IOD Practice Blog Down Second Avenue by https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd Answer questions about Down Second Avenue here en-us 2016-11-16 17:20:44 UTC 2018-05-20 16:53:58 UTC hello@padlet.com To what extent is Mphalele’s work a political work? What is the balance between the political and the personal in the work? --Jackson Zariski https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/142969677 While the majority of Mphalele's work is spent detailing his life growing up in Marabastad, the latter part (especially the epilogue) discusses his reasons for leaving South Africa, both the political and economical. In the epilogue, Mphahlele rails against the church, saying, "I have become progressively weary of all the trappings of mystical formalism that go together with South African 'churchianity'." (236). The fact that Mphahlele opts to end his book with a diatribe against the church rather than with a summation of his time growing up in Pretoria indicates that this book is largely meant to be political. The epilogue causes the reader to think and consider the churches role in South African society. Though the message is clear, I find it odd that Mphahlele deems this issue important enough to end the book with, considering that he rarely ever mentions it in the rest of the book. There is a good amount of balance in the book; Mphahlele deals with personal racism as a child and political racism as an adult. By including both of these aspects into his work, Mphahlele is able to show that apartheid affected all parts of his life.]]> 2016-12-11 00:44:25 UTC https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/142969677 What is the impact and effect of the Interludes? Why do you think Mphalele includes them? How do they serve as a counterpoint to the rest of the work?- Victoria Pao https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/143021903 Interludes are used as breaks between chapters. In Down Second Avenue, Mphalele experienced a lot of obstacles and injustice in his life, especially emphasized in his Epilogue when he says, "All my life people have been at my soul, tugging at it in different directions" (234). Even though writing helps him relieve the burden of the constant strain and stress he dealt with throughout his life in Marabastad, the Interludes not only act as a way to provide him with more freedom in writing style, but they also act as a way to purge the horrors he experienced throughout his childhood. During the first Interlude, Mphalele shows his true feelings through his unconventional writing style, "Mother I fear police grandmother I don't want police Aunt Dora Uncle I fear the police I hate them" (43). Being able to step back from the narrative voice and zoom into his personal chaotic world not only provides the reader with the true knowledge of Mphalele's experience, but it also gives Mphalele a way to overcome the fears clouding over his life. This stream of consciousness demonstrates a sense of release from the burden he is expected to carry.]]> 2016-12-11 22:13:12 UTC https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/143021903 To what extent is Mphalele’s work a political work? What is the balance between the political and the personal in the work? -Nile Drochak https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/143343548 Mphalele's political work derives from his personal experiences he had. There are both positive and negative personal interactions he experienced which caused him to have a change in mind. Mphalele mainly writes this autobiography to show the reader the growth as a person he goes through. One way he shows growth as a person is through his change in mindset after education. “For the first time in my life, when I was at St. Peter’s, an awareness was creeping into me: an awareness of the white man’s ways and aims...I had many times before in Pretoria seemed tanned Afrikaners supervise African road gangs. But now when I came upon similar road workers I was filled with impotent anger” (132). Mphahlele shows his character development, as growing up and attending St. Peter’s Secondary School, a different setting, allows him to develop a different viewpoint. The integration of white and African staff is different from the segregated conditions he had grown up in, allowing him to see that the conditions he had grown up in were wrong. In conclusion, Mhpalele's political work originated from his personal interactions he had.]]> 2016-12-13 13:25:15 UTC https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/143343548 What is the impact and effect of the Interludes? Why do you think Mphahlele includes them? How do they serve as a counterpoint to the rest of the work?- Conner Hoke https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/144254535 In Down Second Avenue, Mphahlele uses the interludes as a personal sounding board. This is his opportunity to scream into the night sky and vent his frustrations, without fear of repercussions or an effect on him. As he effectively uses understatement in the body of the work, he often leaves out the emotional effects these events have taken on him. However, in the interludes, Mphahlele lets go of his self control and addresses what these issues have done to his mind and to his emotional state. For example, on page 214, after reflecting on the beauty of modern technology and the new teaching laws put into place that require teachers to only teach native children skills that will make them more useful as slaves, Mphahlele ponders, "Then you think of how sordid life is; how ludicrous the very idea of life is; what a fruitless, petty, endless game it may be and mustn't be" (214). This insight into his personal thoughts as provide an exceptional contrast to the bland and seemingly uneventful surface narration of the regular chapters. If anything, these chapters make the narration more effective, as readers realize that people who experience this have to remain calm and passive, like in Mphahlele's writing, on an everyday basis. Only on certain occasions, the interludes, can they say what they truly feel about their everyday experiences and vent their frustrations.]]