Assignment 2ENG 1501
Assignment 2 ENG 1501
Student no 4572922
WHEN RAIN CLOUDS GATHER
THEMES DISCUSSED
* TRIBALISM
* APARTHEID
* RACISM
* DESCRIMINATION
* PROGRESSION – DEVELOPMENT
* BLACK/BLACK – WHITE/BLACK – MALE/FEMALE
* SOCIAL INJUSTICE
"When Rain Clouds Gather," the novel by Bessie Head, tells the story of a black South African refugee named Makhayo. He crosses the border into Botswana and becomes part of the village of Golema Mundi, whose members are experimenting with new agricultural methods under the tutelage of a white Englishman named Gilbert Balfour. Makhaya quickly becomes entwined in the political and social lives of Gilbert and the villagers.
The protagonist, Makhaya Maseko is escaping from South Africa as he does not want to be part of the apartheid system, he just wants peace and equality. The aims of the author are to show the horrible living conditions due to the same problem of tribalism as chiefs only thought about themselves and prevented local people to develop.
We can clearly see how severe the living conditions were as it is revealed ‘all those eighty cattle lay scattered about, quite still, quite dead’ this happened because of the dry season, not a single living thing could be seen as the passed by. When they finally got to the cattle post ‘vultures began swooping down in a straight column on the already decomposing carcasses’ this made it even clearer as there were only dead bodies and vultures were ready to eat them. These quotes anticipate us about the death of the child.
This was such an important moment because it shows us the love between these two characters, Paulina is hurt as her son has died but Makhaya is there to support her. Also, it shows us how the child lived away from the family and so he had no support from them and as a result, he dies ‘The boy is dead; why do you want to go in?’ After this question, Paulina says it’s a custom; Makhaya answers ‘All these rotten customs are killing us! Can’t you see I’m here to bear all your
Student no 4572922
WHEN RAIN CLOUDS GATHER
THEMES DISCUSSED
* TRIBALISM
* APARTHEID
* RACISM
* DESCRIMINATION
* PROGRESSION – DEVELOPMENT
* BLACK/BLACK – WHITE/BLACK – MALE/FEMALE
* SOCIAL INJUSTICE
"When Rain Clouds Gather," the novel by Bessie Head, tells the story of a black South African refugee named Makhayo. He crosses the border into Botswana and becomes part of the village of Golema Mundi, whose members are experimenting with new agricultural methods under the tutelage of a white Englishman named Gilbert Balfour. Makhaya quickly becomes entwined in the political and social lives of Gilbert and the villagers.
The protagonist, Makhaya Maseko is escaping from South Africa as he does not want to be part of the apartheid system, he just wants peace and equality. The aims of the author are to show the horrible living conditions due to the same problem of tribalism as chiefs only thought about themselves and prevented local people to develop.
We can clearly see how severe the living conditions were as it is revealed ‘all those eighty cattle lay scattered about, quite still, quite dead’ this happened because of the dry season, not a single living thing could be seen as the passed by. When they finally got to the cattle post ‘vultures began swooping down in a straight column on the already decomposing carcasses’ this made it even clearer as there were only dead bodies and vultures were ready to eat them. These quotes anticipate us about the death of the child.
This was such an important moment because it shows us the love between these two characters, Paulina is hurt as her son has died but Makhaya is there to support her. Also, it shows us how the child lived away from the family and so he had no support from them and as a result, he dies ‘The boy is dead; why do you want to go in?’ After this question, Paulina says it’s a custom; Makhaya answers ‘All these rotten customs are killing us! Can’t you see I’m here to bear all your