The Train from Rhodesia Criticism

This Study Guide consists of approximately 39 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of The Train from Rhodesia.

The Train from Rhodesia Criticism

This Study Guide consists of approximately 39 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of The Train from Rhodesia.
This section contains 465 words
(approx. 2 pages at 400 words per page)
Buy The Train from Rhodesia Study Guide

When Gordimer published "The Train from Rhodesia" in 1952, overt criticism of South Africa's political system by writers often resulted in censorship of their works. Thus, the story was Gordimer's subtle attempt to illustrate the insidious ramifications of racial discrimination. While she had already published many short stories in literary magazines, her readership was limited to a small audience of liberal, white South Africans. Internationally, her condemnation of apartheid gained her respect, but her second novel, A World of Strangers, was banned by the South African government. Yet even as her critics attacked her politics, others praised her technical mastery of language, her fluid imagery, and natural characterizations. "The Train from Rhodesia" itself, however, received little attention from critics upon its publication.

The volatile racial tensions in South Africa have continued to affect the reception of Gordimer's literature throughout her career. Many critics have attempted to categorize...

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This section contains 465 words
(approx. 2 pages at 400 words per page)
Buy The Train from Rhodesia Study Guide
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