ENG1501/202/2/2016

Tutorial letter 202/2/2016

FOUNDATIONS IN ENGLISH LITERARY
STUDIES

ENG1501
Semester 2
Department of English Studies

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
FEEDBACK TO ASSIGNMENT 02

ENG1501
Semester 02: 2016
Dear Students
In this feedback letter, we have given you some pointers about how you could have
answered the questions set in this assignment. We expected you to expand these
ideas sufficiently in order to earn full marks. Please note that you will pass only if you
do the following:
Please express yourself in intelligible English, engage fully with the texts, and make
reference to each text to support your arguments.
Assignment 02:
Due date:
Unique number:

Introduction to English Literary Studies, Novels, Drama

28 September 2016
825758

Question 1: Introduction to English Literary Studies

Read the passage carefully and then answer the questions that follow. Each
answer should comprise a paragraph of at least 10 lines.
He had not walked more than a few paces when he again came to an abrupt halt. The
air was full of the sound of bells, thousands and thousands of bells, tinkling and tinkling
with a purposeful, monotonous rhythm. Yet there was not a living thing in sight to
explain where the sound was coming from. He was quite sure that around him and in
front of him were trees and more trees, thorn trees that each time he approached too
near ripped at his clothes. But how to explain the bells, unearthly-sounding bells in an
apparently unlived-in wasteland?
Oh, God, Im going crazy he thought.
He looked up at the stars. They winked back at him, silently, blandly. He could even
make out some of the star patterns of the southern constellations. Surely, if his mind
was suddenly disordered through the tensions of the day, the stars would appear
disordered too? Surely everything became mixed up to a person who had just lost his
mind? He shook his head, but the bells continued their monotonous, rhythmic tinkling.
He knew some pretty horrifying stories about tribal societies and their witch doctors who
performed their ghoulish rites by night.

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But witch doctors were human, and nothing, however odd and perverse, need be feared
if it was human. Taking this as a possible explanation of the bells restored his balance,
and he continued on his way, keeping an alert eye open for the fires or huts of the witch
doctors.

1.

In this passage what kind of atmosphere is created by the ringing of the bells?
Support your answer by making appropriate references to the text provided.

2.

Identify and explain the figure of speech used in the assertion that He looked up
at the stars. They winked back at him, silently, blandly. How does this image add
to the atmosphere that is created by the ringing bells?

3.

Discuss the irony of the fact that the idea that it might be witches who are ringing
the bells is a source of comfort for the man.

4.

With careful discussion of the authors use of onomatopoeia, comment on the

effect of the repetition of certain words in this passage. How do these words
impact on the atmosphere and meaning of the passage?

5.

What is the mans state of mind in this passage and how does the author reveal it
to us? Make references to the text to substantiate your argument. Remember
that all quotations need to be carefully discussed.

SUGGESTED ANSWERS:
1.

A mysterious, eerie, even sinister atmosphere is created by the ringing of the

bells. The speaker cannot make out what it is that is making this noise: there was
not a living thing in sight, they sounded unearthly and his surroundings seem to
be an unlived-in wasteland. He begins to think they are a figment of his
imagination, or caused by some inhuman presence, or a sign that he is losing his
mind, going mad: Oh God, Im going crazy. His thoughts turn to notions of witch
doctors and ghoulish rites, that is, weird, ghastly ceremonies and magic.

2.

This is an example of personification: the stars are given animate qualities. This
adds to the mysterious, sinister atmosphere: nature itself seems to be conspiring
against him to drive him mad. The stars look down on him silently and blandly,
unconcerned by his anguish and confusion. The air is filled with the sound of the
bells, yet there is not a living thing in sight to explain where the sound was coming
from, only the dispassionate gaze of the stars.

3.

The idea that this might be the work of witches or witch doctors is ironically
comforting [ironic because in normal circumstances one would fear witches and
their dreadful ceremonies] because they are human and nothing however odd or
perverse is to be feared if it is human he can deal with humans, even if they are
witches, because they are corporeal and tangible, and fallible like all humans.

