPHLV&KLQD helps to move Zodwa’s coffee-cart away from danger of the crowd. Zodwa is very grateful to him and offers him coffee and food. This is the start RIWKHIULHQGVKLSEHWZHHQ=RGZDDQG5XEHQ$IWHUWKHVWULNH&KLQDORVHV KLVMRE$VWKHLUUHODWLRQVKLSGHYHORSV&KLQDJLYHV=RGZDWKHQLFNQDPH vocab 3LQNLHEHFDXVHKHUVNLQLVSHDFKFRORXUHG&KLQDÀQGVDQRWKHUMREDWD shoe factory. When he gets paid by his new employer China takes Pinkie Cheapjack:"TFMMFSPG to choose a gift from a cheapjack’sVKRS7KHFKHDSMDFNLVDPDQQDPHG DIFBQHPPET Naidoo. Naidoo clearly likes Pinkie and he starts coming to her cart for coffee. One day when he cannot pay he gives Pinkie a ring in exchange for FRIIHHDQGFDNHV:KHQ&KLQDVHHVWKHULQJRQ3LQNLH·VÀQJHUKHJHWVYHU\ MHDORXVDQGDFFXVHV3LQNLHRIEHLQJLQORYHZLWK1DLGRR China pulls out a knife and points it at Pinkie’s throat. She thinks he is going to kill her. But then China realises that he is frightening Pinkie. He © Department of Basic Education 2015 48 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Coffee-cart Girl 5 apologises to her and leaves. He never sees Pinkie again, as three days after this, Pinkie and all the coffee sellers are chased away from the area by the police. When China comes back to visit her she is gone. All he can do is hope that one day they will meet again. 2. Title The story is focused on Pinkie, the coffee-cart girl in the title of the story. Although the title is about Pinkie, everything that happens to her is caused by the realities of the apartheid system. For example, she is caught up LQ WKH FRQÁLFW EHWZHHQ WKH DSDUWKHLG SROLFH DQG WKH RSSUHVVHG EODFN ZRUNHUVDQGLWLVRQO\EHFDXVHRI&KLQDWKDWVKHLVQRWKXUW/DWHULQWKH story she is forced by apartheid laws to move to another place to sell her coffee and pancakes. 3. Themes The main themes are: vocab Life affected by apartheid: The strike takes place because of the political situation where white-owned businesses and apartheid laws work together to oppress and impoverish black people. It is because Impoverished:.BEF of the strike that the two young people meet. If it had not been for QPPS WKHGLIÀFXOWZRUNLQJFRQGLWLRQV&KLQDZRXOGQRWKDYHPHW3LQNLH$W the end of the story the political situation interferes again in their lives by forcing Pinkie to work elsewhere, preventing them from meeting again. Violence against women/women’s powerlessness: Pinkie is the only vocab female character. The story shows her to be very vulnerable both Vulnerable: Helpless to to the general violence of the strike and to personal violence from EFGFOEPOFTFMG China. She has no control over her own life and is pushed around by individuals like China, and by the apartheid state. Love: A young man meets a young woman and a bond is established between them. Jealousy: When another man, Naidoo, shows an interest in Pinkie, &KLQDEHFRPHVYLROHQWO\MHDORXV&KLQD·VXQFRQWUROOHGHPRWLRQ becomes an obstacle in his relationship with Pinkie. Loss:&KLQDORVHVKLVMREDQGKHORVHV3LQNLH:HORVH3LQNLHDWWKH HQGRIWKHVWRU\EHFDXVHVKHLVFKDVHGDZD\E\WKHSROLFH/LNH China, we don’t know what happens to her. 4. How is the story told? 4.1 Setting The story is set in an industrial area in a city during apartheid. Throughout the story the harshness of apartheid shapes the lives of the characters. We are constantly aware of the poverty in the city and the fact that the lives of the people are worth little. Pinkie tells China that unless he accepts her coffee and buns he will “starve to death in this cruel city”. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 49

5 Short Stories 4.2 Structure and plot development The story starts with the strikers marching. The writer’s description of the march already gives a sense of tension. In the middle of the chaos is Zodwa, who seems calm as she watches the marchers from her coffee- cart. It is only when one of the coffee-carts gets knocked over that she reacts. “She climbed down from her cart, looking like a bird frightened out of its nest.” China helps to move Pinkie’s coffee-cart before it gets damaged. Against the background of the strike and unrest China and Pinkie start a TXLHWIULHQGVKLS:KHQ&KLQDÀQGVDQRWKHUMREKHSURPLVHVWREX\3LQNLH D JLIW 7KH\ JR WR D FKHDSMDFN·V VKRS WR FKRRVH WKH JLIW 1DLGRR WKH FKHDSMDFNWDNHVDOLNLQJWR3LQNLHDQGVWDUWVWRYLVLWKHUWREX\FRIIHH The complication in the story is that Pinkie has two admirers: China and Naidoo. China is shy and is not able openly to tell Pinkie that he loves her. 1DLGRRLVPRUHGLUHFWDQGDEOHWRFKDWDQGMRNHZLWK3LQNLHPRUHHDVLO\ &KLQD·VMHDORXV\RI1DLGRRFUHDWHVWKHULVLQJWHQVLRQLQWKHVWRU\2QH day China notices that Pinkie is wearing a ring. She says Naidoo gave it WRKHUWRSD\IRUWKUHHGD\V·ZRUWKRIFRIIHHDQGFDNH&KLQD·VMHDORXV\ becomes so great that he accuses Pinkie of being in love with Naidoo and threatens her with a knife. This is the climax or crisis point in the story. China then realises that he is scaring Pinkie, and he apologises to her. He leaves. The story does not have a clear resolution as Pinkie is forced by apartheid laws to leave the area three days later. When China comes back some days later she is gone and he is left with his dreams of how things might have been. 4.3 Characterisation The main characters in the story are Pinkie, China and Naidoo. Pinkie is the main character or protagonist in the story. She is called “Pinkie” by China because she has a “peach-coloured face”. This is ironic, because apartheid oppressed black people on the basis of the colour of their skin, and yet here is a black woman with light-coloured skin. It points to how unworkable the system of racial oppression really was. Pinkie is a shy and gentle woman and seems to accept the harshness of her life. She is small and seems fragile. The writer uses descriptions of small creatures when describing her: looking like a bird frightened out of its nest She panted like a timid little mouse cornered by a cat. China is the antagonist in the story. He too has had a hard life. In the SDVWKHZDVLQMDLO+HLVQRWDEOHWRH[SUHVVKLVHPRWLRQVZHOOZLWKZRUGV Instead, he is quick to get angry and use violence. He seems to feel that KH¶RZQV·3LQNLHDQGLVMHDORXVRIKHUKDYLQJDQ\RWKHUIULHQGV+LVMHDORXV\ causes him to threaten Pinkie. However, China is able to show some remorse for the way he treats Pinkie. He is sorry for frightening her and says to her: © Department of Basic Education 2015 50 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Coffee-cart Girl 5 “I pray you never in your life to think about this day.” %RWK 3LQNLH DQG &KLQD KDYH GLIÀFXOW\ OHWWLQJ HDFK RWKHU NQRZ KRZ WKH\ feel about each other. This is mainly because of the cruelty and hardships of the apartheid city in which they live. It makes gentle emotions like love seem dangerous and they both “panicked at the thought of a love affair”. From the start, Pinkie is a bit afraid of China – he attracts and repels (drives her away) her at the same time: She felt “a repelling admiration”. She felt he was the kind of man who could be attractive as long as he remained more than a touch away from the contemplator; China also carried on “a dumb show”, by not telling Pinkie that he loved her: Pinkie and China panicked at the thought of a love affair and vocab remained dumb. Dumb:4QFFDIMFTT VOBCMFUPTQFBL The seriousness of China and Pinkie’s relationship is contrasted with 1DLGRR·VDELOLW\WRFKDWHDVLO\DQGMRNHZLWK3LQNLH+LVDQHFGRWHV´VHQW Pinkie off into peals of laughter”. Naidoo’s relationship is a source of MHDORXV\IRU&KLQD+HVXVSHFWVWKDW1DLGRROLNHV3LQNLHDQGWKLQNVWKDW Pinkie is in love with Naidoo. Naidoo also gives some comic relief to the story, as he mispronounces words for comic effect. 4.4 Style The relationship between Pinkie and China is explored through the use of dialogue and descriptions. Dialogue works to give us an immediate idea of the characters’ thoughts, feelings and attitudes. Another technique that the writer makes use of is contrasts. For example, the love of China and Pinkie contrasts with the harshness of their world. In addition, the writer also contrasts aspects of their personalities. For H[DPSOHDWÀUVW&KLQDVHHPVIULJKWHQLQJWR3LQNLH There was something sly in those soft, moist, slit eyes, but the modest stoop at the shoulders gave him a benign appearance; otherwise he would have looked twisted and rather fiendish. There was something she felt in his presence: a repelling admiration. The violence of China as opposed to the sweetness of Pinkie is shown right at the beginning of the story when, even though he helps Pinkie, China is seen as one of the violent strikers: Almost rudely he pushed her into the street, took the cart by the stump of a shaft and wheeled it across the street, :KHQ&KLQDÀUVWORRNVFDUHIXOO\DW3LQNLHKHQRWLFHVKHUIUDJLOLW\ His eyes travelled from her small tender fingers as she washed a few things, to her man’s jersey which was a faded green and too © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 51

