Shades

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Frances had been looking forward to the holiday at the coast yet she finds herself missing her quiet moments of journeying to Nolovini with Walter. Victor too begins to irritate her with his acting as if they were engaged.

Victor asks Father Charles for his daughter's hand in marriage but is refused. After the holiday, he returns to Johannesburg and takes with him Tom, Reuben and Sonwabo who have been recruited to work as labourers on the mines.

Victor is related to Frances only through marriage but they had been together since early childhood. Indeed, Frances looked upon him as an older brother. The isolation of the mission, however, sometimes draws disparate people towards each other.

Victor is about 21 while Frances is 18 years of age. Each are reaching the stage where sexual urges are beginning to emerge. Frances is still innocent but the same cannot be said of Victor.

It quickly becomes evident that Victor has already had a sexual relationship with the former wheelwright's daughter. Indeed, he was probably saved from an embarrassing marriage only by her father's assault on Sonwabo and the family's dismissal from the mission.

The event, however, initiated Victor into the sexual world and he wants more. With the wheelwright's daughter gone, there is no-one else on the mission except Frances.

Initially Walter was not perceived as a threat. When Victor catches Walter teaching Frances to play the piano, however, he realises by the expression on both their faces that the missionary is indeed an adversary.

The young man's manipulative skills are therefore stretched to the maximum. He must make an urgent plan which will not only rid him of his adversary but will secure Frances to him for all time.

It is the moment for his greatest game which he dares not lose. His goal is Frances but in this game she must lose her reputation forever. She must become his — and he will achieve this by forcing her to have sexual intercourse with him. Thereafter her only salvation in a hostile Victorian world will be through marriage to him.

Have you looked at the questions
in the right column?

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

Explain Frances's mixed reactions towards Victor. (4)

[Need help?]

Remember that Frances's love for Victor was largely that of a sister for a big brother. Ever since he had had sexual intercourse with her, however, he had tried to waylay her whenever possible so as to kiss her and, if possible, to have intercourse again. Frances, however, did not wish to repeat that sin — at least, not until she was married to him. Nevertheless, she still took it for granted that she would marry him. After all, she had had intercourse with him and that was universally accepted as implicit marriage. She therefore did not even question her love for him.

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Comment on the differing reactions by Emily and Charles Farborough when Victor referred to his marriage to Frances. (6)

[Need help?]

Emily liked the idea of Frances and Victor marrying. She had always visualised a marriage between her daughter and Victor but had never noticed that Frances and Victor were simply not compatible. Charles, on the other hand, did not like the idea at all. In the first place, he knew that Frances did not love Victor. Indeed, he was already aware that Walter loved his daughter, and that Walter would make a far better husband for her than Victor would. Secondly, Victor was not financially ready to be married and to support a family, bearing in mind that women usually fell pregnant almost immediately after the wedding. He insisted therefore that Victor must be in Johannesburg at least six months before he would consider giving his consent.

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Charles says to Emily, "Because Frances is not in love with Victor, that's why."

• Explain the effect that these words have on Frances who overhears them. (4)

[Need help?]

Frances seems never to have really thought about the idea of her love for Victor. She presumes she is in love, especially since she has now had sexual intercourse with him. Suddenly, however, she realises that her father is right — that she does not actually love Victor at all. If that was so, however, did it not make a mockery of their sexual encounter?

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Why does Charles refuse Victor when he asks to marry Frances? (4)

[Need help?]

If Charles is right and Frances does not love Victor, then surely marriage would be a bad idea? In the first place, he knows that Frances does not love Victor. Indeed, he is already aware that Walter loves his daughter, and that Walter would make a far better husband for her. Secondly, Victor is not financially ready to be married and support a family, bearing in mind that women usually fell pregnant almost immediately after the wedding. He insisted therefore that Victor must be in Johannesburg at least six months before he would consider giving his consent.

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Explain Frances's meeting with Walter after the holiday in the context of all that has taken place in this chapter. (5)

[Need help?]

When Frances and Walter meet after her return from the coast, we witness for the first time a show of real affection between them. Be able to explain this.

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This chapter is a turning point for Frances in her relationship with Victor and Walter.

• Why? (5)

[Need help?]

While Frances was at the coast, she realised quite clearly that she was not in love with Victor and that, on the contrary, he irritated her. She also missed Walter. The separation, therefore, served to intensify the bond which existed between Frances and Walter — while Victor's irritating behaviour tended to create a rift between them.

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