ENGLISH FAL Short Stories

ENGLISH FIRST ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE GRADE 12
MIND THE GAP

SHORT STORIES
CHANGES: An Anthology of Short Stories
By B. Walter
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Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) Grade 12 English First Additional
Language Mind the Gap study guide for the Short Stories: Changes by B. Walters.
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Copyright © Department of Basic Education 2022

ISBN:
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Contact persons: Ms C. Weston and Dr S. Malapile
Email: Weston.C@dbe.gov.za / Malapile.s@dbe.gov.za
Tel: (012) 357 4183 / 012) 357 3811
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Acknowledgments
All reasonable steps were taken to acknowledge the sources used in this study guide. In the event of any
omission or error in the acknowledgments, kindly bring this to the attention of the Department of Basic
Education.
The extracts from the Short Stories in this study guide are from Changes
by B. Walters
Mind the Gap Team

Senior Project Leaders: Dr S. Malapile, Ms C. Weston, Mr A.J. Ragkoathe
Production co-ordinators:
B. Monyaki, B. Ras, M. Phonela, M. Nematangari
Authors: Ms Christelle Barnard, Ms Mpho Lukhele, Ms Pila Masakane, Ms Thembeka Mtolo,

Ms Mpho Mongale, Ms Nonhlanhla Mzila, Ms Renske Pieterse, Dr Nkosinathi Sithole
Critical reader: Monyaki B.S.

Designer and editor: Page82 Media
Onsite writers’ workshop support:

J. Mphidi, V. Magelegeda, R. Maboyi, K. Mothapo, N. Malope
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Ministerial Foreword
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has pleasure in releasing the second edition of the
Mind the Gap study guides for Grade 12 learners. These study guides continue the innovative
and committed attempt by the DBE to improve the academic performance of Grade 12
candidates in the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination.
The study guides have been written by teams of experts comprising teachers, examiners,
moderators, subject advisors and co-ordinators. Research, which began in 2012, has shown
that the Mind the Gap series has, without doubt, had a positive impact on grades. It is my fervent
wish that the Mind the Gap study guides take us all closer to ensuring that no learner is left
behind, especially as we celebrate 20 years of democracy.
The second edition of Mind the Gap is aligned to the 2014 Curriculum and Assessment Policy
Statement (CAPS). This means that the writers have considered the National Policy pertaining
to the programme, promotion requirements and protocols for assessment of the National
Curriculum Statement for Grade 12 in 2014.
The Mind the Gap CAPS study guides take their brief in part from the 2013 National Diagnostic
report on learner performance and draw on the Grade 12 Examination Guidelines. Each of the
Mind the Gap study guides defines key terminology and offers simple explanations and
examples of the types of questions learners can expect to be asked in an examination. Marking
memoranda are included to assist learners to build their understanding. Learners are also
referred to specific questions from past national examination papers and examination
memoranda that are available on the Department’s website – www.education.gov.za.
The CAPS editions include Accounting, Economics, Geography, Life Sciences, Mathematics,
Mathematical Literacy and Physical Sciences. The series is produced in both English and
Afrikaans. There are also nine English First Additional Language (EFAL) study guides. These
include EFAL Paper 1 (Language in Context); EFAL Paper 3 (Writing) and a guide for each of
the Grade 12 prescribed literature set works included in Paper 2. These are Short Stories,
Poetry, Cry, the Beloved Country, The strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Macbeth, and
My Children! My Africa! Please remember when preparing for Paper 2 that you need only study
the set works you did in your EFAL class at school.
The study guides have been designed to assist those learners who have been underperforming
due to a lack of exposure to the content requirements of the curriculum and aim to mind-the-
gap between failing and passing, by bridging the gap in learners’ understanding of commonly
tested concepts, thus helping candidates to pass.
All that is now required is for our Grade 12 learners to put in the hours required to prepare for
the examinations. Learners, make us proud - study hard. We wish each and every one of you
good luck for your Grade 12 examinations.
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Table of Contents
Item Page Number
5
Dear Grade 12 learner
6
How to use this study guide
Self assessment worksheet
9
10
Literary features
11
Study tips
12
On the examination day
Overview of the English First Additional Language Paper 2: Literature 13

Examination
15
What are the examiners looking for?
Sub headings per story Short Stories

Author’s background Forbidden Love – Can Themba 15-22
information
Rejection – Mariana Bȃ 23-30
1. Summary
2. Title Eveline – James Joyce 31-38
3. Themes
4. How is the story told? A bag of sweets – Agnes Sam 40-47
4.1. Setting
4.2. Structure and Plot Class act – Namhla Tshisana 48-57
Development
4.3. Characterisation
The wind and the boy – Bessie Head 58-64
4.4. Narrator’s point of view
4.5. Style
4.6. Tone and mood The girl who can – Ama Ata Aidoo 65-71
5. Activity/Examination-like
Activity Triumph in the face of adversity –
72-80
Kedibone Seku
Instructional Verbs And Their Meanings 81-82
Assessment Rubric For Shorter Transactional Text 83
References 84
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Dear Grade 12 learner
This Mind the Gap study guide helps you to prepare for the end-
of-year Grade 12 English First Additional Language (EFAL)
Literature examination.
There are three examinations for EFAL: Paper 1:
Language in Context; Paper 2: Literature; and Paper 3:
Writing.
There are nine great EFAL Mind the Gap study guides
which cover Papers 1, 2 and 3.
Paper 2: Literature includes the study of novels, drama,
short stories and poetry. A Mind the Gap study guide is
available for each of the prescribed literature titles.
Choose the study guide for the set works you studied in
your EFAL class at school.
This study guide focuses on the eight prescribed short
stories examined in Paper 2: Literature. You will need to
study all eight short stories for the examination:
1. Forbidden Love by Can Themba
2. Rejection by Mariana Bȃ
3. Eveline by James Joyce
4. A bag of sweets by Agnes Sam
5. Class act by Namhla Tshisana
6. The wind and the boy by Bessie Head
7. The girl who can by Ama Ata Aidoo
8. Triumph in the face of adversity by Kedibone Seku
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How to use this study guide
There is one chapter for each of the short stories. Each chapter
includes a summary, a brief statement of the importance of the
title, and the themes. More detail is given on how the story is told
by examining:
Setting;
Structure and plot development;
Characterisation;
Style;
Narrator and point of view;
Diction and figurative language and
Tone and mood.
All of the above information is also summarised in a set of notes.
Use these notes to hold the eight short stories clearly in your mind.
You can test your understanding of each short story by
completing the activities, and using the answers to mark your
own work. The activities are based on examination extracts.
Learn all of the vocabulary lists for each short story at the end of each
chapter.
Structure and plot development
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A short story requires the reader to understand and unpack its main elements. These
elements apply to most short stories. The following is a simplified table that you can use
with any short story immediately after reading it. This analysis will assist you when you
prepare for a test, an assignment or revise for examinations.
SHORT STORY ANALYSIS SHEET

Title: ___________________________________Author: __________________________
Setting WHEN & WHERE does the story take place? (Time and Place)
Characters Who are the characters in the story?
Characterization
Definition of character trait:
What are the personality traits of each Personality characteristic or inherent value
character? that someone has which they are unlikely to
change and that helps to make an individual
into the kind of person he/she is.
Theme
(The Message) The theme is a main idea or an underlying
meaning of a literary work, which may be
What is the main idea of the story? stated directly or indirectly. A short story may
have more than one theme.
Tone Tone is a quality in the voice that expresses

the speaker’s feelings or thoughts, often
towards the person being spoken.
Mood
Describe how you felt reading this Mood explains the way you feel at a particular time:
story (Use the author’s intentions, not Are you feeling good or bad, cheerful or irritable, etc?
bored)
Imagery The use of literary devices e.g. figures of speech and sound
What pictures could you devices.
visualise as you read the story?
Simile, personification, metaphor, irony,
synecdoche, metonymy, assonance, alliteration,
etc. Refer to CAPS, pages 31, 32 and 46
Point of View What narrative perspective from which the story is told?
(a) First person narration: the story is told from a

personal point of view using the first person
(I/we/my/our)
(b) Second person narration: a little used technique of
narration in which the narration is told by a character
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ascribed to the reader. Second person pronouns are
used (you/your).
(c) Third person/omniscient narration: narration means
the narrator knows everything about the actions,
attitude, secrets and even thoughts of all characters.
He has a bird’s eye view. The narrator tells a story
using a bird’s eye view. Names of people are used, as
well as third person pronouns (he/she/they/).
Conflict Internal
List and describe the different types (self vs. self)
of conflict from the story.
Which are internal and which are
External
external?
(self vs. person, society or nature)
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SELF ASSESSMENT WORKSHEET
NAME OF LEARNER:……………………………… CLASS:…………………..
SHORT STORY ANALYSIS
Title: ___________________________________Author: __________________________

Setting
Characters
Characterization
Theme(s)
Tone
Mood
Imagery
Point of View
Conflict Internal
External
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Literary features found in short stories
Diction The poet’s choice of words and how he/she organises them.
Euphemism A mild or vague expression in place of a word that is more harsh or
direct.
First person The poem is written from the point of view of ‘I’ or ‘we’.
Hyperbole A deliberate exaggeration. For example, ‘a big’ plate of food is
described as ‘a mountainous’ plate of food.
Irony A statement or situation that has an underlying meaning that is
different from the literal meaning.
Metaphor A figure of speech that uses one thing to describe another in a
figurative way.
Metonymy Something associated with the object represents the object e.g. ‘And
ploughs down palaces, and thrones, and towers.’ In this example, the
‘Palaces’, ‘thrones and towers’ is a substitution for the people in
power/Government/ Monarchs.
Mood The emotions felt by the reader when reading the poem.
Oxymoron A combination of words with contradictory meanings (meanings which
seem to be opposite to each other). For example, ‘an open secret’
Personification Giving human characteristics to non-human beings.
Pun A play on words which are identical or similar in sound. It is used to
create humour.
Sarcasm An ironic expression which is used to be unkind or to make fun of
someone.
Simile Comparing one thing directly with another. ‘Like’ or ‘as’ is used to
make this comparison.
Symbol Something which stands for or represents something else.
Synecdoche A part is named but the whole is meant/ understood, OR the whole is
named but only part is meant/understood, e.g.
“… his back to the five thin healthy head of cattle grazing.”
Theme Themes are the main messages of a text. There are usually a few
themes in each poem.
Third person The poem is written from the point of view of ‘he’, ‘she’ or ‘they’.
Tone The feeling or atmosphere of the poem.
Alliteration A pattern of words that includes the repetition of consonant sounds.
The repeated sound can be either at the beginning of successive
words or inside a word.
Assonance The vowel sounds of words that occur close together are repeated.
Consonance A sound that occurs at the end of words that are close together is
repeated.
Onomatopoeia The use of words to create the sounds being described.
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Study tips
1. Divide your workload into manageable sections.
This will help you to focus. Take short breaks
between studying one section and going onto the
rest.
2. Have all your materials ready before studying a

particular section of your work – pencils, pens,
highlighters, paper, glass of water, etc.
3. Be positive. It helps you to retain information.
4. You learn better when using colours and pictures.

Use highlighters of different colours whenever you
can.
5. Repetition is the key to remembering information

you have learnt. Constantly go over your work, until
you can recall it with ease.
6. Work with a partner. Teach each other what you

have learnt. It is worth reading your revision aloud.
7. Sleep for at least eight hours every night. Eating

healthy food and drinking plenty of water are all
important things you need to do to stay refreshed.
8. Studying for exams is like exercise, so you must be

prepared physically and mentally.
9. Practise past papers, familiarise yourself with the

format, structure and type of questions.
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On the examination day
Make sure you bring pens that work, sharp pencils, a rubber
and a sharpener. Make sure you bring your ID document and
examination admission letter. Arrive at the examintion venue at
least an hour before the start of the examination.
Go to the toilet before entering the examination room. You don't

want to waste valuable time going to the toilet during the
examination.
You must know at the start of the examination which two out of
the four sections of the Paper 2 Literature examination you will
be answering. Use the 10 minutes’ reading time to read the
instructions carefully.
Break each question down to make sure you understand what

is being asked. If you don’t answer the question properly you
won’t get any marks for it. Look for the key words in the
question to know how to answer it. You will find a list of
question words on pages xiv and xv of this study guide.
Manage your time carefully. Start with the question you think is
the easiest. Check how many marks are allocated to each
question so you give the right amount of information in your
answer.
Remain calm, even if the question seems difficult at first. It will

be linked with something you have covered. If you feel stuck,
move on and come back if time allows. Do try and answer as
many questions as possible.
Take care to write neatly so the examiners can read your

answers easily.
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Overview of the English First
Additional Language Paper 2:
Literature Examamination
In the Paper 2 Literature exam, you need to answer questions from two sections.
Choose the two sections that you know best:
• Section A: Novel
• Section B: Drama
• Section C: Short stories
• Section D: Poetry
A total of 70 marks is allocated for Paper 2, which means 35 marks for each section you choose.
You will have two hours for this exam.
Here is a summary of the Paper 2 Literature exam paper:

Question Title of novel Type of Number of
number question marks
Section A: Novel If you choose Section A, answer ONE question. Choose the question for the
book you have learnt.
1. Cry, the Beloved Contextual 35
Country
2. The Strange Case of Contextual 35
Dr Jekyll and Mr
Hyde
Section B: Drama If you choose Section B, answer ONE question. Choose the question for
the play you have learnt.
3. Macbeth Contextual 35
4. My Children! My Contextual 35
Africa!
Section C: Short stories If you choose Section C, answer BOTH questions. You will not know
exactly which short stories are included until the exam. TWO stories will be set. Answer the
questions set on BOTH short stories.
5.1 Short story Contextual 17 or 18
5.2 Short story Contextual 17 or 18
Section D: Poetry If you choose Section D, answer BOTH questions. You will not know
exactly which poems are included until the exam. TWO poems will be set. Answer the
questions set on BOTH poems.
6.1 Poem Contextual 17 or 18
6.2 Poem Contextual 17 or 18
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What is a contextual question?
In a contextual question, you are given an extract from a short story. You
then have to answer questions based on the extract. Some answers you
can find in the extract. Other questions will test your understanding of
other parts of the story. Some questions ask for your own opinion about
the story.
What are the examiners looking for?

