Candle by Chris Van Wyk

The Candle
by Chris van Wyk

(1957-2014)
Who was Chris van Wyk?
Chris van Wyk was born at Chris Hani
Baragwanath Hospital, Soweto,
Johannesburg in 1957 and grew up in
Newclare, before moving to Riverlea, a
poor suburb about 8km west of the
Johannesburg, surrounded by dusty mine
dumps. At the time, Riverlea,
Johannesburg, Transvaal (now Gauteng),
was designated as a Coloured township
under the Group Areas Act. The eldest of
six children, he was fascinated by literature
from a very young age. Van Wyk rose to
fame in the 1970s for his writing.
He worked as an editor at the literary magazine
Staffrider, as well as at Ravan Press. In 1979, he
published “In Detention”, which appeared in the
collection It is Time to Go Home under the Ad
Donker imprint, and for which van Wyk received
the Olive Schreiner Prize.
In 1996 he received the Sanlam Prize for the best
South African short story, 'Magic'.
In 2004, van Wyk’s acclaimed childhood memoir
“Shirley, Goodness & Mercy” gave a delightful
account of his special relationship to the township
he grew up in and its inhabitants.
Like many other South African writers of his time,
van Wyk used his writing to protest against
apartheid. The difference with his work, however, is
that he often used humour.
He was married to Kathy, and they had two sons.

Chris van Wyk passed away on 3 October 2014 in
Johannesburg.
Title/Introduction
In the late 1970s, when South Africa was politically in a
darker place than it is now, Chris van Wyk wrote and
dedicated the poem Candle to his friend Caplan who lived in
his community of Riverlea. Caplan died young and in this
poem Van Wyk urges young people to read and learn while
they still can because life, as symbolised by the melting
candle, will end soon.
-The title, Candle, is significant because it refers to how
quickly time passes/ how short life is.
->It is also a symbol of hope - a light in the darkness
Read brother read
The wax is melting fast
Candle
The shadows become obdurate
For Caplan
and mock pantomimes of you by Chris van Wyk
laughing through crude 5
cement
in silent stage whispers.
Read brother read

Though the wax lies heaped in the saucer
and the silhouettes of gloom 10
grow longer
Read brother read.

Only the wick shines red now.
But it is not yet dark.
Remember brother, 15
It is not yet dark.
Glossary
• obdurate: stubborn and resistant to
persuasion or change
• pantomimes: plays in which actors perform
without talking
• crude: lacking finish, polish or completeness
• silhouettes: a dark image outlined against a
lighter background
Compiled by Mrs Ferreira

Analysis

Style
This poem is written in the narrative style, with free-
flowing verse and minimal punctuation reflecting a
conversational style of speech. The emphasis is on the
passage of time - as represented by enjambed lines
within stanzas - and the pressing need to act quickly,
before death or darkness comes. The repeated words
“it in not yet dark” carry the central message of hope.

Structure
When a line of poetry is carried over onto
the next line it is called enjambment.
Lines 3-6; 8-11 and 15-16 are called
enjambed lines, because the sentences do not
run to the end of each line, but carry over.
Themes
• The main theme is TIME
There is an anxiousness/ urgency about the passing time/ how short
life is
– Diction:
– 'fast’ stanza 1
– Repetition of 'Read brother read' stanza 2/3
• There is a sense of despair/ hopelessness 'silhouettes of
gloom' / approaching death
• HOPE is another theme in the poem.
Although the candle has almost melted away but the wick still glows
brightly - 'wick shines red now'.
• 'But it is not yet dark’ there is still hope
• LEARNING
The poet urges young people to become educated
read and learn.

Line 1
Read brother read
Alliteration – brother –
emphasis on those in the
the urgency of community
time that is who he saw
passing as family

Line 2
The wax is melting fast
Anxious about time
passing quickly
Rapid speed of the candle

burning out emphasises how
fast time is passing
Lines 3 – 4
The shadows become obdurate
and mock pantomimes of you
Personification of
shadows
to become
“obdurate”
and
“mock”
Shadows indicate approaching death and it
is obdurate (stubborn against change/ will
not be stopped)
Lines 5 – 6
laughing through crude cement
in silent stage whispers.
The shadow seems to
laugh at him in a cruel
manner because it
knows time is running
out.
The approaching
death (shadow) has a
mocking nature->
Personification.
Line 7
Read brother read
Repetition of Sense of Urgency->line
line 1 1 is repeated.
Stresses the There is once again a
importance sense of time
of education running out-the
urgency that you
should learn as much
as you can because
death is
approaching/ getting
closer.
Lines 8-9
Though the wax lies heaped
in the saucer
The burning of
the candle again
symbolises the
As it burns to a stub, passing of time.
it loses its ability to
shed light.
The use of the candle and the saucer could imply
poverty. There is no money for proper lighting
and candlesticks. They use what they could find.
Lines 10-11
and the silhouettes of gloom
grow longer
Emphasis on the end

of yet another day
Reinforces the idea of time passing.

->The shadows growing longer suggest that death is drawing
nearer. Time is running out.
Line 12
Read brother read.
Repetition of “read” shows the
intention of the poet to
emphasise the importance of
educating oneself
Once again there is

a sense of urgency.

Lines 13
Only the wick shines red now.
Although there is
little wax left, there
is a flicker of hope
with the wick that is
still glowing for
future generations.
Lines 14 - 16
But it is not yet dark.
Remember brother,
It is not yet dark.
The poet reminds young people
that it is never too late to learn
and read.
'But it is not yet dark'->there

still seems to be some time left.
All hope is not yet lost.
While children read and learn
the 'glowing light' of hope will
remain.
Tone/ Mood
Stanza 1/2/3 – The Tone is urgent -> repetition
'Read brother read’
•The Mood in Stanza 1 is eerie/ dark and

depressing.
•Stanza 2: 'heaped'/ 'gloom’-> create a mood of
despair and hopelessness.
•In Stanza 3 there is a slight shift ->the wick is still
glowing ->there is still hope the wick is
glowing and it is not yet dark.
The message of the poem is
for young people to realise how
important education is. Make the
most of every opportunity that
comes your way. Education is the
key to the future. Not all young
people get the opportunity to live
and receive an education.

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Candle by Chris Van Wyk

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The Candle

by Chris van Wyk

He was married to Kathy, and they had two sons.

Read brother read

Read brother read.

Compiled by Mrs Ferreira

Compiled by Mrs Ferreira

Compiled by Mrs Ferreira

Compiled by Mrs Ferreira

Compiled by Mrs Ferreira

Rapid speed of the candle

Emphasis on the end

Reinforces the idea of time passing.

Once again there is

Compiled by Mrs Ferreira

'But it is not yet dark'->there

•The Mood in Stanza 1 is eerie/ dark and

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