4.

The idea that the sounds may emanate from the spiritual world is far more
frightening because that cannot be seem or touched.

5.

Onomatopoeia is the use of words that echo the sounds they name. The repetition
of the word tinkling and the sound it creates helps the author to create the
atmosphere of eeriness and unease. The repetition itself underlines the meaning
of the words monotonous and rhythmic and evokes a sense of pervading
disquiet and dread.

6.

The mans state of mind is uneasy, frightened, and fearful. He is disorientated in

the darkness and confused by the sound of the bells coming seemingly from no
living creature in a place deserted by all forms of life. Even the trees seem against
him as they tear at his clothes. His mind turns to frightening possibilities: witches
performing macabre ceremonies, or even worse, something unnatural presaged by
the sound of bells. The sight of the southern constellations brings him back to a
sense of calm if he can identify them then he cannot be mad. In this more
rational state, even the witchdoctors do not seem so frightening they are human
and can be dealt with.

Question 2: The Catcher in the Rye

Through close reading of chapter 9 and chapter 13 of The Catcher in the Rye, write an
essay in which you show how Salinger uses narrative point of view, imagery and the
motif of phoniness to explore the way in which Holdens attitudes towards sex reveal
his uncertain sense of self.
What appears below is a model essay that responds to the essay question. While this is
not the only or ideal answer, it is intended to give students a sense of what is meant by
a close reading and what is expected in an argumentative essay on a work of literature.
Please pay particular attention to the following in the essay:

There are no subheadings indicating introduction, body or conclusion.

The introduction contextualises the essay by naming the text and the writer and
including one or two sentences explaining what the novel is about.

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The introduction then shows an understanding of the specific focus of the question
and then clearly states what argument the essay will be making. Remember that
an introduction should introduce an argument (that should be developed and
sustained throughout the essay) in which you try to convince the reader of your
essay that your particular interpretation or reading is a valid one. This must
always be in response to the specific focus of the given question.
Each paragraph in the body of the essay focuses on only one aspect of the
question. The first sentence of each paragraph gives the reader a clear indication
of what that particular paragraph will be about. (We call this the topic sentence).
Quotes from the extracts are integrated into grammatically correct sentences and
not simply dumped in the middle of a sentence or a paragraph. When you read
the sentence and quote aloud, it should sound like a normal sentence. As you can
see below, sometimes even two or three words can work as an effective quotation.
The important thing to remember is that all quotations must be discussed. Quotes
are your evidence to support the main point that you are making in the essay and
you need to explain why that particular quote is relevant or significant. Students
may want to use phrases like this is significant because and this shows the
reader that to connect a quote to the main argument.
There is a conclusion that summarises your essay and brings your ideas together.
The conclusion should connect them to the main argument that you have been
making throughout the essay.
The essay uses important ideas and literary terms that are explained in the
prescribed Introduction to English Literary Studies. Please refer to the relevant
sections of this prescribed book for more on narrative point of view, imagery and
motif.

Model essay
J.D. Salingers novel The Catcher in the Rye focuses on the experiences and
perspectives of its protagonist and narrator, Holden Caulfield. The novel explores
themes of belonging and identity through Holdens growing sense of alienation from his
society and adulthood. Holden appears to have serious difficulty relating appropriately
to those around him, not only his male peers but also girls and young women. In this
essay I argue that Holdens contradictory and unreliable descriptions of sex and
intimacy in the given extracts reveal his uncertain sense of self. The two given extracts
point to the way in which sex is seen both as an act of adolescent rebellion and as a
point of entry into adulthood. Readers can trace how Holdens ambivalent feelings about
growing up and rebellion are explored, in part, through his ambivalent feelings about
sex. The first person narrative point of view is significant in the novel in that it reveals
not only the protagonists perspectives but also the inherent unreliability of these ideas.