> 2016-12-19 03:07:05 UTC https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/144254535 What aspect of life in South Africa as Mphalele describes it made the strongest impression on you, and can you cite a particular place in the work where this occurs? - Brendan Emch https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/144258060 The most impactful aspect of life in South Africa to me was Mphalele's descriptions of the fear of the police, chiefly because this same fear is still even present in our society today. The strongest instances occurred when Mphalele talked about his fear in his own childhood, and that of his youngest son at the end of the book, showing how this fear is omnipresent in their lives and can be passed down to even the youngest members of South African society. For example, in reference to his own childhood, Mphalele says during one of the interludes “Police, police. Mother I fear police grandmother I fear police I don’t want police Aunt Dora Uncle I fear the police I hate them” (43). This stream of consciousness shows the innate fear of the police in Mphalele's life, also shown in his son's attitude at an early age:  "And now Motswiri clings to you tightly when he sees a constable walk up or down the road and says Ntate, is the policeman going to arrest me is he going to take you is he going to take mama? You hold the frightened kid close to you and think of Second Avenue the long long great divide" (218). The way Mphalele describes the innate fear and uncertainty in black Africans' daily lives and the recurrence of this motif has a lasting impression on the reader.]]> 2016-12-19 05:13:43 UTC https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/144258060 To what extent in Mphalele's work a political work ? What is the balance between the political and personal? -Emmett Gruber https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/144993143 As you read through the book you seem to find an autobiography with pockets disbursed of political rhetoric as well as an overall outlook at a child's life look at it internally. I do feel that this is a political work because even though it is primarily based around the story of Esk'ia it is also important to see some of the quotes he has put down. For example on page 43 Esk'ia doesn't only say he has some fear for the cops but he full on "Hates the police". The book allows the protagonist to impact a story in only the way he can, telling us from the POV that he lived in, I wouldn't say that the full focus and purpose was directive from his political view. Yet I do feel that with his writing ability as well as his impact on his area. Mphelele used this work to get his point across.]]> 2017-01-02 18:18:18 UTC https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/144993143 To what extent is Mphalele's work a political work? What is the balance between the political and the personal in the work? -Riddhi Patel https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/145376349 I would say that Mphalele incorporates both political activism pieces and personal anecdotes within his autobiography. When reading it it is extremely clear that most of the anecdotes used within the autobiography have a clear purpose: which is to show Mphalele's own personal experiences alongside the political activities of the apartheid in South Africa. One such example is the coronation year of King George VI. He includes political pieces such as this so that he can talk about his own opinion and actions through his anecdotes. Mphalele says that "Fifth Form boys decided to boycott the affair and refuse the refreshments. We smashed the cups..." (Mphalele 139). By giving the reader a snippet of political activity during that time and then following it up with an anecdote, Mphalele combines both personal feeling with political writing in his autobiography. This is special because most autobiographies can't do that. The reader usually only reads either history or personal experiences, but by combining the two, Mphalele manages to balance the political and the personal to show that apartheid affects everyone. ]]> 2017-01-04 20:16:28 UTC https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/145376349 What aspect of life in South Africa as Mphalele describes it made the strongest impression on you, and can you cite a particular place in the work where this occurs. (Anirudh Canumalla) https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/145413300 An aspect of South African life in Down Second Avenue that had a significant impact on me was the brutality that the Boer police officers showed towards non-white South Africans. In the United States, I have only had to interact with police officers that seek to defend and protect all citizens. Mphalele's experiences are drastically different, dealing more so with the fear and terror caused by the police. Mphalele observes Dinku Dikae saying that he [Dinku Dikae] hates working "for a white man when God has given me the brains to work for myself" (123), which shows a deep level of thought and rebelliousness in a character who has been portrayed otherwise. Mphalele's description of Dinku Dikae's resilience during the murder trial highlights the unrighteousness of the justice system. The sheer unfairness of this situation let me place myself in a circumstance that is very different from anything I have ever experienced.