Examiners will assess your answers to the contextual questions based on:
● Your understanding of the literal meaning of the story. You need to

identify information that is clearly given in the extract.
● Your ability to reorganise information in the short story. For
example, you may be asked to summarise some points.
● Your ability to provide information that may not be clearly stated in
the extract provided, using what you already know about the text
as a whole. This process is called inference. For example, you may
be asked to explain how a figure of speech affects your
understanding of the story as a whole.
● Your ability to make your own judgements and form opinions about
aspects of the story. This process is called evaluation. For
example, you may be asked if you agree with a statement.
● Your ability to respond to the emotional level of a short story. This
is called appreciation. You may be asked to discuss how the
writer’s style helps to describe the tone and mood of the extract.
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Forbidden Love
by Can Themba
Can Themba was born in Marabastad, Pretoria on 21 June
1924, into a family of four. He won a scholarship to study at Fort
Hare College, where he received an English degree in 1947. He
later obtained a teacher's diploma and taught in Johannesburg’s
western township areas. In 1960 he started working for Golden
City Post. He went into voluntary exile in Swaziland in 1963 and
in 1966 his writing was banned in South Africa. He died in 1968,
in Swaziland.
Can Themba
1. Summary *Native is a term

The story is about two people who love each other deeply and have to hide that was used
their feelings. Michael is Black and Dora is Coloured. The two lovers are during apartheid to
refer to black
eventually exposed when Dora’s little brother, Bobby, learns that his sister is people.
in a relationship with a native*. This revelation leads to a feud between the
lovers’ families, which later results in Michael’s attack. The irony in the story *Meneer means
lies in the fact that Davie (Dora’s brother) has had a relationship with Salome Mister (Mr) in
(Mike’s sister) from which a child was conceived. Afrikaans.
2. Title
Forbidden love refers to a romantic relationship between two individuals which
is not approved. The disapproval could be because of religious, cultural or
political differences, among others. In this story, the title refers to a romantic
relationship between Dora and Michael, which is highly discouraged by the
‘coloured people’ of Noordgesig.
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3. Themes
3.1 Fear
Dora and Michael live their lives in fear of their relationship being exposed.
Dora’s brother, Davie, fears that he might be judged for his relationship with
Michael’s sister with whom he has a baby. This is kept a secret until later
when Salome confronts Davie’s family.
3.2 Hypocrisy
Davie has a relationship with Salome (a black woman) and a child is born.
Ironically, Davie still considers it appropriate to beat Michael up when he also
has a relationship with Michael’s sister. It is hypocritical that Davie does not
approve of her sister’s relationship with a black man while he even has a
child with a black woman.
3.3 Racism
The people of Noordgesig (Coloureds), refer to black people as ‘natives’,
which is very derogatory. Dora and Michael are not allowed to have a
relationship because of their different races. Davie has to hide his child who
is born into an interracial relationship. Black people are not allowed to visit
the cinema.
4. How is the story told?

4.1 Setting
The setting is the Western townships of Johannesburg, namely Sophiatown
and Noordgesig, during the height of apartheid.
4.2 Structure and Plot Development

Exposition:
The narrator introduces us to the story through two lovers from different racial
backgrounds who have to hide in ‘tall grass’ due to prohibitions on mixed
relationships.
Rising Action:
Davie and a few of his coloured friends go out looking for Michael. They meet
him at the Rhythmic Cinema and beat him. Dora tries to stop them but they are
determined to beat him. The other African boys run away and Michael and Dora
are left by themselves with the angry crowd of coloured boys.
Climax:
After learning about the story of Michael’s beating by Davie and his friends,
Salome has an idea of how to end the whole issue. When Michael has healed,
Salome exposes the truth that Davie is actually the father of her child. Salome
even presents evidence in the form of love letters that Davie has written to her.
Both families are shocked.
Resolution:
Michael and Dora are no longer living under fear. There is a feeling that the
fighting between the two families has subsided.
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4.3 Characterisation
Dora Randolph ● She is loving (She loves Michael deeply)
● She is caring (She takes care of Michael when he is
beaten by the young coloured boys (gang))
● She is overprotective (She stands up in the way of
Michael’s attackers by the cinema)
● She is resilient (She does not give up on her
relationship with Michael)
● She is rebellious (She disregards her family’s
feelings and instructions to stay away from black
people)
● She is tolerant/progressive (She is ashamed of how
her community treats their black counterparts)
Michael ● He is sensitive (He chooses his words carefully when
Chabakeng talking to Dora about her family)
(Mike) ● He is loving (He loves Dora deeply)
● He is considerate (He is concerned about the identity
of his sister, Salome’s child)
● He is respectful (He responds to Dora’s family in a
respectful manner)
● He is peaceful (He does not fight back when the
coloured gang beat him up)
Mr Van Vuuren ● He is racist (He advises coloured people to stay
away from black people)
● He is conservative (He is afraid of socio-political
change)
● He is deceptive (He tries to destroy Salome and
Davies’ love letters)
Mr Randolph ● He is racist (He is against interracial relationships)
● He is conservative (He is afraid of socio-political
change)
Louisa Randolph ● She is insecure (Her darker complexion makes her
feel inferior)
● She is regressive (She does not want to be
associated with black people)
Meneer Carelse ● He is selfish (He wants Dora to himself)
● He is determined (He persuades the principal to
inform the Randolphs about Dora’s affair with
Michae.)
● He is manipulative (Meneer Carelse tells others that
Dora is in an interracial relationship)
● He is self-righteous (He keeps his drinking problem
a secret, but wants to expose Dora’s scandal)
● He is spiteful (He cannot deal with the rejection after
proposing to Dora and still holds a grudge)
● He is a disciplinarian (He brings order during the
school fight)
David Randolph ● He is two-faced/hypocrite (He does not approve of
(Davie) Dora and Michael’s relationship yet he also has a
love-child with Salome)
● He is secretive (He keeps his relationship with
Salome a secret)
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● He is a coward (He lives in fear that he will be
exposed by Salome that he is the father of her child)
● He is violent (He planned Michael’s attack)
● He is protective (He protects his sister from the
disgrace of being involved with a black man)
● He is loving/romantic (He is in a relationship with
Salome and writes her ‘flaming’ love letters)
Salome ● She is trustworthy (She keeps her end of the deal
Chabakeng by keeping her relationship with Davie a secret for a
long time)
● She is brave (After her brother’s beating, she
exposes her relationship with Davie to his family
despite their race issues)
● She is caring (She helps Dora take care of Michael)
4.4 Narrator’s point of view

The story is narrated in the third person from an omniscient personal
experience. The narrator helps the reader understand how fear and shame are
relentlessly part of a community that seeks to prove that black people are
beneath them in all areas of their being.
4.5 Style
An easy flowing literary style is used throughout the story. This could be
because the narrator wants to demonstrate apartheid norms as lived by
different racial groups in the townships. This story explores the practices of the
apartheid system and its cruel tendencies.
4.6 Diction and figurative language

● The writer uses figurative language in order to emphasise meaning.
● Some examples of figures of speech in the story include:
PERSONIFICATION
o ‘This business of becoming an African is nearest to her, seems
would soonest catch her in its cruel fingers.’ (Page 11)
The cruelty of the system of apartheid and its separation laws are
compared to a cruel monster threatening to catch Louisa.
SIMILE:
o ‘A ghost-like shadow…’ (Page 12)
Michael’s shadow is being compared to a ghost. This comparison is
effective because the lights from the moving cars blur Michael’s
shadow to look shapeless, just like a ghost.
o ‘flew out to Noordgesig like a tongue flicked out of a mouth

mockingly.’(Page12)
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The speed at which Michael’s shadow disappears is compared to a
quick movement of a tongue when one sticks it in and out in a
mocking manner.
METAPHOR:
o ‘his dark form swam towards her.’ (Page 10)
The movement of the man is slow and flowing like a person
swimming.
o ‘Let’s feed the faith.’ (Page 11)
o ‘He had a bombshell …’ (Page13)
PERSONIFICATION:
o ‘From the bridge the road climbed the hillock and sailed
away to Newclare.’ (Page 10)
The road is given human qualities by stating that it wilfully climbs a hill
and then goes sailing.
IRONY:
o ‘So this is the bloody bastard!’ (Page15)
What Davie says is ironic because he has a baby born out of wedlock,
but sees it befitting to call Michael a bastard.
4.7 Tone and Mood

Tone:
● Bitter: Dora’s family members use this tone when they voice out their
disapproval of her relationship with Michael.
● Condescending: Black people are treated as inferior to coloureds. It is
regarded as taboo to even have an interracial relationship.
● Cruel: This tone comes through frequently when the fights ensue. Some
derogatory words are used, e.g. ‘blurrie bastard’, ‘the ‘k’ word.
Mood:
● Tense
● Hopeless
● Fearful
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Activity 1
‘Forbidden Love’
1.1 Read the following extract and answer the questions which follow:
‘Not here, darling,’ he said hastily, ‘some car-lights may strike upon us.’ He led her
higher up the road into the tall grass. Suddenly she caught his coat lapels and dragged
him down so that no one could see them. He clambered towards her and curled her
into his arms. His lips thrilled upon hers, burningly sweet, and with digging fingertips
she tried to find the source of his fire in his spinal column. 5
Then the flames went out of them, settling into a low glow. She broke away with a
sigh. She caught a stalk, put it in her mouth, and turned to look at the scattered lights
of Noordgesig.
‘They were at it again, Sweetie,’ she said between her teeth, ‘and what makes me
mad is that I cannot fight back anymore.’ 10
‘What did they say now?’ Mike asked, a little worried.
‘Mr Van Vuuren was at our place again. It looked almost as if Dad had called him in to
preach to us. He spoke about how terribly important it is that we keep away from the
‘Natives’, otherwise we would be associated with them. And his voice had a trick of
making that word ’associated’ sound horrible. But what made me hate him was the 15
way he stared at Louisa as he spoke. I –’
1.1.1 Choose a description from COLUMN B that matches the name in COLUMN A.
Write only the letter (A–D) next to the question number (1.1(a) – 1.1(d)) in the
ANSWER BOOK.
COLUMN A COLUMN B
(a) Mike A Dora’s brother
(b) Davie B Mike’s sister
(c) Salome C Dora’s sister
(d) Louisa D Dora’s boyfriend
E Mike’s brother
(4 x 1) (4)
1.1.2 Describe the setting of this extract. (2)
1.1.3 Refer to lines 3-4 (‘He clambered towards… curled her into his arms.’)
(a) Identify the figure of speech used in these lines. (1)
(b) Explain the meaning of this figure of speech. (2)
1.1.4 Quote a single word which proves that Dora takes a deep breath. (1)
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1.1.5 Refer to lines 4-5 (‘His lips thrilled … his spinal column’).
Choose the correct answer from those given below. Write down only the letter (A – D)
next to the question number (1.1.5 (a)) and the answer in the ANSWER BOOK.
The phrase ‘burningly sweet’ in this context is an example of…
A hyperbole.
B metonymy.
C oxymoron.
D sarcasm. (1)
1.1.6 What does this extract reveal about Mike’s character?
Substantiate your answer. (2)
1.1.7 One of the themes in this short story is fear.
Discuss this theme. (3)
1.1.8 Davie is a hypocrite.
Discuss your view. (3)
Suggested answers to Activity 1

1.1.1 (a) D/Dora’s boyfriend✓ (1)
(b) A/Dora’s brother✓ (1)
(c) B/Mike’s sister✓ (1)
(d) C/Dora’s sister✓ (1)
1.1.2 The setting of the extract is Western Township (Noordgesig) ✓ during

apartheid/segregation time/ in the evening.✓ (2)
1.1.3 (a) Metaphor✓ (1)
(b) The manner in which Mike embraces Dora ✓ looks as if his arms are
curving around her body.✓ (2)
1.1.4 ‘sigh’✓ (1)
1.1.5 C/oxymoron✓ (1)
1.1.6 caring/loving/protective✓
He takes Dora to a safe place. /He caresses Dora in a loving way.✓ (2)
21 | Page
1.1.7 The discussion of the theme of fear should include the following points, among
others:
● Dora lives her life in fear of being ridiculed by her family and community.
● Michael and Dora hide in the ‘tall grass’ in a secluded place, just so they are
not seen by the people from her community.
● Michael fears that the coloured boys might hurt Dora and hides her behind him.
● Davie fears rejection from his people and he keeps his child with Salome a
secret.
NOTE: For full marks, the response must be well-substantiated. You can score 1 or 2 marks
for a response which is not well-substantiated. Your interpretation must be grounded
in the short story. (3)
1.1.8 Open ended response e.g.
Yes.
Davie has a child with Michael’s sister who is black. Yet he wants to beat up Michael
for having a relationship with his sister, Dora.
OR
No.
Davie does not have a choice but to act as if he hates black people in order to make
his family happy. Acting this way can help him conceal his own secret.
NOTE: You will NOT be awarded a mark for YES or NO only.
For full marks, the response must be well-substantiated. You can score 1 or 2 marks
Activity 1.2: Shorter Transactional Text

1.2 SHORT MESSAGE SERVICE
Imagine that you are Salome. You have just learned that Davie wants to end your
relationship because his father does not approve of interracial relationships. You have
decided to send him a short message to tell him about your feelings.
Write the short text message that you will send to Davie.
NOTE: Avoid using slang in your message. (20)
Suggested answer to Activity 1.2
1.2 SHORT TEXT MESSAGE
A short text message from Salome to Davie.
● Allow for acceptable variations of the format.

● The tone and register of the text should be informal.
● The use of unconventional abbreviations and acronyms, omission of vowels and
the use of numbers in the place of words must be meaningful.
● The text must be clear and concise. (20)
22 | Page
Rejection
by Mariama Bậ
Mariama Bậ (April 17, 1929 – August 17,1981) is a

Senegalese author and feminist who later became a
teacher. Her two French novels were both translated into
more than a dozen languages. Born in Dakar, she was
raised as a Muslim.
Her frustration with the fate of African women is expressed
in her first novel, Une si longue lettre (1979), translated into
English as So Long a Letter.
Mariama Bâ used her novels to reveal the unjust treatment

of women justified by a patriarchal society, polygamous
practices, and certain Muslim traditions.
Mariama Bậ
1. Summary
The narrator is an Islamic wife who takes care of her household and supports
her children’s education. She is a caring person who welcomes friends of her
daughter, Daba, when they come to study. Her husband, Modou, also shows
interest in the beautiful young girl, Binetou by sometimes taking her home
after studying.
Binetou’s mother puts her under pressure to accept the old man’s hand in
marriage. Binetou is not excited about the marriage, but she submits to her
mother’s plea and agrees.
The three men break the news to the narrator that her husband has taken a
second wife. She is shocked about this news. She remains calm, while
Daba is furious and feels betrayed and humiliated by her father and friend.
After 40 days of mourning Modou’s death, Tamsir (Modou’s brother)
announces his intention to marry the narrator. She, for the first time, does
not keep quiet but stands her ground and rejects him in front of the other
men.
2. Title
Rejection means the dismissal or refusal of a proposal or an idea. The story
is about the narrator, who at the end of the story, rejects the idea of marrying
her late husband’s brother. This rejection gives the narrator the power and a
voice in a patriarchal society.
23 | Page
3. Themes
3.1 Cultural and religious practices
In this short story, the narrator, an Islamic wife, submits to her cultural values.
At the beginning, she enjoys being the only wife, but a crisis erupts when a
second wife joins in the marriage without any consultation. She hates the fact
that she must pretend to be happy and support the young second wife. Her
feelings are not considered by her in-laws, especially Tamsir, who announces
his intention to marry her after the 40th day of mourning her late husband.
3.2 Broken relationships

The narrator’s relationship with her husband, Modou, is shaken when he
takes a second wife without consulting her. The family expects her to accept
the new living arrangement of being left alone at times. Daba and Binetou’s
relationship ends when Binetou marries Daba’s father and becomes her
stepmother. The narrator’s relationship with her in-laws is shaken when she
openly refuses Tamsir’s intention to marry her after Modou’s passing.
3.3 Betrayal
The narrator feels betrayed by her life partner, Modou, who takes a second
wife without consulting her. Daba feels betrayed by her close friend, Binetou,
who marries Daba’s father as his second wife. Both the narrator and Daba
feel betrayed by Binetou whom they welcomed to their home to do
schoolwork.
3.4 Gender inequalities or Patriarchy

Modou and Tamsir dominate their marriages. They make decisions without
consulting their partners. Women in their lives are treated as objects and their
opinions do not count. Modou shows no respect to girls as he exploits the
young Binetou by making her his second wife.
3.5 Abuse
Binetou’s mother abuses her daughter when she begs her to marry Modou.
She sees Binetou’s marriage as a life changer and an upgrade in social
status.
3.6 Poverty
Binetou is exposed to poverty and ends up getting married to an older man
because he can provide for her and her mother.
24 | Page
4.1 Setting
The story takes place in Dakar, Senegal in the late 1990s. Most events take
place in the narrator’s home where she stays with her family.

