The short story writer as social commentator? Consider the following excerpts from a student essay on the writing of La Guma.
Discuss how far the settings support the themes in at least two short stories you have studied.
In Alex La Guma’s short stories “Slipper Satin”, “The Lemon Orchard” and “Blankets”, the settings, both physical and social, support and reinforce ideas about inequality, deprivation and poverty under the apartheid system in South Africa during the 1960’s.
Slipper Satin explored many aspects of racial discrimination through both the physical and the social setting of the community in which the story was set. ………………………………………………….. La Guma gives the reader insight into life under the apartheid system through the development of the social setting showing how the power of racism has firmly taken hold of the country, not only controlling the way of life but also the minds of it’s people. (by L. Ansell)
Do you agree with this writer? Submit your comments but make sure you can provide evidence for your views.
Worth a look at South African Human Rights videos on You Tube. See Vodpod in sidebar.