Summary:
Marc Mathabane describes his treatment in 1965 South Africa in his autobiographical "Kaffir Boy." The book provides a look at South Africa's apartheid society of the time.
Think about it. It's around 6:45 a.m. in the year 1965. You are in your house lying on your cardboard bed with your little sister. Your Father is leaving to go to work and your Mother is outside using the outhouse. She runs in the house yelling frantically. There is a police raid taking place just a couple houses down the street. In a few minutes they will reach your house. Are you terrified? Good This is how Johannes Mathabane feels almost every morning of his life. This is your setting. The story "Kaffir Boy" takes place in South Africa and the setting develops dedication in the characters by the way they are being treated throughout the story.
The treatment of Johannes in South Africa reveals his determination by the way he treats the dogs in his front yard outside of his house while they are trying to eat. He sees these ugly, scrawny, little dogs outside of his house. They are trying to eat what is left of some dead animal. He feels angry yet sympathetic for the starving animals. He lets his anger take control of him. He then comes to the conclusion that if he has to starve that they have to starve as well.
He scares them away from the dead animal they are trying to eat by throwing a few rocks at them. When he notices that it works but only for a short time period he decides to make a game out of it. Johannes is so determined to keep them away that he successfully creates his own little game to pass the time away. He repeats this over and over again. He gathers up as many rocks as his small, boney hands can hold on to. He starts using his arm like a cannon. He continues to launch the different sized rocks at the poor, pathetic dogs. If he hits his desired target he gets really excited. He jumps up and down repeatedly. As if he was winning the game.
The setting of South Africa develops courage and curiosity in Johannes and his little brothers and sisters. He builds up enough courage to ask his mom, "Why didn't you just stop having babies"" He later states that he wishes he were dead or had never been born. He thinks it would be so much better than what he goes through every day of his horrible life. He is curious of these things because of the suffering of him, his family, and the rest of the South African population. He lets his mother know that death would end his constant suffering and starvation. This proves that he wishes he were dead or that he believes his parents should not have had any children.
So, have you thought about it yet? You don't like the idea of his situation do you? I don't even like to think about what his family and the rest of South Africa were put through. It makes me sick that the average white man was the cause of all their pain. Mark Mathabane uses the story "Kaffir Boy" to show how setting develops the treatment of the characters. He tries to show that where you live effects the way you are treated throughout your life and the type of person that you will grow up to become.
This is the complete article, containing 554 words
(approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page).