5 Short Stories big for her, her thin frock, and then to her peach-coloured face, not well fed, but well framed and compelling Another contrast between China and Pinkie is when China takes her to choose a gift for herself. It is typical of her character that she would buy something pretty such as “a beautiful long bodkin, a brooch, and a pair of bangles”. It is also in character for China to buy something harsher for himself such as “a knife, dangling from a fashionable chain”. Note the contrasting images and SHUVRQLÀFDWLRQ in the description which follows, which shows the many emotions China and Pinkie feel for each other: Within, heaven and earth thundered and rocked, striving to meet; sunshine and rain mingled; milk and gall pretended friendship; fire vocab and water went hand in hand; tears and laughter hugged each other in a fit of hysterics; the screeching of the hang-bird started Ellipsis:5IFVTFPGUISFF off with the descant of a dove’s cooing; devils waved torches dots… either at the end before a chorus of angels. PGBTFOUFODFUPTIPXUIBU At the end of the story the writer uses ellipsis twice to emphasise the UIFTJUVBUJPOJTJODPNQMFUF incompleteness of the story: PSJOUIFNJEEMFPGB ´,·OOWHOOKHUDOODERXWP\VHOIDOODERXWP\ZLFNHGSDVWVKH·OOJHWXVHG RVPUBUJPOUPTIPXUIBU to me, not be afraid of me any more …” Here the ellipsis indicates XPSETIBWFCFFOMFGUPVU that we will never know whether this wish of China comes true. “And still he sat in the coffee-cart which was once Pinkie’s all through the lunch hour …” Here the ellipsis emphasises that we, like China, do not know whether they will ever see each other again. 4.5 Narrator and point of view The writer uses a third person point of view to tell the story. This approach allows the reader to learn about the characters from what they say and do. It also allows us to appreciate how the political setting explains so much about them. 4.6 Diction and figurative language The way the writer uses words and descriptions helps to convey meaning in WKHVWRU\)RUH[DPSOHWKHZULWHUXVHVPDQ\ÀJXUHVRIVSHHFKDQGVRXQG devices in the story: Similes and metaphors ,QWKHÀUVWOLQHRIWKHVWRU\WKHZULWHUXVHVWZRVLPLOHVWRGHVFULEH the striking marchers: “The crowd moved like one mighty being, and swayed and swung like the sea.” Pinkie is described as having “a peach-coloured face” (a metaphor is used to compare her face to a peach). /DWHU3LQNLHUHDOLVHVWKDW&KLQDLVDQJU\ “She sensed a gathering storm” (in this metaphor, China’s anger is vocab compared to a coming storm). When China threatens Pinkie with a knife a simile is used to compare Oxymoron:5XP Pinkie to a frightened mouse being hunted by a cat: oppositing ideas are “She panted like a timid little mouse cornered by a cat.” QMBDFEOFYUUPFBDIPUIFS © Department of Basic Education 2015 52 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Coffee-cart Girl 5 3HUVRQLÀFDWLRQ 2QHH[DPSOHRISHUVRQLÀFDWLRQXVHGLQWKHVWRU\LV´WKHODZZDV brandishing batons”. This image of the law being armed shows that DSDUWKHLGODZVZHUHQRWDERXWMXVWLFHRUHTXDOLW\EXWDERXWYLROHQFH and oppression. Oxymoron The writer uses oxymorons for effect in the writing, especially when writing about the confused feelings that China and Pinkie have for each other. Pinkie is described as having “a repelling admiration” for &KLQD¶5HSHOOLQJ·PHDQVVRPHWKLQJWKDWLVGLVWDVWHIXORUUHSXOVLYH while ‘admiration’ means something to respect and approve of. 4.7 Tone and mood 5LJKWIURPWKHEHJLQQLQJRIWKHVWRU\ZHDUHPDGHDZDUHRIWKHKDUVKQHVV of life. The tone created by the strike is one of confusion and danger: The crowd moved like one mighty being, and swayed and swung like the sea. Grimy, oily, greasy, sweating black bodies squeezed and chafed and grated. We are constantly aware of the poverty and grime in this part of the city. The tone of the words the writer uses to describe the area and the people is despairing: A dreary smoky mist lingered in suspension, or clung to the walls; black sooty chimneys shot up malignantly The old shopkeepers are described as having: a vague grimace on their faces, seeming to sneer at the world in general /DWHULQWKHVWRU\WKHWRQHRIIHDULVHPSKDVLVHGE\WKHZULWHU·VGHVFULSWLRQ of China threatening Pinkie with a knife: At that very moment she realised fully the ghastliness of a man’s jealousy, which gleamed and glanced on the blade and seemed to have raised a film which steadied the slit eyes. At the end of the story the coffee-carts are empty and deserted. Their emptiness emphasises China’s loss of Pinkie. Yet the story ends on a hopeful tone as we read that China hopes that one day he will see Pinkie again: We’ll meet in town some day, China thought. I’ll tell her all about myself, all about my wicked past; she’ll get used to me, not be afraid of me any more … Mood: How does this story make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? What are the reasons it makes you feel this way? © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 53

5 Short Stories summary The Coffee-cart Girl by Es’kia Mphahlele 1. Title t Focuses the story on Pinkie, the coffee-cart girl, surviving in apartheid South Africa 2. Themes t Life affected by apartheid t Violence against women/women’s powerlessness t Love t Jealousy t Loss 3. How is the story told? 3.1 Setting t An industrial area in a city during apartheid 3.2 Structure and plot development t Complication: Pinkie has two admirers t Rising tension: China’s jealousy of Naidoo t Climax/crisis point: China threatening Pinkie with a knife t Resolution: None; the reader is left wondering what happens to the characters next. 3.3 Characterisation t Protagonist: Pinkie is the main character t Antagonist: China opposes her t Naidoo: A source of tension (China’s jealousy) and comic relief 3.4 Style t Dialogue and descriptions: Used to explore Pinkie and China’s relationship t Contrasts: The love of Pinkie and China compared to their harsh world; China’s violence compared to Pinkie’s sweetness; China choosing a knife compared to the pretty things that Pinkie chooses from Naidoo’s shop t Ellipsis: Emphasises the incompleteness of the story 3.5 Narrator and point of view t Third person 3.6 Diction and figurative language t “peach-coloured face” Metaphor t “She sensed the gathering storm” Metaphor t “The crowd moved like one mighty being, and swayed and swung like the sea.” t Two similes © Department of Basic Education 2015 54 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Coffee-cart Girl 5 summary t “She panted like a timid little mouse cornered by a cat.” Simile t “repelling admiration” Oxymoron t “the law was brandishing batons” Personification t “fire and water went hand in hand” Personification 3.7 Tone and mood t Tone: Begins with a tone of despair and danger in the strike; tone of fear increases at the point of Pinkie being threatened by China; ends on a hopeful note as China imagines meeting up with Pinkie again t Mood: How does this story make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? Give reasons for your answer. Activity 9 5HDGWKHH[WUDFWEHORZDQGDQVZHUWKHTXHVWLRQVWKDWIROORZ Extract A [China and Pinky meet again after the violent strike.] “Oh!” She gave a gasp and her hand went to her mouth. “You’re the good uncle who saved my cart!” “Don’t uncle me, please. My name is Ruben Lemeko. The boys at the factory call me China. Yours?” “Zodwa.” 5 His eyes travelled from her small tender fingers as she washed a few things, to her man’s jersey which was a faded green and too big for her, her thin frock, and then to her peach-coloured face, not well fed, but well framed and compelling under a soiled black beret. As he ate hungrily she shot a side-glance at him occasionally. 10 There was something sly in those soft, moist, slit eyes, but the modest stoop at the shoulders gave him a benign appearance; otherwise he would have looked twisted and rather fiendish. There was something she felt in his presence: a repelling admiration. She felt he was the kind of man who could be quite attractive so long 15 as he remained more than a touch away from the contemplator; just like those wax figures she once saw in the chamber of horrors. 1. Describe the events that lead to China saving Pinkie’s cart. *LYH7+5((SRLQWV 2. Why does Pinkie refer to China as “uncle” in line 2 of extract A? (1) 3. Choose the correct answer to complete the following sentence. In line 3, China says: “Don’t uncle me, please.” His tone in this line is one of: © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 55

5 Short Stories A happiness. B satisfaction. C annoyance. D sadness. (1) 5HIHUWROLQHV²RIH[WUDFW$ ´+LVH\HVWUDYHOOHGVRLOHGEODFN beret”). What do these lines show you about Pinkie’s circumstances? (1) 5. In lines 11–14 of extract A (“There was something sly... a repelling admiration”), Pinkie has mixed feelings about China. What are these feelings? (2) PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION 5HIHUWROLQHVRIH[WUDFW$ ´MXVWOLNHWKRVHFKDPEHURIKRUURUVµ NB NB D ,GHQWLI\WKHÀJXUHRIVSHHFKLQWKHVHOLQHV E ,QZKDWZD\GRHV&KLQDUHPLQG3LQNLHRIWKHZD[ÀJXUHV" 7. How is China affected by the strike? (1) +RZDUH3LQNLHDQG&KLQDYLFWLPVRIDSDUWKHLGSUHMXGLFH" 'PSRVFTUJPO0/& HINT! /DWHU3LQNLHJLYHV&KLQDFRIIHHDQGSDQFDNHV:KDWGRHVWKLV hint BOTXFSNVTUCF BCPVU1JOLJFBOE behaviour tell us about the kind of person Pinkie is? State TWO 0/&BCPVU$IJOBJOPSEFSUP points. (2) HFUNBSLT 10. At the end of the story Pinkie disappears because the police no e.g. EG - worked examples longer allow her to operate her coffee-cart on the street. In your RSLQLRQLVWKHDFWLRQRIWKHSROLFHMXVWLÀHG"'LVFXVV\RXUYLHZ [17] exams Answers to Activity 9 1. The strikers become violent. The strikers destroy some of the carts. China pulls Pinkie’s cart across the street. (3) 2. To show respect. /He is older than Pinkie. (1) activity 3. C/annoyance (1) 4. She is poor. /She appears to be undernourished. ACTIVITIES boy (1) and and girl-left 6KHÀQGVKLPDWWUDFWLYH\HWUHSXOVLYH She is attracted to him but right of page realises that he might be dangerous. (2) activity 6. a) simile (1) b) He is beautiful/scary/emotionless (1) PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION +HORVHVKLVMRE (1) NB NB 8. Pinkie leads a poor life. 6KHFDQQRWJHWDSURSHUMRE/ She is no longer allowed to operate her cart. China is Step by step comment comment underpaid. / +HORVHVKLVMREZKHQKHSDUWLFLSDWHVLQDSURWHVWVWULNH/He has 2VFTUJPOBTLT HINT! WURXEOHÀQGLQJDQHZMRE hint GPSZPVSPQJOJPO #BDLVQZPVSWJFX (2) 9. She is compassionate. / She is caring. / She is sympathetic. / XJUISFBTPOT5IFTFBOTXFST 6KHLVXQVHOÀVK / She is grateful. (2) BSFFYBNQMFT 7KHDFWLRQRIWKHSROLFHLVQRWMXVWLÀHGEHFDXVHWKHFRIIHHFDUW e.g. EG - worked examples was how Pinkie made her living and now she would have no work. 25 7KHDFWLRQRIWKHSROLFHLVMXVWLÀHGEHFDXVHLWZDVHQIRUFLQJWKH laws of the city to keep it clean. (2) exams [17] © Department of Basic Education 2015 56 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature activity

The Coffee-cart Girl 5 Activity 10 5HDGWKHH[WUDFWEHORZDQGDQVZHUWKHTXHVWLRQVWKDWIROORZ Extract B [China attacks Pinky in her coffee-cart.] At that very moment she realised fully the ghastliness of a man’s jealousy, which gleamed and glanced on the blade and seemed to have raised a film which steadied the slit eyes. Against the back wall she managed to speak. “All right, China, maybe you’ve done this many times before. Go 5 ahead and kill me; I won’t cry for help, do what you like with me.” She panted like a timid little mouse cornered by a cat. He couldn’t finish the job he had set out to do. Why? He had sent two men packing with a knife before. They had tried to fight, but this creature wasn’t resisting at all. Why, why, why? He felt the heat 10 pounding in his temples; the knife dropped, and he sank on to a stool and rested his head on the wall, his hands trembling. After a moment he stood up, looking away from Pinkie. ‘I’m sorry, Pinkie, I pray you never in your life to think about this day.” She looked at him, mystified. 15 “Say you forgive me.” She nodded twice. Then she packed up for the day, much earlier than usual. The following day China did not visit Pinkie; nor the next. He could not decide to go there. Things were all in a barbed wire tangle in his mind. But see her he must, he thought. He would just 20 go and hug her; say nothing but just press her to himself because he felt too mean even to tell her not to be afraid of him any more. 1. Complete the following sentences by using the words in the list below. MHUVH\JXLOW\ULQJKDSS\FRPSDVVLRQDWHMHDORXVDJJUHVVLYH China sees Pinkie wearing a (a) .... He is (b) ... because Naidoo gave LWWRKHU&KLQDEHFRPHV F WRZDUGV3LQNLH/DWHUKHIHHOV G about this behaviour. (4) 2. How does Naidoo make a living? (1) ,VWKHIROORZLQJVWDWHPHQW758(RU)$/6(":ULWH´WUXHµRU´IDOVHµ and give a reason for your answer. Pinkie accepted the gift from Naidoo as a token of his love. (2) 5HIHUWROLQHRIH[WUDFW% ´6KHSDQWHGOLNHE\DFDWµ Why does the writer compare Pinkie to a mouse and China to a cat? (2) 5HIHUWROLQHV²RIH[WUDFW% ´+HKDGVHQWDNQLIHEHIRUHµ What does this line show you about China’s past behaviour? (1) © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 57

