AFRICA EMERGENT BY NADINE GORDIMER

SOFFEATUL RAUNAQIAH BINTI MOHAMAD RAHIMSALIHAH BINTI MOHD RUSDI

NURUL ATIQAH BINTI RAHMATNUR SYAMILA IZZATI BINTI AZHAR

• Nadine Gordimer explores the theme of defying oppression through the use of characterization, setting, and tone in the short story "Africa Emergent".

• Elias Nkomo, had quite a good life in Africa as a sculptor, he had his works recognized, but he was oppressed in by the laws.

• So, went to America in the hope of getting himself general education and freeing himself from the oppression he had in Africa.

• Unfortunately, he was still affected by the oppression he had in Africa.

PLOT

• As his settings changed from the oppressors in Africa to the oppressors in America he found no escape from oppression.

• In fact, he realized that the oppressors from Africa were still affecting him.

• The apartheid in Africa prevented black people from growing, and when he evolved enough to know that he had to see life out side of Africa; he was not welcome to come back to Africa.

• According to the short story "It was the South African government who killed him.”

• The only escape he found from that(the oppression) was death.

• His only freedom was to end his life in the hope that the oppression would no longer choke his life away or control him.

• In short, when the realisation of the oppressed allows them to evolve they must not only free themselves from the oppressor, but also from the oppression.

Characters Narrator Elias NkomoNameless black man

Setting AfricaAmerica

Characters

• White male• Architect• Began integrating with Blacks when he was a student.• Met Blacks via the White Students’ Voluntary Service

organisation – became disillusioned because he believed the work they were doing should be done by government for Black communities.

• Met Blacks then out drinking with Black jazz musicians.• Designed sets for mixed-race drama group, started by

White man.

Character : Narrator

• Partly blames himself for death of Elias- didn’t respond to his letters and was too critical of the fact that Elias’ work is not developing. “I know you don’t think much of people who don’t turn out new stuff but some people here seem to think this old thing of mine is good.” P189

• Helped Elias to continue his art by providing him with workshop space even though he was breaking the law in doing so.

• He recognises the beauty of Elias’ work- “But you’ve never been lost, man. That very first goat wrapped in newspaper was your goat.” P187

• Is very aware that he compromises his own values and beliefs because he doesn’t fully believe in the nameless Black man: “There’s only one way for a man like that to prove himself, so far as we’re concerned: he must be in prison.”

• There is some irony in this statement because he doesn’t want to think like this but we suspect that he does – just like all the other White liberals.

• Shows self-awareness at the end. Bitterness in his statement; “We (his white friends) can be pure again. We are satisfied at last. He’s in prison. He’s proved himself, hasn’t he?”

• Narrator knows it should not be like this – to be real friends people of all races must be equal and able to trust each other.

Black African - ZuluWas a sculptor.The “goat-like creature” he shows the narrator reminds the

white man of Picasso’s goats.Used to live in the slums of Johannesburg – “an urban slum

kid”.Also been in the bush to undergo Zulu initiation rites. Likes company – found it difficult to work in the silence of the

workshop “Elias didn’t like the loneliness of work.”

Character : Elias

Has some success in South Africa – is “taken up” and hailed as the latest voice in African art but is then dropped when “the gallery-owner an the art critic forgot him in the discovery of yet another interpreter of the African soul”

Gains scholarship to American university through American woman.

Wants to go to get an education – although the narrator doesn’t believe the art schools can teach him anything of real value.

Can’t get passport – nobody knows why. Takes exit permit which means he cannot return.

In USA is taken up by magazines and Civil Rights movement of the 1960s.- Stokely Carmichael.

Even they don’t understand his culture – put him on stage in West African dress.

Nameless Black man later tells narrator that Elias began to act oddly in USA. Wanted to find goat so he could put on real African feast.

Found dead in river near Art school – presumed to have committed suicide.