Exposition
The narrator introduces the story with ‘MY OWN CRISIS CAME’ which
indicates that she has been living happily at home. Binetou, Daba’s classmate
(narrator’s daughter), frequently visits the narrator’s house. She is described
as young, beautiful, evidently poor and she gets the attention of the narrator’s
husband.
Rising Action
Binetou’s relationship with an old man transforms her into a new person who
wears expensive dresses. The narrator’s daughter shares all her friend’s
secrets with her mother, including Binetou’s crisis of being courted by the
‘sugar-daddy’. Binetou has no choice but to marry the old man because her
mother is desperate for a better life that will be provided by the ‘sugar-daddy’.
Climax
The three men: Tamsir, Mawdo and a local spiritual leader ‘Imam’ announce
that the narrator’s husband has married a new wife, Binetou. The narrator and
her daughter’s worlds are shaken by the news as they have never thought of
Binetou’s ‘sugar-daddy’ to be Modou (husband and father). They both feel
humiliated and powerless as they experience Modou’s rejection.
Resolution
The narrator finally gets a chance to unleash her bottled anger on the 40th day
of mourning her late husband, Modou. Tamsir’s announcement of his
intention to marry the narrator makes her speak out. She deals with the initial
crisis, which is highlighted in the beginning of the story. She stops taking the
abuse and brings back her power/independence as a woman. She decides
that no man will ever decide how she must live her life.
25 | Page
The narrator ● She is supportive (She supports her daughter’s
education)
● She is brave/emotionally strong.(She puts on
a brave face though she is disappointed by her
husband who marries a younger wife)
● She is calm (She does not allow her husband’s
betrayal to get the better of her)
● She is defiant/fearless (She boldly displays her
independence from her in-laws and defies
culture by refusing to be inherited by Tamsir)
Modou ● He is patriarchal (He does not consult his wife
before he marries a young girl who is his
daughter’s classmate)
● He is secretive (He marries a younger wife
without informing his wife, the narrator)
● He is cunning/deceitful (He uses his money to
lure Binetou/the poor girl into marrying him)
Binetou ● She is insecure/shy (Her poor background
makes her feel inferior)
● She is untrustworthy (She betrays her friend
Daba when she does not disclose the name of
her ‘sugar-daddy’)
● She is naive (She gives in to her mother’s
manipulation and marries the ‘sugar-daddy’.)
Binetou’s mother ● She is manipulative (She convinces her
daughter to marry an older man to improve her
lifestyle)
Tamsir ● He is supportive (He supports his brother
Modou when he remarries)
● He is opportunistic (He tells the narrator that
she is his good luck charm)
● He is brave (He boldly tells the narrator about
his intention to marry her)
Imam ● He is brave (He is the one who is brave enough
to break the news about Modou’s wedding to the
narrator)
Daba ● She is caring (She allows her friends to come
and study at her home)
● She is supportive (She supports Binetou when
she tells her about her relationship with a sugar-
daddy. She seeks advice from her mother on
behalf of Binetou)
● She is protective (She openly shows her fury
towards Binetou who marries her father)

The story is narrated from the first-person point of view in the form of a
letter/diary that is written to a friend. The narrator is an Islamic wife who enjoys
her married life at the beginning of the story. She is a round character as she
experiences both inner and outer conflicts.
26 | Page
4.5 Style
A formal register is mostly used in the story. There is some dialogue within the
story to portray the character's feelings/emotions. The dialogue brings the story
to life. The reader gets to know the characters better through what they say.
The use of contractions also brings an informal register, especially when the
narrator speaks to her daughter and Aissatou (the friend to whom she is writing
the letter.)

● The writer uses figurative language in order to emphasise meaning.
SIMILE:
o ‘just like laurels thrown at the feet of my lord and master.’ (Page 57)
The narrator compares the pride resulting from the success of her
children at school to praises/accolades given to her husband.
METAPHOR:
o ‘I asked with the cry of a hunted beast’ (Page 53)
The narrator’s behaviour resembles how prey would cry for help.
o ‘the words were glowing embers in his mouth’ (Page 53)
The narrator describes the speed of Iman's explanation of the status quo
to get rid of something that causes unbearable pain.
o ‘I acquiesced under the drops of poison that were burning me.’
(Page 54)
o ‘was a lamb slaughtered on the altar of affluence’ (Page 55)
HYPERBOLE:
o ‘I acquiesced under the drops of poison that were burning me’ (Page
54)
The narrator exaggerates her accepted shock/heartbreak/pain with
dripping poison that hurts.
RHETORICAL QUESTION:
o ‘But what can a child do, faced with a furious mother shouting about
her hunger and her thirst to live?’ (Page 55)
The narrator questions Binetou’s opinion about the marriage though she
knows that Binetou has little say in the matter.
4.7 Tone and Mood

Tone:
● Gloomy/Downhearted/Depressed: The narrator uses this tone when the
story begins. Her first words in the story ‘MY OWN CRISIS CAME…’ create a
melancholic atmosphere.
● Enraged: Daba is furious at her father Modou, who took her close friend
/classmate to be his second wife.
27 | Page
● Cheerful: Binetou changes from being a shy girl to being lively after getting
an old man who bought her expensive clothes.
The tone becomes exciting when she thinks she is in control of the situation.
Mood:
● sad, angry, emotional (initially)
● happy, optimistic (at the end)
28 | Page
Activity 2
‘Rejection’
Read the following extract and answer the questions which follow:
I acquiesced under the drops of poison that were burning me: ‘A quarter of a
century of marriage’, ‘a wife unparalleled’. I counted backwards to determine where
the break in the thread had occurred from which everything had unwound. My mother’s
words came back to me: ‘Too perfect. …’ I completed at last my mother’s thought with
the end of the dictum: ‘… to be honest’. I thought of the first two incisors with a wide 5
gap between them, the sign of the primacy of love in the individual. I thought of his
absence, all day long. He had simply said: ‘Don’t expect me for lunch.’ I thought of
other absences, quite frequent these days, crudely clarified today yet well hidden
yesterday under the guise of trade union meetings. He was also on a strict diet, ‘to
break the stomach’s egg,’ he would say laughingly, this egg that announced old age. 10
Every night when he went out he would unfold and try on several of his suits before
settling on one. The others, impatiently rejected, would slip to the floor. I would have
to fold them again and put them back in their places; and this extra work, I discovered,
I was doing only to help him in his effort to be elegant in his seduction of another
woman. 15
I forced myself to check my agitation.
2.1 Choose a description from COLUMN B that matches the name in COLUMN B. Write
only the letter (A-E) next to the question
Numbers (2.1(a) to (2.1(d) in the ANSWER BOOK.
COLUMN A COLUMN B
(a) Modou A the narrator’s daughter
(b) Binetou B Modou’s brother
(c) Daba C Tamsir’s second wife
(d) Tamsir D the sugar-daddy
E Modou’s second wife

4X1 (4)
2.2 Describe the setting of this extract. (2)
2.3 Refer to line 1 (‘I acquiesced under … were burning me’).
(a) Identify a figure of speech in this line. (1)
(b) Explain why this figure of speech is relevant in this extract. (2)
2.4 Explain why the following statement is FALSE:
The narrator and Modou have been married for 10 years. (1)
29 | Page
2.5 Refer to lines 8-9 (‘He had simply… me for lunch’).
(a) What tone would Modou use in these lines? (1)
(b) Why would Modou use this tone? (1)
2.6 What does this extract reveal about the narrator’s character?
2.7 One of the themes in this short story is broken relationships.
Discuss this theme by referring to the speaker and Daba. (3)

2.1 (a) D/the sugar-daddy✓
(b) E/Modou’s second wife✓
(c) A/the narrator’s daughter✓
(d) B/Modou’s brother✓

(4)
2.2 Modou’s house/home, ✓ after his wife gets disturbing news about her husband’s
marriage to Binetou.✓ (2)
2.3 (a) metaphor/hyperbole✓ (1)
(b) The narrator compares her acceptance of the (shocking) news with
dripping poison ✓ which slowly kills her inside.✓
OR
The narrator exaggerates her acceptance of the shocking news✓ to be
like poison.✓ (2)
2.4 They have been married for 25 years/quarter of a century.✓ (1)
2.5 (a) arrogant/cold✓ (1)
(b) Modou is just stating a fact and is not bothered how his words are
received by his wife.✓ (1)
2.6 The narrator is humble/submissive.✓

She diligently attends to household chores without complaining.✓ (2)
2.7 The discussion of the theme of broken relationships should include the following
points, among others:
● The narrator is a loving wife who does not receive the same affection from
her husband.
● The couple’s relationship tumbles when the narrator discovers that her
husband has secretly married Binetou (as his second wife).
● Daba and Binetou’s relationship ends when Daba finds out that her father’s
second wife is her closest friend.
30 | Page
Eveline
by James Joyce
James Joyce was born in Dublin (Ireland) in 1882. He
studied French, German, Italian and English languages
and literature. He graduated in 1902. He was interested
in a broader European culture and this led him to
consider himself a European.
His masterpiece is ‘Dubliners’, a collection of short
stories completed in 1905 and published in 1914. The
story, ‘Eveline’ comes from ‘The Dubliners’. He also
wrote some novels like ‘Ulysses’ and ‘Finnegans Wake’.
He died in Switzerland in 1941.
James Joyce
1. Summary
Eveline, the main character, is a young woman who lives in
Dublin with her father. Her mother is dead. She is dreaming
of a better life beyond the shores of Ireland such that she
plans to elope with Frank, a sailor who is her secret lover,
and start a new life in Argentina. Eveline is responsible for
the day-to-day running of the household. Her father is always
drunk and does not contribute any money towards their
household needs. Eveline’s brother, Harry, is always away
on business. Her other brother, Ernest, has died.
Eveline keeps her employment in a shop a secret. Her father
abuses her verbally and financially. Eveline is tired of this
life, and so she and Frank book a trip on a ship to Buenos
Aires in Argentina. As she is about to board the ship, Eveline
has second thoughts. Without saying a word, she turns
around and goes home, leaving Frank to board the ship
alone.
2. Title
Eveline, as in the title, is the name of the main character. The story is about
her, her life, her relationship with her father and her siblings and about the
relationship she has with Frank. The story focuses on her suffering in the
hands of her father and the decisions she has to make about her life.
31 | Page
3. Themes
3.1 Different forms of death
Death is both literally and figuratively discussed in this short story.
Literal: Eveline’s mother and one brother are dead. Their absence in her life
causes pain and loneliness.
Figurative: People who leave Dublin and are no longer part of Eveline’s life
are described as though ‘they are no more.’ She fears that if she leaves
Dublin, she will also be considered dead.
Eveline’s life is miserable and empty. She does not have a social life and
lives in secret. She considers herself dead.
Eveline fears that if she elopes and gets married, her marriage will be like
death, and she will lose her identity.
3.2 Religion and keeping promises
One of the reasons for Eveline’s failure to escape is her Catholic religion.
Her Catholicism enforces in her that she should be able to make sacrifices
and promises, and to live in guilt. She then sacrifices her own freedom and
happiness in order to keep her promise which binds her with her (late)
mother.
3.3 Nostalgia
Eveline’s thoughts about what it means to be a ‘Dubliner’, make her think of
liberating herself by leaving Dublin. She feels that if she leaves, she will have
to start a new life and lose her identity. She is ready to sacrifice her life,
which is a reality but does not want to sacrifice her memories.
3.4 Women and society

Eveline is a typical twentieth-century Dublin woman who is inferior to men.
Women had to be grateful that there were powerful men in their lives.
Likewise, Eveline needs a male in her life who can support her and she finds
Frank. Unfortunately, her doubts prevent her from breaking the chains, and
she is not able to challenge the system.
3.5 Liberation
Eveline tries to escape from the life she has led being suppressed and
abused by her father. She believes that if she goes away, the society in
Argentina will be different, and people will not judge her for her past actions.
The idea of escaping attracts her, but when the time comes to act, she
cannot do it. Through this theme, the author conveys the message that
escape does not always yield positive results and may even worsen the
situation.
32 | Page
4.1 Setting
The story takes place in Dublin, Ireland during the early twentieth century.

Exposition
The main character, Eveline, is introduced as a troubled teenager (nineteen
years old). She critically looks at her surroundings, her life and her past
experiences. She feels that under her father’s abusive conduct, she is going
to suffer the way her late mother suffered.
Rising Action
Eveline meets Frank who promises her a better life in Argentina than the one
she is experiencing in Dublin. She writes two letters, one to her father and
another to Harry, to let them know that she is going to look for a better life.
The plan is to board a ship with Frank and escape to another country where
the two will get married and live happily ever after.
Climax
When the time comes for Eveline to leave Dublin, the idea of her mother’s
last days comes back to haunt her. When the ship is about to depart, Frank
holds Eveline’s hand and asks her to come on board. Her thoughts are too
busy, and she cannot decide whether to board the ship or turn back home.
Resolution
Eveline feels as if the ship would drown her, and she decides to stay. She
does not move even when Frank keeps calling her.
33 | Page
Eveline ● She is a dutiful nineteen year old girl (She keeps her
father’s household in good standing)
● She is courageous (She endures emotional abuse by
her father after the death of her mother)
● She is obedient (She continues to stay with her father
and siblings even though they do not show her love)
● She is loving (She meets Frank whom she loves)
● She is secretive (She keeps her work at Miss Gavan’s
store a secret)
● She is ambitious (She feels that the change of
scenery will make the abuse come to an end)
● She is indecisive (She does not fulfil her desire to
escape when she cannot board the ship)
● She is religious (She believes in Catholicism)
Eveline’s father ● He is irresponsible (He is always drunk)
● He is exploitative (He takes all of her wages/salary
on weekends)
● He is abusive (He physically abuses his wife and
children)
● He is sexist (He treats his daughter differently from his
sons)
Frank ● He is kind (He takes care of Eveline)
● He is loving (He takes Eveline to the theatre)
● He is well-travelled (He has worked on a few ships)
● He is considerate (He tries to rescue Eveline from her
father’s abuse)
Eveline’s mother ● She is strong-willed (She suffers abuse at the hands
of her husband)
● She is honest (She teaches her children honesty and
Catholicism)
Miss Gavan ● She is harsh/bitter (She mistreats Eveline in front of
people/customers)
Harry ● He is hard-working (He works in a church
decorating business)

The story is narrated from the third-person omniscient point of view. The
narrator allows the reader to know both the internal development of the story
in the mind of the protagonist and the external development in the real world.
The action is told with the remembrance of the past.
4.5 Style
A formal register is mostly used in the story. There is minimal dialogue used.
The reader gets to know the characters better through what they say. The use
of hyphens indicates the direct speech in the story. The story is retrogressive
because it has flashbacks.
34 | Page
● The writer uses figurative language to emphasise meaning.
SIMILE:
o ‘passive, like a helpless animal.’ (Page 65)
The blank look in Eveline’s face (when she looks at Frank) is
compared to the look of a passive animal.
METAPHOR:
o ‘her father used often to hunt them in’ (Page 61)
The manner in which the narrator’s father goes out looking for the
boys in the field is likened to a hunter who goes out hunting for some
wild animals.
o ‘his hair tumbled forward…face of bronze’ (Page 63)
o ‘The evening deepened in the avenue’ (Page 63)
o ‘fold her in his arms’ (Page 64)
o ‘out of a maze of distress’ (Page 64)
PERSONIFICATION:
o ‘the seas of the world tumbled about her heart’ (Page 64)
METONYMY AND SYNECDOCHE

o ‘dusty cretonne’ (Page 61)
o ‘Blessed Margaret Mary Alacoque’ (Page 61)
o ‘the night boat’ (Page 62)
SYMBOLISM
○ Eveline notices familiar objects around her. Despite dusting these objects
every week, the dust remains. This suggests that no matter how much she
does at home, nothing will ever change.
4.7 Tone and Mood

