Day 16: Magona: I'm not talking about that, now

Inquiry What does this short story tell us about the divisive nature of apartheid South Africa?

Pairs
Cover the basics --> plot, character, conflict

Discuss these questions, spending the most time on the italics/underlined ones.

Who is Mamvulane? 

What is her greatest concern? 

What is the consumer boycott about? 

Her shopping trip: how does she prepare, and what happens to her?

Who is Mdlangathi? 

What is he angry about at the beginning of the story?

How does Mamvulane react to her husband’s story?

What does this incident make Mdlangathi think about young people?

Who is Mtetelli?

Why is his father angry with him?

What happens at the very end of the story?

Triads

Please record your answers and refer to at least one specific example from the text to support your ideas.

1. What do you think is the significance of the stories Mdlangathi brings home to Mamvulane?

2. What does Mamvulane’s trip to the store suggest about her, and why?

3. What are Mteteli and his father really arguing about at the end of the story?

4. Dramatic irony occurs when the audience knows something that the character does not know; thus, the words and actions of a character suggest a different meaning to the audience than to the other characters in the story.  Where do you see irony used in this story?

5. Given the story’s ending, and the author’s use of irony, what do you think this author’s purpose may be in writing this story?

Solo time and then large group

1. What did you learn about how apartheid functions – specifically, about how it affects families and communities?

2. What makes the ending so tragic, and what does this tragic ending suggest to us about life in South African townships?  What does it suggest to about the fight for freedom?

3. In what way is this story about what Adiche calls “the danger of a single story?”