This, as my essay will show, is also clear in the imagery that Holden uses to describe
sex. This childish imagery in the extract imposes a distance between Holden and the
physical realities of sexual intimacy. Finally, the recurring motif of phoniness also works
to expose Holdens feelings of uncertainty and alienation in the extract.
The first person narrative point of view is significant in revealing Holdens attitudes
towards sex and his uncertain sense of self. Readers experience the novel through
Holden and we get direct access to his thoughts and feelings.
For instance, in the extract, Holden says that he keep[s] making up these sex rules for
[him]self that he break[s] right away (Salinger 2010: 68). However, he then goes on to
explain what he means by the term sex when he says that he spent the whole night
necking (Salinger 2010: 68). This shows Holdens naivety and confusion about what
sex means. Sex is a marker of both rebelliousness and adulthood and in this way he
reveals his uncertainty about his relationship to both. While at first he speaks confidently
about sex, he later admits that sex is something [he] just [doesnt] understand
(Salinger 2010: 68) and that he is a virgin (Salinger 2010: 100). The first person
narration is significant in this way because of the way it reveals the contradictions in his
narrative and his characteristic unreliability. When Holden says that he simply never
got around to it yet (Salinger 2010: 100) he suggests that sex is actually not important
to him at all. However, this is evidently untrue given the way he needs to exaggerate
about his experiences. His insistence that he wants to have sex but that the moments
have always been interrupted appears to be dishonest. While he claims that he is
referring to a specific instance that he remembers, he then vaguely says that
[s]omething went wrong, though I dont even remember what anymore (Salinger
2010: 100). The extracts reveal his attempt to find excuses for not having sex. The first
person narrative is important, then, in pointing to the unreliability in Holdens discussion
of sex. His narrative relies on exaggerations, ambiguity and dishonesty to claim
experiences that he has not had. His evident anxiety about sex and what it means, as
an indicator of both adulthood and rebellious adolescence, reveals his feelings of
uncertainty and confusion especially insofar as he tries to navigate what it means to
grow up.
Imagery is another important element of fiction that that indicates the protagonists
uncertainty and confusion. In the extract, he describes an attractive girl who is having
water squirted all over her face (Salinger 2010: 67). This becomes a sustained image
in the extract that Holden uses to talk about sex. Instead of describing the actual
physical intimacy to which sex refers, he relies on the imagery of this childish game.
Holden says it would be a lot of fun, if you were both sort of drunk and all, to get a girl
and squirt water or something all over each other's face (Salinger 2010: 67). The image
of squirting water is a metaphor, then, for sex the significance of fluids in this
metaphor being self-evident.
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He later reveals his uncertainty about how to think about sex and respect for girls
together. He says that if one does not like a girl, one shouldn't horse around with her at
all, and if you do like her, then you're supposed to like her face, and if you like her face,
you ought to be careful about doing crumby stuff to it, like squirting water all over it
(Salinger 2010: 67-68). Holden also repeatedly refers to this practice as crumby
(Salinger 2010: 67). This is also significant because Holdens anxiety about a simple
game of squirting water shows his actual anxiety about sex and what it means for him
and his relationship to other people. Through this imagery in the narrative, Holden tries
not to talk about the physical realities of sex and intimacy, showing again his
unwillingness to reflect honestly on what sex, adolescence and adulthood actually mean
to him.
One of the central motifs in the novel is that of phoniness. This word and concept
recurs throughout the novel and shows Holdens attempts to make sense of what it
means to be authentic. Holdens assertion that authenticity is an important value that is
central to him is ironic given that his own narrative is dominated by exaggerations and
dishonesty. In the extract, he says that he spent the whole night necking with a terrible
phony named Anne Louise Sherman (Salinger 2010: 68). What readers should observe
is that despite Holdens frequent use of phony as a noun, he is in fact the one who is
phony. References to the phoniness motif in this extract remind readers that this
scene is not isolated and is a central part of Holdens unreliable narration and concerns
with authenticity. Describing Anne Louise Sherman as being a phony merely
reinforces Holdens own inauthenticity and uncertain sense of self. This is confirmed by
the fact that this description of the girl is followed by Holdens admission that he does
not understand sex, contradicting his bold assertions elsewhere. The motif of phoniness
is used by Salinger in the extract and throughout the novel to highlight the supposed
importance of authenticity to the protagonist while at the same time revealing his lack of
self-awareness about sex, relationships, and responsibility.
In conclusion, Salingers Catcher in the Rye is an exploration of adolescent anxiety and
uncertainty. Holdens fragmented sense of identity relies on dishonesty and
exaggeration as his narrative reveals his attempts to make sense of who he is. Sex in
the novel and in these extracts in particular, is a way of exploring the characters
uncertainty about both adolescence and adulthood and the inevitable shift between
them. The first person narrative point of view is central to the exploration of Holdens
character. Not only does his narrative give readers direct access to his thoughts and
feelings but it also shows his unreliability as a narrator. The imagery in this extract also
points to Holdens unwillingness to face the reality of sex and the maturation that it
symbolises. Similarly, the motif of phoniness in the novel and in his description of a girl
in this extract points to Holdens failure to recognise his own inauthenticity and
fragmented sense of self.

