POEM : THE CHILD WHO WAS SHOT DEAD BY SOLDIERS AT

NYANGA
POET: INGRID JONKER .
THE SHARPVILLE MASSACRE AS A SIGNIFICANT EVENT IN
SOUTH AFRICAN HISTORY
 UNDERSTANDING THE SOCIAL SETTING OF
THE POEM
• UNDERSTANDING THE TERM APARTHEID AND HOW IT AFFECTED THE LIVES OF BLACK
PEOPLE
• UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE THAT PROTEST POEMS PLAYED IN FIGHTING AGAINST
APARTHEID AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT CENSORSHIP IS THEREOFF.
• UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE THAT PASS LAWS PLAYED IN ENSURING THAT BLACK
PEOPLE WERE KEPT IN THEIR DESIGNATED AREAS/ TOWNSHIPS
• DESCRIBING THE UNFOLDING OF THE SHARPVILLE MASSCRE.
• UNDERSTANDING HOW THE GRUESOME CLUTCHES OF APARTHEID AFFECTED THE
ORDINARY TYPICAL SOUTH AFRICAN AND HOW SOMEHOW THE INNOCENT WERE ALSO
VICTIMS OF COLATERAL DAMAGE LIKE THE CHILD PROCLAIMED IN THE TITLE.
•
 VISUAL STIMULI FOR A BETTER
UNDEDRSTANDING OF THE POEM
• HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/IHRXL3N62LW?SI=-C5HBGVN41TP7I8S

• AND VIDEO TWO

• HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/KJOU9YYMZPW?SI=5NQPLQ8PRZISPIJK
HOW DID YOU FEEL AFTER “MENTALLY AND
VISUALLY EXPERIENCING” THE ATROCIOUS
ACTS THAT WERE INFLICTED ON THE BLACK
HUMAN RACE ?
 INGRID JONKER Click icon to add picture

HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/IJK59S5IQEU?SI=ERC0WQHPQLH-TFO-
 APPLICABLE DEFINITIONS

• PROPAGANDA

• CENSORSHIP

• MEDIA
 ARE YOU A SYNESTHETES ?
• HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/ULTHNI6MKEM?SI=VJXYYM2CBV6J8P-H
 ARE YOU A SYNESTHETES ?
• HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/ULTHNI6MKEM?SI=VJXYYM2CBV6J8P-H
 THAT WAS
INTERESTING ,
WASN’T IT?
 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE POEM
 THE POEM IS SET DURING THE APARTHEID ERA IN THE 1960’S AFTER THE ATROCIOUS
SHARPVILLE MASSACRE WHICH BRUTALLY CLAIMED THE LIVES OF MORE THAN 69
BLACK PEOPLE.
INGRID WROTE THIS PROTEST POEM TO EXPRESS HER IMMENSE GRIEF AND
SYMPATHY OVER THE SHOOTING OF A CHILD BY THE APARTHEID SOLDIERS WHICH
SEALED THE FATE OF THE INFANT. ONE MAY ALSO AGREE THAT THIS POEM WAS
WRITTEN BY A MOTHER (HERSELF) IN ORDER TO CONSOLE ANOTHER.
USING AN ALLEGORY OR SYMBOLISM, THE POET USES THE CHILD TO EXPOSE THE
UGLY AND OPPRESSIVE FANGS OF APARTHEID. HOWEVER, IN THE SAME LIGHT, THE
ALLEGORY OF THE LIVING DEAD IS USED TO CONVEY THE MESSAGE THAT HARDSHIP
AND GRIEF CAN BE A GREAT SOURCE OF INSPIRATION BECAUSE DESPITE THE CHILD
BEING DEAD , THE SPIRIT OF THE CHILD REMAINS PERVASIVE ALL THROUGHOUT
AFRICA.
 TITLE ANALYSIS –THE CHILD WHO WAS SHOT DEAD AT
NYANGA
• THE DEFINITE ARTIICLE “THE CHILD” IS USED TO SPECIFICALLY REFER TO THE CHILD
WHOM THE POEM IS ABOUT AND IT IMMEDIATELY DISTINGUISHES THE
EXTRAORDINARY SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS CHILD.
• THE WORD CHILD CONNOTATIVELY PORTRAYS IDEAS OF INNOCENCE, PURITY, PEACE
VULNERABILITY AND SINCERITY.
• “WAS SHOT DEAD” THESE WORDS IN THE TITLE ELICITS/EVOKES A SENSE OF
SYMPATHY FROM THE READER AND MOST IMPORTANTLY IT CONVEYS THE FATE OF
DEATH ENDURED BY THE INNOCENT YOUNG HUMAN.
• “BY SOLDIERS” REFERS TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE TRAINED TO FIGHT/KILL BUT IT
ALSO REFERS TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIABLE TO PROTECT THE INNOCENT CITIZENS
OF ANY SOCIETY YET THE VERY SAME PEOPLE ARE END UP MURDERING AN
INNOCENT SOUL.
• “NYANGA” REFERS TO THE A BLACK TOWNSHIP IN CAPETOWN WHERE THE SETTING
OF THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THIS POEM OCCURS.
 STRUCTURE OF THE POEM
• THE POEM DOES NOT SUNSCRIBE TO THE TYPICAL CONVENTIONS OF POETRY-THAT IS ,IT LACKS
THE RYHME SCHEME AND THE REGULAR STRUCTURE OF A TYPICAL POEM.
• THIS LIKE ALL POEMS OF THE SAME NATURE IS CALLED A FREE-VERSE POEM WHICH CONTAINS
RUN ON LINES CALLED AN ENJAMBEMENT AND A LACK OF PUNCTUATION.
• ONE MAY ARGUE THAT THE POET USED A FREE-VERSE POEM TO EMPHASISE THAT THE MESSAGE
OF THE POEM IS FAR MORE CRUCIAL THAN THE ADHERING TO POETIC CONVENTIONS. IN
ADDITION, THE POEM WAS A PROTEST POEM FOR THE PEOPLE AND MAKING IT RELATABLE TO
THE PEOPLE IS ITS MAIN OBJECTIVE.
• THE FINAL LINE OF THE POEM IS WRITTEN SOLELY ON ITS OWN TO EMPHASISE THE URGENT
APPEAL AND NEED TO ABOLISH APARTHEID LAWS.
• THE RUN ON LINES THAT APPEAR “ONE OVERLAPPING THE OTHER” IS USED TO INDICATE THE
DESPERATE AND URGENT NEED OF FREEDOM THAT AFRICA REQUIRES- FREEDOM FROM
SLAVERY, FAMINE AND APARTHEID IN AFRICA TO COME TO AN END. HENCE EVEN THE READING
OF THE POEM (WITH THE EFFECT OF NO PUNCTUATION TO PACE THE READING) MUST REFLECT
THIS URGENCY.
 LINE 1- “THE CHILD IS NOT DEAD”
