Ballroom Dancing Analysis

Athol Fugard has created multiple teachers throughout the story by using a variety of literary and dramatic devices to create an effect on the audience. He clearly focused on creating a wise and intelligent teacher Sam. He taught Hally about the importance of a kite in his life and taught Willie how to dance.

At the beginning of the play Fugard introduces Sam, who shows a clear knowledge of ballroom dancing. He motivates Willie to do well in his upcoming competition: ‘ballroom must look happy… like romance.’ Sam wants Willie to look at dancing enthusiastic and positive as if it was a happy ending to a book. Willie is a slow learner and short-tempered but he starts to imagine dancing as a simple task to perform. Furthermore, Sam gives another

After a second call, he rages at Sam and Willie which makes him an ambiguous and racist boy. He disrespects his only friend by spitting into his face, to what Sam says a sad truth about his terrible act: ‘the face you should be spitting in is your father’s… but you used mine, because you think you’re safe inside your fair skin’. This lesson was taught to remind us of a crucial problem of that time – racism. It teaches the audience that racism is a powerful weapon and it can hurt someone's feelings if not being careful. Readers can see that Hally used racism as a powerful weapon against Sam and now he faces up the consequences of his behavior. It affects Sam as he taught many lessons to Hally so he can become a man. He needed to give thanks to Sam, but instead, he spits in his face to what Sam looses all the hope and

Since the childhood of Hally, Sam has made a promise to educate a Hally to be mature and be proud of himself, but he didn’t succeed. He makes a final point to Hally referring to Hallie’s childhood, so he can see the whole situation clearer and understand how the day with the kite and a bench is important to his life otherwise he will be ‘sitting alone for a long time without any kite’. Fugard made the role of Sam to be a teacher so that Hally understand what that day with the kite means to him understand the meaning of it from a matured sensible man’s perspective. He has a potential and the ability to learn and to be a proud and matured man, but that is not what he