Mrs. Plum

which cultural differences does karabo notice between herself and Mrs plam (and by extension between the white and black people in the story

Mrs plam by esk'ía mphahlele

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When Karabo begins working for Mrs. Plum, she knows her "place" as a servant in a white suburb, and she knows that all of the employers are white and the employees black. But she does not have a sense of the political and social standing of blacks and whites throughout the nation, and she has no idea that there are people working for systemwide change. As she becomes more sophisticated politically, and more sure of herself, she comes to resent Mrs. Plum's condescending attitude and eventually stands up for herself and demands higher wages. She is still Mrs. Plum's employee at the end of the story, but her approach to her job and to her relationship with Mrs. Plum is clear-eyed and confident.