1. The Music of the Violin Njabulo S. Ndebele
Bluence Avon Yoyo Scarlett Laura May Shirley

2. Outline Intro III. Motif A. Author A. Educator
B. Historical Background
II. Summary
A. Plot
B. Concept Map
III. Motif
A. Educator
B. Means of Education
C. Receivers of Education
IV. Themes
A. Gender
B. Colonialism
V. Discussion Questions

3. Thesis Statement
The protagonist, Vukani, is an allegory of the whole African society which is under the influence of colonialism; the story reveals how the children of Africa are torn between the Western and African cultures in terms of education, race and gender issues, and eventually even the mildest individual is forced on the verge of rebellion.

4. I. Introduction
Historical Background
Author

5. Historical Background
Apartheid ( ):
Hendrik Verwoerd, Prime Minister of South Africa, implemented a system of racial segregation to maintain Afrikaner white control over South Africa.
Bantu Education (based on 1953 Bantu Education Act):
a separate system of education and designed to fit black children for the lower echelons of the economy Eg. gardening
Soweto uprising in 1976:
a new spur to black writing

6. Author: Njabulo S. Ndebele
South African poet, short-story writer, critic
Fools and Other Stories (1983) - a collection of short stories
Background: Bantu Education in placid-seeming townships near Nigel in the Transvaal, in the early 1960s, but not in the Soweto of 1976.
Figures: a generation of parents and a generation of children rather than militants and security policemen.
Narratives: the eyes of a young and sensitive protagonist (Vukani)
Theme: consciousness of Njabulo’s generation.
Eg. The prophetess

7. II. Summary
Plot
Concept Map

8. Plot
Before climax:
Vukani studies in his room and pays attention to the conversation between his parents and the guests in the living room, anticipating that he will be forced to play violin out of his parent’s request.
3 flashbacks -Mr. Maseko -Teased for his violin in school -Called “music boy” by the gang of boys in the street
Climax:
As the parents and the guests all come to Vukani’s room, Vukani bursts into tears to reveal his reluctance and suppression.
Mr. Maseko-a school teacher who goes against white education policies and then is fired afterwards. Teased for his violin in school-Vukani is made fun of by others for carrying heavy violin to school. Once, his mother blames him for placing violin outside the house which is actually a ridicule made by school’s classmates. Called “music boy” by the gang of boys in the street- Vukani is once stopped by gang of boys and humiliated.

9. Concept Map

10. III. MOTIF
Educator
Means
Receiver

11. Educator: Society (the one with power)
School  ideology; brainwasher vs. the brainwashed
- Principal: obedience
“A wandering dog…is a very dangerous animal. It is a carrier of disease and pestilence, and when you see it, pelt it wit stone” (101).
- Inspector (Vukani’s father): neutral
“…we have to uplift the Black nation. And we cannot do that through cheating and laziness” (97).
- Teacher Maseko: rebellion
“I would rather be a hungry dog that runs freely in the streets, than a fat, chained dog burdened with itself and the weight of the chain” (101).

12. Educator: Society (the one with power)
Street  the bullied vs. the bullies
- Gang boys: the law of the jungle
“the feeling of wanting to take advantage of something weaker than him A fleeing impala must excite the worst destructive urge in a lion [a lion would feel] this was just a game that would surely end with the bringing down of the prey” (105).

13. Educator: Home (the one with power)
Mother  dominator vs. the dominated
- White preference: Jews recipes; violin; relatives
“Relatives can be real nuisance Whites saw this problem a long time ago. That is why they have very little time for relatives . . .” (110)
- Despising her own people: “savage”, “animal”, “raw”
- Oppressor/ Pusher: giving commands without any compromise (108, 109)
Father: more neutral
“Western Civilization is spoiling us, and so we have to cultivate the indigenous way of life” (108).
The whites equal the advancement
Calling her own people (esp. those on the streets)
“savage”, “animal”, “raw”. (111)

14. Means of Education Language Textbook –History Music instrument –Violin
All under the influence of Colonialism (Thesis)

15. Means of Education (cont.)
Language
Textbook –History
Music instrument –Violin
An obvious and solid example of colonialism - “Three weeks later, teacher Maseko was fired. The Principal made the announcement at morning assembly. He spoke in Afrikaans, always” (101).