• THESE WORDS IMMEDIATELY CREATE A DICHOTOMY/CONTRADICTION BETWEEN
THE TITLE AND ITSELF- THE LIVING-DEAD CONUNDRUM BETWEEN THE TITLE
AND THE FIRST LINE SERVES AN ACUTE PURPOSE.
• THIS DICHOTOMY IS USED TO IMPLY THAT THE CHILD MAY BE PHYSICALLY DEAD
BUT THE SPIRIT OF THE CHILD IS PERVASIVE HENCE IN THE FIRST LINE , IT IS THE
SPIRITUAL BEING OF THE CHILD THAT IS BEING REFERRED TO. IN ADDITION , IT IS
USED TO IMPLY THAT THE CHILD’S DEFIANT SPIRIT TRANSENDS THE BARRIERS
OF DEATH.
• THE TITLE MERELY REFERS TO THE PHYSICAL BODY OF THE CHILD THAT IS
INACTIVE /DORMANT/DEAD.
 LINE 2- “THE CHILD RAISES HIS FISTS AGAINST HIS
MOTHER”
• THE RAISING OF THE FIST IS A POLITICAL DEMONSTRATION OF DEFIANCE AND
RESISTANCE.
• THIS IMPLIES THAT THE CHILD IS NOT JUST BEING DEFIANT TOWARDS HIS
OPPRESSORS/APARTHEID REGIME BUT HE IS ALSO BEING DEFIANT TOWARDS HIS
MOTHER TOO, AS HE DETESTS THE SUBMISSIVENESS OF HIS MOTHER TOWARDS
APARTHEID.
• THE REPETITION OF THE PHRASE “THE CHILD” IN LINE 1 AND 2 IS CALLED
ANAPHORA – THIS REFERS TO THE REPETITION OF A WORD OR PHRASE AT
THE START OF SUBSEQUENT LINES
• THIS ANAPHORA ALLOWS FOR THE REPEATED REMINDER OF THE CALLOUS
DEATH OF THE CHILD AND ALSO TO ECHO THE REINCARNATED PRESENCE OF
THE CHILD THAT ECHOS THROUGOUT THE POEM.
 LINE 3- “WHO SCREAMS AFRICA SCREAMS THE
SMELL OF FREEDOM AND HEATHER
• THIS LINE CONTAINS A FIGURE OF SPEECH CALLED SYNESTHESIA WHICH
ENTAILS USING A SENSORY DESCRIPTION TO DESCRIBE SOMETHING AS BEING
ANOTHER/BLENDING OF SENSES.
• THE SENSE OF SOUND IS INTEGRATED WITH THE SENSE OF SMELL THUS
DEPICTING THE SYNESTHESIA FIGURE OF SPEECH.
• THE WORD SCREAMS IS REPEATED TO EMPHASISE THE ANGUISH AND AGONY OF
THE SHARPVILLE MASSACRE. IT ALLUDES TO THE IMMENSE PAIN THAT BLACK
PEOPLE HAD TO ENDURE ACROSS THE AFRICAN CONTINENT AS THEY WERE
SUBJECTED TO SLAVERY ,TORTURE AND OPPRESSION.
• THE SMELL OF FREEDOM IMPLIES THAT FREEDOM IS IMMINENT AND HEATHER
REFERS TO A SOUTH AFRICAN FLOWER WHICH SYMBOLISES BEAUTY- THE
BEAUTY OF FREEDOM.
LINE 4 - “IN THE LOCATIONS OF THE HEART UNDER SIEGE”
• THIS LINE IMPLIES THE PERVASIVE EXISTENCE OF APARTHEID AND THAT ITS SAVAGE
BRUTALITY IS NOT JUST RESTRICTED TO NYANGA AS DENOTED IN THE TITLE BUT ITS
OPPRESSIVE ROOTS EXTENDS TO ALL BLACK DOMINANT TOWNSHIPS THAT ARE
UNDER SIEGE.
• UNDER SIEGE- BLACK TOWNSHIPS ARE UNDER SIEGE AS APARTHEID LAWS HAD
CONQUERED ALL SOUTH AFRICANS JUST AS SOLDIERS WOULD SURROUND THEIR
VICTIMS IN ORDER TO PREVENT THEIR ESCAPE.
• HEART UNDER SIEGE- REFERS TO THE EMOTIONAL TURMOIL CAUSED BY THE
APARTHEID LAWS.
• ONE MAY AGREE THAT THIS IS A SYNECDOCHE AS IT IS NOT JUST THE HEART THAT
IS ENDURING EMOTIONAL ANGUISH BUT THE ENTIRE BEING OF THE BLACK RACE
WAS UNDER SIEGE- ATTACK FROM THE APARTHEID SOLDIERS.
 ACTIVITY ON STANZA 1
• 1.COMMENT ON THE SUITABILITY OF THE TITLE OF THIS POEM (4)
• 2. DISCUSS HOW THE STRUCTURE OF THE POEM CONTRIBUTES TO CONVEYING THE
CENTRAL MESSAGE OF THE POEM (3)
• 3. IDENTIFY AND EXPLAIN THE DICHOTOMY EVIDENT IN THIS POEM (2)
• 4. EXPLAIN THE MEANING AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE WORD “SIEGE” IN LINE 5
• 5. ACCOUNT FOR THE MOTHER’S SCREAMS IN THIS STANZA (2)
• 6. ACCOUNT FOR THE USE OF ANAPHORA IN LINES 1 AND 2 ?
• 7. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE CHILD SYMBOLISES IN THE POEM BASED ON STANZA 1’S
INTERPRETATION (3)
 CORRECTIONS QUESTION 1