Tone:
● Depressed: This tone is used by the narrator to show the state of events
surrounding Eveline’s life.
● Harsh: This tone is used when Eveline’s father and the boss address her
and make their demands.
Mood:
● sad, emotional (initially)
● optimistic (when a decision to elope is made)
● remorse/guilt (at the end)
35 | Page
Activity 3.1
‘Eveline’
She had consented to go away, to leave her home. Was that wise? She tried to
weigh each side of the question. In her home anyway she had shelter and food; she
had those whom she had known all her life about her. Of course she had to work hard,
both in the house and at the business. What would they say of her in the Stores when
they found out that she had run away with a fellow? Say she was a fool, perhaps; and
her place would be filled up by advertisement. Miss Gavan would be glad. She had 5
always had an edge on her, especially whenever there were people listening.
–Miss Hill, don’t you see these ladies are waiting?
–Look lively, Miss Hill, please.
She would not cry many tears at leaving the Stores. But in her new home, in a distant
unknown country, it would not be like that. Then she would be married – she, Eveline. 10
People would treat her with respect then. She would not be treated as her mother had
been. Even now, though she was over nineteen, she sometimes felt herself in danger
of her father’s violence. She knew it was that that had given her palpitations. When
they were growing up he had never gone for her, like he used to go for Harry and
Ernest, because she was a girl; … 15
3.1.1 Choose a description from COLUMN B that matches the name in

COLUMN A. Write only the letter (A–D) next to the question number
(3.1.1(a) – 3.1.1(d)) in the ANSWER BOOK.
COLUMN A COLUMN B
(a) Harry A Eveline’s boyfriend
(b) Miss Gavan B Eveline’s late sibling
(c) Frank C Eveline’s employer
(d) Ernest D Eveline’s father
E Eveline’s brother
(4 x 1) (4)
3.1.2 Refer to lines 1-5 (‘Was it wise?... with a fellow?’).
(a) Choose the correct answer from those given below. Write down only the letter
(A – D) next to the question number (3.1.2 (a)) and the answer in the ANSWER
BOOK.
In this extract Eveline is asking a number of … questions.
A important
B rhetorical
C superficial
D deliberate (1)
(b) Why does the narrator ask these types of questions? (2)
36 | Page
3.1.3 Explain why the following statement is FALSE:
Eveline’s abuse included being starved. (1)
3.1.4 Quote FOUR CONSECUTIVE words which prove that Eveline’s position will be given
to another employee? (1)
3.1.5 Refer to line 9 (‘Look lively, Miss Hill, please’).
(a) What tone would Miss Gavan use in this line? (1)
(b) Why would she use this tone? (2)
3.1.6 Why would people in another country treat Eveline better? (2)
3.1.7 Eveline is a courageous woman.
3.1.8 Refer to the story as a whole:
Do you sympathise with Frank?
Suggested answers to Activity 3.1

3.1.1 (a) E/ Eveline’s brother✓ (1)
(b) C/ Eveline’s employer✓ (1)
(c) A/ Eveline’s boyfriend✓ (1)
(d) B/ Eveline’s late sibling✓ (1)
3.1.2 (a) B/rhetorical✓ (1)
(b) Eveline has to make a decision (whether to leave her country or not.) ✓ She
is not certain if the decision to leave is the correct one.✓ (2)
3.1.3 She has food at home.✓ (1)
3.1.4 ‘filled up by advertisement’✓ (1)
3.1.5 (a) mocking/condescending/cold✓ (1)
(b) She makes Eveline look incompetent/ridiculous✓ especially in front of the

customers.✓ (2)
3.1.6 People in another country/Argentina do not know her✓ and they will not use her past
to treat her badly. ✓
OR
People in Argentina have respect for everyone including women,✓ unlike people of
Dublin who ill-treat and abuse women.✓
(2)
37 | Page
Eveline is courageous because she is able to stand the abuse from her father. She
still runs all the chores at home. She continues to work and earns money even
though her boss ill-treats her and her father takes her money on the weekends.
OR
Eveline is not courageous because she plans to leave her family without telling them.
She does not stand up against her abusive father and her boss, instead she opts for
the easy way out. She also does not carry through her plan when she turns and
leaves Frank and does not board the ship. (3)

Yes.
Frank does not get an explanation from Eveline when she makes him leave alone for
Argentina. He honours his part of the plan of leaving/eloping with Eveline so that
they can start a new life together in another country.
OR
No.
Frank is spared the pain of leaving with an indecisive Eveline. Their lives/marriage
would not have been a happy one as Eveline would constantly live with regret all the
time.


3.2 DIRECTIONS
Imagine that you are Frank. Eveline has indicated that she does not know how to get
to the port where you are planning to board the night boat with her. You have decided
to write her directions from her home to the port.
Write the directions that you will give to your Eveline.
You must include landmarks, distances and specific directions in your response.
NOTE: Do NOT include illustrations or drawings. (20)
38 | Page
3.2 DIRECTIONS
Directions from Eveline’s home to the port.
● The directions may be in either point or paragraph form.

● Complete sentences are not necessary.
● Directions must be in the correct order.
● Approximate distances, specific directions and landmarks must be included.
NOTE: No marks will be awarded for illustrations or drawings. (20)
39 | Page
A bag of sweets
by Agnes Sam
Agnes Sam is a descendant from an Indian great-grandfather who
was brought to Durban in 1860 as an indentured labourer. Sam was
thus born into an Indian family in Port Elizabeth, and grew up there,
near the family business. She was educated at a Roman Catholic
school in Port Elizabeth.
Sam went on to study Zoology and Psychology at the National

University of Lesotho and trained as a teacher in Zimbabwe. After
briefly teaching science in Zambia, she went into exile in 1973 in
England. Most of the stories in Sam's debut collection, ‘Jesus is
Indian’, are set in Port Elizabeth. She returned to South Africa in
1993. Agnes Sam
1. Summary
A young Muslim woman called Kaltoum assists in the family shop on Fridays when her
brothers attend prayers at the Mosque. One day, she is surprised to see her estranged In the Muslim
sister, Khadija, entering the shop. Khadija left the family three years before to marry a culture, men
Christian man. She has been calling at the family home daily after the passing away attend
of their parents, hoping for a reconciliation. The family refuses her entry to their family Mosque every
house and ignores her continuously. She then decides to change track and meet the Friday
eldest sister at the shop on Fridays. Kaltoum continues to ignore the advances of her between
sister even though she knows that, as the eldest, she had the ability to change the 12h00 and
mind of her family members. On a whim, she gives her sister a bag of sweets but 14h00.
continues to ignore her, until finally Khadija does not come back on a Friday.
2. Title
Muslims regard giving gifts as one of the good manners that maintains and
strengthens relations between the giver and the recipient. This explains why
Khadija hopes for reconciliation and continues to come to the shop after her
sister gives her a bag of sweets. It furthermore explains why the brothers
endlessly look for an explanation why Kaltoum gives her sister a bag of sweets.
3. Themes
3.1 Intolerance/Prejudice
Lack of tolerance is noted throughout the short story. The family is unable to
accept Khadija for leaving them to marry into a Christian family. It is ironic,
however, that Kaltoum mentions her own Christian friends, but she shows no
tolerance and acceptance of her sister’s choice in life. Khadija’s choice of
marriage leads her to being alienated from her family due to their stereotypical
behaviour.
40 | Page
3.2 Forgiveness vs Animosity
The family blames Khadija for the death of their parents. Despite being devoted
Muslims, they cannot find it in their hearts to forgive her. On the other hand, it
appears as if Khadija has forgiven her family for shunning her all these years.
She wishes to let go of the past and reunite with her family, but the family
struggles to forgive her.
3.3 Pretence
Kaltoum is good at keeping up pretences. She finds herself softening towards
her sister when she realises that Khadija resembles their mother the most, but
she pretends that she feels nothing for her. She uses excuses for her behaviour
to hide her true feelings. For example, she says she gave Khadija a bag of
sweets to get rid of her the same way one would a child.
3.4 Expectations vs reality

Khadija has expectations that, by showing up regularly and being herself, her
family will forgive and welcome her back into the inner circle. In reality it is
Kaltoum’s stubborn refusal to accept her back that prevents the reconciliation.
In the end, Kaltoum expects Khadija to come to the shop, but is rather
disappointed when she does not turn up.

4.1 Setting
The story is set in the family shop of a Muslim family and in their house, three years
after Khadija’s marriage to a Christian man. There is no clear indication of the
location of the shop.

Exposition
The story opens with tension between two sisters, Kaltoum and Khadija. Khadija
arrives at the shop after being away for three years. Kaltoum ignores her even though
she carries on talking. Kaltoum manages the family shop on Fridays when the brothers
attend prayers at the Mosque and this is the only time Khadija comes to the shop.
Rising Action
There are past events that influenced Kaltoum’s attitude. Khadija left her Muslim family
and married a Christian with whom she had a baby. After the death of her parents,
Khadija pays daily visits to her family home with the hope of reconciliation, but she is
always turned away at the door. She then starts visiting the store when she knows
she will find her sister, Kaltoum alone. She hopes that since they used to be very
close, Kaltoum will forgive and welcome her back into the family.
Climax
Kaltoum gives Khadija a bag of cheap sweets. Khadija might take it as a sign
of reconciliation, but Kaltoum’s intentions are not reconciliatory as she carries
on ignoring her sister. It does, however, make her brothers think that she could
be ready to forgive Khadija, which would allow for her return to the family.
Kaltoum realises that her sister has the closest resemblance to their mother.
41 | Page
At this moment she does not want Khadija to leave because she realises that
Khadija is still related to them by blood. However, she allows her intolerance
and inability to forgive to control her, as she relentlessly ignores Khadija.
Resolution
Khadija finally stops coming to the family shop. Kaltoum waits for her sister –
even past the shop’s closing time, which shows that she hopes for Khadija to
visit again. It seems that Kaltoum regrets her harsh treatment of her sister.
The narrator ● She is a leader (She is a young woman who heads
/ Kaltoum her family after the death of her parents due to her
status as the eldest child)
● She is cold-hearted and punitive (She was hurt
that her youngest sister did not share her secret with
her, but also for the betrayal of the family)
● She is stubborn (She struggles to forgive her sister
for leaving the family and she believes her leaving
was a betrayal causing the death of their parents)
Khadija ● She is principled (She marries a Christian man even
though she knows it will cause a rift between her and
the family. She, however, stays true to her Muslim
religion and is motivated by love)
● She is unwavering (She pursues an improved
relationship with her family members)
● She is kind (She is always smiling and does not
avenge her family’s ill treatment)
● She is forthcoming (She expresses her emotions
clearly and openly declares that she misses their
family traditions and especially her eldest sister)
● She is loving (She expresses her love for her
Christian husband and her baby)
Abdul ● He is indecisive (He follows the example set by
Kaltoum and does not speak to Khadija)

The story is narrated in the first person and the narrator is the main
character. She is a round character who experiences both inner and outer
conflict. She tells the story of how her sister betrayed the family by her ‘bid
for freedom’.
4.5 Style
A formal style was used throughout the story but there are contractions
used in dialogues. Contractions are used appropriately in dialogue to
indicate spoken language. The style is appropriate for a person who
deemed herself to be superior to her sister. It also mirrors the age of the
woman.
42 | Page
● Idiom: ‘If you throw your lot in with someone…’ (Page 71)
This means to decide to support someone and be associated with
them.
Some examples of figures of speech in the story include:
SIMILE:
‘I felt as cold towards her as the last kiss I gave to anyone.’ (Page 67)
The narrator compares her feelings towards her sister as a cold kiss she
gave her when she left three years ago.
‘hands resting easily on the cold glass counter were like a bird’s
wings, relaxed, yet with the potential for unimaginable flight.’ (Page
67)
Khadija’s hands are compared to a harmless bird’s wings. This comparison
is effective because it proves Khadija’s intentions were pure and innocent.
METAPHOR:
‘...her voice burst from her…’ (Page 67)
The manner in which her voice came out can be compared to an overloaded
object that bursts.
‘It failed to move me.’ (Page 67)
PERSONIFICATION:
‘I could see those hands running across the keyboard…’ (Page 67)
The fast movement of her hands on the piano is compared to a running
person.
IRONY:
‘To get rid of it. You give it a bag of sweets.’ (Page 70)
A bag of sweets is supposed to be a treat and bring joy to the receiver but
in this line, it is used as a form of insult to the one who receives it. Khadija
is disrespected and she was treated like a child.
‘One Friday Khadija did not come … I waited for her past closing
time.’ (Page 71)
It is ironic that Kaltoum never speaks to her sister and tells her brothers
she wishes that she would not come to the shop. Yet when Khadija does
not come (one day), Kaltoum waits for her until after closing time.
OTHER FIGURES OF SPEECH

● Onomatopoeia: ‘She rambled on.’ (Page 67)
● Simile: ‘Like a woman who loves a man who beats her up.’ (Page
71)
4.7 Tone and Mood