5 Short Stories 5HIHUWROLQHRIH[WUDFW% ´6KHORRNHGDWKLPP\VWLÀHGµ Explain why Pinkie feels this way. (2) 5HIHUWRWKHODVWSDUDJUDSKRIH[WUDFW% ´7KHIROORZLQJGD\KLPDQ\ more”). a) Why does China’s behaviour change at this stage in the story? (1) b) In your opinion, is China being realistic when he hopes that Pinkie will not be afraid of him anymore? (2) 'RHV3LQNLHUHDOO\IRUJLYH&KLQD"*LYHDUHDVRQIRU\RXUDQVZHU 9. Pinkie and China do not meet again. Is this an effective conclusion to this story? Discuss your view. (2) [18] Answers to Activity 10 1. a) ring E MHDORXV c) aggressive PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION d) guilty (4) NB NB +HLVDFKHDSMDFNKDZNHUYHQGRU (1) 3. False. Naidoo gave her the ring as payment for the coffee and cakes. (2) 4. A cat is ferocious and a mouse is timid. *ORVFTUJPOT HINT! 25 hint BOZ580PGUIFTF BOTXFSTXJMMFBSO Just as a cat can overpower a mouse so, too, can China overpower Pinkie. ZPVNBSLT 25 She has no chance against China, as he is much stronger than e.g. EG - worked examples she is. (2) PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION 5. He was aggressive /violent /He was a murderer. (1) NB 6. She NBis puzzled /does not understand that his aggressive behaviour has changed to that of being apologetic. (2) exams 7. a) He realises that she is innocent. /He still loves her. (1) b) He is being realistic because she nods her head to say she forgives 2VFTUJPOT HINT! him and he knows he must never be violent with her again. hint BOEBTLGPSZPVS PQJOJPO#BDLVQ 25 He is not being realistic. Now that she has seen for herself how ZPVSWJFXXJUISFBTPOT5IFTF violent China can be, she will never be able to trust him again. (2) BOTXFSTBSFFYBNQMFT activity 8. Yes, Pinkie forgives China. She shows this by nodding twice when e.g. EG - worked examples ACTIVITIES boy he asks for her forgiveness. and girl-left and 25 right of page No, Pinkie has not forgiven China. She may have nodded that she exams activity had forgiven him, but she packs up early to get away from him because she is afraid. (1) 9. It is an effective conclusion to the story because it shows how uncertain their lives are and keeps us guessing about what happens next. Step by step comment comment 25 It is not an effective conclusion to the story because it is dissatisfying activity to the reader not to know what happens next. The writer should have been clearer about the outcome. (2) ACTIVITIES boy and girl-left and right of page [18] activity © Department of Basic Education 2015 58 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Coffee-cart Girl 5 words to know 'HÀQLWLRQVRIZRUGVIURPWKHVKRUWVWRU\ chafed rubbed against brandishing waving in a threatening way malignantly viciously tremulous shaky contemptible worthless buddha 5th century Indian philosopher grimace scowl resented felt bitter about artless innocent dumb show action with no words cheapjack someone who sells goods that are very cheap bodkin an ornamental pin rhapsodies enthusiastic comments elated delighted menacing frightening, threatening P\VWLÀHG confused ominous threatening © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 59

6 Short Stories The Dube Train by Can Themba Daniel Canadoce (“Can”) Themba (1924–1968) was born in Marabastad in Pretoria. He studied at Fort Hare University and later PRYHG WR -RKDQQHVEXUJ ZKHUH KH ZRUNHG DV D WHDFKHU DQG MRXUQDOLVW on Drum magazine. Many of his stories are about the lives of the people in Sophiatown in Johannesburg where he lived. This was a mixed- race suburb which was very vibrant during the 1950s, but it was later destroyed by the apartheid government. In the early 1960s he moved to Swaziland, where he died a few years later. Can Themba 1. Summary The narrator is at Dube Station in Soweto on a cold Monday morning, waiting for the train to Johannesburg. All his descriptions of the station and people emphasise his depression, which he feels is shared by all the Did you know? people around him. %SVNNBHB[JOFXBTB When he gets onto the train he sits opposite a huge man. When the train QPQVMBSNBHB[JOFSFBECZ gets to Phefeni Station a young woman enters the carriage and sits next VSCBOCMBDLQFPQMF$BO to the narrator. Soon afterwards a tsotsiMXPSVRQWRWKHWUDLQDQGEHJLQV 5IFNCBXBTPOFPGUIF verbally harassing the girl. When the girl reaches her stop and wants to A%SVN#PZT NBOZPGXIPN get off the train the tsotsi prevents her and slaps her. She tries to get away XFSFQVCMJTIFEXSJUFST IURPKLPE\MXPSLQJRYHUWKHQDUUDWRUEXWWKHtsotsi follows her. 0UIFSNFNCFSTPGUIFA%SVN #PZTXFSF)FOSZ/YVNBMP No one dares to say anything to stop the tsotsi, until an older woman starts #MPLF.PEJTBOF XIPXSPUF shouting at the men and calling them cowards. This causes the tsotsi #MBNF.F0O)JTUPSZ 5PEE to swear at the woman. This angers the huge man sitting opposite the .BUTIJLJ[B XIPXSPUFUIF narrator and he gets up and moves towards the tsotsi. NVTJDGPSUIFNVTJDBMKing The tsotsi pulls out a knife and cuts the big man’s chest and arm. The big Kong BOE/BU/BLBTB PDQLVHQUDJHGDQGLQVSLWHRIKLVLQMXULHVKHJUDEVWKHtsotsi and lifts him up. He throws him out of the train window. (YHU\RQHLVVKRFNHGEXWWKHLQFLGHQWVRRQEHFRPHVMXVWDQRWKHUHYHQWRQ the morning Dube train. © Department of Basic Education 2015 60 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Dube Train 6 2. Title The title focuses on the train journey rather than on any characters in the VWRU\7KHZULWHULQWHQGVXVWRVHHWKHWUDLQMRXUQH\DVDFRPPHQWRQWKH OLYHVSHRSOHH[SHULHQFH(YHQZKHQEDGWKLQJVKDSSHQSHRSOHMXVWDFFHSW them. The incident on the train happens to people no one knows or is concerned about. It soon becomes: Just an incident in the morning Dube train. 3. Themes vocab The main themes of this story are: Passive: 5PBDDFQUXIBU Violence, crime and gangsterismLQWKHWRZQVKLSVDQG IBQQFOTPSXIBUPUIFSTEP People’s passive attitudes to these issues. XJUIPVUBOBDUJWFSFTQPOTF © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 61

6 Short Stories 7KHWUDLQSDVVHQJHUVGRQRWDWÀUVWWDNHDFWLRQZKHQWKH\DUHIDFHGZLWK gangsterism and violence. Nobody stops the tsotsi from harassing the girl, or prevents the tsotsi from stabbing the big man, or stops the man IURPÁLQJLQJWKHtsotsi out of the window. The large man who takes action against the tsotsi also behaves in a violent way, which is not a solution to the social problem of crime. Perhaps the writer is saying that violence has become so common that people no longer see it as a problem: too many passengers had seen too many tragedies to be rattled by this incident. People have become so used to violence that they are not shocked by such incidents. They consider them as a break in their dull lives. Although the narrator is also guilty of not getting involved, the writer uses him to convey WKHPHVVDJHWKDWWKHSHRSOHDUHWRRXVHGWRFULPHDQGWRRSDVVLYHWRÀJKW against it. 4. How is the story told? 4.1 Setting Remember The story takes place at the Dube station and on the Dube train. It is on the that this story was train trip from Dube to Johannesburg that the events involving the girl, the written during tsotsi and the huge man take place. apartheid. Black people were only allowed to The narrator links the train trip with life in general: travel third class in trains. the prospect of congested trains filled with sour-smelling humanity, did not improve my impression of a hostile life directing its malevolence plumb at me. 4.2 Structure and plot development At the beginning of the story the narrator gives a description of the environment at the station and the people who, like him, feel depressed on that Monday morning. The faceless, nameless people add to his feeling of despair. When the narrator gets on to the train he describes the passengers more individually. The writer describes the huge man who sits opposite him, a young girl who gets on the train later and a tsotsi who sees the girl and comes to harass her. The tsotsi’s harassment of the girl is the complication in the story. It creates the rising tension, to the point where the huge man gets up to intervene, after the tsotsi insults a woman who yells at the men nearby to stop the tsotsi. When the tsotsi draws a knife it creates panic in the carriage: the woman shrieked and men scampered on to seats. The climax of the story occurs when the tsotsi stabs the big man who confronts him. The man then picks the tsotsiXSDQGÁLQJVKLPRXWRIWKH train window. © Department of Basic Education 2015 62 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Dube Train 6 The story ends with a negative and disturbing resolution because, although the problem with the tsotsi has been dealt with, the violent action of the man is also a criminal act. The narrator of the story comments at the end of the story: Odd, that no one expressed sympathy for the boy or the man. 4.3 Characterisation The main characters in the story are people who are part of the crowd on the train: A huge man who sits opposite the narrator. He is described as ´DKXONRIDPDQKLVKXJHQHVVZDVREWUXVLYHWRWKHVLJKWZKHQ\RX saw him, and to the mind when you looked away”. His presence feels “obtrusive” because he is so large and it feels as if he is blocking the Did you narrator’s view and he can’t see past him. notice that it was an A young girl, who is described as “pert, arrogant, live”. She is young ROGZRPDQZKR¿UVWVWRRG but acts more mature than she is. up to the tsotsi? What do you think this says about A young tsotsiZKRMXPSVRQWRWKHWUDLQDQGVWDUWVWRKDUDVVWKHJLUO the men who chose to An old lady who shouts at the men in the carriage for not stopping be passive? the tsotsi. The men in the carriage “winced. They said nothing, merely looked around at each other in shy embarrassment”. It is only when the tsotsi swears at the woman, that the huge man becomes offended and takes action. He does not react when the young girl is being harassed. In the story the huge man, the girl and the shouting woman act as protagonists. The tsotsi is the antagonist as he is in opposition to them. It is the tsotsi’s actions that drive the events that take place on the train. 4.4 Style The narrator of the story notices what is going on with the tsotsi and WKH JLUO DV ZHOO DV DOO WKH GHWDLOV RI WKH WUDLQ MRXUQH\ 7KH HYHQWV LQ WKH carriage are viewed between station stops. At one point the narrator gives a long description of a bridge and the view of the city skyline, which looks attractive after “the drab, chocolate-box houses of the township, monotonously identical row upon row”. vocab Slang: "UZQFPGJOGPSNBM The writer uses township slang and dialect as ways to indicate the MBOHVBHFVTFECZBQBSUJDVMBS atmosphere of the life he is describing. “Tsotsi”, “Sies” and “Hela, Tholo, HSPVQJOTPDJFUZ my ma hears me, I want that ten-’n-six!” are examples of slang. In the story slang is used by the tsotsis to communicate with each other. It sets the tsotsis apart from the other passengers. The narrator says of their exchange of words: The gibberish exchange was all in exuberant superlatives. 4.5 Narrator and point of view The narrator tells the story in the ÀUVWSHUVRQ. He refers to himself as “I”. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 63

