Triumph in the face of adversity

Kedibone Seku
Definition of Adversity: a state or instance of serious or continued
difficulty or misfortune.

1. TITLE
The title, Triumph in the face of adversity, is the title which is suited to the story. The
long list of incidents faced by the narrator, her mother and her family does not stop
the narrator from reaching her goal of making her own money and improve her life
and her siblings’ life.

Though she does not get to improve her mother’s life, she still succeeds in getting a
better life for her and her siblings.

2. SETTING
The story takes place South Africa, Johannesburg. It further develops to Phambili
Squatter Camp where the family spends most of their time.

3. NARRATOR’S POINT OF VIEW

The story is narrated from the first-person view. The narrator tells the story about her
mother’s suffering from her (narrator) 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. STYLE
The story is told using an informal register which is suited 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.

5. Diction and figurative language

METAPHOR:
 ‘the empty life she had led.’(page 155)
 ‘my father was a complete monster’ (page 158)
 ‘The evening deepened in the avenue’ (page 63)
 ‘she would be next on his list’(page 158)
 ‘we were trapped in poverty and constant abuse’(page 158)
 ‘I could hear a tint of sadness in a voice.’(page 160)
 ‘I said chocking on my tears.’ (page 161)
 ‘shattered my dreams like that?’ (page 161)
 ‘constantly scratching in the shack’ (page 161)
 ‘I was swept from the life of poverty’ (page 162)
 ‘the dark cloud…hanging around us’ (page 163)

PERSONIFICATION:
 ‘rules were awaiting her.’(page 155)
 ‘the sadness in their eyes tormented her’ (page 158)
 ‘was their pity, because it was not going to feed me,’(page 159)
 ‘My dream of having my own business had not died.’(page 161)
 ‘bury the past and open a door to the future.’(page 163)

IDIOMATIC EXPRESSION
 ‘pleas fell into deaf ears.’ (page 155)
 ‘used as a punching bag depending on the mood’(page 155)
 ‘I had to swallow my pride.’ (page 159)
 ‘make sure that you rise above odds,’ (page 159)

6. TONE AND MOOD

Tone:

 A depressed tone
The narrator uses this tone at the beginning of the story and throughout her
mother’s ordeal and her own experiences.

 A mean tone.
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.

 A defensive tone
Thembekile uses this tone when she defends her husband’s behaviour.
Mood:

 sad, emotional
 optimistic
7. Structure and Plot Development
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 starts comparing the pain
she felt when her mother died compared to when her father had died.
Rising Action
The narrator takes the reader through the beginning of her mother’s suffering in the
hands of her grandmother, MaDlamini. MaDlamini does not approve of her becoming
Jabulani’s wife 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.
Climax
The narrator’s ambition of becoming a better person is fulfilled when she gets
employed as a TV presenter for a kid’s programme. Her work makes 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 that she
eventually dies.

8. THEMES
 Prejudice/Intolerance
Thulisile’s grandmother does not approve of her son (Thulisile’s father) marrying a
‘girl’ from Johannesburg (egoli). She has nothing against Thembekile as such but
she despises her because of where she comes from. MaDlamini wants her son to
marry someone who grew up in Natal (currently known as KwaZulu-Natal).
 Mother-in-law and ‘makoti’ 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, short skirts and she must cover her head all the time.
 Poverty
The life at Phambili Squatter Camp is characterised by tin shanties, commune toilets,
overpopulation and poverty. The narrator’s household also suffers when the father
loses his job and cannot provide food and other necessities. It is because of poverty
that the narrator’s family stays in the squatter camp longer than it had been planned
(to be a temporary home).
 Unemployment
Thulisile’s father loses his job and no matter how much he looks, he does not find
work. It seems that most people in Phambili Squatter Camp are also unemployed.
 Gender Based Violence
The father finds an escape in liquor. When he is drunk, he beats Thuli’s mother for
no apparent reason.
 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.
 Child labour
Thuli who is literally a child, is forced to go find employment in order to feed the
family. She sells sweets and eventually gets employed by Mr Rathebe who owns a
fish & chips shop. At fifteen, she works as a cleaner after school and on weekends.
 Loyalty
At the beginning of the story, Jabulani stays loyal to Thembekile by loving her 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 also continues to
stay loyal by not standing up to her husband when he steals her daughter’s money.
She does not sign the documents that needed to be signed when Thuli wanted to
buy a house. She even stays behind when she is offered to move into a better
house. All because of her loyalty to her husband.
 Fear
Thembekile stays in constant fear from when she is introduced to the family as a
young bride and later when she is abused by her husband. She fears even to protect
her children when their father beats them.
 Ambition
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.
CHARACTERISATION
Triumph in the face of adversity – Questions

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. (4)

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

1.2 Describe the setting in this extract. (2)

1.3 Refer to line 3 ‘Thulisile, but my friends call me Thuli)

Choose the correct answer from those given below. Write down only the
letter (A – D) next to the question number (1.3 (a)) and the answer in the
ANSWER BOOK.