Ultimately, sex is both known and unknowable to Holden and is one of the many things
about approaching adulthood that he resists despite its inevitability.

Question 3: The Road to Mecca

Before answering this question, read the chapter, Reading Drama in Introduction to
Literary Studies and work through the section on The Road to Mecca in your Study
Guide.
In The Road to Mecca, Elsa is portrayed as a young woman who has undertaken an
arduous physical and emotional journey. In an essay of three to four pages, discuss this
journey with close reference to the text.
In this section of the feedback tutorial letter, I will be providing you with some general
guidelines that will assist you in responding to any assignment or examination question.
I will then offer an example of an essay that constitutes a solid response to the question
above. Please remember that there are many, equally valid, ways in which you could
answer this assignment question. My essay offers just one such an example. In any
answer, you need to follow certain principles of academic writing, as I will explain in the
general guidelines below, but your answer may focus on different aspects. This will be
acceptable, as long as the essay is clearly focused on the assignment question and you
substantiate all you arguments with close reference to the primary text.
General Guidelines

Before you start your essay, you need to read the question a few times to make
sure you understand what is being asked of you. This is especially important when
the question is long and contains a number of subordinate clauses. This specific
question is fairly straightforward, so two or three readings should enable you to
come to grips with its requirements. When you read the question, start by making
sure that you understand each word in it. You cannot engage meaningfully with a
question before you understand each word. With this question, some students may
not be familiar with the word arduous. In such cases, you need to consult a
dictionary. The online version of the Oxford English Dictionary defines arduous
as follows: Hard to accomplish or achieve; requiring strong effort; difficult,
laborious, and severe. Now that you know what every word in the question
means, you should underline the most significant words and phrases so that you
can structure your response around them.
Once you have completed this exercise, it should be clear that your essay needs
to focus on the character of Elsa, her journey and the fact that this journey is a
difficult one. The question already provides you with a useful hint when it mentions
that her journey is both physical and emotional.

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It is thus important that you focus on more than just her literal journey.

The next step is to plan your essay. Remember that a properly structured essay
should start with an introduction that gives the reader a clear idea of what will
follow in the rest of the essay.

In the introduction, you should articulate the argument that you will be developing in the
essay. The body of the essay should then go ahead and develop this argument in welldeveloped and properly structured paragraphs. You can think of a paragraph as a mini
essay. Each paragraph should have a topic sentence which gives the reader an idea of
what the purpose of the paragraph will be. The rest of the paragraph should develop
this topic, with examples from the text, and then conclude before leading logically to the
next paragraph. A paragraph should always consist of more than one sentence. Finally,
you need a conclusion in which you draw together all the points in the essay and bring
the foregoing discussion to a close. Remember that you should not introduce new
points or ideas in a conclusion.

In an academic essay, you must always write in full, grammatically correct

sentences and you should avoid abbreviations or contractions.