6 Short Stories 4.6 Diction and figurative language The way the writer uses language in the story helps to express meaning. For example, the descriptionRIWKHELJPDQRQWKHWUDLQLVVLJQLÀFDQWDVLW helps us build up a picture of him: a hulk of a man ... The neck was thick and corded, and the enormous chest was a live barrel that heaved back and forth. With this metaphor of the man’s chest being an enormous live barrel we have an image of how huge he was and don’t question his ability to lift up and throw the boy later. The writer’s description of the ‘blue’ Monday includes phrases such as “hostile life”, “the grey aspect around me”, “savagery of the crowd” and “all was wrong with the world”, which give the impression of a dreary day which matches his depression. Can Themba 7KHZULWHUXVHVÀJXUDWLYHODQJXDJHWRGHVFULEHWKHVFHQHDQGWKHFKDUDFWHUV uses language very Simile powerfully to question whether humanity can For example, his description of the movement of the train leaving the remain caring in the station as making the platform look as though it is “a fast conveyor “hostile life” of urban belt”. apartheid. Metaphor The woman who shouted at the tsotsi used “barbed words” – her words are compared to barbs, which could mean insults or sharp thorns. Oxymoron The narrator watches the tsotsi with “grim anticipation”. “Anticipation” is usually associated with looking forward to something positive. Here it is paired with “grim”, which means horrible, awful or unpleasant. 4.7 Tone and mood From the start of the story the writer gives us a picture of a dreary Monday PRUQLQJDWWKHVWDWLRQ7KHQDUUDWRUVXUYH\VWKHVFHQHZLWKGLVSOHDVXUHWKH tone of his thoughts conveys a feeling of gloom: Despairing thoughts of every kind darted through my mind: the lateness of the trains, the shoving savagery of the crowd, the grey aspect around me. The tone of gloom and despair is continued when the narrator is seated on the train: the other passengers, looking Monday-bleared, had no enthusiasm about them. They were just like the lights of the carriage – dull, dreary, undramatic. The writer emphasises how bored and depressed the passengers on the train usually are by contrasting this with how they behave at the end of the story: [They] break out into a cacophony of chattering. They were just greedily relishing the thrilling episode of the morning.” © Department of Basic Education 2015 64 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Dube Train 6 The writer emphasises the fact that people are so used to violence, that they are not so much shocked as excited by what happened on the train. This creates a tone of excitement. Mood: How does this story make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? What are the reasons it makes you feel this way? summary The Dube Train by Can Themba 1. Title t Focuses on a train journey 2. Themes t Violence, crime and gangsterism t Peoples’ passive attitudes to these issues 3. How is the story told? 3.1 Setting t At the Dube Station and on the train 3.2 Structure and plot development t Complication: The tsotsi’s harassment of the girl t Rising tension: The continued harassment of the girl t Climax: The stabbing of the big man and the tsotsi being thrown out of the train window t Resolution: Disturbing because the violence of the man against the tsotsi is also a criminal act 3.3 Characterisation t Protagonists: The big man, the girl and the shouting woman t Antagonist: The tsotsi 3.4 Style t Descriptions: Of the township and the city t Slang/dialect: For example, “tsotsi”, “sies”, “hela” 3.5 Narrator and point of view t First person 3.6 Diction and figurative language t “the enormous chest was a live barrel” Metaphor t “barbed words” Metaphor t “like a fast conveyor belt” Simile © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 65

6 Short Stories summary t “grim anticipation” Oxymoron 3.7 Tone and mood t Tone: Mainly a gloomy, despairing and depressed tone; except when the violence breaks out, when the tone becomes excited t Mood: How does this story make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? Give reasons for your answer. Activity 11 5HDGWKHH[WUDFWEHORZDQGDQVZHUWKHTXHVWLRQVWKDWIROORZ Extract A [The narrator describes a typical Monday morning.] The morning was too cold for a summer morning, at least to me, a child of the sun. But then on all Monday mornings I feel rotten and shivering, with a clogged feeling in the chest and a nauseous churning in the stomach. It debilitates my interest in the whole world around me. 5 The Dube Station, with the prospect of congested trains filled with sour-smelling humanity, did not improve my impression of a hostile life directing its malevolence plumb at me. Despairing thoughts of every kind darted through my mind: the lateness of the trains, the shoving savagery of the crowds, the grey aspect around 10 me. Even the announcer over the loudspeaker gave confusing directions. I suppose it had something to do with the peculiar chemistry of the body on Monday morning. But for me all was wrong with the world. Yet, by one of those flukes that occur in all routines, the train I 15 caught was not full when it came. I usually try to avoid seats next to the door, but sometimes it cannot be helped. So it was on that Monday morning when I hopped into the Third Class carriage. 1. 5HDGWKHIROORZLQJVWDWHPHQWDQGFRPSOHWHWKHVHQWHQFHE\ÀOOLQJLQ the missing words. Write down only the words next to the question number (1a)–1b)). In lines 1 and 2 “a child of the sun” is an example of SHUVRQLÀFDWLRQ The a) … is being described as the b) … of the narrator. (2) © Department of Basic Education 2015 66 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Dube Train 6 2. 5HIHUWRSDUDJUDSK vocab a) 4XRWHQRPRUHWKDQ)285consecutive words from the Consecutive: 8PSETUIBU H[WUDFWWRVKRZWKDWWKLVVWRU\LVZULWWHQLQWKHÀUVWSHUVRQ EJSFDUMZGPMMPXPOFBOPUIFS b) 8VLQJ\RXURZQZRUGVEULHÁ\GHVFULEHKRZWKHQDUUDWRUIHHOV on a Monday morning. State TWO points. (2) c) In your view, why does he feel this way? State TWO points. (2) 3. 5HIHUWRSDUDJUDSK Quote TWO consecutive words to show that the narrator has a negative outlook on life. (1) 4. 5HIHUWROLQH10 (“… shoving savagery of the crowds …”). :KLFKÀJXUHRIVSHHFKLVXVHGKHUH" 5. Choose the correct answer to complete the following sentence: In line 13, the word “ÁXNHV” refers to … A unfortunate accidents. B lucky charms. C unlucky coincidences. D a stroke of good luck. (1) 6. 5HIHUWRWKHVWRU\DVDZKROH ,VWKHIROORZLQJVWDWHPHQW758(RU)$/6("*LYHDUHDVRQWR support your answer. 7KHQDUUDWRU·VMRXUQH\ZDVGXOODQGXQHYHQWIXO 7. What point is the narrator making by including the description of the train carriage and the station? State TWO ideas. (2) 8. A girl boards the train at Phefeni station. a) ([SODLQZKDWWKHQDUUDWRUÀQGVXQXVXDOIRUDJLUORIKHUDJH State TWO points. (2) b) Explain why the narrator is surprised by the girl’s reactions later, when the tsotsi attacks her. State TWO points. (2) [18] © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 67

6 Short Stories PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION NB Answers NBto Activity 11 1. a) sun b) parent/mother/father (2) 2. a) “at least, to me …” "OZ580PGUIF HINT! “I feel rotten” hint BOTXFSTHJWFOJO RVFTUJPOC BOED “my interest” BSFBDDFQUBCMF “whole world around me.” (1) b) He feels sick/ill/bad. He feels cold./ He shivers. e.g. EG - worked examples He feels like vomiting. +LVFKHVWLVWLJKWKDVGLIÀFXOW\EUHDWKLQJ He is not interested in anything. exams He feels miserable. He feels irritable. He feels unhappy. He feels scared. (2) c) He does not like Monday mornings. /He is faced with a bleak prospect of the coming week. activity PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION He probably has a hangover/has consumed too much alcohol during the weekend. NB ACTIVITIES boy NB The thought of getting on the Dube train scares him/sends shivers and girl-left and right of pagedown his spine./He is afraid. He is faced with his dismal surroundings. (2) activity 3. “sour-smelling humanity” "OZ0/&PGUIF HINT! “its malevolence” hint BOTXFSTHJWFO in question 3 is “hostile life” BDDFQUBCMF “Despairing thoughts” Step by step 4. Assonance comment comment (1) 5. D (1) e.g. EG - worked examples )DOVH7KHMRXUQH\ZDVIXOORIGUDPDZLWKDWVRWVLDWWDFNLQJ a girl, and then the tsotsi being thrown out of the train by a strong PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION man. (2) NB NB exams 7. The narrator is showing how unfriendly and dirty his world is. The trains are full with sour-smelling people, and at the station seemed unfriendly and confusing. (2) 8. a) She has an adult manner/she seems to know all about the *ORVFTUJPOB HINT! world/she is precocious. hint BOEC BOZ580PG UIFTFBOTXFSTBSF She is arrogant. She has an air about her that scares/intimidates even activity BDDFQUBCMF the adults. (2) b) /DWHULQWKHVWRU\VKHVXGGHQO\UHDFWVOLNHWKH\RXQJJLUOVKHLV e.g. EG - worked examples ACTIVITIES boy and girl-left and right of page She panics. She looks around for help./She hopes the other passengers activity will come to her aid./Her arrogance suddenly disappears. exams She whimpers. She runs away/tries to get off the train. (2) [18] Step by step comment comment activity ACTIVITIES boy © Department of Basic Education 2015 and girl-left and 68 SHORT STORIES right of page Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Dube Train 6 Activity 12 5HDGWKHH[WUDFWEHORZDQGDQVZHUWKHTXHVWLRQVWKDWIROORZ Extract B [The narrator describes the reactions of the passengers.] Our caveman lover was still at the girl while people were changing from our train to the Westgate train in New Canada. The girl wanted to get off, but the tsotsi would not let her. When the train left the station, he gave her a vicious slap across the face so that her beret went flying. She flung a leg over me and rolled across my lap in 5 her hurtling escape. The tsotsi followed, and as he passed me he reeled with the sway of the train. To steady himself, he put a full paw in my face. It smelled sweaty- sour. Then he ploughed through the humanity of the train, after the girl. Men gave way shamelessly, but one woman would not take it. 10 She burst into a spitfire tirade that whiplashed at the men. “Lord, you call yourselves men, you poltroons! You let a small ruffian insult you. Fancy, he grabs at a girl in front of you – might be your daughter – this thing with the manner of a pig! If there were real men here, they’d pull his pants off and give him such a leathering 15 he’d never sit down for a week. But, no, you let him do this here; tonight you’ll let him do it in your homes. And all you do is whimper, ‘The children of today have never no respect!’ Sies!” 1. 5HIHUWROLQH a) Who is “our caveman lover”? (1) b) Why is this person described as a “caveman”? (1) c) Quote ONE word from paragraph 2 which shows that the narrator is comparing the “caveman” to an animal. (1) 2. 5HIHUWROLQH7. What caused the “caveman” to reel? (1) 3. 5HIHUWROLQH2. Using your own words, explain why the woman calls the men “poltroons”. (1) 4. 5HIHUWRSDUDJUDSK4 of the extract. 4XRWH)285FRQVHFXWLYHZRUGVWRVKRZWKDWWKHZRPDQEHOLHYHV that the men have strong fatherly instincts. (1) 5. 5HIHUWROLQH8. What does the use of the word “Sies!” suggest about the woman’s PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION feelings? (1) NB 6. /DWHULQWKHVWRU\WKHDWWDFNHUGUDZVDNQLIHZKHQWKHELJPDQ confronts him. How do the following people react when they see the knife? a) The woman (1) "OZ580BOTXFSTUP HINT! b) The male passengers (1) hint questions 7 and 9 are DPSSFDUGPSNBSLT 7. The big man, who has been sitting quietly all the time, comes to life because of the incident described in the extract. e.g. EG - worked examples © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 69