]]> 2017-01-05 06:12:05 UTC https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/145413300 Which character other than the narrator made the strongest impression on you? How do you think Mphalele was able to create this strong impression? -Sabrina Loos https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/145518888 By illustrating his hatred towards his father, after the hot gravy, meat & potatoes spilling down his mother's blouse, Mpahele idolizes his mother and her tenacious work-ethic by juxtaposing her with his father's anger, laziness, and intoxicated nature. By using understatement to describe the gravy pouring situation, Mphalele curtails describing his mother's reaction- describing her response with a single scream, leaving the impression with his mother being strong and not voicing her. After this violent tragedy, this was the first time Mphalele sought help from outsiders, calling on his Aunt Dora for help after the ambulance had came. Understatement is seen again when Mphalele describes his father's punishment for his actions towards his mother - "The magistrate sentenced him to fourteen days' imprisonment with the option of a fine- I forget how much. I remember he paid it" (21). Mpahelele almost uses a nonchalant tone to describe the minute and short punishment of his father. It was interesting to me that Mphalele's father paid the fine. As his father was lazy and was never mentioned working, and always nagged Mpahelele's mother for her hard-earned money (from her illegal alcohol brewing) he makes a statement on gender roles- characterizing the men as lazy, selfish, and undeserving and characterizing the women as the primary bread-winners and more responsible.]]> 2017-01-05 16:01:27 UTC https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/145518888 What is the impact and effect of the Interludes? Why do you think Mphalele includes them? How do they serve as a counterpoint to the rest of the work? -Sabrina Loos https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/145523332 The autobiography's first interlude develops the theme of fear of the police. As during the time of apartheid, legal segregation, the black and white police unfairly targeted and condemned black people- "Saturday night. The men in uniform may even now be sniffing about in the yard...I hear heavy booted footsteps, it's sure to be a person running away from the law, the police cells, the court and jail" (42). Here Mphalele characterizes the policeman as dogs, claiming that they are sniffing the yards for to get a scent of event the slightness wrong-doing by the black people, assuming they are doing something unlawful. The interlude begins with Mphahlele describing Saturday night, as his entire family sleeps together in one room. As he describes the sounds he hears, as policemen roam the streets, and the curfew warning sounds, an eerie and fearful tone adding suspense and anticipation for what might endanger them. He mentions Siki playing guitar, and wonders if he is playing for Katrina, his girlfriend, trying to distract himself from the danger that is approaching him. Mphahlele then reflects upon his own feelings, and worries for the people who are harassed after their curfews by the police.


