When social change occurs, it is evident that people will be faced with self-conflict. In Nadine Gordimer’s essay, the conflict is man-vs-society which in this case involves the Whites being confused about the world around them. They are desirable of being one with the blacks, and to live in a society where everyone is equal. The whites are scared that change will never occur, change such as; whites having legal rights and playing a role in society. This lead the whites to have self-conflict because they are unsure on whether to leave the place they know as home and go somewhere else where they know they’ll fit in, or stay and hope that things change. Gordimer talks about the inner conflict that she has because she is already accustomed to the whites playing such a high role in society’s hierarchy. She makes no attempt to consider the reality of living another role. The author is conflicted with overthinking about the business aspect that she desires whites to play a role in. Gordimer herself has and inner conflict of staying in a place where she doesn’t fit in or leave to another place where she will be fully accepted.