16. Means of Education (cont.)
Language
Textbook –History
Music instrument –Violin
Correct answers provided my the dominant group: 2 questions -“How did the coming of the whites lead to the establishment of prosperity and peace among the various Bantu tribes?” (95) -“Who introduced the European type of education among the Bantu?” (107)
Lack of independent thinking and significance -“a meaningless task” (95). -“The homework was like a jigsaw puzzle; you simply looked for pieces which fitted...There was no thinking involved” (104).
A temporal escape from reality -“the homework had made him forget the latest ordeal for a while...he was now faced with the reality of the violin” (104). -“Vukani blankly looked at the homework...But Vukani felt only the solid presence of four people behind him” (107).
A trigger of rebellion -“the books looked as if they were waiting for that delicate moment when they would burst into flame” (99). -“...a wishful fascination to see the books on the desk aflame” (100).

17. Means of Education (cont.)
Language
Textbook –History
Music instrument –Violin
A symbol of higher social class and Western culture -“Why don’t you play some selections from Brahms? You know some excerpts from his only violin concerto? Perhaps Mozart? Yes Mozart...” (108) -“Hey, you, play that instrument and stop telling us about savages” (111).
A paradoxical existence -“He looked at the violin with dread: as something that could bring both pain and pleasure all at once” (100).
The cause of humiliation, harassment, and jealousy -Bhuka’s bullying (105-6) -“Plain jealousy...Township people do not want to see other Africans advance” (111).
Also a vulnerable and innocent object -“...the viollin leaning against the wall next to the stand” (95). -“...the violin drop to the floor. It made no noise on the think carpet” (112).

18. Receiver of Education Vukani
Education on musical instrument: violin, a MOST wonderful instrument.
Brahms, Mozart, Liszt, Dovrak  big names in European musical development  the fact that these names are well-known reflects the influences of western cultural imperialism
Mastering violin as a way to assimilate to a more powerful culture
Vukani’s mother draws clear lines between the family and township people and calls them “raw animals” (111).
“Can you heal our broken spirits?”(109) →  music of the violin and of the famous composers as healing →  recovering from “broken” to “complete” →  to become “cultured”
Education of violin ironically makes the protagonist the target (comparing with Breaking the Tongue)
Parental preference for the “high-culture” results in pressure and rebellion of Vukani.

19. Receiver of Education History homework and education in school
“Answer the following questions: How did the coming of the whites lead to the establishment of prosperity and peace among the various Bantu tribes?” (95).
“You just moved your finger up and down the page until you spotted the correct answer. There was no thinking involved” (104)
“Children, I would rather be a hungry dog that runs freely in the street, than a fat, chained dog burdened with itself and the weight of the chain. Whenever the whiteman tells you he has made you much better if than Africans elsewhere in this continent, tell him he’s lying before God” (101) → the teacher was fired later →  the school itself is a shackle for thoughts
“Children, a wandering dog that upsets garbage bins, ejects its dung all over the place, is a very dangerous animal. It’s a carrier of disease and pestilence, and when you see it, pelt it with stones” (101)  

20. Receiver of Education Vukani is being torn by paradox
Peer pressure (being bullied) vs. parental pressure
 Becoming rebellious and the dream of flying away with hands (108)
Teacher’s education vs. the Principal
To be freed from ideological restriction
To be “cultured” by “white” western culture

21. IV. Themes
Gender
Colonialism
Race
Rebellion

22. Gender Differences between men and women (opening scene)
Vukani’s mother & Female Visitors
Vukani’s father & Male Visitors
Talking about the meeting which Vukani’s mother missed
Jewish Recipes
Laughter
“You Women are on again about the Housewive’s League?” remarked Vukani’s father, interrupting the women (97).
“Ei! Women and food” (98).
two women (Vukani’s mother and Beatrice) different from the two men (Vukani’s father and Dr. Zwane in the opening scene? in the opening scene
men: talking about works (things happen in school)(women also listening)
女生講話男生一直笑？