]]> 2017-01-05 16:13:09 UTC https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/145523332 What is the impact and effect of the Interludes? Why do you think Mphalele includes them? How do they serve as a counterpoint to the rest of the work? - Melissa Carpenter https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/146178316 To me, the Interludes serve two purposes: to reflect on the events of the chapters between the last interlude and the current one, and to bring the reader into Mphalele's perspective, giving them literal insight into his thoughts and feelings. Mphalele achieves this through the strong use of stream of consciousness. For example, in one of the first interludes, Mphalele lays out his thoughts as he lays awake one night, saying, "No policemen will find it easily. Policeman? Saturday night... The whistle is very near now and the hunted man must be in Second Avenue but the bell goes on peeling lustily and so Black man you must run wherever you are, run," (42). While the sentences seem to connect to each other very little, they reflect how Mphalele's mind wandered as he laid on the ground thinking to himself. In the previous chapters, Mphalele lays out what life is like in Second Avenue, with strict curfews and domineering police control, so it is logical for him to be thinking about the curfew in the beginning of a sentence, and then about escaping the police at the end of the sentence, as it follows the flow of his thoughts as he reflects on the subject matter he has already covered. The thoughtfully placed punctuation also serves to add to the stream of consciousness, giving the sentences a clear sense of brevity or verboseness of thought.]]> 2017-01-10 08:34:14 UTC https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/146178316 Mphahlele is often quite matter-of-fact in his descriptions of the brutality of the environment he grew up in and the society he lived in. What is the effect of this understatement? What are some of the brutal aspects of South Africa in the 1930s-1950s and how does Mphahlele illustrate them? -Dana McCaw https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/146261143 I think it’s interesting how Mphahlele just explains the things he did in his life, especially regarding work and education, in this matter-of-fact tone. Despite describing what he did, he does not reveal much emotion. For example, he describes how as a child he did most of the household chores: “I did most of the domestic work because my sister and brother were still too small. My uncles were considered too big. I woke up at 4.30 in the morning to make fire…Back from school I had to clean the house as Aunt Dora and grandmother did the white people’s washing all day” (32). He even states that he couldn’t do his homework until ten o’clock at night when he had finished all of this. This shows how from an early age, Mphahlele already had many responsibilities, as his family was busy working –for the white people. This part also reveals the differences in social class that he had to deal with at the time, where whites were above the Africans. Mphahlele also uses understatement when describing certain events in his life, such as when he ran into some white boys on his bicycle and they beat him up. He simply writes, “I started off again and limped six miles home” (35). Mphahlele evidently had a rough life, as six miles was a long distance (especially carrying a bundle), however, he does not complain about it. In the interludes, he shows more emotion about other conflicts, such as racism and the police, showing that compared to the larger conflicts, daily occurrences like this were minor. ]]> 2017-01-10 14:46:16 UTC https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/146261143 To what extent is Mphalele’s work a political work? What is the balance between the political and the personal in the work? https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/146697488 - Tanner Wilkins

Mphalele’s work, Down Second Avenue is primarily an autobiographical recollection of his experiences during his youth and adulthood. However, there are many aspects of Mphalele’s anecdotes describing his life experiences that are intended to be a political commentary on South African apartheid. Mphalele included short excerpts in his anecdotes which are clearly intended to describe the racial inequality at the time. For example, a young Mphalele is unaware of the racism that was prevalent in society during the time until Thema said “Black man must build houses for the white man but cannot live in them; Black man cooks the white man’s food but eats what is left over” (9). This short excerpt describing the “black man” is intended to reveal the racial divide that Mphalale was exposed to at a young age. As he got older, the political commentary became stronger and had more purpose due to his credibility as a well-educated man. Mphalele quotes in his thesis “Non-whites live in locations, or in the reserves, or work for whites in towns and on farms, where there are either labour tenants or squatters. There can hardly be a healthy common culture in conditions that isolate whole communities and make social and economic intercourse difficult or impposible” (208). He was awarded the degree and it was the first time the Department of English of the University of South Africa awarded a distinction for a senior degree. Overall, the entire work can be seen as both a personal autobiography and a political commentary because Mphalele used his established credibility as an author to recount his past experiences and vividly describe the racism and inequality that was prevalent in society at the time. 


]]> 2017-01-12 05:55:10 UTC https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/146697488 What is the impact and effect of the Interludes? Why do you think Mphalele includes them? How do they serve as a counterpoint to the rest of the work? -Ben Smith https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/146700797 Mphalele includes the Interludes which are used as artistic summations of the work leading up to the interlude. The interludes in Down Second Avenue tie together what has happened before the interlude. For example, the theme of darkness and the characterization of characters is summarized in the first interlude. Interlude has a different format than the rest of the autobiography because it is just stream of consciousness and contains only one paragraph. 

