Shades

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Benedict receives news about Tom and Reuben, and about Sonwabo's imprisonment and probable death. He learns that it was Victor who was responsible for their conscription and he rejects with contempt the suggestion that he (Benedict) should act as a recruiting agent.

In the meantime, Frances in Grahamstown confronts her mother, pointing out that she does not wish to marry Victor. Emily, however, insists upon it. Then Frances receives Walter's letter and realises for the first time that he is in love with her, but it is now too late!

The classical love letter is used in a novel for a specific purpose.

We are used to thinking that a love letter must be filled with sweet nothings: "How beautiful your feet, your graceful legs the work of a craftsman's hands, your breasts like twins of a gazelle." (Song of Solomon, 7:1-3)

If one contrasts this to the classic letter that appears in Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice, one is presented with a remarkable contrast.

That letter was written because Fitzwilliam Darcy had been rudely rebuffed by Elizabeth Bennet upon his asking for her hand in marriage. He wrote for no other purpose than to rebut Elizabeth's accusations.

The letter, however, proved a turning point in their relationship. Elizabeth saw the error of her judgements while Darcy realised he had been an arrogant prig. From then on, Elizabeth and Darcy became friends — and eventually married.

It is in this sense that we must view Walter Brownley's letter to Frances. He writes solely to wish her well in her marriage to Victor. He also tells her of his decision to return to England. In doing so, however, he speaks of the magical times that he had shared with Frances at Nolovini.

Frances, on the other hand, never realised that Walter had these strong feelings of affection for her. His letter therefore makes her examine her own feelings towards both Walter and Victor — and ultimately it causes her to break off her engagement with Victor.

Reference is sometimes made in Shades to a "letter book". This was a book with detachable pages upon which the letters were written.

Between each page was a thin sheet of translucent paper which blotted up the excess ink. Once the letter had been posted, therefore, a copy was automatically retained in the letter book.

It was much like an old-fashioned carbon copy that we used not so long ago before the advent of computers.

Have you looked at the questions
in the right column?

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

"Was it a terrible sin?" Frances asked.

"It was a binding commitment," her mother replied.

• Comment on the logic of Emily's argument in which she attempts to persuade Frances that marriage to Victor was the only moral solution. (5)

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Emily's argument centres on true Victorian morality. Sexual intercourse was a commitment, a consummation of marriage. Although the sin itself could be forgiven, the commitment could not be undone. Furthermore, Frances is more responsible for the sin than Victor. It is acceptable for men to give in to their passions but women may never do so. She also argues that it is natural for Frances to have second thoughts because all girls have such apprehensions just before their marriage.

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Why does Frances insist on not being married from St Matthias and that her parents were not wanted at the wedding? (5)

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Frances will not be married from St Matthias nor will she allow her father to conduct the ceremony because, she says, her vows will be untruthful. She cannot accept to love Victor for the rest of her life. She believes that to pronounce such vows in the presence of her father would be a lie and would be insulting to him.

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Explain Frances's reaction upon reading Walter's letter to her. (5)

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Walter's letter arrived at the same time as one from Victor. It should be noted that she gave Victor's one to Mrs Drake to read while she kept the origin of Walter's letter a secret, something precious that only she must know about. Only when the guests were gone, did she read it and re-read it — absorbing each and every word, then re-read certain phrases. And she cried for the first time since she had been in Grahamstown. The letter had been written six weeks earlier. She assumed therefore that Walter was probably already in England and she had missed him. It was then that she wept once more for what she had missed. It was at this point that the truth became clear to her that she had no right to marry Victor, that all of this had just been a big game. She reached the decision that she must end this farcical engagement and set Victor — and herself — free.

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