6 Short Stories a) Why, do you think, does he not react when the tsotsi attacks the young girl? State TWO points. (2) b) What causes the big man’s violent reaction later? (2) 8. 'R\RXIHHOVRUU\IRUWKHDWWDFNHUZKRLVÁXQJIURPWKHWUDLQDQG probably killed? Explain your answer. (2) 9. The passengers on the Dube train choose not to get involved when the tsotsiDWWDFNVWKHJLUO7KH\DOVRGRQRWKLQJZKHQKHLVÁXQJIURP the train. Why do you think this is the case? Discuss your view. (2) [17] Answers to Activity 12 PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION 1. a) The tsotsi/the man who is attacking the girl. (1) NB NB b) His behaviour is vicious/primitive/savage/barbaric. (1) c) “paw” (1) 2. The movement/swaying of the train. (1) 3. They behave like cowards. /They do not help the girl. /They should "OZ0/&PGUIFTF HINT! have intervened. /They should have given him a beating. /The hint BOTXFSTXJMMFBSOZPV NBSL tsotsi appears to be younger than most of them so the men should discipline him. /He is one and they are many. (1) 4. “might be your daughter” (1) PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION 5. She is angry /disgusted /disapproving /contemptuous / e.g. NB EG - worked examples NB / upset. disappointed (1) 6. a) She shouts /screams /shrieks. (1) b) They move out of the way. (1) exams "OZ580PGUIFTF 7. a) He is used to incidents like this. HINT! He does not want to get involved in this incident /he has been hint BOTXFSTJOB C BOEXJMMFBSOZPV minding his own business, humming a song. He probably thinks the two young people know each other. NBSLT He feels she deserves such treatment /her arrogance when boarding /the way she is dressed invited such treatment. (2) e.g. PAY EG - SPECIAL ATTENTION worked examples NB b) The NBdisrespect shown to the older woman. /The tsotsi activity swearing at a woman old enough to be his mother. ACTIVITIES boy The tsotsi wounds him with a knife. (2) and girl-left and page<HVDOWKRXJKKHDWWDFNHGWKHJLUOKHGRHVQRWGHVHUYHWREHÁXQJ exams right of 2VFTUJPOBTLTGPS HINT! from the train. hint activity ZPVSPQJOJPO5IFTF 25 BOTXFSTBSFFYBNQMFT No, there is no excuse for being so rude to a woman/elders/people in general./No, he got what he deserved because he was so violent himself. (2) e.g. activity EG - worked examples Step by step 9. Violence is part of their daily lives /they are used to it. comment comment There is no respect for human life. ACTIVITIES boyThere is no respect for women. and girl-left and right of pageThey fear for their own lives. exams They do not wish to get involved in other people’s lives/ activity business. (2) [17] Step by step comment comment activity ACTIVITIES boy and girl-left and right of page © Department of Basic Education 2015 activity 70 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Dube Train 6 words to know 'HÀQLWLRQVRIZRUGVIURPWKHVKRUWVWRU\ nauseous feeling sick hostile unfriendly congested very full malevolence haostility ÁXNH lucky chance lackluster lifeless obtrusive interfering, in the way genie magical spirit nefarious wicked ditty little song titillating pleasing lechery lust bawdiness vulgarity precocious maturing early anticipation expectation nonchalantly casually exuberant lively, high-spirited superlatives highest order or degree ungallant not gentlemanly FRQÁXHQFH coming together tirade verbal abuse poltroons cowards lewd vulgar helter-skelter disorderly behaviour berserk mad demonical behaving badly cacophony loud noise relishing HQMR\LQJ harass torment, molest passive resigned, enduring monotonously repetitively, unchangingly, boringly © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 71

7 Short Stories The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber -DPHV 7KXUEHU ZDV DQ $PHULFDQ MRXUQDOLVW ZULWHU DQG cartoonist. For many years he worked for The New Yorker, a literary magazine. He lost one eye early in life and, as a result, he was not able to play sports like his peers. To pass the time he would escape into a rich fantasy world. He wrote many stories and memoirs. He often illustrated his stories with his own drawings. 7RUHDGPRUHDERXWMDPHV7KXUEHUJRWRZZZ7KXUEHU+RXVHRUJ James Thurber 1. Summary The story takes place on a snowy day during World War 2 (1939-1945) in an American town called Waterbury. Walter Mitty, an elderly man, is taking his wife to town so that she can go to the hairdresser and he can do some shopping while she is there. As Walter Mitty drives his wife into town, does his errands and waits for KHUKHHVFDSHVLQWRWKHIROORZLQJÀYHfantasy worlds of his “secret life”. These are: Fantasy 1: He imagines that he is a Commander of a navy hydroplane going through a heavy storm – the worst storm in naval history. In his real life his wife shouts at him for driving his car too fast. Fantasy 2: He imagines that he is a renowned surgeon, saving a millionaire’s life. In his real life he drives past a hospital, which triggers his fantasy. Fantasy 3: He imagines he is a brave defendant in a murder trial. In his real life he walks past a boy selling newspapers who is shouting the headlines about a famous trial called the Waterbury trial. Fantasy 4:+HLPDJLQHVKHLVDKHURLFERPEHUSLORWÀJKWLQJWKH *HUPDQV,QKLVUHDOOLIHKHUHDGVDQDUWLFOHLQDPDJD]LQHWLWOHG ´&DQ*HUPDQ\&RQTXHUWKH:RUOG7KURXJKWKH$LU"µ Fantasy 5:+HLPDJLQHVWKDWKHLVDPDQEUDYHO\IDFLQJDÀULQJVTXDG without a blindfold. In real life he is waiting outside a shop for his wife and it begins to rain. © Department of Basic Education 2015 72 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty 7 2. Title The title includes the words “secret life”, which encourages the reader to read the story in order to discover what this life is, and why it is “secret”. 3. Themes A main theme in the story is the FRQÁLFW between fantasy and reality. Mitty appears to be a hero to himself in his fantasy world, but in his real world he is weak and inadequate. Another theme is the power of fantasy and imagination. It is only by HVFDSLQJLQWRKLVIDQWDV\ZRUOGWKDW0LWW\FDQÀQGVRPHVHQVHRISRZHU DQGUHOLHIIURPKLVUHDOZRUOGZKHUHKHLVWKHREMHFWRIULGLFXOHLQKLVZLIH·V and others’ eyes. Walter Mitty represents all of us who aspire to a life of glamour and heroics to brighten up our everyday reality. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 73

7 Short Stories 4. How is the story told? 4.1 Setting The setting of the story is an American town called Waterbury. Although much of the action takes place in a car, we also follow Walter Mitty as he goes shopping and waits at the hotel for his wife. 4.2 Structure and plot development The story is structured so that it has two layers: vocab In the ÀUVWVWRU\OD\HU Walter Mitty has a rich and imaginative fantasy life in which he is a daring and respected hero. Nagging:$POTUBOUMZ In the second story layer Mitty has a nagging wife and a boring life. DSJUJDJTJOH 0LWW\·V UHDOOLIH SUREOHP LV WR ÀQG VRPHWKLQJ WR FRXQWHUDFW WKH QDJJLQJ of his wife and the boredom of the real world. These problems rarely have satisfactory resolutions, because he is often forgetful and feels inadequate. In his fantasies, however, Mitty has a number of problems and complications to solve. These problems, however, he always resolves brilliantly. In each of the fantasies Mitty is faced with a situation that is at crisis point or has reached a climax: In fantasy 1 he fearlessly guides a hydroplane safely through a huge storm. In fantasy 2 an important machine used for an operation is starting WRIDLO0LWW\À[HVLWE\UHSODFLQJDIDXOW\SLVWRQZLWKDIRXQWDLQSHQ and successfully continues with the operation. In fantasy 3 he tells the court about his amazing skills with a gun – WKDWKHFRXOGKDYHÀUHGDVKRWDFFXUDWHO\DWIHHWXVLQJKLVOHIW hand. In fantasy 4 he is the only one who is brave enough to go and bomb an enemy ammunition dump. In fantasy 5KHEUDYHO\IDFHVDÀULQJVTXDG´HUHFWDQGPRWLRQOHVV proud and disdainful”. In each of his fantasies Mitty plays the part of a highly respected and heroic man. Not all his fantasies reach a resolution as they are often interrupted and he has to return to the real world. In his real life the complications rarely vocab have satisfactory resolutions because he is so forgetful and inadequate. The end of the story is an anti-climax as Mitty is left standing in the rain Anti-climax: "OFYDJUJOH waiting for his wife. However, even then, he imagines himself to be “Walter point in the story that Mitty the Undefeated”. suddenly loses its JNQPSUBODFEVFUPB NFBOJOHMFTTFWFOU 4.3 Characterisation The main characters in the story are Walter Mitty and his wife. Walter Mitty is the protagonist or main character in the story. His wife is the antagonist as she is mostly in opposition to him. She constantly nags him and reminds him to do things, which leaves him feeling weak and inadequate. For example: © Department of Basic Education 2015 74 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty 7 She scolds him for driving too fast. She nags him to wear his gloves. She reminds him to buy some overshoes. 6KHLVFURVVZKHQVKHFDQ·WÀQGKLPLQWKHKRWHO At the end of the story she makes him wait for her in the rain. Whenever Mitty does try and answer his wife she implies that he is old or ill: When he says he doesn’t need overshoes, she says: “We’ve been all through that ... You’re not a young man any longer.” When he asks her, “Does it ever occur to you that I am sometimes thinking?” her response is: “I’m going to take your temperature when I get you home.” The character of Mrs Mitty is a good example of a caricature, which is an exaggerated representation of a type of person. She is a typical nagging, bossy wife. She is also an example of a stereotype. She is a stereotype vocab Stereotype:"ýYFE because the writer has not given any additional features to her character. PWFSTJNQMJýFEWJFXPGB By contrast, all the characters in Mitty’s fantasies are distinguished by QFSTPO PGUFOCBTFEPO their youth, inexperience or reverence for Mitty: UIFJSHFOEFSPSSBDF In fantasy 1 the crew of the hydroplane believe that, “The Old Man’ll get us through … The Old Man ain’t afraid of Hell!” In fantasy 2 the doctor, Mr Pritchard-Mitford, in the operating theatre compliments him on a book he has written, saying it was a “brilliant SHUIRUPDQFHµ'U5HPLQJWRQVD\VWKDWKHDQG3ULWFKDUG0LWIRUG DUHQRWZRUWK\WREHFRPSDUHGWR0LWW\'U5HQVKDZIHHOVWKDWWKH situation in the theatre is beyond his control, so he asks Mitty to take over. Remember In fantasy 3 Mitty gets the better of the District Attorney and the that this story is set Judge in the courtroom. during World War 2 In fantasy 40LWW\WHOOVWKHVHUJHDQWWKDWKHZLOOÁ\WKHSODQHDORQH (1939-1945). This is why many of Mitty’s even though the sergeant believes it is too hard a task. fantasies have war In fantasy 50LWW\EUDYHO\IDFHVWKHÀULQJVTXDG references. The other characters we meet in the story besides Mitty and his wife in the UHDOZRUOGDUHPDLQO\OLNHKLVZLIH²WKH\DUHDXWKRULW\ÀJXUHVZKRPDNH him feel small and pathetic. These are: 7UDIÀFFRSVZKRRUGHUKLPWRZDWFKKRZKHLVGULYLQJ The parking attendantZKRKDVWRSDUNKLVFDU The young garagemanZKRKDVWRKHOSKLPZLWKKLVVQRZW\UHVDQG The passerby who laughs at him. $WWKHHQGRIWKHVWRU\0LWW\ÀQDOO\HVFDSHVIURPDOOWKLVWRUPHQWWRDZRUOG ZKHUHKHZLOOIDFHWKHÀULQJVTXDGKHURLFDOO\ © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 75