23. Gender Differences between men and women (opening scene)
Vukani’s mother & Female Visitors
Vukani’s father & Male Visitors
Listening
Talking about things happened in the school
two women (Vukani’s mother and Beatrice) different from the two men (Vukani’s father and Dr. Zwane in the opening scene? in the opening scene
men: talking about works (things happen in school)(women also listening)
女生講話男生一直笑？

24. Gender Differences between men and women (racial identity)
Vukani’s mother & Female Visitors
Vukani’s father & Male Visitors
Mother: “This room is as good as any white boy’s” (101). “Whites saw this problem a long time ago” (110). Female Visitors: Jwish recipes “People like Mrs Kaplinsky are very good friends of ours” (99).
Father “Western Civilization is spoiling us, and so we have to cultivate the indigenous way of life” (108). “Whites are whites; Africans are Africans” (110). Male visitors: “Sometimes these South African Jews sicken me” (99). “They are hypocrites! helping the Boers to sit on us” (99).
two women (Vukani’s mother and Beatrice) different from the two men (Vukani’s father and Dr. Zwane in the opening scene? in the opening scene
men: talking about works (things happen in school)(women also listening)
女生講話男生一直笑？
The jewish whites – the boers
Tend not to talk about politics

25. Gender (Scene of Conflicts—The Loss of the Violin)
“The whole classes seem to have ganged up on me” (102).
Boys
Girls
“Big bodies without minds” (102).
Topsana wants to kiss the inspector’s son (103)
Laughter
因為小提琴太顯眼而且他是inspector的兒子
n the two central scenes of conflicts (the loss of the violin and the harassment of the gang), how are the issues of gender and race mixed together?
1. Gender relations: How are the two women (Vukani’s mother and Beatrice) different from the two men (Vukani’s father and Dr. Zwane in the opening scene? What are they each concerned with?
2. How are Vukani and Toboho treated differently? How does Vukani respond to having visitors at home? Why is he so afraid?
3. How is “education” presented in this story?
4. In the two central scenes of conflicts (the loss of the violin and the harassment of the gang), how are the issues of gender and race mixed together?
5. How do you compare this story with “The Prophetess”? How do the parents treat their children differently? How do the characters look at tradition differently?
How are the two women (Vukani’s mother and Beatrice) different from the two men (Vukani’s father and Dr. Zwane in the opening scene? What are they each concerned with?
2. How are Vukani and Toboho treated differently? How does Vukani respond to having visitors at home? Why is he so afraid?
3. How is “education” presented in this story?
4. In the two central scenes of conflicts, how are the issues of gender and race mixed together?
5. How do you compare this story with “The Prophetess”? How do the parents treat their children differently? How do the characters look at tradition differently? x
showing of her son: 如果媽媽（motherhood）在社會中被賦予的責任是照顧小孩，那她其實理所當然會把兒子的成就看成是最重要的事情（有點像chinese mother），因為兒子的成功＝她的成功，so對兒子的壓迫自此而來 1.
男女反應不同，但都是針對他inspector的身份（social status) 2.
fuck his sister: women 的種族與性別的雙重壓迫？（還是只有單重壓迫）(humilliate her) 姊姊也是被雙重壓迫？？
a woman stands out for him but can help him instead. (and their words: i could be your mother and this could be your son)