Provide proper references if you use any ideas or words that are not your own.
You need to do this in the body of the essay as well as in the bibliography. If you
do want to use additional resources, please ensure that they are academically
reputable. Peer reviewed journals, rather than online sites, are safer options as
they have been quality controlled by means of the scholarly peer review system.

Questions to consider when you plan the argument you will use in response to
this assignment topic:

Who is Elsa and how does she fit into the play? You need to contextualise your
argument but remember that you must do so briefly and be to the point. Never
provide a long summary of the plot as this means that you are not directly
engaging with the question.

What journey is she undertaking? Is she busy with more

simultaneously? Where is she coming from and where is she
thinks of a journey, there is usually a destination. What is her
she make progress towards this destination over the course of
represented in the play?

than one journey

going? When one
destination? Does
the journey that is

Which factors affect her journey? How do these factors contribute to making the
journey physically and mentally difficult? Here it is very important to base all your
arguments in the actual text. Speculation is not acceptable in a literary
engagement with a text.

Remember that, in a play, you need to pay attention to the dialogue as well as the
descriptions of the setting and the stage directions.

Model Answer
In The Road to Mecca, Athol Fugard depicts the relationship between the two main
characters of Miss Helen and Elsa. The play begins with an exhausted Elsa arriving at
Miss Helens home after a long car journey. Over the course of the play it becomes
apparent that this car trip constitutes merely one aspect of a larger, multi-faceted
journey that Elsa has been on for some time. Miss Helen has been on her own journey
and she is struggling because the local people find her artistic expression disturbing and
her pastor is pressuring her to leave her house and to move into a retirement home.
Elsa has come on this trip because she is worried about her friend. It emerges,
however, that Elsa is also in need of help and guidance on her journey and the play
represents the ways in which these two womens interactions shape their various
physical and emotional journeys1. For the purpose of this essay, I will focus on
analysing Elsas physical and emotional journey2.
I will begin by explaining the nature of Elsas journeys and I will demonstrate how her
progress is shaped by the racial context of apartheid South Africa, in which the play is
set.3
[1. It is also important to demarcate the scope of your essay. There may be many important aspects to
explore in this play but you must show the reader that you will not go off on a tangent.
2. Note that I have used the most important phrases in the question in my introduction. This reassures
the reader that your essay will offer a direct engagement with the question rather than a general
analysis.
3. Here I provide the crux of the argument I will be offering. Remember that you can have different
approaches that may be equally valid.]

When the play starts, it is clear that Elsa has been on an extended journey and that this
has been a very tiring process1. She is described as wearing something [that is]
suitable for a long motorcar ride and she tells Helen that she is too exhausted to put it
[her car] away before she [c]ollapses on the bed (Fugard, 1985: 15) 2. When she says
that the road to Helen gets longer every time (Fugard, 1985: 15), she is speaking
figuratively and she means that it gets more difficult and exhausting as the actual
physical distance remains the same. Elsa is very restless and she insists that she can
only stay for one night before she needs to resume her journey and head back home.

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There is some tension between the two women and, as the play progresses, the
sources of this tension, and its relevance to Elsas journey3, becomes increasingly
apparent.
[1. This is the topic sentence of the paragraph and it flows logically from the preceding introduction.
2. Here I develop the argument set up in the topic sentence and I provide examples from the text to
support my arguments. Note that I have integrated the quotations into my own sentences and that I have
used square brackets to indicate where I change the original text to fit it into my own writing.
3. Keep bringing the reader back to how you are addressing the main topic.]