7 Short Stories 4.4 Style The strength of the story lies in the writer’s use of contrasts. For example, Walter Mitty is a timid, inadequate, forgetful, absent-minded man who is constantly being picked on by his wife. By contrast, his wife has an attitude of certainty and control. Whereas he listens to her without comment, Mrs Mitty constantly comments on his behaviour, as she thinks he does everything wrong and she knows better. She often treats him as if he were a child. For example: “I’m going to take your temperature when I get you home.” She gives the impression that it is she who will get him home, but in reality it is he who will drive. As a result of being controlled in this way, Mitty IHHOVKXPLOLDWHGDQGVHHNVWRÀQGDQHVFDSHIURPKHUGHPDQGV,WLVQRW surprising that his fantasy world forms a pleasurable contrast to his real world. Here, at least, he is the brilliant, brave and dependable hero who saves the day and whom everyone admires. 4.5 Narrator and point of view The narrator is not one of the characters in the story. The narrative is told using the third person. 4.6 Diction and figurative language 7KH ZD\ WKH ZULWHU XVHV ÀJXUDWLYH ODQJXDJH DQG OLWHUDU\ GHYLFHV LV YHU\ vocab effective in the story. The story can be read as a satire revealed to us by the fantasies that Walter Satire:5IFVTFPGJSPOZ Mitty has about himself. The satire works through the irony used throughout UPDPNNFOUDSJUJDBMMZPO the story because, in his fantasy life, Mitty is completely different from TPDJFUZPSBOJOEJWJEVBM what he is in reality. In his fantasies he is always respected and admired IronyJNQMJFTUIFPQQPTJUF for his bravery and ability to save others in dangerous situations. In his real PGXIBUJTFJUIFSTBJEPS life he is the opposite of this. XSJUUFO Onomatopoeia (words that imitate real-life sounds) is always used in the fantasies. Sounds like “pocketa-pocketa” are used to show the reader that Mitty is in his “secret life”. It indicates the sound of the hydroplane and the DQHDVWKHWLVHU7KH´UDWWDWWDWWLQJµLQGLFDWHVWKHVRXQGRIJXQVDQGÁDPH vocab throwers used by bomber pilots. Ellipsis:5ISFFEPUTy Note also the use of grammatical punctuation marks, namely the ellipsis, XIJDITIPXUIBUB to indicate when Mitty is entering or coming out of one of his fantasies. TFOUFODFPSUIPVHIUJT In order to add humour to the story the writer makes use of a number JODPNQMFUF of malapropisms (words that sound like the correct one but are wrong) and neologisms (made-up words). For example, in Mitty’s hospital fantasy the malapropisms “Obstreosis of the ductal tract” and “streptothricosis” sound like medical conditions, but they are not the correct terms. The gun in the courtroom fantasy is called by the neologism “Webley-Vickers 50.80”, but there is no gun with that name in reality. © Department of Basic Education 2015 76 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty 7 4.7 Tone and mood When the story starts we are in the middle of one of Mitty’s fantasies. The tone in this fantasy is excited and optimistic, conveyed by the writer’s use of multiple exclamation marks: “We’re going through!” “Rev her up to 8500!” “Full strength in No. 3 turret!” The next fantasy has Mitty in the middle of a life-threatening situation, so the tone is serious, but FRQÀGHQW/DWHUZKHQKHLPDJLQHVKLPVHOIIDFLQJ DÀULQJVTXDGWKHWRQHLVscornful, “proud and disdainful”. This contrasts with the tone Mitty’s wife uses when she speaks to him. She is usually irritable and scolding: “What are you driving so fast for?” “Why don’t you wear your gloves? Have you lost your gloves?” “Why do you have to hide in this old chair? How do you expect me to find you?” The dreariness of Mitty’s real life is emphasised when Mitty’s wife leaves him waiting in the cold rain while she goes shopping. This creates a tone of sadness – we feel pity for poor, clumsy Mitty as he tries to create a richer OLIHIRUKLPVHOI:HDOPRVWZHOFRPHKLVODVWIDQWDV\ZKHQKHIDFHVDÀULQJ squad, because at least he is strong and brave even though he is facing death. Mood: How does this story makes you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? What are the reasons it make you feel this way? summary The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber 1. Title t “Secret life” makes the reader want to read the story to find out about the “secret” 2. Themes t Conflict between fantasy and reality t The power of fantasy and imagination 3. How is the story told? 3.1 Setting t An American town called Waterbury. Much of the action occurs in the car. 3.2 Structure and plot development t First story layer: Walter Mitty’s fantasy life © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 77

7 Short Stories summary t Second story layer: Walter Mitty’s boring life and nagging wife t Crisis points/climaxes: Occur in each of his five fantasies, although not all reach a resolution t Complications: Occur in Walter Mitty’s real life because he is forgetful and inadequate t Anti-climax: The end of the story, as Walter Mitty is left standing in the rain waiting for his wife 3.3 Characterisation t Protagonist: Walter Mitty, the main character t Antagonist: Mrs Mitty, who opposes him in most things. She is presented as a caricature and a stereotype. t Characters in Walter Mitty’s fantasies: All treat him as a hero t Characters in Walter Mitty’s real life: All make him feel small and pathetic 3.4 Style t Contrasts: Between the characters of Walter Mitty and his wife; between Walter Mitty’s fantasy life and real life 3.5 Narrator and point of view t Third person 3.6 Diction and figurative language t Satire: The irony in the complete contrast between Walter Mitty’s character in his fantasy life and his character in real life t “pocketa-pocketa”, “rat-tat-tatting” Onomatopoeia t “Obstreosis of the ductal tract”, “streptothricosis” Malapropisms t “Webley-Vickers 50.80” Neologism 3.7 Tone and mood t Tone: In Walter Mitty’s fantasy life the tone is excited and optimistic, serious, confident and proud. In his real life the tone is irritable and scolding. The anti-climax at the end creates a sad tone. t Mood: How does this story make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? Give reasons for your answer. © Department of Basic Education 2015 78 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty 7 Activity 13 5HDGWKHH[WUDFWEHORZDQGDQVZHUWKHTXHVWLRQVWKDWIROORZ Extract A [Walter waits for his wife.] He found a big leather chair in the lobby, facing a window, and he put the overshoes and the puppy biscuit on the floor beside it. He picked up an old copy of Liberty and sank down into the chair. ‘Can Germany Conquer the World Through the Air?’ Walter Mitty looked at the pictures of bombing planes and of ruined streets. 5 … “The cannonading has got the wind up in young Raleigh, sir,” said the sergeant. Captain Mitty looked up at him through tousled hair. “Get him, to bed”, he said wearily.” With the others. I’ll fly alone.” 1. Where is Walter Mitty and why is he there? (2) 2. What is he doing? (1) ([SODLQWKHPHDQLQJDQGVLJQLÀFDQFHRI´&DQ*HUPDQ\&RQTXHU the World Through the Air?” (2) 4. What grammatical signs do we have to show that he begins to fantasise? (2) 5. What is the challenge or problem facing Mitty in this fantasy? *LYHDUHDVRQIRU\RXUDQVZHU :KLFK7+5((ZRUGVFRXOGEHXVHGWRGHVFULEH0LWW\DVKHLVLQ his secret world. Choose the correct words from the list below. 6LFN+HURLF$Q[LRXV%UDYH5HVSHFWHG)HDUIXO %ULHÁ\H[SODLQZK\0LWW\KDVWKLVIDQWDV\ [16] Answers to Activity 13 1. He is in a hotel waiting for his wife. (2) 2. He is reading a newspaper or a magazine. (1) 3. It is the headline of the article he is reading. The articles is DERXWZKHWKHUWKH*HUPDQDUP\FDQEHDWWKH$OOLHVZLWKLWV air-force. (2) 4. The ellipsis and inverted commas. (2) 5. +HKDVWRÀJKWRQKLVRZQEHFDXVH5DOHLJKLVLOO (2) 6. Heroic, Brave, 5HVSHFWHG (3) 7. He wants to escape from his boring real life world where he is nagged by his wife and where he never achieves anything. (4) [16] © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 79

7 Short Stories Activity 14 5HDGWKHH[WUDFWEHORZDQGDQVZHUWKHTXHVWLRQVWKDWIROORZ Extract B [Walter and his wife drive in to town.] “I don’t need overshoes,” said Mitty. She put her mirror back into her bag. “We’ve been all through that,” she said, getting out of the car. “You’re not a young man any longer.” He raced the engine a little. “Why don’t you wear your gloves? Have you lost your gloves?” Walter Mitty reached in a pocket and brought out the gloves. He 5 put them on, but after she had turned and gone into the building and he had driven on to a red light, he took them off again. “Pick it up, brother!” snapped a cop as the light changed, and Mitty hastily pulled on his gloves and lurched ahead. He drove around the streets aimlessly for a time, and then he drove past the hospital on his way to the parking lot. 1. What evidence does this passage give that Mrs Mitty is a nagging wife? (2) 2. What evidence does this passage give to show that Mitty tries to do things his way. (2) 3. What else does he usually do to escape his wife? (2) 4. What does driving past the hospital make him think of? Describe his thoughts in detail. (4) 5. What word in the passage tells us that he is bored? (1) $QVZHU758(RU)$/6(DQGJLYHDUHDVRQIRU\RXUDQVZHU'R\RX agree that Walter Mitty is a good driver? (2) [13] Answers to Activity 14 1. She tells him he should use overshoes and that he should put on his gloves. (2) 2. He takes the gloves off as soon as she has gone. (2) 3. He goes into his secret life which means that he imagines he is is a different situation. (2) 4. He thinks or fantasises that he is a famous surgeon who will operate well and help the other doctors. +HZLOOÀ[WKHPDFKLQHDQGWDNH over because the other doctors are not as good as he is. (4) 5. aimlessly (1) 6. False, because he races the engine and does not move fast enough when the lights change. (2) [13] © Department of Basic Education 2015 80 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty 7 words to know 'HÀQLWLRQVRIZRUGVIURPWKHVKRUWVWRU\ rakishly MDXQWLO\VPDUWO\ hydroplane a plane that can land on water grossly hugely overshoes shoes worn over ordinary shoes to protect them from the snow aimlessly without direction distraught worried, upset haggard tired glistening shining vaulted sprang insinuatingly suggestively bickering arguing pandemonium chaos lobby entrance room “auprès de ma blonde” a French song erect upright disdainful scornful inscrutable impossible to understand © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 81

8 Short Stories The Sisters by Pauline Smith Pauline Janet Smith (1882–1959) was born in Oudtshoorn, in the Western Cape. Her father was a British doctor who came to South Africa in the hope of curing his ill-health. When Pauline Smith was 13, she and her sister were sent away from their beloved Karoo to boarding school in England. Although she never lived permanently in South Africa again, she visited many times over the next 40 years. During her extended visit from 1913- VKHNHSWDMRXUQDOZKLFKVKHXVHGODWHUDVWKHEDVLVIRUKHUÀUVW collection of short stories, called The Little Karoo, for her novel, and The Beadle+HUVWRULHVGHVFULEHWKHLVRODWHGUXUDODUHDVRIWKH/LWWOH.DURR Pauline Smith and the lives of the farming people who lived there. 1. Summary Two sisters, Marta and Sukey, live on a farm called Zeekoegatt with their father, Burgert de Jager. Their mother has recently died of a disease of the heart caused, in part, by their father’s “water-cases”. Their father is DOZD\VWU\LQJWRJHWZDWHUIURPDQHLJKERXULQJIDUPHU5HGOLQJKXLVDQG has spent a great deal of money on legal fees. In his last attempt to get water their father loses more money than ever DQGLQRUGHUWRJHWZDWHUIURP5HGOLQJKXLV·VIDUPKDVWRERQGVRPHRI KLVODQGVWR5HGOLQJKXLV7KDWPHDQVWKDWLQVWHDGRISD\LQJWKHPRQH\KH owes, he gives the neighbour some of his land with the intention of buying it back when he has money again. When their father is unable to pay to JHWWKHODQGEDFNDJDLQ5HGOLQJKXLVWHOOVKLPWKDWKHZLOOWDNH0DUWDDVD wife instead. 6XNH\LVYHU\DQJU\WKDW0DUWDLVEHLQJRIIHUHGWR5HGOLQJKXLVEXW0DUWD assures her that it is the right thing to do – it will save their father’s farm. :KHQ6XNH\FRQIURQWV5HGOLQJKXLVDQGWHOOVKLPWKDW0DUWDLVWRRJRRGIRU KLPDQGWKDWVKHZLOORIIHUKHUVHOIXSLQVWHDG5HGOLQJKXLVWHOOVKHUWKDWLI he can’t have Marta he will take their farm. :KHQ0DUWDPDUULHV5HGOLQJKXLVKHEX\VDWHQWFDUWVRWKDWKHFDQGULYH around all day and show off his new wife to everyone – “the wife that Burgert de Jager sold to me”. Marta never complains about her husband, but she is clearly not happy and grows weaker and becomes sickly, until it LVREYLRXVVKHLVG\LQJ%HIRUH0DUWDGLHV5HGOLQJKXLVGLVDSSHDUVLQWRWKH mountains with his gun. His body is found six days after Marta dies. © Department of Basic Education 2015 82 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Sisters 8 The story ends the night after the burial, with Burgert de Jager blaming himself for the deaths because of his demands for water. Sukey, however, WHOOVKLPVKHZLOOQRWMXGJHKLP 2. Title The title of the story indicates that the focus is on the two sisters, Marta and Sukey, who are devoted to each other. vocab Patriarchy:"TPDJFUZ 3. Themes PSHPWFSONFOUJOXIJDI NFOIPMEUIFQPXFS The themes in the story are land, patriarchy, tradition, devotion, obedience, BOEXPNFOBSFMBSHFMZ submission, IHPDOH VHOIVDFULÀFH, compassion, bitterness, the meaning FYDMVEFEGSPNJU of sin and the right to judge. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 83

