Njabulo Ndebele The Test Summary

Phoenix Falconer-Pincus

1411588

English - Fools and other stories

“The Test “by Njaabulo Ndebele portrays the individual choice to suffer in an environment that only dictates and controls the lives of many. “The Test” is about more than boyhood suffering, but is rather about the desire for autonomy. “Fools” by Njabulo Ndebele is a short story following individuals as they come to terms with the environment they are living in. “Fools” highlights the positions of power in the Apartheid era whether it is the white male or an educated african individual. “Fools” comments on human existence by portraying the growth of an adult coming to the realisation of his life and environment. Both short stories are set in Apartheid South Africa, and this

The short story follows a group of young boys and is told through the eyes of Thoba (one of the boys). In an environment where African people had no choice or power over their lives, the boys unconsciously have control over certain kinds of suffering that they endure. Suffering is explored through the metaphors of soccer and rain. We first see the individual choice to suffer when Thoba continues to play soccer even though it is raining (1). The quote “The trick is to keep playing and be involved” depicts how Thoba finds a way to forget his suffering in terms of feeing cold from the rain, by being distracted by the soccer game. We find out that Thoba’s family is more financially stable than some of the other boys’ families and this makes Thoba feel as if he should continue suffer (4). The quote “Thoba remembered that he had three pairs of shoes” contrasts the fact that the other boys are said to have 1 pair of shoes (Ndebele 4). Thoba’s experience of having shoes makes him yearn to have the same cracked feet as the boys who do not have shoes. Thoba chooses to create his own suffering by not wearing his shoes to play soccer. This is seen in the quote “So whenever his mother and father were away from home, he would play without shoes” (Ndebele 4). Thoba chooses this suffering for he believes having cracked feet like the other boys, will somehow connect

Mr Zamani is an 50 year-old teacher, and this gives him the air of wisdom. A perception of Mr Zamani is created by his position as an educator and the reader immediately assumes his intelligence. However, the role is reversed as Zamani seems to yearn to follow and be lead by Zani, an 18 educated activist. This can be seen when Mr Zamani follows Zani’s instruction to join him in breaking up a picnic (218). This creates the idea that Mr Zamani might not feel as self-assured as the reader presumed, as he desires to be lead by someone. This is due to Zani being a form of Mr Zamani’s alter-ego for they are both narcissistic intellectuals that mirror