• 1. THE TITLE IMMEDIATELY CAPTURES THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THE POEM BY

USING THE ARTICLE THE TO SPECIFY WHO THE POEM IS ABOUT. THE PHRASE
“WHO WAS SHOT DEAD” ENGRAVES THE IDEA OF THE GREAT BRUTALITY
ENDURED BY THE CHILD WHO IS PORTRAYED AS AN INNOCENT AND
VULNERABLE VICTIM OF OVERWHELMING CIRCUMSTANCES. THE TITLE ALSO
HIGHLIGHTS THE SETTING WHERE MERCILESS KILLING OF THE CHILD TAKES
PLACE.
• THE TITLE IS THEREFORE SUITABLE AS IT ENCAPSULATES THE EXTENSIVE
BRUTALITY OF THE APARTHEID LAWS THAT NOT ONLY ENSLAVED BLACK PEOPLE
BUT IT ALSO ROBBED THE MOST VULNERABLE OF SOCIETY (CHILDREN) OF
LIVING FULFILLING LIVES WHICH IS ONE ASPECT THAT THE POEM HIGHLIGTS.
 CORRECTIONS NUMBER 2
• THE RUN ON LINES THAT APPEAR “ONE OVERLAPPING THE OTHER” IS USED TO
INDICATE THE DESPERATE AND URGENT NEED OF FREEDOM THAT AFRICA
REQUIRES- FREEDOM FROM SLAVERY, FAMINE AND APARTHEID IN AFRICA TO
COME TO AN END. HENCE EVEN THE READING OF THE POEM MUST REFLECT THIS
URGENCY.
• THIS RUN ON LINES IS CALLED AN ENJAMBEMENT.
• THE FINAL STANZA IS MADE UP OF SOLELY 1 LINE WHICH ONE MAY CONCLUDE
THAT IT SERVES TO SOLELY EMPHASISE THE PLEA AND THE URGENT NEED TO
ABOLISH PASS LAWS.
•
 CORRECTIONS QUESTION 3

• THE DICHOTOMY IS EVIDENT BETWEEN THE TITLE AND THE FIRST LINE WHICH
SEEMS TO COINCIDE WITH ONE ANOTHER.
• THE TITLE STATES THAT THE CHILD IS “DEAD” YET IN THE VERY FIRST LINES OF
STANZA 1 AND 3 NEGATES THIS STATEMENT.
• THIS DICHOTOMY SERVES TO DISTINGUISH THE SPIRITUAL AN D PHYSICAL
BEING OF THE CHILD CREATING A LIVING-DEAD OXYMORON AS PHYSICALLY
THE CHILD IS DEAD YET SPIRITUALLY IT LIVES ON.
 CORRECTIONS NUMBER 3

• SIEGE REFERS TO A MILITARY TACTIC OF SURROUNDING THE “ENEMY CAMP”

• THIS WORD IS EFFECTIVE BECAUSE JUST LIKE HOW SOLDIERS WOULD
SURROUND THE ENEMY CAMP IN ORDER TO GAIN FULL CONTROL AND TO
ENSURE THAT THE VICTIMS ARE TRAPPED , IN THE SAME WAY APARTHEID TOO
TRAPPED AND GAINED FULL CONTROL OF ITS VICTIMS BY CREATING LAWS THAT
ENSURED RESTRICTED MOVEMENT OF BLACK PEOPLE AND ENSLAVED THEM
PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY.
 CORRECTION QUESTION 5

• THE SCREAMS ALLUDE TO THE CRIES OF THE MARGINALISED GROUPS WHICH

WERE OPRESSED DURING THE APARTHEID ERA WHO WERE FEDUP OF THE
EXCRUCIATING AGONY WHICH CAME WITH THE OPPRESSION BUT WHO WERE
READY TO RISE UP TO FIGHT AGAINST THEIR OPPRESSORS.
 CORRECTIONS NUMBER 6