26. Gender (Scene of Conflicts—the Harassment of the Gang)
Sexism
Boys
Girls
“Hey, music man” (104).
Humiliating Teboho as a way to humiliate Vukani
Teboho is humiliated
a woman stands out for him (but can not help him in the end)
因為小提琴太顯眼而且他是inspector的兒子
n the two central scenes of conflicts (the loss of the violin and the harassment of the gang), how are the issues of gender and race mixed together?
1. Gender relations: How are the two women (Vukani’s mother and Beatrice) different from the two men (Vukani’s father and Dr. Zwane in the opening scene? What are they each concerned with?
2. How are Vukani and Toboho treated differently? How does Vukani respond to having visitors at home? Why is he so afraid?
3. How is “education” presented in this story?
4. In the two central scenes of conflicts (the loss of the violin and the harassment of the gang), how are the issues of gender and race mixed together?
5. How do you compare this story with “The Prophetess”? How do the parents treat their children differently? How do the characters look at tradition differently?
How are the two women (Vukani’s mother and Beatrice) different from the two men (Vukani’s father and Dr. Zwane in the opening scene? What are they each concerned with?
2. How are Vukani and Toboho treated differently? How does Vukani respond to having visitors at home? Why is he so afraid?
3. How is “education” presented in this story?
4. In the two central scenes of conflicts, how are the issues of gender and race mixed together?
5. How do you compare this story with “The Prophetess”? How do the parents treat their children differently? How do the characters look at tradition differently? x
showing of her son: 如果媽媽（motherhood）在社會中被賦予的責任是照顧小孩，那她其實理所當然會把兒子的成就看成是最重要的事情（有點像chinese mother），因為兒子的成功＝她的成功，so對兒子的壓迫自此而來 1.
男女反應不同，但都是針對他inspector的身份（social status) 2.
fuck his sister: women 的種族與性別的雙重壓迫？（還是只有單重壓迫）(humilliate her) 姊姊也是被雙重壓迫？？
a woman stands out for him but can help him instead. (and their words: i could be your mother and this could be your son)

27. Gender Children are treated differently
Sexism
“Their mother tended to make too many demands on them” (97).
“They were lonely. Their parents disapproved of many of their friends” (110).
Vukani
Tenoho
Violin
Homework
“Teboho! Please come and clear up here!” (98)
Kitchen
因為小提琴太顯眼而且他是inspector的兒子
n the two central scenes of conflicts (the loss of the violin and the harassment of the gang), how are the issues of gender and race mixed together?
1. Gender relations: How are the two women (Vukani’s mother and Beatrice) different from the two men (Vukani’s father and Dr. Zwane in the opening scene? What are they each concerned with?
2. How are Vukani and Toboho treated differently? How does Vukani respond to having visitors at home? Why is he so afraid?
3. How is “education” presented in this story?
4. In the two central scenes of conflicts (the loss of the violin and the harassment of the gang), how are the issues of gender and race mixed together?
5. How do you compare this story with “The Prophetess”? How do the parents treat their children differently? How do the characters look at tradition differently?
How are the two women (Vukani’s mother and Beatrice) different from the two men (Vukani’s father and Dr. Zwane in the opening scene? What are they each concerned with?
2. How are Vukani and Toboho treated differently? How does Vukani respond to having visitors at home? Why is he so afraid?
3. How is “education” presented in this story?
4. In the two central scenes of conflicts, how are the issues of gender and race mixed together?
5. How do you compare this story with “The Prophetess”? How do the parents treat their children differently? How do the characters look at tradition differently? x
showing of her son: 如果媽媽（motherhood）在社會中被賦予的責任是照顧小孩，那她其實理所當然會把兒子的成就看成是最重要的事情（有點像chinese mother），因為兒子的成功＝她的成功，so對兒子的壓迫自此而來 1.
男女反應不同，但都是針對他inspector的身份（social status) 2.
fuck his sister: women 的種族與性別的雙重壓迫？（還是只有單重壓迫）(humilliate her) 姊姊也是被雙重壓迫？？
a woman stands out for him but can help him instead. (and their words: i could be your mother and this could be your son)

28. Gender Motherhood Visitors:
“You are lucky to have children who are educating themselves dearie” (98).
“You are very happy, dearie, to have a child who loves school” (107).
(112)
Dr Zwane: “How difficult it is to bring up a child properly in Soweto! To give them culture. African people just turn away from advancement.” Those words seemed to build a fire in Vukani’s mother. They sounded like a reflection on her.
→ wants to strike Vukani, and the Teboho rushes in
→ “You please your home, which is going to give you something to be proud of for the rest of your useless life!”
→ Vukani’s father: “That’s enough,” and visitors stare at her
→ A wail of the bereaved

29. Themes --- Colonialism Race
Western culture Preference:
Common degradation towards own people/country
Society
School : Principal
Principal
“[The Principal] spoke in Afrikaan, always.”
Jews: “‘[T] hey are hypocrites ! I mean look, they say they were killed left and right by the Germans, but here they are , here, helping the Boers to sit on us’” (99).
Home: parents  and visitors
Mother: despises and degrades their own people; usage of derogatory terms; bleaching/ whitening Vukani
“‘What disgraceful children! I am a nursing sister, your father is an inspector of schools. What are you going to be, listening to savages?’” (112).
“‘Kaffir children!’” (101).