8 Short Stories In this quiet rural world the most important source of wealth is land. Owning land for generations is a sign of wealth and standing in society. ,WLVQRWGLIÀFXOWWRXQGHUVWDQGZK\%XUJHUWGH-DJHULVVRREVHVVHGZLWK NHHSLQJKLVODQGDQGZK\0DUWDLVUHDG\WRVDFULÀFHKHUVHOIWRKHOSKHU father keep it. However, one of the underlying messages of the story is that it is destructive to attach more importance to land than to the welfare of people. 4. How is the story told? 4.1 Setting The setting of the Little (Klein) Karoo is important, even though there are few descriptions in the story. We know that it is a very harsh, drought- VWULFNHQZRUOGZKHUHDVWURQJEHOLHILQWUDGLWLRQDQGREHGLHQFHWR*RGDQG family rules the lives of the people. These are also important themes in the story. 4.2 Structure and plot development The complication in the story arises from the fact that Burgert de Jager KDV WULHG IRU PDQ\ \HDUV WR JHW ZDWHU IURP WKH *KDPND ULYHU WKURXJK D QHLJKERXULQJIDUPRZQHGE\-DQ5HGOLQJKXLVDQGKDVVSHQWDJUHDWGHDO of money on legal fees. He is so obsessed with this that he does not notice how it is affecting his wife, who dies in his “bitterness and sorrow”. The FRQÁLFW between the two farmers creates the tension in the story. %XUJHUWGH-DJHUHYHQWXDOO\RZHV5HGOLQJKXLVVRPXFKPRQH\IRUDOORZLQJ the water to pass through his farm that he is forced to make a deal with KLP²5HGOLQJKXLVZLOOHLWKHUPDUU\0DUWDRUWDNHRYHUWKH'H-DJHU·VIDUP This tension rises in the story when De Jager decides that Marta must PDUU\5HGOLQJKXLVWRVDYHWKHIDUP vocab The story reaches a climax when Marta becomes weaker and weaker from the humiliation of her position, and eventually dies. Sukey is very Humiliation:.BEFUP unforgiving towards her father and blames him for the deaths of both her GFFMFNCBSSBTFEBOE PRWKHU DQG VLVWHU 7KLV FDXVHV WHQVLRQ DQG FRQÁLFW EHWZHHQ 6XNH\ DQG BTIBNFE her father. The resolutionWRWKHVWRU\RQO\FRPHVDIWHU0DUWDKDVGLHGDQG5HGOLQJKXLV has shot himself. Sukey comes to understand the goodness of Marta, and VKHÀQGVVRPHFRPSDVVLRQIRUKHUIDWKHUDQGWHOOVKLP “Do now as it seems right to you ... Who am I that I should judge you?” 4.3 Characterisation The main characters in the story are the sisters, Marta and Sukey, and their father, Burgert de Jager, who are the protagonists. The antagonist is Jan Redlinghuis, the farmer who opposes them and lives next door. The two sisters are very different from one another, but they have great affection for each other. © Department of Basic Education 2015 84 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Sisters 8 Marta LV YHU\ ORYLQJ JHQWOH XQVHOÀVK DQG DFFHSWLQJ 6KH VKRZV WKLV E\ agreeing to do as her father asks in order to help him save the farm. She tells Sukey: “if I do right, right will come of it, and it is right for me to save the lands of my father. 0DUWDLVZLOOLQJWRDFFHSWKHUIDWH6KHGRHVQRWHYHQEODPH5HGOLQJKXLV for demanding that she marry him: “There is not one of us that is without sin in the world and old Jan Redlinghuis is not always mad. Who am I to judge Jan Redlinghuis?” SukeyLVDOVRSUHSDUHGWRVDFULÀFHKHUVHOIWRVDYHKHUJHQWOHDQGSDVVLYH VLVWHUZKHQVKHWULHVWRSHUVXDGH5HGOLQJKXLVWRWDNHKHULQVWHDGRI0DUWD EXWVKHLVPXFKWRXJKHUDQGPRUHMXGJHPHQWDO6KHEHOLHYHVKHUIDWKHU Note how KDVGRQHZURQJLQVDFULÀFLQJERWKKLVZLIHDQGKLVGDXJKWHUDQGVKHWHOOV much of the dialogue him that he is at fault. She says to her father: sounds biblical. It establishes their identity “It is blood that we lead on our lands to water them. Did not my as characters belonging mother die for it? And was it not for this that we sold my sister to a religious community. Marta to old Jan Redlinghuis?” 6XNH\LVDOVRYHU\MXGJHPHQWDORI5HGOLQJKXLVEDVHGRQZKDWSHRSOHVD\ about him. She says to him: “it is said that you are a sinful man, Jan Redlinghuis, going at times a little mad in your head” 6XNH\ORVHVKHUIDLWKLQ*RGDVVKHFDQQRWEHOLHYHWKDW*RGZRXOGDOORZ WKHPDUULDJHRI0DUWDDQG5HGOLQJKXLV6KHWHOOVKHUIDWKHU “There is no God or surely He would have saved our Marta.” Burgert de Jager’s obsession with getting water for his farm leads to the death of his wife and his daughter Marta. It also causes the break in the relationship between himself and his daughter Sukey. %XUJHUWGH-DJHUDQG-DQ5HGOLQJKXLVDUHPRVWO\VHHQWKURXJKWKHH\HVRI Sukey. They are both seen as obsessive and greedy. However, near the end of the story they both seem to realise they have been wrong and feel sorry about it. Burgert de Jager says to Sukey: “It is true what you said to me, Sukey. It is blood that I have led on my lands to water them, and this night will I close the furrow that I built from the Ghamka river. God forgive me, I will do it.” Jan Redlinghuis becomes remorseful when Marta is at the point of death. He says to Sukey before he goes into the mountains and takes his own life: “Which of us now had the greatest sin – your father who sold me his daughter Marta, or I who bought her? Marta who let herself be sold, or you who offered yourself to save her?” %\VD\LQJWKLVKHSRLQWVWRWKHIDFWWKDWQRRQHVKRXOGMXGJHDVHYHU\RQH has played some part in the tragic events. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 85

8 Short Stories 4.4 Style The story is told through a combination of dialogue and description of the events, but only from the point of view of the narrator, Sukey. We are not told by the writer what the characters look like, or what the land looks like, or how they view their surroundings, because the focus is on the attitudes and reactions of the characters to the troubles that they experience. The style of the language in the dialogue is old-fashioned and mimics (copies) the sentence structure of Afrikaans to give us a closer impression of the speakers’ context and culture. An example of this is: “this night will I” instead of ‘tonight I will’ as the writer wants to follow the Afrikaans word order, namely ‘sal ek’. 4.5 Narrator and point of view The ÀUVWSHUVRQQDUUDWRU, Sukey de Jager, is a young girl living on a farm LQWKH/LWWOH.DURR6KHLVVWURQJZLOOHGDQGWKHVWRU\LVWROGIURPKHUSRLQW of view. 4.6 Diction and figurative language The way the writer uses words and word order emphasises the meaning she wants to convey to the reader. For example, repetition is used throughout the story for emphasis: To emphasise the pain of their lives due to her father’s obsession with water-rights, Sukey repeats “bitterness and sorrow” when she says: With each new water-case came more bitterness and sorrow to us all. Even between my parents at last came bitterness and sorrow. And in bitterness and sorrow my mother died. :KHQ5HGOLQJKXLVSXWV%XUJHUWGH-DJHUXQGHUSUHVVXUHWRSD\KLP back, Sukey emphasises the growing pressure by saying: And from that day Jan Redlinghuis pressed him, pressed him, pressed him, till my father did not know which way to turn. 0DUWDH[SODLQVZK\VKHZLOOPDUU\5HGOLQJKXLV “if I do right, right will come of it, and it is right for me to save the lands of my father.” This emphasises the idea of loyalty and what is appropriate behaviour. 5HSHWLWLRQLVWKHUHIRUHXVHGWRIRFXVRQNH\WKHPHVLQWKHVWRU\ vocab Sukey also uses sarcasm when answering her father’s questions. For example, when he says: Sarcasm:"DIPJDFPG XPSETBOEUPOFPGWPJDF “Is it not wonderful, Sukey, what we have done with the water that VTFEJOPSEFSUPFYQSFTT old Jan Redlinghuis lets pass to my furrow?” EJTQMFBTVSFPSVOLJOEOFTT Sukey answers: “What is now wonderful? It is blood that we lead on our lands to water them.” © Department of Basic Education 2015 86 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Sisters 8 ,WLVDOVRLQWHUHVWLQJWKDW5HGOLQJKXLV·VIDUPLVFDOOHG´%LWWHUZDWHUµZKLFK vocab symbolises that his water is not a source of goodness. A symbol:4PNFUIJOH UIBUTUBOETGPSPS The writer also uses an idiom (a clichéd saying) in the story: SFQSFTFOUTTPNFUIJOH “my father’s back was up against the wall” FMTF This means that the father has no options left, he has nowhere to turn. 7KHZULWHUDOVRXVHVÀJXUDWLYHODQJXDJHLQWKHVWRU\)RUH[DPSOH Simile I went back to my father’s house with my heart heavy like lead. Sukey’s heart is compared to lead. Metaphor “It is blood that I have led on my lands to water them” +HUH 6XNH\·V IDWKHU FRPSDUHV WKH ZDWHU IURP -DQ 5HGOLQJKXLV WR EORRG because in order to get this water, lives have been lost. ‘Blood’ here could DOVRUHIHUWR¶ÁHVKDQGEORRG·RUIDPLO\ 4.7 Tone and mood In this story the narrator’s tone mostly emphasises the sorrow and despair that the characters experience. For example, when Sukey refers to Marta, she remembers her only as having a “still, sad face”. The writer emphasises this tone of despair near the end of the story when Marta dies at sun-down. It is as if Sukey and her father are entering an emotional night-time. However, the story ends with a more hopeful tone when both Burgert de Jager and Sukey come to deeper emotional insights. Burgert de Jager ÀQDOO\ UHDOLVHV WKDW KLV DFWLRQV KDYH FDXVHG WKH GHDWKV RI KLV ZLIH DQG KLVGDXJKWHUDQGKHDVNVIRU*RG·VIRUJLYHQHVV6XNH\GRHVQ·WVFROGKHU father, but says what her sister Marta would say: “Who am I that I should judge you?” Mood: How does this story make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? What are the reasons it makes you feel this way? © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 87