Tone:
● Gloomy: The tone is used when Kaltoum expresses her negative
thoughts.
● Accusatory: Kaltoum accuses Khadija of being disrespectful.
43 | Page
● Hopeful/Optimistic: Khadija hopes that her sister will forgive her and
allow her back into the family.
● Detached: The brothers are very passive throughout the story.
Mood:
Sombre
Angry
Upset
44 | Page
Activity 4.1
A Bag Of Sweets
I knew he would have forgiven Khadija the very day she ran away to
marry the Christian boy. But he had to take his cue from our parents.
‘It’s like you would insult someone. Listen. You know that rich family
who live in the valley? They’re very generous to everyone, aren’t they?
But do you know what they do to someone who has spoken ill of them and then
5
has the cheek to visit?’
He did not know. ‘They dish up some food in a bowl, wrap it in a cloth, and
give it to the visitor.’
‘What does that mean?’
‘It’s to say we will not eat with you. Eating with people is a big thing with
10
us. The visitor goes soon after.’
‘I can see you want to make Khadija feel cheap! But why does she come
back?’
‘She doesn’t take the insult. She knows I want to make her not to come
back. But she wants to come back. Like a woman when she loves a man who
15
beats her up. After each beating they make up. She forgives him. She makes
excuses for why he beats her up. She says he is possessive. She says it’s
because he loves her but can’t control his jealousy!’ We sat pensively for a
while.
‘Perhaps it’s guilt,’ he whispered. 20
4..1.1 Complete the following sentence by using the words in the list below. Write only the
word next to the question number (4.1.1(a) – 4.1.1 (d)) in the ANSWER BOOK.
Christian; father; allowed; Khadija; denied; Kaltoum; mother; Muslim
The narrator, whose name is (a) …, believes that her younger sister should be (b) …
entry to the family house because she chose to marry a (c) … man. The narrator
realises that her younger sister looks a lot like their (d) … . (4)
4.1.2 Refer to lines 1–2 (‘I knew he would … the Christian boy’).
State the differences between the attitudes of Abdul and Kaltoum in these lines. (2)
4.1.3 Explain the implication of ‘But he had to take his cue from our parents’ in relation to
the story as a whole. (2)
4.1.4 Refer to line 12 (‘I can see … Khadija feel cheap!’).
(a) What does Kaltoum do to make Khadija feel cheap? (1)
(b) Explain why Khadija persistently visits the shop on Fridays. (2)
4.1.5 Refer to lines 15 -16 (‘But she wants... beats her up.’).
(a) Identify the figure of speech in these lines. (1)
(b) Explain why this figure of speech is relevant to the short story. (2)
45 | Page
4.1.6 Refer to line 20 (‘Perhaps it’s guilt’).
(a) What tone would the speaker use in this line? (1)
(b) Why would the speaker use this tone in this line? (2)
4.1.7 Explain why the title of the story is relevant. (3)
4.1.8 Khadija can be admired. Discuss your view. (3)
Suggested answers for Activity 4
4.1.1 (a) Kaltoum✓ (1)
(b) denied✓ (1)
(c) Christian✓ (1)
(d) mother✓ (1)
4.1.2 Abdul has a forgiving nature and would easily have forgiven Khadija for running
away, ✓ but Kaltoum steadfastly refuses to forgive Khadija.✓ (2)
4.1.3 In their traditional family, the children had to obey the instructions of the parents to
the letter.✓ It shows that they were very obedient, and this role is taken over by the
eldest daughter, Kaltoum.✓ (2)
4.1.4 (a) She gives her a bag of cheap sweets.✓ (1)
(b) She deliberately goes to the shop on Friday when her brothers are out for a (1)
prayer meeting.✓ She wants to catch Kaltoum alone and persuade her to
accept her back into the family.✓ She used to be very close with Kaltoum and
4.1.5 (a) Simile✓ (1)
(b) This figure of speech is relevant to the short story as it compares Khadija’s
persistent visits to Kaltoum ✓ to that of a woman who is beaten by her
husband but cannot leave because she loves him.✓ (2)
4.1.6 (a) concern/ troubled/ anxious✓ (1)
(b) He is concerned that the only reason Kaltoum would not forgive their sister is
because she felt betrayed ✓ that Khadija did not take her into her confidence
when she planned to run away with the Christian man.✓ (2)
4.1.7 The title is relevant because in the Muslim culture, a gift is seen to strengthen
relationships between people.✓ Kaltoum wants to insult her sister by giving her a gift
(a bag of sweets) fit for a child.✓ Khadija, on the other hand, views it as a sign of
goodwill and continues visiting her sister.✓ 3)
46 | Page
4.1.8 Open-ended.
A relevant response which shows an understanding of the following aspects, among
others:
Yes
● Khadija makes a decision to marry a Christian man and does not change her
mind even when her family disowns her.
● She does not convert to Christianity which is an indication that she has
integrity.
● She makes every effort to reconcile with her family after the death of her
parents, and stays loyal to them despite her family refusing her entry to the
house.
OR
No
● Khadija denounces her family by choosing a man over them and that is
religiously immoral.
● She is insensitive because she returns time and again even though Kaltoum
makes it clear she is not welcome.
● She leaves at the end without giving Kaltoum any warning. She does not give
her a chance to change her mind.

For full marks, the response must be well-substantiated. You can score 1 mark for a
response which is not well-substantiated. Your interpretation must be grounded in
the short story. (2)

4.2 DIARY ENTRIES
Imagine that you are Khadija and have been planning to reconcile with your family for
three years now. Since you will visit your family for the first time, you have mixed
feelings. You decide to write your feelings in your diary. (20)
Write TWO diary entries. The first entry must indicate how you felt BEFORE visiting
the family shop and the second entry must express how you felt when you left the
shop.
Your work will be assessed using the rubric attached.
4.2 DIARY ENTRY

Khadija's feelings before and after her visit to the shop.
● There MUST be TWO diary entries with two different dates/ times.
● The first entry should express Khadija’s feelings BEFORE her visit and the
second entry should express her feelings AFTER her visit.
● The diary entries must be written in the first person.
● The language must be simple and informal.
● The tone must reflect suitable emotions. (20)
47 | Page
Class Act
by Namhla Tshisana
Namhla Tshisana was born in Mdantsane (East London) in

1984. She worked for the Sowetan for five years before
joining the Masters programme in Creative Writing.
1. Summary
The narrator is a 12-year old girl who has just started high school. She is
subjected to teasing because of her appearance. The pressure she feels makes
her hate school. She is too young to defend herself. She, under the
circumstances, tries to adapt in order to survive and get by.
Mr. Sauls, her English teacher, cannot control his own class and that gives
Renato, who has failed Standard 6 three times, an opportunity to bully new
learners. She does not report the ‘bullying’ to her mother and her aunt, but she
fights the demons all by herself.
The adults contribute to her suffering by ignoring her requests to have her tunic
shortened. The narrator finally tells her sister about the taunts or bullying. The
tunic is shortened, but she is then teased for the thick hem and white cotton
thread. She is further ridiculed because of the colour of her underwear as well
as her black knees. The renewed bullying makes her feel she is better off with
a longer dress.
2. Title
The phrase ‘class act’ refers to an excellent performance, or someone whose
performance is extra-ordinary or excellent. The phrase also refers to someone
who is generally well-mannered. Looking at the narrator’s life and experiences,
she does not lose her temper or even talk back when ridiculed, but instead acts
calmly throughout the story.
The title is, in a way, linked to the movie, Sister Act, because of the long tunic
the narrator wears at school. The narrator is ridiculed and called Sister Mary
Clarence, one of the nuns in the movie.
48 | Page
3. Themes
3.1 Bullying
The narrator is continuously teased by her schoolmates. Her bullying is not
physical, but it kills her spirit which makes her hate school. A class repeater,
Renato, starts the bullying by making her stand in front of the class. She is then
called names. Teasing spirals out of control and everyone laughs at her.
3.2 Identity/Acceptance/Appearance
The narrator faces a difficult time because of her appearance. She does not
feel accepted by other learners at school. She accepts the identity given to
her and does not challenge it. She is only 12 years old and too young to
challenge some of her older classmates.
3.3 Conflict
There are two identifiable forms of conflict in this story.
The first one is internal. The narrator has to go to school when school is not
favourable to her. She must spend time in the place she hates. She has to find
her way around that unfavourable situation and environment. The narrator has
conflicted feelings.
The second conflict, which is external, is about incompatibility that makes it

difficult for characters to co-exist. The narrator is being teased by other
learners. There are two learners who make life difficult for her. A girl who looks
down upon her and a boy who constantly teases her about her appearance.
3.4 Helplessness
The narrator is bullied at school and is too young to fight back. She is bullied
by a boy who has failed Standard Six three times. The narrator cannot report
her problems to her mother who is always busy. The narrator cannot change
her appearance/tunic because she relies on her mother and aunt to fix its length
for her. She feels helpless.

4.1 Setting
The story is set in a homeland called Ciskei (which is now part of the Eastern
Cape). It takes place in the early 1990s. The story shifts between school and
the narrator's home.

Exposition
The narrator is introduced as a young girl (12 years) who has just started high
school. She has two main challenges at school, i.e. she hates Afrikaans and she
is teased by other learners for her looks.
The narrator is at home with her mother and her aunt, who are getting her
uniform ready for her new school.
49 | Page
Rising Action
Mr Sauls, who is one of the teachers, cannot control his class and learners do
as they like in his presence. Renato forces the new learners in the institution
(‘freshers’) to stand in front of the class so he can inspect their uniform. The
narrator’s uniform is long and goes below her knees. Renato then calls her Sister
Mary Clarence.
Climax
The climax is reached when the narrator tells her sister, Ayanda, about the
teasing. Ayanda offers to adjust the blue tunic and decides to use the only
available white cotton thread. When the narrator wears the tunic, she also
realises that it is shorter than she had requested and it will make other learners
see her thighs and her knock knees.
She is then teased by the other learners because of the white thread and her
black knees. Some even commented about her yellow panties.
Resolution
She resolves that she is better off as Sister Mary Clarence. If she wears a long
tunic, people will not see her panties, her knock knees and her black knees.
50 | Page
The narrator ● She is a misfit (She cannot fit in a high school
because of her appearance)
● She is reserved (She does not have a voice at home,
and they decide what is good for her)
● She is courageous (She does not give up on her
schooling career, despite all her challenges)
Ayanda ● She is friendly to her sister (She gives her sister a
hearing)
● She is understanding (She understands her sister’s
problems and assists in trying to solve them)
● She is caring (She fixes the tunic but unwittingly
adds to the narrator’s problems)
Mr Sauls ● He is inexperienced (He cannot control his class. He
lets people do as they like in class)
Aunt Connie ● She is pushy (She accuses the narrator of being
angry when she is not. She seems to push her
around the house)
● She is untrustworthy (She makes empty promises
to the narrator and other members of the family)
The narrator’s ● She is uncaring (She does not prioritise he
mother daughter’s needs)
Khanyisa ● She is a pompous girl who looks down upon the
narrator.
Renato ● He is a bully who does not care about other
learners’ feelings (He says anything to spite the
narrator. He always taunts her by calling her names)

The story is narrated in the first person with the narrator as the main character. It
is told from the narrator’s point of view by a young girl who has just started high
school.
4.5 Style
The story uses an informal register which is appropriate to the narrator’s age. This
is evident in the use of contractions like didn’t, you’re, can’t, etc. The use of
dialogue is indicative of the flowing conversation among the characters. Several
Xhosa phrases are used as an example of ‘code switching’.

The author effectively uses vernacular phrases in some of the statements to show
context in which words were used.
● Aunt Connie uses township slang (Ukwateleni) to ask the narrator why she
is angry. That confuses the narrator a bit because the isiXhosa version
(Uqumbeleni) is not very close in sound to the Afrikaans word, ‘kwaad’
which means ‘angry’ in English.
● Other phrases in IsiXhosa:
‘Girl, umgobo ongaka?’ (Page 85)
‘Irhali emhlophe ke yona iyaphi?’ (Page 85)
‘Amadolo amnyama ke wona asisathethi ngawo.’ (Page 85)
Following are some of the literary devices used:
51 | Page
HYPERBOLE (EXAGGERATION)
‘I keep thinking it is going to hit the floor’ (Page 82).
The narrator exaggerates the size of Aunt Connie’s tummy which has grown
bigger.
IRONY
‘You’re starting a coloured school next week but you can’t speak
Afrikaans?’ (Page 82).
It is ironic that the narrator does not speak Afrikaans when the population of the
school speaks Afrikaans.
SIMILE
‘The class’s laughter sounded like thunder in my ears…’ (Page 84).
The loudness of the learners’ laughter in the narrator’s ears, is compared to the
sound made by thunder.
ALLUSION
‘Sister Mary has undergone a makeover!’
Calling the narrator ‘Sister Mary Clarence’ means she looks like a nun. This
makes reference to the movies titled ‘Sister Act’ and ‘Sister Act 2’, where one of
the nuns is called Mary Clarence.
4.7 Tone and Mood

Tone:
● Depressed: The narrator begins the story with a strong depressing statement
(‘I hate high school’).
● Gloomy: She uses a powerful word ‘hate’ in describing her feelings about
school. She emphasises that fact by using, ‘Really, I do.’
Mood:
● sad, emotional
52 | Page
Activity 5.1
‘Class Act’
Still in her uniform, a maroon skirt and white blouse, Mama came in and sat on my
bed, facing Aunt Connie.
‘Your aunt says she was a fashion designer eRhawutini. Why don’t you ask her to
fix your uniform? I have to work this weekend so I won’t be able to do it.’
Since my Aunt Connie came back from Jo’burg she has been taking measurements 5
and material from my other aunts and some of Mama’s friends to turn them into
curtains, suits and dresses in her flat in King. The room where she supposedly works
from ─ and where the sewing machine allegedly is ─ is always locked. It has been
months since she came back and her tummy has grown bigger ─ I keep thinking it is
going to hit the floor ─ but not a single dress or a drop of curtain has come out of her 10
design studio.
As usual when Aunt Connie visits, Mama has taken out more material from her kist.
Some of the material is bright and colourful and was brought from Nigeria by my Aunt
Nozi on her yearly trip to visit her husband. I last saw my Uncle George the year I
turned nine. That was three years ago. I wonder if he still has an Afro? He used to 15
wear long dresses and gold rings on three of his fingers on each hand.
5.1.1 Describe the setting in this extract. (2)
5.1.2 What does this extract reveal about aunt Connie’s character?
5.1.3 Explain why the following statement is TRUE.
The narrator’s mother works as a nurse. (1)
5.1.4 Give the official name for eRhawutini. (1)
5.1.5 Quote one word from the passage that has the same meaning as stomach. (1)
5.1.6 Refer to lines 9-10 (‘I keep thinking it is going to hit the floor’)
(a) Identify a figure of speech in these lines. (1)
(b) Explain this figure of speech as used in the extract. (2)
5.1.7 Choose the correct answer from those given below. Write down only the letter (A – D)
next to the question number (5.1.7 (a)) and the answer in the ANSWER BOOK.
The word, kist, refers to a…
A metal trunk.
B plastic bag.
C wooden chest.
D leather suitcase. (1)
5.1.8 Do you think the narrator is a patient person?
53 | Page
Suggested Answers to Activity 5.1
5.1.1 The setting is the narrator’s home in Eastern Cape✓ in the afternoon when everyone
has come back from school/work.✓ (2)
5.1.2 She is a procrastinator/cheat/deceiver.✓
Aunt Connie makes promises but does not implement any of them. /She claims that
she is a fashion designer, but she has not made any garment. /She makes excuses
for not sewing the narrator’s hem. ✓ (2)
5.1.3 She is said to be wearing a maroon and white uniform ✓ which is the uniform that
nurses wore during that period.✓ (2)
5.1.4 In Johannesburg✓ (1)
5.1.5 ‘tummy’✓ (1)
5.1.6 (a) hyperbole✓ (1)
(b) The narrator exaggerates the size of her aunt Connie’s tummy✓ that looks
like it will hit the floor.✓ (2)
5.1.7 C/wooden chest✓ (1)
5.1.8 Open-ended response e.g.
Yes.
She does not complain when her mother buys her an oversized school uniform. She
still goes to school even after a boy has teased about her long dress. She accepts
any response/delay tactics which her mother and aunt use regarding the sewing of
her tunic.
OR
No.
It is because of her age that she conforms to all the treatment that she receives from
school and from home. As a child, she cannot force anyone to fix her tunic. She must
wait until the adults are ready to attend to her needs.

response which is not well-substantiated. Your interpretation must be grounded in
the short story. (3)
54 | Page
Activity 5.2
‘Class Act’
Read the following extract and answer questions which follow:
‘Whoa, Sister Mary has undergone a makeover! Who knew she had nice legs,’ said
Renato behind me while we were changing periods on our way to Mr Patel’s class for
geography. Next thing I know, I catch him below the staircase looking under my skirt
as I was going up the stairs.
‘Nice yellow bloomers,’ he hissed as we left Mr Patel’s class. ‘You’re still Sister Mary 5
under all that.’
‘Girl, umgobo ongaka? Why the big hem? Irhali emhlophe ke yona iyaphi? Where
do all the white tracks lead?’ said snooty Khanyisa Peter when I bumped into her at
break, breaking into a fit of laughter.
‘Amadolo amnyama ke wona asisathethi ngawo. I won’t even mention the black 10
knees. Your mama must invest in a mop.’
I have never been so humiliated in my life. All in one day! The boys make fun of me,
and so do the girls. I don’t think the school would even allow me to wear the same
grey pants as the boys. Besides, my mother will freak. She made it clear she won’t
spend more money on my uniform. Maybe I should just accept that I am Sister Mary 15
Clarence. At least no one cared what colour panties she wore.
5.2.1 Choose a description from COLUMN B that matches the name in COLUMN A.
Write only the letter (A–D) next to the question number (5.2.1(a) – 5.2.1(d)) in the
ANSWER BOOK.
(a) Sister Mary A has failed Standard 6 three times.
(b) Renato B wears long dresses in the movie.
(c) Ayanda C cannot control the Standard 6 class.
(d) Mr Sauls D an elder sister to the narrator.
E a fashion designer in Rhawutini.