]]> 2017-01-12 07:04:10 UTC https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/146700797 •To what extent is Mphalele’s work a political work? What is the balance between the political and the personal in the work?- Rithvik Nallapareddy https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/146704081 I believe that the work is 50% political and 50% personal. The primary reason why i think it is balanced is because the interludes. I feel the entire purpose of the interludes are so that he can impute his own personal opinion to try to influence the readers. He wants the readers to understand his situation. He is trying to get people to understand the path he took to achieve the success he has. This was the personal part. The textual evidence i have for this is more throughout the novel and it is that he chose to make it a bildensroman for himself, not for the politics. I then believe that it also was political because he offered his views on the policital situation in RSA at the time. RSA had a very strong apartheid system that would not be broken for a long time. He adds leaving to Nigeria to show that his ending was political. " This Nigerian sun will burn up at least such prejudice and bitterness and hate of 37 years as haven't grown into him as kikuyu grass (234). This is an example of him saying that he left due to the prejudice that had been engrained in him and this is both political and personal. This is why I thought it was 50 to 50 percent. ]]> 2017-01-12 07:33:21 UTC https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/146704081 To what extent is Mphalele's work a political work? What is the balance between the political and the personal in the work? - Daniella Longhi https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/147207180 Although the later parts of Down Second Avenue contain obviously political discussions of the issues facing South Africa, the earlier sections of Mphahlele’s work are mostly focused on personal anecdotes and experiences. As he grows older and becomes more educated, the autobiography begins to include not only accounts of his personal life, but also his personal opinions and changing perceptions of the injustices in South Africa at this time, becoming a more overtly political work. For example, in the epilogue, he writes, “I think now the white man has no right to tell me how to order my life as a social being, or order it for me” (232). Although it is only in these later parts of the book that Mphahlele directly addresses the political issues surrounding the racism and discrimination against black South Africans, his recollection of his earlier life does include many instances of racism and discrimination, although the political implications are less overt. For example, as a young boy, Mphahlele accidentally ran his bike into a group of young white boys, who subsequently beat him up. This experience was not connected to any political commentary, but the anecdote does reveal how racism and white superiority are present in this society and how they are affecting black South Africans. In summary, the earlier sections of the work can be interpreted as a description of his personal experiences to portray political issues, while the later sections, although still containing personal anecdotes, become more obviously political and clearly state Mphahlele’s stance on these problems, ultimately providing an overall balance and connection between the personal and political. 

]]> 2017-01-14 21:06:57 UTC https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/147207180 How is gender a central aspect in the autobiography? What does Mphalele reveal about the position of black men and women in South African in the 1930s - 1950s? -Jaron Jin https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/147452052 Gender is a central aspect in the autobiography because it emphasizes the people who had the greatest impact on Mphalele's life and helped him grow. 
In one of his earlier memories about the village fires, he talks about his early recollection of gender roles in his society. Only the men and even some of the boys were able to attend these meetings and take part in the story-telling. For the women, he emphasized how it was an expectation for them to provide food for these meetings although they weren't able to attend.
Mphalele has a lot of memories about the influential women in his life, but not many about the men. When he lived in the city with one of his aunts, he recounts how that aunt and grandmother did much of the work to provide for the family. Mphalele was in charge of doing much of the housework, which is often viewed as the women's work, while his aunt and grandmother were out working for the white people to earn enough money.]]> 2017-01-17 06:45:29 UTC https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/147452052 What is the impact and effect of the Interludes? Why do you think Mphalele includes them? How do they serve as a counterpoint to the rest of the work?-Aaron Correya https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/147454160 Ezekiel Mphalele uses Interludes as an avenue to portray the unfiltered thoughts of himself at certain points throughout the autobiography in a stream of consciousness style of writing. He writes in this particular style in order to convey that his mind is free flowing and his thoughts on certain events and ideas are unfiltered. They contrast to the rest of the work because, as I stated before, it isn't written like the rest of the work. It's usually filled with quick, short sentences that all flow together. For example, in the interlude between chapters eleven and twelve, Mphalele states "A 'memory lesson'. Something to be learned off by heart. To know it and recite it. It's Saturday. No bioscope."  (75). As you can see, all of the sentences are short and to the point. They also seem to jump from one point to another with no apparent reason, another key characteristic differentiating the interludes from the rest of the autobiography.  Mphalele's thoughts in this don't also necessarily have to pertain to the plotline, for it usually only talks about his thoughts at the current point in time. He uses this as an outlet for all of his ideas, opinions, and justifications that would not really fit in with the rest of the autobiography. This is exactly why the interludes are so meaningful. They give the readers a deeper look into Mphalele's perspectives, helping them understand the story in a more effective way. ]]> 2017-01-17 07:16:15 UTC https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/147454160 •How is gender a central aspect in the autobiography? What does Mphalele reveal about the position of black men and women in South Africa in the 1930s-1950s? - Lucy Price https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/147478674 At the time of Mphahlele's autobiography in South Africa, women were technically considered inferior to men, as evidenced by his father's sentence of a mere fourteen days in prison after burning his mother. However, through his representation of the role and influence of women in his own life, Mphahlele portrays the vital role of black women in society. In his own home, "The family's budget was all on [Mother's] shoulders" (17). Though his mother technically has less power than his father, his mother still is the most significant contributor to the maintenance of the household.