• THIS IMAGERY REFERS TO THE REPETITION OF WORDS OR PHRASES IN

SUBSEQUENT LINES.
• THE ANAPHORA IN THE POEM IS USED TO KEEP THE READER CONSCIOUS OF THE
EXISTENCE OF THE CHILD THROUGHOUT THE POEM . THE CHILD’S MEMORY IS
FOREVER REMEMBERED AS HIS DEATH SERVES A REMINDER OF THE BRUTALITY
OF APARTHEID THAT HAD NO BOUNDS.
• IT ALSO SERVES TO REMIND THE READER OF THE INNOCENCE AND THE
VULNERABILITY OF THE CHILD .
 STANZA 2 – LINE 6 “ THE CHILD RAISES HIS
FIST AGAINST HIS FATHER”
• IN THE FIRST STANZA THE POET STATES THAT THE CHILD RAISES HIS FIRST AGAINST HIS
MOTHER AND IN THE SECOND STANZA THE CHILD RAISES HIS FISTS AGAINST HIS
FATHER- THE POET USES THE NOTION OF A MOTHER AND FATHER IN ORDER TO IMPLY
THAT THE OLD GENERATION (BEING THE CHILD’S MOTHER AND FATHER) HAVE
SUBMISSIVELY ACCEPTED DEFEAT OR NO LONGER HAVE THE ZEST TO ACTIVELY FIGHT
AGAINST APARTHEID WHICH CAUSES THE CHILD TO RAISE HIS FIST AGAINST THEM IN
ANGER AND REBELLIOUSNESS.
• THE SECOND NOTION THAT THIS IMAGERY PORTRAYS IS THAT THE CHILD RAISES HIS
FIST AGAINST HIS MOTHER AND FATHER BECAUSE THEY HAVE FAILED TO PROTECT AND
SHEILD HIM FROM DEATH AND DANGER JUST AS A PARENT SHOULD. IN THIS CASE
SOUTH AFRICA WHICH CAN BE CONSIDERED AS A GUARDIAN AND PROTECTOR OF ITS
PEOPLE HAS FAILED TO FULFILL THIS CRUCIAL PARENTAL ROLE.
• THIS LINE COULD ALSO IMPLY THAT THE CHILD IS SUMMONING AN INDICATION THAT IT
IS NOW THE TIME FOR THE YOUTH TO FEROCIOUSLY FIGHT AGAINST THEIR OPPRESSORS
–TO TAKE OVER FROM THEIR MOTHERS AND FATHERS.
LINE 7 “IN THE MARCH OF GENERATIONS WHO SCREAMS
AFRICA WHO SCREAM THE SMELL OF JUSTICE AND
BLOOD”
• THIS LINE COULD REFER TO THE INTEGRATION OF GENERATIONS THAT CAME
TOGETHER IN UNISION TO FIGHT AGAINST THEIR OPPRESSION AS THE SHARPVILLE
PROTEST AGAINST PASS LAWS ALSO INCLUDED THE MERGING OF THE GENERATIONS .
• SCREAMS CONVEY A SENSE OF GREAT GRIEF AND AGONY FROM BOTH THE YOUNG
AND PRESENT GENERATION.
• “WHO SCREAM THE SMELL OF JUSTICE AND BLOOD”- SYNESTHESIA- THE SENSE OF
SOUND IS INTEGRATED WITH THE SENSE OF SMELL.
• THE WORD ‘BLOOD’ INFERS LOSS OF LIVES AND BLOODSHED.
• “JUSTICE AND BLOOD” CONVEYS THE MESSAGE THAT JUSTICE , ALTHOUGH, IS
IMMINENT WILL ONLY BE ACHIEVED AFTER THE TREMENDOUS LOSS OF LIVES SUCH
AS THE PHYSICAL DEATH OF THE CHILD OCCASIONED IN THE POEM.
 LINE 10 “IN THE STREETS OF HIS ARMED
PRIDE”
• STREETS REFERS TO THE BATTLEFIELD WHERE THE POLICE BRUTALLY
MURDERED THOUSANDS OF BLACK PROTESTORS/ THE STREETS OF AFRICA
WHERE ITS PEOPLE ARE OPPRESSED AND DENIED BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS.
• “ARMED PRIDE” MAY REFER TO THE ARMED SOLDIERS WHO ARE ARMED WITH
GUNS AND AMMUNITION , WHO WALK AROUND PROUDLY ON THE STREETS
PROVOKING AND TAUNTING THE INNOCENT AND DEFENSELESS. THIS PHRASE
CAN ALSO BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE SYNONYMOUS PHRASE “A PRIDE OF LIONS”
• THE POSSESSIVE PRONOUN “HIS” COULD REFER TO THE CHILD AND “ARMED
PRIDE” REFERRING TO THE OTHER FIGHTERS WHO ARE DETERMINED TO FIGHT
AGAINST THEIR OPPRESSION WITH GREAT PRIDE . THEY ARE NOT ARMED WITH
GUNS BUT THEY ARE ARMED WITH “AMMUNITION OF HOPE” AND A RELENTLESS
QUEST FOR JUSTICE.
 STANZA 3 LINE 11-15 “THE CHILD IS NOT
DEAD…..IN HIS HEAD”
• THIS LINE CONTAINS AN EXPLICIT REPLICA OF THE FIRST LINE OF THE POEM CALLED AN
ANAPHORA.
• THIS REPETITION SERVES TO REMIND THE READER THAT THE CHILD’S EXISTENCE DID NOT
END WITH HIS PHYSICAL EXISTENCE BUT HIS EXISTENCE PREVAILS IN ALL THE OPPRESSED
“CORNERS” OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN SEGREGATED LANDSCAPE.
• BLACK TOWNSHIPS SUCH AS LANGA, ORLANDO, SHARPVILLE AND PHILIPPI WERE ALL
PLACES WHERE UPRISING AND POLITICAL CONFLICT WAS RIFE DURING APARTHEID.
• LINE 15 – “WHERE HE LIES WITH A BULLET IN HIS HEAD”- THE POET PAINTS A
GRUESOME IMAGE AND THE VIOLENT MANNER IN WHICH AN INNOCENT DEFENCELESS
SOUL WAS KILLED.
• THIS STANZA DEPICTS A CONTRADICTION WITHIN ITSELF(THE FIRST LINE OF THIS
STANZA AND THE LAST LINE OF THE SAME STANZA) “THE CHILD IS NOT DEAD” YET IT
IS ALSO NOTED THAT THE CHILD WAS “SHOT IN THE HEAD”
 STANZA 4 LINE 16– “ THE CHILD IS THE SHADOW OF
THE SOLDIERS…”
• ONCE AGAIN THE USE OF THE ANAPHORA IN LINE 16 WITH THE SUBSEQUENT
REPETITION OF THE WORD “THE CHILD”.
• THE WORD “SHADOW” REFERS TO AN “OUTLINE” OF SOMETHING – IN THIS CASE THE
CHILD HAS BE BECOME AN OUTLINE/ SILHOUETTE OF THE SOLDIERS THAT IS
FOLLOWING THEM WHEREVER THEY GO.
• EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS IMAGERY (METAPHOR)
• THIS IMAGERY IS EFFECTIVE BECAUSE IT IMPLIES THAT THE BRUTAL AND CALLOUS
DEEDS OF THE SOLDIERS CAN NEVER BE FORGOTTEN – THEIR VIOLENT AND
HORRIFIC ACTS AGAINST FELLOW MANKIND CAN NEVER BE PARDONED OR
FORGOTTEN. THE MEMORY OF THE CHILD THAT WAS SHOT DEAD AT THEIR HANDS
WILL FOLLOW THEM LIKE A SHADOW . JUST AS ONE CAN NEVER GET RID OF THEIR
OWN SHADOW WHEN WALKING IN A SUNKEN AREA, IN THE SAME WAY TOO, THE
EVIL DEEDS OF THE SOLDIERS WILL BE A MEMORY THAT THEY CAN NEVER DISPELL
OF.
 LINE :17- ON GUARD WITH GUNS, SARACENS
AND BATONS