8 Short Stories summary The Sisters by Pauline Smith 1. Title t Focuses on the two sisters, Marta and Sukey 2. Themes t Land, patriarchy and tradition t Devotion, obedience and submission t Female self-sacrifice t Compassion and bitterness t The meaning of sin t The right to judge 3. How is the story told? 3.1 Setting t The Little (Klein) Karoo 3.2 Structure and plot development t Complication: The legal cases brought by Burgert de Jager against Jan Redlinghuis t Conflict: Between Burgert de Jager and Jan Redlinghuis because of the water issue and then the money owed due to the expensive legal cases t Rising tension: Grows when De Jager decides that his daughter Marta must marry Redlinghuis t Climax: Marta becomes weaker and weaker because of her humiliation, and then dies t Resolution: Sukey comes to understand the goodness of Marta and finds compassion for her father 3.3 Characterisation t Protagonists: Marta, Sukey and Burgert de Jager are the main characters t Antagonist: Jan Redlinghuis opposes their actions 3.4 Style t Dialogue: Uses the sentence structure of Afrikaans to give a better impression of the speakers’ context and culture t Description: Of events, not the land or the people 3.5 Narrator and point of view t First person narrator (Sukey de Jager) 3.6 Diction and figurative language t “With each new water-case came more bitterness and sorrow to us all. Even between my parents at last came bitterness and sorrow. And in bitterness and sorrow my mother died.” Repetition © Department of Basic Education 2015 88 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Sisters 8 summary t “What is now wonderful? It is blood that we lead on our lands to water them.” Sarcasm; Afrikaans sentence structure; metaphor t “my father’s back was up against the wall” Idiom t “I went back to my father’s house with my heart heavy like lead.” Simile t “It is blood that I have led on my lands to water them.” Metaphor 3.7 Tone and mood t Tone: Mostly a tone of sorrow, bitterness and despair; ends with a more hopeful tone. t Mood: How does this story make you feel? Happy, sad, angry or indifferent? Give reasons for your answer. This tragic They were story shows us also very religious some of their culture and patriarchal. and the challenges they faced. The Afrikaners who settled in the Little Karoo were colonists who lived in a hard, dry land. © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 89

8 Short Stories Activity 15 5HDGWKHH[WUDFWEHORZDQGDQVZHUWKHTXHVWLRQVWKDWIROORZ Extract A [Marta agrees to marry Jan Redlinghuis.] And she said again: “Sukey, my darling, listen now! If I marry old Jan Redlinghuis he will let the water into my father’s furrow, and the lands of Zeekoegatt will be saved. I am going to do it, and God will help me.” I cried to her: “Marta! Old Jan Redlinghuis is a sinful man, going 5 at times a little mad in his head. God must help you before you marry him. Afterwards it will be too late.” And Marta said: “Sukey, if I do right, right will come of it, and it is right for me to save the lands of my father. Think now, Sukey, my darling! There is not one of us that is without sin in the world 10 and old Jan Redlinghuis is not always mad. Who am I to judge Jan Redlinghuis? And can I then let my father be driven like a poor- white to Platkops dorp?” And she drew me down on to the pillow beside her, and took me into her arms, and I cried there until far into the night. 15 The next day I went alone across the river to old Jan Redlinghuis’s farm. No one knew that I went, or what it was in my heart to do. 1. Complete the following sentences by using the words provided in the list below. Write only the words next to the question numbers (1a) – 1d)). 2UDQJH-DQ5HGOLQJKXLV6XNH\*URRWNRSV*KDPND0DUWD %XUJHUWGH-DJHU3ODWNRSV This short story is set near the a) ... river in a place called b) ... The narrator of the story is c) ... and her father is d) ... (4) :K\GRHV0DUWD·VIDWKHUDVNKHUWRPDUU\-DQ5HGOLQJKXLV"6WDWH TWO points. (2) 3. Using your own words, explain why Marta agrees to marry Jan 5HGOLQJKXLV 4. Choose the correct answer to complete the following sentence. Write only the answer (A–D). 6XNH\·VIDWKHU·VDJUHHPHQWZLWK-DQ5HGOLQJKXLVSURYHVWKDWKHLV A arrogant. B careful. &VHOÁHVV 'VHOÀVK © Department of Basic Education 2015 90 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Sisters 8 5. Sukey thinks that Jan is “a sinful man” and often “a little mad” (line 5). ,Q\RXURSLQLRQLVKHPDG"*LYHDUHDVRQIRU\RXUDQVZHU %ULHÁ\GHVFULEHWKHUHODWLRQVKLSEHWZHHQWKHWZRVLVWHUV 0DUWDDQG6XNH\*LYHDQH[DPSOHWRVXEVWDQWLDWH\RXUDQVZHU 7. Name TWO aspects of Marta’s character that are shown in this extract. (2) 6XNH\JRHVWRVHH-DQ5HGOLQJKXLVWKHQH[WGD\ D ([SODLQZK\6XNH\JRHVWRVHH-DQ5HGOLQJKXLV b) Identify the theme which is shown here. (1) 'LVFXVV\RXUYLHZVRQ0DUWD·VGHFLVLRQWRPDUU\-DQ5HGOLQJKXLV [20] Answers to Activity 15 1. a) *KDPND b) Platkops c) Sukey d) Burgert de Jager (4) %XUJHUWERQGHGVRPHRIKLVODQGVWR-DQ5HGOLQJKXLV+HFDQQRW repay Jan, who, in turn, demands to marry Marta. If Marta refuses to marry Jan her father will lose his water rights. (2) 3. She wants to help her father/save the farm./ Her marriage to Jan will PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION give her father access to the much-needed water. NB 25 She wants to spare her father the humiliation of poverty/being treated like a poor white. (2) 4. D (1) Question 5 and 9 HINT! 5. Yes, he is mad because he kills Marta by humiliating her hint BTLGPSZPVSPQJOJPO #BDLVQZPVSWJFX so much. (2) PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION 6. They love each other dearly./They care for each other’s well-being. NB XJUISFBTPOT5IFTFBOTXFST AND BSFFYBNQMFT Examples: Sukey is willing to take Marta’s place with Jan./She often visits Marta./They share everything./Sukey nurses Marta when she e.g. EG - worked examples is dying./Marta calls Sukey “darling”./Marta held Sukey in her arms./ "OZ580PGUIFTF HINT! Sukey cried in Marta’s arms. (2) 6KHLVVHOÁHVVDQGZLOOGRDQ\WKLQJIRUKHUIDWKHU hint BOTXFSTJORVFTUJPOT exams BOEXJMMFBSOZPV She is compassionate towards her sister. NBSLT 6KHLVQRWMXGJHPHQWDO She is willing to accept her fate. She is obedient. (2) e.g. EG - worked examples 8. a) She goes to ask Jan to marry her instead of Marta. (2) E 6LVWHUO\ORYHORYHIRUKHUVLVWHUVDFULÀFH (1) activity 0DUWDZDVIRROLVKWRVDFULÀFHKHUVHOIOLNHWKDWEHFDXVHPDUU\LQJ-DQ exams ACTIVITIES bo ended up killing her. and girl-left a 25 right of page 0DUWDZDVYHU\EUDYHWRVDFULÀFHKHUVHOIE\PDUU\LQJ-DQ because she saved her father’s lands so he didn’t have to live activity in poverty. (2) [20] activity ACTIVITIES bo Step by step commen and girl-left a right of page © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature activity SHORT S TORIES 91

8 Short Stories Activity 16 5HDGWKHH[WUDFWEHORZDQGDQVZHUWKHTXHVWLRQVWKDWIROORZ Extract B [Marta has died.] We buried Marta in my mother’s grave at Zeekoegatt ... And still they could not find Jan Redlinghuis. Six days they looked for him, and at last they found his body in the mountains. God knows what madness had driven old Jan Redlinghuis to the mountains when his wife lay dying, but there it was they found him, and at 5 Bitterwater he was buried. That night my father came to me and said: “It is true what you said to me, Sukey. It is blood that I have led on my lands to water them, and this night will I close the furrow that I built from the Ghamka river. God forgive me, I will do it.” 10 It was in my heart to say to him: “The blood is already so deep in the lands that nothing we can do will now wash it out.” But I did not say this. I do not know how it was, but there came before me the still, sad face of my sister, Marta, and it was as if she herself answered for me. 15 “Do now as it seems right to you,” I said to my father. “Who am I that I should judge you?” 1. Which aspect of her personality caused Sukey’s mother to be severely saddened and upset by the feud between her husband DQG-DQ5HGOLQJKXLV" ,VWKHIROORZLQJVWDWHPHQW758(RU)$/6(":ULWH´WUXHµRU´IDOVHµ and give a reason for your answer. Mrs de Jager died of cancer. (2) *LYH21(UHDVRQZK\WKHSHRSOHDUHORRNLQJIRU-DQ5HGOLQJKXLV (lines 1–3). (1) ([SODLQZK\-DQ5HGOLQJKXLVJRHVWRWKHPRXQWDLQ 5HIHUWROLQH ´,WLVEORRGRQP\ODQGVµ D ,GHQWLI\WKHÀJXUHRIVSHHFKXVHGKHUH (b) Explain the meaning of this line in the context of the story. (2) %ULHÁ\H[SODLQKRZ%XUJHUWGH-DJHUFKDQJHVLQWKLVVWRU\ 7. Quote a sentence which proves that Sukey is submitting to her father. (1) 8. In your opinion, who is to blame for Marta’s death? Explain your choice. (3) [15] © Department of Basic Education 2015 92 SHORT STORIES Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature

The Sisters 8 Answers to Activity 16 1. She was a very gentle/peace-loving/sensitive person. (1) 2. False. She died of a broken heart./She died of a heart condition. (2) PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION 3. Marta had died. NB 25 He had disappeared. (1) 4. He is feeling guilty. He knows that he is responsible for Marta’s illness. "OZ580PGUIFTF HINT! He probably wants to commit suicide. hint BOTXFSTUPRVFTUJPO He does not want to be present when Marta dies. (2) XJMMFBSOZPV NBSLT 5. a) Metaphor (1) E 7KHÀJKWIRUZDWHUULJKWVKDVFDXVHGWKHGHDWKRI0DUWD (and his wife). (2) e.g. EG - worked examples +HFKDQJHVIURPDJUHHG\VHOÀVKFUXHOPDQWRRQHZKRLVVRUU\IRU his mistakes/actions. 25 +HFKDQJHVIURPDJUHHG\VHOÀVKFUXHOPDQWRRQHZKRZDQWVWR exams be a better/kinder person. (2) PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION ´:KRDP,WKDW,VKRXOGMXGJH\RX"µ NB 25 “Do now as it seems right to you.” (1) 8. Her father Burgert and husband Jan are to blame for her death. Burgert sold her to him knowing he was cruel, and Jan humiliated her activity 2VFTUJPOBTLTGPS HINT! so much it killed her. 25 hint ZPVSPQJOJPO#BDL VQZPVSWJFXXJUI ACTIVITIES bo and girl-left an Marta is responsible for her own death because she chose to SFBTPOT5IFTFBOTXFSTBSF right of page marry Jan, even though it was clear that he was mad. (3) FYBNQMFT activity [15] e.g. EG - worked examples words to know exams Step by step commen 'HÀQLWLRQVRIZRUGVIURPWKHVKRUWVWRU\ water-cases legal cases involving the right to use water water-rights permission to use water from a river or from another farm furrow a channel for water activity cashmere ÀQHVRIWZRRO ACTIVITIES bo bond instead of paying with money land has been used to and girl-left an right of page SD\DGHEWLIWKHSHUVRQFDQQRWSD\LWEDFNWKHODQG goes to the person who lent the money tent-cart wagon with a hood activity inspanned harnessed the wagon to horses so that they could pull it Step by step commen © Department of Basic Education 2015 Mind the Gap English First Additional Language: Paper 2 Literature SHORT S TORIES 93

The Mind the Gap study guide series assists you to make the leap by studying hard to achieve success in the Grade 12 exam. This publication is not for sale. © Copyright Department of Basic Education www.education.gov.za This publication has a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial Sharealike license. Call Centre 0800 202 933

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