(4 x 1) (4)
5.2.2 Describe the setting in this extract. (2)
5.2.3 Who does Renato refer to as ‘Sister Mary’? (1)
5.2.4 Explain why the following statement is FALSE:
The narrator wears black panties. (1)
5.2.5 Refer to line 5 (‘he hissed as we left Mr Patel’s class’).
(b) Explain the effectiveness of this figure of speech. (2)
55 | Page
5.2.6 Refer to lines 7-9 (‘Girl, umgobo ongaka…fit of laughter’).
(a) Quote three words that has the same meaning as giggle. (1)
(b) Choose the correct answer from those given below. Write down only the letter
(A – D) next to the question number (5.2.6 (b)) and the answer in the ANSWER
BOOK.
The narrator bumped into Khanyisa at break. It means she ….
A appears from behind.

B meets her by accident.
C celebrates their meeting.
D enjoys bum-jiving with her. (1)
5.2.7 Discuss the narrator’s opinion of Khanyisa. (2)
5.2.8 Refer to the story as a whole. The narrator succumbs to pressure.
Suggested answers to Activity 5.2

5.2.1 (a) B/wears long dresses in the movie.✓ (1)
(b) A/has failed Standard 6 three times.✓ (1)
(c) D/an elder sister to the narrator✓ (1)
(d) C/cannot control the Standard 6 class.✓ (1)

5.2.2 It is at school during the day ✓ and the narrator is wearing the newly adjusted tunic.✓ (2)
5.2.3 The narrator✓ (1)
5.2.4 The narrator was wearing yellow bloomers (panties) according to Renato.✓ (1)
5.2.5 (a) Onomatopoeia✓ (1)
(b) Renato used a soft but menacing voice ✓ that took the narrator by surprise.✓ (2)
5.2.6 (a) A/fit of laughter✓ (1)
(b) B/meets her by accident✓ (2)
5.2.7 The narrator thinks Khanyisa is pompous ✓ and thinks she is the centre of attraction
and more important than other learners.✓ (2)
56 | Page
5.2.8. Open-ended response e.g.
The narrator is only 12 years old and is not strong enough to fight her own battles.
She needs to report her troubles to other people to do things for her.
OR
The narrator is brave to absorb all insults hurled at her by both boys and girls. Instead
of stooping to their level and being rude, she cushions the bullying and continues with
her life. (2)

response which is not well-substantiated. Your interpretation must be grounded in the short
story.

5.3 INSTRUCTIONS
Imagine that you are Mr Sauls. You have realised that learners are misbehaving in
your class because you have not given them any rules. You have decided to write a
set of instructions for all learners who come to your classroom.
Write the instructions. (20)
5.3 INSTRUCTIONS
Instructions on how to behave in Mr Saul’s classroom.
● The instructions may be in point or paragraph form.

● Instructions must be in a logical sequence.
NOTE: No marks will be awarded for illustrations or drawings. (20)
57 | Page
The Wind and a boy
by Bessie Head
Bessie Amelia Emery Head was born in Pietermaritzburg on
6 July 1937 and died in Botswana on 17 April 1986. She is
a South African writer who, though born in South Africa, is
usually considered Botswana’s most influential writer. She
wrote novels, short fiction and autobiographical works.
After completing her Junior Certificate, she studied for a two-

year Teacher Training Certificate. In 1956 she started
teaching at Clairwood in Durban. After 18 months of
teaching, she resigned and moved to Cape Town where she
started a career as a journalist.
In March 1964 she accepted a teaching post in Serowe

Bessie Head
(Botswana) and left South Africa for good.
1. Summary
The story is about a grandmother (Sejosenye) who is raising her
daughter’s son in a rural village because her daughter had to
continue working and could not take the child with her. They live in
Ga-Sefete-Molemo ward. Sejosenye takes Friedman everywhere
with her; there is a close bond between the grandmother and her
grandson. Sejosenye is very proud of her grandson. He is the apple
of her eye.
The boy lives a care-free life and gets killed in an accident. His death
affects the grandmother so much that she also dies and gets buried
two weeks after the boy’s funeral.
2. Title
The boy in the title refers to Friedman, the main character. He is a boy who
has a magical wind blowing for him. He is loved and envied by other parents
who see him being different from other children. The winds of change are the
results of the new attitudes and lifestyles of the community at large. The wind
is the cause of the boy’s death. Figuratively, the boy lives in a care-free world
with no rules and consequences. He becomes a victim of the winds of political
change in his community.
3. Themes
3.1 Gender roles
In the story, there is no sense of equality between the sexes. The boys do as
they please, and no one gives them guidance on how to behave as they grow
up. They go wherever they want, leaving home in the morning only to come
back after sunset. Girls stay at home and perform household duties that
include fetching water. It is assumed that they do not need any education, and
that puts a spotlight on gender roles. Sejosenye becomes the envy of other
58 | Page
women because she can plough the land, which is a duty that is mainly
associated with men.
3.2 Loyalty
Friedman is loyal to his grandmother. He listens to her stories and teachings,
and emulates the heroes from the stories that he has listened to. He goes
hunting so that he and his grandmother can have meat. He becomes more
loyal to his grandmother and wants to help her in any way. Sejosenye is loyal
to Friedman. She is there for him throughout his life. She takes him
everywhere she goes; she is very proud of her grandson.
3.3 Change and modernity

Towards the end of the story there is evidence of change and modernity.
Although the village is still rural and predominantly agricultural, there is an
emergence of a new class of people who are modern and buying cars. The
driver of the truck that kills Friedman does not have a driver’s licence, he
rushes to get a truck so that he could fit into the privileged class.

4.1 Setting
The story takes place in a rural village in Ga-Sefete-Molemo ward. It is not
clear when exactly the story takes place, but it is at the dawn of independence
in Botswana (1960s).

Exposition
The narrator introduces the reader to Friedman’s phases of life. In the first
phase he comes home from the hospital as a small bundle and his
grandmother takes care of him. The next phase is characterised by him
toddling silently next to his tall grandmother. In the third phase, he is a tall,
long legged boy who has become the king of kings of all the boys in his area.
*Robinson
Crusoe is a
Rising Action fictional character
Whilst listening to his grandmother’s stories, Friedman gets hooked on the who spends 28
years as a
heroic stories of Robinson Crusoe* (the great hunter) and decides that one castaway and
day he is going to be just like him. hunter on a
remote island.
Climax
Life with its responsibilities increases for Friedman as he starts his teenage
years. He asks for a bicycle so that he can do more for his grandmother. His
mother buys the bicycle and Friedman starts running more errands for his
grandmother. He is hit by a truck while running errands for his grandmother
on his bicycle.
Resolution
Sejosenye is sent to hospital for shock. She dies in hospital and the villagers
bury her.
59 | Page
Friedman ● He is a lovable young boy who is brilliant,
talented, and naughty, like other boys.
● He is imaginative (He loves to listen to the
stories his grandmother tells and gets captivated
by Robinson Crusoe’s heroic actions)
● He is very loyal (He stays close to his
grandmother and wants to help her all the time)
Sejosenye ● She is a loving grandmother who loves her
grandchild unconditionally.
● She is a non-conformist (She does not conform
to societal expectations)
● She is a confident woman (She holds her head
high even when the society thinks she has
committed scandalous acts)
● She is physically strong and independent (She
ploughs the fields whilst other women sit and wait
for their husbands to do it)
Dr Friedman ● He is friendly; ‘foreign’ doctor who works at the
hospital where ‘baby’ Friedman was born.
● He is an exemplary/role model (Sejosenye
decides to name her grandson after him
because of his friendly behaviour towards
Sejosenye when she visits the hospital)

The story is narrated by a third person omniscient narrator who has a bird’s
eye view of all the events that take place in the story. The narrator gives an
unbiased turn of events from the beginning of Friedman’s life and through his
growing up stages, until his untimely death.
4.5 Style
The story is told as a narrative by a third person omniscient narrator. The
reader easily gets all the details pertaining to what is happening to the
characters because the narrator is not part of the story but has a bird’s eye
view of the events as they unfold. There is minimal use of dialogue.

SIMILE:
o ‘from side to side like a cobra’ (Page 134)
Friedman’s movements are compared to those of a cobra when it
moves from side to side in the grass.
METAPHOR:
o ‘small dark shapes’ (Page 133)
The narrator compares the village boys to small dark shapes as they
sped out of the village to the bush.
o ‘extravagant care’ (Page 133)
The overgenerous care with which Sejosenye takes care of Friedman
is compared to an extravagant gift of love.
o ‘a small dark shadow’ (Page 134)
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Young Friedman is compared to a small dark shadow.
o ‘leave your handbag at home sometimes’ (Page 134)
How other women referred to Friedman because he was always with
his grandmother.
o ‘he was crossing swollen rivers’ (Page 137)
The overflowing river compared to something that is swollen.
PERSONIFICATION:
o ‘a porcupine hurled his poisonous quills’ (Page 133)
The speed with which the porcupine raises its quills is compared to
someone who is throwing something.
IRONY:
o ‘The gift brought the story of his life abruptly to a close.’ (Page
138)
The bicycle that was meant to help Friedman cuts his life short.
o ‘He belonged to the new, rich civil-servant class … first
announced themselves to the village.’ (Page 138)
The civil servants who come to the village to bring development bring
carnage and fear to the village instead of hope and joy.
4.7 Tone and Mood

Tone:
● Cheerful, appreciative: Friedman lives a happy life and brings happiness
to his grandmother.
● Sympathetic, disappointed, and dull: Friedman and Sejosenye’s
deaths leave the villagers miserable.
Mood:
● happy, optimistic
● sad, angry, emotional
61 | Page
Activity 6
‘The Wind And A Boy’
They began to laugh at his third phase. Almost overnight he turned into a
tall spindly-legged, graceful gazelle with large, grave eyes. There was an odd,
musical lilt to his speech and when he teased, or was up to mischief, he moved
his head on his long thin neck from side to side like a cobra. It was he who became
the king of kings of all the boys in his area; he could turn his hand to anything and 5
made the best wire cars with their wheels of shoe-polish tins. All his movements were
neat, compact, decisive, and for his age he was a boy who knew his own mind. They
laughed at his knowingness and certainty on all things, for he was like the grandmother
who had had a flaming youth all her own too. Sejosenye had scandalised the whole
village in her days of good morals by leaving her own village ward to live with a married 10
man in Ga-Sefete-Molemo ward. She had won him from his wife and married him and
then lived down the scandal in the way only natural queens can. Even in old age, she
was still impressive. She sailed through the village, head in the air, with a quiet, almost
expressionless face. She had developed large buttocks as time went by and they
announced their presence firmly in rhythm with her walk. 15
6.1 What is the setting of the story? (1)
6.2 Describe Friedman’s third phase of growth?
Mention TWO things. (2)
6.3 Explain why the following statement is FALSE.
Friedman’s mother is an involved parent. (1)
6.4 Refer to lines 1-2 (‘he turned into ... large, grave eyes’).
(a) Identify a figure of speech in these lines (1)
(b) Explain the comparison in this figure of speech. (2)
6.5 Refer to lines 13-14. (‘Even in old… impressive’).
What makes Sejosenye remain impressive? (2)
6.6 Give TWO reasons why Friedman needs a bicycle. (2)
6.7 One of the themes in this story is gender roles.
6.8 Sejosenye can be admired.
6.9 Modernism has negative effects on the people of Ga-Sefete-Molemo.
62 | Page
Suggested answers to activity 6
6.1 It is in a village, in a ward called Ga-Sefete-Molemo.✓ (1)
6.2 He has grown tall and has become very mischievous.✓
He is now a talented young man who can turn his hand to anything.✓ (2)
6.3 She leaves Friedman with Sejosenye and goes back to work. /She is not involved in
raising the child.✓ (1)
6.4 (a) Metaphor✓ (1)
(b) Friedman’s physical features are compared to a gazelle.✓ (2)
6.5 After taking someone’s husband, the society expected her to be ashamed of herself.✓
She held her head up high and lived her life confidently.✓ (2)
6.6 He would run up and down to the shops for his grandmother ✓ and also
deliver messages for her. ✓ (2)
6.7 The discussion of the theme of gender roles should include the following points,
among others:
● The girls remain at home during the day and do house chores, whilst the
boys run to the bush to hunt and go back home late in the afternoon.
● The boys are given some independence to do as they please whilst girls
must be under the tutelage of their mothers.
● Sejosenye is an independent confident woman who does not conform to the
stereotypes of gender roles. She ploughs her fields and does not assign
such responsibilities to males.
NOTE: For full marks, the response must be well substantiated. The interpretation
must be grounded on the story. (3)
6.8 Open-ended.
The response must show an understanding of the following aspects, among others:
Yes.
● Sejosenye takes her daughter’s son and raises him as her own. She loves her
grandchild unconditionally.
● She is a responsible mother who allows her daughter to go back to work
immediately after giving birth. She does not expect her to raise the child.
● From a very young age she instils good work ethics in Friedman.
● As an independent, confident woman she does not subscribe to the society’s
gender role stereotypes.
OR
No.
● Sejosenye teaches her daughter to be an irresponsible parent because she
allows
her to leave a new-born baby and go back to work.
● She takes someone else’s husband.
● She tells fictitious stories to her grandson, and this made the child believe in
a lie. (3)

story.
63 | Page
6.9 Open-ended
The response must show an understanding of the following aspects, among others:
Yes.
● The civil-servants drive around in road-unworthy cars, which compromise the
safety of all the villagers.
● They bought cars without getting proper driving lessons.
● Many people are killed in car crashes that are caused by some civil-servants'
inability to drive properly.
OR
No.
● The availability of tractors improves the methods of ploughing in the fields.
● The villagers can buy cars and use them as a means for transport.
● The economy of the village will improve as government employees will get better
(3)
salaries.

story.
64 | Page
The girl who can
by Ama Ata Aidoo
Ama Ata Aidoo, born in Saltbond in Ghana in 1942, is an
author, poet, playwright and academic. She once served
as a Minister of Education in Ghana. In 2000, she
established the Mbaasem Foundation to promote and
support the work of African women writers.
Ama Ata Aidoo
1. Summary
Little Adjoa is an ambitious girl, like any other girl her age, who has
dreams and aspirations of her own. She believes that anything is
possible. Maami, her mother, wants the best for her child. She wants
her to succeed and earn a respectful position in her society. Nana,
Adjoa’s grandmother, has lived all her life according to society's
perspective. Nana believes that Adjoa can never be a woman as she
has very thin legs that will bar her from carrying a baby. Nana only
changes her view about Adjoa’s legs when she becomes an athlete and
is successful because of her legs. Eventually, the grandmother takes
pride in Adjoa’s achievements.
2. Title
The title is about a young girl named Adjoa. Her capabilities are
overlooked because of her thin, long legs and her inability to express
her feelings. She proves everyone wrong when her ridiculed thin legs
allow her to accomplish an achievement.
3. Themes
3.1 Innocence/Fear/Insecurity
Adjoa has been laughed at for expressing her feelings or asking awkward
questions throughout her childhood. As a result, she is not able to voice out
her feelings because she fears that people would laugh at her. Her
grandmother constantly ridicules her about her legs and she does not say
anything. This creates a sense of insecurity, but she does not allow
anything to stop her from being an achiever.
3.2 Gender Stereotypes

Nana makes fun of her granddaughter’s thin and long legs. She believes
that a girl’s legs should have flesh in preparation for the child-bearing stage.
Nana believes that Adjoa is less likely to be a good woman for this reason.
Nana does not send Maami to school because she believes women do not
need to be educated.
65 | Page
3.3 Conflict
Nana and Maami (mother and daughter) argue about Maami’s choice of
husband. Nana blames Maami’s choice of a husband for the appearance of
Adjoa. The discussion about Adjoa’s skinny legs causes conflict between the
two women. Maami does not see anything wrong with Adjoa’s legs while
Nana thinks they are of no use.
3.4 Success
Adjoa becomes a successful athlete when her teachers realise that she can
run faster. She finally realises that her thin, long legs are useful for a
different purpose. She is chosen to represent the school at the district
games. She goes on to win the cup for the best all-rounder in her category.
3.5 Pride/Appreciation
Nana becomes Adjoa’s number one fan when she becomes famous and
successful in athletics. She prepares her school uniform for her, accompanies
her to school and to athletic events. She takes pride in carrying her
granddaughter’s trophy.