Elsa and Helens first small argument arises when Helen says that Katrina, a coloured
servant, will wash Elsas underwear and Elsa vehemently insists that she will do it
herself. These disagreement signposts the racial inequalities of their context and these
racial dynamics play an important role in Elsas journey. Elsa later admits to Helen that
she is in trouble at the school where she works as a teacher. She faces the possibility
of strict disciplinary action (Fugard, 1985: 27) because she gave the children
homework in which they had to write a five-hundred word letter to the State President
on the subject of racial inequality. Elsa realises that she could lose [her] job (Fugard,
1985: 28) but she feels that it is her duty to challenge an unjust educational system
even if this makes her life more difficult.
Here you could explore further how the racial dynamics of her context presents
challenges on Elsas life journey. Look, for example, at the section where she
meets an African woman and her baby on her way to Helen.
After the conversations about how the racist policies of the apartheid government
complicate Elsas journey, Helen introduces the topic of David, and this is something
that is emotionally even more difficult for Elsa as she resists talking about it at first 1.
Elsa admits that her relationship with David has ended and that this was emotionally
very difficult as she says that she was in a bad way (Fugard, 1985: 29).
When Helen expresses her shock at the break up, Elsa reveals that David was married
with a child. Here you can provide further examples from the play that demonstrate
how this break up constituted a type of journey for Elsa towards realising that
David was not going to leave his wife and just how emotionally painful the
process has been for her.
[1. Remember that you need clear links between paragraphs and you can ensure this through providing
signposts for the reader. Here I link the topic of the previous paragraph (the impact of the racialised
setting on Elsas journey) to this one (the difficulty of her relationship journey with David.]

On her car trip to Helen, the chance meeting with the African woman and her baby was
more significant than reminding Elsa of the injustices of the apartheid government. The
woman and her child also reminded Elsa of the baby she aborted after the relationship
with David ended.

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Coming to terms with this loss seems to be one of the most difficult aspects of Elsas
emotional journey and she only admits it to Helen in the last few pages of the play. Here
you need to provide examples from the text to demonstrate how arduous Elsa
has found this aspect of her journey.
There are various references in the play to Elsas sense of feeling lost and lonely
on her journey. When one is lost, one does not know ones location in the journey
in relation to the destination. Here you could explore what Elsas destination is
(look at the final few pages of the play) and how her relationship with Helen helps
her to deal with the emotional challenges she faces on her journey.
This essay has explored how Fugard represents Elsas exhausting physical journey to
Helen as well as the emotional journeys she is undertaking in order to come to terms
with the loss of her relationship with David and her abortion. Her journey is complicated
by the racist injustices of the apartheid system and I have analysed how this system
shapes her journey in her career as well as her interactions with Helen.
Ultimately, it emerges that, even though Elsas journeys may be continuing and her
destination remains elusive, her relationship with Helen means that she is not alone and
she finds comfort and guidance in the trust they share. Here1 you can add two or
three more sentences to tie together all the arguments you may have developed
in your essay.
[1. In the conclusion, you need to be very clear about how the essay addressed the question. It is a good
idea for the conclusion to speak to the introduction to show that you have accomplished what you set out
to do.]

Bibliography
Fugard, Athol. 1985. The Road to Mecca. London: Faber and Faber.