30. Themes --- Colonialism Race
Father
“‘We just can’t get it into these teachers’ heads that we have to uplift the Black nation. And we cannot do that through cheating and laziness…. That fellow was just not teaching the students gardening, and that is dead against government policy’” (97).
Visitors  
“‘We had Lauretta started on ballet recently,’ said Mrs Zwane, as if suggesting that they were doing their duty” (108).
“Then he heard Dr Zwane say: ‘How difficult it is to bring up a child properly in Soweto! To give them culture. African people just turn away from advancement.’”
“Jealousy,” shouted Mr. Zwane. “plain jealousy. Jealousy number one. Township people don’t want to see other Africans advance” (111).

31. Themes --- Colonialism Race
Food
Coffee vs. Tea
Coffee: the origin of coffee is thought to have been Africa (Ethiopia)
Tea: symbol of western countries
“ Perhaps it was coffee. Most probably tea. Visitors generally like tea more” (95).
Recipe
“‘A white woman came all the way from Emmerientai high class, exclusive suburb mind you, to address the meeting on Jewish recipes. Came all the way to Soweto for that It was wonderful.’ …. ‘Ha, woman! Please, give me! give me!’ begged Vukani’s mother with great excitement…” (98).
Outfit
Admiration for Western things
“Vukani’s mother, still in her white nursing uniform….” (95).
“[Vukani’s father] took out a handkerchief from the pocket of his trousers ” (98).

32. Themes --- Colonialism Race
Peeking and listening through the slightly opened door
curiosity, and fear of being colonized/ controlled/ oppressed
“In spite of himself, he had been amused by the story” (97).
→ as if the colonized learning things of the oppressors lopsidedly (ambivalence)

33. Themes --- Colonialism Rebellion
Being torn apart by western and African culture → rebellion
Symbols
Fire/ Color (Red)
“[T]he reading lamp with its circular light which seemed to be baking the open pages of the books … waiting for that delicate moment when they would burst into flame” (99).
“The hair would catch fire with a crackling brilliance that always sent him into raptures of delight. He never seemed to mind the smell of burning hair…. ‘Dead things catch fire,’ he said. Vukani was suddenly caught by a wishful fascination to see the books on the desk aflame” (100).
“These words seemed to build a fire in Vukani’s mother” (112).
“It was like the red dress which Miss Yende,..., occasionally wore. …. It was a deep velvety red that gave the impression the dress had a flowery fragrance. Yet, because it also signalled the possibility of pain, it also had a dreadful repulsiveness ” (100).

34. Themes --- Colonialism Rebellion
Characters
teacher Maseko
“‘Children, I would rather be a hungry dog that runs freely in the streets, than a fat, chained dog burdened with itself and the weight of the chain. Whenever the whiteman tells you he has made you much better off than Africans elsewhere in the continent, tell him he is lying before God’” (101).
Teboho
“That’s how its planned. That we be given little of everything, and so prize the little we have, that we forget about freedom” (109).
Doksi
“‘When God had finished burning hair, he thought that it was good’” (100).
“‘I’d just face the whole class and say: ‘Whoever took my violin is a coward. Why doesn’t he come out and fight?’’” (102).

35. Themes --- Colonialism Rebellion
Allegory: Escape → Rebellion → Freedom
Vukani himself is a symbol of rebellion who also serves as an allegory of the society.
The oppression of blacks by government is meant to lead to rebellion.
Escape
“He stood up, thinking of a way to escape….. Escape would be impossible” (95).
"He had to escape" (97).
Vukani’ s dream (page 108).
Rebel
“‘I do not want to play… I do not want to play… not any more!’” (112)
Freedom
“He felt free…. He was free. He could fly into the sky” (112).

36. Discussion Questions General Q.
Can you relate any personal experiences to Vukani?
Q1. What are the similarities and differences between “The Prophetess” and “The Music of the Violin”?
Q2. Published during the post-apartheid period, what does this story suggest or criticized about the apartheid period?
Q3. Is this story the journey of rebellion, growth, or education?