Imagine a world where all races perform everything separately. Only white people can go to that zoo, while only black people can go to this zoo. Or only Asian people can go to this bathroom, while only Native Americans can go to that bathroom. An odd concept, is it not? This is exactly how the system of apartheid works and it’s the same system that was used in South Africa from 1948 to 1994. Apartheid was brutal system to live by and it was much like a caste system with the lightest skinned, white people, at the top of the system and the darkest skinned, black people, miserably suffering at the bottom. Anyone else was directly in between these two groups. The harsh realities of apartheid in South Africa are highlighted in the novel Kaffir Boy,
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The system made life extremely hard for them, and even turned them against each other. Blacks who were put into higher positions, like police officers, would turn against others in their race (mostly the lower class blacks, which were the majority), and even fight to keep apartheid intact because of the privileges they’d receive. There was also black people selling each other out for gain. During the rebellions in Soweto, Mathabane noted that “black informers began to mushroom all over the place.” He said that to stay alive, black people had to sell each other out to the white man (Mathabane, 264). Plus, apartheid made everything harder for black people. A good example of this would have to be education. Many black people simply could not afford it, and, for the ones who could, many had to drop out before reaching secondary school due to the need help around the house and/or it becoming too much of a financial burden for the family. Mathabane’s Uncle Piet and Aunt Bushy are great examples of this, as it is explained that Aunt Bushy had to leave school because she was pregnant and in need of a job and Uncle Piet had to leave to find a job to help take care of Granny (Mathabane 205). Black life in South Africa was, sadly, a lot of backstabbing, money problems, and difficulty in doing things most people should just have the basic rights to …show more content…
First and foremost was the segregation of the people. Many white kids were taught in school that blacks were “small minded” and not fit to live alongside white people other than to do their housework. “My teachers tell us that Kaffirs can’t read, speak, or write English like white people because they have smaller brains,” a little white boy, whom Mark’s grandmother worked for, had once told Mark, bringing to light that the idea that things should forever be segregated was being pushed onto many children at an early age (Mathabane, 192). And, as mentioned previously, many blacks who were given privileges would help to oppress their own race. Religion was also a big factor when talking about the oppression of blacks. The biggest example of this was when evangelists came to preach about Christianity, and Mark saw two portraits, one which depicted white people as angels and the other which depicted black people as the devil (Mathabane, 61). Not to mention, a good amount of lower class black people still had very tribal beliefs and were angered by blacks who were giving up these beliefs for Christianity, which divided them even more as a race. There was also money problems, which led to addiction and snuffed out people’s want to fight the system. Mark’s dad is the perfect example of this, as he took up drinking after losing his job once again and being imprisoned. This act alone drained him, made him angry,
The system made life extremely hard for them, and even turned them against each other. Blacks who were put into higher positions, like police officers, would turn against others in their race (mostly the lower class blacks, which were the majority), and even fight to keep apartheid intact because of the privileges they’d receive. There was also black people selling each other out for gain. During the rebellions in Soweto, Mathabane noted that “black informers began to mushroom all over the place.” He said that to stay alive, black people had to sell each other out to the white man (Mathabane, 264). Plus, apartheid made everything harder for black people. A good example of this would have to be education. Many black people simply could not afford it, and, for the ones who could, many had to drop out before reaching secondary school due to the need help around the house and/or it becoming too much of a financial burden for the family. Mathabane’s Uncle Piet and Aunt Bushy are great examples of this, as it is explained that Aunt Bushy had to leave school because she was pregnant and in need of a job and Uncle Piet had to leave to find a job to help take care of Granny (Mathabane 205). Black life in South Africa was, sadly, a lot of backstabbing, money problems, and difficulty in doing things most people should just have the basic rights to …show more content…
First and foremost was the segregation of the people. Many white kids were taught in school that blacks were “small minded” and not fit to live alongside white people other than to do their housework. “My teachers tell us that Kaffirs can’t read, speak, or write English like white people because they have smaller brains,” a little white boy, whom Mark’s grandmother worked for, had once told Mark, bringing to light that the idea that things should forever be segregated was being pushed onto many children at an early age (Mathabane, 192). And, as mentioned previously, many blacks who were given privileges would help to oppress their own race. Religion was also a big factor when talking about the oppression of blacks. The biggest example of this was when evangelists came to preach about Christianity, and Mark saw two portraits, one which depicted white people as angels and the other which depicted black people as the devil (Mathabane, 61). Not to mention, a good amount of lower class black people still had very tribal beliefs and were angered by blacks who were giving up these beliefs for Christianity, which divided them even more as a race. There was also money problems, which led to addiction and snuffed out people’s want to fight the system. Mark’s dad is the perfect example of this, as he took up drinking after losing his job once again and being imprisoned. This act alone drained him, made him angry,