The tone that Thuli 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)

1.4 Explain why the following statement is FALSE:

Thulisile’s home is very far from Mme Sedike’s house. (1)

1.5 Refer to line 10 (‘I broke down and told her the whole story.’)

(a) Identify a figure of speech in this line. (1)

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

1.6 What does this extract reveal about Mme Sadike’s character?

Substantiate your answer. (2)

1.7 One of the themes in this short story is poverty.

Discuss this theme in relation to this extract. (3)

1.8 Mme Sadike changes Thuli’s view about school.

Discuss your view. (3)

1.9 Do you think Thuli’s decision to tell her mother about the idea of
contacting a social worker is a wise one?

Discuss your view. (3)

Read on page 159 from the middle of the page ‘People were not very helpful
…’ until the end of the page. [Thulisile’s tries to find a solution to their
problem.]

2.1 Place this extract in context. What is Thulisile doing and why? (3)

2.2 Explain how her family ended up in the squatter camp. (2)

2.3 “She was very gracious”. How do Mme Sadike’s actions show that she is
truly gracious? (3)

2.4.1 Mme Sadike says she should ‘rise above the odds’. This means she should:

a. think about gambling to make money

b. act as though she is better than others
c. go back to her teacher and understand his advice
d. not let her circumstances get her down (1)

2.4.2 Briefly explain what Thulisile’s first steps were to

‘rise above the odds’. (2)

2.5 How had Thulisile reacted to her teacher’s words? Explain her reaction. (3)

2.6 How does this extract highlight a major theme in the theme in the story?
Refer to the story as a whole in your answer. (4)
1.1 Choose a description from COLUMN B that matches the name in
COLUMN A.

a) D 
b) C 
c) A 
d) E 

1.2 Describe the setting in this extract. (2)

The setting is Mme Sedike’s house during Thulisile’s search for food to
feed herself and her siblings. 

1.3 (a) The tone that Thuli would use when saying these words is a/an….
tone.

A/honest (1)

(b) Why would Thuli use this tone?

Thuli requires assistance from Mme Sedike, so it is important that she
conducts an honest conversation with her.  (2)

1.4 Explain why the following statement is FALSE: Thulisile’s home is very
far from Mme Sedike’s house.

Thulisile tells Mme Sedike that she comes from a nearby squatter
camp.  (1)

1.5 (a) Refer to line 10 (‘I broke down and told her the whole story.’)

metaphor (1)

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

The manner in which Thuli is crying when she tells the story is
like she is breaking down.  (2)

1.6 What does this extract reveal about Mme Sadike’s character?
Substantiate your answer.

kind/humble/friendly/loving/caring

She accepts Thuli in her beautiful house./She shows keen interest in

Thuli’s name/education./ She gives Thuli a loaf of bread.  (2)
1.7 The discussion of the theme of poverty should include the following
points, among others:

 It is poverty at Thuli’s home which drives her out to go begging for

work/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.
 Thuli is amazed that someone can allow her to sit on such expensive
couches, she is used to bad treatment as a poor person.

1.8 Mme Sadike changes Thuli’s view about school. Discuss your view.

Yes

Mme Sadike listens to Thuli and makes her realise that there is no need
for her to be embarrassed. The manner in which she addresses Thuli
makes her listen to her. She also suggests further assistance by either a
social worker or the police.

No.

It is Thuli’s ambition to be a successful person that makes her go back to

school. She also mentions that she was just not at school for the day. It
is because Thuli does not have another source of food that she goes back
to school so that she can be assisted by Nthabiseng.

1.9 Do you think Thuli’s decision to tell her mother about the idea of
contacting a social worker is a wise one? Discuss your view.

Yes.

Thuli is still a child and whatever she does, she must get permission from
her mother. Involving the social workers could have led in her and her
siblings being taken away from their parents. That would have crushed
her mother.

No.

She should have just gone to look for a social worker without her
mother’s consent. Her mother is known for her loyalty of fear of doing
anything that defies Jabulani. Thuli and her siblings would have been
assisted if she did not report to her mother first.