NOVELS

SECTION C

13. ALEX LA GUMA: A Walk in the Night

The patrol van was in Hanover Street again, passing between the rows of locked shops with their lighted glass box-signs and price-cards and peeling placards, and above them the rows of shabby rooms behind painted-over glass doors and splintering and reinforced balconies; past the dark public houses and black caverns of tenement hallways, the cafes with dim lights behind the beaded curtains and soda-fountain parlors with late customers sipping bottled drinks, leaning against the marble-topped counters and display stands; past the street corners where the knots of youths lounged, smoking and laughing, the laughter breaking off to be replaced by silent stares in the dark as the police cruised by; past the neon sign that said Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola over and over throughout the night.

Constable Raalt felt in his tunic pocket for his cigarettes and found that he had none. He said: “Pull up at the Portuguese, will you? I want to get some smokes.”

“Jesus, man,” the driver said. “We haven’t got time to get cigarettes. We’ve got to get this jong to the station.”

“Ach, there’s lots of time, man. That bastard isn’t going to die yet. These hotnots are tough. Stop at the damn café, man.”

The driver shook his head. He was worried and nervous and a little frightened, but he knew it was no use arguing with Raalt. He said: “Well, it’s your responsibility then,” thereby purging himself of all blame for whatever had happened or might happen afterwards. Constable Raalt looked sideways at him, and smiled, curling his lips from his teeth.

The driver shook his head again and did not look at Raalt, but he slowed down and brought the van to a stop.

“Don’t be long, man,” he said keeping his eyes away from Constable Raalt’s face. He heardRaalt climbing out, slamming the door of the cabin and cross the pavement into the restaurant.

Questions

a) What leads to this extract?  (08 marks)

b (i) Describe the character of Constable Raaltas portrayed in the extract.  (04 marks)

(ii) Comment on the driver’s feelings as brought out in the passage. (06 marks)

b) Describe the atmosphere prevailing in the passage.  (06 marks)

c) What is the significance of this excerpt to the rest of the story?  (10 marks)

14. ES’KIA MPHALELE: In Corner B

The room filled rapidly until the air was one thick choking lump of grief. Once during the evening someone fainted. ‘An aunt of the deceased, the one who loved him most,’ a whisper escaped from someone who seemed to know, and it was relayed from mouth to mouth right out into the yard where some people stood or sat. ‘Shame! Shame!’ was the murmured comment. ‘Ao, God’s people!’ an old man exclaimed. During the players inside the people outside continued to speak in low tones.

‘Have the police caught the boys?’

‘No- what, when has a black corpse been important?’

‘But they’ve been asking questions in Corner B today.’

‘Hm.’

‘When has a black corpse been important?’

‘Das’ right, just ask him.’

‘It is Saturday today and if it was a white man lying there in the mortuary the newspapers would be screaming about a manhunt morning and evening since Thursday, the city would be upside down, God’s truth.’

‘Now look here you men these don’t mean to kill nobody their empty stomachs and no work to do turns their heads on evil things.’

‘Ach you and your politics let one of them break into your house or ra-’

The speaker broke off short and wiped his mouth with his hand as if to remove pieces of a foul word hanging carelessly from his lip.

‘Das not the point,’ squeaked someone else.

Just then the notes of a moving hymn rolled out of the room and the men left the subject hanging and joined enthusiastically in the singing, taking different parts.

Questions

a) What leads to this extract?  (08 marks)

b (i) Describe the themes highlighted in the extract.  (06 marks)

(ii) Comment on the low tones of the people that were outside as portrayed in the passage.  (04 marks)

b) Describe the atmosphere prevailing in the passage.  (06 marks)

c) What is the significance of this excerpt to the rest of the story?  (10 marks)

15. CHINUA ACHEBE: The Voter

Up to last night everything had been “moving according to plan,” as Roof would have put it. Then he had received a strange visit from the leader of the POP campaign team. Although he and Roof were well known to each other, and might even be called friends, his was cold and business-like. No words were wasted. He placed five pounds on the floor before Roof and said, “We want your vote.” Roof got up from him chair, went to the outside door, closed it carefully and returned to his chair. The brief exercise gave him enough time to weigh the proposition. As he spoke his eyes never left the red notes on the floor. He seemed to be mesmerized by the picture of the cocoa farmer harvesting his crops.

“You know I work for Marcus,” he said feebly. “It will be very bad…”

“Marcus will not be there when you put in your paper. We have plenty of work to do tonight; are you taking this or not?”

“It will not be heard outside this room?” asked Roof.

“We are after votes not gossip.”

“All right,” said Roof in English.

The man nudged his companion and he brought forward an object covered with a red cloth and preceded to remove the cover. It was a fearsome little affair contained in a clay pot with feathers stuck into it.

“The iyicomes from Mbanta. You know what that means. Swear that you will vote for Maduka. If you fail to do so, this iyitake note.”

Roof’s heartnearly flew out when he saw the iyi, indeed he knew the fame of Mbanta in these things. But he was a man of quick decision. What could a single vote cast in secret for Maduka take away from Marcus’s certain victory? Nothing.

“I will cast my paper for Maduka; if not this iyitake note.”

Questions

a) What leads to this extract?  (08 marks)

b (i) Describe the character of Ruufus as portrayed in the extract.  (04 marks)

(ii) Explain the themes brought out in the passage. (06 marks)

b) Describe the atmosphere prevailing in the passage.  (06 marks)

c) What is the significance of this excerpt to the rest of the story?  (10 marks)