– At the start we learn that he is in jail under the Detention Act.– Good friend of Elias.– He was part of the drama group with the Narrator and Elias.– He was a “tubby” man.– A cheerful, smooth talker.– Offered drama scholarship in USA.– Gained passport –seen as suspicious by whites but Black friends

celebrated his success: “when someone black got a passport, then, there was a collective sense of pleasure---”

Character: Nameless Black Man

– Came back on money from Elias’ scholarship after Elias died.

– Offered a job in Chicago but didn’t have the money to go.

– Borrows money from the narrator to buy a car. This gets in the way of their friendship. Money is not paid back though there are rumours that he is doing very well as a salesman. Narrator does well, too, and doesn’t need the money but feels “faintly resentful about it anyway…”

– His wife leaves him.–Was thought to be a police spy – he was the

only person not arrested at a meeting.– In jail for two hundred and seventy-seven days

and expected to be tried for treason.

• Political criticism (also referred to as political commentary or political discussion) is criticism that is specific of or relevant to politics,including policies, politicians, political parties, and types of government.

What is political criticism?

EVIDENCES OF POLITICAL ISSUES AND POLITICAL INEQUALITIES IN

THE SHORT STORY.

POLITICAL LITERARY CRITICISM

1. “Passes” have to be written out for the blacks in order to keep them from being arrested for being out after the curfew.

This suggests political inequality because there would be no “curfew” for the whites.

TE : “We had to remember to write out 'passes' at night, so that our actors could get home without being arrested for being out after the curfew for blacks...”

2. There are even “the black people’s section” at the train.

3. According to the law, it is illegal for a black man to live in a white suburb.

The legislation of the 1950’s and 1960’s prescribed any form of political or intimate social liaison between white and black people.

That is why, the narrator has to lie about renovating his garage, while on the other hand, he was actually building a place for Elias.

TE: “It was illegal for him to live there in a white suburb, of course, ...... the white building inspector didn't turn a hair of suspicion when I said that I was converting the garage as a flat for my wife's mother. ”

4. It is hard or even impossible for a black man to get a passport. (Elias is not given any reason as to why he can’t get a passport)

This is because, the blacks are meant to stay put in some parts of South Africa where the “government” says they belong. It seems that where they should be and where they shouldn’t be are decided by the government. They can’t have their say. They just have to accept it.

Even if they have their passports, they must be considered a police spy (spying for their country).

The only way to prove that they are not spies are by being imprisoned.

Assumptions : A black man with passport (free to travel anywhere) must be very special (one of high authority) that they will be suspected as a spy.

5. Once a black man are granted an exit-permit, they are not to return back to South Africa or its mandatory territory. (where you are now, is where you will be.)

The apartheid issue in Africa prevented black people from growing and that’s what motivated Elias of travelling out of Africa. But then, he can’t get back to Africa after going out.

6. A black man will not have his study grant included with travel expenses.

7. A black man will be arrested if he is caught attending a meeting of a banned political organization.

8. The two occupations, architect and artist represent white & black differences in the South African culture.

The white man is an architect, with more formal education. His position holds more prestige and economic value in society.

Elias, a black man, is a sculptor. Though both architect and sculptor can be thought of as artistic, the sculptor's creativity is more innate but the architect holds more power.

9. Under the Detention Act, one(the colored) can be imprisoned without even being told why and there are no charges on him.

Why does Gordimer choose to not give the other black man a name? • Since the story is told in 1st person POV, for the

narrator to name "him" would put the narrator at risk.

• A white man admitting friendship with a black man is bad enough, but one who is in prison is worse still.

• “He's in prison now, so I'm not going to mention his name. It mightn't be a good thing, you understand. ”

WHY “HE”? (the other man)

MAJOR THEMES Racial injustice- The inability to see that even someone who looks, and talks, and acts very different from oneself is fundamentally the same as every other human being.- Regardless of race, everybody have their own rights and feelings that must be considered.

Political injustice (Law)- Implementation of law is unfair, executing laws according to one’s race.

Social snobbery- Not being friends with someone due to their race.

MINOR THEMES Sympathy (or lack of it) for the misfits of society

We can now deduce the themes are..

THE END