• SARACENS REFERS TO THE AMORED CARS OF SOLDIERS WHICH DURING THE

APARTHEID ERA, ITS VERY SIGHT EVOKED FEELINGS OF FEAR AMONGST BLACK
PEOPLE BECAUSE IT SYMBOLISED DEATH.
• THIS LINE REVEALS THE SOLDIERS PREPAREDNESS TO INSTIGATE VIOLENCE AND
TO KILL INNOCENT PEOPLE WHO CAME PREPARED FOR A SILENT AND NON
VIOLENT PROTEST AGAINST PASSLAWS.
• THESE OBJECTS SYMBOLISES DEATH AND VIOLENCE- SARACENS, GUNS AND
BATONS.
 LINE 18-19: “THE CHILD IS PRESENT AT ALL MEETINGS AND
LEGISLATIONS
THE CHILD PEEPS THROUGH THE WINDOWS OF HOUSES
AND IN OF HEARTS OF MOTHERS”

• THE USE OF THE ANAPHORA AGAIN TO KEEP THE MEMORYAND THE EXISTENCE
OF THE CHILD ALIVE IN THE READERS MIND.
• BOTH LINES HIGHLIGHT THE IDEA OF THE CHILD BEING THIS OMNIPRESENT
BEING WHO IS ABLE TO INFILTRATE MEETINGS WITHOUT BEING SEEN AND
INFILTRATE THE HEARTS OF MOTHERS WHO ARE GRIEVING THE SENSELESS LOSS
OF HIS EXISTENCE.
• ONE MAY ARGUE THAT THE LINE “THE CHILD PEEPS THROUGH THE
WINDOWS” COULD METAPHORICALLY IMPLY THAT THE CHILD IS ABLE TO SEE
THROUGH THE “WINDOWS OF THE SOUL” AND “READ” THE THOUGHTS AND
FEELINGS OF OTHERS.
STANZA 4- LINES 20 “ THE CHILD WHO JUST WANTED
TO PLAY IN THE SUN AT NYANGA IS EVERYWHERE”