Question 4: When Rain Clouds Gather

Before answering this question, read the chapter, The Novel in Introduction to Literary
Studies and work through the section on When Rain Clouds Gather in your Study
Guide. Please do not re-write the plot of the novel. Consult your study material and any
other relevant material in order to understand the themes in the novel, and reference
your sources very carefully at the end of the essay.
Although Mma Millipede and Paulina Sebeso live in a rural setting where society is
largely patriarchal, they are not portrayed in the same way as the other women of
the village. Head depicts them as highly resilient and independent women. You
should compare and contrast these characters with other women in the novel as
well. Remember to make specific references to the text to support your arguments.
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A model answer, as you should know, is one example out of many other possible
answers you could have given. All the same, the contents of your answers are
expected to touch on more or less the same facets of the novel.
A comparison of Mma-Millipede and Paulina Sebeso with the other women
characters portrayed in the novel.
In my essay I explore ways in which the characters Mma-Millepede and Paulina Sebeso
are portrayed as very resourceful and independent women who manage to overcome
the forces of patriarchy in the novel, When Rain Clouds Gather, by Bessie Head. I shall
also discuss how these two women characters may be compared with the other women
in the narrative, highlighting similarities and differences whenever these may be
identified.
One of the most independent women in the novel is Paulina Sebeso. After the suicide of
her husband in Northern Botswana, she moves to Golema Mmidi and earns her living
independently as a single parent of two young children. She lives in the village with her
daughter, Lorato, whilst her son, Isaac, is sent to a cattle post to look after her herd of
cattle. Makhaya, the protagonist of the novel, is attracted to her, as he perceives the
natural expression of a powerful and alert personality, and beyond that, all such a
personality could accomplish (129). Unlike the weaker women of Golema Mmidi,
Paulina was too proud a woman to be treated like a cess-pit (125). Most of the men in
the village therefore regard her as too bossy (102). As a child, she was free-spirited
and had a longer period of schooling than the other girls of her village, due to her
athletic ability. The resulting capacity to free herself from the bondage of patriarchy
enables Paulina to defy Chief Matenge in Golema Mmidi, who is depicted as being evil
and very domineering. When Paulina does find her mate eventually in Makhaya, a
refugee from South Africa, she is glad to discover that he is a man over whom she can
have some degree of influence. This is evident when she obliges him to eat the
Batswana traditional food of goat meat and sour milk porridge without complaint (123).
Furthermore, instead of Makhaya proposing to Paulina, she takes the initiative to
propose to him instead. She desires him and respects the fact that he does not believe
that a man should have many lovers, unlike most of the men in the village (197). His
freedom from tradition and patriarchal practices allows him to love her and to accept her
powerful personality without feeling undermined, and he provides her with the emotional
support she desperately needs when it is discovered that her son Isaac has died alone
at the cattle post.
Like Paulina, Mma-Millipede, remains resilient and independent, despite having
experienced great tragedies in her life. As a young woman in Northern Botswana, she
had resisted the advances of Ramogodi, the debauched, alcoholic son of the tribal chief
who reigned over their village. However, due to his vanity and refusal to be rebuffed,

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she was compelled to marry him. Soon after their marriage, Ramogodi had driven his
brother to suicide by having an affair with his wife. He then divorced Mma-Millipede and
she was subsequently sent with their son to a village far away. Due to these events,
Ma-Millipide had become almost deranged (72). It is therefore remarkable that she
managed to develop a new personality(75), aided by her strong sense of spirituality
and Christian faith. When Makhaya later meets her in Golema Mmidi, he admires her as
she has become a leader in the village due to the general recognition of the generosity
of her mind and soul, as well as for her practicality. Mma-Millipede astutely perceives
that Paulina and Makhaya have the potential to be soul-mates and to be joined together
marriage. It is significant that this old woman has managed to liberate herself
economically by developing a professionally - run and successful poultry business in
Golema Mmidi. Clearly, she has benefitted from the scientific farming practices of
Gilbert, the White agronomist from England, as he has brought his knowledge of sound
farming practices into the village (24). Since Mma-Milipede is a pillar of strength to all
the women of Golema Mmidi, it is not unsurprising that Dinerego (the wise old man with
whom she has a deep bond) sends his daughter Maria for counselling to her before the
young womans marriage to Gilbert (94). As Maria also refuses to conform to the
stereotype of a tribal woman reared by a man for sexual satisfaction and discriminatory
hard labor, she does match Paulina Sebeso and Mma-Millipede in insight, resilience
and resourcefulness to some extent. She cleverly arranges to be taught English by
Gilbert before their marriage and teaches him Tswana in return. Paulinas respect for
Maria is revealed during casual talk among the women at the wedding party. She
dismisses their guesses that Maria is accepting the marriage proposal of Gilbert merely
for wealth and comfort. It is Paulinas opinion that Maria is too clever to marry a man
for such a shallow reason (105). Nonetheless, Maria does eventually agree to be an
obedient wife to Gilbert who had acquired conservative ideas about married life (114).

