Writing Quiz
Point of View
The point of view used in “Civil Peace” is the third person point of view. In the story, the narrator is outside the story and is chronicling the actions of the characters as they happen. Since the narrator does not have access to the thoughts of the characters, the point of view is in the limited form of the third person. Due to the use of this writing style, the narrator is able to show what is going on around the main characters in detail, as well as how the different activities influence the actions of the characters. For instance, when explaining Jonathan’s walk home, the narrator says,
Jonathan soon transferred the money to his left hand and pocket so as to leave his right free for shaking hands should the need arise, though by fixing his gaze at such an elevation as to miss all approaching human faces he made sure that the need did not arise until he got home.
In this example, the narrator is seen to be following the character through their daily activities. This is indicated in the way the narrator is still present when Jonathan is alone. Another example of how the point of view influences the setting is the description of the morning’s events after the thieves attacked. It reads,
At the first sign of light as neighbours and others assembled to commiserate with him he was already strapping his five-gallon demijohn to his bicycle carrier and his wife, sweating in the open fire, was turning over akara balls in a wide clay bowl of boiling oil. In the corner his eldest son was rinsing out dregs of yesterday’s palm wine from old beer bottles.
The narrator is once again seen to be present in the scene with a view of all that is happening. This feature enables the narrator to give the reader a better perspective of what is going on to improve the perceived realness of the story.
Theme
The theme that stands out the most is being positive and always being grateful for what one has. Throughout the story, Jonathan counts his blessings at what he still has; the zinc house, his wife and three children, and his aged bicycle. This can be seen in the story when the narrator introduces him,
He had come out of the war with five inestimable blessings–his head, his wife Maria’s head and the heads of three out of their four children. As a bonus he also had his old bicycle--a miracle too but naturally not to be compared to the safety of five human heads.
Because he is not wasting time being bitter about what he has lost or complaining about it, he makes a living out of what he has and has a thriving bar and taxi business within a few weeks of the story’s beginning. This theme is also visible in his response to the loss of the ex-gratia money. Instead of complaining, he is quoted saying,
‘I count it as nothing,’ he told his sympathizers, his eyes on the rope he was tying. ‘What is _egg-rasher_? Did I depend on it last week? Or is it greater than other things that went with the war? I say, let _egg-rasher_ perish in the flames! Let it go where everything else has gone. Nothing puzzles God.’
This theme stands out because it appears to be the main theme of the story, given it features in the beginning, throughout the story, and in the conclusion. Additionally, it is also the theme that produces most of the results seen in the story of Jonathan’s life, such as the thriving bar. The repeated theme suggests it is a key aim of the author to pass the message of resilience and positivity to the reader.
The Suit Theme
The major theme in the story “The Suit” is torture. As the story starts, Philemon’s thankfulness is punctuated by inferences to the rain’s cruelty in forcing the workers to go to work in wet conditions. Additionally, the narrator highlights Philemon’s thoughts regarding the apartheid situation as he washes and prepares breakfast for his wife. All these complaints on the way things are show the oppressive nature of the story’s setting. The story also highlights the torture that he goes through when attempting to relieve himself at the shared lavatory. This is seen in the way this is described, “He was dancing and burning in that climactic moment when trouser-fly will not come wide soon enough.” (Themba 7) This theme is also present in the thoughts going through his head as he confronts his wife’s adultery. Additionally, as the wife reels from the actions of the husband that morning, there is a theme of torture present. In writing, “The sheer savagery with which he cracked at her jerked her up…” (Themba 12)The author alludes to the increasing torture theme. This theme explores how the everyday stresses of a working man can be compounded by personal situations and how the balance for a nonviolent life is hard to achieve.
Anguish Longer Than Sorrow Theme
A key theme in the poem “Anguish Longer Than Sorrow” is suffering. The use of words such as brutality, malnutrition, and nothingness throughout the poem is used to portray the suffering of young children in refugee camps. When Kgositsile writes, “Consider the premature death of their young dreams” (para. 5), he is showing the dire consequences that war places on the innocent. In saying, “To have a home is not a favour” (Kgositsile para. 6), he points out the right of every child to have a home. Overall, the poem is a cry for help on behalf of the displaced children and is aimed at bringing their plight to light for the world to see.