Shades

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Walter Brownley arrives at St Matthias and the major characters are introduced to the reader. This is a critical chapter because it makes major statements about each and every person.

It is generally true that the majority of the English at the Cape Colony in about 1900 were colonialist by nature.

They were mostly people who had been born in England. Some, like Victor Drake, were first generation immigrants, i.e. they were born in South Africa of parents who had immigrated earlier.

The most important characteristic of the colonialists was that they thought like Englishmen. England was "home". They believed in the essential nature of being English, and that this should be forced upon the indigenous population as a way of enlightening them.

Religion was a critical aspect of being English. Indeed, they believed it imperative to inculcate their version of Christianity upon the Black people.

At the same time, their own children were to be prevented from coming into contact with traditional customs like circumcision rituals and ancestor worship.

Language was another important value. The typical colonialists insisted that all people around them should learn to speak English, and generally frowned upon their children learning an African language.

They treated Afrikaans in the same light — Afrikaners must learn to speak English.

The English also believed that their social customs — their manner of dress, speech, social mores, etc. — were superior to all others.

Black South Africans were therefore to wear English clothing, adopt English manners and conventions, use the British economic system — and preferably live in English-style houses rather than in traditional huts.

Indeed, a Black family which lived in a Xhosa-style house was taxed more heavily than those living in English-style houses!

Yet it went further than this. The English tended to see the "other" as inferior. Although they did attempt to turn the amaXhosa into Black Englishmen, they never believed this to be entirely possible.

Their philosophy was that all people could be equal, but some would always remain more equal than others!

A perfect example is found in Benedict Matiwane. He was Christian, worshipped in a Church of England community, spoke English, wore English clothing — was even "part of the Farborough family".

And yet he was never allowed further into the Farborough house than the kitchen. Indeed, Benedict was never really "family" at all but was rather a glorified servant.

One notices that Emily Farborough strictly forbade Frances and Crispin speaking Xhosa. They were meant to speak only English — and the servants were then to be forced to learn English and so become "civilized".

It was very clear that Emily disapproved when Walter Brownley told Benedict that he must teach him to speak Xhosa.

Have you looked at the questions
in the right column?

Read the notes in the left column before answering the questions below:

VICTOR DRAKE:

Victor is introduced as an arrogant young man who takes a delight in being in control of everyone and everything about him.

• How is this shown? (4)

[Need help?]

Look at Victor's attitude when he first arrives at the house. Observe the way he treats Walter — the newcomer — by offering his horse even though he knows that Hector will attempt to throw the rider at a certain point. Look at the contempt with which he treats Benedict — as a servant rather than as a Black Englishman who is possibly going to become a priest.

• What do you think Victor was doing when he sneaked out of his room so late at night? (2)



• What does this tell us of his character? (4)

[Need help?]

Earlier in the chapter, Walter had already noticed some association between Victor and the "tow-haired girl" — i.e. Truter's daughter. If Victor was sneaking out to visit her, what do you think he was doing with her? In a time of strict morality, where sex was considered to be reserved solely for marriage, how would one judge a young man who was deliberately flouting this moral code? One must see Victor's actions within the accepted moral codes of the time. Be careful not to judge him by today's morality where meeting a girl on the quiet is generally regarded as perfectly acceptable. Back then, it would have been soundly condemned as utterly immoral.

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EMILY FARBOROUGH:

Mrs Farborough is presented as being a typical late 19th century colonialist.

• What do we mean by this? (4)



• In what way are her attitudes typically colonial? (6)

[Need help?]

You need to know what a typical colonialist is, so please read the notes on Colonialism in the left column. Then consider the following: Emily Farborough appears to despise other Christian churches. Is this typical of an English colonialist? She appears very gracious to the poor but antagonistic to any form of opposition. Is this a colonial attitude? She claims that Benedict is a family member yet she never allows him to enter her house. Is this a colonialist attitude or a glimmer of racism? She certainly believes that Black people must speak English, and seems opposed to the idea that her children — or even Walter — learn to speak Xhosa. How does this fit in with colonialism? What else can you find?

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BENEDICT MATIWANE:

Emily Farborough says of Benedict that he is "one of the family", yet clearly this is not so. Benedict is nothing more than a glorified servant.

• How do we know this? (4)

[Need help?]

For a start, Benedict is never invited into the house — or even onto the verandah, for that matter. Does this sound like a family member? And look at the way in which Victor treats him by making him clean the eel. Is this not the contempt shown to a servant?

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HELMINA SMYTHE:

What is Helmina's function in the Farborough family? (4)

[Need help?]

Ask yourself: Is Helmina treated like a member of the family? Does she not appear to act rather like a servant. Can you give examples of this?

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WALTER BROWNLEY:

What was Walter's background before he came to South Africa? (4)

[Need help?]

This is an easy one. He studied at St Augustine's College in England and for a time worked amongst the coal miners. Be able to enlarge on both these aspects.

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Walter did not want to go to a mission station. In a sense, he was tricked into this by the Bishop of Grahamstown.

• How did the Bishop trick him? (4)

[Need help?]

Walter Brownley was a very altruistic person which meant that, when the Bishop spoke so glowingly of the mission, would he really be able to resist? And to what extent did the existence of the printing press influence him?

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FRANCES FARBOROUGH:

Frances is presented as a person both critical of Victor and open to be influenced by the newcomer (Walter).

• Explain each. (4)

[Need help?]

What is Frances's reaction to Victor when he offers Walter his horse? What is her reaction to Victor after Walter proves himself to be a good rider? As regards Walter, she appears to like his conversation. Indeed, she says quite openly that she likes his voice and certainly admires his horsemanship — particularly as he managed to control Hector when Victor deliberately attempted to have him thrown at the spot where the horse could see the shade.

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Note for future reference:

• In what way does the "unforgiving verse" explain Frances's sense of guilt at what happens later between her and Victor? (6)

[Need help?]

You do need to know the events that happen later in the novel to be able to answer this one. But in the meantime consider the following: The quotation is a particularly harsh one which condemns wickedness of any sort. How would Frances then feel about herself if she transgressed the Victorian moral code in any way? Would she be able to forgive herself — or would she condemn herself to eternal damnation?

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