4.1 Setting
The story takes place in a village called Hasodzi in Ghana, Africa. Most
events take place between the narrator’s home and school. It is not clear
when the story takes place, but it is during the athletic season at school.
The main character walks five kilometres to reach the school in the nearby
small town. The walks are not a problem for her as she is used to long
walks in the village.

Exposition
The main character, Adjoa, is unable to voice her feelings. Whenever she
tries to say something to her grandmother, she becomes a laughing stock.
She then resorts to keeping quiet.
Rising Action
There are arguments between Maami and Nana about Adjoa. The arguments
are mainly about Adjoa’s legs being long and thin, Adjoa’s father not being a
good choice for a husband, and the importance of education, or lack thereof.
Climax
Adjoa participates in athletics with her classmates and wins each time. Her
talent is recognised by her teachers who select her to represent the school’s
junior team at the district games.
Resolution
Nana changes her perspective when Adjoa’s skinny legs make her a
successful runner. She becomes so proud that she openly supports her by
walking with her to school and even carrying her trophy.
66 | Page
Adjoa ● She is opinionated (She believes one can have legs
for other reasons and not just supporting hips that
carry babies)
● She is withdrawn (She does not speak up about her
feelings because she fears being laughed at)
● She is fearful (She fears talking about her
grandmother’s behaviour towards her)
● She has an athletic structure (She has thin and long
legs)
● She is a talented runner (She represents her school
in the district running competition)
Nana ● She is traditional (She does not believe in education;
she does not send Maami to school)
● She is insensitive (She does not hide her feelings
about Adjoa’s legs)
● She is confrontational (She thinks Adjoa’s legs are
not suitable for a woman and openly argues with
Maami about this issue)
● She is a round character (She changes her mind
when Adjoa becomes successful because of her long
and thin legs)
● She is hypocritical (She is proud to walk with Adjoa,
shows kindness towards her only after Adjoa becomes
a recognised athlete)
Maami/Kaya ● She believes in education (She wants Adjoa to attend
school and be better than her)
● She is illiterate (She lacks formal education)
● She is loving (She loves her daughter)
● She is protective/supportive (She argues with Nana
in support of Adjoa)
● She is calm/reserved (She does not talk too much)
Mr Mensah ● He is a kind neighbour to Adjoa’s family (He lends
Nana a charcoal pressing iron for her to press Adjoa’s
school uniform)

The story is narrated from the view of the first-person narrator. The narrator,
Adjoa, is the main character. The narrator allows the reader to know both the
internal development of the story in her mind as the protagonist and the
external development of the story in the world of her grandmother and her
mother.
4.5 Style
The story is told in a conversation-like narrative. The author uses direct
quotations from characters to allow the reader to understand each character’s
tone, attitude and insight.
67 | Page
● The writer uses figurative language in order to emphasise meaning:
IDIOMATIC EXPRESSION
o ‘touch wood’
This is an expression used because it is believed to avoid a
bad omen after uttering the unspeakable.
SIMILE:
o ‘She carried the gleaming cup on her back, like they do
with babies’ (Page 146)
The value of the trophy is compared to that of the precious
items women usually carry on their backs to keep them safe.
METAPHOR:
o ‘When all of Africa is not choking under a drought’ (Page
142)
When Africa is suffering from drought, she is compared to a
person choking on something.
ALLITERATION:
o ‘I came out of the land of sweet soft silence into the world
of noise and comprehension’ (Page 143)
The repetition of the soft consonant s-sound emphasises the
tranquillity of the world from which she comes.
IRONY:
o ‘some other things I say would not only be alright, but
would be considered so funny, they would be repeated so
many times for so many people’s enjoyment.’
(Pages 142-143)
It is ironic that the sensible comments she makes are
considered to be either funny or nonsensical by her
grandmother and mother.
4.7 Tone and Mood

Tone:
● Apprehensive: This tone is used by the narrator to show the state of her
mind at the beginning of the story.
● Harsh/cruel/mocking: This tone is used by Nana when she makes
comments about Adjoa’s legs.
● Cheerful: Nana’s tone changes when she realises that Adjoa is becoming
successful because of her long and thin legs.
Mood:
● humorous
● remorse/repentance (at the end)
68 | Page
Activity 7
‘The Girl Who Can’
[Adjao’s mother and grandmother discuss her legs]
‘But Adjoa has legs,’ Nana would insist; ‘except that they are too thin. And also
too long for a woman. Kaya, listen. Once in a while, but only once in a very long while,
somebody decides nature, a child’s spirit mother, an accident happens, and somebody
gets born without arms, or legs, or both sets of limbs. And then let me touch wood: it
is a sad business. And you know, such things are not for talking about everyday. But 5
if any female child decides to come into this world with legs, then they might as well
be legs.’
‘What kind of legs?’ And always at that point, I knew from her voice that my mother
was weeping inside herself. Nana never heard such inside weeping. Not that it would
have stopped Nana even if she heard it, which always surprised me, because, about 10
almost everything else apart from my legs, Nana is such a good grown-up.
In any case, what do I know about good grown-ups and bad grown-ups? How could
Nana be a good grown-up when she carried on so about my legs? All I want to say is
that I really liked Nana except that.
Nana: ‘As I keep saying, if any woman decides to come into this world with all of her 15
two legs, then she should select legs that have meat on them…
7.1 Complete the following sentence by using the words in the list below. Write only the
word next to the question number (7.1(a) – 7.1 (c)) in the ANSWER BOOK.
better; mother; thick; grandmother; thin; worse
Nana is Adjao’s (a)… who believes that children who are born with disabilities are
(b)… than girls who are born with (c)… legs. (3)
7.2 Quote a SINGLE word which proves that Nana does not stop proving her point. (1)
7.3 Refer to line 3 (‘a child’s spirit mother, an accident happens’).
next to the question number (7.3 (a)) and the answer in the ANSWER BOOK.
The word ‘accident’ in this context means…
A a collision.
B a solution.
C a mistake.
D a fortune. (1)
7.4 Refer to line 6-7 (‘But if any … well be legs.’).
(a) Identify the figure of speech used in these lines. (1)
69 | Page
7.5 Refer to lines 9-10 (‘Not that it… always surprise me’).
What do these lines reveal about Nana’s character?
7.6 One of the themes in this story is gender stereotypes.
7.7 Nana is cruel towards Adjoa.
Substantiate your view. (3)

7.1 (a) grandmother✓ (1)
(b) better✓ (1)
(c) thin✓ (1)
7.2 ‘insist’✓ (1)
7.3 C/ a mistake✓ (1)
(b) An unborn girl child is likened to the creator/God/nature,✓ who decides how a
child should look when it is born.✓ (2)
7.5 Nana is inconsiderate/insensitive.✓

She does not take other people’s feelings into consideration.✓
OR
Nana is direct/ a realist.✓
She says the truth as she sees it without sugar-coating it.✓
(2)
7.6 The discussion of the theme of gender stereotype should include the following
points, among others:
● Nana does not approve that Adjoa should continue attending school.
● She believes that educating a girl is a waste of time.
● She is also obsessed with Adjoa’s thin and long legs.
● She believes they are not suitable for a girl who will eventually become a
mother.
● To her, a woman should look a particular way and that look should prepare her
for bearing children.
70 | Page
7.7 Open ended response e.g.
Yes.
Nana does not listen to Adjoa, instead she makes fun of what she says. She
discusses it with her friends and everyone that she comes across and continues
mocking her. She ridicules her for her looks, indicating that she is born with thin legs.
OR
No.
Nana’s own upbringing makes her feel that Adjoa’s looks are not appropriate. She
changes her mind and cares for Adjoa. She even performs some duties for her when
she wins running competitions. She goes out of her way to support Adjoa during the
athletics meetings.

71 | Page
Triumph in the face of adversity
by Kedibone Seku
Kedibone Seku was born in Pimville, Soweto in 1974.
She became an Adult Basic Education and Training
(ABET) specialist. She also worked as a teacher for
English and History at White City Jabavu Community
College. The story, ‘Triumph in the face of adversity’
was published after Seku attended a workshop that
was associated with the Caine Prize for African Writing.
Kedibone Seku
1. Summary
The story is about a young lady, Thulisile, the narrator and
the main character. She appears at her mother’s graveside
and a flashback of events unfolds.
She tells a sad story about her mother’s marriage to her
father. Thembekile’s mother-in-law abuses her. Her marital
suffering leads her to move to a squatter camp with her
husband and her children. After the father loses his job, he
becomes abusive to the family.
The narrator works hard to change the situation at home.
She eventually gets employed as a TV presenter and can
afford to buy a house. Her father dies and only then does
her mother move in with her into a proper house. Sadly, her
mother is too weak to survive and she dies.
2. Title
Triumph is a victorious achievement. Adversity is an unpleasant
situation. The title, Triumph in the face of adversity, is suitable in the
story. The long list of incidents faced by the narrator and her family does
not stop the narrator from improving her life.
72 | Page
3. Themes
3.1 Prejudice/Intolerance
Thulisile’s grandmother does not approve of her son, Jabulani, marrying
a ‘girl’ from Johannesburg. MaDlamini wants Jabulani to marry someone
who grew up in Natal (currently known as KwaZulu-Natal).
3.2 Mother-in-law Conflict

MaDlamini continues to torture Thembekile even after she gets married
to the narrator’s father. She makes her wake up earlier than everyone.
She is not allowed to wear trousers and short skirts, and she must also
cover her head all the time. She is ill-treated until she decides to move
out.
3.3 Poverty/Destitution
The life at Phambili Squatter Camp is characterised by tin shanties,
communal toilets, overpopulation, and poverty. The narrator’s household
also suffers when the father loses his job and cannot provide food and
other necessities. They stay longer than initially planned due to lack of
funds.
3.4 Unemployment
Thulisile’s father loses his job and he does not find any other work. Most
people in Phambili Squatter Camp are also unemployed.
3.5 Gender-based violence

The father finds an escape in liquor. When he is drunk, he beats Thuli’s
mother for no apparent reason.
3.6 Child Abuse

When Bongani and Zanele are born, their father beats them up for no
reason. Thuli works hard but her father steals her money and uses it to
buy alcohol. He even goes to her employer and takes part of her salary
without her consent.
3.7 Child Labour

Thuli, who is literally a child, is forced to find employment in order to
support her family. She sells sweets and eventually gets employed by
Mr Rathebe who owns a fish and chips shop. At fifteen, she works as a
cleaner after school and on weekends.
73 | Page
3.8 Loyalty
At the beginning of the story, Jabulani stays loyal to Thembekile by
loving and marrying her despite his mother’s disapproval of her.
Later in the story, Thembekile refuses to leave Jabulani even though

he abuses her. She stays loyal to her marriage despite several
attempts by her parents to make her leave the abusive marriage.
Instead she stops visiting or talking to her parents. She even stays
behind when she is offered to move into a better house.
3.9 Fear
Thembekile stays in constant fear when she is introduced to the
family as a young bride. When her husband abuses her later, she
develops fear towards her husband, and fails to protect her children.
Their children live in fear because of their father’s abuse. She even
fears to protect her children when their father beats them.
3.10 Ambition and opportunity

Thulisile is an ambitious young girl who has a drive to be successful.
No matter how many times her attempts fail, she keeps on trying until
she is successful and manages to have a proper house and a good
paying job.

4.1 Setting
The story takes place in Johannesburg, South Africa. It further
develops to Phambili Squatter Camp where the family spends most
of their time.
It is unclear when the story takes place. However, the use of Natal
places the story in the pre-democratic era in South Africa.

Exposition
Thulisile, the narrator, is standing by her mother’s grave when she
thinks of how much her mother’s death affected her emotionally. She
compares the pain she felt when her mother died to when her father
died.
Rising Action
The narrator takes the reader through the beginning of her mother’s
suffering in the hands of MaDlamini. MaDlamini does not approve
that she marries Jabulani because she is from Johannesburg. The
suffering escalates further when the narrator’s parents move to
Phambili Squatter Camp. The narrator’s father loses his job, drowns
his sorrows in liquor and becomes abusive to his wife and children.
74 | Page
Climax
The narrator’s ambition of becoming a better person is fulfilled when she
gets employed as a TV presenter for a children’s programme. Her work
lets her afford to buy a proper house and move her family from the shanty.
Her mother and father stay behind.
Resolution
After her father’s death, the narrator manages to move in with her mother
in her proper house. Unfortunately, the mother’s health condition has
deteriorated and she eventually dies.
75 | Page
Thulisile ● She is responsible (She gets food from a friend
from school so that her siblings can have some food.
She borrows thirty rands from her maternal
grandmother in order to start her business of selling
sweets)
● She is brave (She gets in an argument with her
father after he steals her savings to buy liquor)
● She is self-driven (She gets part-time employment
at Mr Rathebe’s fish and chips shop. She is
employed at a TV station as a presenter for a
children’s programme)
● She is begrudging (She does not cry much when
her father dies)
● She is emotional (She cries more when her mother
dies)
Thembekile ● She is obedient (She obeys rules given to her by
her mother-in-law when she stays in the family
house)
● She is caring (She manages to move her family to
a squatter camp as a temporary arrangement)
● She suffers abuse in the form of beatings by her
husband.
● She is loyal (She stays loyal to her marriage and
does not want to leave her husband despite the
abuse)
● She is submissive (She does not fight back against
her husband)
● She is dependent (She only joins her children in a
proper house after her husband dies)
MaDlamini ● She is judgemental (She does not approve her son,
Jabulani, marrying Thembekile)
● She is bossy (She makes rules for Thembekile
when she is married)
● She is abusive (She treats Thembekile like a slave
in her household)
76 | Page
Jabulani ● At the beginning he is resilient/trustworthy (He
marries Thembekile despite his mother’s
disapproval)
● Later he becomes an escapist (He drowns his
sorrows of being unemployed by getting drunk)
● He is abusive (He beats up his wife for no reason.
He also abuses his children emotionally and
physically)
Ntombi ● She is a survivor (She survives, and some family
takes her to stay with them)
Bongani ● He is a survivor (He suffers beatings from his
father)
● He is loyal (He moves to the new house with the
narrator)
Zanele ● She is a survivor (She suffers beatings from her
father)
● She is loyal (She moves to the new house with the
narrator)
Nthabiseng ● She is loving (She brings lunch to share with Thuli
at school)
● She is supportive (She assists Thuli to get
employed at the TV station)
Mr Nkwane ● He is observant (He realises that the narrator is
not doing well in her studies)
● He practises tough love (He tries to talk with the
narrator but their talk leads to the narrator stopping
school for a while)
Mme Sedike ● She is kind (She trusts the narrator’s story that she
gives her bread to share with her family)
● She is humble (She has a beautiful house, yet she
accommodates the narrator)
● She is caring (She advises Thuli to speak with a
social worker or the police)
Mr Rathebe ● He is naive/ignorant (He gives part of Thuli’s
salary to her father when he comes asking for it)

