lesson 4—a drink in the passage btlew part three enter

Lesson 4—A Drink in the Passage

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Part Part ThreeThree

ENTER


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Text Text AppreciatiAppreciationon

I. Text Analysis

II. Writing Devices

Point of View

Flashback

Figurative Language

III. Sentence Paraphrase


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Plot of the story

Setting of the story

Protagonists of the story

Writing techniques of the story

Theme of the story

I.I. Text AnalysisText Analysis

For reference

Discuss these questions with your partners.


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I.I. Text AnalysisText Analysis Plot: a well-educated black finds himself cordially

invited to split a bottle with a white man in

the passage of the latter’s apartment

building

Setting: social setting: Apartheid South Africa in

1960

story setting: in the passage

Protagonists: “I”—the black sculptor

Writing techniques: go to Writing Devices

Theme of the story: go to the next page

For reference.

To be continued on the next page.


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Theme

The story tells us how racial prejudice can

prevent us reaching, touching and connecting

with each other. This invisible wall exists

between the white and the black and hampers

their free communication and full understanding.

It is not just a wall imposed by apartheid laws,

but a wall deeply rooted in their hearts.

Please find details in the text to bear it

out.



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Part 1 (Paras. 1-6 ) about:

Part 2 (Paras. 7-76) about:


Structure

Against what

background and from

whom the story comes

How the story goes



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I.I. Text AnalysisText AnalysisIn the year 1960 the Union of South Africa

celebrated its Golden Jubilee, and there was a

nationwide sensation when the one-thousand-

pound prize for the finest piece sculpture was

won by a black man… (Para. 1)


(1)

Questions:

Why did the black man’s success cause such a

nationwide sensation?

What background does this opening sentence

intend to unravel?


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I.I. Text AnalysisText AnalysisHowever, a crisis was averted, because the

sculptor was “unfortunately unable to attend

the ceremony”. (Para. 3)


(2)

Questions:What did the author mean by saying that a crisis was finally averted? What is it about?What would have happened if Simelane had attended the ceremony personally to accept the prize?


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I.I. Text AnalysisText Analysis“I wasn’t feeling up to it.” Simelane said mischievously to me. “My parents, and my wife’s parents, and our priest, decided that I wasn’t feeling up to it. And finally I decided so too. (Para. 4)


(3)

Questions:In what sense did Simelane think he wasn’t “feeling up to it”? Did he mean he was physically unable to attend the ceremony?Why did Simelane give the author that mischievous look?


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I.I. Text AnalysisText AnalysisOf course Majosi and Sola and the others wanted me to go and get my prize personally, but I said, “boys, I’m a sculptor, not a demonstrator.” (Para. 4)


Questions:Who do you think Majosi and Sola were? Why did they strongly advise Simelane to and get the prize personally?How to understand “I’m a sculptor, not a demonstrator”?

(4)


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I.I. Text AnalysisText AnalysisThey gave a whole window to it, with a white

velvet backdrop, if there is anything called

white velvet, and… (Para. 7)


Questions:

What did he mean when he said “… if there is

anything called white velvet”? Could he be

playing with the word “white” here?

What qualities are usually associated with

“velvet”?

(5)


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I.I. Text AnalysisText Analysis“It’s beautiful,” he said. “Look at that mother’s head. She’s loving that child, but she’s somehow watching too. Like someone guarding. She knows it won’t be an easy life.” (Para. 14)


Questions:Did the white man admire the sculpture purely from an artistic point of view? Why and why not?Do you think the exhibited sculpture transformed the mind of this young Africaner? In what way?

(6)


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I.I. Text AnalysisText AnalysisI couldn’t have told him my name. I said I was Vakalisa, living in Orlando.


Questions:Why didn’t Simelane tell the white man his true name?What do you think was the reason why van Rensburg decided to befriend this black stranger?

(7)


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Then he said to me, “Are you educated?”

I said unwillingly. “Yes.” Then I thought to

myself, how stupid, for leaving the question

open. (Para. 27)


Question:

Why did he say that he was a fool to leave the

question open?

(8)


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Now I certainly had not expected that I

would have drink in the passage. (Para. 30)


Questions:How did Simelane feel when he realized that they were going to drink in the passage? Did he feel insulted and angry?Why do you think Simelane was not invited in?

(9)


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On the other side were the doors, impersonal

doors. (Para. 37)

… I was thinking that one of the impersonal

doors might open at any moment… (Para.

39)


Question:Why did Simelane keep referring to the “impersonal doors”? Why impersonal?

(10)


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I.I. Text AnalysisText Analysis… and van Rensburg, in a strained voice that suddenly came out of nowhere, said, “Our land is beautiful. But it breaks my heart.” (Para. 44)“You know,” he said, “about our land being beautiful?” (Para. 69)


Question:What did van Rensburg mean when he said that he thought their land was beautiful but sometimes broke his heart?