• FROM LINES 20 – 23 ALL BEGIN WITH THE ANAPHORA. THIS IS TO ONCE AGAIN
REINFORCE THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THE POEM WHICH IS THE CHILD.
• THE PHRASE “JUST WANTED TO PLAY” HIGHLIGHTS THE INNOCENCE OF THE
CHILD- THE CHILD WHO LIKE OTHER CHILDREN STILL WANTED TO PLAY AND
BASK IN THE SUN. THE SUN WHICH SYMBOLISES HAPPINESS AND WARMTH
WHICH IS WHAT THE CHILD WAS YET TO EXPERIENCE HAD THE SOLDIERS NOT
CUT HIS LIFE SO ABRUPTLY.
• THE CHILD IS DESCRIBED AS BEING “EVERYWHERE” AGAIN EMPHASISING THE
SUPERNATURAL BEING OF THE CHILD- HIS OMNISCIENT BEING, OMNIPOTENT
BEING.
 LINE 21 “THE CHILD WHO BECAME A MAN
TREKS THROUGH ALL OF AFRICA”
• THE CHILD HAS NOW BECAME A MAN IN LINE 21 AND A GIANT IN LINE 22 – THIS MAY
SUGGEST THAT A GROWING SENSE OF FREEDOM IS LOOMING.
• HIS SPIRITUAL BEING HAS ALLOWED HIM TO “TREK” ACROSS AFRICA AND ULTIMATELY
TRAVEL THE WHOLE WORLD. HE TRANSCENDS BEYOND PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS.
• THE STORY OF THE CHILD HAS TRANSVERSED ALL THROUGH AFRICA AND THE ENTIRE
WORLD.
• LINE 22- STATES THAT THE CHILD IS ABLE TO MOVE THROUGH AFRICA AND THE WORLD
WITHOUT A PASS- THIS IS IN REFERENCE TO THE PASSLAWS THAT RESTRICTED THE
MOVEMENT OF BLACK PEOPLE.
• THE CHILD NOW EMBODIES A LIMITLESS SENSE OF FREEDOM. IN ADDITION , ONE MAY
CONCLUDE THAT THIS LINE IMPLIES THAT BLACK PEOPLE WILL ONE DAY EXPERIENCE
THIS SENSE OF FREEDOM TOO AND THAT APARTHEID AND ITS ATROCITIES WILL
ONEDAY COME TO AN END TOO.
 THE FINAL LINE OF THE POEM –
“WITHOUT A PASS”

THE FINAL STANZA OF THE POEM IS MADE UP OF A SINGLE LINE WHICH SERVES TO
EMPHASISE THE CRUCIAL NEED FOR FREEDOM – THE FREEDOM THAT WILL ALLOW
BLACK PEOPLE TO MOVE FREELY WITHOUT RESTRICTIONS.
IN ADDITION, THIS LINE SERVES TO ENHANCE THE CENTRAL MESSAGE OF THE POEM
THAT BLACK PEOPLE (THE CHILD) WHO ARE OPPRESSED AND ENSLAVED WITHIN
THEIR HOMELAND ARE YEARNING TO BE FREE FROM OPPRESSION AND SLAVERY.
FREE TO WALK PROUDLY ON THEIR MOTHERLAND AFRICA AND SOUTH AFRICA.
 TONE OF THE POET IN THE POEM

• THE TONE REFERS TO THE SPEAKERS ATTITUDE AND FEELINGS TOWARDS THE
SUBJECT MATTER.
• THE TONE DISPLAYED BY THE POET IS AN AFFIRMED AND BOLD TONE- THIS IS REVEALED
THROUGH THE DICTION OF THE POET REFERRING TO THE CHILD AS A MAN (LINE 21) AND
AS A GIANT IN LINE 22.
• SECONDLY , THE POET DISPLAYS A DETERMINED AND PASSIONATE TONE – THAT DESPITE
THE PHYSICAL DEATH OF THE CHILD , THE CHILD’S SPIRIT DETERMINEDLY LIVES ON
THROUGH THE SIPIRIT WHICH SHOWS THE GREAT SENSE OF PASSION THAT THE POET
FELT TOWRDS THE CHILD.
• IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE POET DOES NOT REFLECT ANY SYMPATHETHIC TONE
NOR DOES SHE USE EUPHEMISMS TO LESSEN THE PAIN OF THE CHILD’S DEATH BUT SHE
FOCUSES ON THE CHILD BEING A SUPERIOR BEING THAT LIVED ON EVEN AFTER HIS
DIMINISHED PHYSICAL EXISTENCE.
 THEMES IN THE POEM
• THEMES REFER TO THE OVERALL MESSAGE OF THE POEM OR THE LESSON THAT
THE POEM CONVEYS.
• THE MOST CRUCIAL THEME DEPICTED IN THIS POEM IS THAT OF FREEDOM-
FEEDOM OF SPEECH, FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT AND FREEDOM OF EQUAL HUMAN
RIGHTS WHICH BLACK PEOPLE WERE DENIED ON THEIR OWN LAND.
• RESISTANCE-THIS THEME IS EMBODIED THROUGH THE CHILD THAT SYMBOLISES
DEFIANCE AND RESISTANCE AGAINST APARTHEID.
• THE THEME OF HOPE – THE CHILD , IN ITSELF SYMBOLIZES HOPE THAT WITH
CONTINUED AND RELENTLESS RESISTANCE THEY CAN ONE DAY BE FREE.
 IMAGERY ( FIGURES OF SPEECH)
•
THE REPETITION OF “THE CHILD” THROUGHOUT THE POEM IS CALLED AN ANAPHORA . THIS
IMAGERY OF THE CHILD IS USED TO EMPHASISE THE FRAGILITY AND INNOCENCE OF THE CHILD
WHO WAS MURDERED BY THE SOLDIERS. THE ALLEGORY OF THE CHILD IS USED
SYMBOLICALLY TO REPRESENT NOT JUST DEFIANCE BUT ALSO A SENSE OF HOPE.
“THE CHILD WHO BECAME A GIANT TRAVELS THROUGH THE WHOLE WORLD”
(A) METAPHOR
(B) THE CHILD IS BEING COMPARED TO A GIANT.
EFFECTIVENESS
(C) JUST LIKE HOW A GIANT IS MASSIVE , POWERFUL AND IS PORTRAYED AS A SUPERIOR BEING
THE CHILD TOO IS PORTRAYED AS A POWERFUL AND MASSIVE BEING THAT HAS THE RESILIENCE
AND STRENGTH TO OVERPOWER APARTHEID. THE IMPACT OF THE CHILD’S SPIRITUAL EXISTENCE
IS AS GREAT AS A GIANT’S CONVEYING THAT IT IS EXPANSIVE AND POWERFUL.
•
 POST-POEM ANALYSIS ACTIVITY
• 1.REFER TO THE TITLE AND THE FIRST LINE.

1.1 COMMENT ON THE PARADOX CONTAINED IN THESE LINES WITH REFERENCE TO

THE THEME OF THE POEM (3)
2. REFER TO LINES 3 AND 8 .
2.1 COMMENT ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SIBILANCE IN THESE LINES (2)
3. REFER TO LINE 5:
“……IN THE LOCATIONS OF THE HEART UNDER SIEGE”
3.1 EXPLAIN THE APPROPRIATENESS OF THIS WORD IN THE CONTEXT OF THE POEM (3)
4 CRITICALLY COMMENT ON HOW THE IMAGERY USED IN LINES 20-23 CONTRIBUTES TO
THE MOOD (3)
5. ONE OF THE THEMES IN THIS POEM IS THE THEME OF GENERATIONAL OPPRESSION.
DISCUSS HOW THIS THEME IS EVIDENT (3)
CONTINUATION OF POST-ANALYSIS ACTIVITY

• 5.DISCUSS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE LAST SHORT LINE OF THE POEM (2)
• PAST EXAM PAPER QUESTIONS
• 6 REFER TO LINE 15 : “WHERE HE LIES WITH A BULLET IN HIS HEAD”
• 6.1 HOW DOES THIS LINE AFFECT THE READER’S MOOD?
• 6.2 CRTICALLY DISCUSS HOW THE CENTRAL MESSAGE OF THE POEM IS
CONVEYED IN STANZA 4 AND 5.