 In his description of gender roles, Mphahlele focuses more on highlighting the difference in the nature of roles between men and women in society. When reflecting on images from his childhood, he says, “Searching through the confused threats of that pattern a few things kept imposing themselves on my whole judgement… my grandmother; … the romantic picture of a woman with a child on her back and an earthen pot on her head, silhouetted against the mirage” (10). With this quote, Mphahlele seems to use an almost reverent tone, “showing” his reader a classical image of a woman in society. She represents all the expected roles of a women - caring for her children and doing household chores - while remaining graceful. In this way, I think Mphahlele is portraying his respect for women in society, including his grandma and mother. ]]> 2017-01-17 09:46:42 UTC https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/147478674 Mphahlele is often quite matter-of-fact in his descriptions of the brutality of the environment he grew up in and the society he lived in. What is the effect of this understatement? What are some of the brutal aspects of South Africa in the 1930s-1950s and how does Mphalele illustrate them? -Alex Biegaj https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/147790288 Mphahlele uses understatement in his descriptions of brutal aspects of South Africa to reflect the public tone at the time. The society Mphahlele grew up in has become so dull to the brutality surrounding apartheid south africa, where events that we now consider to be brutal garner little reaction or surprise among their society,  Mphalele reflects this tone through his understatement.
A good example would be the scene in which a woman selling goods on the street suddenly realizes her baby has died. 
In this scene, Mphalel was “playing football with a tennis ball one morning during the school holidays. A number of women were selling cold sweet potatoes, peanuts and home-baked cakes on a patch of grass just near Fung Prak’s shop.” (71) “One woman had a child on her laps, covered with a dusty looking frayed blanket. She kept opening the covering as the child coughed violenty.”(71) When suggested to take her sick child to the hosptial, the woman responds “Hospital! Said the woman with the coughing child. ‘I went there once and those nurses were rude to me. Slapped me on the bums and shouted at me”. This effectively shows the brutal treatment Blacks received in healthcare. Out of nowhere, police arrive and force them to stop selling on “This is governmennt property” (72) Interestingly, Mphahlele mentions “The African constable was no less hostile.” (72) Showing, that even blacks do not show any less mercy towards fellow blacks.
Suddenly the Woman’s child falls limp. The woman is in disbelief
The woman panics, and describes the reasons her son must not die:
“He’s not dead, no, not my son,” she wailed, her hands over her face. “He must be well and strong again. And when he’s big he will go to school. And learn how to write his name and letter to me. But how can I read his letters? I must work very hard and add another ten shillings to that money to buy him jersey. Then there’ll be two. My man is out of work, he’s so headstrong he quarreled with the white man at work, and he should know you don’t go far quarreling with the white man because he is so strong and so rich. My son mustn’t die” (72-73)
Her son represented her hope to a better life, a symbol for more, and just like that, he died. As described by Mphahlele's understated commentary on the death:
“The child was dead” ( 73)
The understatement reflects the reaction of others around the incident. While people who witnessed the event felt sad, such an event was of no surprise to this society that experiences brutal events so frequently. Thus, their reaction is merely understated acceptance, reflective by Mphahlele's understatement. 
]]> 2017-01-18 13:02:54 UTC https://padlet.com/lunde/3cnbc6jn8apd/wish/147790288