(11)


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I.I. Text AnalysisText AnalysisWhat he was thinking, God knows, but I was

thinking he was like a man trying to run a

race in iron shoes, and not understanding

why he cannot move. (Para. 75)


Question:What did Simelane mean when he said that van Rensburg was like a man trying to run a race in iron shoes, and not understanding why he cannot move?

(12)


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Is the story told in the first person or third person? What do you think is the relationship between the author and the protagonist? Can you describe the occasion when the author heard Simelane relate the story?What did the author mean when he said that sculpture touched the conscience of white South Africa?Why did Simelane say that he didn’t feel like a drink at that time of night, with a white stranger and all?


Further Discussion



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Do you think their discussion about what language they should use was idle talk?Did the white man want to touch and hug Simelane? Why didn’t he if he really felt that way?The sculptor also felt like hugging his white friend, didn’t he? Why didn’t he do that?Why did Simelane’s wife weep when she heard the story that night?


Further Discussion

The end of Text Analysis.


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II.II. Writing Writing DevicesDevices

Now observe the following sentences carefully. What is the focus of narration? Then one night I was working late at the Herald, and when I came out there was hardly anyone in the streets, so I thought I’d go and see the window, and indulge certain pleasurable human feelings. I must have got a little lost in the contemplation of my own genius, because suddenly there was a young white man standing next to me. (Para. 9)

the first person point of view


Point of View


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Do you know what the other

types of narration are?


What is point of view?

Point of view signifies the way a story gets

told—the mode (or modes) established by an

author by means of which the reader is

presented with the characters, dialogue, actions,

setting, and events which constitute the

narrative in a work of fiction.

Point of View


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The end of Point of View.

This narrative mode limits the matter of the narrative to what the first-person narrator knows, experiences, infers, or can find out by talking to other characters. We distinguish between the narrative “I” who is only a fortuitous witness and auditor of the matters he relates (Marlow in Heart of Darkness); or who is a participant, but only a minor or peripheral one, in the story (Nick in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby); or who is himself or herself the central character in the story (Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre).

The first person point of viewWhat is the first person

point of view?


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Now study the following paragraph. What is the

function of it?

He said to me. “This is the second cognac I’ve

had in my life. Would you like to hear the story of

how I had my first?” (Para. 6)

Do you know what flashback means?

This paragraph serves to introduce a flashback.

Flashback



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Can you come up with a story told in a flashback?

What is flashback?

Flashbacks are interpolated narratives or

scenes (often justified, or naturalized, as a

memory, a reverie, or a confession by one of the

characters) which represent events that

happened before the time at which the work

opened. Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman

(1949) and Ingmar Bergman’s film Wild

Strawberries make persistent and skillful use of

this device.

Flashback

The end of Flashback.


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1. metaphor2. simile&

alliteration

3. simile

The end of Writing Devices.

Now study the following sentences and tell us what figurative speech is used in each and how it contributes to the expressive effect of the language.1. It’s also the first time I’ve drunk a brandy so slowly. In Orlando you develop a throat of iron. (Para.5)2. He sat slumped in his seat, like a man with a burden of incomprehensible, insoluble grief. (Para. 75)3. What he was thinking, God knows, but I was thinking he was like a man trying to run a race in iron shoes, and not understanding why he cannot move. (Para. 75)

Figurative Language


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III.III. Sentence Sentence Paraphrase 1Paraphrase 1

In the year 1960, the Union of South Africa celebrated its fiftieth anniversary, and there was a great excitement throughout the country when people heard that the prize for the finest piece of sculpture was won by a black man.

appositive

go to 2

50th anniversary

throughout the nationextreme excitement or interest

In the year 1960 the Union Africa celebrated its Golden Jubilee, and there was a nationwide sensation when the one-thousand-pound prize for the finest piece of sculpture was won by a black man, Edward Simelane. (Para. 1)


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coordinate constructions, functioning as

predicate

go to 3

appositive

His sculpture, African Mother and Child, not only won the admiration of the white people for its artistic merit, but also deeply touched or moved their hearts and conscience because the work made them see the injustice of racial discrimination and the black people’s yearning for a better life for their children.

noun clause, coordinating with “conscience” “heart”

restrictive clause, modifying the parts joined by “or”

His work, African Mother and Child, not only excited the

admiration, but touched the conscience or heart or

whatever it was that responded, of white South Africa.

(Para. 1)


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It was by a careless mistake that his work was accepted,

because as a black person, he was not supposed to

participate in the competition.

emphatic structure

go to 4

a mistake that you make by not noticing sth. or by forgetting to do sth.

It was by an oversight that his work was accepted… (Para. 2)


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… but in certain powerful quarters, there was an outcry

against any departure from the “traditional policies” of

the country… (Para. 3)a usually unspecified group of people

a divergence from a rule or traditional practice

a strong protest or objection

… but in certain politically influential circles, there was a

strong protest against this decision as it was not in

conformity with the traditional, apartheid policies of the

country…

referring to the racial policies which had been in effect for many years

go to 5


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In Orlando you develop a throat of iron, and you just put

back your head and put it down, in case the police

should arrive. (Para. 5)

metaphor: a strong throat

In Orlando you (the blacks) gradually develop a throat

as strong as iron, and you just throw back your head

and drink the brandy up in one gulp in order to avoid

police detection.

subjunctive mood introduced by “in case”

go to 6


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They gave a window to it, with a white velvet backdrop,

if there is anything called white velvet, and some

complimentary words. (Para. 7)

They gave a whole window to the sculpture with a

white curtain at the back and some words in praise of

the work. The curtain (backdrop) was made of white

velvet, if there is such a thing as white velvet.

words expressing praise/admiration

go to 7

It’s hard to associate “white velvet” with “softness” “smoothness” in an apartheid country


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… so I thought I’d go and see the window, and indulge

certain pleasurable human feelings. I must have got a

little lost in the contemplation of my own genius…

(Para. 9)

So I thought I’d go and see the window, and enjoy

secretly some pleasant feelings—feelings of pride for

example for one’s genius. I must have become too

absorbed in my thinking about my own genius…

be engrossed/absorbed in

quiet, serious thinking about sth.

go to 8


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I wasn’t only feeling what you may be thinking, I was thinking that one of the impersonal doors might open at any moment, and someone might see me in “white” building, and see me and van Rensburg breaking the liquor laws of the country. (Para. 39)

You might be thinking that it was an insult to have me drink in the passage instead of inviting me into their apartment, to sit down and drink properly. Yes, I was feeling that way. But there was sth. else. I was also afraid that one of the cold, unfriendly doors might open at any moment and someone might see me in this “whites only” building, drinking with a white man and breaking the laws on drinking.

go to 9


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Anger could have saved me from the whole embarrassing

situation, but you know I can’t easily be angry. Even if I

could have been, I might have found it hard to be angry

with this particular man. (Para. 39)

I could have simply left then and there angrily and thus

freed myself from the awkward situation. But you know,

I’m not the kind of person who can easily get angry.

Even if I could, I might have found it hard to be angry

with this particular man. He seemed so nice to me.go to 10

subjunctive mood


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… and van Rensburg, in a strained voice that suddenly came out of nowhere, said, “Our land is beautiful. But it breaks my heart.” (Para. 44)

Van Rensburg suddenly appeared and, in a worried voice, said, “Our land is beautiful. But it breaks my heart.”

happening or appearing suddenly and without warning

our country

make one extremely sad

go to 11


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All of us were full of goodwill, but I was waiting for the

opening of one of those impersonal doors. Perhaps they

were too, I don’t know. Perhaps when you want so

badly to touch someone, you don’t care. (Para. 63)

All of us were full of warm and friendly feelings toward each other, but I was hoping that one of those doors would open and someone would come out and see me. Perhaps van Rensburg and the others were hoping the same thing, I am not quite sure. Perhaps when you want to reach out so eagerly, you don’t care what might happen.

go to 12


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We drove up Eloff Street, and he said, “Did you know what I meant?” I wanted to answer him, but I couldn’t, because I didn’t know what that something was. He couldn’t be talking about being frightened of Orlando at night, because what more could one mean than just that? (Para. 67)

We drove up Eloff Street, and he asked, “Did you know what I meant?” He wanted to make sure that I understood him. Being a black, I knew very well that he couldn’t be talking about it being dangerous in Orlando at night. He was saying that it was dangerous to break the Apartheid laws by showing up in Orlando at night. What else could he mean other than that?

go to 13


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Yes, I knew what he meant, and I knew that for God’s sake he wanted to touch me too and he couldn’t; for his eyes had been blinded by years in the dark. And I thought it was a pity he was blind, for if men never touch each other, they’ll hurt each other one day. (Para. 70)

Yes, I knew what he meant, and I knew, too, that he really wanted to touch me. But he couldn’t, for he had been influenced by racism for so long that he was now unable to see the truth and behave accordingly. And I thought it was a sad thing, because if you don’t understand each other and don’t care for each other, some day you will hurt each other. Racial prejudices are bound to lead to terrible sufferings for both sides.

go to 14


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And it was a pity he was blind, and couldn’t touch me,

for black men don’t touch white men any more; only by

accident, when they make something like Mother and

Child. (Para. 70)

And it was a pity he could not see the truth and

couldn’t open up completely to me and embrace me as

his brother, for black people could only touch them by

accident as in this case. They would not have had the

chance to be moved by the sculpture Mother and Child

if it had not been for the oversight. go to 15


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… and my inarticulateness distressed me,… (Para. 72)

… and my inability to express myself upset me;

Or

The fact that I could not clearly express what I was

thinking made me upset.go to 16

being unable to express oneself clearly; being at a loss for words


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… but I was thinking he was like a man trying to run a race in iron shoes, and not understanding why he cannot move. (Para. 75)

But I was thinking that he was much like a man trying to run but couldn’t because he was still not completely free from racist prejudices which were dragging his feet like iron shoes. And the sad thing was that he still did not know what was preventing their land, which otherwise was so beautiful, from becoming a country that would not break his heart. The wall was in his own heart.

present participle, modifying “a man”

The end of Sentence Paraphrase.


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