The story is narrated from the view of the first-person narrator. The narrator
tells the story about her mother’s suffering from her (narrator’s) perspective.
The plot develops with her telling the story while at the same time she is fully
involved. Her suffering and experiences are told from a first-hand experience
view.
4.5 Style
The story is told using an informal register which is suitable for a young girl.
The use of direct speech seeks to capture the actions and attitude of the
different characters the narrator comes across in her life. The author uses a
number of ‘IsiZulu’ phrases, which emphasises the background of most
characters in the story.
77 | Page
● The writer uses idiomatic expressions in order to emphasise meaning:
o ‘pleas fell into deaf ears.’ (Page 155)
o ‘used as a punching bag depending on the mood’ (Page 155)
o ‘I had to swallow my pride.’ (Page 159)
o ‘make sure that you rise above odds,’ (Page 159)
METAPHOR:
o ‘my father was a complete monster’ (Page 158)
o ‘we were trapped in poverty and constant abuse’ (Page 158)
o ‘I said choking on my tears.’ (Page 161)
o ‘shattered my dreams like that?’ (Page 161)
o ‘constantly scratching in the shack’ (Page 161)
o ‘I was swept from the life of poverty’ (Page 162)
o ‘the dark cloud…hanging around us’ (Page 163)
PERSONIFICATION:
o ‘rules were awaiting her.’ (Page 155)
o ‘the sadness in their eyes tormented her’ (Page 158)
o ‘was their pity, because it was not going to feed me,’ (Page 159)
o ‘My dream of having my own business had not died.’ (Page 161)
o ‘bury the past and open a door to the future.’ (Page 163)
IRONY
o ‘I was very young when we moved from my grandmother’s place
to live in Phambili Squatter Camp.’ (Page 155)
It is ironic that they were running away from the abuse of Ms Dlamini
but they moved into a worse situation).
4.7 Tone and Mood

Tone:
● Depressed: The narrator uses this tone at the beginning of the story and
throughout her mother’s ordeal and her own experiences.
● Mean: MaDlamini uses this tone when she disapproves of Thembekile’s
marriage to her son. She continues using the same tone even when the
couple is married.
● Defensive: Thembekile uses this tone when she defends her husband’s
behaviour.
Mood:
● sad, emotional
● optimistic
78 | Page
Activity 8
‘Triumph in the face of adversity’
She even allowed me to sit on her very expensive couches. I was uncomfortable
but she made me feel at ease. She told me who she was and asked for my name.
‘Thulisile, but my friends call me Thuli,’ I said.
‘That is a very beautiful name. So what should I call you?’ she asked.
‘Thuli,’ I said almost whispering. 5
‘Where do you stay?’ she asked, and I told her that I was from the nearby squatter
camp.
‘Are you in school?’ she asked.
‘Yes, but I did not attend today because I was too embarrassed.’
‘Embarrassed by what?’ I broke down and told her the whole story. She held me in 10
her arms. For the first time I let it all out, the anger, the pain, the frustration, everything.
‘There is no need for you to feel that way, many people go through that in life, you
just have to make sure that you rise above the odds,’ she said after I had calmed down.
‘That is exactly what my teacher said to me but I really do not know how I am going
to be able to do that.’ 15
‘There are a lot of options; you can either go to a social worker or the police and
tell them your story.’
‘Will they be able to assist me?’
8.1 Choose a description from COLUMN B that matches the name in COLUMN A.
Write only the letter (A–D) next to the question number (8.1(a) – 8.1(d)) in the
ANSWER BOOK.
COLUMN A COLUMN B
(a) Mr Nkwane A Thulisile’s father
(b) Bongani B Thulisile’s cousin
(c) Jabulani C Thulisile’s brother
(d) Mr Rathebe D Thulisile’s teacher
E Thulisile’s employer
(4 x 1) (4)
8.2 Describe the setting in this extract. (2)
8.3 Refer to line 3 ‘Thulisile, but my friends call me Thuli’.
next to the question number (8.3 (a)) and the answer in the ANSWER BOOK.
The tone that Thulisile would use when saying these words is a/an…. tone.
A honest
B gloomy
C nervous
D anxious (1)
(b) Why would Thuli use this tone? (2)
79 | Page
8.5 Explain why the following statement is FALSE:
Thulisile’s home is very far from Mme Sedike’s house. (1)
8.6 Refer to line 10 (‘I broke down and told her the whole story’).
8.7 What does this extract reveal about Mme Sedike’s character?
8.8 One of the themes in this short story is poverty.
Discuss this theme in relation to this extract. (3)
8.9 Mme Sedike changes Thuli’s view about school.
8.10 Thulisile is wise to tell her mother about her intentions to contact a social worker.

8.1 (a) D/Thulisile’s teacher✓ (1)
(b) C/Thulisile’s brother✓ (1)
(c) A/Thulisile’s father✓ (1)
(d) E/Thulisile’s employer✓ (1)
8.2 The setting is Mme Sedike’s house ✓ during Thulisile’s search for food/any piece job
to help her feed herself and her siblings.✓ (2)
8.3 (a) A/honest✓ (1)
(b) Thulisile requires assistance from Mme Sedike,✓so it is important that she
conducts an honest conversation with her.✓ (2)
8.5 Thulisile tells Mme Sedike that she comes from a nearby squatter camp.✓ (1)
(b) The unstoppable manner in which Thulisile tells the story ✓ is compared to a
dam wall breaking down.✓ (2)
8.7 Mme Sedika is kind/humble/friendly/loving/caring.✓
She accepts Thulisile in her beautiful house /She shows keen interest in Thulisile/
She gives Thulisile a loaf of bread.✓ (Any One) (2)
80 | Page
8.8 The discussion of the theme of poverty should include the following points, among
others:
● It is poverty at Thulisile’s home which drives her out to go begging for work or
food.
● Her parents do not work and cannot afford to buy food for their family.
● No one can help them at Phambili squatter camp since everyone is poor.
● Thulisile is amazed that someone can allow her to sit on such expensive
couches, she is used to bad treatment as a poor person.
8.9 Open-ended response e.g.

Yes.
Mme Sedike listens to Thulisile and she makes her realise that there is no need for
her to be embarrassed. Thulisile listens to Mme Sedike because of the manner in
which she addresses her. She also suggests further assistance by either a social
worker or the police.
OR
No.
It is Thulisile’s ambition to be a successful person that motivates her to return to
school. She also mentions that she only missed one day of school. Thulisile does not
have access to food and that forces her to return in order to get food from
Nthabiseng.

8.10 Open-ended. Accept a suitable response e.g.

Yes.
Thulisile is still a child and whatever she does, she must get permission from her
mother. Involving the social workers without telling her mother would have resulted in
her and her siblings being taken away from their parents. That would have crushed
her mother.
OR
No.
She should have looked for a social worker without her mother’s consent. Her
mother is known for her loyalty to Jabulani and her fear of doing anything that will
defy Jabulani. Thulisile and her siblings would have been assisted even if she did not
inform her mother first.

INSTRUCTIONAL VERBS AND THEIR MEANINGS

Instructional Explanation
verb
81 | Page
Account for Explain the reasons for why something is the way it is.
… E.g. Account for Hamlet's feelings towards Ophelia at this stage in the play.
Comment on Present an informed opinion on … This may also require an
agree/disagree/or partially agree response.
E.g. Comment on the extent to which it would be justifiable to attribute
Ophelia's suicide to Hamlet.
Compare Examine qualities of character/s to discover similarities. ‘Compare’ is
usually stated as ‘compare with’: you are to emphasise similarities.
Although you may not be specifically asked to ‘compare and contrast’, you
may discuss differences, if appropriate. Justify your choice.
Critically Express your judgement based on careful consideration of the evidence for
discuss and against something. Discuss the limitations and merits of something.
Always provide supporting evidence from the text.
E.g. Critically discuss how Pi's comment at this point in the novel is crucial
to your understanding of his plight on the lifeboat
Describe In a descriptive answer you should recount, characterise, sketch or relate in
narrative form (story form)
verb
Discuss The term discuss, directs you to examine, analyse carefully, and present
points in favour and against an issue/point. This type of question calls for
a complete and detailed answer. The response requires you to
investigate by argument. You should sift through the arguments and the
evidence to support them, giving reasons for and against both sides and
examining the implications. You might need to provide evidence even for
the ‘side’ you do not support, using evidence from the text.
Evaluate In an evaluation question you are expected to present a careful
appraisal/judgement of the problem stressing both merits and limitations.
You are weighing and giving your opinion based on the evidence from the
text.
Explain/How In explanatory answers, it is important that you clarify and interpret the
material you present. In such an answer it is best to state the ‘how’ or
‘why’, reconcile any differences in opinion, and, where possible, state
causes. The aim is to make plain the circumstances which give rise to
whatever you are examining. E.g. Explain the irony in the words ...
Illustrate This question requires you to explain or clarify your answer to the
problem by using an example. (in languages, this does not mean that you
should draw something)
Interpret Reveal what you believe to be the meaning or significance of something.
This involves giving your own judgement. You are expected to translate,
solve or comment on the subject and give your reaction to the
issue/subject.
Justify When you are instructed to justify your answer you must prove or show
adequate grounds for a decision or conclusion by supporting it with
sufficient evidence and argument. In such a response, evidence must be
presented in convincing form.
E.g. Do you agree with the views expressed in line...? Justify your
response by drawing on the novel as a whole.
82 | Page
Place in State what had just taken place to result in what is happening in the given
context extract and briefly state what happens after the given extract (the result).
verb
State Outline clearly and briefly the facts of the situation. This does not call for
an argument or opinion. Merely state the facts.
Summarise Give a condensed form/concise account of the main points or facts.
All details, illustrations, examples to be omitted.
83 | Page
ASSESSMENT RUBRIC FOR SHORTER TRANSACTIONAL TEXT – FIRST ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE [20 MARKS]
Criteria Exceptional Skilful Moderate Elementary Inadequate
CONTENT, PLANNING 10–12 8–9 6–7 4–5 0–3
& FORMAT -Outstanding response -Very good response -Adequate response, -Basic response, -Response reveals no
beyond normal demonstrating good demonstrating demonstrating some knowledge of features
Response and ideas; expectations knowledge of features knowledge of features knowledge of features of the type of text
Organisation of ideas; -Intelligent and mature of the type of text of the type of text of the type of text -Meaning obscure with
Features/conventions ideas -Maintains focus – no -Not completely focused -Some focus but writing major digressions
and context -Extensive knowledge digressions -Some digressions digresses -Not coherent in content
of features of the type of -Coherent in content -Reasonably coherent -Not always coherent in and ideas
12 MARKS text and ideas, very well in content and ideas content and ideas -Very few details
-Writing maintains focus elaborated and details -Some details support -Few details support the support the topic
-Coherence in content support topic the topic topic -Necessary rules of
and ideas -Appropriate format with -Generally appropriate -Necessary rules of format not applied
-Highly elaborated and minor inaccuracies format but with some format vaguely applied
all details support the inaccuracies -Some critical
topic oversights
-Appropriate and
accurate format
LANGUAGE, STYLE & 7–8 5–6 4 3 0–2
EDITING -Tone, register, style -Tone, register, style -Tone, register, style -Tone, register, style -Tone, register, style
and vocabulary highly and vocabulary very and vocabulary and vocabulary less and vocabulary do not
Tone, register, style, appropriate to purpose, appropriate to purpose, appropriate to purpose, appropriate to purpose, correspond to purpose,
vocabulary appropriate audience and context audience and context audience and context audience and context audience and context
to purpose and context; -Grammatically -Generally -Some grammatical -Inaccurate grammar -Error-ridden and
Language use and accurate and well- grammatically accurate errors with numerous errors confused
conventions; constructed and well-constructed -Adequate vocabulary -Limited vocabulary -Vocabulary not suitable
Word choice; -Virtually error-free -Very good vocabulary -Errors do not impede -Meaning obscured for purpose
Punctuation and -Mostly free of errors meaning -Meaning seriously
spelling impaired
8 MARKS
References
1. https://interestingliterature.com/2017/07
2. www.associatedcontent.com (2006)
3. https://sittingbee.com/
4. https://wikipedia.com
5. The times.co.uk
6. ahgate.com
7. https://za.linkedin.com/in/kedibone-seku-34361876
8. 32f94aflyinbuttermilkbaldwin-150405115821-conversion-gate01-thumbnail
9. www.literaturequizzes.com
10. www.graphiscfactory.com
11. www.aaregistry.org
12. www.cambridgelanguagecollective.com
13. www.imdb.com
14. www.tampabay.com
15. www.cdn.shopify.com
16. www.m.media-amazon.com
17. www.imdb.com
18. www.m.media-amazon.com
19. www.wingzero.tw
20. www.moderndiplomacy.eu
21. www.clipartof.com
22. www.writersprojectghana.com
23. www.clipartlibrary.com
24. www.linkedin.com
25. www.sasdalliance.org.za
26. www.dreamstime.com

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ENGLISH FIRST ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE GRADE 12

MIND THE GAP

Copyright © Department of Basic Education 2022

222 Struben Street, Pretoria, South Africa

Mind the Gap Team

Authors: Ms Christelle Barnard, Ms Mpho Lukhele, Ms Pila Masakane, Ms Thembeka Mtolo,

Critical reader: Monyaki B.S.

Onsite writers’ workshop support:

Overview of the English First Additional Language Paper 2: Literature 13

Sub headings per story Short Stories

Instructional Verbs And Their Meanings 81-82

Assessment Rubric For Shorter Transactional Text 83

Structure and plot development

SHORT STORY ANALYSIS SHEET

Characters Who are the characters in the story?

Tone Tone is a quality in the voice that expresses

(a) First person narration: the story is told from a

Title: ___________________________________Author: __________________________

2. Have all your materials ready before studying a

3. Be positive. It helps you to retain information.

4. You learn better when using colours and pictures.

5. Repetition is the key to remembering information

6. Work with a partner. Teach each other what you

7. Sleep for at least eight hours every night. Eating

8. Studying for exams is like exercise, so you must be

9. Practise past papers, familiarise yourself with the

Go to the toilet before entering the examination room. You don't

Break each question down to make sure you understand what

Remain calm, even if the question seems difficult at first. It will

Take care to write neatly so the examiners can read your

Here is a summary of the Paper 2 Literature exam paper:

What are the examiners looking for?

● Your understanding of the literal meaning of the story. You need to

1. Summary *Native is a term

4. How is the story told?

4.2 Structure and Plot Development

4.4 Narrator’s point of view

4.6 Diction and figurative language

o ‘flew out to Noordgesig like a tongue flicked out of a mouth

4.7 Tone and Mood

(b) Davie B Mike’s sister

(c) Salome C Dora’s sister

(d) Louisa D Dora’s boyfriend

1.1.2 Describe the setting of this extract. (2)

(a) Identify the figure of speech used in these lines. (1)

(b) Explain the meaning of this figure of speech. (2)

The phrase ‘burningly sweet’ in this context is an example of…

1.1.6 What does this extract reveal about Mike’s character?

Substantiate your answer. (2)

1.1.7 One of the themes in this short story is fear.

Discuss this theme. (3)

1.1.8 Davie is a hypocrite.

Discuss your view. (3)

Suggested answers to Activity 1

(b) A/Dora’s brother✓ (1)

(c) B/Mike’s sister✓ (1)

(d) C/Dora’s sister✓ (1)

1.1.2 The setting of the extract is Western Township (Noordgesig) ✓ during

1.1.3 (a) Metaphor✓ (1)

1.1.4 ‘sigh’✓ (1)

Title: _________Author: