Emmy Sheetz

1
Chapter 14

• Emmy Sheetz

2
Motifs

• Clothing (dont have much money but they still
  try to look nice)
• Pain (the way Kumalo walks, Absalom and Kumalo
  torturing each other)
• Possessions (Gertrudes dirty belongings, Absalom
  stealing white mans things)

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Contrasts

• Africans belongings vs. Whites belongings (pg.
  93)
• Safety of Johannesburg vs. Dangers of
  Johannesburg (pg. 98)
• Africans fear of the Whites vs. Whites fear of
  the Africans.

4
Themes

• Family (uncle-nephew brother-brother
  brother-sister father-son)
• Fear of the unknown (anticipating the news from
  the young white man)

5
Language

• John jokes about not remembering the word
  fidelity in English
• Kumalo speaks in English to his brother, but he
  speaks in Zulu to his son.
• Tixo (teeko) Xosa word for Great Spirit
• Revolver sounds similar in English, Africaans,
  and Zulu

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• Pgs 93-94, Kumalo seems like he doesnt know how
  to act around white people.
• When he hears the news, he leaves hunched over
  and sad. Pg 95 like walking with a child or with
  on one that was sick
• Pg 97 Absalom twists his head like his clothes
  were too tight.

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Questions?

• Why do you think John Kumalo says you dont joke
  about a murder, and even less about the murder of
  a white man?
• Why do you think Absalom acts the way he does to
  his father? Why the Stephen persist with asking
  the questions even if hes getting no answer?
• What do you think the barrier between them is?

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More questions?

• How are the torturing each other on page 99?
• Do you think Kumalo reacts properly to his
  brother asking who would believe his son?
• Why is the white car driver thankful for not
  being Kumalos brother?