Unlike Paulina and Mma-Millipede, the other women of Golema Mmidi are portrayed as
lacking resilience and independence, since they allow themselves to be coerced into
doing all the hard labour of tilling the soil, planting, weeding and harvesting, whilst the
men themselves laze at cattle ranches away from the village. Thus, the women are
depicted as often complying in their own subservience. As a wise old woman, MmaMillipede is critical of these women, since they are often involved in relationships that
are free and casual, each woman having six or seven lovers, including a husband as
well (109). One of these women is Grace Sebina, who is represented as a rough, wild,
promiscuous (102) woman whose relationships with men earn her the open criticism of
Paulina. The most notable evidence of the men who do avail themselves of all sexual
opportunities is highlighted in the experienced, awful, unchildlike stare(10) of a tenyear old girl whose grandmother offers the childs sexual services to Makhaya for a fee,
after he had managed to escape from South Africa and had taken refuge in her hut

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across the border for one night. His outrage and firm repudiation of this offer is an early
indication in the novel that not all men are the same. Later, when he reaches Golema
Mmidi, Dinorego teases Makhaya about the latters complete repudiation of the
exploitation of females. In the rural setting of the village, this is often revealed in the
customary credo of the men, Mama, please find me a tribal girl and let us plough (4).
Paulina believes that the Batswana men refuse to take responsibility for their wives and
children, and that they are granted very little protection (132).Thus, the women
remained their same old tribal selves, docile and inferior (73). Women such as
Segamese are portrayed as being unable to perceive any folly or cruelty in the actions
of their husbands, although her husband Rankoane had had not made a genuine
attempt the dying young Isaac when he met him at the cattle outpost situated near his
own. Since Segamese is in the unusual situation of being able to rely on the protection
of Rankoane, she has become complacent and condescending towards women whom
she considers to be less fortunate than her. In contrast to women like her, the narrator
depicts the character of Mma Baloi, who cannot choose to be independent due to her
life circumstances. This frail old woman has been falsely accused of witchcraft by the
people of her village and has to be saved from being killed by them through the
patronage of Chief Sekoto, the traditional tribal leader in this part of rural Africa.
Despite depicting the setting of this highly patriarchal society, the narrator does display
an open-minded attitude, since Paulina affirms that women who smoke and drink beer
are liberated and the bravest, unlike the other women who are afraid of being beaten
by their husbands if they do so (130). Ultimately, despite the depiction of the
weaknesses of the village women and the contrast drawn between them and
independent and resilient women such as Paulina and Mma- Millipede, the willingness
of these women to escape from the cycle of poverty and dependence on men becomes
evident in Paulinas assertion to Makhaya that it would not be difficult to get a hundred
women involved in a co-operative tobacco farming project.
The narrators technique of portraying strong, resilient and independent women acts as
a contrast to her portrayal of the other rural women in When Rain Clouds Gather.
However, there is an indication that the women who are generally considered to be
weaker do have the potential to achieve empowerment when they are granted suitable
guidance in farming methods as well as resilient and independent female role models
such as Mma-Millipede and Paulina Sebeso.

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Bibliography
Head, Bessie. [1969, 1971] 2010. When Rain Clouds Gather & Maru. London: Virago
Press.
Hints on the writing of an academic essay

Make sure you are clear on what the question wants you to do

Reflect on and make choices on key aspects of the interrogation. Plan your
essay carefully.

Lastly, you need to build a coherent and well-argued discussion.

You cannot cover everything as that would make your essay too long. Write these
reflections in a logical manner, using examples from the text to validate your argument.
Remember: an essay is made up of three parts, an introduction, a body and a
conclusion.
The introduction tells the reader what you are going to be doing in the essay in
relation to the question. Breaking down the question into its elemental
constituents provides you with the introduction.
The body is a discussion of the points highlighted in your introduction,
substantiating your argument with references to your selected text.
The conclusion is a summary of what you have said in the body of your
essay and an affirmation of your Introduction.
We hope that you have found this tutorial letter helpful. You should also consult
Tutorial Letter 301, as it can be a valuable resource when writing academic
essays. If you have any further queries you are welcome to contact us via email
at [email protected].
Good luck with your studies and all the best for the examinations.
Best wishes
ENG1501 Team

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